Graduate Certificate in Nursing

Course Code

2090

Course Convenor

Dr Malcolm Anderson

Duration

One semester full-time (or part-time equivalent), or over a longer time as negotiated, but not more than 4 years from course commencement.

Credit points

4 units totalling 24 credit points

Mode of delivery

Units are offered by distance education, however additional non-mandatory on-campus sessions may be organised to support the learning needs of students.

Abbreviation

GradCertNurs

Accreditation

The course is accredited by the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Entry requirements

• current authorisation to practise as a Registered Nurse
• hold a Bachelor of Nursing degree (or equivalent qualification*) *Equivalent qualification includes a Bachelor of Health Science or an overseas qualification as identified as equivalent to a Bachelor of Nursing qualification in Australia by the Australian Education International-National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition
• have a minimum of two years post registration experience
• The registered nurse with a certificate of nursing or a diploma of nursing qualification and current professional experience of at least 3 months FTE in last the 5 years may apply to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Nursing course. This professional experience criterion is equivalent to the recency of practice standard set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) to maintain registration. On completion of a graduate certificate, the student may apply to enrol in the Master of Nursing degree and complete a further eight units to gain a MNurs qualification.

For applicants whose first language is not English

Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English to the satisfaction of the Faculty of Nursing and Health Learning and Teaching Committee in one of the following two ways:

1. provide documentary evidence that initial nursing education was conducted in the English language.
2. successful completion of at least two years of tertiary study conducted in the English language in Australia, or in another country where English is the official language, within the last two years.

Applicants may also be required to undertake an English language test (IELTS). For postgraduate study in the Faculty of Nursing and Health, applicants must score an overall score of 7 or more, with a minimum of 7.0 in each separate band.

Course Structure

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing is made up of eight (4) units of 6 credit points each (unless otherwise specified).
Students have four options:

1. Graduate Certificate in Nursing with a specialisation in clinical nursing
2. Graduate Certificate in Nursing with a specialisation in clinical teaching
3. Graduate Certificate in Nursing with a specialisation in leadership and management
4. Graduate Certificate in Nursing with no specialisation

Enquiries:

Direct your enquiries to:

Enquiry and Enrolment Centtre
Telephone: +61 2 4980 2151
Email: enquiries@avondale.edu.au

Faculty of Nursing and Health (Sydney Campus)
Telephone: +61 2 94879627
Email: nursing@avondale.edu.au

The following specialty areas are available in the course.

Clinical Teaching Specialisation

The Clinical Teaching specialisation is made up of 2 core units and 2 specialty units that the student is required to complete.

Clinical Nursing Specialisation

The Clinical Nursing specialisation is made up of 2 core units and 2 specialty units that students are required to complete.

Leadership and Management Specialisation

The Leadership and Management specialisation is made up of 2 core units and 2 specialty units that the student is required to complete.

No Specialisation

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing with no specialty is made up of 2 core units and a choice of 2 elective units that the student is required to complete.

My name is Josephine Fitzgerald and I completed a Graduate Certificate in Nursing with Avondale College of Higher Education in 2010. I found the entire experience thoroughly enjoyable and completely fulfilling. The staff at Avondale are extra ordinary, as they treat you more as a colleague than a student. They supported me at every turn, which was pivotal in completing my studies. I would specially like to mention three things; first of all, the extra support I received with grammar and writing skills as English is not my first language. Secondly, the special phone calls and emails I received just to check how I was going, which kept me motivated throughout the study. Finally, I was overwhelmed when my lecturers met me on the day I graduated, which was very special.
I would like to again take the opportunity to once again express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to all the staff at Avondale and may God bless you all………Highly recommended !

A career as a Registered Nurse offers many opportunities to work in diverse roles in a range of hospital and community settings both in Australia and globally. There are various career paths the Registered Nurse can pursue including, clinical practice, nursing leadership and management, research and nurse education. In response, Avondale College of Higher Education offers courses in these specialisations. These courses are designed to meet the continuing challenges in health care.

This is currently being updated.