Graduate Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing is designed for nurses entering the mental health specialty, offering knowledge and skills across various settings such as acute care and community mental health. It emphasizes recovery-oriented practice and includes units on holistic care, health promotion, and reflective practice.
Our suite of Mental Health Nursing programs are developed specifically for nurses entering into the specialist area of mental health. The course is targeted to new nursing graduates and those working in mental health but who have no formal postgraduate mental health qualifications. You will gain knowledge and skills across a range of mental health settings, including acute care, community mental health, and psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery services. Develop advanced leadership skills while you gain a more comprehensive understanding of the health care system and use your expertise to become a change agent.
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing addresses current mental health perspectives and practices and gives you a comprehensive understanding of illness as well as wellness. The inclusion of diversity and lifetime perspectives will ensure that you are practice ready. In the Graduate Certificate you will undertake units in recovery-oriented mental health, holistic individual centred mental health practice, health promotion and social inclusion along with a unit to develop an in-depth understanding in practitioners of their practice.
Current mental health postgraduate programs in Australia focus on either acute mental health care settings or generic mental health. ACU's Master of Mental Health Nursing has been developed specifically for nursing clinicians entering into the specialist area of mental health. The course is targeted to new nursing graduates and to those working in mental health but who have no formal postgraduate mental health qualifications.
In the current period of mental health service provision reform, there has been a shift in focus from acute inpatient treatment to recovery-oriented practice, so the workforce requires professional development opportunities to keep pace with such changes.
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must:
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
Applicants require an academic IELTS minimum overall score of 6.5 (with a minimum score of 6.0 in all bands), or an equivalent acceptable test score as outlined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy (see English Language Proficiency).
Our suite of Mental Health Nursing programs are developed specifically for nurses entering into the specialist area of mental health. The course is targeted to new nursing graduates and those working in mental health but who have no formal postgraduate mental health qualifications. You will gain knowledge and skills across a range of mental health settings, including acute care, community mental health, and psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery services. Develop advanced leadership skills while you gain a more comprehensive understanding of the health care system and use your expertise to become a change agent.
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing addresses current mental health perspectives and practices and gives you a comprehensive understanding of illness as well as wellness. The inclusion of diversity and lifetime perspectives will ensure that you are practice ready. In the Graduate Certificate you will undertake units in recovery-oriented mental health, holistic individual centred mental health practice, health promotion and social inclusion along with a unit to develop an in-depth understanding in practitioners of their practice.
Graduates will be able to apply their theoretical and practical learning in a range of mental health settings.
Examples of potential employment settings include:
Examples of potential employment roles include:
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing, a student must complete 40 credit points (cp).
Commencing ACU Term 1 (Full-time)If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.
You can use our credit search tool to see what you might be eligible for. For more information about credit and recognition of prior learning at ACU, follow the link below.
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Deferment is available for one year. Students must meet employment at the point of commencing studies. Find out more about deferment.