The Bachelor of Nursing aims to provide you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to enable you to be a competent and effective Registered Nurse (Division 1) General. The course will prepare you to be reflective about your practice as a nurse and develop clinical reasoning skills in order to confidently and safely engage in contemporary nursing practice in a variety of environments and contexts and adapt to the needs of people from diverse backgrounds. You will acquire skills to provide person-centred care and collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. You will be required to seek evidence to ensure safe quality practice and act in a professional, ethical and compassionate manner. In addition, you will learn to nurture the development of nursing as a practice discipline and demonstrate leadership in health care. You will explore how life-long learning skills can facilitate continuing professional development. The course will provide you with learning opportunities to meet the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) Registered Nurse Accreditation Standards (2019) and achieve the CQUniversity graduate attributes.
You will be required to participate in simulated learning activities in your nominated Clinical Learning Centre at one of the CQUniversity accredited delivery sites prior to being deemed eligible to attend professional practice placement. Across the course, you will develop an e-portfolio to showcase your abilities and facilitate career planning. You will be required to demonstrate nursing care that is person-centred, informed and responsible. Clinical learning is a key element of this course and you will be required to undertake 800 hours of professional experience placement in a variety of setting with different health organisations. You must meet specific mandatory health, safety and security requirements to be eligible to attend each professional experience placement. Professional experience placements may be limited in your community and you may be placed in other locations. Please be prepared financially and personally to cover the costs to relocate for placements. Due to the limited availability of placements, some block placements have start and/or end dates that fall outside standard term dates.
It is essential that you enrol in units in the order that they are listed. Not adhering to this may delay your progress and extend the length of your study. At the discretion of the Head of Course, you may be required to undertake a prescribed English language test to ensure your English language proficiency is at an acceptable level to safely participate in professional experience placements.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are the fundamental abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to complete the learning outcomes of a course while preserving the academic integrity of CQUniversity’s learning, assessment and accreditation processes. You must be able to demonstrate that you have acquired or have the ability to acquire the inherent requirements for the Bachelor of Nursing course. There are inherent requirements for this course that must be met in order to complete the course and graduate. For more information refer to the Inherent Requirements area of the Handbook.
Special Requirements
Mandatory pre-clinical checks are required to be eligible to attend professional experience placement. Please note that these can be different for each State and Territory in Australia.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has a register of students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing for the duration of their study. CQUniversity as the education provider will provide your details directly to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) for registration.
On successful completion of the Bachelor of Nursing, you will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse (Division 1) General with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Prospective students should be aware that full disclosure of any issues of impairment or misconduct is a declaration requirement when applying for registration as a registered nurse. To be accepted for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, you are required to disclose: any criminal history, physical and/or psychological impairments and meet specific English language standards. For further clarification of these requirements contact the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Recognition of prior learning: Credit transfer will only be granted where you are able to demonstrate that tertiary-level studies, equivalent in content and depth to the CQUniversity course have been successfully completed. The normal maximum amount of credit you may be granted as a prospective student enrolling in the Bachelor of Nursing course is 72 credit points. Credit can only be granted for units and courses satisfactorily completed in the last 7 years at a recognised educational institution including the Diploma of Nursing. NB: Those applying for credit from a Diploma of Nursing must be registered as a nurse (Division 2) with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) before any credit will be offered in a Bachelor of Nursing course. (Unit credit is subject to accreditation and registration requirements).
If you are transferring from a pre-registration Bachelor of Nursing course from a recognised Australian educational provider, the maximum amount of credit granted will be 96 credit points of the course.
Refer to Credit Transfer for further details on the guidelines and application process.
Expected time to complete 3 years full-time or equivalent part-time
Maximum time to complete 7 years (to meet Recency of Practice and eligibility for registration as a nurse (Division 1) in Australia requirements (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA))
Maximum leave of absence 1 year
Professional Standards and Conduct
You are expected to behave in a professional and appropriate manner. The use of abusive language, threatening behaviour, misuse of campus property and sexual harassment, will not be tolerated. These misdemeanours will be treated as serious matters and may result in suspension or exclusion.
