Master of Nursing Science

Graduates of the programme will be equipped with expanded nursing knowledge, refined skills for evidence-based practice, enhanced clinical judgment and research skills, which will enable them to deliver advanced nursing practice and leadership. 

Entry to the Master of Nursing Science programme may be limited by the number of places available.

The academic entry requirement for the Master of Nursing Science is one of the following:

• an NZQF-listed Bachelors’ or higher degree (or equivalent) in nursing with a minimum of the equivalent to a ‘B’ average as per the SIT-specified 11-point achievement-based grading system, and New Zealand Nursing Registration. It is expected that applicants will be in current clinical practice.
• At the Head of School or Programme Manager’s discretion, where an applicant’s situation is compelling but not covered by the requirements listed above

Language Requirements

Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following: 

NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or

An International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A¬ level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English, or

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL), or

Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school Years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school Years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or

Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school Years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction, or

Successful completion of a Bachelors’ Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or

Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment:

IELTS test - Academic score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6

TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) - Score of 79 (with a writing score of 21)

Cambridge English Qualifications - C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176.  No less than 169 in each skill

OET - Minimum of Grade C+ or 300 in all sub-tests

NZCEL - a) Expiring - Level 5 (Academic) or (Professional), b) Current - Level 5

Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PTE (Academic) score of 58 with no band score lower than 50

LanguageCert - C1 Expert IESOL Written (LRW) HIGH PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS or C2 Mastery IESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS

Trinity ISE – ISE III with no less than pass in any band

Normally, the maximum period allowed for completion of the Master of Nursing Science is six years. Normally, a student will be required to pass no less than 60 credits in two years.

Notwithstanding the above statement, a student may apply for approval of the Teaching and Learning Board of Studies for a variation to the time limits for completion.

Please note: Students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit zero fees entitlement.