Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Psychological Science
2027 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2027 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Psychological Science |
| Deakin course code | D387 |
| Course credit points | 32 |
| Course version | 4 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Course information | For students who commenced from 2022 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool |
| Online | No |
| Duration | 4 years full-time The course is only available to students on a full-time basis. |
| Course map - enrolment planning tool | The course map for students commencing from Trimester 1 2027 will be available soon Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 079499D Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Articulated courses
- Course learning outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Study at the world's #14 ranked nursing school and complete 800 hours of professional placements across metropolitan, regional and rural healthcare settings in this course, which prepares you to apply for registration as a registered nurse with a deeper understanding of the human mind and behaviour.
Build strong nursing capability through hands-on learning in our clinical simulation centres, where you will gain the skills to deliver safe, evidence-based care. You will also develop expertise in psychological theory, brain function, assessment and research - equipping you to better understand, communicate with and support patients across diverse health settings. After graduating, you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, or undertake further study with the goal of becoming a registered psychologist.
Indicative student workload
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time. There is an expectation that you are available to undertake clinical practicum outside of trimester dates. All expenses associated with professional experience placements are your own responsibility.
Professional recognition
Upon successful completion of your course, you will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).
The Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Psychological Science is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).
If you are seeking to become a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) as a graduate from this course, you must next apply for a fourth year of study in psychology, such as Deakin's Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) or Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced)
The NMBA has mandatory registration standards that applicants need to meet to be registered. Core registration standards are available on the NMBA website.
This course is accredited with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and is an NMBA approved course.
Career opportunities
As a registered nurse with psychology experience, you’ll be a unique and highly sought-after graduate, equipped with a diverse and versatile skill set that’s valued both in Australia and around the world. Studying at the #1 Victorian university for graduate employment means you’ll be well prepared to thrive across a broad range of healthcare and community-focused environments, including:
- mental health rehabilitation
- youth work
- careers counselling
- community development and work/life counselling
- hospitals
- Hospices
- mental health care settings
- aged care settings
- clinics
- schools
- universities
- community health centres
- government agencies and private industries.
If you are interested in pursuing a professional career in psychology, your next step is a fourth year of study in the form of either our Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) or the Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced). After successfully completing a fourth year of study, you will be eligible to apply to register as a provisional psychologist. Students wishing to gain general registration can then apply to continue their studies by undertaking one of Deakin’s psychology masters or doctorate level courses. Once you have completed a masters degree you can apply for general registration.
Participation requirements
Professional experience placement can occur at any time, including during the standard holiday breaks.
There is an expectation that you are available to undertake professional experience placements outside of trimester dates. All expenses associated with professional experience placements are your responsibility.
In order to participate in on-campus learning activities, and to safely engage in placements in clinical environments, there are a number of skills and functions that students need to be able to demonstrate, with or without reasonable adjustments. These skills and functions are known as Inherent Requirements. Find out more about the School of Nursing and Midwifery’s Undergraduate Courses Inherent Requirements.
To discuss these requirements and the adjustments we can provide to support your success, please contact the Disability Resource Centre.
Mandatory student checks
Department of Health – Safety Screening Requirements - Police Record Check, Working With Children Check and Immunisation Status
Police Record Check
In accordance with the Department of Health policy, all students are required to undertake a Police Record Check prior to professional experience placements in each calendar year of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check prior to the commencement of professional experience placement will not be able to undertake professional experience placement and this will impede progress in the course.
Working With Children Check
In accordance with the Worker Screening Act 2020, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of professional experience placement will not be able to undertake professional experience placement and this will impede progress in the course.
Immunisation Status
Students are required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health organisations where they will be undertaking their clinical learning experience. A health organisation may refuse to accept a student for placement if the student’s immunisation status is not satisfactory to the health organisation.
