#14 in the world for nursing
7 specialty nursing areas to choose from
Coursework or thesis stream
Why choose advanced clinical nursing at Deakin
Advance your specialist nursing practice with Deakin’s Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing. Designed for experienced registered nurses, this flexible, part-time degree allows you to focus your learning in one of seven specialty areas: cardiac, critical care, emergency, intensive care, intraoperative, perianaesthesia or perioperative nursing.
You’ll strengthen your clinical decision-making, professional judgement and leadership while exploring the ethical, psychosocial and complex care dimensions of advanced practice. Course content is shaped by industry insights and research from Deakin’s Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, which has researchers within six of Victoria’s major health services.
You can also tailor your degree through a coursework or thesis stream, depending on whether you want to broaden your clinical expertise through electives or build toward a research pathway. Deakin’s School of Nursing and Midwifery is ranked #14 in the world for nursing.
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Ranked #14 for nursing worldwide
Study with Deakin’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, ranked #14 in the world for nursing.
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Choose your specialty
Focus your learning in cardiac, critical care, emergency, intensive care, intraoperative, perianaesthesia or perioperative nursing.
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Shape your pathway
Choose a coursework stream with electives or a thesis stream that supports a future research pathway.
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Research-informed care
Learn from a curriculum shaped by Deakin’s Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research and clinical experts.
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
Strengthen your advanced clinical practice while building the leadership and education skills to influence care across complex healthcare environments.
Nurse manager
Lead nursing teams delivering complex clinical care. Coordinate resources, support sound decision-making and drive improvements in quality, safety and patient outcomes.
- 13.6%
Projected job growth over 5 years
- $145k
Typical annual salary in Australia
Nurse educator
Translate advanced clinical knowledge into education for nurses and healthcare teams. Develop learning that strengthens clinical judgement, evidence-based practice and patient 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
FAQs
The cost of studying at Deakin depends on your degree, units and study load – tuition fees are listed on degree pages under the fees and scholarships tab. Beyond tuition, you will need to budget for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), accommodation, transport, groceries and textbooks. Find out more about the cost of living in Australia, use the Study Australia calculator to estimate living expenses and explore international scholarships which may help to reduce your tuition costs.
Deakin offers a range of merit-based scholarships that can reduce your postgraduate tuition fees by 20%, 25%, 50% or 100% for the duration of your degree. Eligibility varies by scholarship and the degree you choose, but you will automatically be considered for most scholarships when you apply to Deakin. Use the Find a scholarship tool and filter by 'citizenship' to see what is available to you, or explore Australia Awards scholarships if you are from an eligible country.
It depends on the degree and how you study. Graduate certificates typically take six months full time or one year part time. Graduate diplomas usually take one year full time and masters degrees typically take one to two years full time. Recognition of prior learning can reduce your study time. Check the degree page for full details.
Australia is widely regarded as one of the safest and most welcoming countries in the world for students, with strong legal protections, reliable public services and a multicultural community. In fact, Melbourne is ranked the #4 student city in the world! At Deakin, you will be part of a supportive community, with 24/7 help, dedicated campus security and practical tools to help you feel safe, confident and connected. Deakin’s SafeZone app also connects you directly to campus security and support services if you ever need help. Find out more about studying in Australia.
We value your experience and qualifications. That is why every new degree application at Deakin is assessed for recognition of prior learning (RPL). Through RPL, Deakin can assess your previous study and life experience and may award course credit that could reduce your study duration, as well as the cost of your study. Qualifications from universities and private tertiary institutions worldwide are considered, as is informal learning related to your degree. Use the RPL calculator to see how much credit you may be eligible for.
Deakin offers a wide range of support to help you settle in and succeed throughout your studies – we are ranked the #1 university in Melbourne for student support. You can access 1:1 study support, English language support, career planning help, disability services and free counselling, as well as financial assistance if you need it. On campus, the SafeZone app and 24/7 security services mean help is always within reach. You can explore the full range of support services for international students or start an online chat with a student ambassador before you arrive.
To enrol in a postgraduate degree at Deakin, many degrees require a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent). Some degrees require higher scores, so check the entry requirements tab on the degree page for details. You may also meet the requirement through recent secondary or university study completed in English, or by demonstrating five or more years of living and working in an English-speaking country. Eligibility is assessed on a case-by-case basis. If you do not yet meet the requirement, the Deakin University English Language Institute (DUELI) offers pathway programs to help develop your English reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Completion of DUELI’s English for Academic Purposes can give you the minimum English language requirements for most Deakin degrees.
Deakin’s postgraduate degrees are designed to advance your career, whether you want to deepen expertise in your field, move into a specialist role or shift direction entirely. All our degrees are shaped by industry partners, so what you learn reflects what employers need now and into the future. We’re proud to be the #1 university in Melbourne for international student graduate employment. With flexible study options and financial support available, Deakin helps you gain the skills, recognition and confidence to reach your next professional goal.
*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 Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing?
The Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing helps you deepen your specialty nursing practice while shaping your pathway through coursework or research. You’ll build from focused clinical specialisation into advanced professional practice, with the option to tailor your final stage through electives or a thesis.
