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8 Masters of Nursing Online in Australia

Further your nurse career. Choose a top-rated master's degree from an Australian university.

Portrait of female nurse in blue scrubs with stethoscope and clibpboard

Overview

A Master of Nursing is an advanced training program for registered nurses that goes beyond basic skills. In Australia, this higher-level qualification is often essential for roles in specialised care, research, and administration and leadership within healthcare settings.

Online courses for nurses offer a convenient and affordable way to study. Balance work and family commitments while earning a degree. You can typically complete a masters part-time in two years, minimising time away from your job and family. Choose a specialisation to achieve career goals.

Best Online Nursing Masters

Ready to elevate your nursing career? Discover the top Masters of Nursing offered 100% online in Australia. Whether you're aiming to specialise in Advanced Practice, Leadership, Mental Health, or Education, these courses are designed to fit around your busy lifestyle.

1. UTS Online - Master of Advanced Nursing

The Master of Advanced Nursing is for nurses who want to drive better outcomes with person-centred care. Develop advanced clinical, leadership, and interpersonal skills to apply immediately in your healthcare setting. Choose a general pathway or specialise in Acute Care, Chronic and Complex Care, Quality and Safety, or Leadership and Management. This course is part-time and 100% online. Content is influenced by healthcare industry partners, ensuring it is contemporary and on-point.

2. JCU Online - Master of Advanced Practice Nursing

The Advanced Practice major at James Cook University develops your ability to deliver comprehensive care in clinical settings. Specialised topics include advanced and applied health assessments, quality use of medicines, and diagnostic reasoning. The 12-subject online program gives the option to start with a graduate certificate (4 units) or graduate diploma (8 units). You can potentially finish the accelerated (year-round) course in under 2 years while working full-time.

3. UTS Online - Master of Acute Care Nursing

Acute Care is a major offered in the Master of Advanced Nursing program at UTS Online. Subjects in this specialisation include Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in Acute Care, Comprehensive Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning, and Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration. Graduates enhance their ability to practice in acute settings, focusing on critical thinking and clinical decision-making. They learn to quickly identify patient needs and ensure safety.

4. SCU Online - Master of Mental Health Nursing

Southern Cross University's Master of Mental Health Nursing is ACMHN accredited. Graduates qualify as credentialed mental health nurses. The budget-friendly course is available to Division 1 Registered Nurses. Each of the 12 modules requires less than two months to finish, allowing you to earn your degree in under two years part-time. Subjects cover evaluating research, acute mental healthcare, behavioural change support, and clinical leadership.

5. JCU Online - Master of Nursing Leadership and Management

As part of the popular Master of Nursing program at James Cook University, you can major in Leadership and Management. Specialised electives cover topics such as leading and managing in health, ethics and health management, finance for health managers, and conflict and dispute resolution. The program is 100% online and open to RNs. You can complete the 12-subject program in just under 2 years part-time. Most participants balance online study with a full-time job.

6. UTS Online - Master of Nursing Leadership and Management

The Master of Advanced Nursing at UTS Online offers a specialisation in Leadership and Management. It includes subjects such as Leading Health and Social Care, Health Systems and Change, and Collaborative Mental Health Care. Designed for working professionals, the course is delivered entirely online, providing flexibility to study around work commitments. The curriculum is informed by healthcare industry leaders, ensuring relevance and applicability.

7. JCU Online - Master of Nursing Education

An Education major is available in the postgraduate nursing program at James Cook University. You need to complete these electives: Principles of Education for the Health Professional, Teaching in Practice Settings, Clinical Coaching, and Contemporary Healthcare Education. The course is 100% online and ideal for nurses who may be working full-time. The 12-subject degree takes 2 years of part-time study. All resources are accessible via an online learning platform.

8. UTS Online - Master of Critical Care

Enhance your expertise with the Master of Advanced Nursing (Critical Care) from UTS Online, a flexible, part-time course for working professionals. It develops decision-making and leadership skills in intensive care. Specialty subjects like 'Complex Critical Care' are combined with foundational knowledge in evidence-based practice and patient assessment. Ideal for career advancement, this program prepares you for roles in clinical leadership, consultancy, and education.

Popular Majors

Advanced Nursing

Medical staff gathered around computer device

A Master of Advanced Nursing is a Master of Nursing program that may be relatively specialised. But the difference between advanced and other nursing masters may be slight. Whether it is called Advanced Nursing or just Nursing, any master's program for nurses can be considered advanced.

Advanced Practice

Nurse or doctor using stethoscope on patient

A Masters of Advanced Nursing Practice program is designed to extend the clinical capabilities of registered nurses. The course builds nursing competencies and may qualify you to be an advanced practice nurse. You gain skills and knowledge for assessing, planning and implementing healthcare services. You may also learn to diagnose and evaluate care in a more specialist capacity.

Critical Care

Nurses checking patient vitals in intensive care unit

A Masters in Critical Care Nursing is for nurses working in settings like Intensive Care Units where rapid, complex decision-making is crucial. Critical care nurses attend to patients who need close monitoring due to life-threatening conditions, such as respiratory distress, cardiac issues, organ failure, or post-surgical complications.

Emergency

Hospital staff wheeling patient through corridor

Masters of Emergency Nursing are for nurses in emergency departments or other settings where time is of the essence. An emergency nurse sees patients presenting with life-threatening conditions or other problems requiring urgent treatment, such as burns, fractures, concussions, abdominal pain, fever or open wounds.

Mental Health Nursing

Woman in white with clipboard shaking hand of elderly male patient

As a registered nurse in Australia, you have a clear path to specialising in mental health. You can complete a Master of Mental Health Nursing program accredited by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. That would make you eligible to become a credentialed mental health nurse.

Nursing Education

Medical professionals in blue scrubs sitting at table taking notes

A Masters in Nursing Education prepares nurses for senior roles in nurse education and training, continuing education, and staff development in healthcare. The program expands your knowledge in the art of teaching and promoting learning. You gain instruction skills to help guide and train nurses and other health services professionals.

Nursing Management

Confident woman standing to present during meeting

A Master of Nursing (Management) course is ideal for experienced nurses who are interested in managing and leading in healthcare. Some of the roles a graduate would be well positioned to do include manager of a nurse unit, nursing coordinator, health services manager, or health facilities manager.

What You'll Study (Course Structure)

Masters in Nursing courses are often specialised, so what you will study is course dependent. However, most postgraduate programs cover general topics such as clinical governance, management and leadership, persuasive communication, and research methods.

To give you an idea of the course structure for a 12-subject degree, here are example subjects from several majors. Some of these form a four-subject Graduate Certificate in Nursing course or an 8-subject Graduate Diploma in Nursing.

James Cook University

Advanced Practice
Advanced Health Assessment
Applied Health Assessment and Advanced Practice
Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice
Quality Use of Medicines in Practice

Education
Clinical Coaching
Contemporary Healthcare Education
Principles of Education for the Health Professional
Teaching in Practice Settings

Leadership and Management
Business and Finance for the Health Manager
Conflict and Dispute Resolution in Healthcare
Ethics and Health Management
Leading and Managing in Health

UTS Online

Acute Care
Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in Acute Care
Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
Quality and Safety in Medicines
Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration

Chronic and Complex Care
Ageing: Health, Illness and Decline
Collaborative and Integrative Mental Health Care
Diabetes Pathways
Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning

Quality and Safety
Leading Health and Social Care
Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
Quality and Safety in Medicines
Research in Health

Career Opportunities

Medical professional applying bandage to patient's wrist

With nursing being a large employment sector, earning a master's degree creates many career opportunities. Postgraduate education supports movement into specialist, management and nurse educator roles. Examples of jobs you may qualify for include clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse consultant, nurse trainer, nurse unit manager, and nursing director.

The degree opens up new prospective career paths. Anything beyond ordinary jobs for registered nurses may become available to you with an advanced qualification. Here are examples of specialist and high-level roles that postgraduate study may support or enable.

Entry Requirements

Common entry requirements are: a Bachelor of Nursing degree or equivalent qualification AND registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) or Registered Midwife AND a year of clinical experience.

For specialist study streams, you may also have to currently work in a relevant health setting. Enquire to find out the detailed requirements for any of the online programs listed.

Note that very different requirements apply for Master of Nursing (graduate entry) programs. Entry to practice Masters of Nursing degrees are unavailable online. The main admission requirement for these nurse training courses is a bachelor degree in any discipline.

† Online courses are available in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Gold Coast, Newcastle. Australia-wide.