Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing

Duration1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Location
Online
Next start termAnytime
Study modeOnline
Course codeCC69
First-year fee
$17,616 (Indicative) (FFP)
Mental Health Nursing student Rhiana Jackson sitting outside on campus

Overview

CQUniversity's Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing is ideal for registered nurses looking to develop their mental health nursing credentials to practise as a specialist Mental Health Nurse. Delivered fully online in a flexible format, this course forms part of a suite of three mental health nursing courses and will provide you with advanced skills and knowledge required to practise in this area of nursing specialisation.

The Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing is delivered via our Be Different platform and offers you a self-paced, ultra-flexible online course, ideal for busy, emerging health leaders interested in practising as a qualified Mental Health Nurse. 

Our Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing is nationally accredited by the Australian College of Mental Health Nursing, meaning you’ll graduate from this course with specialist mental health nursing skills and knowledge. After completion of this course, you can later apply to become a credentialed Mental Health Nurse through the Australian College of Mental Health Nursing provided you meet the other requirements.

Delivered as part of a suite, the Graduate Diploma incorporates a nested Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing. This means that the first four units you complete make up the Graduate Certificate and will build your skills and knowledge in undertaking mental health assessments, risk assessments and formulations, along with psychotropic medications, and recovery. The final units of this course extend on this and with a focus on the provision of safe, person-centred, recovery-orientated mental health care, particular attention is given to exploring a range of therapeutic interventions that you can use to enhance your practice. After completing the Graduate Diploma, you may like to extend your studies and continue on in the Master of Mental Health Nursing.

The assessments that you complete in the Graduate Diploma need you to be working in mental health. This way you can employ your mental health nursing skills and apply your learnings to your own clinical practice. 

Developed with industry and lived experience academics, we’ve made sure our mental health nursing courses are evidence-based and clinically relevant so that your studies truly reflect current and emerging mental health nursing matters. Add to this, the flexible, online delivery via our Be Different platform where you set your own pace and affordable tuition fees and you have a suite of mental health nursing courses that allow you to fit study around your life, not the other way round.

Career Opportunities

On the completion of this course you will receive the award of Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing.

Students who complete this course of study will be able to seek employment in the mental health field as a career pathway.

Structure & Availability

The course structure and available locations can change depending on when you want to study. You can choose the intake that best suits you in the drop-down menu below.

Available locations

Flexible online study

Designed for maximum flexibility, this course is entirely self-paced and 100% online. Access your course content on any device, anytime, and experience the ultimate flexibility and convenience.

Your course

You must complete eight units (48 credits):

  1. 1
    The core structure (8 units)

Unit details

The units you'll study are listed below. Click on a unit to learn more.

Course planner

To help you plan your studies and see which unit comes first, if one unit should be completed before another and when you will study each unit, check out our course planners.

Additional information

Professional Practice - Australian College of Mental Health Nurses

Core

The ACMHN offers accreditation to education providers who provide postgraduate mental health nursing programs that align with the National Framework for Postgraduate Mental Health Nursing Education. This accreditation is consistent with the Australian Standards for Professional Processes (2008) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Quality Framework for the Accreditation function.

If you have completed prior study relevant to units within this course, you may be eligible for credit for your past studies. Learn more about credit and recognition of prior learning.

Requirements

To be eligible

For your application to be considered, you must meet the following entry requirements. 

During your study

While not needed to apply, you'll need to meet the following requirements throughout your studies. 

Fees & Scholarships

Indicative first-year fee

The Indicative First-Year Fee for a Full Fee Paying (FFP) Place is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one full-time academic year (this is usually eight units studied over two terms) and should be used as a guide only. Your actual fees may vary depending on the units you study and your study load. Check the cost-per-unit spreadsheet available on our fees webpage for the approved unit fees. Fees are reviewed each year and are subject to change. Understanding your fees.

You may be eligible for FEE-HELP, an Australian Government loan scheme that helps eligible students pay their tuition fees. Provided you meet the FEE-HELP eligibility criteria, you can choose to use FEE-HELP to cover all or part of your tuition fees. 

Learn more about paying for university or view the FEE-HELP information booklet on the Australian Government’s Study Assist website.

There may be additional costs as part of your studies, such as technology expenses. Learn more about other study costs.

How to apply

How to apply

Check what you need to do to apply to study this course. 

Your application options

Follow these steps

  1. 1
    Check you meet the course requirements
  2. 2
    Get a Unique Student Identifier

Extra admission information

Learn about the assessment of applications and everything you need to know about receiving and accepting an offer to study with CQU.

Start Your Application

Use the Apply button below to access our Apply Online portal and start your application.