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  • Postgraduate
  • Degree

Master of Nursing

How to apply
Entry requirements
Duration
  • 3 years part-time
Location
  • Online
Start
Fees
  • AUD 4,624
  • (Indicative annual fee)

Overview

  • Advance your nursing career with specialised knowledge, skills and technical abilities in your area of interest. Choose from specialisations including gerontology, clinical education, leadership and management, and rural and remote health.
  • Build the expertise necessary to review data-based research while identifying and implementing best practice care for improving individual and community health outcomes.
  • Develop advanced leadership skills enabling you to lead people and projects in a range of health care settings.
  • Study this flexible Master of Nursing online and part-time, progressing your career while fitting study into your life and current occupation as a nurse.
  • You'll develop enhanced skills in health research, to help you apply the latest evidence-based practices that leads to better patient outcomes and safer care, and to empower you to explore solutions and contribute to innovation in healthcare delivery.

Specialisations in the Master of Nursing

  • Clinical Education

    Become a specialist clinical nurse educator, developing innovative teaching methods for nursing education to improve health outcomes.

  • Gerontology

    Specialise in aged-care nursing and be ready to support the specific needs of the elderly with professional, personalised care.

  • Leadership and Management in Health

    Excel as an effective leader in clinical healthcare, build productive and cohesive teams, and develop skills to address contemporary workplace challenges.

  • Rural and Remote

    Become a remote nurse skilled in adapting to the social, cultural and geographic challenges of rural, remote and isolated health care settings.


Individualised support

The individualised support has been the best things about my study experience so far. You really get to know your student cohort, lecturers, and examiners and they all get to know you.

Casey - Health

Career outcomes

This masters degree opens up leadership opportunities within the public and private healthcare sectors and as a graduate you may seek roles to:

  • manage nursing staff and operations
  • lead projects or advanced care processes in areas such as critical care, cardiology, geriatrics, pediatrics, or oncology
  • teach and mentor future nurses in academic or clinical settings
  • conduct research to improve healthcare practices and outcomes.

Why study Health at UniSQ?

Advance your career

Gain expertise in your chosen field of interest and be prepared to tackle complex and emerging healthcare challenges through coursework or research. 

Quality teaching

Rated 5/5 stars for health services and support teaching quality and student support.
(Good Universities Guide, 2025)

Feel secure in your future

Rated 5/5 stars for graduate starting salary.
(Good Universities Guide, 2025)

What you'll study

To graduate from the Master of Nursing, you must successfully complete 12 units of study.

Degree structure

A postgraduate university degree typically comprises of advanced coursework and research opportunities, allowing you to deepen your expertise in a specific field while building upon foundational knowledge.

Choose your specialisation from the options below
(5 Units)
OR
(5 Units)
OR OR
Mental Health
(5 Units)
OR

Refer to the UniSQ Handbook for detailed recommended enrolment patterns and course availability.

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previous studies or relevant work experience. This could reduce the number of courses you need to study to complete your degree.

Degree requirements

There are no clinical requirements in this degree unless students select an approved course that contains a clinical requirement. Courses with a clinical requirement are not available to international students.

Other study options

If you’re interested in further study, after completion of this degree you can go on to study the Doctor of Philosophy (if you meet all the entry requirements).

Entry requirements

There are many ways to be considered for entry into a UniSQ degree based on your education, work experience and relevant personal attributes. You need to satisfy the following requirements to be considered for entry into this postgraduate degree.

  • Completion of a 3-year bachelor degree, or equivalent, in the area of nursing from a recognised university.
  • Hold a current professional registration as a Division 1 nurse, or equivalent, with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or relevant regulatory body in applicant's home country.

Rural and Remote specialisation

  • Applicants must provide written confirmation from the applicant’s manager stating that they are currently employed as a Registered Nurse and can complete the required hours of clinical mentorship in their workplace.

You'll need to meet the applicable English language requirements and this degree requires:

  • IELTS (Academic) - Minimum overall score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four components - listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Alternative English language proficiency tests may also be accepted.

Entry pathways

There is more than one way to get into university, and if you're not sure about your entry options get in touch to discuss.

Fees and scholarships

Commonwealth supported AUD 4,624
The Federal Government contributes to the cost of your degree, and you need to pay a student contribution.
  • This estimated 2025 annual fee is based on the current average rate for your first year of study (8 units per year) and does not include cost of materials such as textbooks, additional costs or the Student Services and Amenities fee
  • This is an indicative guide only and your fees will vary depending on the courses you select, with the actual rates calculated at enrolment.
  • We review our fees annually and they may increase each year.
  • Further details are available on the Fees website.

