Study Options

Online, Full-time, Part-time

Length

2 years part-time

Level

Level 8

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Advance your nursing or health science career

The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science offers a selection of courses designed to meet the needs of nurses, health practitioners, health sector managers and other professionals whose practice has a focus on health. The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science may be completed with or without a specialty option.

The programme is characterised by advanced study in a specific nursing or health science discipline, requiring a foundation of undergraduate knowledge and skills achieved through previous tertiary qualifications or equivalent professional experience.

Upon graduating with the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science students will have developed their knowledge and skills of critical analysis and constructive synthesis and their application to high quality approaches to health care delivery.

Outline

The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science offers a selection of online and blended delivery courses designed to meet the needs of nurses, health practitioners, health sector managers and other professionals whose practice has a focus on health. It is comprised of 60 credits, which is considered to be equivalent to six months full-time study or up to two years part-time study.

As a graduate of the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science you may be able to credit these courses to the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science or the Master of Health Science (pending successfully achieving the specified academic entry criteria). In addition, registered nurse graduates of the Postgraduate Certificate may choose to progress into the Master of Nursing Science or Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) programme (pending successfully achieving the specified academic and practice entry criteria).

The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science is an interdisciplinary programme.

2025 Course Options

  • Advanced clinical assessment and diagnostic reasoning
  • Advanced pathophysiology for health professionals
  • Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced nursing/midwifery practice
  • Advanced practice to support elder health
  • Research paradigms for nursing science
  • Infectious and communicable diseases
  • Health promotion
  • Global health
  • Health in Aotearoa New Zealand

We highly recommend that you take the opportunity to discuss your study options with the Postgraduate Programmes Coordinator, prior to enrolment, to 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 jhanley@eit.ac.nz

For non-nurses contact:

Associate Professor Anita Jagroop-Dearing (Health Science) on 06 830 1535 or email ajagroopdearing@eit.ac.nz

Online / Blended Delivery

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.

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 swong@eit.ac.nz

Each credit for the course generally 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.

Career and Study Opportunities

Pending successful completion of the required academic entry requirements, graduates of the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science may progress on to the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science or Master of Health Science.

Graduates who hold a current Nursing Council of New Zealand Annual Practising Certificate may progress to the Master of Nursing Science or Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner Pathway).

Possible career outcomes include a role in:

  • Advanced nursing
  • Allied health
  • Research
  • Project management

Dates

Domestic Enrolments

There are two entry dates per year:

  • February
  • July

Start dates can vary depending on courses selected, however generally 30 credit courses are semesterised and commence in either February or July each year.

 

International Enrolments

Hawke’s Bay Campus:

  • February
  • July

Auckland Campus and Online:

  • February
  • April
  • July
  • October

Entry

Entry Requirements

English Language Entry Requirements

Entry with Credit

International Entry Requirements

Academic Learning Services

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

Scholarships

EIT offers a variety of scholarships across various subjects and programme levels.  Some scholarships are based on your age, some are specific to the subject you want to study.  Not all scholarships are based on your academic ability and anyone wanting to study should investigate what scholarships are available to them.  

You can find a list of EIT scholarships here however there are many more scholarships offered nationally.  Information about these is on an database called “givME”. givME is accessible at EIT or at some public libraries. If you would like to come to EIT to look through the giveME database don’t hesitate to contact scholarships@eit.ac.nz or call in for a chat.