#14 in the world for nursing
Commonwealth supported places available
Flexible online courses for practising nurses
Why choose intensive care nursing at Deakin
As demand grows for highly skilled nurses in critical care, Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing prepares you to take a leading role in the management of critically ill patients in intensive care and high dependency units.
You will study with one of the world’s leading nursing schools and be guided by experts in critical care as you explore advanced clinical practice, leadership and contemporary healthcare challenges. Build sophisticated skills in clinical judgement, communication and decision-making to support safe, high-quality patient care.
With flexible online delivery, you can continue working while you study. Extend your expertise through elective units that support leadership, education and advanced practice pathways, while strong industry partnerships enable immersive clinical learning across diverse healthcare settings.
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Study at a globally ranked nursing school
Deakin is ranked #14 in the world for nursing, reflecting strong teaching and research excellence.
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Advance your critical care expertise
Build advanced clinical judgement, patient assessment and decision-making skills for complex intensive care environments.
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Designed for working nurses
Online delivery lets you balance study with clinical practice while applying your learning in real time.
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Leaders in nursing education
Deakin offers more specialised postgraduate nursing courses than any other Victorian university, allowing you to strengthen your expertise in critical care.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Extend your intensive care expertise and develop the leadership and education skills to support teams caring for critically ill patients.
Nurse manager
Lead intensive care nursing teams delivering highly complex care. Coordinate people and resources while supporting clinical quality, patient safety and effective multidisciplinary practice.
- 13.6%
Projected job growth in 5 years
- $145k
Typical annual salary in Australia
Nurse educator
Educate nurses caring for patients who require advanced monitoring and life-support interventions. Develop skills in complex assessment, clinical reasoning and evidence-based intensive care.
- 5,000
Nurse educators employed
- $138k
Typical annual salary in Australia
Other jobs
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Clinical nurse consultant
- Advanced practice nurse
- Nurse researcher
- Quality and safety coordinator
- Healthcare leader
Key dates
Direct applications
Semester 1 2027 applications close 29 January 2027
FAQs
A Deakin postgraduate degree can help you advance your career, deepen your expertise in a specialist field, pivot into a new industry and stand out in a competitive job market. Every course is built with industry input and taught by academics who are active practitioners, so the skills you gain are immediately applicable. Postgraduate study at Deakin is also your chance to connect with leaders in your field and build a network of industry contacts who become valuable professional connections, giving you an advantage that goes well beyond the qualification itself.
Most Deakin postgraduate courses are fee-paying, but there are practical ways to manage the cost of study. You can defer fees with a FEE-HELP loan, repaid through the ATO once you earn above the income threshold. A number of courses have Commonwealth Supported Places where the government covers part of your tuition. Deakin scholarships recognise academic achievement, professional experience and financial need. If you've studied at Deakin before, you may be eligible for a 10% alumni discount. Recognition of prior learning can also reduce costs by crediting past study so you finish sooner.
Yes to all three. Most Deakin postgraduate degrees can be studied online, on campus or a blend of both, and you may be able to switch between full and part time at the start of each trimester to suit your life. If you want to move faster, select courses offer a one-year masters degree designed for working professionals. With three start dates each year for most courses – March, July and November – you don't have to wait long to begin.
The main differences are depth, duration and career outcomes. A graduate certificate is a short, focused qualification, typically six months full time, ideal for upskilling quickly in a specific area. A graduate diploma offers broader knowledge or supports a career change, usually one-year full time. A masters degree delivers advanced expertise and professional recognition, typically one to two years full time. You can also stack qualifications – complete a graduate certificate and use the credit towards a masters.
Each Deakin postgraduate course has a unique structure, check the course stucture section of the course page to see compulsory units, electives and any specialisation streams available. All courses are shaped by industry, so content reflects real challenges in your field. Many courses let you tailor your studies through elective units or specialisations, and some include a capstone project where you apply your learning to a genuine workplace problem.
Entry requirements vary by course, so check this tab on the course page for specific criteria. Most Deakin postgraduate courses require a relevant bachelor degree, though some may accept significant demonstrable work experience as an alternative. You may also be able to build eligibility through a graduate certificate or graduate diploma, which in many cases could count towards a masters degree.
