Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing

Clinical Nursing
Clinical Nursing
Clinical Nursing

Course code: GG010
Course coordinator: Dr Tom Buckley



Choosing a graduate certificate | Applying for a graduate certificate | Cost of a graduate certificate | Admission requirements | Clinical practice requirements | Study pattern


Master of Clinical Nursing
Graduate Diploma in Clinical Nursing


Sydney Nursing School offers a flexible range of postgraduate advanced learning courses in several specialty areas. One of these areas is Clinical Nursing.

Download Clinical Nursing brochure

Choosing a graduate certificate

You can either choose to study the graduate certificate alone, or as a pathway into a graduate diploma or a master’s degree. If you haven't studied at tertiary level for some time, you might consider using this route.

A graduate certificate can only be studied part-time by local students. Since international students can only apply for full-time study, they are not eligible to study at graduate certificate level in Sydney Nursing School.

Each unit of study may have up to five face-to-face study days. A normal part-time load is two units of study per semester. The graduate certificate is two semesters part-time.

The graduate certificate requires a total of 24 credit points. Award units taken at graduate certificate level may also count towards a graduate diploma or a master’s degree. Previously completed non-award units of study may be credited towards a graduate certificate.

Student learning is further supported by the University’s eLearning.

Applying for a graduate certificate

There is one intake of students in March each year.

Application must be made online. You will also need to upload certified copies of other documentation as part of your online application process. To assist you, there is a checklist of required documents that you will need.

Cost of a graduate certificate

Graduate certificates are Commonwealth supported courses for local students. Australian citizens are able to pay the cost of the course up front with a discount at a rate for each unit of study; or defer the full payment by taking out a HECS-HELP loan. Australian Permanent Residents and New Zealand citizens are also Commonwealth supported however the full cost per unit of study must be paid up front without a discount.

Visit the Costs and scholarships website for more detailed information.

Admission requirements

Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing is open to all nurses registered in Australia.

Clinical practice requirements

There are no clinical practice assessments for the graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing. Therefore you do not have to fill out a Clinical Assessment Requirement Form.


2012 study pattern for the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing

The following study pattern indicates which units you will study in each semester.

For full descriptions of each of the following courses, click on the unit of study codes.

Semester  1

Semester 2

NURS5012

Assessment and Clinical Judgement

NURS5062

Clinical Practice and Nursing Work

NURS5059

Foundations of Clinical Practice

NURS5073

Preventing Adverse Clinical Outcomes