Graduate Diploma of Nursing
PostgraduateUND-NUR-GDI2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Upgrade your nursing skills with advanced theory
A postgrad health qualification for registered nurses and students with practical nursing skills. Fill your knowledge gaps as you strive for quality patient care. This course provides a pathway to nursing leadership or further studies at Masters level.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 2 Feb 2025,
- 6 July 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 1 year full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 8
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Graduate Diploma of Nursing
About this degree
On completion of this program students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Synthesise advanced theoretical knowledge and skills required of the Registered Nurse to undertake increasingly complex nursing activities.
- Critique the effectiveness of national and international models of nursing practice and policy to continually improve outcomes for patients in the hospital and community.
- Employ critical thinking and clinical reasoning to solve ethical and legal dilemmas in the culturally and socially diverse healthcare environment.
- Communicate and negotiate with influence to achieve optimum patient care outcomes.
- Collaborate with a range of professionals to achieve the common goals of best possible healthcare outcomes for individuals and communities.
- Reflect on practice to facilitate awareness and knowledge of one’s own cognition and abilities, establishing a mechanism for lifelong learning.
- Actively contribute to the professional development of a range of members of the healthcare team.
- Conduct national and international research retrieval and enquiry to inform contemporary nursing practice.
Nursing is a practice profession that requires all nurses to maintain competency and participate in activities that contribute to professional and practice development. This program will be attractive to nurses wanting to advance their understanding and application of nursing knowledge and skill in a variety of clinical practice areas. This program will provide opportunities for students to participate in activities that contribute to career progression using theoretical frameworks to inform processes and multiple approaches to facilitate quality patient care. The program identifies knowledge gaps and builds on quality processes through the systematic appraisal and synthesis of evidence-based practice in the context of the students’ clinical experience. The program provides a pathway for students to progress further in their studies at Masters level.
Recommended study pattern
- Three (3) Postgraduate Nursing Courses:
- NURS4037 Clinical Governance
- NURS5006 Professional Role Development
- NURS5021 Management
- One (1) Core Curriculum Course:
- PHIL6020 Ethical Issues in Professional Life
- Three (3) Postgraduate Elective Courses:
- NURS5000 Deteriorating Patient
- NURS5017 Emotional Intelligence
- MEDI5121 Learning and Facilitation in Health Professional Education
- MEDI5123 Reasoning and Clinical Innovation
- MEDI5110 Contemporary Issues in Health Professional Education and Leadership
- MEDI5124 Coaching and Supervision in Health
- NURS6007 Introduction to Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
- One (1) Postgraduate Research Elective:
- NURS50003 Evidence Based Practice
Award requirements
To be eligible for the award of Graduate Diploma of Nursing students must complete a minimum of 200 Units of Credit chosen from the subjects comprising:
- 75 Units of Credit from two (3) Postgraduate Elective Courses
- 75 Units of Credit from three (3) Postgraduate Nursing Courses
- 25 Units of Credit from one (1) Core Curriculum Course
- 25 Units of Credit from one (1) Postgraduate Research Elective Course
Exit points
Graduate Certificate in Nursing
- Three (3) Postgraduate Nursing Courses:
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
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Indicative total fee $23,909
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
The University of Notre Dame Australia is committed to delivering an excellent student experience, alongside a high standard of teaching, research, and training. As a leader in ethical education, Notre Dame aims to develop students’ critical reasoning and their ability to make ethical decisions—crucial skills to progressing their careers and leading purposeful lives. At Notre Dame, students navigate their future with an ethical education online.
Learn more about UNDA.
Explore UNDA courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 37
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Diploma of Nursing applicants must hold a recognised Bachelor of Nursing degree or equivalent, current licence to practice as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia or provisional registration and have a minimum of one year relevant post registration nursing experience.
Defined as the successful completion of secondary education or a Bachelor’s degree in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada or the Republic of Ireland.
Students who have English as an Additional language and are admitted on the basis of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment, or an equivalent English language proficiency assessment, are only admitted if they have attained n overall IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.0, with no individual band score below 7.0.
All English language tests are valid for two years from the date of completion.
Applications for Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be considered and reviewed on a case by case basis by UNDA's Student Administration.
Career opportunities
If you are a Registered Nurse, our Graduate Diploma of Nursing offers you the chance to upgrade your qualifications over a two-year period. The part-time program is open to you if you have a degree, or if you do not have a degree, you can demonstrate practical nursing skills. Contact time has been limited so that you can combine your work with this postgraduate program. Covering areas such as mental health, governance, management and leadership, education, acute care, evidence based practice and research and professional development, our postgraduate nursing program offers the ideal vehicle for you if you are a Registered Nurse and want to develop your nursing expertise and function at an advanced level in your profession.
Professional recognition
Graduate Diploma of Nursing is not ANMAC accredited. University of Notre Dame PG Graduates are industry recognised through specific salary structures.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
Nurse Educators and Researchers | $93K to $120K | Up 10.8% |
Nurse Managers | Over $120K | Up 19.9% |
Registered Nurses | $93K to $120K | Up 16.3% |
Degree FAQs
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As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
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