Keep in touch

We'll keep you up to date on our courses, scholarships and more.

Please provide a first name
Please provide a last name
Please provide a valid email address
Please provide a valid mobile phone number (04xxxxxxxx)
Please provide a valid phone number
Please provide a nationality

Master of Health (Child and Family Health Nursing)

Develop advanced skills in community child and family health nursing with the ability to critically analyse and apply principles of primary healthcare.
This course is only offered at one location, see below.
Flexible Delivery - Berwick
Location
Semester 1
Semester 2
Other intakes
Flexible Delivery - Berwick
Semester 1
Semester 2
-
Other intakes
-
View all semester start dates
Length
2 years full-time or part-time equivalent
(240 credit points = 2.0 EFTSL)
Entry requirements

This course prepares individuals who are both registered nurses and midwives to practice as a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurse in community-based settings with advanced nursing skills to work in partnership with families from birth to school age.
Coursework from the Graduate Diploma of Health (Child and Family Health Nursing) is delivered throughout the course, focusing on theoretical and professional practice skills. As part of the course, you will undertake a minimum of 300 hours in community-based professional practice placements. Many local government areas across Victoria support your learning, including speciality placements such as early parenting and childcare centres. Applicants need to submit an expression of interest  (EOI) to a local government council to secure placement for the duration of the course via the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) website. 
This course is open to students who are successful graduates of a Bachelor of Nursing and Graduate Diploma of Midwifery or Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery. It is also available as a graduate diploma option.

Please find available Scholarships under Additional Information.

  • Child and family health nurse

Successful completion of the Master of Health will enhance your professional standing and provide you with advanced level skills and knowledge for application as a leader in the nursing practice and knowledge community.

Sample structures are just one example of the many options available within your chosen course.  Please contact Federation University for further information on available options.

Please note this is a sample structure only and is not to be used for enrolment purposes.  To enrol, please refer to the information provided to you by Federation University for your individual course structure or view our enrolment information page.

To view current unit information and cost, click on the individual unit name below, or click here to view current unit information and cost for ALL units.

Year 1

Semester 1

CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT 1
HEALM6301, 15 credit points
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY STUDIES
HEALM6302, 15 credit points
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES
HEALM6303, 15 credit points
PERINATAL AND INFANT MENTAL HEALTH 2
HEALP6202, 15 credit points

Semester 2

CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH ASSESSMENT 2
HEALM6304, 15 credit points
INFANT AND CHILD NUTRITION
HEALM6306, 15 credit points
Electives 2

Year 2

Semester 1

RESEARCH METHODS FOR HEALTH
HEALT6001, 30 credit points
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE
HEALT6002, 30 credit points

Semester 2

RESEARCH THESIS A
HEALT7002, 30 credit points
RESEARCH THESIS B
HEALT7003, 30 credit points

Contact hours can vary depending on requirements, however typical contact hours for full-time study are around 25-30 hours comprising of on-campus classes, online learning and self-directed study.

Placement (Compulsory) 

Students must have secured access to placement with Maternal and Child Health in a local government council for the duration of their course, with written confirmation from that service provider submitted to Federation University. 

To apply for placement, applicants need to access the MAV website and complete the 'MCH Applicant Information Pack and EOI 2022-23’. Applicants can begin the admission process to Federation University whilst awaiting EOI outcome. Once placement is secured, a letter confirming placement is uploaded to Federation University Admissions which will progress your application to enrolment.

Entry requirements (year 12)

This course is not available to current (2023) or recent Year 12 (2022 & 2021) students.

Entry requirements (non year 12)

Applicants for this stream of the course must be both:

  • An Australian Registered Nurse 
  • An Registered Midwife with graduate experience and:
  • Demonstrate recent work experience defined as having worked in nursing or midwifery for a minimum of one year(in each) in the past five years* 

*To demonstrate work experience, you should provide a CV/Resume listing previous positions and education max 2 pages.  
Students who have completed a Graduate Diploma of Midwifery may be eligible for advanced standing depending on equivalency.

Applicants may enter the second year of the course and may have up to 8 courses credit (120 credit points) for:

Graduate Diploma of Child and Family Health (or equivalent qualification)
Registered Nurse and Midwife with current AHPRA registration
Evidence of recent practice as a maternal and child health nurse, e.g, CV with referees (minimum 450 hrs practice i
Please find availabln the last 5 years).e Scholaships under Additional Information.

Extra requirements

Extra requirements to be supplied with application:

All applicants must complete and submit:
1. Copy/ies of my nursing and midwifery bachelor degree or equivalent
2. Proof of my current AHPRA nursing and midwifery registration
3. Curriculum vitae (CV) with evidence of at least 12 months post-graduate experience.
4. Completed supplementary application form [https://federation.edu.au/future-students/study-at-federation/apply/domestic/how-to-apply/vtac-requirements]
5. Confirmation of placement with local council

Extra Requirements for Enrolment

1. Completed and signed immunisation status form [https://federation.edu.au/future-students/study-at-federation/apply/domestic/how-to-apply/vtac-requirements]

2. Working with Child Check (WWCC

3. Proof of my current AHPRA nursing and midwifery registration.

 

The application method varies depending on your circumstances, please visit our How to apply page for further information.

Direct application: Yes

Federation University code: HN9

2024 Indicative Fees

Fee Type: Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)

$4,445 student contribution amount

A Commonwealth Supported Place is subsidised by the Australian Government.  Your fees (student contribution amount) are set on an annual basis by the government and are determined by the discipline area and band of your individual units, not the overall course.  Each unit falls into a band which determines the student contribution.

2024 annual student contribution amounts for 1 EFTSL (equivalent full-time student load) range between $4,445 Band 1 to $16,323 Band 4.  To find the Band, EFTSL and contribution amount for each unit, check the Sample Structure or refer to the 2024 unit listing.

Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and the indicative amount should be used as a guide only.  It is based on a typical enrolment for a student undertaking the first year of study in this course.  For 0.5 EFTSL (60 credit point) courses the certificate fee is displayed.  Total cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the time it takes to complete your course and any approved credit you receive.

Other fees

You will also need to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

Fee assistance

You may be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan, which can be used to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.  You may also be eligible to defer payment of your SSAF through a SA-HELP loan.

Scholarships

Our scholarships and grants can help with your study costs.  Explore our scholarships to find an opportunity that's right for you.

Can your studies count towards a degree with us? Use our online Credit Search to get the details on completing your studies sooner.

Pathway entry into year 2 Applicants may enter the second year of the course and may have up to 8 courses credit (120 credit points) for: Graduate Diploma of Child and Family Health (or equivalent qualification) Registered Nurse and Midwife with current AHPRA registration Evidence of recent practice as a maternal and child health nurse, e.g., CV with referees. (Minimum 450 hrs practice in the last 5 years)

While this course does not lead to registration as a health professional, you will enhance your professional standing within your discipline area providing you with advanced level skills and knowledge for application in the nursing practice and knowledge community.

The Child and Family Health (CFH) nursing scholarships are designed to attract high quality nurse-midwives to increase the capacity of Victoria’s already world-class Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nursing workforce. The Department of Health (DH) supports this scholarship as an initiative of the Victorian Government’s Early Childhood Reform Plan.
The MCH Nursing scholarship provides funding of up to $7,500 for full-time students and part-time students. The number and value of scholarships offered will be determined based on the number of eligible applicants that have accepted either a full fee paying, or commonwealth supported place (CSP) in a Graduate Diploma or Master of Health (Child and Family Health) course. Bursaries of up to $5,000 are also available for eligible students.  To be eligible for this scholarship you must: be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a permanent humanitarian visa holder, and have accepted a place as a new student at Federation University. 
Current registration as a Midwife and a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with a minimum of 12 months experience in both general nursing and midwifery without restrictions with AHPRA are set qualification requirements for eligibility into the Graduate Diploma or Master of Health (Child and Family Health) course. Students that have previously received a CFH Nursing Scholarship from the Department of Education and Training (DET) or Department of Health (DH) will be ineligible for scholarship funding.

Extra Requirements for Enrolment

Completed and signed immunisation status form [https://federation.edu.au/future-students/study-at-federation/apply/domestic/how-to-apply/vtac-requirements]

Working with Child Check (WWCC

Essential Requirement 

Proof of my current AHPRA nursing and midwifery registration.

To help you get the most from your online learning experience, it's important that you own or have frequent access to a fast and reliable computer that's ideally not more than two years old.

You will also need frequent access to a reliable high-speed internet connection.  You should expect to use approximately 5GB of data each month, per unit, just for study use.

For further information, visit the Minimum IT requirements for studying online webpage.

A range of student services are available at most campuses. For further information on these services or for course information, please contact us on 1800 333 864.

The commencement of all courses is subject to available funding and enrolment quotas.

All information contained in this course overview including the availability of courses and fees, is correct at the time of being published, however the University reserves the right to alter any course, procedure or fee. Students should check for any amendment prior to enrolment.

CRICOS Provider No.00103D
Please note: This training is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding to eligible individuals.
National RTO Code: 4909

School department

Nursing

Course co-ordinator

Rayleen Breach