Click Here to view current information
Course Overview
The aim of the Master of Nurse Practitioner course is to provide an opportunity for advanced practice registered nurses working within their specialty area to further expand their scope of practice to that of a nurse practitioner.
The course is founded upon the principles of culturally responsive, person-centred care and will equip you with the capability to provide a high standard of care to diverse acute, chronic, and complex clinical presentations to improve the health outcomes of individuals, their families, and the community across various healthcare settings where nurse practitioners lead care, including rural and remote Australian settings, public and private healthcare settings, aged care settings, primary healthcare, and many other healthcare environments.
In this course, you will gain advanced theoretical and clinical knowledge to autonomously assess, diagnose, plan, and manage the care of clients; prescribe medications and treatment regimens, including the ordering of diagnostic investigations; and refer clients to other healthcare professionals within multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
The Master of Nurse Practitioner course will equip you with the capabilities to lead practice and service development, and positively influence the delivery of healthcare services and policy development. The four domains of clinical practice, education, research, and leadership that inform the national Nurse Practitioner Standards for Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, are embedded throughout the theoretical and clinical aspects of this course.
Graduates of this course are eligible to apply to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency for endorsement as a nurse practitioner with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Further information about endorsement as a nurse practitioner is available on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia's Endorsements and Notations website.
Career Information
Nurse practitioner candidates are employed within their specialty area of practice in their health service organisation while undertaking this Master of Nurse Practitioner course. While completing this course, nurse practitioner candidates will communicate with their health service organisation’s nursing leadership to establish a nurse practitioner position to apply for when approaching the course’s completion.
After successful completion of this Master of Nurse Practitioner course, and conditional to the nurse practitioner candidate having worked a minimum of two years full-time equivalent (FTE) in their nominated clinical specialty, and a minimum of three years (5,000 hours) FTE at an advanced practice level, the nurse practitioner candidate may apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) for endorsement as a nurse practitioner.
Opportunities to advance your nurse practitioner practice are limitless and may include healthcare settings such as rural and remote health, residential and aged care settings, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples health, ambulatory care settings, emergency department practice, complex health and chronic disease management, oncology settings, alcohol and substance use, public and private hospitals and health services, primary care settings, community care settings, and private practice.
| Duration | 2 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Credit Points that Must be Earned | 48 |
| Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in postgraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
| Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
| Course Type | Postgraduate Award |
| Qualification (post nominal) | MNP |
| AQF Level | Level 9: Masters Degree (Coursework) |
Admission Codes
|
Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
Not Applicable |
|---|---|
|
International Students CRICOS Codes |
Not Applicable |
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
Domestic Availability
-
Term 1 - 2027
International Availability
-
Term 1 - 2027
To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must demonstrate the following:
- Current unconditional registration as a registered nurse (Division 1) with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, and
- A completed Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) or equivalent, Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in a clinical field with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.0, and
- A statement of service^ demonstrating a minimum of 0.6 years full-time equivalent (FTE) current employment in an advanced nursing practice role, with
- A minimum of four years FTE employment experience as a registered nurse within a clinical specialty*, and
- A minimum of two years FTE employment experience in an advanced nursing practice** role in the same clinical specialty (within the last six years of term commencement).
* Clinical specialty must align with the completed postgraduate qualification.
** Refer to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Fact Sheet for Advanced Practice for the definition of advanced nursing practice.
^ Employment experience must be shown in a statement of service which is presented on a company letterhead, as well as signed and dated by a delegated authority. The letter must contain position title/s, duties performed, and length of service.
In addition to the above, applicants must provide the following:
- A curriculum vitae, and
- Written support from the Executive Director of Nursing and two clinical support team members to support practicum requirements, including supervision and clinical support; and
- A completed Master of Nurse Practitioner Verification of Advanced Practice and Course Requirements Declaration Form, accompanied by the statement of service and Executive Director support, as listed above.
Entry is competitive with limited places available; shortlisted applicants must attend an interview (face-to-face or via teleconferencing).
The English language proficiency requirements outlined below are those specified by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for initial registration.
Applicants to the Master of Nurse Practitioner course are required to demonstrate English language proficiency through current and unconditional registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
All applications will be assessed on an individual basis.
Awards and Accreditation
| Interim Awards | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Exit Awards | CM86 - Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice Nursing |
| Accreditation |
|
Residential School Requirements
| Compulsory Residential School | You will be required to attend a compulsory online residential school in Orientation Week of Term 1 in the first and second year of your course. |
|---|---|
| Click here to view all Residential Schools | |
Practicum/Work Placement
| NURS28010 - You will complete 40 hours of integrated professional practice within your specialty area, supervised by your mentor(s) or supervisor(s), as arranged by the student prior to admission into the course. This integrated professional practice component will typically occur during Term 1 of the first year of study. |
| NURS29011 - You will complete 150 hours of integrated professional practice within your specialty area, supervised by your mentor(s) or supervisor(s), as arranged by the student prior to admission into the course. This integrated professional practice component will typically occur during Term 2 of the first year of study. |
| NURS29012 - You will complete 150 hours of integrated professional practice within your specialty area, supervised by your mentor(s) or supervisor(s), as arranged by the student prior to admission into the course. This integrated professional practice component will typically occur during Term 2 of the second year of study. |
Predicted Enrolments
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| First Year | 40 |
| Second year | 60 |
| Third Year | 80 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
Students enrolled in the Master of Nurse Practitioner course are required to meet the inherent requirements in academic, simulated, and integrated professional practice settings. Reasonable adjustments may be made where appropriate; however, such adjustments must not compromise the academic integrity of the course, professional standards, or the safety of students, consumers, staff, or the broader community.