Please ensure that you are familiar with the Student Charter and Student Behavioural Misconduct Procedure, which is available on the CQU website. In addition, nurses and midwives must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), and meet the NMBA's professional standards in order to practice in Australia.
Registration standards define the requirements that applicants, registrants or students need to meet to be registered.
To ensure patient safety, nurses and midwives are deemed mandatory reporters and under National Law are subject to making notification about notifiable conduct.
It is important to be aware that complaints or concerns can be raised about the health, conduct or performance of a registered health practitioner or student at any time.
In the final year of the course, students usually apply for a new graduate nursing position in a hospital and health service or other healthcare organisation where they will have the opportunity to further consolidate their knowledge and skills in nursing. The broad nature of nursing and healthcare allows opportunities for employment and/or specialisation in environments such as acute hospital services, community health, mental health, residential and aged care, indigenous health, and rural and remote health.
Duration | 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time |
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Credit Points that Must be Earned | 144 |
Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in undergraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
Course Type | Undergraduate Award |
Qualification (post nominal) | BN |
AQF Level | Level 7: Bachelor Degree |
Course Fees |
Indicative Year - 2025
Indicative Year - 2024
Indicative Year - 2023
Indicative Year - 2022
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Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
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International Students CRICOS Codes |
Rank Threshold | SR 70 | ATAR 70 |
English Language Proficiency Requirements
All applicants for the Bachelor of Nursing are required to provide evidence of demonstrating your English language competency in one of the following ways:
If you do not satisfy any of the above, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.
Each student will be assessed individually.
Domestic students
Students without Senior English, Senior Science and Senior Mathematics are strongly recommended to undertake one of the following access programs:
Interim Awards | Not applicable |
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Exit Awards | CL92 - Associate Degree of Health Care CL93 - Diploma of Health Care |
Accreditation |
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Compulsory Residential School | All Compulsory Residential Schools: Year 1 NURS11166 Health and Assessment in Nursing (3 days) NURS11170 Professional Experience Placement 1 (3 days) Year 2 NURS12161 Professional Experience Placement 2 (3 days) NURS12162 Mental Health Professional Experience Placement (2 days) NURS12164 Professional Experience Placement 3 (3 days) Year 3 NURS13142 Professional Experience Placement 4 (4 days) NURS13145 Professional Experience Placement 5 (4 days) |
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Click here to view all Residential Schools |
NURS11170 - Professional Experience Placement |
NURS12161 - Professional Experience Placement |
NURS12162 - Professional Experience Placement |
NURS12164 - Professional Experience Placement |
NURS13142 - Professional Experience Placement |
NURS13145 - Professional Experience Placement |
Year | Number of Students |
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2024 | 3048 |
2023 | 2751 |
2022 | 2523 |
2021 | 2132 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
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Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) placements apply to this course and as such are subject to compulsory pre-placement conditions referred to as mandatory checks and are outlined in the health, security and other compulsory requirements sections. Mandatory checks are determined by industry, organisations, legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures. To be eligible for a WIL placement, students must first achieve compliance with mandatory checks by each closing date prior to a WIL placement and maintain current evidence for the duration of the course.
Mandatory health requirements include immunisation and vaccination evidence (and serology where required) to the following diseases: Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Varicella, Pertussis, Influenza, and Tuberculosis screening. Respirator mask fit testing is also an annual requirement for this course.
Effective 25 September 2023, updates have been made to the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Queensland Health sites and the Queensland Ambulance Service. While Queensland Health does not currently mandate evidence of COVID-19 vaccination, it's essential to recognise that other organisations may enforce their own vaccination specific criteria. This situation is similar across other states and territories, with the exception of Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, where COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for all healthcare students.
