Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care

Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care

Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care

The Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is a post-registration programme designed for New Zealand registered health professionals aiming to enhance their clinical practice. It offers a variety of papers focusing on advanced care, pathophysiology, pharmacology, pain management, and community practice. This postgraduate diploma/certificate can be credited towards Master's programmes across New Zealand.

Important:

For students considering Masters study there are options available to you - please contact the nursing post graduate programme manager Karyn Madden who will be able to assist and guide you through this process.

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Key Details
Invercargill
Qualification:
Postgraduate Diploma
Level:
8
Credits:
120
Duration:

Two years full-time

Up to four years part-time

Blended Delivery

Study Modes:
On Campus
Dates:

2026 Semester 1: 17 February to 26 June

2026 Semester 2: 15 July to 20 November
Fees:

This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.

  • NO tuition fees
  • 2024 Direct material costs is $1,225.60 (GST inclusive)
  • 2025 Direct material costs is $1,313.00 (GST inclusive)

International Fees can be found here.

 

NZ$4,500.00 (International Students)

The Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is aimed towards registered nurses and New Zealand registered health professionals who wish to develop advancing practice skills. A range of papers are offered with a focus on high acuity care, community practice and the interfaces between hospital and home.

You, as a health professional, will be able to develop skills of research, critical analysis, constructive synthesis and advanced practice in your discipline.

Graduates will be able to develop innovative, effective, efficient and high-quality approaches to health care delivery, within the defined scope of practice. Each paper offered in the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is equivalent to 30 credits at NZQA Level 8.

This programme delivered through Blended Delivery.

Applicants should have either a degree in a nursing or health related subject or proven evidence of Level 7 study.

2026

Semester 1 – 2026

801 Advanced Assessment (Onsite/Online) Dates TBC

This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to develop, conduct and critically reflect on health assessment and diagnostic reasoning in the clinical setting.

802 Advanced Pathophysiology (Online) Dates TBC

This paper explores the pathophysiological basis of complex disease processes in long-term and common conditions. This paper assumes existing knowledge of normal anatomy and physiology and engenders critical understanding of altered, complex health states

816 – Long term Conditions (Online) TBC

This paper advances the New Zealand registered health professionals’ knowledge, utilising evidence-based practice, to provide expert levels of management of care, to health consumers with common long-term conditions across settings

Semester 2 - 2026

818 – Pain, Pain Assessment and Pain Management for Health Professional (Online) Dates TBC

This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to develop an enhanced knowledge of acute, subacute, and chronic pain, including pain assessment and the different therapeutic pain management interventions within the New Zealand context

809 – Advanced Pharmacology (Online) Dates TBC

This paper promotes the advancement of ethically robust and socio-culturally aligned pharmacological knowledge to health professionals engaged with health consumers in a variety of clinical environments

813 – Clinical Mentoring and Preceptorship (Online) Dates TBC

This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to critically examine and evaluate the theories of teaching and learning and critique their application in relation to their clinical practice.

 

2025

PG Orientation Semester 1

12th Feb (online)

PG Orientation Semester 2

17th July (Online)

Semester 1 - 2025

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 6th December 2024

HS801 Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning and Health Assessment for Health Professionals. (Combination of online/onsite)

This paper enables registered nurses/registered health professionals to develop, conduct and critically reflect on advanced health assessment and diagnostic reasoning in the individual’s clinical setting.

  • 19th February (on-site)
  • 5th March (on-site)
  • 19th March (on-site)
  • 3rd April (on-line)
  • 16th April (on-site)
  • 30th April (on-site)
  • 4th June (on-site assessments) 
  • 5th June (on-site assessments)

This course will be capped due to the practical element of this course

HS802 Pathophysiology for Health Professionals. (Online) 

This paper explores the pathophysiological basis of complex disease processes in long-term and common conditions. This paper assumes existing knowledge of normal anatomy and physiology and engenders critical understanding of altered, complex health states.

All online

  • Thursday 20th Feb
  • Thursday 13th March
  • Thursday 3rd April
  • Thursday 15th May

Presentations held on Thursday 5th June and Friday 6th June.

