Become a master of your nursing craft.
Nursing can be a lifelong career. Ongoing healthcare innovations inform best practice and cutting-edge research delivers new breakthroughs. As a result, patient needs are always shifting.
Studying our Master of Nursing is your opportunity to elevate your registered nurse knowledge, practical skills and understanding of evidence-based practice to an expert level. Choose one of two pathways to either contribute to research, or design and deliver a project relevant to your clinical practice. Study electives aligned with key industry areas. Be prepared to step into senior roles and contribute to the greater Australian healthcare landscape for the better.
Adelaide University’s Master of Nursing will prepare you to step into advanced practice and senior leadership roles. This qualification propels you to make a new contribution to the nursing profession and Australian healthcare at large, building on your existing skillset as a registered nurse.
Choose from a clinical or research pathway – directly addressing a topic of interest that applies to your daily practice or advancing the greater nursing profession by engaging with research and theory. Complement your selected pathway by studying electives from over 40 different options. Along the way, you’ll learn skills to think and perform like a leader, which can be applied into a wide variety of clinical environments.
Available both part-time and full-time, this qualification is designed to be studied alongside your daily practice. In both pathways, you’ll collaborate with your peers and experienced researchers and mentors, ensuring you’re supported while being challenged. You’ll graduate with the confidence to step into leadership and senior positions, and to engage with the greater nursing profession as a proven expert.
Get an advanced qualification preparing you for senior leadership, research, management or practice roles.Choose from a clinical or research pathway.Study part-time to complement your workplace duties, or full-time to fast-track your learning.Collaborate with experienced researchers, mentors and industry partners.Study from a range of specialist industry interest areas.Learn research skills to facilitate deeper inquiry and map greater healthcare strategy.The Master of Nursing is an advanced qualification that can be completed part-time or full-time. This degree can be studied mostly online, but in-person participation is mandatory for certain core courses, workshops and clinical placements.
Learn concepts, methods and delivery to improve practice, research, and knowledge. Your first year focuses on your chosen electives. You can either expand on knowledge relevant to your area of expertise or build cross-disciplinary knowledge to fill in gaps. You’ll also learn the foundations of research skills and inquiry that will help you think like an autonomous leader.
Your second year will branch into one of two pathways: a clinical pathway or a research pathway.
Choose from over 40 different electives, all mapped to areas of clinical need and taught by passionate academics who work with industry. Topics you can study range from enhancing your primary care practice through prescribing medicines and providing family and reproductive care, and specialist care in topics including critical care, oncology and perioperative and anaesthetic nursing. Other areas you can study include nurse education, research and inquiry, and leadership and management.
This degree is part of a stackable set of qualifications, meaning your study choices are flexible. If your goals shift, you can exit after six months of study with a standalone Graduate Certificate or after one year with a Graduate Diploma qualification.
You can also begin your studies with a shorter qualification like the six-month Graduate Certificate and continue on to complete the Graduate Diploma (one year) or full master’s degree.
Complete 96 units comprising:
Complete 12 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
 |
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Clinical Project
|
Course code
NURS6800
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Minor Thesis A
|
Course code
NURS6801
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Minor Thesis B
|
Course code
NURS6802
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
Complete 12 to 24 units for either of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Clinical Project
|
Course code
NURS6800
|
Units
12
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Minor Thesis A
|
Course code
NURS6801
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Minor Thesis B
|
Course code
NURS6802
|
Units
12
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Clinical Project
|
Course code
NURS6800
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Minor Thesis A
|
Course code
NURS6801
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Minor Thesis B
|
Course code
NURS6802
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
Complete 66 to 72 units comprising:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
Microbiology in Practice
|
Course code
BIOL5010
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Essentials in Critical Care Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5007
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Best Practice in Circulating and Instrument Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5014
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Best Practice in Anaesthetics and PACU Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5015
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Epidemiology for Advanced Practice
|
Course code
NURS5017
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Oncology Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5019
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Advanced Nephrology Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5021
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Theoretical Approaches to Mental Health Practice
|
Course code
NURS5022
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Primary Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5023
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Perspectives in Mental Health Practice
|
Course code
NURS5026
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Perinatal Mental Health for Health Professionals
|
Course code
NURS5030
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Skills for Recovery Practice in Mental Health
|
Course code
NURS5031
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Best Practice in Adolescent Mental Health
|
Course code
NURS5032
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Best Practice in Older People's Mental Health
|
Course code
NURS5033
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Foundations of Teaching and Learning in Health Education
|
Course code
NURS5038
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Implementing Teaching and Learning in Health Education
|
Course code
NURS5039
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Critical Perspectives in Health
|
Course code
NURS5061
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Leadership and Management in Nursing and Midwifery
|
Course code
NURS5062
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Allergy Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5064
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Nephrology Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5065
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Perioperative Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5066
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Introduction to High Acuity Nursing and Midwifery
|
Course code
NURS5067
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Palliative Care Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5073
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Prescribing for clinicians
|
Course code
NURS5103
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Clinical Practice
|
Course code
NURS5105
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Infection Prevention and Control in Practice
|
Course code
NURS5106
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Advanced Lactation and Breastfeeding
|
Course code
NURS5108
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Maternal, Child and Family Health
|
Course code
NURS5109
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health
|
Course code
NURS5110
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Comprehensive Care of the Older Person
|
Course code
NURS5124
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Critical Care Nursing
|
Course code
NURS5125
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Decision-Making for Midwifery and Nursing Practice
|
Course code
NURS5171
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Clinical Inquiry
|
Course code
NURS5904
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Advanced Critical Care Practice
|
Course code
NURS5905
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Consolidation of Mental Health Nursing Practice
|
Course code
NURS5906
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Advanced Health Assessment, Diagnostics and Investigations
|
Course code
NURS6904
|
Units
12
|
|
|
Course name
Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing Practice
|
Course code
NURS6905
|
Units
12
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Clinical Project
|
Course code
NURS6800
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
24
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Research for Advancing Nursing, Midwifery and Health Care
|
Course code
NURS5029
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | |||
|
Course name
Minor Thesis A
|
Course code
NURS6801
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
| Semester 2 | |||
|
Course name
Minor Thesis B
|
Course code
NURS6802
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
|
Course code
-
|
Units
12
|
Nursing is a richly rewarding career with opportunities for lifelong learning. Registered nurses with postgraduate qualifications are well-equipped to step into leadership and senior roles. They can also use their knowledge to shape the development of healthcare services and delivery across Australia.
After completing the Master of Nursing, you may find yourself progressing into leadership and executive roles, using your years of clinical experience to improve workflows and practices. Or perhaps you’ll contribute to journals using your research findings, collaborating with professionals across the globe to advance our understanding of modern care. You can also use this qualification to maximise your potential as a clinician, combining your practical skills with a strong understanding of theory and policy.
The scope of our nurse workforce is proven. Nurse-led primary healthcare has worked in Australia successfully for decades. Their expertise, experience, and the trust they inspire positions nurses as vital contributors to understanding how healthcare systems work and critical areas for improvement (Australian College of Nursing, 2024).
Adelaide University’s forward-thinking, flexible curriculum and real-world applications for learning will empower you to advocate for workers and patients alike. Improve your everyday practice and shape the next steps in Australian healthcare through research, policy or advocacy from your lived experience as a thoughtful, educated clinician.
Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.
You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.
Student services
We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:
You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.
You'll be studying at one of our renowned campuses, accessing cutting-edge facilities and contemporary study spaces.
Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.
During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include:
