Type of qualification
Level of 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.
Our courses follow the New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) levels.
Time to complete
Where you can study
International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
Study a Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing – PGCertNurs
Develop your practice
If you are a registered nurse and would like to develop your clinical knowledge and skills, the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing is for you.
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 means their teaching, course content and assessment is relevant and up-to-date.
You’ll be supported all the way
There is always plenty of help at hand. Along with contact with your lecturers, learning consultants in the Centre for Learner Success 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.
Find out more about nursing at Massey
See the Study nursing page for more information.
Further study
You can study towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing or progress to a Master of Nursing as preparation for advanced practice roles and/or nurse practitioner registration.
A PGCertNurs is a good fit if you:
- are a registered nurse eager to complete clinically focused courses at postgraduate level
- have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- want to develop your professional practice within a clinical specialty.
Entry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
To enter the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing you will:
- have been awarded or qualified for a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and
- have New Zealand Nursing Council registration or equivalent.
You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Prior learning, credit and exemptions
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
- review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
- contact us through the Get advice button on this page.
English language skills
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
Maximum time limits for completion
There are maximum time limits to complete some undergraduate and all 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.
More information
- General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
- Contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.
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 Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing
If you study full-time you’ll take two 30-credit courses in 1 semester.
If you wish to study part-time over 2 semesters, you will take 30 credits per semester.
This qualification is awarded without a specialisation.
Delivery
Several postgraduate courses in nursing are delivered via ‘distance or block mode’ with compulsory face-to-face teaching. This happens in on-campus contact workshops, web-based teaching, relevant readings and other study material. This is designed to make the courses available if you are in employment and located at a distance from the university.
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
60 credits
- Courses from the Schedule – 60 credits
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.
Schedule for the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Choose 60 credits from)
Course code: 152742 Health Systems Management credits 30
The health care systems of New Zealand and selected nations are compared and critically analysed from a management perspective.
View full course detailsCourse code: 152746 Contemporary Issues in Health Service Management credits 30
Issues relevant to the efficient and effective delivery of health services are identified and examined.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168702 Issues in Nursing credits 30
Topics relevant to study and/or research into selected aspects of Nursing are investigated.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168703 Managing Long Term Conditions credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168709 Contemporary Approaches to Clinical Teaching and Learning credits 30
An examination of a range of theoretical perspectives and sociomaterial and sociocultural aspects influencing clinical teaching and learning. Sociomaterial and sociocultural perspectives recognise that learning is influenced by the context, by human and non-human aspects, and by the variety of interactions occurring in the learning space. Alternative approaches to the design, delivery, and assessment of practice-based education are explored.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168711 Health Research Design and Method credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168712 Pain Management credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168713 Evidence-Based Practice credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168714 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making in Mental Health credits 30
This practical course advances students’ comprehensive assessment, formulation, clinical decision making, and treatment planning abilities in a range of clinical settings within mental health nursing. Emphasis is placed on trauma-responsive and culturally affirming practices alongside evidence-based tools, frameworks, and approaches.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168717 Applied Ethics for Professional Practice credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168719 Clinical Specialty: Older Persons' Health credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168720 Psychological Interventions in Mental Health credits 30
This practical course enhances students' clinical nursing practice through the teaching of advanced treatment planning and evidence-based mental health interventions. Key concepts and skills are drawn from psychological interventions such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Emphasis is also placed on reflective practice and clinician self-care.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168721 Kawa Whakaruruhau: Cultural Safety in Clinical Practice credits 30
Kawa Whakaruruhau - cultural safety is essential to improving health outcomes for Māori and other populations. This course aims to explore cultural systems and improve care through developing practitioner awareness of difference, decolonising, considering power relationships and barriers to clinical effectiveness. Practitioners can act to overcome racism within the structures, policies, and practices of their organisations and the health system.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168722 Wound Management credits 30
The multidimensional aspects of wound management including physiological, pathophysiological and psychological components are examined and applied in the clinical practice setting.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168724 Primary Health Care in Practice credits 30
Primary health care is central to improving equity. This course critiques the primary health care system and clinical practice on a continuum from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. By prioritising equity and complying with guarantees of Te Tiriti o Waitangi health professionals can achieve equitable health outcomes for Māori and other underserved populations.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168728 Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making credits 30
Development of advanced nursing practice knowledge and skills and comprehensive holistic health assessment and clinical decision-making.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168731 Leadership in Nursing credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168733 Physiology and Pathophysiology credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168734 Clinical Pharmacology credits 30
Pharmacology topics relevant to advanced nursing practice are critically examined. These include pharmaceutics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and a range of pharmacotherapeutic topics.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168736 Advanced Critical Care Nursing credits 30
This course is designed for experienced critical care nurses seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in the field of critical care. This course critically examines advanced concepts, evidence-based practices, and complex scenarios encountered in critical care settings. Students will develop a deeper understanding of critical care management, advanced nursing interventions, and leadership in complex environments.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168737 Foundations in Critical Care Nursing credits 30
This course provides a foundation of theoretical knowledge about critical care nursing. Principles, concepts, and practices of critical care nursing will be examined to prepare students in the provision of comprehensive care to critically ill patients. Trauma-informed care underpins nursing practice for this course, which recognises the individuality of each patient's experience, promoting a holistic approach to care. Trauma-informed care and Tiriti-led care share common ground in their emphasis on cultural competence, partnership, empowerment, and addressing disparities.
View full course detailsCourse code: 168796 Health and Well-being of Children and Young People credits 30
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 251731 Advanced Occupational Health and Safety credits 30
An examination of current issues in Occupational Safety and Health and issues commonly found in the work environment.
View full course detailsCourse code: 252701 Sleep and Circadian Science for Health Practitioners credits 30
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.
View full course detailsFees 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.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
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, including how much could be covered and your eligibility on the Fees Free website.
Scholarship and award opportunities
Search our scholarships and awardsFees 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.
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Key information for students
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