Master of Nursing

The Master of Nursing at the University of Tasmania is a two-year coursework degree for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and want to become a registered nurse. It's an accelerated path into the profession. You'll study anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, nursing assessment, mental health nursing, community and primary health care, aged care, and acute care across the lifespan. Clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice run through the whole degree, not as separate subjects but as the way you're taught to think about patients.

How the degree is structured

Australian master's degrees usually run one to two years full time, and this one sits at the two-year end because it includes the clinical hours required for registration. The academic year is split into semesters, and you'll enrol in units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You need to pass the required units and accumulate the total credit points for the award. Expect a mix of lectures, tutorials, simulation labs and supervised clinical placements in Tasmanian hospitals, community health services and aged care settings. The placements are the practical core of the degree, and you'll typically complete several blocks across the two years.

What you'll learn

By the end you should be able to assess a patient, plan and deliver care, administer medications safely, document properly, work in a team, and communicate with patients and families from all backgrounds. You'll also learn how to read research, question practice and apply evidence. Those skills are what employers and the registration authority look for.

Who it suits

This degree suits career changers and graduates from health science, science, arts, business or other fields who want a clinical career. It also suits people already working in health support roles who want to qualify as a registered nurse. If you're an international student, you'll need to meet the university's English requirement — IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common coursework-postgraduate standard, but nursing sits higher at 7.0–7.5 because of the communication demands of clinical work. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents, and the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. While studying, a student visa generally allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may let you stay and work in Australia, which matters if you want to build a nursing career here. Course details, intake dates and tuition are published on the CRICOS register and the university's official page — check those before you apply.

• Registered nurse in public and private hospitals
• Community health nurse
• Aged care nurse
• Mental health nurse
• Practice nurse in general practice clinics
• School nurse
• Rural and remote health nurse
• Defence health nurse
• Nurse in disability and rehabilitation services
• Further study or specialisation in areas such as critical care, paediatrics, emergency or midwifery

Graduates work across the Australian health system — public hospitals, private hospitals, community health organisations, aged care providers, general practices and government health services. Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through AHPRA is required to practise as a registered nurse.