Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing

As a Registered Nurse, you will specialise in the progressive field of mental health nursing to develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to asses and deliver care to people experiencing mental health problems and mental illness.

The Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing explores psychosocial and behavioural sciences and the legal and ethical aspects of mental health nursing practice.

You will gain valuable practical experience with an industry placement, preparing you to provide mental health care in a variety of health care settings.

This qualification is offered online, with attendance required at some on-campus workshops.

Due to a limited number of placements, applicants are requested to include a Statement of Employment, National Police Clearance and DHS Working with Children Check with their application through SATAC.

What you'll need Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements.

These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements.

Due to the limited number of placements, applicants are requested to supply these documents along with a Statement of Employment to SATAC when applying.

Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

On entry to the qualification you will be required to confirm that you meet the ‘Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements’ requirements.

You can find more about what you’ll need in the rules and notes below the courses you'll study.

Entry requirements

Applicants are required to have:

• a recognised Bachelor degree in Nursing or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution; or
• completed hospital based training as a Registered Nurse;

AND

• a current Practising Certificate with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia;
• a current Department for Human Services (DHS) Working With Children Check (WWCC) valid for the duration of the program;
• a current National Police Certificate (NPC) through SAPOL (or their home state police service) valid for the duration of the program

Note: To determine the number of placements to be arranged by the university all applicants must complete and submit the Statement of Employment at the time of application to SATAC.

Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Due to the limited number of placements, applicants are requested to supply these documents along with a Statement of Employment to SATAC when applying. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

On entry to the qualification you will be required to confirm that you meet the ‘Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placements’ requirements.

You can find more about what you’ll need in the rules and notes below the courses you'll study.

The Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing prepares registered nurses to care for people experiencing mental illness, exploring the bio-psychosocial and behavioural sciences, co-morbidities, pharmacology and the provision of family support within mental health. Emphasis is also placed on the practice of mental health care for a culturally diverse society in metropolitan, rural and remote clinical settings.

This unique qualification will give you an in-depth understanding of mental health issues and conditions, as well the ability to design intervention and evaluation strategies for patients across diverse backgrounds. You will also develop advanced interviewing, assessment skills and knowledge of support services.

For each course you study, you will need to allocate time for learning activities. Depending on your study mode this may include online discussion forums, virtual classroom sessions, lectures, tutorials, workshops and seminars. Plus you will need additional hours to study in your own time to complete assignments, readings and projects. As a general rule most postgraduate study is completed part-time and if you are studying full-time you would need to allocate 12 – 26 hours of study when at university and 14 – 28 hours of independent study per week.

Your studies will incorporate practical, professionally-focused and research-based learning, so assessment types will vary. You can expect them to include:

Industry experience is a key focus of this graduate diploma. During your studies you will learn from qualified practitioners and mental health professionals, and build important industry networks, including through clinical placements.

We have clinical arrangements with local health and rural health networks, major hospitals, healthcare providers, aged care services and mental health services, in the private and public sectors.

We also host regular University-wide employee master classes and employment expos, and alumni events in Australia and overseas.

Your career

Mental health professionals aim to facilitate an improved quality of life for people with mental health problems and mental illness. They actively participate in the recognition, assessment and treatment of people with mental health and co-morbid related conditions, and provide support and assistance to families and friends.

There is an increasing prevalence of mental illness in Australia - in 2017-18 more than 20 per cent of Australians (4.8 million people) had a mental or behavioural condition.1 Specialist training in the area of mental health will offer career diversity for graduates.

Mental health nurses can gain employment in a variety of settings in the private and public sectors, including:

• hospital emergency departments
• acute inpatient units
• residential and non-residential rehabilitation programs
• the justice system
• community health services.

1Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Health Survey: First Results 2017-18.

Applying to study with us:

• check you meet the full entry requirements for this program
• go to the top of this page and make note of the SATAC code, then click Apply
• you will be redirected through to the SATAC website to continue your application

Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, tech zones, and areas that simulate real work environments. You’ll also find student gyms and campus sport activities to keep you active. We also offer flexible study options, with online resources available for accessing lecture recordings, virtual classrooms, library resources and learning support.

Adelaide has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation or private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages for plenty of options. If you need somewhere to live, our new student accommodation by urbanest is on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, a perfect location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.

Our student support services can make your life at university easier. We provide a full range of support services including academic and personal counselling. You can also access a range of services through our students association, USASA. When you become a UniSA student you can contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and any other questions you might have.

We have six campuses in metropolitan and regional areas, each with advanced facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments.