Learn more about the Master of Nursing at the University of Sydney.
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The University is ranked first in Australia and fourth in the world for graduate employability in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.
Find out moreThe University is ranked 13th in the world for nursing in the QS Subject Rankings 2020.
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The Bachelor of Science (Health) and Master of Nursing provides a thorough grounding in health and health systems at the local, national and global levels, while developing the knowledge, skills and experience to become a registered nurse.
Why study this course?
As a science and nursing student, specialising in health, you will be taught by leading academics and clinical professionals from across the healthcare and nursing disciplines.
Cultivating a diverse range of skills and expertise in the provision of healthcare, this program will open up a wide range of career opportunities across both clinical and non-clinical settings.
You will develop core skills in critical thinking, complex problem solving, communication and empathy.
You can complete this combined degree program in four years of full-time study, after which you will graduate with two qualifications.
How will you learn?
Both degrees are taught on campus, with lectures and tutorials. You will also complete a substantial amount of practical work, with over 800 hours of clinical placements in the nursing component of your degree.
What will you learn?
The Bachelor of Science (Health) explores the complexity of health and healthcare provision across different sociocultural, political and economic contexts. You will:
Leveraging the skills and knowledge of your science degree, in the Master of Nursing:
You can also choose either a second major or a minor. Second majors include Human Movement, Disability and Participation, as well as Hearing and Speech. You may also choose a second major or minor from the shared pool of majors or from those offered in the Bachelor of Science, which are offered through the Faculty of Science academic schools:
You are required to complete a major in Health as part of the Bachelor of Science (Health). Although there are no majors in the Master of Nursing, focus areas within this course include: acute care, aged care, chronic illness, clinical practice, Indigenous health, mental healthcare and management, pharmacology, physiology, professional practice, social and health policy.
Depends on your qualification, citizenship status
My qualification is
Prospective domestic students apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) for a Commonwealth supported place . Refer to the UAC website for key dates. Separate scholarship deadlines apply, visit the scholarships website for details.
For other useful information, visit our How to apply page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Current students applying to transfer from a diploma to a bachelor's degree must apply through UAC.
Refer to the UAC website.
Separate scholarship deadlines apply . Visit the scholarships webpage for details.
Semester 1 (February)
Visit the How to apply page for detailed information on if you need to apply directly to the University or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). If you are a direct applicant, when you are ready to apply select the `Apply’ button on this course page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Closing dates
Direct applicants:
Semester 1 - 31 January of the commencing year.
We strongly encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa and travel arrangements. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - visit the scholarships webpage for details.
UAC Applicants: Refer to the UAC website
Semester 1 (February)
Mandatory work component = 880 hours.
This translates to 40 hours per week.
This mandatory work component must be completed as part of the award requirements for the course.
Bachelor of Science (Health) and Master of Nursing
| Year | Sem | Unit of study | |||
| 1 | 1 | Medical Science Major | Psychology Elective | Maths | Biology Elective |
| 2 | Medical Science Major | Psychology Elective | Maths | Biology Elective | |
| 2 | 1 | Medical Science Major | The Body, Its Function and Pharmacology | Illness, Experience and Nursing Care | OLE (Cultural Competence: Fundamentals) |
| 2 | Medical Science Major | Introduction to Nursing Practice | Understand Health and Managing Disease | OLE (Health Challenges: Allergy and Autoimmunity) | |
| 3 | 1 | Medical Science Major | Medical Science Major | Social Contexts of Health | Nursing the Acutely Ill Person |
| 2 | Medical Science Major | Medical Science Major | Developing Nursing Practice | Mental Health Nursing Practice | |
| 4 | 1 | Care and Chronic Conditions | Leadership and Collaborative Practice | Community Health Nursing | Research and Evidence |
| 2 | High Acuity Nursing | Health of Indigenous Populations (MN) |
Australian Health Care - Global Context | Professional Practice (MN) | |
These are indicative units only, students may choose other electives and majors.
Admission to this course is on the basis of the following:
Admission pathways are open to domestic applicants on the basis of equity or other adjustment factors, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. For details, visit admission pathways.
It is required that applicants have the ability to undertake clinical placements and the Sydney Nursing School Clinical Placement Provisions 2020 contains further details of the requirements.
Applicants who are registered as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia are not eligible to apply for this course.
Whether you are a domestic or an international student you must submit an English language declaration form (pdf, 59KB). If English is not your primary language*, you are required to undertake one of the following English language proficiency tests and achieve at least the minimum score required:
a) The IELTS (academic module) with a minimum overall score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
b) The PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 68 and a minimum score of 68 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
c) The TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 96 and the following minimum score in each section of the test:
English language proficiency tests must be completed within two years of course commencement.
*Primary language means the language you primarily use and the language that you know best and are most comfortable with. You need to have completed at least six years of schooling including at last two years of secondary school (years 7-12) in English in one of the following countries: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, Canada, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The academic criteria that are displayed are applicable to currently available courses only and are updated annually in October and may be changed without notice. The University Calendar is the official legal source of information relating to study at the University of Sydney, and you are referred to those documents.
This course has a mathematics course prerequisite. For details on the prerequisite, and how it applies to you, visit: Mathematics course prerequisites.
Inherent requirements are the essential tasks and activities necessary to be able to achieve the core learning outcomes of a course. They are specific to a particular course or discipline. To assist students to make informed choices about their study, we have identified and set out the inherent requirements that apply to the nursing component of this degree.
Graduates of this course are eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, the accrediting body for professional nursing practice in Australia.
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