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
  • 2026 Direct material costs is $1,328.00 (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

Orientation - Semester 1 and Semester 2 

Orientation information for postgraduate study will be provided online via Blackboard. Students are encouraged to access this material to support their transition into postgraduate learning.

Semester 1 – 2026 PG 

Closing date for applications: 30th January 2026

801 Advanced Assessment (Onsite/Online) 

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

This paper will be capped due to the practical element of the course.

  • Thursday 19th February 2026 (Onsite)
  • Wednesday 4th March 2026 (Onsite)
  • Wednesday 18th March 2026 (Onsite)
  • Wednesday 1st April 2026 (Onsite)
  • Wednesday 15th April 2026 (Online)
  • Wednesday 29th April 2026 (Onsite)
  • Tuesday 2nd June 2026 (Onsite for assessments)
  • Wednesday 3rd June 2026 (Onsite for assessments)

802 Advanced Pathophysiology (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 26th February 2026
  • Thursday 19th March 2026
  • Thursday 16th April 2026
  • Thursday 21st May 2026
  • Presentations held on Thursday 18th June and Friday 19th June 2026.

816 – Long-term Conditions (Online) 

This paper extends the knowledge and skills of New Zealand–registered health professionals by applying evidence-based practice to support expert management of care for health consumers living with common long-term conditions across a range of healthcare settings.

This paper is delivered primarily online, with scheduled study days, periodic tutorials, and self-guided learning modules released throughout the semester. These components are designed to support flexible, accessible postgraduate study.
Study days will be recorded where possible to support students who cannot attend live.

Students will also have access to periodic drop-in sessions for additional academic and assessment support.

Note: A HyFlex delivery model—allowing students to choose either in-person or online participation—may be introduced for this paper in 2026, offering greater flexibility for engagement in study days and tutorials.

2026 Study Day Schedule

Full Study Days (Online):

  • Wednesday 18 February 2026
  • Wednesday 11 March 2026
  • Wednesday 1 April 2026
  • Wednesday 29 April 2026 – Poster Presentations (mandatory)
  • Wednesday 6 May 2026

Assessment Dates

  • Poster Presentation: Wednesday 29 April 2026
  • Essay Due: Wednesday 27 May 2026

Semester 2 - 2026

Closing date for applications: 26th June 2026

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

This paper provides New Zealand–registered health professionals with advanced knowledge of acute, subacute, and chronic pain, including comprehensive pain assessment and a range of therapeutic management approaches relevant to New Zealand’s healthcare setting.

This paper is delivered primarily online, with scheduled study days, periodic tutorials, and self-guided learning modules released throughout the semester. These components are designed to support flexible, accessible postgraduate study.

Study days will be recorded where possible to support students who cannot attend live.

Students will also have access to periodic drop-in sessions for additional academic and assessment support.

Note: A HyFlex delivery model—allowing students to choose either in-person or online participation—may be introduced for this paper in 2026, offering greater flexibility for engagement in study days and tutorials.

2026 Study Day Schedule

Full Study Days (Online):

  • Wednesday 22 July 2026
  • Wednesday 23 July 2026
  • Wednesday 12 August 2026
  • Wednesday 2 September 2026
  • Wednesday 30 September 2026

Assessment Dates

  • Case Study: Wednesday 23 September 2026
  • Online Exams: Wednesday 28 October to Monday 2 November 2026

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 (Onsite/Online)

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.

  • Wednesday 22nd July 2026 (Online, compulsory)
  • Wednesday 12th August (Online)
  • Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th September (Onsite)
  • Wednesday 30th September (Online)
  • Wednesday 28th October (Online)

821 – Research Paradigms for Nursing Science (Online)

The aim of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for scholarly research at a postgraduate level, covering a range of paradigms, approaches and techniques, with particular emphasis on the New Zealand cultural and socio- political context. This is a pre requisite to entry into the Masters of Nursing Science.

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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