Master of Nursing

Federation actually runs several distinct programs under the Master of Nursing banner rather than one single course, and which one a given student ends up in depends heavily on their career goal: a Nurse Practitioner stream built for registered nurses already working clinically who study part-time over two years while continuing in practice, and a Research stream aimed at nurses wanting to complete a substantial thesis (around 40,000 words) under supervision into a nursing-specific problem. The Nurse Practitioner variant was developed with practising nurse practitioners and industry partners, and its content leans heavily into advanced health assessment, diagnostic reasoning and independent prescribing, skills that sit above standard RN scope of practice and require separate endorsement from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia after graduation.

A standard full-time load is 120 credit points a year, usually four 15-credit units per semester, though the part-time clinical-practitioner cohort typically spreads that over double the calendar time given most are working full-time RN shifts alongside study. Federation also offers a related Master of Health (Advanced Nursing) aimed more at nurse educators than clinicians, which is worth distinguishing from the clinical Master of Nursing pathway for anyone comparing options.

Graduates of the Nurse Practitioner stream come out eligible to apply for NP endorsement, while the research stream is aimed more at academic or policy career paths than direct clinical advancement.