Duration
Study one unit across a seven-week study period, allowing you to complete your Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing within 8 months. It's recommended that you spend approximately 20 hours per week on your postgraduate study. Our 100% online Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing program allows you to study when it suits you and you are not required to be online at a specific time.
Fees
$11,560 for all 4 units. FEE-HELP is a Commonwealth Government loan scheme that helps eligible full-fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. FEE-HELP is available for this program.
Units
Study one unit each seven-week study period with our multi-award-winning Block Model. Assessments are delivered at the same time each study period, allowing for deep and focused learning.
Study intakes
There are six study periods each year, allowing you to begin your Graduate Certificate at the start of any study period. You will study one unit at a time over the seven-week study period. If required, you are able to skip a study period.
July, Aug, Oct
CSP Available
A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is subsidised by the Australian Government, reducing your total tuition fees from $11,560 (full fee) to $2,368. CSPs are limited and subject to availability. Eligible students may be able to defer their student contribution through a HECS-HELP loan.
Why study the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing Online?
Award-winning VU Block Model®
Our postgraduate online Block Model has won consecutive LearnX Live! Awards for ‘Best Online Learning Model’. With VU Online you can have a consistent, manageable and connected online learning experience.
Support 7 days and in the evenings
Get the support you need, when you need it. Our support network has a single focus on ensuring you are entirely supported to succeed.
Contemporary curriculum designed by mental health nursing experts
Designed and developed by leading mental health nursing academics and practitioners, our Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing will equip you with contemporary approaches to mental health and allow you to transform the delivery of mental health services in Australia.
Save up to 75% on your fees*
You may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for selected subjects in this course.
*CSP is available to new, eligible students who enrol in and commence selected courses in 2027. Limited places available.
Overview
The demand for specialist nursing in mental health has never been greater.
With the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing, you can gain a strong foundation in mental health nursing with four units of study to help you build your career.
You will develop your understanding of mental ill-health and examine common mental illnesses with a contemporary curriculum designed by mental health nursing experts.
After completing this course, you will be able to deliver mental health nursing practice and produce better outcomes for patients. You will also be able to continue your studies with the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing, followed by the Master of Mental Health Nursing.
Drive positive impact with VU Online’s Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing.
VU Online’s Postgraduate Block Model
Our postgraduate online Block Model is designed to be flexible, interactive and student-centred. You’ll experience structured and supportive online learning, and benefit from 1:1 academic support via phone, email or SMS, seven days a week and in the evenings.
Do you have a calling to help those struggling with mental health challenges? VU's online Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing can help you achieve your career goals while making a meaningful difference in the lives of your patients.
Our program equips you with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to provide compassionate care and support to those with mental health needs.
Whether you're a practicing nurse looking to specialise in mental health or seeking to switch your career focus, our program prepares you to make a real impact.
With a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing from VU, you can take your career to the next level and make a difference in the world.
- Specialist Mental Health Nurse
- Mental Health Nurse Team Leader
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Mental Health Nursing Manager
What you will study
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In this unit, students critically reflect on the lived experience of mental illness. The students' learning journey begins by examining past institutional abuse of people with mental illness and the continuing effects of stigma across social and diverse cultural contexts. Students analyse the evolution of the mental health consumer movement, focusing on consumer rights, autonomy, self-determination, collaborative decision-making, and strength-based models to support recovery from mental ill-health. Students also interrogate how to support consumers who have complex mental illness or who exhibit challenging behaviours, within a consumer-centred, recovery-oriented framework. Students will also debate the challenges that arise when balancing the diverse needs of consumers and carers in relation to confidentiality, privacy, and disclosure.
This unit examines biopsychosocial and cultural perspectives of mental illness. This includes the links between serious mental illness, physical health conditions, complex comorbidities, and disability. Students will interrogate the correlation between lower levels of physical health, mental health, and socio-economic indices for people experiencing chronic physical conditions and mental ill-health. Students will also cross-examine the ethical dilemmas and cultural perspectives of mental ill-health for people with diverse experiences, backgrounds, and lifestyles. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, LGBTQIA+ peoples, veteran groups, and people from metropolitan, regional, rural, and remote communities across Australia. Students will also evaluate the value of care coordination and care planning approaches for people with complex health and sociocultural needs.
In this unit, students examine the experiences of trauma among people from diverse populations, cultures, and age groups and its impact across the lifespan. Students will analyse the way people, with the lived experience of trauma, report feeling stigmatised, discriminated against and misunderstood. These impacts include emotional dysregulation, substance misuse, self-harm, and suicidal behaviours. Students will also appraise the eight foundational principles of trauma-informed care and practice that focus on modelling interpersonal relationships, working with cultural differences, advocating for consumer control and choice, inspiring hope, supporting recovery, and integrating care. The unit requires students to critically reflect on their practice through a trauma-informed lens and interrogate the importance of recovery-oriented practice when caring for people who have experienced trauma.
