Rank thresholdATAR: 68 SR: 68
Duration3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
Location
Online and Rockhampton
Next start termTerm 2, 2024
Study modeOn Campus, Online
Course codeCL91
First-year fee
$5,475 (Indicative) (CSP)
Apply now for Term 2, 2024. Applications for this course for Term 1, 2025, will open on Thursday, 1 August 2024.
Nurse talks to patient holding a clipboard in a hospital ward.

Overview

Whether you have always dreamed of being a nurse, or your lived experiences have ignited your passion to make a difference through healthcare, our accredited Bachelor of Nursing will prepare you for a rewarding and diverse career as a competent and effective Registered Nurse (Division 1) General.

This course prepares you to be reflective about your practice as a nurse and develop clinical reasoning skills in order to confidently and safely engage in contemporary nursing practice in a variety of environments and contexts and adapt to the needs of people from diverse backgrounds.

You'll acquire skills to provide person-centred care and collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. Plus, seek evidence to ensure safe quality practice and act in a professional, ethical and compassionate manner. In addition, you will learn to nurture the development of nursing as a practice discipline and demonstrate leadership in healthcare. You will explore how life-long learning skills can facilitate continuing professional development.

Our highly trained and experienced nursing lecturers will support you while you develop your professional nursing profile. You will develop your skills and knowledge through a combination of theoretical and extensive clinical learning experiences including simulated training across our nationally located Clinical Learning Centres which simulates a real-world setting for you to safely practice in, and completion of 800 hours of professional practice placements commencing in your first year of study. Benefit from our enhanced learning experience and launch your nursing career.

Study experience

The learning experiences at CQUniversity are designed to suit each individual course. This course features:

  • ROK RHIANA JACKSON 009.jpg
    The way it's delivered is so engaging. You feel like you're actually working with real people, even though it's simulation. I don't know any other professors that dress up in silicone suits and let you poke and prod them!

    Rhiana Jackson

    Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Mental Health Nursing

Career Opportunities

In the final year of the course, students usually apply for a new graduate nursing position in a hospital and health service or other healthcare organisation where they will have the opportunity to further consolidate their knowledge and skills in nursing.  The broad nature of nursing and healthcare allows opportunities for employment and/or specialisation in environments such as acute hospital services, community health, mental health, residential and aged care, indigenous health, and rural and remote health.

Structure & Availability

 

Course structure

The Bachelor of Nursing requires you to complete 23 core units, a total of 144 units of credit. 

Unit information

For information on the units, you could study as part of this course, visit the Handbook and select the "Course Structure" tab. The units listed in the handbook are listed in the order that you should complete them. By completing these units in a different order, you may delay your progress and extend the length of your study. It is particularly important to look at professional experience placement units and the terms in which they are offered, noting that professional experience placement units are offered only once each year.

Please note that some units within this course are only available to study online. 

Credit transfer information

If you have already completed study relevant to the course you have enrolled in, you may be eligible for credit transfer.

 

On-Campus Availability

IntakeLocations
Term 1, 2023Rockhampton
Term 2, 2023Rockhampton
Term 1, 2024Rockhampton
Term 2, 2024Rockhampton
Term 1, 2025Rockhampton
Term 2, 2025Rockhampton

Online Availability

IntakeLocations
Term 1, 2023Available Online
Term 2, 2023Available Online
Term 1, 2024Available Online
Term 2, 2024Available Online
Term 1, 2025Available Online
Term 2, 2025Available Online
Term 3, 2025Available Online

Online study

As an online student, you can enjoy the flexibility of studying when and where it suits you with the support of our local campuses in Bundaberg, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Townsville. The course content is delivered online; however, you will be required to attend face-to-face components such as residential schools on campus. Our nursing residential schools are held on campus in Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton, and Townsville. In addition to these sites, students studying within Victoria may be able to attend residential schools at Hamilton Hospital, while students studying through the Pilbara Universities Centre can complete residential schools in Port Hedland. This means that if you live in one of these locations or close to them, there's no need to relocate to complete your studies. And, if you live outside of these locations, you can choose the location, out of those listed above, that best suits you to complete your residential schools.

The face-to-face components of this course include seven residential schools; two are scheduled in the first year, three in the second year and a final two in the third year of your studies, along with six clinical placement blocks scheduled throughout the course. Placements are sourced as locally as possible to where you are studying; however, this is not always possible, and you may be required to travel to complete placements. If you are studying in Victoria, you can complete your placements at Hamilton Hospital, or we can try and source placements with providers closer to your location. This means that your study integrates a blend of on-campus learning, clinical placements and online study - a delivery combination that builds your skills, knowledge and experience in nursing along with your self-learning and time management skills.

Clinical block placements

Due to the limited availability of placements, some block placements have a start and/or end date that fall outside standard term dates.

