Victoria University
Master of Nursing (Leadership)
- Delivery: Online
- Commitment: 15 - 20 hours/week
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
Empowers registered nurses to lead transformative healthcare initiatives by mastering clinical leadership, team management, and financial acumen—all delivered through VU’s award-winning online Block Model for flexible, focused learning.
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 (Leadership) 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 and in the evenings: Get the support you need, when you need it, during your course. VU's support network has a single focus: ensuring you are entirely supported to succeed.
VU Online’s Master of Nursing, specialising in Nursing Leadership, is designed for registered nurses to transform 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 Nursing Leadership, students will acquire skills that are in demand for senior nurse leaders.
The Nursing Leadership specialisation provides registered nurses with the knowledge to develop expertise in providing nursing leadership and a comprehensive understanding of management, including financial management. Graduates with a Master of Nursing (Leadership) will be prepared to shape the development and provision of healthcare services, specifically clinical leadership and successfully managing teams.
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
- Nursing Management
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Financial Management for Nurses
- Research Project: Nursing Leadership
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.
