A Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education is a postgraduate qualification designed to help registered nurses build capability in teaching, learning design, clinical education and professional development.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education develops skills in evidence-informed teaching, learning design, clinical education, leadership and workplace learning in healthcare settings.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education is designed for registered nurses who want to strengthen their capability in education, leadership and professional practice.

It can suit nurses who educate students or colleagues, support professional development, facilitate workplace learning or want to move towards clinical education and nursing education roles.

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 capability in nursing education, evidence-informed teaching, learning design, clinical education and workplace learning.

The course is designed to help you create effective learning experiences, support nurses and other health professionals, lead educational change, communicate complex healthcare concepts and promote ethical, inclusive and culturally responsive learning.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education comprises four subjects totalling 24 credit points.

You’ll complete three core subjects:
• Creating a Culture of Teaching and Learning in Healthcare
• Designing Innovative Learning
• Specialty Clinical Practice

You’ll also choose one elective:
• Learning and its Trajectories, or
• Strategic Learning in Workplaces

The qualifications serve different purposes.

A Certificate IV in Training and Assessment is a vocational qualification focused on delivering and assessing nationally recognised training, primarily in the VET sector.

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education is a postgraduate university qualification for registered nurses. It develops capability in nursing education, learning design, clinical teaching, leadership and workplace learning in healthcare contexts.

Which qualification you need depends on the type of education role and the requirements of the employer or training sector.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education can help prepare you for nurse educator and clinical education roles by developing capability in education, learning design, interdisciplinary collaboration, leadership and evidence-based teaching practice.

Career directions can include Clinical Nurse Educator, Professional Development Facilitator and Training and Education Coordinator in healthcare, as well as academic nursing education roles depending on your experience and qualifications.

Individual roles may have additional requirements relating to clinical experience, registration, academic qualifications or employer criteria, so completing the Graduate Certificate does not by itself guarantee appointment to a specific role.

For more information about the role, skills, experience and study involved, read our guide to how to become a nurse educator.

Although the course is delivered online, its learning and assessment are designed to connect with your professional context.

You must be working as a Registered Nurse, or have an offer to commence RN employment by the start of study. Practical activities and assessments can be applied to your workplace, allowing you to develop teaching strategies, learning resources and education approaches relevant to healthcare practice.

No. The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education does not require a separate hospital or teaching 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 healthcare environment.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education can be completed in a minimum of eight months.

The course comprises four online subjects totalling 24 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 can apply education, learning-design and teaching concepts directly to your own healthcare context.

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.

For practical tips on managing postgraduate study alongside shift work, read our guide to balancing study and shift work.

Yes. The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education provides a pathway into the UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing through its Flexible pathway.

The Graduate Certificate comprises four subjects. Current UTS Online information states that eligible graduates can progress to the 12-subject Master of Advanced Nursing with eight additional subjects remaining, subject to current UTS articulation and credit rules.

Yes. The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education also provides a pathway into the UTS Online Master of Education (Learning and Leadership).

Current UTS Online information states that eligible graduates can continue into the master’s with eight additional subjects remaining, subject to current UTS articulation and credit rules.

This gives registered nurses a choice between continuing further in advanced nursing or developing broader learning and leadership capability through the education master’s.

You may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, or RPL, if your previous study or employment experience meets the relevant UTS course requirements.

Current UTS Online information specifically notes that relevant study at AQF Level 8 or higher, such as a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma, may be considered. UTS does not determine RPL until an offer of enrolment has been accepted.

The Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education can help registered nurses build capability for clinical education, professional development, training and learning-leadership responsibilities in healthcare settings.

Career directions identified by UTS Online include:
• Clinical Nurse Educator
• Nursing Lecturer in entry-level contexts
• Professional Development Facilitator
• Training and Education Coordinator in healthcare

Career outcomes will depend on your registration, clinical experience and the requirements of individual employers.

A Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education can be worth it if you want to move beyond clinical practice into education, professional development or learning-focused leadership roles in healthcare.

The UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education develops capability in teaching, learning design, assessment, facilitation and education in healthcare, helping you support the development of other nurses and health professionals.

These capabilities are becoming increasingly important as nursing roles continue to evolve and the profession responds to growing workforce, capability and leadership needs across healthcare.

The Graduate Certificate can also provide a pathway into either the UTS Online Master of Advanced Nursing or Master of Education (Learning and Leadership) if you decide to continue your studies.

For more information about how nursing roles are changing, read our guide to how nurses are shaping what healthcare becomes next.

The current indicative tuition fee for the UTS Online Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education is $12,865 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 Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education.

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 Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education.

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 Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education varies by subject and is designed to reflect practical nursing education and professional learning challenges.

Depending on the subject, assessments may include written or clinical reports, posters, online quizzes, oral assessments, podcasts, recorded presentations, education tools, proposals, protocols 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 Graduate Certificate in Nursing Education is delivered online through Canvas, with students studying one subject at a time through structured weekly modules. You’ll engage with educational theory, teaching strategies, practical activities, multimedia learning, peer discussions and assessments designed to connect your studies with nursing education and professional learning in healthcare settings.

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