Master of Nursing – MN

Massey’s Master of Nursing prepares you for a range of clinical leadership roles in specialty areas. Develop your advanced knowledge and skills in your chosen field through a mix of theoretical and clinical courses.

Type of qualification

Master's degree

Level of study

Postgraduate study

Once you’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree – or have equal experience – you can study at the postgraduate level. Doctoral qualifications require additional entry requirements.

More about study levels

NZQF level 9

Our courses follow the New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) levels.

Find out more about NZQF levels

Time to complete

2 years full-time (240 credits)
Up to 6 years part-time
Part-time available

Where you can study

Distance and online

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Not open to international students

Study a Master of Nursing – MN

Most students undertaking postgraduate study in nursing are in full-time practice and study part-time.

Several postgraduate nursing courses are delivered via distance learning or ‘block mode’. There is also web-based teaching, relevant readings and other study material. This is designed to make the courses available to students in employment and located at a distance from the university. 

Develop your practice

Students like you initially enrol in the postgraduate certificate to develop clinical knowledge and skills. You then study towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. Or, you can progress to a Master of Nursing as preparation for advanced practice roles and/or Nurse Practitioner registration.

Learn from the best in your field

You’ll learn from academics and professional clinicians who are highly experienced registered nurses. Their expertise in practice and research drives the development of relevant, up-to-date course content, teaching and assessment of your work.

You’ll be supported all the way

Along with contact with your lecturers, learning consultants in the Centre for Teaching and Learning are available to support your study and academic writing skills. Massey libraries have a subject librarian who supports you on campus or if you are studying via distance.

Find out more about nursing at Massey

See the Study nursing page for more information.

Nurse practitioner pathway

The Nurse Practitioner pathway is embedded in the Master of Nursing (MN) qualification. See the ‘Final Year pathway for Nurse Practitioner ’ information under the ‘Entry requirements’ accordion for more information.

A MN is a good fit if you:

  • want to take your registered nurse career to the next level
  • seek to develop your professional practice
  • strive to make a major contribution to people’s health and wellbeing.

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

To enter the Master of Nursing you will have been awarded or qualified for a:

  • bachelor's degree with a minimum grade average of B over the 300 level courses, or
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing or equivalent, with a minimum B grade average, or
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing or equivalent, with a minimum B grade average.

You will also:

  • be a registered nurse (enrolled nurses are not eligible) with a practising certificate from the Nursing Council of New Zealand
  • have completed at least two years of professional experience in a relevant nursing specialty within the previous five years.

You will provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.

If you have been awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing or Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing from Massey University, you may apply for credit towards Part One of the qualification.

The New Zealand Nursing Council requires that if your qualification is from an overseas institution (other than Australia) you will need to have it authenticated and assessed by NZQA before credit can be awarded.

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit

Where your qualification is completed within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with a class of Honours, Distinction or Merit. 

Prior learning, credit and exemptions

For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Meeting requirements for industry membership

Master of Nursing (MN) Final Year pathway for Nurse Practitioner (NP) training

  • The final year NP pathway is embedded in the Master of Nursing (MN) programme already approved by Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP) and the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ)
  • The entry point to the final step of the pathway is a relevant postgraduate diploma (see entry criteria) and the completion point is a Master of Nursing (MN)
  • Nurses entering into the final NP MN year will have completed at least a postgraduate diploma that includes the Nursing Council pre-requisite courses of; advanced assessment and clinical decision making, clinical pharmacology and pathophysiology. Please see the following information from the Nursing Council.

To enrol in the Massey University Final Year Nurse Practitioner (FYNP)

  • evidence of a clinical nursing postgraduate diploma qualification with B average or higher
  • written confirmation from employer indicating support for you to enrol in the NP final year programme, release for clinical supervision time
  • a written agreement from a prescribing health professional such as a nurse practitioner or medical provider to provide one to one clinical supervision
  • a named nurse practitioner mentor.