Articulated courses
| Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) (H421) |
Course learning outcomes
| Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Nursing (H326) | |
|---|---|
| Think critically, analyse and apply evidence and evaluate outcomes to inform safe and quality nursing practice | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| Foster effective therapeutic and professional relationships to ensure safe and quality care across the lifespan. | GLO2: Communication |
| Exhibit professionalism through self management and engagement with feedback to maintain capability for practice of self and others. | GLO6: Self-management |
| Apply nursing knowledge and capability in accordance with professional, legal and ethical requirements to deliver comprehensive, safe and quality care based on best available evidence. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| Provide person-centred, culturally safe, and respectful nursing care that upholds the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of all people, enriched by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultures and knowledges, and responsive to the diversity of all communities. | GLO2: Communication |
| Critically and ethically apply digital technologies to locate, interpret and disseminate information and deliver safe and quality care. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Psychological Science (H344) | |
| Integrate theoretical knowledge of the discipline of psychology in relation to: health, social, cognitive, methodology, neuroscience, development, and personality. Demonstrate appropriate communication, counselling, and research methods skills. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| Communicate psychological knowledge and arguments effectively using the most appropriate means utilising clear, discipline appropriate, coherent and well-developed communication skills. Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal communication and interview skills in situations appropriate to psychological practice. This includes active listening, clarifying and reflecting, effective questioning, summarising and paraphrasing, developing rapport, appropriate cultural responsiveness and empathic responding. | GLO2: Communication |
| Utilise online technologies to interact with others, access research and evaluate empirical evidence; and create and disseminate psychology-relevant content. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| Identify and critique the factors that contribute to the development of unhealthy mental processes and behaviours, develop arguments, reports, or commentaries based on empirical research and apply the results to affect healthy behaviour change in oneself or others, and; apply the skills required to affect healthy behaviour change in oneself and in others in diverse contexts. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| Apply knowledge of the scientific method when addressing problems related to behaviour and mental processes; design, plan, and conduct research that addresses these problems; and apply analytic and statistical skills to interpret the results and validity of research. | GLO5: Problem solving |
| Engage in independent learning as a reflective practitioner to sustain personal and professional development in the changing world of the science and practice of psychology; and manage resources, timelines and other constraints to achieve quality and timely outcomes. | GLO6: Self-management |
| Collaborate and communicate psychological principles and practices effectively in interdisciplinary teams to work and learn in a range of environments including communities of practice, research and professional practice. | GLO7: Teamwork |
| Embody the values and attitudes of the scientist-practitioner; apply ethical and professional responsibilities to local and global communities, apply knowledge and skills in culturally appropriate and inclusive ways. | GLO8: Global citizenship |
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some courses still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Nursing/ Bachelor of Psychological Science you must pass 32 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 20 credit points of core nursing units
- 12 credits points of core psychology units
- maximum of 12 credit points at level 1 across both courses
- minimum of 10 credit points at level 3 or above across both courses.
Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Nursing (H326) and Bachelor of Psychological Science (H344) must be satisfied.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Note:
There is an expectation that you will be available to undertake clinical practicum outside of trimester dates. All expenses associated with professional experience placements are your responsibility.
If you are studying at Waterfront (Geelong) and Warrnambool some units may only be available online in years two, three and four. If you are enrolled at the Waterfront (Geelong), you will be required to take some units at Waurn Ponds (Geelong).
Course structure
Units
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| HNN120 | Quality and Safety in Health Care 1 |
| HBS109 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology |
| HNN112 | Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 1 |
| HPS117 | Introduction to Psychology: Biopsychosocial Perspectives |
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HNN114 | Person-Centred Health Assessment |
| HNN154 | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' History, Culture and Health |
| HNN124 | Quality and Safety: Nursing Practice 2 |
| HNN104 | Care of the Child and Young Person |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HNN217 | Primary Health Care |
| HNN108 | Evidence-Informed Practice |
| HPS105 | Foundations of Psychological Practice |
| HPS204 | Social Psychology |
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HNN215 | Quality Use of Medicines |
| HNN227 | Acute Illness and Supportive Care (2 credit points) |
| HPS118 | Introduction to Psychology: Cross-Cultural and Indigenous Perspectives |
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HNN222 | Mental Health and Supportive Care (2 credit points) |
| HPS203 | Cognitive Psychology |
| HPS310 | Biological Psychology (Brain and Behaviour) (online) at Warrnambool) |
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HNN301 | Mental Health and Wellbeing |
| HPS201 | Psychology Research Methods (Introductory) |
| HPS202 | Developmental Psychology (Child and Adolescent) |
| HPS307 | Personality Psychology (online) at Warrnambool |
Level 4 - Trimester 1
| HNN329 | Chronic Illness and Supportive Care (2 credit points) |
| HNN318 | Care of the Older Person |
| HPS301 | Psychology Research Methods (Intermediate) |
Level 4 - Trimester 2
| HNN320 | Unit description is currently unavailable |
| HNN325 | Quality and Safety: Comprehensive Nursing Practice (2 credit points) |
| HPS308 | Psychopathology |
Work experience
Professional experience practice - Nursing
Beginning soon after commencement of the course, early exposure to the clinical environment gives you extensive opportunities to develop clinical skills in a variety of settings such as acute/sub-acute care, medical and surgical care, paediatrics, aged care, rehabilitation, community nursing and mental health nursing. These may be undertaken in hospitals and community health settings in metropolitan rural and regional areas.
To be eligible to undertake placements, you are required to supply mandatory documents (prerequisites) including police checks, working with children check and immunisation status.
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Commonwealth Prac Payment - Domestic students only
If you're eligible, the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) can help with the costs of completing a mandatory placement as part of your course. To find out if you're eligible and learn how to apply, visit Deakin’s Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.