Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing

• Fulfils the educational requirement for becoming a credentialed MH Nurse.
• Accredited by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN)
• Developed against the latest industry standards.
• 100% online study; shift-work friendly.

Basic Information

• Duration: 16 months, part-time
• Advanced standing: Call us to see if you qualify
• Study periods: January, March, April, July, August, October
• Fees: $2300 per unit
• Units: 8
• Accreditation: Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN)

Enhance your nursing practice with specialised skills

Study an online postgraduate mental health nursing course with Southern Cross University’s internationally recognised School of Health and Human Sciences. The Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing will build your understanding of how to effectively respond to people experiencing a range of mental health challenges.

Mental health is a growing issue, so this qualification will help to prepare you for a variety of roles within public and private nursing and healthcare settings.

You will learn from leading and clinically active mental health nurse academics; and access current and clinically relevant, evidence-based coursework through a responsive and interactive learning environment.

This nursing course has accreditation under the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) and upon completion, you can use your new qualification as part of the requirements to become a credentialed mental health nurse. It’s also the first postgraduate program of its kind, developed against the latest mental health industry standards.

• Current, clinically relevant coursework delivered by the internationally recognised School of Health and Human Sciences.
• Access an interactive and responsive learning platform, enabling fluid communication between students and academics.
• This postgraduate qualification is accredited by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
• Ongoing support throughout your study journey from a dedicated Student Success Advisor.

Entry requirements:

To qualify for entry into the Graduate Diploma, all applicants must:

• be a Registered Nurse and have access to mental health nurse practise or to mental health nurse practitioners during their course of study, and
• be proficient in English.

If you are a registered nurse, you could also be eligible for the Graduate Diploma of Mental Health.

What you will study

The units that form part of the online mental health post-grad courses have been designed to develop the skills required for nurses to effectively respond to challenges within the field of mental health.

You will learn to enhance your own practice, with the most up-to-date and clinically relevant knowledge embedded throughout the coursework.

Complete all eight units:

• Acute Mental Health
• Appraising Evidence
• Contemporary Mental Health
• Healthcare Professional Portfolio A
• Mental Health Across the Lifespan
• Mental Health in Community, Non-government and Private Settings
• Physical Healthcare in Mental Health
• Supporting Behaviour Change in Mental Health

Flexible exit options

Situations change, your priorities may shift – which is why we’ve built flexible completion points into our online Graduate Diploma of Mental Health qualification.

This means that you can enter into the Graduate Diploma, and if you need to exit early – if home or work demands your full attention – you could still receive a postgraduate qualification based on the units you’ve completed.

The best part? Everything you complete will be credited towards your online Master's degree in mental health nursing, should you choose to finish it off at a later stage.

Receive a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing by choosing:

• Contemporary Mental Health
• Mental Health Across the Lifespan
• Mental Health in the Community, Non-government and Private Settings
• Acute Mental Health

Receive a Graduate Certificate in Health and Human Sciences Nursing by choosing:

• You will complete any four (4) units.

Career outlook

Whether you are commencing or extending your career in mental health, there are a number of career opportunities and pathways for graduates in this field. The theoretical and practical learning that underpins this degree can be applied across multiple health settings, including:

• Public and private hospitals and healthcare organisations.
• Child adolescent, adult and older person mental health services.
• Psychiatric nursing facilities.
• Primary mental health settings.
• Acute, community, rehabilitation and long-term care-focused settings.
• Local, state and Commonwealth government.
• Mental health-based research.