Students enrolled in the Master of Nurse Practitioner course are required to demonstrate ethical behaviour consistent with the standards, codes, guidelines, and professional expectations of advanced nursing practice. This includes maintaining confidentiality, practising with honesty and integrity, recognising and responding appropriately to ethical dilemmas, and demonstrating accountability for professional actions and decision-making. Ethical behaviour is essential to support safe, culturally responsive, person-centred, and evidence-informed care.
Students must demonstrate behavioural stability and emotional resilience to function safely and effectively within complex and often unpredictable healthcare environments. This includes the ability to respond appropriately to feedback, manage personal stress, maintain professional conduct, and engage in self-care strategies to support safe clinical practice. Students may encounter emotionally demanding situations, including trauma, distress, and clinical emergencies, requiring the capacity to maintain professional judgement and composure.
Students are required to demonstrate knowledge of, and compliance with, relevant legislation, professional regulations, and scope of practice requirements associated with nurse practitioner practice in Australia. This includes compliance with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia standards, Ahpra requirements, medication and prescribing legislation, privacy and confidentiality obligations, and relevant workplace and health service policies.
Verbal Communication
Students must demonstrate effective verbal communication skills in English to support safe, respectful, and culturally responsive healthcare delivery. This includes the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with consumers, families, communities, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams in a timely and appropriate manner.
Non-Verbal Communication
Students must demonstrate awareness and appropriate use of non-verbal communication, including body language, facial expressions, personal space, and professional behaviours. Students are also required to recognise and respond appropriately to the non-verbal cues of others in diverse healthcare settings.
Written Communication
Students must demonstrate the ability to construct coherent and accurate written communication appropriate to academic and clinical contexts. This includes scholarly writing, professional documentation, clinical records, referrals, reports, prescribing documentation, and electronic health records that meet legal, professional, and organisational standards.
Technology-Enabled Communication
Students must be able to communicate effectively using digital and online technologies, including videoconferencing platforms, electronic communication systems, and online learning environments. This is particularly important given the fully online delivery of the course, and the increasing use of digital technologies within healthcare settings.
Knowledge and Cognitive Skills
Students must demonstrate the capacity to acquire, synthesise, analyse, and apply advanced theoretical and clinical knowledge relevant to nurse practitioner practice. This includes advanced clinical reasoning, diagnostic reasoning, evidence-informed decision-making, and the ability to manage complex and unpredictable clinical situations.
Literacy
Students must demonstrate advanced literacy skills, including the ability to read, interpret, critically evaluate, and communicate complex information from a range of sources. Students are required to engage with scholarly literature, clinical guidelines, legislation, policy documents, and healthcare records in order to support safe and evidence-informed practice.
Numeracy
Students must demonstrate accurate and effective numeracy skills relevant to advanced nursing and nurse practitioner practice. This includes medication calculations, interpretation of diagnostic results, analysis of clinical data, and application of measurements and numerical information within clinical decision-making.
Visual Ability
Students must possess sufficient visual ability to safely perform advanced clinical assessments, interpret diagnostic information, administer treatments, and recognise changes in consumer condition within a range of healthcare environments.
Auditory Ability
Students must demonstrate sufficient auditory ability to safely undertake advanced clinical assessments and respond appropriately to verbal communication, alarms, monitoring equipment, and other auditory cues within healthcare settings.
Tactile Ability
Students must demonstrate sufficient tactile ability to undertake advanced physical assessments and clinical procedures safely and effectively. This includes detecting physical abnormalities and performing therapeutic and diagnostic interventions requiring tactile discrimination.
Students must demonstrate the ability to establish, maintain, and appropriately manage professional relationships with consumers, families, carers, peers, and healthcare professionals. This includes demonstrating empathy, cultural responsiveness, collaboration, professional boundaries, and respect for diversity at an advanced level within healthcare interactions.
Students are required to demonstrate reflective practice skills, including the ability to critically evaluate personal performance, clinical decision-making, professional behaviour, and learning needs. Reflective practice supports ongoing professional development, safe practice, and lifelong learning within advanced nursing practice.
Students must demonstrate the capacity to sustain consistent physical, cognitive, and emotional performance over time in academic and clinical settings. This includes maintaining concentration, managing competing demands, and performing safely and effectively during extended or complex activities associated with nurse practitioner practice.
Gross Motor Skills
Students must demonstrate sufficient gross motor skills to safely perform clinical tasks and respond effectively within healthcare environments. This may include standing, walking, positioning, transferring equipment, and responding to clinical emergencies.
