University of Notre Dame Australia
Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Online
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
- Course Type: Graduate Diploma
Advance your mental health practice through flexible online study, exploring contemporary mental healthcare, evidence-based practice and professional ethics.
Course overview
The Graduate Diploma of Mental Health from The University of Notre Dame Australia builds on the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health, with a focus on advanced contemporary mental health practice, evidence-based practice and professional ethics. Designed for registered nurses and allied health professionals, the multidisciplinary program explores contemporary approaches to mental healthcare.
You will study Advanced Contemporary Mental Health Practice 1, Advanced Contemporary Mental Health Practice 2, Evidence Based Practice and Ethics for Professional Life. Through essays, case studies and problem-solving exercises, you will examine evidence-based practice, ethical issues and contemporary mental healthcare. Delivered online, the program can be completed full-time or part-time.
The program provides a pathway to the Master of Nursing (Mental Health), allowing eligible graduates to continue their studies through a further two semesters of part-time study.
Key facts
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Diploma of Mental Health, you must successfully complete units totalling 200 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points.
- Interpersonal Communication
- Role of the Mental Health Practitioner in an Acute Setting
- Advanced Contemporary Mental Health Practice 1
- Advanced Contemporary Mental Health Practice 2
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Ethical Issues for Professional Life
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for admission to the program, an applicant must hold the following:
- Professional health degree or equivalent qualification
- Registered with a professional registering authority.
To enrol in the master's program, you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Master of Counselling, graduates will be able to:
- Consolidate and synthesise advanced practice knowledge, skills and competencies that enhance capacity to provide holistic nursing care for the client with acute mental illness.
- Critique national and international models of care for acute mentally ill clients, including support and aftercare in the community, in the current healthcare context.
- Employ clinical reasoning and decision-making strategies that enhance organisational capability and responsiveness in the acute mental health environment.
- Communicate with influence and negotiate effectively with acutely mentally ill people and their families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- Model professional behaviours to colleagues and students that provide clients with culturally appropriate and social care within a medico-legal framework.
- Establish a mechanism for lifelong learning by reflecting on practice to apply and build professional expertise.
- Steer and implement change by conducting national and international research retrieval and enquiry, incorporating philosophical, technical and social justice perspectives on healthcare.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $25,800 (Full-fee paying place).
Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.
A student’s annual fee may vary by:
- The number of units studied.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university program.