Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science (Level 8)

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science is a 120 credit programme (one year full-time or up to four years part-time) that provides the opportunity for qualified nurses, health professionals and health service managers to develop advanced practice knowledge and critical analysis skills.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science is characterised by advanced study in a specific nursing or health science discipline.

The programme requires a foundation of undergraduate knowledge and skills achieved through previous tertiary qualifications or equivalent professional experience.

International students have the option of undertaking this programme at the Auckland Campus. For more information about the Auckland Campus offering, please download the information sheet here.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science offers two pathways, one for nurses and one for interdisciplinary health professionals. The diploma offers a selection of online and blended courses designed to meet the needs of health practitioners and other professionals whose practice has a focus on health. The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science may be completed with or without a specialty option.

Nursing specialty endorsement options available are:

• Advanced Nursing Practice
• Registered Nurse Prescribing (approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand)

As a graduate of the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science you will have developed your knowledge and skills of critical analysis, constructive synthesis and their application to health care delivery.

Graduates of this programme may be able to credit these courses to the Master of Health Science programme. Registered nurse graduates may progress to the Master of Nursing Science or Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) programme (pending successfully achieving the specified academic and professional practice criteria).

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science (Registered Nurse Prescribing) is approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand as an advanced nursing practice programme.

The courses required for the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science (Registered Nurse Prescribing) in the recommended order are:

• MN8.402 Advanced Pathophysiology for Health Professionals
• MN8.409 Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Nursing/Midwifery Practice
• MN8.401 Advanced Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
• MN8.424 Registered Nurse Prescribing Practicum

You will also need a minimum of a B average in the prerequisite courses to enrol into the RN Prescribing Practicum, and a minimum of three years’ experience in the clinical area that you will be prescribing in (a requirement of Nursing Council). We recommend that you take the opportunity to discuss your study options with the Postgraduate Programmes Coordinator, prior to enrolment. This will help ensure that you select the most appropriate pathway to meet your career goals.

For nurses contact:

Jamie Hanley (Nursing) on 06 830 1111 or email [email protected]

For non-nurses contact:

Associate Professor Anita Jagroop-Dearing (Health Science) on 06 830 1535 or email [email protected]

Our postgraduate courses are offered either online or with blended delivery. This means that the majority of the work is located on a virtual teaching and learning platform with directed activities and learning that you work through. Lecturers work within the virtual classroom setting so that they maintain contact with you.

Blended delivery means that there are contact sessions or workshops with the bulk of the learning activity undertaken in the online environment.

Various teaching modes are used, such as virtual classroom discussions at predetermined times, and also in the asynchronous format.

This flexible delivery method allows you to study at your pace, in your place, at locations throughout New Zealand.

Workload

Generally the courses are delivered online. However, some courses may require attendance at online sessions or face-to-face workshops. Any requirement for attendance at face-to-face sessions is identified in the course information.

Please click here to refer to the programme timetable, showing full year and semester dates, and compulsory study days or contact Stacey Wong, the Postgraduate Programmes Administrator on 06 830 1507 or [email protected]

Each credit for the course represents 10 hours of learning/study time over the period of the course.

Each course consists of online learning opportunities and in some cases clinical field work and workshops. You are expected to spend time in independent/self-directed study, critical reflection, and field work in your place of study or place of work.

Work-integrated Learning

Some courses will require you to be actively involved in clinical practice.

Pending successful completion of the required academic entry requirements you may have the following further study options:

• Health Science graduates may pathway to the Master of Health Science.
• Registered Nurse graduates may credit their courses to the Master of Nursing Science programme or the Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner Pathway) programme.

Possible career outcomes include a role in:

• Advanced nursing
• Allied health
• Research
• Project management

Academic Learning Services is here to assist you on your journey towards the successful completion of your studies at EIT. Our aim is for you to become confident, competent and independent learners.

We have dedicated advisors who can assist with your learning.

Find out more:

Hawke’s Bay Campus

Tairāwhiti Campus

Auckland Campus

Academic Entry Requirements

The requirement for entry is an undergraduate degree in a health science/ health discipline with a B average or better.

Where an applicant does not hold an undergraduate degree in health science, submissions with supporting professional evidence may be considered.

English Language Entry Requirements

All applicants must demonstrate an acceptable level of English Language fluency prior to acceptance in the programme. English Language fluency can be verified by achievement of one of the following within the last two years:

• New Zealand Certificate in English Language Level 5 (Academic)
• IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6.0
• PTE (Academic) score of 58 with no band score lower than 50
• International equivalents to IELTS accepted by NZQA or successful study of a programme in which English was the language of instruction (conditions apply)