Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)

Extend your nursing qualifications to the advanced level required for endorsement as a nurse practitioner with the Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner).

This qualification examines the role of nurse practitioner in the delivery of healthcare, including the legal, ethical and professional issues relating to autonomous and multi-disciplinary practice.

Together with state-of-the-art facilities, you will learn from specialist postgraduate teaching staff, and your studies will be supported by internationally-renowned researchers, with our well above world-class research in Nursing1 focused on outcomes relevant to the clinical translation of national health priorities.

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

Only part-time study is available, over a minimum of three years.

As part of your studies, you will undertake a total of 300 hours of supernumerary integrated professional practice experience across a number of courses in the program.

12018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).

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, child related employment clearance and immunisation requirements.

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 prior to undertaking the internship courses.

Entry requirements

• hold current general registration as a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia; AND
• hold a postgraduate qualification from a recognised higher education institution in a relevant clinical field.

In addition, to be accepted into the program, applicants will be required to:

• have a minimum of four years full-time equivalent experience as a Registered Nurse, including two years full-time equivalent as a Registered Nurse in a clinical field and two years full-time equivalent at an advanced practice level in the same clinical field.
• establish a suitably qualified Clinical Support Team in their clinical field to assist them in the development and extension of their specialist practice. The Clinical Support Team must be approved by the Program Director;
• Provide a completed and signed Employer Support Form as evidence that their employer is willing to facilitate the extended clinical practice components of the program within their workplace or related agencies.

At the time of application to SATAC, applicants must also download, complete and submit the following documents:

• employer form
• support form from each of the proposed members of the Clinical Support Team;
• detailed Curriculum Vitae

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, child related employment clearance and immunisation requirements. 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 prior to undertaking the internship courses.

You will gain advanced knowledge and skills in health assessment, diagnosis, investigative procedures and prescribing and evaluating treatments and medications. You will also build competencies in designing research relevant to the role, context and client populations.

As part of your learning, you will complete two Nurse Practitioner Internship courses, where you will be mentored by your Clinical Support Team members in your workplace to assist you to develop the advanced knowledge and skills required of a nurse practitioner.

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:

Learn from award-winning teaching staff, academics and health professionals via our online forums and virtual classrooms and workshops, offering you the opportunity to learn from experienced clinicians in the field and build valuable industry networks and relationships.

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

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

Your career

Graduates can seek endorsement as nurse practitioners and work across healthcare settings, including public and private hospitals and community settings.

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.