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7 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.

Given Australia's strong healthcare system and rising demand for specialised nurses, a Masters in Nursing is a high-return investment. The average salary for a nurse with a master's degree in Australia is from 6% to 65% greater than for other nurses. The degree provides financial security and opens up job opportunities.

Best Master of Nursing Programs Online

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. Keep reading to find the perfect fit for your professional goals.

The Master of Advanced Nursing is designed for nurses who want to drive better outcomes for person-centred care. Through this course, you’ll develop advanced clinical, leadership and interpersonal skills that you can apply immediately into your healthcare setting. You can tailor your studies by choosing to complete a general pathway or specialise in Acute Care, Chronic and Complex Care, Quality and Safety, or Leadership and Management. This course is delivered part-time, 100% online and influenced by strong healthcare industry partners, making it one of the most contemporary and comprehensive courses of its kind.
The Master of Nursing program at James Cook University Online is suitable for any experienced Registered Nurse. The Advanced Practice major develops your ability to deliver comprehensive care in clinical settings. To qualify for the major, you need to do these subjects: Advanced Health Assessment, Quality Use of Medicines in Practice, Applied Health Assessment and Advanced Practice, and Diagnostic Reasoning for Advanced Practice. The 12-subject program is 100% online and gives you 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.
The 100% online Master of Advanced Nursing is designed for nurses who want to drive better outcomes for person-centred care. Through this course, you’ll develop advanced clinical, leadership and interpersonal skills that you can apply immediately into your healthcare setting. Subjects included in the Acute Care major are Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in Acute Care, Comprehensive Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning, and Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration.
Southern Cross University's Master of Mental Health Nursing is accredited by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. Graduates qualify for accreditation as a mental health nurse. The entirely online, budget-friendly course is available to Division 1 Registered Nurses. SCU Online provides a streamlined educational experience. Each of the 12 modules requires less than two months to finish, allowing you to earn your degree in under two years on a part-time basis. Subjects cover evaluating research, acute mental healthcare, behavioural change support, and clinical leadership.
As part of the popular Master of Nursing online program at James Cook University, you can specialise in Leadership and Management. To qualify for the major, you need to do these four elective subjects: Leading and Managing in Health, Ethics and Health Management, Business and Finance for the Health Manager, and Conflict and Dispute Resolution in Healthcare. The program is 100% online and open to registered nurses. By doing a new subject every 2 months, you can complete the 12-subject program in just under 2 years. Most participants balance online study with a full-time job.
The Master of Advanced Nursing is for nurses who want to drive better outcomes in person-centred care. Students develop advanced clinical, leadership and interpersonal skills that you can apply immediately into your healthcare setting. To specialise in Leadership and Management, you do subjects such as Leading Health and Social Care, Health Systems and Change, and Collaborative and Integrative Mental Health Care. This course is delivered 100% online and is influenced by strong healthcare industry partners, making it one of the most contemporary and comprehensive courses of its kind.
Education is available as a major in the postgraduate nursing program at James Cook University Online. For this specialisation, you need to complete the following subjects: Principles of Education for the Health Professional, Teaching in Practice Settings, Clinical Coaching, and Contemporary Healthcare Education. The masters in nursing education program is 100% online and designed for registered nurses who may be working full-time. The 12-subject program takes just under 2 years of part-time study. All resources are accessible 24/7 through an online learning platform.

Specialisations

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. 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.

Emergency and Acute Care

Hospital staff wheeling patient through corridor

Master's degrees in Emergency Nursing or Acute Care are for nurses in emergency departments or other settings where time is of the essence. An ER 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 Master of 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

Learning Outcomes

A good Masters of Nursing will have you graduating as a confident, capable healthcare professional. The experience will allow you to accomplish many specific learning outcomes but also become more competent in areas such as the following.

Advanced communication skills
Knowledgeable communication, with strong command of terminology and concepts. A respectful and person-centred approach to communicating with different audiences.

Evidence-based practice
Able to evaluate the quality of nursing research when applying research in clinical practice to improve health outcomes. A reflective and critical thinker.

Lifelong learner
Skilled in identifying and capturing opportunities for continued professional development.

Management and leadership skills
Knows the principles of good management and able to bring broad and multiple perspectives to leadership tasks.

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.