Why study the Master of Advanced Nursing with UTS Online?
Top 100 University globally1
#1 in Australia for Nursing2
Top 20 globally for Nursing2
#1 in NSW for Nursing & Midwifery research3
1QS World University Rankings, 2027 2QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026 3Excellence in Research for Australia.
Be the nurse others look to
The future of nursing won’t be shaped by clinical expertise alone. As care becomes more complex, nurses need the judgement to interpret evidence, respond to changing patient needs, challenge established practice and influence the teams and systems around them. Advanced practice means seeing beyond the immediate clinical decision to understand how better evidence, leadership and improvement can lead to better care.
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing builds advanced capability across clinical practice, research, leadership, quality and safety. Designed for registered nurses, the course lets you deepen your expertise through an Acute Care or Critical Care major, or create a broader Flexible pathway across areas such as digital health, education, management, policy and service improvement, while continuing to apply what you learn in practice.
Who is this course for?
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing is designed for registered nurses who want to deepen their clinical expertise, strengthen their professional influence and take on greater responsibility within contemporary healthcare.
Whether you want to develop specialist capability, strengthen your leadership in clinical practice or contribute more to quality improvement, education or research, the course helps you extend the expertise you already bring to nursing.
This course may suit registered nurses looking to:
- Deepen clinical reasoning and decision-making in complex care environments
- Develop specialist expertise in acute care or critical care
- Apply research and evidence more confidently to nursing practice
- Influence quality, safety and service improvement
- Build leadership, education and mentoring capability
See entry requirements under course information for more eligibility information.
What you will study
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing comprises 12 online subjects totalling 72 credit points, building advanced capability across clinical practice, evidence, research, leadership, patient assessment and healthcare improvement.
Complete all eight core subjects:
- Specialty Clinical Practice (6CP)
- Applied Pathophysiology in Practice (6CP)
- Evidence for Informing Practice (6CP)
- Advanced Professional Practice (6CP)
- Research in Health (6CP)
- Leading Health and Social Care (6CP)
- Improving Safety and Quality in Healthcare (6CP)
- Comprehensive Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning (6CP)
CP = credit points. Subject descriptions and learning outcomes are available via the subject links on this page. Subject availability, sequencing and course structures are subject to change.
Explore your advanced nursing pathways
Advanced nursing can take you in different directions. Alongside your core studies, you can deepen specialist capability through an Acute Care or Critical Care major, or build a Flexible pathway across areas such as digital health, education, management, policy, quality improvement and service innovation.
Sharper judgement when care moves fast.
Build specialist capability in acute deterioration and nursing-sensitive indicators to support safer, more responsive acute care.
Subjects include:
- Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in Acute Care (6CP)
- Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration (6CP)
- Plus two approved electives (12CP)
Confidence when complexity is at its highest.
Deepen your capability in high-acuity care, complex clinical decision-making and contemporary critical care practice.
Subjects include:
- Professional Practice in Critical Care (6CP)
- Complex Critical Care (6CP)
- Plus two approved electives (12CP)
Build around the practice you want to influence.
Choose four approved electives across areas such as digital health, education, management, policy, quality improvement and service innovation.
Choose four subjects from:
- Contemporary Approaches to Digital Health (6CP)
- Creating a Culture of Teaching and Learning in Healthcare (6CP)
- Designing Innovative Learning (6CP)
- Health Promotion (6CP)
- Implementing and Evaluating Change (6CP)
- Learning and its Trajectories (6CP)
- Organisational Management in Health Care (6CP)
- Policy, Power and Politics in Health Care (6CP)
- Quality and Safety Improvement Methods (6CP)
- Strategic Learning in Workplaces (6CP)
- Systems and Service Innovation (6CP)
- Managing for Value-Based Care (6CP)
Flexible course options
Whether you’re ready to take the next step or prefer to start with a shorter qualification, begin with the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing, Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing, Graduate Certificate in Critical Care or Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education and continue into the Master of Advanced Nursing when you’re ready.
Learning outcomes
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing gives you the capability to make more informed clinical decisions, translate evidence into practice, influence quality and safety and lead meaningful improvement across healthcare.
Lead innovative and evidence-based nursing practice
Critically evaluate emerging research, healthcare policies and clinical guidelines to drive evidence-based practice. Implement innovative solutions to improve patient care and enhance healthcare system efficiency.
Enhance clinical leadership and decision-making
Develop advanced leadership capabilities to influence healthcare outcomes. Strengthen your ability to manage complex clinical situations, make data-driven decisions and lead teams with confidence.
Advocate for ethical and person-centred care
Apply ethical frameworks and culturally responsive approaches to nursing practice. Champion inclusivity, equity and patient advocacy in diverse healthcare settings to enhance quality and safety.
Advance healthcare through education and interdisciplinary collaboration
Build expertise in educating and mentoring healthcare professionals. Collaborate across disciplines to shape nursing practice, influence policy and drive positive change in healthcare systems.
Career outcomes
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing builds capability relevant across advanced clinical practice, nursing leadership, education, research and quality improvement.
Depending on your professional background, registration, chosen pathway and experience, graduates may explore opportunities such as:
- Nurse Unit Manager
- Clinical Nurse Consultant
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Researcher
- Clinical Quality and Improvement Manager
- Digital Health nurse/Clinical Informatics Specialist
- Nurse Policy Advisor
- Chronic Disease Program Coordinator
- Corporate Health Consultant
Course information
Applicants must have the following:
- Completed Australian bachelor's degree or higher qualification, or overseas equivalent, in nursing
AND
- Current registration as a Registered Nurse in Australia (Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency AHPRA) or international equivalent
AND
- Current employment as a registered nurse or have a letter of offer to commence employment as a registered nurse by commencement of studies
AND
- A minimum of 1 year full-time (1800+ hours), or equivalent part-time, post-registration clinical experience (nursing)
Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application
For applicants who need to demonstrate professional work experience:
- Proof of Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) registration or international equivalent
AND
- Curriculum Vitae AND Statement of Service in one of the following formats:
- A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer
- A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer
Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee an offer of a place.
Want to check your eligibility?
Not only do we have the right tools and support teams to help you – we have people who care about your success.
$125,000
Average salary
Nurse practitioners in Australia earn an average annual salary of $125,000, showcasing the financial benefits of advanced nursing qualifications.
(Indeed)
70,000 +
Shortfall by 2035
Australia is expected to face a shortage of over 70,000 nurses by 2035, underscoring the urgent need for skilled nursing leadership and education.
(Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal)
15%
of the workforce in Healthcare
Healthcare and social assistance make up 15% of Australia’s workforce, highlighting the growing demand for nurses in this essential sector.
(Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Upcoming intakes
UTS Online courses have 6 intakes per year. The diagram below shows all upcoming intakes. Our next intake is highlighted below.
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Jan
2027 -
Mar
2027 -
May
2027 -
Jul
2027 -
Aug
2027 -
Oct
2027
Meet our Course Director
“Postgraduate study at UTS equips nurses with evidence-based skills aligned to the evolving needs of healthcare. With flexible online delivery and industry-informed design, you can build capability while continuing to work and improving patient outcomes.”
Christina Whitehead
Postgraduate Nursing Director
Christina Whitehead is a leading researcher in patient safety, workplace culture and clinical practice. Her work focuses on nurse wellbeing, professional interactions and safer care environments, supported by national and international research, including Cochrane collaborations.
What our students are saying
"We need nurse leaders who are ready to push and change things for the better. We also need to be on top of digital disruption and innovation. Nurses are in many ways at the forefront of this transformation. They’re experiencing an increasing demand for personalised, accurate, real-time health data and delivery of remote healthcare. To do that, nurses need to continually upskill to stay up-to-date and drive healthcare innovation and this degree has helped me develop skills to do just that."
Audrey B
UTS Online Graduate
Download a course guide
Download a course guide to explore detailed subject descriptions, entry requirements, pathway options and fee information.
Frequently asked questions
A Master of Advanced Nursing is a postgraduate degree designed to help registered nurses strengthen advanced clinical, leadership, research and evidence-informed practice capability.
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing develops skills across advanced clinical practice, pathophysiology, physical assessment and diagnostic reasoning, research, quality and safety, leadership and professional practice, with options to focus your study through Acute Care, Critical Care or a Flexible pathway.
Who is the UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing for?
Yes. Current entry requirements require you to hold current registration as a Registered Nurse in Australia through AHPRA, or an international equivalent.