Nurses on the NP pathway must have already completed the following postgraduate courses:

  • 168728 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making or 168714 Advanced Assessment and Therapeutic Intervention in Mental Health
  • 168733 Physiology and Pathophysiology
  • 168734 Clinical Pharmacology
  • 168713 Evidence-Based Practice (or variation) or 168711 Health Research Design and Method, and
  • a further two elective courses.

The final step is the Master of Nursing course:

  • 168860 Prescribing and Advanced Practice for Nurse Practitioners (300 hours clinical practicum component) - 60 credits

After you have finished the masters degree you must apply to the Nursing Council, pay the fee and submit all portfolios, etc before you can become a Nurse Practitioner.

Contact us

For more information on the nurse practitioner programme contact us through the ‘Get advice’ button on this page.

Maximum time limits for completion

There are maximum time limits to complete postgraduate qualifications.  If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the qualification if you wish to continue your studies.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Structure of the Master of Nursing

The Master of Nursing is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second. Read the regulations for this programme to find out more.

For progression from Part One to Part Two, you must achieve a B grade average over the courses in Part One.

You are strongly encouraged to discuss your programme structure with the Master of Nursing Programme Coordinator to ensure that your needs are being fully met.

For information on the Master of Nursing (MN) pathway for Nurse Practitioner (NP) application see ‘Meeting requirements for industry membership’ in the Entry Requirements section.

If you have any questions contact us through the ‘Get advice’ button on this page.

Courses and specialisations

Key terms

Courses
Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
Course code
Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
Credits
Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
Specialisations
Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.

Credit summary

240 credits

  • Part One compulsory courses – 120 credits
  • Part One courses selected from the Schedule – 60 credits
  • Part Two advanced practice or research course – 60 credits

This is a parts-based qualification. This means there are regulations around your completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two, etc.

There are regulations around completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two.

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Part One (180 credits from)

Compulsory courses (Choose 60 credits from)

Choose 60 credits from
Course code: 168733 Physiology and Pathophysiology 30 credits

Translational and clinically relevant physiological and pathophysiological concepts as they apply to nursing practice are examined. Selected signs/symptoms are considered in terms of physiological processes at biochemical, cellular and functional levels. The emphasis is on normal physiological processes and their possible subsequent development to pathophysiological phenomena.

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Course code: 168734 Clinical Pharmacology 30 credits

Pharmacology topics relevant to advanced nursing practice are critically examined. These include pharmaceutics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and a range of pharmacotherapeutic topics.

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Compulsory course selection (Choose 30 credits from)

Choose 30 credits from
Course code: 168714 Advanced Assessment and Therapeutic Intervention in Mental Health 30 credits

Health assessment across the age continuum including physical assessment, assessment of mental status and the selection and application of diagnostic tools for clinical decision-making. A range of therapeutic modalities for working with people in crisis and those living with enduring mental illness is introduced (includes 25 hours lab/practicum).

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Course code: 168728 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making 30 credits

Development of advanced nursing practice knowledge and skills and comprehensive holistic health assessment and clinical decision-making.

View full course details

Compulsory course selection (Choose 30 credits from)

Choose 30 credits from
Course code: 168711 Health Research Design and Method 30 credits

Philosophical, ethical and methodological issues in relation to health research are examined. Selected quantitative and qualitative methods are explored in depth, in preparation for developing a research proposal for a thesis, or research project.

Restrictions: 168810, 168710

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Course code: 168713 Evidence-Based Practice 30 credits

Evidence based practice (EBP) is an approach to problem solving and service provision based on the integration of “best evidence” with expert opinion and client/consumer perspectives. Students will develop EBP skills needed to critically evaluate information available from research findings, professional consensus statements and other sources of information, as well as communicating the results.

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Elective courses (Choose 60 credits from)

Choose 60 credits from
Course code: 152742 Health Systems Management 30 credits

The health care systems of New Zealand and selected nations are compared and critically analysed from a management perspective.

Restrictions: 250742

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Course code: 152746 Contemporary Issues in Health Service Management 30 credits

Issues relevant to the efficient and effective delivery of health services are identified and examined.

