Study mode
Accelerated 100% Online
Duration
2 years part-time
Units
12
Intakes
Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Oct
Take hold of your future career
Shape mental health care
Begin or enhance your career with a qualification in applied mental health, enabling you to lead holistic positive change. This course integrates academic, practice, and lived/living experience expertise.
4.3 out of 5
23.2% growth predicted over a 5-year period.
Endless career options
You will be ready for the next step
Work as a Clinical/ Project Coordinator amongst other roles.

Accelerated & 100% online
Study that’s flexible
Coursework and assessments designed to fit around your needs.

Support seven days a week
Learning advice and study assistance
Dedicated support services designed for your study discipline.
Shape the mental health care of the future
Begin or enhance your career with a contemporary qualification in applied mental health, enabling you to lead holistic positive change. Guided by recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and integrating academic, practice, and lived/living experience expertise, this immersive program bridges gaps in conventional mental health training and safely prepares you for broad and meaningful work across the human lifespan.
Informed by Monash’s world-class research, clinical and industry connections, the Master of Applied Mental Health will equip you to understand and work with the complex range of factors that impact mental health and wellbeing, and empower others to do the same.
Upon graduating, you’ll have gained understanding of mental health and wellbeing policy and practice across priority areas, worked directly with an industry partner to solve a real-world problem, and produced a digital portfolio that prepares you for future employment.
Please note that this course is not accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). Our APAC accredited courses include the Graduate Diploma in Psychology and the Graduate Diploma of Psychology Advanced.
What you will learn
- Prevent, respond, adapt
Be prepared with understanding and skills to prevent issues before they occur, respond when they do, and adapt across diverse situations.
- Acute and complex care
Learn how to best support individuals across the lifespan within some of the most challenging industry settings.
- Digital portfolio in mental health
Build a digital portfolio to enhance your career opportunities in mental health and wellbeing.
Pathway to a masters degree
You can graduate with a Master of Applied Mental Health in approximately 2 years part-time accelerated, after completing 12 units (72 credit points total).
You can also exit the course after completing approximately:
- 0.7 years part-time accelerated, 4 units (12 credit points), and you’ll receive a Graduate Certificate of Applied Mental Health; or
- 1.4 years part-time accelerated, 8 units (24 credit points), and you’ll receive a Graduate Diploma of Applied Mental Health
Applied Mental Health
Graduate Certificate
0.7 years part-time accelerated
- Foundations of mental health practice
- Psychology: Allies in Indigenous health and wellbeing
- Digital technologies in mental health care
- Counselling skills for mental health and wellbeing
Applied Mental Health
Graduate Diploma
0.7 years part-time accelerated
- Supporting families for child and youth mental health
- Supporting mental health and wellbeing in older adults
- Disability and inclusive practice
- Mental health and wellbeing in the workplace
Applied Mental Health
Master
0.7 years part-time accelerated
- Addiction and recovery
- Family violence practice foundations
- Suicide prevention and support
- Capstone project
Structure
The course is structured in three parts:
- Part A. Foundation studies
- Part B. Priority populations
- Part C. Priority areas
Need further clarification about our online course structure?
You can submit an enquiry directly to our student consultants by using the form listed on our contact us page. You’ll have the opportunity to schedule a call if you’d like to receive further information.
Foundation studies
These studies introduce you to the foundations of supporting mental health and wellbeing. They are designed to extend your existing understanding or experience and apply it specifically to mental health and wellbeing practice.
You must complete the following units:
Foundations of mental health practice
Psychology: Allies in Indigenous health and wellbeing
Digital technologies in mental health care
Counselling skills for mental health and wellbeing
Priority populations
These studies apply your foundational understanding to focus on key population groups identified as a priority for mental health and wellbeing.
You must complete the following units:
Supporting families for child and youth mental health
Supporting mental health and wellbeing in older adults
Disability and inclusive practice
Mental health and wellbeing in the workplace
Priority areas
These studies apply your foundational understanding to focus on key priority areas identified as impactful to mental health and wellbeing.
You must complete the following units:
Addiction and recovery
Family violence practice foundations
Suicide prevention and support
Capstone project
Entry Requirements
There are two entry pathways into the Master of Applied Mental Health.
English requirements
Applicants must meet the English language requirements.
Eligible entrance via Graduate Certificate
Commence your studies via the Graduate Certificate of Applied Mental Health, a post-graduate qualification that can lead you to further studies in the Master of Applied Mental Health.
Entry Level 1 – Masters degree (72 points to complete)
Entry Level 1 – Masters Degree (72 points to complete)
An Australian Bachelors degree (or equivalent) with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60, plus two years relevant work experience in one of the following areas*.
*Relevant work experience in one of the following areas:
- Community development
- Counselling
- Human resources
- Human Services
- Public Health
- Nursing
- Welfare
- Youth Work
OR
An Australian 3 year (AQF7) bachelor degree in a cognate discipline*, or equivalent qualification, with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60.
*Cognate disciplines include:
- Counselling
- Nursing
- Occupational Therapy
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Social Work
- Youth Work
Entry Level 2 – Prior postgraduate study experience (48 points to complete)
A Monash University Graduate Certificate of Applied Mental Health or equivalent with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60,
OR
A Monash University Graduate Diploma of Psychology or equivalent with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60,
OR
A Monash University Graduate Diploma of Psychology (Advanced) or equivalent with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60,
OR
A Monash University bachelors honours degree in Psychology with a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 60.
Fees
For the Master of Applied Mental Health, the estimated cost is $3,525.00 per unit. You may be eligible to receive a FEE-HELP loan to cover part or all of your tuition. Fees are subject to change annually.
Looking for clarification on fees or scholarships?
Enquire with our course consultants and schedule a call to get your questions answered.
Scholarships
We offer over 360 types of scholarships, valued at up to $280,000. Some scholarships offer one-off payments while others continue for the length of your course. Learn more about Monash Scholarships.
Flexible Study
Your Monash Master of Applied Mental Health is designed to accommodate your busy life, with built-in flexibility through six teaching periods each year.
You’ll complete your world-renown qualification in a dynamic virtual classroom and access course material when and where it suits you, taking advantage of a dedicated support network available extended hours, 7 days a week.
Study flexibly online
Undertake the same qualification as on-campus student, but 100% online. You’ll gain the skills required by the digital workforce and study in a way that suits your lifestyle.
Support before, during and after your studies
When you study online with Monash, you’ll experience the same level of flexible support as your degree offers. Course consultants can answer your questions about online study and guide you through your course selection and enrolment. Student advisers are available 7 days a week to assist with everything from enrolment queries to academic and study skills, with subject matters experts in each of your units to help you through unit content and assessments.
Learn from the change makers
The Master of Applied Mental Health is a collaboration of Monash’s cutting-edge research and academic expertise. Guided by expert teaching staff employed as mental health clinicians, you will be guided to build, develop and refine skills in responding to mental health challenges.
The Monash online experience delivers a streamlined six-week teaching period, one of few such courses in Australia. It gives you the opportunity to engage in the learning material and study anywhere in Australia, whether you are inner-city, rural or remote.
Dr. Kim Johnston
Course Convener
Master of Applied Mental Health
Kim Johnston is implementing a collaborative approach to mental health education, so graduates can deliver better wellbeing support.
Utilising her applied and interdisciplinary knowledge in mental health, she’s delivering her learnings to students in Monash’s online mental health courses.
Meet your academic team
Dr Kim Johnston
Dr Kim Johnston holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is the Course Coordinator of the Monash Online Applied Mental Health programs. She has a practice background in community mental health, specialising in youth mental health, family therapy, and substance addiction. She is passionate about transforming lives and communities through accessible, inclusive, and collaborative education about mental health and wellbeing.
Maya Luna
Maya is a Registered Psychologist with several years clinical experience in counselling, psychometric assessments and crisis interventions. Maya is a proud Wiradjuri country woman, and lives, works and plays on Gadigal land which is part of the Eora nation in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Maya has a wealth of experience working in the telehealth field, and currently works for Australia’s National Domestic Violence, Family Violence and Sexual Assault support line.
Jacob Thomas
Jacob Thomas (they/them) is an internationally recognised human rights advocate, specialising in LGBTIQA+ youth. At Monash University they have taught across Global Studies, Psychology, Counselling, and Public Health. Their research is broadly in the areas of queer health with a particular focus on trans and gender diverse youth, and building queer mental health interventions. Jacob is particularly passionate about queering curricula and ensuring future mental health practitioners are equipped with the necessary skills to work with LGBTIQA+ people.

