Master of Aged Care Nursing overview
The Master of Aged Care Nursing provides comprehensive knowledge of the field, providing students with the chance to learn about several crucial areas with units in:
- Social context of health and ageing
- Nursing care of older people with complex health needs
- Primary health care constructs and contexts
- The 3 Ds: dementia, delirium and depression
In addition to these and more, students are often required to undergo a research project under supervision. The total duration of the degree is two years if undergone full time, or four years part time.
Employment options
Employment prospects detailed here are great options. Aged care facilities like Holmwood in Victoria or Alzheimer's Queensland provide an excellent place to properly utilise skills learned throughout these degrees. Registering at NIMAC can also be a good choice, as it allows aged care nursing graduates to connect with seasoned professionals.
Scholarships and funding
There are some great scholarships available to aged care nursing students. Some of these include:
- Australian College of Nursing Government Scholarships valued between $1,000 and $30,000. These have a variety of streams, but aged care nursing students are advised to apply for ACNS (Aged Care Nursing Scholarships) due to being most relevant.
- $69,500 Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships from ANU are competitive general scholarships available across disciplines.
- $65,000 General Sir John Monash Scholarships are for students from any discipline to study at an overseas university, provided they can argue for why their chosen institution is worthy of their attention.
These are just a few examples of what’s available. The full list of scholarship options available on PostgradAustralia can be accessed here.
Prerequisites and selection process
It’s normally required that applicants must:
- Have an approved bachelor’s degree
- Be registered nurses
Applicants can technically have just about any bachelor’s degree, but due to the registered nurse requirement, it’s effectively a requirement to have a nursing degree as well. It also helps to have at least a 5/7 GPA (65%), which is a minimum requirement in many cases.