You must also meet the course’s academic, employment and post-registration clinical experience requirements.
Current entry requirements include:
• a completed Australian bachelor’s degree or higher qualification, or overseas equivalent, in nursing
• current registration as a Registered Nurse in Australia through AHPRA, or international equivalent
• current employment as a Registered Nurse, or a letter of offer to commence employment as a Registered Nurse by the start of study
• at least one year of full-time, or 1,800+ hours of equivalent part-time, post-registration clinical nursing experience
Supporting documentation is required where professional experience needs to be demonstrated. Eligibility for admission does not guarantee an offer of a place.
The standard entry requirement is at least one year of full-time, or 1,800+ hours of equivalent part-time, post-registration clinical experience as a Registered Nurse.
Previous experience as an Enrolled Nurse does not automatically replace this Registered Nurse experience requirement. Current UTS Online information notes that the Faculty may assess a person’s work experience and capability on a case-by-case basis in some circumstances.
You’ll build advanced capability in clinical assessment and decision-making, applied pathophysiology, evidence-informed practice, research, quality and safety, professional practice and healthcare leadership.
The course is designed to help you evaluate evidence and clinical guidelines, manage complex care, contribute to practice improvement, collaborate across disciplines and lead change in healthcare settings.
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing comprises 12 subjects totalling 72 credit points.
You’ll complete eight core subjects:
• Specialty Clinical Practice
• Applied Pathophysiology in Practice
• Evidence for Informing Practice
• Advanced Professional Practice
• Research in Health
• Leading Health and Social Care
• Improving Safety and Quality in Healthcare
• Comprehensive Physical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
You’ll then complete four subjects through your chosen Acute Care, Critical Care or Flexible pathway.
The current 2027 course structure offers three study options:
• Acute Care Major
• Critical Care Major
• Flexible Major
The Acute Care Major includes Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in Acute Care and Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration, plus two electives.
The Critical Care Major includes Professional Practice in Critical Care and Complex Critical Care, plus two electives.
The Flexible Major allows you to select four approved electives.
The Flexible Major allows you to tailor the final four subjects of the Master of Advanced Nursing to your professional goals, clinical interests or emerging areas of practice.
Approved electives span areas such as digital health, nursing education and learning, health services management, quality and safety, policy, organisational management and service innovation.
The course is delivered online, but its learning and assessment are designed to connect with your current nursing practice.
Current entry requirements require you to be employed as a Registered Nurse, or have an offer to commence RN employment by the start of study. Practical activities and assessments can draw on your clinical environment, allowing you to apply concepts such as assessment, evidence-informed practice, quality improvement and clinical decision-making in a workplace context.
No. The Master of Advanced Nursing does not require a separate hospital placement.
You must, however, be employed as a Registered Nurse, or have an offer to commence RN employment by the start of study, because practical learning and assessment activities draw on your clinical environment.
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing can be completed in a minimum of 24 months.
The course comprises 12 online subjects totalling 72 credit points.
Yes. The course is designed for registered nurses completing postgraduate study alongside professional and personal commitments.
You’ll study online through structured weekly learning and apply many concepts directly to your clinical context. Current entry requirements also require you to be employed as an RN, or have an offer to commence RN employment by the start of study.
How you balance work, study and personal commitments will depend on your individual circumstances, so it is important to plan for the weekly requirements of each subject.
Yes. Several UTS Online Graduate Certificates can provide pathways into the Master of Advanced Nursing:
• Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing
• Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing
• Graduate Certificate in Critical Care
• Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education
Current course information states that students who complete an eligible four-subject Graduate Certificate may qualify to progress to the master’s with eight additional subjects remaining. Credit and pathway alignment depend on the Graduate Certificate completed and current UTS course rules.
Yes. Current course information states that students who successfully complete eight subjects, totalling 48 credit points, may be eligible to exit with a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing.
Exit eligibility is subject to the current UTS course rules and the subjects completed.
You may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, or RPL, if previous postgraduate nursing study or other relevant learning meets the UTS course requirements.
Current UTS Online information notes that relevant study at AQF Level 8 or higher, such as a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma, may be considered. UTS assesses RPL after an offer of enrolment has been accepted.
The Master of Advanced Nursing can support progression into advanced clinical, leadership, education, research and quality-focused nursing roles.
