The Mental Health specialisation is offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and is completed as part of the Master of Nursing (Coursework and Specialisation). 

This is to be read in conjunction with the course rule for the Master of Nursing (Coursework and Specialisation).

Admission requirements

Applicants must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification and must be registered nurses.

However, the Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

In addition, applicants must have a minimum of one year post-registration experience and must provide a supporting statement from their employer stating their willingness to facilitate the extended clinical practice components of the course within their workplace and/or provide evidence that an affiliated health agency will facilitate the clinical practice in a supernumerary capacity, or nominate their requirement for university sourced professional experience placement.

This specialisation involves a Professional Experience Placement (PEP).  Please check additional requirements on the School of Nursing & Midwifery PEP web pages.

Specialisation aims

  • facilitate development of specialised knowledge, skills and attributes for application in acute mental health care environments
  • extend student knowledge in research for practice development

Learning outcomes 

In addition to the Learning Outcomes of the Master of Nursing (Coursework and Specialisation), on completion of this course, students in the Mental Health specialisation will be able to:

  • critically analyse contemporary concepts and theories for mental health care with individuals, families and communities
  • apply evidence based therapeutic interventions and modalities of care to mental health
    nursing practice
  • identify and analyse how a range of social, political and economic issues in the wider health care system affect the health of specific populations and their access to mental health care
  • analyse how policy development and strategies for mental health care delivery influence access to health care and intersectoral collaboration

Program of study

Students choosing this specialisation undertake an 18 unit specialisation, 27 units of coursework and 9 units of option topics. 

To qualify for the Master of Nursing (Coursework and Specialisation) with a Mental Health specialisation, a student must complete 54 units with a grade of Pass or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study set out below.

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

  • no topic may be attempted more than twice;
  • a student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken;

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or in 9 units or more, or failure to complete the course within eight consecutive semesters may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University''s Policy on Student Progress.

Not all elective topics will be available in any given year or semester.

Specialisation - Mental Health - Core topics

18 units comprising:

NURS8761  Acute Mental Health Nursing Practice (PEP) (4.5 units)
NURS8760  Acute Mental Health Nursing Theory (4.5 units)
NURS8720  Primary Health Care Constructs and Contexts (4.5 units)

plus 4.5 units selected from the following acute care nursing topics:

NURS8740  Foundations for Responding to Clinical Deterioration Across the Lifespan (4.5 units)
NURS8742  Critical Care Nursing Theory (4.5 units)
NURS8744  Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (4.5 units)
NURS8746  Managing High Acuity Surgical Care (4.5 units)
NURS8747  Managing High Acuity Medical Care (4.5 units)
NURS8751  Principles of Emergency Nursing (4.5 units)
NURS8828  Contemporary Issues in Paediatric Nursing (4.5 units)

Core - Coursework topics

plus 27 units comprising:

NURS9541  Counselling in Mental Health Nursing (4.5 units)
NURS9542  Counselling in Mental Health Nursing (PEP) (4.5 units)
NURS9219  Introduction to Research (4.5 units)
NURS9124  Advanced Thinking, Communication and Problem Solving for Health Professionals (4.5 units)
NURS9222  Capstone: Advancing Research Knowledge to Inform Healthcare Practice (9 units)

Option - Year 1 & 2 topics

plus 9 units selected from:

NURS8740  Foundations for Responding to Clinical Deterioration Across the Lifespan (4.5 units)
NURS8742  Critical Care Nursing Theory (4.5 units)
NURS8744  Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (4.5 units)
NURS8746  Managing High Acuity Surgical Care (4.5 units)
NURS8747  Managing High Acuity Medical Care (4.5 units)
NURS8751  Principles of Emergency Nursing (4.5 units)
NURS8828  Contemporary Issues in Paediatric Nursing (4.5 units)
NURS9126  Leadership in Health Studies (4.5 units)
NURS9123  Epidemiology and Population Studies for Health Care Practice (4.5 units)

In consultation with the Course Coordinator, students may select as their option topic(s) other postgraduate topics offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, excluding Professional Experience Placement (PEP) topics.