Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner)

Course summary for international students

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Professional recognition
• Career opportunities
• Course rules
• Course structure

Course overview

The Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner) aims to extend the scope of practice of registered nurses, as well as broaden and deepen your theoretical knowledge as it relates to your specialty practice setting.

This course enables you to select from a range of units to plan a course of study that supports your chosen career path in the clinical domain of nursing or midwifery. The Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner) also contains core units of study to support your application for endorsement as a nurse practitioner by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (“AHPRA”) through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (“NMBA”).

This course will provide opportunity for you to develop knowledge and skills in research and equips you to undertake research degree studies. This course supports nurses with career aspirations to extend their practice as a nurse practitioner.

You should be working as a registered nurse on at least a half-time basis while undertaking the core units of study. During the course, evidence of role extension must be maintained as specified by the AHPRA for endorsement as a nurse practitioner.

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Professional recognition

On successful completion of this course, you will be eligible to apply for endorsement as a nurse practitioner from AHPRA through the NMBA.

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Career opportunities

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to work within collaborative multidisciplinary frameworks to provide the highest quality and standard of care.

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Course rules

The Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner) comprises 12 credit points (cp) and normally may be taken over either a minimum of 2 years or up to 4 years part time study.

Credit for prior learning will be considered on an individual basis for applicants who have completed postgraduate tertiary studies.

A minimum of 5 years appropriate postgraduate experience is required as per Admission and Selection requirements.

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Course structure

Course structure for the core units of the Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner), equivalent to 6 credit points of study include:

Year 1

Trimester 1

Trimester 2

Year 2

Trimester 1

Trimester 2

Note: All units in the Nurse Practitioner sequence, together with the Medication modules, must be completed to be eligible for endorsement as Nurse Practitioner.

If an applicant does not have a Graduate Diploma qualification, it is recommended that they enrol in six units of study from the following list of units prior to undertaking the Nurse Practitioner sequence of core units.

Nursing units (each unit is worth 1 credit point unless otherwise stated)

Trimester 1

Trimester 2

Elective units (a maximum of 2 credit points)

Trimester 1

Trimester 2

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Department of Human Services policy

Students should be engaged in practice for their clinical domain as a registered nurse or midwife on at least a half-time basis while undertaking the Nurse Practitioner sequence of core units of study. During the course, evidence of role extension must be maintained as specified by the NMBA, for endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner.

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Income support

Domestic students enrolled in this postgraduate coursework program may be eligible for student income support through Youth Allowance and Austudy.

Further information can be found at Deakin University's Fees website.