General Information

Overview

Our Bachelor of Nursing prepares you for the diversity and complexities of 21st century nursing. 
 
At Swinburne, you'll benefit from our focus on technology and innovation, and our small class sizes which provide more individualised support. Your clinical skills will be developed safely using simulation technology and realistic case studies. 

Study structure

Successful completion of the Bachelor of Nursing requires students to complete units of study to the value of 300 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • Part-time study: 50 credit points/four standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

Units of study Unit code
Core units
Anatomy and Physiology
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
BIO10004
Health Assessment and Decision Making
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR10001
Indigenous Health
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
HEA20006
Strengths Based Nursing and Health Promotion
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR10008
Ethics and Law in Health Care
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR10004
Foundations of Nursing
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, 80 placement hours
NUR10005
Concepts of Aged Care
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR10006
Physiology in Health Science
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR10009
Mental Health Nursing
Core unit, 25.0 credit points, 160 placement hours
NUR20002
Acute Nursing Care
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR20005
Pathophysiology and Pharmacology in Nursing
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR20007
Nursing Research
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR20003
Managing Chronic Care
Core unit, 25.0 credit points, 160 placement hours
NUR20006
Nursing Children and Young People
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR20008
Preparation for Entry to Practice
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR30002
Complex and Community Care
Core unit, 25.0 credit points, 240 placement hours
NUR30009
Clinical Governance and Quality Care
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR30004
Nursing Projects
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR30007
High Acuity Nursing
Core unit, 25.0 credit points, 160 placement hours
NUR30005
Leadership and Digital Health Technologies in Nursing
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
NUR30008

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  • engage in critical inquiry-orientated healthcare activities as a beginning registered nurse, to provide care to individuals, families and groups from diverse backgrounds across the lifespan

  • be highly literate in their use and management of information and evidence-based knowledge for greatest practice effect across a range of healthcare settings

  • demonstrate leadership within inter-professional teams through the use of personal, intellectual and creative autonomy

  • exhibit personal values and beliefs consistent with their role as responsible members of local, national and international and professional communities in a 21st century healthcare workforce

  • recognise and value communication as a tool for negotiation and creating new understandings, interacting with others and furthering their own learning

  • engage effectively in the therapeutic care of individuals and the advancement of their discipline.

Career opportunities

Swinburne University of Technology offers exceptional nursing education, through innovative teaching and learning and through strong industry partnerships. Our graduates go on to work as nurses in a range of areas including primary health care, acute inpatient medical surgical, chronic disease management, mental health, child and family health, palliative care, community nursing, aged care, workplace safety, rural and Indigenous health and emergency medicine.

Professional recognition

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council accredits the course. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) approves the course to enable graduates to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse. This registration is managed through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). The NMBA website sets out all of the registration standards that graduates must meet.

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Nursing students must complete 300 credit points comprising:

  • 20 core units of study - comprising sixteen (16) 12.5 credit point units of study and four (4) 25 credit point units of study

Students must complete 800 Professional Experience Placement hours in order to graduate and register as a nurse.

Pass-only grades are applied to the assessment of competencies for all professional experience practice placements.

Conceded passes are not accepted by the external accrediting body and thus will not be granted in accordance with Academic Courses Regulation 52.

Academic progress – special requirements

In addition to the standard academic progress rules, this course has the following additional academic progress rules which are established in accordance with Academic Courses Regulation 62(2):

  1. A student is classified as 'at risk' of unsatisfactory progress if they:
    1. fail any unit of study
    2. behave in a manner which breaches the Swinburne Student Charter whilst on a professional placement
  2. A student is classified as 'unsatisfactory progress' if they:
    1. fail any unit of study in the next Progress Review period after being classified as being 'at risk'
    2. fail a Professional Placement or Work Experience in Industry  unit
    3. have their professional placement terminated early by an industry partner. In the case of early termination of an industry placement by an industry partner, the student will be deemed as having 'unsatisfactory progress' and a progress review hearing may be convened within 2 weeks of the cessation of the placement

Students who are identified as having unsatisfactory progress will be subject to the show cause provisions in the Progress Review section of the Academic Progress Policy.