Western District Health Service (WDHS) Arrangement - Hamilton

The WDHS Arrangement is a partnership arrangement for Hamilton Hospital (Vic) and CQU School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Sciences. It is available for Bachelor of Nursing students who live in the Hamilton area. As part of the arrangement, you'll complete your placements and residential schools in Hamilton. You'll need to meet the eligibility criteria set by the WDHS to be considered for this arrangement. 

Majors and minors are not applicable to this course.

All Compulsory Residential Schools:
Year 1
NURS11166 Health and Assessment in Nursing (3 days)
NURS11170 Professional Experience Placement 1 (3 days)
Year 2
NURS12161 Professional Experience Placement 2 (3 days)
NURS12162 Mental Health Professional Experience Placement (2 days)
NURS12164 Professional Experience Placement 3 (3 days)
Year 3
NURS13142 Professional Experience Placement 4 (4 days)
NURS13145 Professional Experience Placement 5 (4 days)

Professional Practice - Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)

Core

The Bachelor of Nursing is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). The Bachelor of Nursing leads to eligibility for registration as a nurse (Division 1) in Australia.

Professional Experience Placement 1 - NURS11170

Professional Experience Placement

Professional Experience Placement 2 - NURS12161

Professional Experience Placement

Mental Health Nursing with Professional Experience Placement - NURS12162

Professional Experience Placement

Professional Experience Placement 3 - NURS12164

Professional Experience Placement

Professional Experience Placement 4 - NURS13142

Professional Experience Placement

Professional Experience Placement 5 - NURS13145

Professional Experience Placement

 

Duration and timing of placement units 

Throughout the course, you'll complete the above six professional experience placement units as follows: 

Year 1

  • NURS11170 Professional Experience Placement 1: This unit involves a professional placement of 120 hours (approximately three weeks). 

Year 2

  • NURS12161 Professional Experience Placement 2: This unit involves a professional placement of 120 hours (approximately three weeks). 
  • 12162 Mental Health Nursing with PEP: This unit involves a professional placement of 80 hours (approximately two weeks).
  • NURS12164 Professional Experience Placement 3: This unit involves a professional placement of 80 hours (approximately two weeks). 

Year 3

  • NURS13142 Professional Experience Placement 4: This unit involves a professional placement of 160 hours (approximately four weeks). 
  • NURS13145 Professional Experience Placement 5: This unit involves a professional placement of 240 hours (approximately six weeks). 

Requirements

To be eligible

For your application to be considered, you must meet the following entry requirements. 

3
Recommended StudyOptional
English, Maths, Biology or Science
Studying these subjects in school may help you understand more about the topics you'll study in this degree.

Student and Course Profiles

View the student and course profiles for this course and learn about CQU's Undergraduate Profile for Term 1, 2023 via our Institute Profile. 

Institute Profile

During your study

While not needed to apply, you'll need to meet the following requirements throughout your studies. 

Fees & Scholarships

Indicative First-Year Fee

$5,475
Indicative first-year CSP place

The Indicative First-Year Fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one full-time academic year (eight units over two terms) for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). Your actual fees may vary, depending on the units you select to study and your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and are subject to change. Understanding your fees.

Commonwealth Supported Places

This course has Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) available, and as a domestic student, you'll be offered a CSP, 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.

HECS-HELP Loan

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. 

Learn more about paying for university.

Part of your course costs will include Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF). SSAF is charged in addition to your student contribution or tuition fees and is used to help enhance your study experience. There may also be other costs as part of your studies, such as textbooks, technology expenses, travel expenses, professional certifications, uniforms, or vaccinations. Explore other study costs.

We believe a quality education can be for everyone – regardless of background, location, or life circumstances. That's why we offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries that can give you a helping hand with a range of expenses and enhance your employability.

Explore scholarships.

How to apply

How to apply

Check what you need to do to apply to study this course. 

Your application options

Follow these steps

1
Check you meet the course requirements
2
Get a Unique Student Identifier
3
Submit your QTAC application
Applications for Term 1 2024 have closed

Extra admission information

Prior to applying, take a look at important application dates and learn about our admission considerations, such as information for domestic students with overseas qualifications, indigenous support, and elite athlete, coach and performer support. You should also check out the adjustment schemes that might be available to you and how to access them. You can also explore our offer information to learn more about what happens after you've submitted an application and how to respond to an offer to study with CQU. 

Health and Work-Integrated Learning Requirements

This course includes a range of work-integrated learning opportunities, such as clinical placements. Before you can attend a clinical placement, you will need to complete a list of mandatory checks. Make sure you read through the mandatory checks and specified deadlines, as you will be unable to complete a clinical placement without first meeting these requirements.

Start your application

When applying through a tertiary admissions centre (TAC) you can use the relevant TAC code below to search for a course or add it to your application preferences.