Mandatory security requirements include an Australian Federal Police clearance, working with children check, and NDIS worker screening clearance.
Other mandatory requirements include a First Aid and CPR certificate, student agreement to privacy and confidentiality, adherence to AHPRA policies for a registered student professional, fitness to participate in WIL student declaration, jurisdictional and site-specific compulsory requirements, and other training modules.
It is mandatory for a minimum of 800 hours WIL placement in an off-campus health care setting to be undertaken for the Bachelor of Nursing course. Students may be required to complete more than 800 hours due to an organisation's make up of absence policy.
It is important for students to be aware that you may be required to travel to complete your WIL placement.
WIL placements are organised in blocks of time as per the WIL unit requirement, are in various health organisations throughout Australia where a service agreement is in place, subject to availability and capacity of the organisation, and are not negotiable.
Course Learning Outcomes | ||||||||||
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Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
1. KNOWLEDGE Have a broad and coherent body of knowledge, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines as a basis for independent lifelong learning | ||||||||||
2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review critically, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge | ||||||||||
3. SKILLS Have cognitive and technical skills to demonstrate a broad understanding of knowledge with depth in some areas | ||||||||||
4. SKILLS Have cognitive and creative skills to exercise critical thinking and judgement in identifying and solving problems with intellectual independence | ||||||||||
5. SKILLS Have communication skills to present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge and ideas | ||||||||||
6. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Demonstrate initiative and judgement in planning, problem solving and decision making in professional practice and/or scholarship | ||||||||||
7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Adapt knowledge and skills in diverse contexts | ||||||||||
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for own learning and professional practice and in collaboration with others within broad parameters | ||||||||||
KNOWLEDGE Develop an understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture in contemporary and historical context using the respectful and appropriate protocols and terminology | ||||||||||
APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Engage in reflective self-evaluation of own cultural values and perspectives to proactively create an inclusive workplace that affirms and celebrates cultural diversity | ||||||||||
APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Display leadership by creating inclusive work environments and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a culturally respectful manner |
Number of units: 23 | Total credit points: 144 |
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Course Structure
It is essential that you undertake the course in the order that is listed in the course structure; pre-requisite units and co-requisite units must be completed in order to progress in your study.
It is particularly important to look at professional experience placement units and the terms in which they are offered (NB: professional experience placement units in years 2 and 3 of the course are offered only once each year).
Entering the course with credit for prior learning during Term 2 may impact on completing on a full time pathway due to Professional Experience Practice units only being available once each year in years 2 and 3 of the course. Students are advised to commence in Term 1 if requiring a full time pathway.
You are required to successfully complete Professional Experience Placement 5 in the final term of study to enable CQUniversity to recommend you for registration at the completion of your degree.
The majority of units on Bundaberg, Cairns, Townsville and Mackay campuses are only available online. Professional Experience Practice units require attendance and successful completion of safe medication administration and practical assessments at residential school/on-campus workshops prior to being eligible to attend professional experience placement.
Specific requirements for professional experience placement in some units may vary due to individual organisational requirements outside of CQUniversity control.
In line with accreditation requirements, aspects of the course may be subject to change during your enrolment. These changes may relate to course structure, unit names and content, professional experience placement hours and/or mandatory checks.
Accreditation Standards require all students to be physically located in Australia whilst studying this course.
For International Students
Available Locations, Study Modes and Intake
On- Campus Availability
Term 1 - 2023 |
Brisbane Rockhampton |
Term 1 - 2024 |
Brisbane Rockhampton |
Term 2 - 2023 |
Brisbane Rockhampton |
Term 2 - 2024 |
Brisbane Rockhampton |
For International students commencing at the University in 2023 - please note our Rockhampton North campus is restricted to students eligible for advanced standing or recognition of prior learning (RPL)
All other international students commencing in 2024 will be admitted to our Brisbane and Rockhampton Campuses