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted is one year - 100 credit points (normally eight units). All applications for RPL are considered on an individual basis as per the university policies and procedures.

Informed choices

Further information for students

Swinburne supports students to make informed choices when applying for and enrolling in courses. In the nursing discipline, there are functional and behavioural abilities required to undertake tasks, learning activities or assessments that ensure that the student is fit to practice, physically, psychologically, and emotionally. It is important that students are fit for practice when attending Professional Experience Placement (PEP) to ensure their safety as well as the safety of patients in their care and colleagues with whom they are working. These functions are described below to assist prospective students when assessing whether they can successfully undertake the course to become a safe practicing registered nurse.

Reasonable adjustments

Swinburne upholds inclusive academic practices to support students with disabilities and other conditions to undertake courses and participate in study. Students with a disability or a chronic health condition may be able to have reasonable adjustments implemented through viable arrangements to enable students to undertake their studies and meet the fitness to practice requirements of the course without undermining core course requirements. 

Students considering whether they may be eligible for reasonable adjustments should contact Swinburne’s AccessAbility Services and will need to complete an AccessAbility Registration Form.

Sensory abilities

Some tasks in nursing courses require certain sensory abilities, including: visual ability, tactile ability and auditory ability.

Will reasonable adjustments be considered?

Yes. Please contact AccessAbility to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation. 

Sensory ability What is it? How is this relevant to nursing courses?
Visual ability The extent to which a person can see or interpret visual information. This may also include colour vision. Learning and assessment activities requires the ability to observe the patient / client physical appearance and movement.
Tactile ability The sense of touch, and the extent to which a person can distinguish tactile differences and detect tactile changes Learning and assessment activities involve therapeutic touch, gathering and interpreting information from the ability to touch the patient / client
Auditory ability The sense of hearing, and the extent to which a person can be responsive to aural cues, and differentiate vocal sounds and tone. Learning and assessment activities require safe performance when receiving and managing patient / client care and the ability to monitor and respond to nursing requirements

Strength and mobility

Some tasks in nursing courses require strength and mobility, including: gross motor skills and fine motor skills.

Will reasonable adjustments be considered?

Yes. Please contact AccessAbility to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation. 

Strength and mobility What is it? How is this relevant to nursing courses?
Gross motor skills The use of large muscle groups that coordinate body movements and provide strength for activities such as lifting, pushing, pulling, walking and maintaining balance. Learning and assessment activities require the ability to manoeuvre patients / clients or equipment in managing nursing care. This practice needs gross motor skills to complete safely.
Fine motor skills The ability to undertake precise coordinated movements of the hands for activities such as writing and manipulating small objects. Learning and assessment activities require manipulation and use of technology and equipment to collect data and implement appropriate treatment. This requires sufficient fine motor skills

Behaviours

Some tasks in nursing courses require certain behaviours, including: ethical behaviour, mental wellness and behavioural stability, as well as sustainable performance and endurance.

Will reasonable adjustments be considered?

Yes. Please contact AccessAbility to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation. 

Behaviours What is it? How is this relevant to nursing courses?
Ethical behaviour Ability to comply with and be governed by quality and professional standards. Acting in ways consistent with the recognised values of society and avoiding activities that do harm. Learning and assessment activities require confidentiality and integrity in order to perform in academic and professional settings. Practice and registration requires adherence to the Professional Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and Professional Standards of Nursing Practice.
Mental wellness and behavioural stability A state of well-being in which an individual can cope with the normal stresses of life and can work productively and fruitfully, maintaining consistent behaviour that is acceptable and appropriate. Exposure to situations which are challenging and unpredictable is common in nursing practice. Learning and assessment activities require sensitive, perceptive and delicate interactions and responses. Learning and assessment activities require behavioural stability to manage challenges objectively and professionally
Sustainable performance and endurance The ability to undertake a task over a predetermined period of time, including physical performance such as standing for a period of time, or mental performance such as concentrating and maintaining focus for a particular length of time Nursing practice while on placement requires exposure to unexpected and emergency situations. There is a requirement for a sustained level of physical and mental performance in learning and assessment activities.

Admission criteria

Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.