Deakin postgraduate courses are built with industry input, so you're learning skills employers are actively looking for. Depending on your course, you may access work-integrated learning through placements, internships or industry projects with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, National Australia Bank and the Geelong Cats Football Club. DeakinTALENT, Deakin's career service, supports you throughout your studies and for life, helping you grow your network and connect with opportunities in your field.
Yes. Recognition of prior learning (RPL) may turn your previous study or work experience into course credit, reducing both your study time and tuition costs. For some masters degrees, you may be able to receive credit for up to two-thirds of the course, if eligible. Use the RPL calculator to get an indication of what you might receive, and note that prior learning must generally be within the last 10 years, although some courses have a shorter time limit. You can apply for RPL as part of your course application.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing?
The Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing extends your clinical expertise and prepares you for leadership in critical care. You will deepen your knowledge, refine your judgement and explore advanced practice within complex healthcare environments.
Advanced practice in critical care
Interpret complex clinical data
Analyse patient information from clinical and technological sources to support informed decision-making.
Advance patient assessment skills
Strengthen your ability to conduct systematic assessments and respond to rapidly changing patient conditions.
Apply evidence to practice
Integrate research and best practice principles into clinical care within intensive care settings.
Leadership and specialisation
Develop leadership in care delivery
Build skills to lead safe, high-quality care and contribute to improved patient outcomes in critical care settings.
Explore complex practice environments
Examine ethical, psychosocial and cultural factors influencing care in intensive care contexts.
Tailor your professional pathway
Choose elective units to deepen your expertise in areas such as leadership, education or advanced clinical practice.
Course structure
To complete the Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing, you must pass 8 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.
Most units are equal to one credit point. This course is available part time only, with students typically studying one to two credit points each study period.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Year 1, Semester 1
Semester 2
Year 2, Trimester 1
Plus 1 from any level 7 electives from anywhere in the university or two Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials).
Trimester 2
Plus 1 credit point of course elective from the list below
*Speciality units are delivered on a semester basis in year one
Year 1, Semester 2
Year 2, Semester 1
Trimester 2
Plus 1 credit point of course elective from the list below
Year 3, Trimester 1
plus 1 from any level 7 electives from anywhere in the university or two Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials).
*Speciality units are delivered on a semester basis in year one
Students must complete 2 electives of which one must be from the list below:
Mix and match Deakin short courses (0.5 cp microcredentials) to earn up to 2 credit point(s) of open electives, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. See more information on Deakin stackable short course options.
Professional recognition
Nurses employed under the Victorian public hospital award receive a higher duties allowance for postgraduate qualifications relevant to their practice.
What to expect while studying
To undertake this course you must independently secure employment of at least 24 hours per week in an intensive care setting within a collaborating hospital in Australia.
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
As a student in the Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing you can expect to participate in a range of teaching and learning activities each week. You will attend online synchronous study days and complete asynchronous guided learning modules. There are also additional self-directed study commitments to complete for both university and clinical assessment tasks.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
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| Demonstrate advanced clinical practice commensurate with intensive care nursing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice and person-centred care. |
| Demonstrate advanced communication skills to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe nursing care to patients in the intensive care setting. |
| Evaluate information using digital technologies to effectively disseminate relevant intensive care information to patients and/or the multidisciplinary team. |
| Identify, analyse and evaluate complex data from multiple sources to inform clinical decision making in the intensive care setting. |
| Apply advanced nursing knowledge to complex problems in the intensive care setting to optimise patient outcomes. |
| Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, reflection, and personal autonomy as an intensive care nurse. |
| Establish and maintain inclusive, collaborative professional relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team. |
| Demonstrate accountability for, and sound professional judgement in behaviours that uphold ethical principles of practice within diverse social, cultural, and environmental contexts. |
- Award granted
- Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- H645
- Level
- Postgraduate (Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma)
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$2,454
- Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition (student contribution) fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 4 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your student contribution is determined by the units you enrol in and will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.
Check your eligibility or learn more about CSP or HECS-HELP.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Semester 1 2027 applications close 29 January 2027
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Applicant declaration
Applicants must complete the Applicant declaration as part of their application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.
Pathways
Upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Intensive Care Nursing, students have the option to further their studies by articulating into the below course: