University of Southern Queensland
Graduate Diploma of Nursing (Rural and Remote)
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
Develop your clinical decision-making skills in a rural and remote setting and gain the qualifications required to work effectively as a remote nurse.
Course overview
Overview
- Build an understanding of the legal framework supporting your practice.
- Benefit from work-based learning and advance your physical examination and diagnostic skills. You’ll build knowledge of specific drugs registered nurses may need to obtain, supply and administer in an advanced practice context.
- You can fit studying into your life and career while studying part-time and online.
This program has been developed for registered nurses wishing to further their knowledge and advance their nursing skills in rural and isolated practice. After completing the Graduate Diploma or Master's, students will meet the legislative requirements to support the extended practice authority (EPA). Utilising Health Management Protocols and Clinical Care Guidelines outlined in the Primary Clinical Care Manual, clinicians in QLD and Victoria will have the ability to administer and supply medicines.
Further study
After completing the Graduate Diploma of Nursing, you can take credit for these courses and continue to complete the Master of Nursing.
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
From $1,119 (CSP)
What you will study
To earn this degree, students must complete eight units.
Core courses
- Contexts of Practice
- Research Design and Methodologies
- The Law and Health Care Practice or Culture as Determinants of Health
Specialisation courses
- Introduction to Rural and Remote Nursing Practice
- Emergency Nursing in Isolated Practice
- Diagnostics and Assessment
- Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacology for Scheduled Medicines
- Situational Practice: Clinical and Critical Decision-Making Skills
Entry requirements
- Completed a three-year bachelor's degree in nursing from an Australian university, or equivalent.
- Hold a current Professional Registration as a Division 1 nurse, or equivalent, with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or a relevant regulatory body in the applicant's home country.
- Provide written confirmation from your manager stating that you are currently employed as a Registered Nurse and can complete the required clinical mentorship hours in your workplace.
English language requirements
To meet the English language requirements for this degree, UniSQ accepts the minimum English language proficiency scores from one of the following tests. Your test must be completed within two years of applying to UniSQ.
- IELTS (Academic): Minimum overall score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 in the four components - listening, reading, writing and speaking.
- Pearson Test of English: Minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills - listening, reading, writing and speaking.
- TOEFL iBT: Minimum total score of 94 and minimum score in each test section: 24 for listening and reading; 27 for writing; 23 for speaking.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have previously studied or have relevant work experience, you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. This will help reduce the number of courses you must take to finish your program. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Apply specialised knowledge, skills and technical competencies across various health contexts.
- Communicate professionally and ethically in interpersonal, interprofessional and intercultural situations with people of diverse ages, backgrounds and needs.
- Collaborate with various healthcare professionals to provide patient care that meets and exceeds the national standards for nursing practice and achieve common goals.
- Reflect on practice to facilitate awareness and knowledge of one’s cognition and abilities, establishing a mechanism for lifelong learning.
- Critically analyse, synthesise and evaluate a range of data and evidence to provide solutions to complex nursing problems.
Career outcomes
Graduates can find rural and remote nursing jobs in various contexts where healthcare services are often limited.
Fees and CSP
Indicative annual fee in 2025: $8,948 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
Indicative annual fee in 2025: $26,640 (domestic full-fee paying place)
A student’s annual fee may vary depending on:
- The number of courses studied.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- 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 unit 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.