English language requirement

The Bachelor of Nursing has program entry criteria set by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council. All students entering this program must demonstrate they have achieved the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) specified level of English language skills, prior to commencing the program.

You must demonstrate your English language competency in one of the following ways:

English is your primary language and you have attended and satisfactorily completed at least six years of primary and secondary education taught and assessed in English in one of the recognised countries*, including at least two years between years 7 and 12.

You have successfully completed at least five (5) years (full-time equivalent) continuous education taught and assessed solely in English, in a recognised country that is a combination of:

a)    tertiary and secondary education taught and assessed in English; or

b)    tertiary and vocational education taught and assessed in English; or

c)    combined tertiary, secondary and vocational education taught and

            assessed in English; or

d)    tertiary education taught and assessed in English

The last period of education must have been completed no more than five years prior to applying for registration.

  • Test pathways – below is a list of the approved tests and the minimum scores required:
  • IELTS (academic Module) with a minimum overall score of 7 and a minimum score of 7 in each of the four components
  • OET with a minimum score of B in each of the four components
  • PTE (Academic) with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills
  • TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 94 and a minimum score of 24 in listening, 24 in reading, 27 in writing and 23 in speaking
  • OET Nursing profession test and a minimum score of B (more than 350 marks) in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking) from a single test sitting. Results are to be valid for a maximum of two years from the test date.

*Recognised countries include Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa or the United States of America.

Working with Children (WWC) Check

All enrolled students will be required to hold a current Working with Children Check (from the appropriate State Authority) prior to undertaking professional placements as part of this course.

Police Record Check

Bachelor of Nursing students are required to have an annual National Police Record Check to attend placements. Further information about how to apply will be provided at course commencement. 

If you have lived overseas for more than 12 months in the past ten years, you are also required to provide a police check from the country you resided in (including an English translation) and/or a statutory declaration stating that you have never been convicted of any crime in another country.

Immunisations

Students of this course are required to provide up-to-date evidence of immunisations prior to attending the nursing placements necessary in this course.

Additional immunisations may be required in response to any changes in government policy or the specific requirements of the organisation you attend for your placement.

NDIS Worker Screening Test

Students enrolled in this course may be required to apply for and receive an acceptable National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Worker Screening Check prior to commencing placement with an NDIS provider. The relevant fee is the responsibility of the student.

N95 Mask Fit Test

Students enrolled in this course may be required to complete an annual N95 Mask Fit Test prior to commencing placement.  The relevant fee is the responsibility of the student.  

Entry requirements

A. Applicants with recent secondary education (within past three years)

ATAR

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

Minimum ATAR including selection adjustments: 65.

Educational history

An applicant's entire academic history, including ATAR results, will be considered for entry into this course.

Selection rank adjustments

Selection ranks for this course will be calculated based on your ATAR with adjustments to overall study scores based on subjects studied, location of your home address, SEAS application, and participation In Swinburne's Early Leaders program. For further details about selection rank adjustments, see Admissions at Swinburne.

Subject adjustments

A study score of 25 in Health and Human Development, any Mathematics, any Science or Sociology equals 2 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 12 points.

Meeting course prerequisites

VCE units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in any English (except EAL) or at least 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

ATAR profile for those offered places wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in Semester 1 2023

ATAR-Based offers only, across all offer rounds ATAR
Excluding adjustment factors
Selection Rank
ATAR + any adjustment factors
Highest rank to receive an offer 89.25 93.75
Median rank to receive an offer 63.8 67.75
Lowest rank to receive an offer 52.35 60.2

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Entire academic record 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

Student profile

The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students who commenced in this course in the most relevant recent intake period, including those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

  Semester 1, 2023
Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students
(A) Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) 27 11%
(B) Vocational education and training (VET) study 78 31%
(C) Work and life experience (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories) 11 5%
(D) Recent secondary education:    
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) 77 31%
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR) N/A N/A
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement) N/A N/A
International students 55 22%
All students 248 100%

Notes: 
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.

Interested in the Bachelor of Nursing?

From state-of-the-art facilities to opportunities to engage with industry – this course is designed with your future in mind. Let's get started.

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