Care for people and help them achieve good health with a rewarding nursing career.
Our program is designed to meet the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse and you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
- Only a full-time option is available to international students on a Student visa. Online programs are not available to Student visa holders.
- * Estimated tuition fees are based on 2025 rates. Refer to international fees for more information.
- Not all majors/minors and elective options are available at every campus. You should refer to the What Can I Study tab, and the proposed study sequence for your chosen campus and intake for further information.
- ** The minimum three-year duration of the program will be extended for students commencing in Semester 2, due to the requirement to complete a final eight-week internship.
- ^Subject to final approval of campus transfer and program accreditation.
- ¥ The option to study at Gympie is not available to international students on a Student visa.
- ** The minimum three-year duration of the program will be extended for students commencing in Semester 2, due to the requirement to complete a final eight-week internship.
- ^Subject to final approval of campus transfer and program accreditation.
Our program is designed to meet the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse and you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Pursue your passion for health care and develop your scientific knowledge of bioscience, anatomy and physiology, mental health, drug therapy and research. There is an option to complete a mental health major.
You’ll complete an eight week nursing internship to gain practical experience and it could even help you secure a job at the end of your degree. Clinical placements are supervised by experienced clinicians in a variety of hospitals, aged care facilities, health agencies and community settings.
If you are an Enrolled and Advanced Enrolled Nurse, this program also allows you to convert your qualifications to the current Registered Nurse level. Choose to take further postgraduate study to specialise in midwifery, mental health, or emergency advanced practice.
Post-admission requirements
Before undertaking a clinical placement, students must obtain and maintain a current first aid and CPR certificate, provide evidence of hepatitis B immunisation, undergo a criminal history check and obtain a Blue Card. Refer to Program requirements and notes.
Career opportunities
Nurse in acute care, armed forces, community, rural, mental health, Indigenous health, aged care or industry settings.
Membership
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA); Australian College of Nursing.
Registration
Students in nursing and midwifery programs are required to be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as students under the national law. USC arranges registration. Refer to the (AHPRA) website for detailed information.
Graduates are eligible to apply for registration as nurses in Australia with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, which is a Board of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia has a number of registration standards that graduates must demonstrate in order to be eligible for registration. For example, graduates must demonstrate English language skills at IELTS level 7, with 7 in all subtests, or equivalent before being considered for professional registration. For full details of the AHPRA Registration Standards, visit the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia website.
Program structure
For students commencing 2015. All other students please refer to previous handbooks.
Introductory courses (8)
COR109 Introduction to Marketing
HLT100 Communication and Thought
LFS103 Anatomy and Physiology
NUR103 Introductory Bioscience
NUR111 Nursing Practicum 1
NUR121 Practice Foundations
NUR131 Health, Culture and Society
NUR142 Research Foundations
Advanced courses (14)
HLT221 Holistic Health Assessment
HLT301 Human Pathophysiology
NUR202 Challenges to Mental Health
NUR211 Nursing Practicum 3
NUR212 Nursing Practicum 2
NUR222 Caring for Child, Youth and Family
NUR231 Health Law and Ethics
NUR241 Drug Therapy
NUR272 Health Alteration
NUR300 Palliative, Rehabilitation and Continuing Care(24 units)
NUR311 Nursing Internship
NUR331 Nursing Practicum 4
NUR332 Acute Health Alteration
NUR341 Cultural Diversity in Nursing and Midwifery
Elective course (1)
Select 1 course from:
NUR312 Caring for the Older Client
NUR322 Life Crisis - Translating Theory Into Caring Practice
OR another course with the approval of the Program Leader.
Note: Not all USC courses are available on every USC campus.
Total units: 288
Program requirements and notes
Program requirements
In order to graduate you must:
- Complete all courses as listed below.
- (Optional) Select a Mental Health Major, after consultation with the Program Leader.
- Register any selected Majors with your Faculty.
In order to commence clinical placement you must:
- Hold a valid Blue Card from the Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA), throughout the duration of your program. You should allow 12 weeks for PSBA to issue the card. Note: students who do not possess a valid Blue Card will be unable to complete the clinical practice component of their program and will be unable to meet graduation requirements.
- Have a National Criminal History check (by Queensland Police Service or other state / territory authority).
- Show evidence of complete Hepatitis B vaccination (3 inoculations over a period of six months).
- A current First Aid and CPR certificate is required from an organisation recognised by the Australian Resuscitation Council before commencing clinical practice.
- Travel to attend clinical placements.
- Have a level of computer literacy, including word processing and email.
Note: You are required to commence action of the above requirements immediately after enrolling. Hepatitis B immunity can take up to six months to determine and the processing of your USC Blue Card Application Form can take up to 10 weeks. Visit Nursing and Midwifery - Clinical Placement for more information about these requirements before you apply.
Program notes
- Completing this program within the specified (full-time) duration is based on studying 48 unit points per semester (normally 4 courses).
- Courses within this program are assessed using a variety of assessment methods including essays, seminar presentations, reports, in-class tests and examinations. Not all courses will necessarily include all methods.
- The Study Overseas Program is not currently available to nursing students.
- Only a full-time study option is available to international students on a Student Visa.
- When enrolling, please refer to the Study Plan.