Major overview
A major in Contemporary Mental Health is designed primarily for registered nurses who wish to develop specialist skills in the care of people with mental health issues.
This major aims to develop excellence in contemporary mental healthcare to meet the professional development needs of graduates interested in specialist mental health practice and evidence-based therapeutic approaches to care.
You’ll work on formulating safe, caring, respectful, responsive, and therapeutic relationships with people with mental health issues across a range of healthcare contexts.
3 reasons to study Contemporary Mental Health
- Study at your own pace with flexible, online learning.
- Gain evidence-based skills and strategies that are immediately applicable to your work.
- Take a step towards specialising in mental health practice.
What you'll learn
- A body of knowledge that includes recent and contemporary developments in Contemporary Mental Health.
- Accessible evidence to establish person-centred, collaborative decisions that contribute towards providing optimum mental healthcare.
- Communication skills and technical research skills used to evaluate and synthesise complex information to specialist and non-specialist stakeholders .
- How to formulate safe, caring, respectful, responsive, and therapeutic relationships with people with mental health issues across a range of healthcare contexts.
- Design, implement, and appraise mental healthcare for people with mental health issues that ensures quality, safety, and cultural responsiveness.
I definitely wouldn’t have chosen rural work if I didn’t have the opportunity to do rural placements. A lot of the other universities don’t really offer that as well as Murdoch do.
Camille Talbott, Nursing
Read full student story
Your future career
This major will start your journey towards specialist practice as a mental health practitioner. The course is designed to teach immediately implementable skills that are relevant to your role, providing a platform towards future development.
Start dates
| Starting period | Location | Face to Face | Online | Mixed mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1, 2026 | Murdoch | No | Yes | No |
| Semester 2, 2026 | Murdoch | No | Yes | No |
| Semester 1, 2027 | Murdoch | No | Yes | No |
| Semester 2, 2027 | Murdoch | No | Yes | No |
View the dates for our teaching periods or find out more about attendance modes.
Major Structure
Visit the Course Handbook - Get detailed information on units, prerequisites, and pathways.
To help plan the structure of your course, search for our suggested course plans.
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
|---|
How to Apply
Majors are part of a degree and can't be applied on their own. Apply for a related degree first, then choose your major once enrolled.
Master of Health Care Management (Specialisation)
Build quality leadership and management skills to progress your nursing career in the health care industry, with a specialisation in either Gerontological Healthcare or Contemporary Mental Health.