Change to a career in nursing
Massey’s Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) is a vocationally focused programme that is a postgraduate pathway to becoming a registered nurse.
The Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) operates in collaboration with a range of clinical service providers in home, community and hospital settings. It is an integrated programme of:
The Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) is a similar study programme to the Bachelor of Nursing programme. The main difference is that you will already have an undergraduate degree (as a minimum). You will also already know how to write and research at a tertiary level and can underpin scholarly arguments with evidence. The criteria for all registered nursing education programmes is set by the Nursing Council of New Zealand. That is to ensure that all nursing students meet the requirements to become a registered nurse.
Students in the two-year MCP are required to meet exactly the same criteria as students in the Bachelor of Nursing and you will learn the same nursing specific theory and complete the same number of clinical placement hours. However, as this programme is at master’s level, two of your courses will be at a postgraduate (800) level.
You will complete a minimum of 1100 clinical learning hours in a range of clinical settings under the supervision and guidance of a registered nurse. In your last semester, you will have a continuous nine-week placement within a clinical setting. Clinical learning takes place in many different areas including surgical, emergency, medical, mental health and primary care services.
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.
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. Each library has a subject librarian who supports you on campus or at a distance.
Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers, as it is focused on supporting people, families and communities to manage a wide range of health challenges. Nurses are involved in all areas of health care and can specialise in particular areas such as intensive care, community mental health, aged care, or child and adolescent nursing. They can also become a specialist in particular conditions, such as diabetes, respiratory care or cancer nursing. Nurses can also choose to develop careers in health management, research and teaching.
Here are a few examples of where you can work:
As a graduate of the Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) you can go on to more postgraduate study to become a nurse specialist with prescribing rights or a nurse practitioner. You can also do a PhD in nursing.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
This programme is a ‘selected entry’ programme. This means as well as applying you will need to provide additional material as part of your application.
To enter the Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) you will:
You will need to provide the following documents. These are to meet the requirements set down by the Nursing Council of New Zealand for registration as a nurse in New Zealand (in terms of your good character and fitness to be a nurse):
You will need to undertake a health screening (information is sent out after you gain a place in the programme).
If you are a new-to-Massey student, applications for this programme close on 11 June 2021 (Semester Two start).
If English is not your first language you must also supply a copy of your results in an Academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test. You must have achieved at least 6.5 across all bands.
Referees need to be able to provide informed responses on your personal suitability for the programme. A referee should be someone who has known you for one year or more in the capacity of employer, educator, work colleague or person of community standing, for example a kaumatua, minister or similar. Your referee should not be a friend, flatmate, relative or someone who has not known you for at least a year. The information your referee supplies is confidential to those involved in the selection process.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
From the Schedule to the Degree including:
Attend contact workshops, block courses, field trips, workshops, tutorials, laboratories and clinical experiences as required.
There are regulations around completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
| 120 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 168740 | Critical Knowledge for Nursing (Bioscience) | 15 |
| 168742 | Fundamental Partnerships I | 30 |
| 168743 | Fundamental Partnerships II | 30 |
| 168744 | Professional Issues | 15 |
| 168745 | E-Health and Technology in Nursing | 15 |
| 168746 | Social Justice and Citizenship | 15 |
| 120 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 168747 | Complex Partnerships I | 45 |
| 168748 | Complex Partnerships II [Transition to Practice] | 30 |
| 168820 | Scholarship for Clinical Practice | 15 |
| 168821 | Leadership in Nursing Practice Project | 30 |
The Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part and meet some requirements, before moving to the second.
If you study full time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.
The courses in your first semester of study focus on hauora and wellbeing. It includes 160 clinical hours and introduces the professional requirements for nursing, nursing skills and knowledge, and the regulatory, legal and ethical dimensions of practice.
The courses in your second semester focus on long-term conditions and primary health care. This includes 240 clinical hours and study of the fundamentals of care (evidence-based nursing framework). It also includes a critical evaluation of the desired and unseen effects of technology in nursing. And a critical consideration of our individual and collective response to vulnerable and marginalised populations to lead reduction of health inequity and to promote wellbeing.
This section focuses on complex and acute health challenges including caring for people and their whānau experiencing acute distress, illness or trauma across the age continuum. It includes evidence-based practice as a conscientious, problem-solving approach to nursing and 360 hours clinical placement.
The final semester of study focuses on consolidation of nursing knowledge and leadership. This includes 360 hours of continuous clinical practice and supports the student to understand the reality of the novice registered nurse. You will undertake an evidence-based exploration of the potential for change in practice in the clinical environment.
Due to the clinical requirements, the Master of Clinical Practice (Nursing) does not follow the standard Massey University semester calendar. You will be required to do extended semesters, and study break timing will vary from year to year to accommodate the clinical placement dates.
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 programme if you wish to continue your studies.
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.
In order to become a registered nurse, there are requirements from the Nursing Council of New Zealand that you will need to meet, in terms of your good character and fitness to become a registered nurse.
There are requirements both before you start your study and when you successfully complete this programme.
See details in the ‘Entry requirements’ section.
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.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
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 will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
Our nursing programmes are nationally and internationally recognised and approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand. Upon completion you can apply for registration as a registered nurse with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.
Massey University is ranked in the top 150 universities in the world and second in New Zealand in the subject area of nursing by the ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
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 programme 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 programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.