Specialist clinical practice
Focus your specialty practice
Choose from seven advanced clinical nursing areas, including cardiac, critical care, emergency, intensive care and perioperative-related specialties.
Build clinical judgement
Strengthen your ability to navigate complex care, communicate with families and work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Apply learning in context
Connect your study with your workplace, where you can consolidate learning and demonstrate advanced clinical capability.
Advanced inquiry and professional practice
Explore specialty nursing inquiry
Develop your ability to question, analyse and apply evidence in ways that strengthen practice in your specialty area.
Advance professional capability
Build confidence in ethical, psychosocial and transcultural aspects of care, including complex responses to illness and trauma.
Begin shaping your pathway
Start tailoring your learning toward either broader coursework study or a research-focused thesis pathway.
Coursework or thesis pathway
Choose the coursework stream
You could develop an individual research thesis in specialty nursing practice with support from a research supervision team.
Choose the thesis stream
You could develop an individual research thesis in specialty nursing practice with support from a research supervision team.
Consolidate advanced practice
Bring together the specialty knowledge, evidence-informed thinking and professional judgement needed for advanced clinical nursing roles.
Course structure
To complete the Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing, you must pass 12 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
1 unit set in a specialisation - comprising of 4 credit points
PLUS
PLUS 3 course elective units and 2 level 7 elective units from anywhere in the University
1 unit set in a specialisation - comprising of 4 credit points
PLUS
PLUS 1 course elective unit and 1 level 7 elective unit from anywhere in the University
Specialisations
If you want to specialise in a particular area of advanced nursing, you can choose from the following streams:
Specialist units are completed at Graduate Certificate (4 credit points of core units) and Graduate Diploma (6 credit points of core units and 2 elective units) levels.
To be eligible for a specialisation, you must independently secure employment of at least 24 hours per week with a collaborating hospital in Australia in your chosen specialty area.
*HNN778 is only an available course elective in the Thesis pathway, the unit is already a core unit in the Coursework pathway
Professional recognition
Nurses employed under the Victorian public hospital award receive a higher duties allowance.
Graduates of this course may be eligible to seek endorsement as a nurse practitioner via Pathway 2 as outlined on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) website.
What to expect while studying
To undertake this course you must provide evidence of 24 months clinical experience in specialty practice in Australia and provide evidence of employment in a relevant specialty practice area or equivalent.
As an online student in the Faculty of Health you will be expected to spend 11-13 hours every week studying, interacting via CloudDeakin and completing assessment tasks for each unit in your course. Refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information.
For those students commencing with a specialisation, success is contingent on the student having access to a suitable workplace in which to consolidate learning, enhance understanding, demonstrate skills and undertake assessments.
Prior to entry to the course, each applicant’s workplace is considered in terms of its suitability and capacity to provide students with the necessary supports. Ongoing support for educators in the workplace is also provided by Deakin staff
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 |
|---|
| Demonstrate expert specialty clinical practice commensurate with nursing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice, and person-centred care. |
| Demonstrate expert communication skills to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe nursing care to patients in the specialty practice setting. |
| Evaluate complex information using digital technologies to effectively disseminate relevant specialty care information to patients and/or the multidisciplinary team. |
| Analyse, evaluate and critique complex data from multiple sources to inform clinical decision making in a specialty practice setting. |
| Apply expert nursing knowledge to complex problems in specialty practice to optimise patient outcomes. |
| Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, reflection, and personal autonomy as an expert specialist nurse. |
| Establish, maintain, and lead inclusive, collaborative professional relationships with all members of the multidisciplinary team. |
| Demonstrate accountability for, and expert professional judgement in behaviours that uphold ethical principles of practice within diverse social, cultural, and environmental contexts. |
- Award granted
- Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- H771
- Level
- Higher Degree Coursework (Masters and Doctorates)
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$29,400
for 1 yr full-time AUD
The estimated tuition fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 4 credit points undertaken within the same academic year and is provided as a guide only. Your tuition fees are determined by your course and unit enrolment. Your tuition fees will vary depending on your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning.
Learn more about tuition fees for international students.
Save 10% as a Deakin alumni
We love welcoming Deakin alumni back to continue their journey with us. If you're starting a postgraduate award course, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on your enrolment fees, applied per unit. It's our way of supporting your next step.
Scholarships
Deakin scholarships recognise your hard work and achievements. Our support can ease the financial pressure of studying in Australia so you stay focused on your success. Numbers are limited, so apply early for the best chance.
Apply now
Apply directly to Deakin
Applications can be made directly to the University through StudyLink Connect - Deakin University's International Student Application Service.
We recommend engaging with a Deakin Authorised Agent who can assist you with the process and submit the 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
This course can provide a pathway option to higher degree by research courses.
We offer Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas in the following nursing specialty areas: intensive care, critical care, cardiac, emergency, perioperative, intraoperative and perianaesthesia. We recommend if you are commencing your nursing specialty qualifications you enter into one of these course offerings, as there are no alternative exits from the Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing.
Alternatively, if you are seeking a non-specialised postgraduate nursing qualification to advance into a senior position, our Master of Advanced Nursing prepares you to step up into nursing leadership, management or education without the need to specialise in a clinical specialty area. It is also a highly customisable course with a range of electives and the option of a thesis or coursework stream.