This unit will further develop students' professional knowledge and expertise in the effective coordination and delivery of specialised mental health care. Students will focus on understanding mental health disorders and how to effectively care for a person experiencing mental health issues or illness. Students will also gain a deep understanding of the philosophy and theory underpinning mental health care, its values and the specific skills to maintain therapeutic relationships and assist in person-centred health care that promotes recovery and resilience. The unit includes a critical review of psychology, to support a greater understanding of mental health disorders across the lifespan and cultural awareness when supporting patients’ mental health and well-being. Students will also critically review models of self-care when delivering mental health care services across a range of settings. The unit will prepare students to provide evidence-based mental health care in a range of health settings.
Entry requirements
When you apply to study with VU, we’ll take into consideration your prior study, work experience and current skills. If eligible, you can also apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), so you can make your next career move even sooner.
- Completed an AQF Level 7 Bachelor of Nursing, or equivalent qualification; AND
- Registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) OR Registered Midwife with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) OR equivalent registration with the relevant registering authority for applicants outside of Australia; AND
- Provide evidence that they are employed in a health setting (e.g., employment contract).
Fees & FEE-HELP
A Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing from VU Online costs $2,870 - $2,950 per unit*, taking the total for 4 units to $11,560*.
This depends on the number of units you study and whether you are eligible for Advanced Standing, which is assessed after you submit your application.
10% discount for alumni
If you’ve previously completed a qualification with us (and didn't apply through an agent), you may be eligible for a 10% discount.
Note that you may be eligible for the Australian Government’s loan scheme, FEE-HELP. The loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying students with the cost of a university program. It can be used for all or part of the tuition. To determine your eligibility, visit the FEE-HELP website.
*2027 student fees are shown and are subject to change.
For more information on fees and student support, download a brochure.
Want to learn more about this course?
What our students say
I am receiving a lot of support from my facilitators and my Student Success Advisor, who boosts my confidence and self-esteem.
What our students say
It was personally satisfying connecting and collaborating with a range of industry professionals. Many have become valuable work contacts, some even lifelong friends and career mentors.
What our students say
The flexibility, relevance and opportunity that VU Online brings to higher education are testaments to excellence in teaching and learning.
Frequently asked questions
To gain entry to this course, you are required to have clinical support in a mental health specialty area or provide written confirmation from your employer that you are employed in a mental health setting. Please see Entry Requirements above for more information.
This course will empower you with the skills to take on mental health care coordination roles, leadership roles in mental health nursing, roles in mental health services, roles in senior mental health services or sessional academic work.
VU Online's Master of Mental Health Nursing will empower you with specialised skills so you can build on your nursing practice and gain a holistic understanding of mental health. You will be able to work in multidisciplinary teams, apply contemporary care approaches and create transformational change.
In addition, VU Online's postgraduate Block Model allows you to study one unit at a time so you can manage study alongside work and other commitments. You'll have access to support seven days a week and in the evenings, so you can achieve your goals.
Our Master of Mental Health Nursing is for registered nurses who want to build a specialist mental health nursing practice and improve outcomes for patients. Our Master of Mental Health is for allied health and social care professionals who want to apply contemporary approaches to mental health to their role.
To become a mental health nurse, formal university-based education is required. Professional registration, theoretical knowledge, and clinical practice are all essential components of nursing practice in Australia, which cannot be replaced by informal training. Postgraduate programs further enhance specialist skills and are generally only accessible to those who already hold a nursing qualification.
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing at VU Online is designed for registered nurses seeking to develop advanced expertise in mental health nursing. While prior university study in nursing is required for entry, the program provides specialised skills for working confidently in mental health practice.
To work as a mental health nurse, you must hold a recognised nursing qualification and be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Additional postgraduate study, such as a graduate certificate of mental health nursing or online mental health certificate, equips nurses with advanced clinical knowledge, leadership skills, and specialised competencies for mental health care delivery.
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing at VU Online builds on prior nursing registration, providing structured learning in mental health assessment, therapeutic interventions, and service delivery to prepare graduates for specialised clinical roles.
Yes. Mental health nurses are registered nurses who have developed specialised skills in mental health care. Registration with AHPRA is mandatory, and postgraduate study or professional development in mental health nursing allows nurses to assume advanced roles, including leadership, clinical education, and specialist practice.
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing at VU Online supports registered nurses in gaining recognised postgraduate credentials, expanding their scope to advanced practice in mental health settings.
Yes, mental health nurses maintain the foundational competencies of registered nursing, which allows them to perform general nursing duties as needed. However, their specialised training in mental health enhances their ability to work with patients experiencing complex psychological or psychiatric conditions.
Completing the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing at VU Online provides nurses with both the advanced skills required for mental health practice and a deeper understanding of general clinical principles, enabling flexibility in diverse healthcare settings.
Still have questions?
Our Student Enrolment Advisors are just a click away. They can answer any questions you have about this course or VU Online.
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