Restrictions: 250746

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Course code: 168702 Issues in Nursing 30 credits

Topics relevant to study and/or research into selected aspects of Nursing are investigated.

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Course code: 168703 Managing Long Term Conditions 30 credits

The multidimensional aspects of managing long term conditions within contemporary society, including self-management and models of chronic care, are examined and applied to improve health service delivery, and optimise health and independence.

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Course code: 168709 Contemporary Clinical Teaching 30 credits

An examination of a range of theoretical perspectives and sociopolitical factors underlying approaches to clinical teaching and learning. Alternative approaches to the design and delivery of practice-based education are explored.

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Course code: 168712 Pain Management 30 credits

The multidimensional aspects of pain management including physiological and psychological components are examined. This knowledge is applied to refine nursing interventions in order to manage the pain experienced by people with acute or chronic ill-health conditions and those receiving palliative care.

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Course code: 168714 Advanced Assessment and Therapeutic Intervention in Mental Health 30 credits

Health assessment across the age continuum including physical assessment, assessment of mental status and the selection and application of diagnostic tools for clinical decision-making. A range of therapeutic modalities for working with people in crisis and those living with enduring mental illness is introduced (includes 25 hours lab/practicum).

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Course code: 168717 Applied Ethics for Professional Practice 30 credits

Critique of a range of philosophical approaches and practical ethical decision-making frameworks, focussed on practice application across diverse nursing roles. Particular attention is brought to nurses’ role as moral agents in ‘everyday’ practice. Significant themes include social justice; links between biculturalism, cultural safety and ethics; and the ethical implications of the socio-political context of contemporary healthcare.

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Course code: 168719 Clinical Specialty: Older Persons' Health 30 credits

Selected modules related to providing a health service to older people are offered. The specialist knowledge base and skills for working in a variety of older persons' health settings will be critically examined and their application in particular practice contexts explored.

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Course code: 168720 Clinical Specialty: Mental Health 30 credits

A range of therapeutic modalities including family therapy and cognitive therapy are examined and their application in particular practice contexts explored. Optional modules are offered in selected areas of advanced speciality practice, e.g. youth and adolescent services, alcohol and drug services, Māori or Pacific Island services, and the knowledge base and skills for practice in each setting are examined.

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Course code: 168721 Māori Centred Practice 30 credits

Strategies for the development of a Māori-centred approach to nursing practice will be examined. Partnership frameworks will be developed based on Māori aspirations and strengths with the aim to achieve positive health outcomes for Māori.

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Course code: 168722 Wound Management 30 credits

The multidimensional aspects of wound management including physiological, pathophysiological and psychological components are examined and applied in the clinical practice setting.

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Course code: 168724 Primary Health Care Nursing 30 credits

A critical examination of primary health care nursing practice in the New Zealand context. The course addresses the notion of aligning nursing practice with community need as understood through the lens of the social determinants of health.

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Course code: 168728 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making 30 credits

Development of advanced nursing practice knowledge and skills and comprehensive holistic health assessment and clinical decision-making.

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Course code: 168731 Leadership in Nursing 30 credits

Leadership in professional practice is explored within the broader context of health care. The course critically examines the political, legislative, economic, ethical and cultural issues influencing nursing leadership and the provision of health services within particular scopes of practice.

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Course code: 168736 Critical Care 30 credits

The development of advanced nursing knowledge and practice to safely care for critically ill patients and their family. Students studying this course must be working in a critical care department and must have done so for at least six months prior to enrolment.

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Course code: 168750 Registered Nurse Prescribing Practicum 30 credits

A supervised placement in an approved setting in which assessment, clinical decision-making and prescribing is undertaken in accordance with the Nursing Council of New Zealand competencies for registered nurse prescribing practice.

Prerequisites: 168733 and 168734 (B grade), and either 168728 (B grade) or 168714 (B grade) Restrictions: 168850

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Course code: 168796 Health and Well-being of Children and Young People 30 credits

A course designed to equip nurses with knowledge and skills to address the inequities in health that children and young people face on an individual level, nationally and internationally, and to understand the significance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for future generations.

