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Combined degrees

Combined degrees

Choosing your bachelor's degree | Patterns of study | How to apply | Alternative entry schemes | English requirements | Costs and scholarships | Registration | Clinical placements

Combined Degrees Student Adviser – Tracey Molloy
T +61 2 9351 0523

Sydney Nursing School offers the Master of Nursing as part of a combined degree program with a bachelor degree in Arts, Science or Health Sciences.

Combining two degrees is a wonderful way to enjoy the exploration of an undergraduate degree and then take a more career-specific path through a master's degree. Your bachelor degree may be in an area that complements nursing, or may be in a completely different area, providing you with a broader outlook and knowledge base. Either way, entering the workforce with two degrees is a very attractive start to a career.

By combining a bachelor's and master's degree, you can fast-track the time it takes to gain these two qualifications. It's possible to have two degrees in just four years – two years in the bachelor's course of your choice, and a further two years towards a Master of Nursing degree.

Read 'Your Guide to Nursing' in the 2012 prospectus

Choosing your bachelor's degree

There are three combined degrees offered at Sydney Nursing School:

Bachelor of Arts/Master of Nursing
Bachelor of Science/Master of Nursing
Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing


NOTE: Bachelor of Applied Sciences/Master of Nursing is available to continuing students only and will finish in 2012.

The combined degrees are studied over four years and successful graduates will gain two qualifications and eligibility to apply for registration as a nurse in NSW. Each undergraduate degree combined with the Master of Nursing enhances career and employment opportunities.

In Year 1 you study in the undergraduate degree of your choice from the selection offered.

In Years 2 and Year 3, if you continue to meet admission requirements, you will study units from your chosen undergraduate degree as well as the Master of Nursing.

Year 4 is exclusively devoted to the Master of Nursing. You cannot move on to Year 4 until you successfully complete your undergraduate component.

Graduates can select from a wide and growing range of practice areas in both the public and private sectors including acute care hospitals, trauma and emergency, paediatrics, mental health, community nursing, palliative care, aged care and rural and remote settings. Nurses also work in the pharmaceutical industry and other health related fields.

Patterns of study for the combined degrees

The combined degrees consist of a total of 192 credit points – 96 credit points in the bachelor's degree and 96 credit points in the Master of Nursing. In most cases, units of study are worth 6 credit points. In terms of workload, most 6 credit point units of study consist of regular attendance and lectures, tutorials and/or lab sessions. There are also pre-reading and assessment items equating to approximately 10 hours per week.

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How to apply

  • There is one intake of students in March each year.
  • PLEASE APPLY ONLINE:

You can also upload certified copies of your documentation and any other forms required as part of the online application process.

Alternative entry schemes

There are a number of alternative entry schemes including flexible entry and the Cadigal Program that are available to prospective undergraduate students wishing to study at Sydney Nursing School.

English requirements

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Costs and scholarships

The course is Commonwealth supported for local students. There is no mid-year intake, so the next intake is March 2013.

A normal full-time load is 24 credit points per semester and fees are paid per semester. Australian citizens have the option of paying upfront (which attracts a 10% discount), or deferring payment through the taxation system via HECS-HELP.

If you are in need of financial assistance please visit the Financial Assistance Office. Sydney Nursing School also offers a number of scholarships to assist students in pursuing their studies.

Find out more information about costs at Sydney ...

The Royal College of Nursing Australia is currently offering the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme and Aged Care Nursing Scholarships for pre-registration students.

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Registration – Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia

The Master of Nursing, studied alone or as a combined degree, is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and addresses all of the essential criteria for registration. Students who have successfully completed a combined degree course will be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

The Nurses Act of NSW specifies certain conditions that applicants for registration as a nurse are required to meet. For further information please contact the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

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Clinical placements

The Master of Nursing component of the combined degrees, together with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, requires nursing students to undertake approximately 900 hours of clinical placements in health care facilities monitored or operated by the NSW Department of Health.
More about clinical placements...

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