I have enjoyed interacting, learning and engaging with like-minded people the most. These interactions have given me motivation and inspiration to keep going and quench my thirst for further knowledge as well as advance my professional career.
Angela Weerasekera
Health Graduate

Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between applied mental health and psychology?
Psychologists work directly with people to focus on their behaviour and how they think and feel. They provide treatment and counselling that can help alleviate distress and mental health issues. To practice as a psychologist, you must undertake extensive study in a university psychology degree – around six years for undergraduate and postgraduate study. You also need to complete supervised experience to meet the Australian Psychological Accreditation Council (APAC) requirements.
Mental health practitioners don’t require accreditation or need to complete a specific degree. There are a range of courses you can undertake to get started working in a role related to mental health or wellbeing. Since you aren’t limited to a particular industry or role, the areas you can work in as a mental health practitioner are quite diverse.
What's the demand for mental health practitioners in Australia?
Do mental health professionals like counsellors need accreditation?
Industry insights
With a Master in Mental Health and Wellbeing, you will be well-placed to take your next step into pursuing careers and opportunities in mental health through applying your skills to further mental health awareness in your current role or as a:
- Mental Health Program/Service Manager
- Clinical Coordinator
- Policy Advisor or Analyst
- Project Coordinator
- Wellbeing/Health and Safety Manager.

4.3 out of 5
Mental health support workers rate their job satisfaction as extremely high.

23.2% job growth is expected for health managers over the next five years.

$120,000 is the most common salary for a health manager in Victoria.
Studying online, the Monash way
Courses designed for online
Gain a world-class education, delivered through a dynamic virtual classroom and taught by leading academics.
Support seven days a week
You’ll have ongoing access to dedicated support services that have been specifically designed for your discipline.
Equipped for career success
You’ll graduate as an in-demand employee, ready to take the next step in your career.
Download a course guide
Fill in your details to download an interactive course guide containing:
- course information
- career pathways
- how online study works
- course fees
- how to apply
Monash Online is a partnership between Monash University and Online Education Services (OES). Learn more.