Victoria University
Graduate Certificate in Nursing
- Delivery: Online
- Commitment: 15 - 20 hours/week
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 8 months
Better nursing. Better health. Strengthen your leadership, care coordination and evidence-based practice through 100% online study designed for registered nurses ready to drive healthcare improvement.
Course overview
Healthcare improvement depends on nurses who can connect evidence, leadership and coordinated care. The 100% online Graduate Certificate in Nursing is designed for registered nurses seeking to strengthen their professional capabilities through flexible postgraduate study.
Across four units, you will examine community health promotion, cultural safety and the health priorities affecting diverse populations. You will also explore interprofessional care coordination for people with complex needs, approaches to quality improvement and innovation and the critical evaluation of nursing and healthcare research. Work-based assessments allow you to apply your learning to a current or recent professional role.
Delivered through VU Online’s Block Model, the course allows you to focus on one seven-week unit at a time, with no exams or textbooks to purchase and no requirement to attend campus or be online at set times. Complete the four units in as little as eight months, then progress to the Master of Nursing with guaranteed entry and credit for the first four units.
Key facts
What you will study
To attain the Graduate Certificate in Nursing, students must complete the following four units:
Core units
- Promoting Cultural Competence and Community Health
- Care Coordination in Practice
- Leading Improvement and Innovation
- Evidence and Research for Practice
Entry requirements
To apply for the online Graduate Certificate of Nursing, you are required to have:
- Completed an AQF Level 7 Bachelor's of Nursing, or equivalent qualification; AND
- Current Registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA); OR
- Applicants without an AQF 7 Bachelor's Degree of Nursing or equivalent qualification but who hold a current Registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with the Australian Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) will be considered for the Graduate Certificate in Nursing.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Australia requires registered nurses with advanced knowledge, skills and competencies to help drive the transformation of its healthcare system.
This qualification may enable you to move up to the next level of your nursing career—you may become the next Nurse Unit Manager.
Australian Registered Nurses (RNS) will be eligible for the postgraduate qualification allowance after completing this course.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Total cost for four units in 2026: $11,800 (domestic full-fee paying place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of four units per year.
Student annual fees may vary in accordance with:
- The number of units studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