Additional costs

You may be required to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee as part of your degree cost.

Payment options

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. HECS-HELP is a government loan scheme that allows you to defer payment until your income reaches a certain threshold. Find out if you are eligible for HECS-HELP.

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Services Australia.

UniSQ Scholarships

We offer scholarships for academic excellence, community leadership, and financial need - you can apply for more than one!

Find out more

How to apply

Complete your online application directly to UniSQ.

Apply
Degree code
MNSG

You can select to start your study in Trimester 1, 2 or 3.

Study period  Application closing date Orientation  Start date
Trimester 1, 2025  Monday 10 February Monday 3 February  Monday 10 February 
Trimester 2, 2025 Monday 26 May Monday 19 May Monday 26 May 
Trimester 3, 2025 Monday 8 September Monday 1 September Monday 8 September
Trimester 1, 2026  Monday 16 February Monday 9 February  Monday 16 February 

More information on application key dates is available.

Preparing to apply

You've made the decision to study at UniSQ - congratulations! Take the next steps:

Each degree has unique entry requirements so it’s essential to know the specifics for your chosen degree.

The entry requirements for your degree will provide you with details regarding the documentation to provide. These may include:

  • interviews and selection criteria
  • CV/resume or LinkedIn profile
  • referee reports.

Application dates can vary so be sure to check our key dates to get all the details.

Apply online directly to UniSQ for your chosen degree.

After you’ve submitted your application, you will be emailed a reference number. You will be notified via email the outcome of your application within 10 business days.

Follow the link in your email from UniSQ or log in to the application portal to accept your offer.

Find out more

Connect with us - start a conversation, whenever suits you.

Live Chat

Available 5 days a week
Chat now

Phone

Freecall
1800 269 500

Email

Email us at study@unisq.edu.au

Appointment

Book an appointment

Frequently asked questions

Advance your skills and continue to make a difference in the lives of others. A Master of Nursing in Australia allows you to build on your current nursing skillset and meet your professional goals. Whether you want to specialise in an area of interest, or pursue a leadership role within the field, you’ll be prepared to step into high-level positions and provide advanced-level care to your patients.

A Master of Nursing opens the doors to a range of specialised roles in the healthcare sector.

At UniSQ, you can choose from a number of specialisation areas to align with your career interests including, gerontology, clinical education, leadership and management in health, and rural and remote health.

No matter what specialisation path you choose to follow, a Master of Nursing will give you the skills to take the next step in your nursing career. You’ll emerge with the skills to identify and implement best practice care and make a positive impact on individual and community health outcomes.

Entry requirements for a Master of Nursing in Australia will vary slightly depending on the learning provider you choose to study with.

To gain admission into the University of Southern Queensland’s Master of Nursing, you’ll need to meet the following criteria:

  • Completed a 3-year bachelor degree in the area of Nursing from an Australian university, or equivalent.
  • Hold a current Professional Registration as a Division 1 nurse, or equivalent, with either Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or relevant regulatory body in applicant's home country.

A Master of Nursing in Australia will take 1-2 years on average to complete.

The duration of UniSQ's Master of Nursing is 1.5 years when undertaking the full-time study path. You can also elect to study the part-time equivalent over 3 years.

At UniSQ, we understand that life is busy. Our flexible study options allow you to tailor your study to suit your needs. You can balance your life, work and family commitments by reducing your study-load and studying part-time. Our Master of Nursing is also delivered online, giving you greater flexibility to choose when and where you study.

Over 75% of UniSQ students choose to study online and benefit from our 40+ years of experience delivering online learning.

  • Listen to recorded lectures when it suits you.
  • Access the library’s free online learning services
  • Connect with peers and lecturers through online discussion forums.
  • Benefit from access to various academic support services.

Discover more about the ways to study at UniSQ.

The cost of a Master of Nursing in Australia will vary depending on the education provider you choose.

When you study with us, the first year of your studies will cost approximately AUD 4000 (Commonwealth supported place), not including:

  • Professional experience costs
  • Student services and amenities fees.

Please view the fees and scholarships section of this page for details.

There are many great reasons to study a Master of Nursing and take the first steps to a fulfilling career:

  • Benefit from industry-relevant, practical and theoretical training.
  • UniSQ is rated 5/5 stars for postgraduate starting salary*
  • We are #1 in Australia for nursing postgraduates in full-time employment.*

*Good Universities Guide 2025