Bachelor of Nursing
Overview
Whether you have always dreamed of being a nurse, or your lived experiences have ignited your passion to make a difference through healthcare, our accredited Bachelor of Nursing will prepare you for a rewarding and diverse career as a competent and effective Registered Nurse (Division 1) General.
We also have a number of course options for Diploma of Nursing and non-nursing bachelor degree qualified students looking to become a Registered Nurse (Division 1) General.
Join our Nursing Webinar on Tuesday 2nd September.
The Bachelor of Nursing prepares you to be reflective about your practice as a nurse and develop clinical reasoning skills in order to confidently and safely engage in contemporary nursing practice in a variety of environments and contexts and adapt to the needs of people from diverse backgrounds.
You'll acquire skills to provide person-centred care and collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. Plus, seek evidence to ensure safe, quality practice and act in a professional, ethical and compassionate manner. In addition, you will learn to nurture the development of nursing as a practice discipline and demonstrate leadership in healthcare. You will explore how life-long learning skills can facilitate continuing professional development.
Our highly trained and experienced nursing lecturers will support you while you develop your professional nursing profile. You will develop your skills and knowledge through a combination of theoretical and extensive clinical learning experiences, including simulated training across our nationally located Clinical Learning Centres, which simulates a real-world setting for you to safely practice in, and completion of 800 hours of professional practice placements commencing in your first year of study. Benefit from our enhanced learning experience and launch your nursing career.
Enrolled Nurse Pathway
If you're an AHPRA registered Enrolled Nurse (Division 2), our two-year full-time (or part-time equivalent) Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Pathway) is ideal if you are seeking a career as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) General. You'll need to have completed a Diploma of Nursing (HLT51612, HLT54415, or HLT54121 study packages) in the last seven years to be eligible for this degree.
Graduate Entry Nursing Pathway
If you hold a three-year non-nursing bachelor degree and would like to gain the skills and knowledge needed for a fulfilling and varied career as a competent and effective Registered Nurse (Division 1) General, explore our 1.5 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry).
Study Experience
Discover more about your flexible online course and how you'll benefit from practical experiences delivered in real-world learning facilities. Click 'Explore Study Experience' for more information.
- Authentic Learning Experiences
- Clinical Placements
- Local Networks
- Residential Schools
- Real-world Learning Facilities
“The way it's delivered is so engaging. You feel like you're actually working with real people, even though it's simulation. I don't know any other professors that dress up in silicone suits and let you poke and prod them!
Rhiana Jackson
Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Mental Health Nursing
Career Opportunities
The Bachelor of Nursing aims to provide you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to enable you to be a competent and effective Registered Nurse (Division 1) General.
In the final year of the course, as a student, you may like to apply for a new graduate nursing position in a hospital and health service or other healthcare organisation. This will provide you with the opportunity to consolidate your knowledge and skills in nursing further. The broad nature of nursing and healthcare allows opportunities for employment and/or specialisation in environments such as acute hospital services, community health, mental health, residential and aged care, indigenous health, and rural and remote health.
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
Information for online students
As an online student, you can enjoy the flexibility of studying when and where it suits you with the support of our local campuses in Bundaberg, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Townsville. As an online student, your study integrates a blend of on-campus learning, clinical placements and online study. This delivery combination builds your nursing skills, knowledge and experience, along with your self-learning and time management skills.
The course content is delivered online; however, you will be required to attend face-to-face components such as residential schools on campus.
Face-to-face requirements
The face-to-face components of this course include:
- seven residential schools; two are scheduled in the first year, three in the second year and a final two in the third year of your studies, and
- six clinical placement blocks.
Residential school locations for online students
Our nursing residential schools are held on campus in:
- Brisbane,
- Bundaberg,
- Cairns,
- Mackay,
- Rockhampton,
- Townsville,
- Hamilton Base Hospital in Victoria (for Western District Health Service arrangement students only),
- Port Hedland in Western Australia (for students studying through the Pilbara University Centre), and
- Port Pirie in South Australia (for students studying as part of the Uni Hub Spencer Gulf - Port Pirie arrangement).
If you live outside of these locations, you will need to travel to Queensland to complete your residential schools.
Placement locations
Placements are sourced as locally as possible to where you are studying; however, this is not always possible, and you may be required to travel to complete placements. If you are studying as part of the Western District Health Service arrangement in Victoria, you can complete your placements at Hamilton Hospital.
Western District Health Service (WDHS) Arrangement - Hamilton
The WDHS Arrangement is a partnership arrangement for Hamilton Hospital (Vic) and CQU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Sciences. It is available for Bachelor of Nursing students who live in the Hamilton area. As part of the arrangement, you'll study online and complete your placements and residential schools in Hamilton. You'll need to meet the eligibility criteria set by the WDHS to be considered for this arrangement.
Your Course
You must complete 23 units (144 credits):
- 1The core structure (23 units)
Unit Details
The units you'll study are listed below. Click on a unit to learn more.
Core Units
The units are listed in the order that you should complete them. Completing these units in a different order may delay your progress and extend the length of your study.
Check the course planner below for details about the units you should study each term. It is particularly important to look at professional experience placement units and the terms they are offered, noting that they are offered only once yearly.