Career directions identified by UTS Online include:
• Nurse Unit Manager
• Clinical Nurse Consultant
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Nursing Educator
• Nurse Researcher
Career outcomes will depend on your registration, clinical experience, chosen study pathway and the requirements of individual employers.
For more information about where postgraduate nursing study can lead, explore our guide to the many career futures in nursing. If you’re interested in advanced clinical practice, you can also read our guide to becoming a successful Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Advanced nursing practice involves applying higher-level clinical knowledge, critical thinking and decision-making to complex care, while also contributing to leadership, education, research and healthcare improvement.
Depending on the role and setting, an advanced nurse may coordinate complex care, support other clinicians, contribute to clinical governance, implement evidence-informed practice and lead quality and safety initiatives.
Advanced practice describes a level of nursing practice and does not by itself refer to one specific job title.
No. The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing is not the same qualification as a Master of Nurse Practitioner and does not by itself lead to nurse practitioner endorsement.
In Australia, nurse practitioner endorsement has separate Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia requirements, including completion of an NMBA-approved or substantially equivalent nurse practitioner program and the required advanced-practice experience.
If nurse practitioner endorsement is your goal, check the current NMBA requirements and the entry and accreditation details of an approved nurse practitioner course.
A Master of Advanced Nursing can be worth it if you want to deepen your clinical expertise, strengthen your leadership capability and take on greater responsibility in complex care environments.
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing builds advanced capability across clinical practice, evidence-based care, leadership, assessment, research, quality and safety. You can also specialise through an Acute Care or Critical Care major, or tailor your studies through a Flexible major aligned to your professional goals.
The need for advanced nursing capability is growing as Australia’s healthcare system becomes more complex. National workforce modelling projects a significant nursing undersupply by 2035, while nurses are taking on greater responsibility across clinical decision-making, leadership and service improvement.
For more information about how advanced nursing roles are evolving, read our guide to how nurses are shaping what healthcare becomes next.
The degree does not by itself confer nurse practitioner endorsement or guarantee progression into a particular role.
The current indicative tuition fee for the UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing is $38,595 in total, with an indicative fee of $3,216 per subject.
Fees are indicative and subject to change. Your total course fee may vary depending on your study plan, Recognition of Prior Learning and the fees applicable at the time of enrolment, so refer to the UTS Online fees page for the latest information.
Yes. FEE-HELP is available to eligible students studying the UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing.
FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that can help eligible full-fee-paying students cover some or all of their tuition fees.
Eligibility requirements apply, so check the current FEE-HELP information before enrolling.
UTS Online currently offers six intakes per year for the Master of Advanced Nursing.
Intake dates can change from year to year, so refer to the course page for the next available intake and current application dates.
For a standard six-credit-point UTS Online subject, you should typically allow around 15–20 hours per week for study.
This can include working through weekly learning materials, completing readings and activities, participating in online discussions and preparing assessments. Your actual study time may vary depending on the subject, your previous experience and assessment deadlines.
UTS Online students generally study one subject at a time, helping you focus your study around your professional and personal commitments.
For more information, read our guide to study resources with an example study schedule.
Assessment in the UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing varies by subject and is designed to reflect advanced nursing practice and clinical leadership challenges.
Depending on the subject, assessments may include written or clinical reports, case analyses, online quizzes, presentations, proposals, evidence reviews, quality-improvement activities, workplace-based tasks and professional portfolios. Current course information states that there are no exams or group assignments required to graduate.
Refer to the individual subject information in the UTS Handbook for current assessment details.
The UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing is delivered online through Canvas, with students studying through structured weekly modules. You’ll engage with advanced nursing theory, practical activities, multimedia learning, peer discussions and assessments designed to connect your studies with your current clinical environment.
Throughout the course, you’ll also have access to support including:
• A dedicated Student Success Advisor
• Academic and assignment support
• UTS Career Hub resources and networking opportunities
• Peer learning and presentation support
• Confidential health and wellbeing services
Here’s a video example showcasing key features of our online learning platform, including tools designed to enhance your study experience.
Or read our tips for balancing postgraduate study with work and life: https://studyonline.uts.edu.au/blog/balancing-postgraduate-study-and-life-commitments-practical-tips-success
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