The Graduate Certificate in Correctional Nursing is ideal if you are a nurse employed or seeking employment in correctional services, and would like to gain essential knowledge and skills to provide high-quality nursing care to the offender population. Informed by industry, this highly contextual postgraduate nursing course has been designed to equip you with skills and knowledge to work in correctional nursing settings, preparing you to provide care to the offender population. It will prepare you for working in a highly regulated environment and the complexity and uniqueness of the prison environment. This course is offered entirely online and allows you to self-pace your studies - no term dates or submission deadlines, allowing you to manage your studies with your career and lifestyle.
The Graduate Certificate in Correctional Nursing offers you a self-paced, hyperflexible online course. You will gain essential knowledge and skills for employment in correctional services in order to provide high-quality nursing care to the offender population.
In this course, you will learn about the many facets of the nursing role including primary health care, chronic disease management, health education and responding to emergencies. Your studies will focus on understanding offenders, why they are likely to offend and the effect of incarceration, in particular how this relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. You will gain knowledge about licit and illicit drug use, harm minimisation strategies and treatment relevant to the prison environment. You will explore the term ‘jail craft’, referring to the many strategies that nurses use in this unique environment to manage their patients and themselves, and in particular, you will learn strategies to manage the impact of trauma on self and in the prisoner population.
Developed in consultation with industry, this course is highly contextual and will provide you with up-to-date knowledge and skills to work in correctional settings. Plus, benefit from the ultimate flexibility to study entirely online, where you set your own pace to fit study around your life.
On completion of this award, graduates will be able to seek employment as a nurse in correctional services. Graduates currently employed in correctional services may also be eligible for promotion.
The course structure and available locations can change depending on when you want to study. You can choose the intake that best suits you in the drop-down menu below.
Designed for maximum flexibility, this course is entirely self-paced and 100% online. Access your course content on any device, anytime, and experience the ultimate flexibility and convenience.
You must complete four units (24 credits):
The units you'll study are listed below. Click on a unit to learn more.
To help you plan your studies and see which unit comes first, if one unit should be completed before another and when you will study each unit, check out our course planners.
If you have completed prior study relevant to units within this course, you may be eligible for credit for your past studies. Learn more about credit and recognition of prior learning.
For your application to be considered, you must meet the following entry requirements.
While not needed to apply, you'll need to meet the following requirements throughout your studies.
The Indicative First-Year Fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one academic year depending on the type of place you are offered, for example, a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) or Full Fee Paying (FFP) Place. For a graduate certificate, this is usually four units studied full-time over one term or part-time over two terms. The indicative fee should be used as a guide only. Your actual fees may vary depending on the units you select to study and your study load. Check the cost-per-unit spreadsheet available on our fees webpage for the approved unit fees. Fees are reviewed each year and are subject to change.
With Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) available for this course in 2025, you may be eligible for significant fee savings, provided you meet CSP eligibility requirements. CSPs are subsidised by the Australian Government, meaning you are only required to pay the student contribution rather than full tuition fees.
If you are not eligible for a CSP or if CSPs are full, you will be required to pay full fees.
You may be eligible for a HECS-HELP government loan if you are offered a CSP. HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists you in paying your student contributions. Provided you meet the HECS-HELP eligibility criteria, you may use HECS-HELP to defer part or all of your student contribution fees.
There may be additional costs as part of your studies, such as technology expenses. Learn more about other study costs.
Check what you need to do to apply to study this course.
Learn about the assessment of applications and everything you need to know about receiving and accepting an offer to study with CQU.
Use the Apply button below to access our Apply Online portal and start your application.
CQUniversity acknowledges Traditional Owners and Custodians and pays respect to the Elders of all First Nations peoples of Australia.CQUniversity Australia is a trading name of Central Queensland University
ABN: 39 181 103 288
RTO Code: 40939
CRICOS: 00219C
TEQSA: PRV12073
