Victoria University
Master of Nursing (Chronic Disease and Ageing)
- Delivery: Online
- Commitment: 15 - 20 hours/week
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
Equips registered nurses with advanced, person-centred strategies to lead innovative care models for older adults with complex health needs—all delivered flexibly through VU’s award-winning online Block Model.
Course overview
- Award-winning study model: VU's award-winning postgraduate Block Model recognises the complexity of students' lives while giving a consistent, manageable and connected online learning experience. Earn your Master of Nursing (Chronic Disease and Ageing) faster than on-campus with our unique study model.
- There are no exams or textbooks to purchase. The online units have been designed with a student-centred approach that spans the overarching learning outcomes to engaging activities and self-determined assessments.
- Support seven days a week and in the evenings: Get the support you need, when you need it, during your course. VU's support network focuses on ensuring you are entirely supported to succeed.
VU Online’s Master of Nursing, specialising in Chronic Disease and Ageing, is designed for registered nurses to transform the delivery of healthcare services in Australia. Across eight core units of study – from Promoting Cultural Competence and Community Health to Nursing Informatics – and four specialised units in Chronic Disease and Ageing, students will acquire skills that are in demand for senior nurse leaders.
The Chronic Disease and Ageing specialisation provides registered nurses with a fundamental knowledge base to devise innovative care interventions and models for residents, patients, families, and carers. Graduates with a Master of Nursing (Chronic Disease and Ageing) will acquire person-centred strategies to plan, assess, implement, evaluate, support, and care for older individuals with complex comorbidities or chronic health conditions.
Each course is delivered 100% online, allowing students to fit study around their busy personal and professional lives. VU Online takes a personalised 1:1 approach to online learning, which makes learning highly interactive and supported.
With 25 years of experience delivering postgraduate courses in Australia, VU has equipped thousands of students from all walks of life with the knowledge and skills to successfully achieve their unique career goals, including promotion, salary increase, leadership, and innovation in nursing.
Key facts
July, 2025
August, 2025
October, 2025
What you will study
To attain the Master of Nursing (Chronic Disease and Aging), students must complete 144 credit points, consisting of 12 units.
Core units
- Promoting Cultural Competence and Community Health
- Care Coordination in Practice
- Leading Improvement and Innovation
- Evidence and Research for Practice
- Complex Care Coordination
- Nursing Informatics
- Professional Development in Practice
- Mental Health Nursing
Specialisation units
- Innovation in Aged Care Practice
- Ageing and Chronic Disease
- Health and Wellbeing for the Older Person
- Research Project: Chronic Disease and Ageing
Entry requirements
To apply for the online Master of Nursing, you are required to have the following:
- Completed an AQF Level 7 Bachelor of Nursing, or equivalent qualification.
- Current Registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
- Applicants without an AQF 7 Bachelor Degree of Nursing or equivalent qualification who hold a current Registered Nurse (Division 1) Registration with the Australian Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) will be considered for the Graduate Certificate in Nursing. Upon completing the Graduate Certificate, applicants will be eligible for admission to the Master's in Nursing with credit granted for completed units.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be eligible to enter the master's with credit for past skills and/or study, known as advanced standing.
You may be eligible for advanced standing if you've already completed any of the units in the course you are enrolling in, or their equivalent.
Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Assess and apply current WHO and Australian Health priorities and cultural competency principles to promote community health.
- Formulate and lead quality and safety innovations for improved patient outcomes.
- Assume leadership for complex care coordination for clients.
- Provide leadership in informatics and its applications to digital healthcare.
- Contribute to advancing nursing knowledge, practice and design through research evaluation.
- Develop, implement and assess professional development programs for clinical settings.
- Lead or influence nursing care in a chosen speciality area.
- Design and undertake primary research in a specialist area.
Career options
Prospective career paths may include:
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Clinical research nurse
- Clinical nurse consultant
- Clinical nurse educator
- Nurse unit manager
- Leadership role in chronic disease and ageing
- Unit manager
- Director of Nursing
- Executive director of nursing
- Nursing informatics manager
- Health informatics manager
- Clinical information director
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative per unit cost in 2025: $2,950 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Indicative total cost in 2025: $35,400 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The total cost is calculated based on 12 units of study or 144 credit points.
The fees depend on the number of units you study and whether you are eligible for Advanced Standing, which is assessed after you submit your application.
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.