Please note that some units within this course are only available for online study – click on the unit name to see the unit availability.
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 Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)
Core
The Bachelor of Nursing is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). The Bachelor of Nursing leads to eligibility for registration as a nurse (Division 1) in Australia.
Year 1
NURS11166 Health and Assessment in Nursing (3 days)
NURS11170 Professional Experience Placement 1 (3 days)
Year 2
NURS12161 Professional Experience Placement 2 (3 days)
NURS12162 Mental Health Professional Experience Placement (2 days)
NURS12164 Professional Experience Placement 3 (3 days)
Year 3
NURS13142 Professional Experience Placement 4 (4 days)
NURS13145 Professional Experience Placement 5 (4 days)
Professional Nursing Practice 1 - NURS11170
Professional Experience Placement
Professional Nursing Practice 2 - NURS12161
Professional Experience Placement
Mental Health and Wellbeing - NURS12162
Professional Experience Placement
Professional Nursing Practice 3 - NURS12164
Professional Experience Placement
Professional Experience Placement 4 - NURS13142
Professional Experience Placement
Professional Nursing Practice 5 - NURS13145
Professional Experience Placement
Duration and timing of placement units
Throughout the course, you'll complete the above six professional experience placement units as follows:
Year 1
- NURS11170 Professional Experience Placement 1: This unit involves a professional placement of 120 hours (approximately three weeks).
Year 2
- NURS12161 Professional Experience Placement 2: This unit involves a professional placement of 120 hours (approximately three weeks).
- 12162 Mental Health Nursing with PEP: This unit involves a professional placement of 80 hours (approximately two weeks).
- NURS12164 Professional Experience Placement 3: This unit involves a professional placement of 80 hours (approximately two weeks).
Year 3
- NURS13142 Professional Experience Placement 4: This unit involves a professional placement of 160 hours (approximately four weeks).
- NURS13145 Professional Experience Placement 5: This unit involves a professional placement of 240 hours (approximately six weeks).
Due to the limited availability of placements, some block placements have a start and/or end date that falls outside standard term dates.
From July 2025, the Australian Government has established a new Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) for eligible students to help manage the costs associated with undertaking a mandatory placement (also known as a practicum or work- integrated learning). Learn more about CPP.
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.
Enrolled Nurse Pathway
If you're an AHPRA registered Enrolled Nurse (Division 2) seeking a career as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) General, explore our two-year full-time (or part-time equivalent) Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Pathway). You'll need to have completed a Diploma of Nursing (HLT51612, HLT54415, or HLT54121 study packages) in the last seven years to be eligible for entry. Explore course details.
Graduate Entry Nursing Pathway
If you hold a three-year non-nursing bachelor degree and would like to gain the skills and knowledge needed for a fulfilling and varied career as a competent and effective Registered Nurse (Division 1) General, explore our 1.5 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) Master of Nursing (Graduate Entry).
Student and Course Profiles
View the student and course profiles for this course and learn about CQU's Undergraduate Profile for Term 1, 2025 via our Institute Profile.
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 is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one full-time academic year (eight units over two terms) for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and should be used as a guide only. Your actual fees may vary depending on the units you select to study and your study load. Check the Cost per Unit spreadsheet available on our Understanding Course Fees webpage.
Fees are reviewed each year and are subject to change. Fee estimates for the following year are expected to be available in November each year.
Commonwealth Supported Places
This course has Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) available, and as a domestic student, you'll be offered a CSP, provided you meet CSP eligibility requirements. CSPs are subsidised by the Australian Government, meaning you are only required to pay the student contribution rather than full tuition fees.
HECS-HELP Loan
You may be eligible for a HECS-HELP government loan if you are offered a CSP. HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists you in paying your student contributions. Provided you meet the HECS-HELP eligibility criteria, you may use HECS-HELP to defer part or all of your student contribution fees.
Learn more about paying for university.
Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP)
From July 2025, the Australian Government has established a new Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) for eligible students to help manage the costs associated with undertaking a mandatory placement (also known as a practicum or work- integrated learning).
Part of your course costs will include Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF). SSAF is charged in addition to your student contribution or tuition fees and is used to help enhance your study experience. There may also be other costs as part of your studies, such as textbooks, technology expenses, travel expenses, professional certifications, uniforms, or vaccinations.
We believe a quality education can be for everyone – regardless of background, location, or life circumstances. That's why we offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries that can give you a helping hand with a range of expenses and enhance your employability.
How to Apply
How to Apply
Check what you need to do to apply to study this course.
Your Application Options
Follow These Steps
Extra Admission Information
Prior to applying, take a look at important application dates and learn about our admission considerations, such as information for domestic students with overseas qualifications, indigenous support, and elite athlete, coach and performer support. You should also check out the adjustment schemes that might be available to you and how to access them. You can also explore our offer information to learn more about what happens after you've submitted an application and how to respond to an offer to study with CQU.
Mandatory checks - health and work-integrated learning requirements
This course includes a range of work-integrated learning opportunities, such as clinical placements. Before you can attend a clinical placement, you will need to complete a list of mandatory checks. Make sure you read through the mandatory checks and specified deadlines, as you will be unable to complete a clinical placement without first meeting these requirements.
