Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing – PGDipNurs

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

• Massey University entry requirements

Specific requirements

To enter the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing you will:

• have been awarded or qualified for a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification, and
• have New Zealand Nursing Council registration or equivalent.

Evidence required

You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken (completed and not completed) at all universities other than Massey University.

The New Zealand Nursing Council requires that if your qualification is from an overseas institution (other than Australia) you will need to have it authenticated and assessed by NZQA before credit can be awarded.

Please note; any misrepresentations or omissions provided during the application process may result in offers/enrolment being rescinded/terminated. This includes your academic record – including all qualifications started but not finished – CV, work history and reference details.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey's English language competency requirements.

Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit

Where your qualification is completed within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with Distinction or Merit. 

• Look for information under ‘Student Progression’ in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
• Contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Prior learning, credit and exemptions

If you have a Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing from Massey, or its equivalent from another tertiary institution, you may apply to cross-credit up to 60 eligible credits to the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing.

Conditions for cross crediting are published in Recognition and Prior Learning Regulations on the Massey University Website. Cross crediting courses will reduce the time required to complete the qualification.  Send your academic transcripts and a current CV to [email protected] to discuss your options. 

• review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
• contact us through the Get advice button on this page.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Registered Nurse Prescribing training

Registered Nurse Prescribing training is an option within the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. There are 4 compulsory courses, and some additional academic, clinical, and practicum entry criteria to gain entry to the course 168750 Registered Nurse Prescribing Practicum. If the required courses were completed more than 5 years ago or the required grades were not achieved, please send your transcript and CV to nursing @massey.ac.nz to discuss your options.

The 4 compulsory courses are:

• 168733 Physiology and Pathophysiology AND
• 168734 Clinical Pharmacology AND

One of:

• 168728 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making (must have attained a B grade or higher) OR
• 168714 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making in Mental Health* (must have attained a B grade or higher)

AND

• 168750 Registered Nurse Prescribing Practicum
  • The Professional/Clinical Experience, and Practicum entry requirements are likely to change for 2027 applicants. Please review the following sources for up-to-date details:
  • The information on the Registered nurse prescribing in primary health and specialty teams section of the Nursing Council of New Zealand website AND
  • Our Registered Nurse with Prescribing Authority information.
  • 168750 course webpage.
• 168750 may also be completed as a Certificate of Proficiency if you have already been an awarded an eligible and equivalent Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing or Master’s qualification.

2026 Professional/Clinical Experience Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be a Registered Nurse (enrolled nurses are not eligible) with a current practising certificate from the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
• Have completed a minimum of 2.5 years of relevant/eligible clinical experience (full-time equivalence) prior to enrolling in 168750. Relevant/eligible experience includes:
  • A clinical/patient-facing role
  • Completed in a setting relevant to the intended Registered Nurse Prescribing role/setting
  • Ideally, a senior nurse role (eg clinical nurse specialist) OR a role that includes taking a full history, undertaking a clinical examination, requesting and interpreting investigation results, considering diagnostic differentials, and planning care, treatment/follow up/referrals.
  • Note: At least 1 year must have been in New Zealand or a similar healthcare context.
• Intend to practice as Registered Nurse Prescriber (Registered Nurse with Prescribing Authority) in a role and setting that is congruent with the scope of practice and limitations AND is within a collaborative team, which includes access to an medical or nurse practitioner to provide clinical oversight as well as ongoing mentorship and support for prescribing practice.

2026 Programme/Practicum Requirements

The employer must agree to:

• Provide and support a practicum placement. This includes clinical release to complete:
  • 150 supernumerary hours of supervised clinical practice. This includes working towards managing entire encounters; from assessment, examination, formulating a targeted diagnostic testing plan, sifting differential diagnoses, diagnostic reasoning, planning/prescribing/directing treatment, referral to other services, monitoring and evaluating response.
  • Support mandatory attendance for 4 study/block days, (1 block of 2 days is held on-campus and the second block of 2 days is hosted online) in additional to practicum hours.
• Provide a named Clinical Supervisor (senior medical or nurse practitioner) to provide informal (clinical oversight) and formal (case reviews/teaching) supervision as well as to review submitted assignments, participate in a 1-hour oral examination and to validate completion of the Registered Nurse Prescribing competencies.
• Provide access to a medical or nurse practitioner during supervised clinical practice, at all times (can be delegated to other senior medical or nurse practitioners).
• Ensure practicum student is able to access pertinent clinical resources and are able to request investigations/diagnostic tests (sign-off should be double checked).
• Ensure practicum student has access to read and write in clinical record (alongside medical notes).

Employers should note that the Nursing Council of New Zealand also require assurances that appropriate clinical governance is in place to support Registered Nurse Prescribing roles (to accompany the RN’s application (to NCNZ) for prescribing authority).

Registered Nurse Prescribing Roles

Registered Nurse Prescribing roles increase access to prescribers across a variety of general and specialty health services.  Registered Nurse Prescribers prescribe from a limited medicines list and work within a collaborative prescribing model. This means that they work alongside medical or nurse practitioners within a collaborative team. Registered Nurse Prescribers are NOT authorised to diagnose and prescribe independently and must have access to a medical or nurse practitioner, at all times, to support decision making and/or there are clear escalation plans in place to maintain patient safety.

This role is suited to:

• The management of long-term/chronic health conditions and some specialty conditions (subject to suitability of patient acuity/complexity, model of supervision and limited medicines list).
• Providing contraceptive services
• Diagnosing and managing new presentations if:
  • The new diagnosis is common, minor and/or an expected sequalae of an existing chronic condition OR
  • There is a single test to confirm the diagnosis (for instance POCT for UTI, plain film for limb fractures, swab for sexually transmitted infections or skin infections) OR
  • The risk associated with treating without a definitive diagnosis is low AND appropriate safety netting has been provided.

AND

• The prescribing nurse has adequate knowledge of the condition and its pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria and treatment AND
• Patient acuity does NOT require an immediate review by a medical or nurse practitioner AND
• The patient has no underlying complexity that would necessitate a nuanced diagnostic or treatment plan (ie they need to be reviewed by and/or discussed with a medical or nurse practitioner).

AND

• If the medical or nurse practitioner is not on-site, there must be clear escalation plans in place to ensure patients CAN be reviewed by or referred to a medical or nurse practitioner in an appropriate timeframe.

Maximum time limits for completion

There are maximum time limits to complete postgraduate qualifications.  If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the qualification if you wish to continue your studies.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

*This course is not available to international students.