Fine Motor Skills
Students must demonstrate sufficient fine motor skills and manual dexterity to safely perform advanced clinical procedures and therapeutic interventions. This includes tasks requiring precision, coordination, and manipulation of clinical equipment and technologies.
Students must demonstrate the ability to engage professionally and respectfully with individuals, groups, and communities from diverse cultural, social, and healthcare backgrounds. This includes active participation in collaborative learning, teamwork, leadership activities, and person-centred healthcare interactions.
Students must demonstrate the ability to effectively use information and communication technologies required for contemporary nurse practitioner practice and online postgraduate study. This includes engaging with online learning platforms, electronic medical records, telehealth systems, clinical databases, prescribing software, and digital communication technologies in a safe, professional, and ethical manner.
- 1. Demonstrate advanced clinical assessment skills to conduct comprehensive health assessments, including history-taking, physical examinations, and diagnostic reasoning to formulate accurate differential and provisional diagnoses and develop evidence-informed person-centred plans of care and models of care for complex case presentations
- 2. Apply critical enquiry and research skills to identify evidence-informed solutions to improve the health outcomes for consumers in diverse and specialised healthcare settings
- 3. Analyse and synthesise advanced knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacotherapeutics, regulatory and legislative requirements and research evidence to safely prescribe therapeutic interventions and make appropriate referrals to improve the health outcomes for consumers
- 4. Demonstrate advanced understanding of the legal, ethical, and political components of practice and provide leadership that influences clinical care in specialty areas of nursing practice
- 5. Demonstrate advanced and authoritative professional and clinical leadership to lead practice, teaching, research, and community engagement in diverse clinical, community and political settings
- 6. Apply advanced communication and critical reflective skills to lead care and function autonomously and collaboratively in interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
| Course Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1. KNOWLEDGE Have a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice | ||||||
| 2. KNOWLEDGE Have an understanding of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning | ||||||
| 3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and to reflect critically on theory and professional practice or scholarship | ||||||
| 4. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories and to apply established theories to different bodies of knowledge or practice | ||||||
| 5. SKILLS Have cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level | ||||||
| 6. SKILLS Have communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences | ||||||
| 7. SKILLS Have technical and communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments that contribute to professional practice or scholarship | ||||||
| 8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning | ||||||
| 9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to use high level personal autonomy and accountability | ||||||
| 10 APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to plan and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship. | ||||||
| APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Communicate, interact and collaborate with others effectively in culturally or linguistically diverse contexts in a culturally respectful manner | ||||||
- Complete the core structure
| Number of units: 8 | Total credit points: 48 |
|---|
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are the fundamental abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours required to achieve the learning outcomes of the Master of Nurse Practitioner course while maintaining the academic integrity of CQUniversity’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes. Students must be able to demonstrate that they have acquired, or can acquire, the inherent requirements necessary to complete the course and meet the standards required for nurse practitioner practice. There are inherent requirements for this course that must be met in order to successfully complete the program and graduate. For further information, refer to the Inherent Requirements section of the Handbook.
Course Structure
You are required to complete the course by enrolling in the units in the order outlined within the course structure. Prerequisite and co-requisite units must be completed to enable progression through the course.
You are also required to attend compulsory online residential schools during Orientation Week in Term 1 of both the first and second years of the course.
You should carefully consider the scheduling and availability of Integrated Professional Practice units to support the timely completion of your studies.
The unit NURS29012 Nurse Practitioner Integrated Professional Practice 2 must be completed in your final term of study to enable CQUniversity to recommend you to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia for endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner upon completion of the degree.
Integrated Professional Practice
You must maintain a minimum employment level of 0.6 full-time equivalent in an advanced practice nursing role throughout the duration of the course. In addition, you are required to complete 340 hours of supernumerary integrated professional practice within your advanced practice context.
If you experience difficulty meeting the integrated professional practice requirements of the course at any stage during your enrolment, you must notify the CQUniversity Master of Nurse Practitioner Head of Course as soon as possible so that appropriate strategies can be explored in collaboration with supervisor(s) or mentor(s).
Integrated professional practice hours will be audited at the conclusion of each term to confirm satisfactory completion of interprofessional practice requirements.
You are required to maintain a log documenting 340 hours of integrated professional practice completed throughout the course. The log should demonstrate engagement with your clinical support team and mentors, and evidence your development toward competence for endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner.
Nurse Practitioner Portfolio
Once enrolled in the Master of Nurse Practitioner program, you are required to develop a professional portfolio that demonstrates your emerging knowledge and skills in advanced practice nursing. The portfolio will include examples of work completed throughout the course, such as written assessments, presentations, reflections, and documentation of the required 340 hours of integrated professional practice.
The portfolio will be used by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency when assessing your eligibility for endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner.
Course Changes and Accreditation Requirements
In accordance with accreditation requirements, aspects of the course may be subject to change during your enrolment. Changes may include amendments to course structure, unit names or content, integrated professional practice requirements, and/or mandatory compliance checks.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council
The Master of Nurse Practitioner course has received full accreditation with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council. Accreditation information is publicly available through the Approved Programs of Study listed on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority website.