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Course code: 168802 Advanced Topics in Nursing 30 credits

Critical reviews, complex case studies, advanced study and/or research into selected aspects of Nursing.

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Course code: 251731 Advanced Occupational Health and Safety 30 credits

An examination of current issues in Occupational Safety and Health and issues commonly found in the work environment.

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Course code: 252701 Sleep and Circadian Science for Health Practitioners 30 credits

An examination of sleep and circadian science in relation to health and healthcare, including healthy sleep, sleep disorders and sleep in those with medical conditions.

Restrictions: 252702

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Part Two (60 credits from)

Core courses

Course code: 168860 Prescribing and Advanced Practice for Nurse Practitioners 60 credits

A supervised practicum in an approved setting in which assessment, clinical decision-making and prescribing is undertaken in accordance with the Nursing Council of New Zealand competencies for nurse practitioners.

Prerequisites: 168734 (min B grade) and 168711; AND either 168728 (min B grade) or 168714 (min B grade)

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Course code: 168861 Clinical Project for Nurses 60 credits

The clinical project requires the student to negotiate, plan and implement a project in a clinical setting that meets an identified need related to leading change, quality processes, education or praxis. The project will be guided by an appropriate theoretical perspective and includes a critical review of relevant literature that informs the project purpose and outcomes.

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Course code: 168890 Research Report 60 credits

A supervised and guided independent research project.

Prerequisites: 168810 or 168711 (B) or 168713 Restrictions: 168895

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Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

The Master of Nursing (MN) degree prepares nurses for advanced practice roles. Our graduates work as:

  • nurse practitioners
  • nurse prescribers
  • clinical nurse specialists
  • clinical nurse educators
  • Registered Nurse (RN) prescriber
  • nursing leadership roles such as director of nursing, clinical nurse managers, nurse researchers, nurse advisors.

Nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioners have advanced education, clinical training and the demonstrated competence and legal authority to practice beyond the level of a registered nurse. Nurse practitioners work autonomously and in collaborative teams. They provide a wide range of assessment and treatment interventions, ordering and interpreting diagnostic and laboratory tests, and prescribing medicines.

To become a nurse practitioner you must:

  • be a registered nurse
  • have four years of practice experience in your area of expertise, and
  • complete the Master of Nursing which includes the Prescribing for Nurse Practitioner Practice practicum.

RN prescriber

The prescribing of medicines complements other activities that registered nurses contribute to the clinical management of people with long term and common conditions. As a regulated health practitioner with prescribing authority, you are accountable for the prescribing decisions you make.

To register with Nursing Council as an RN prescriber in primary health and speciality teams you will complete four 30 point courses that are determined by Nursing Council and include; physiology and pathophysiology, assessment and clinical reasoning, clinical pharmacology and a prescribing practicum.

“The Master of Nursing played a crucial part in influencing what I have done so far in my career. The lecturers were supportive and challenged me to think critically and to express my ideas. As a Māori student I was well supported by Massey through Te Rau Puawai – a programme established by Sir Mason Durie.”
Valerie Williams

Rongomaiwahine

Master of Nursing

“The Master of Nursing programme will offer me a tremendous influence on the future of nursing by educating and mentoring junior nurses and student nurses. Being able to play such a vital role in the continuous care of entire global communities is something that most people can only dream of.”
Gian Carlo Talavera

Master of Nursing

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Massey University and am thankful for the many relationships I developed along the way, the wider network of health professionals I engaged with, and the opportunity to be involved with Massey after graduating.”
Siobhan Hennessy

Ngāti Kahungunu

Master of Nursing

Accreditations and rankings

QS Ranking - Nursing

Massey nursing is ranked in the world's top 150 universities by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

Learn more

ShanghaiRanking - nursing

Massey University is ranked in the top 150 universities in the world and first in New Zealand in the subject area of nursing by the ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

Learn more

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