University of Canberra
Master of Nursing Practice
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
Allows students with any undergraduate degree to graduate as a Registered Nurse (RN) in Australia.
Course overview
This two-year Master's degree is flexible in design. You’ll study in intensive blocks of theory and clinical placements supported through interactive online content. Experience technology-enhanced learning and innovative teaching to provide contemporary, relevant and flexible content.
Grow through hands-on learning, simulation, exploration of essential theory and complete clinical placements in various rural and urban settings appropriate to the level of study. Apply your experience to your research and graduate as a curious, dynamic thinker who provides safe, quality, evidence-based care and can adapt to an ever-changing health environment.
The Registered Nurse Standards for Practice consist of the following seven standards:
- Thinks critically and analyses nursing practice
- Engages in therapeutic and professional relationships
- Maintains the capability for practice
- Comprehensively conducts assessments
- Develops a plan for nursing practice
- Provides safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice
- Evaluates outcomes to inform nursing practice.
You must show competency against these standards to gain registration as a nurse in Australia.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
15th February, 2027
What you will study
The Master of Nursing Practice course comprises 48 credit points of study. Unless otherwise indicated, each unit is worth three credit points.
Core units
Complete the following units:
- Nursing Practice 1
- Nursing Practice 2
- Nursing Practice 3
- Nursing Practice 4 (6 credit points)
- Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice 1
- Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Nursing Practice 2
- Professional and Therapeutic Communication
- Mental Health: Contemporary Nursing Practice
- Ethics and Law for Health Professionals
- Digital Health Systems and Nursing
- Foundations of Nursing Practice
- Contextualising Nursing Practice 1
- Contextualising Nursing Practice 2
- Contextualising Interprofessional Learning in Practice
- Indigenous Health: Contemporary Issues
Entry requirements
Applicants must have:
- A completed Australian bachelor's degree (or recognised International equivalent) in any discipline within 10 years of application.
- For domestic students whose bachelor's degree was completed more than 10 years before application, evidence of higher education, e.g., a post-graduate certificate or diploma, can be considered since the degree was awarded within those 10 years.
English language requirements
All candidates must meet non-standard English language requirements for admission to this course.
To be eligible, candidates must demonstrate English language proficiency via one of the following:
- English Language Assessment Test results from one of the following English proficiency tests: Overall academic IELTS score of 7.0 with no band score below 7.0, or an OET grade of B including any of the sub-tests, or TOEFL iBT with an overall score of 94 and minimum scores of 24 in Listening, 24 in Reading, 27 in Writing and 23 in Speaking, or PTE Academic score of 65 overall with no skill score below 65.
- Primary Language Pathway has undertaken six years of primary and secondary education taught and assessed in English, including at least two years between years 7 and 12 from one of the following recognised countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the USA.
Recognition of Prior Learning
A credit application based on recognition of prior learning (RPL), including informal or non-formal learning, must include appropriate certified documentation. For more information, contact the university or visit their website.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
- Critically review and evaluate digital health systems and analyse the advancement of technology in delivering person-centred care across the lifespan and healthcare practices.
- Critically evaluate protocols and practices to professional identity and the skills, knowledge and personal attributes necessary to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse Standards for practice.
- Develop and apply nursing knowledge and skills to actively support all interactions with empathy and kindness in a culturally safe, respectful manner where cultural understanding and reconciliation are valued, ensuring that all feel safe.
- Formulate nursing assessments to establish priorities and inform planning; provide skilful nursing interventions for people across the lifespan within the scope of a registered nurse; and critically evaluate responses to determine effectiveness.
- Integrate sciences, appraise research and apply and evaluate evidence and strength-based best practice approaches; think critically and inform safe clinical decision-making for quality person-centred nursing care.
- Demonstrate and synthesise professional communication and therapeutic relationships consistent with ethical strengths-based approaches to person-centred nursing care and relevant legal frameworks that govern healthcare practice.
Career outcomes
Career opportunities:
There are many career opportunities for registered nurses who can work in all aspects of nursing, including Emergency departments, medical and surgical wards, operating departments, primary health care, rehabilitation and mental health.
This course also fosters digital health and leadership skills and graduates will be ideally placed to work towards clinical leadership and management positions.
Fees and CSP
Full-course fee in 2025: $48,200 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Full-course fee in 2025: From $9,826 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
A student’s annual fee may vary depending on:
- The number of units studied.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you only need to pay some of your tuition fees. The student contribution amount is the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per the courses you're enrolled in.
- Depending on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