HS820 Health Services Management

This paper provides an opportunity for New Zealand registered health professionals to acquire knowledge and skills applied by managers and leaders in health services to ensure the achievement of improved patient outcomes.

Study days (all online) – tutorials offered periodically through the semester with regular modules released for students to work through

HS 816  Advanced Practice to Support Long Term Conditions

This paper advances the New Zealand registered health professionals knowledge, utilising evidence based practice, to provide expert levels of management of care, to health consumers with common long term conditions across the setting

Study days (all online) – tutorials offered periodically through the semester with regular modules released for students to work through

Semester 2 - 2025

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 20th June 2025

HS809 Applied Pharmacology for Health Professionals. (Online)

This paper promotes the advancement of ethically robust and socio-culturally aligned pharmacological knowledge to health professionals engaged with health consumers in a variety of clinical environments.

Study days. All online:

  • Thursday 17th July
  • Tuesday 29th July
  • Tuesday 12th August
  • Tuesday 11th September
  • Thursday 16th October
  • Thursday 23th October
  • Thursday 30th October 
  • Thursday 20th November

HS818 Pain, Pain Assessment and Pain Management for Health Professionals. (Online)

This paper enables New Zealand registered health professionals to develop an enhanced knowledge of acute, subacute and chronic pain, including pain assessment and the different therapeutic pain management interventions within the New Zealand context.

Study days (all online)

  • Wednesday 23rd July 
  • Thursday 24th July
  • Wednesday 13th August 
  • Wednesday 3rd September
  • Wednesday 1st October

HS823 Health in Aotearoa New Zealand. (Online)

This course aims to allow students to explore the implications of Te Tiriti o Waitangi for healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as cultural and socioeconomic influences.

Study days (all online) – tutorials offered periodically through the semester with regular modules released for students to work through

21 July start (online compulsory)

Report and presentation 1 September (Online compulsory day)

Study days. All online

  • the compulsory dates are Friday 18 July 13.00hrs (1.5 hours) for introduction to the course, and Monday 1 September all day (depending on student numbers) for the assessment presentation. There will also be weekly tutorials, which will be recorded, for you to attend on a Monday, or watch at a later time that suits.

HS 815 Advancing Clinical Emergency Care (onsite)

This paper refines advancing practice, by enhancing NZ Registered health professionals skills and expertise in assessment, diagnostic processes, interventions, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics using evidence-based practice in emergency clinical settings

Block 1: 23rd and 24th July

Block 2: 20th and 21st of August

Block 3: 24th and 25th of September

Block 4: 22nd and 23rd of October

This course will be capped due to the practical element of this course

Graduates of this programme will articulate their scope of practice and its advancement, show expert practice working collaboratively across settings and within interdisciplinary environments, show effective leadership and consultancy, develop and influence health and socioeconomic policies and practice at a local and national level, and show scholarly research inquiry into professional practice.

Qualifications gained in the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care would be expected to focus on Advancing Clinical Practice with the graduate practising more effectively as an Advancing Practitioner, who will influence/improve the health outcomes for the population base they are involved in the care of.

Application by Academic Qualification

An undergraduate degree in a health profession discipline and with New Zealand registration in their health care discipline. It is expected that applicants will be in current clinical practice. 0.4 full time equivalent positions is the expected minimum. However, applicants who are unable to meet this will be assessed by the postgraduate programme manager to ensure they have appropriate clinical placements. Where an applicant does not hold an undergraduate degree in a health professional discipline, evidence of extensive professional practice and scholarly achievement to the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree is to be presented in a curriculum vitae accompanied by a statement about advanced practice and postgraduate goals for the future.

Additional Criteria

A minimum of one-year full time post registration experience and so thus one year in practice at the discretion of the programme manager is required.

All applicants must be New Zealand Registered Health Professionals.

To be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care at SIT, the student will have been credited with four papers of choice as specified in the structure of the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care. The total credit value of the Postgraduate Diploma in the Art and Science of Health Care is 120 credits.

Please note that students failing to attend for 80% of the timetabled programme hours, may forfeit Zero Fee entitlement.

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