Master of Mental Health Nursing
Quick facts
Student type:
Quick facts
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Entry score
Not applicable
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Duration
Full-time 1.5 years, Part-time 3 years -
Location
Melbourne City, Bundoora -
Fees
Next intake
FebruaryEntry score
Not applicable
Duration
Not applicableLocation
Not applicableFees
Not applicable
Next intake
Not applicable
Overview
The Master of Mental Health Nursing offers registered nurses the opportunity to develop specialty skills in mental health nursing and prepare for advanced clinical leadership roles. To undertake this course, you should be a registered nurse with at least 840 hours experience working in mental health clinical practice or you will be currently completing a graduate year in mental health nursing.
As a student of this course, you'll study advanced individual and group counselling, mental health treatment, contemporary nursing issues, global health, physical health assessment, psychopharmacology, leadership, clinical teaching, mentorship and research.
RMIT is one of the longest standing providers of nursing education in Australia and sits at the forefront of nursing education and research. We are also the leading provider of postgraduate mental health nursing education in Australia. Our mental health nursing courses are linked and supported by industry partners and are offered to nurses across Australia working in acute, forensic services, child and adolescent, aged mental health, addictions, homelessness teams and consultation liaison services.
Details
You will be exposed to a range of teaching and learning opportunities, including distance education packages, online learning, face-to-face lectures and learning experiences. All lectures are video recorded to enhance the flexible delivery of this program.
You will experience a range of teaching approaches including learner-centred curriculum, learning activities and projects and working in multidisciplinary teams.
Year 1 takes place at the Bundoora campus or via distance education.
Year 2 takes place at the Melbourne City campus or via distance education.
Associate Professor Phil Maude, Program Manager
Associate Professor Maude has completed a Master and PhD in mental health nursing as well as clinical postgraduate studies in mental health nursing, addiction and primary health care.
Dr Alistair Ross, Lecturer
Dr Ross has completed a Master and PhD in nursing and has contemporary practice in ECatt and private mental health service delivery.
The Master of Mental Health Nursing consists of 144 credit points. After completing 96 credit points of study approved by the Program Manager, you may exit with a graduate diploma.
The course is structured to enable you to:
- focus on assessment, dual diagnosis, pharmacology, leadership, recovery-based therapy work and mental health evidence-based practice
- have flexibility in your learning where you can choose to study on-campus or off-campus (online lectures and tutorial material)
- develop your career towards leadership roles
Examples of subjects offered as part of this course include:
- Foundations of Mental Health Nursing Partnerships
- Context of Mental Health Nursing
- Therapeutic Initiatives in Mental Health
- Dual Diagnosis and Community Work
- Mental Health Nursing Clinical Portfolio
- Assessment Analysis in Mental Health Nursing
- Health Inquiry Critique
- Leadership, Supervision and Mentoring in Health Care
- Physical Assessment, Therapeutics and Mental Health
- Global Mental Health
- Health Research Project
Choose a program structure
| Title | Location | Duration | Plan code | CRICOS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Mental Health Nursing | Bundoora Campus |
1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent
|
1.5 years full-time
|
MC268 |
Choose a program structure
Program code: MC268
Career
Graduates will be able to seek to extend their careers in mental health nursing in a wide range of hospital and community settings across metropolitan and rural areas. Graduates of this program should be well prepared to conduct shift leadership and care coordination roles as well as mentorship of staff in a mental health setting.
With almost half of Australians estimated to experience a mental illness at some point in their lives, mental health nurses perform an essential role in a wide range of hospital and community settings.
According to the Australian Government, employment rates have increased steadily over the past ten years and are forecast to continue growing for the foreseeable future. A substantial workforce gap is projected for the mental health nursing sector to 2030.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that around $8.5 billion per annum is spent on mental health-related services in Australia.
You can join the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and cite this qualification as part of your application for credentialing. Credentialed mental health nurses can be funded for employment under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program.
Graduates can apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and after obtaining credentialing with the ACMHN may seek a provider number for private practice or practice in any Australian state or territory under the mental health nurse incentive program. To register in Australia you need English languages skills at IELTS academic level 7 or equivalent within the two years prior to registration.
Admissions
Entry requirements
You must have:
- An Australian bachelor degree in Nursing, or equivalent
OR
- An Australian bachelor degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, or equivalent.
AND
- Current registration or be eligible for registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
AND
- 840 hours of supervised clinical practice already completed in the field of mental health nursing OR you are completing this as part of a graduate year program in mental health nursing or supervised practice during the candidature.
Pathways
Graduates of the RMIT's Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing are eligible to seek 96 points of credit transfer towards the Master of Mental Health Nursing.
Applicants who have completed an equivalent postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma (which must include a Research Methods component) in mental health nursing at another university can claim a maximum of 72 points credit (50%) towards the Master of Mental Health Nursing degree at RMIT.
You can also apply for credit if you have completed a recognised psychiatric graduate nurse program (that was at least 12 months long) and/or are a nurse with advanced standing and experience in mental health.
After successfully completing the Master of Mental Health Nursing you may be eligible to proceed to a master by research or PhD.
Fees
Entry for this program is primarily through Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs).
Government financial assistance is available to eligible students regardless of the type of place you enrol in.
2021 indicative fees
- Commonwealth supported places (CSP) range from AU$3,950 to AU$14,500*.
- Full-fee places: AU$23,040*.
Additional expenses
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$313 maximum fee for 2021.
- Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.
Annual fee adjustment
Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.
Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
Defer your payment
You may be eligible to apply for a HELP loan, which can be used to defer payment of up to the full amount of your student contribution fees. You may also be eligible to apply to defer payment of your SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme.
For more information and to learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees see postgraduate study fees.
Payments and refunds
For information on how to pay your fees or how to apply for a refund, please see Paying your fees and applying for refunds.
If you are offered a Commonwealth supported place, your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government.
Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set on an annual basis by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
How much can I expect to pay for my Commonwealth supported place?
The Australian Government has introduced changes to university funding and student contribution fees under its Job-ready Graduates Package.
The fees in the table below apply to students commencing their program in 2021. Fees for continuing students are available at fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Each course (subject) falls into a band. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Maximum student contribution amount for Commonwealth supported places in 2021 for commencing students
Student contribution band by course (subject) |
Maximum annual student contribution amount (per EFTSL) in 2021 |
|---|---|
Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Nursing, Indigenous and Foreign Languages, Agriculture |
$3,950 per standard year $493 per standard (12 credit point) course |
Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science, Pathology |
$7,950 per standard year |
Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Science |
$11,300 per standard year |
Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture |
$14,500 per standard year |
How does a HELP loan work?
If your FEE-HELP, HECS-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying).
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student. The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2021 is $313.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the SSAF through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
For more information about calculating your actual SSAF see Paying SSAF.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from program to program.
The annual tuition fee for 2021 is AU$XX,XXX.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2021 commencement is AU$XXX,XXX.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
- Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
- Some programs incur additional expenses.
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.
Applying for refunds
For information on how to apply for a refund as a continuing international student, please see Refunds.
Looking for answers or more general infomation?
For frequently asked questions or how to find more information regarding applications and enrolments, fees, student support services, university policies and more, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.