Otago’s postgraduate nursing welcomes both practising nurses and graduates ready for a new path – united by a passion to care, lead, and create healthier communities.
Why study postgraduate Nursing?
Nursing is at the heart of healthcare transformation and humanity’s wellbeing. Whether you’re already a registered nurse or looking to shift direction, our postgraduate nursing programmes let you explore critical and complex health challenges, build advanced skills and evolve your practice. At Otago you’ll engage with research-informed learning, real-world clinical experiences and questions of leadership, equity and innovation. Nursing isn’t just about responding to illness – it’s about shaping healthier futures for individuals, whānau and communities. With global demand for nurses who can navigate change, master new roles and work across settings, your postgraduate study opens both local and international possibilities.
Career opportunities
When you complete postgraduate nursing study at Otago, you’re positioned to step into roles that influence health systems and broaden your horizons.
Potential pathways include:
- Nurse practitioner or advanced clinical nurse
- Clinical nurse specialist in areas such as mental health, gerontology or high-acuity care
- Leadership or management roles within health services
- Health policy, education or research roles within nursing and allied health
- Rural, community or primary health care practice with advanced responsibilities
What it’s like to study at this level
At Otago your postgraduate nursing study is dynamic, practice-driven and connected to real health settings. You’ll learn through a mix of lectures, online modules, simulation labs and clinical placements – working alongside leading practitioners and researchers in the field. Whether you’re analysing case studies, working in inter-professional teams or carrying out your own project, you’ll shape your learning around current health challenges and your evolving role. You’ll also engage with peer discussion, reflect on your practice and be supported to translate knowledge into impact.
This is for you if ...
We specialise in training both graduates from any background who wish to pursue a career in nursing, as well as registered nurses wanting to build on their current career experience. Your strong academic skills, a curious and self-motivated mindset, and a desire to lead change in care and health systems will serve you well.
Care, lead and create healthier communities
Otago stands out for postgraduate nursing study because of our strong reputation, expert staff, excellent facilities and deeply embedded clinical connections. We offer a flexible mix of online and block-campus learning so you can balance life, work and study. Our Southern-region clinical placements, simulation centre, and partnerships with health services give you rich and relevant practice opportunities. Choose Otago and join a community focused on shaping the future of nursing with purpose, innovation and impact.
Choose a study option
Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Postgraduate qualifications
Honours, masters’, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a master’s or to step up to a PhD.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Engage in original research leading to a doctoral thesis, supported by comprehensive academic and social networks
Master of Advanced Nursing Practice (MAdvNP)
A two-year full-time (or equivalent part-time) degree for registered nurses, providing a focused pathway toward the prescribing scopes of practice in nursing.
Master of Health Sciences (MHealSc)
A one- or two-year postgraduate degree for health professionals, encompassing coursework and/or research in a chosen area of specialisation
Master of Nursing Science (MNSc)
A pathway to nursing registration for graduates of any discipline, completed in two years of intensive full-time integrated study, or part-time over a longer period
Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences (PGCertHealSc)
A one-year part-time (or one semester full-time) programme for health professionals who want to increase knowledge and skills in a specific area of practice
Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (PGDipHealSc)
A one-year full-time (or longer part-time) programme for health professionals who want to increase knowledge and skills in a specific area of practice
Ready to apply?
Take your expertise to the next level with advanced study.
Programme details
Compare programmes for this subject.
| Papers |
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| Thesis option |
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| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| First year | NURS 441 Professional Nursing | 15 |
| NURS 442 Health Care in New Zealand | 15 | |
| NURS 443 Nursing Science 1 | 15 | |
| NURS 444 Nursing Science 2 | 15 | |
| NURS 445 Introduction to Clinical Nursing Practice | 15 | |
| NURS 446 Nursing Clients with Altered Health States | 15 | |
| NURS 447 Applied Nursing Research | 30 | |
| Second year | NURS 501 Nursing Science 3 | 15 |
| NURS 502 Mental Health Nursing | 15 | |
| NURS 503 Nursing Clients with Complex Health States | 15 | |
| NURS 504 Consolidation of Practice | 30 | |
| NURS 581 Integrating Practice | 15 | |
| NURS 582 Policy Analysis | 30 | |
| Note: With the permission of the Head of Department a student may replace NURS 582 with NURS 580 Research Project | ||
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
NURS papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NURS403 | 2026 | Mental Health Nursing Practice | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS405 | 2026 | Health Assessment and Advanced Nursing Practice | 30 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| NURS409 | 2026 | Mental Health Nursing Practicum | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS411 | 2026 | Nursing - Critical Care & High Acuity | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS413 | 2026 | Primary Health Care Nursing - Rural/Urban | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS415 | 2026 | Nursing Research Methods | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS416 | 2026 | Nursing - Applied Pharmacology | 30 points | Semester 1 (16 February 2026 - 26 June 2026), Semester 2 |
| NURS418 | 2026 | Nursing Education - Principles and Practice | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS423 | 2026 | Leadership and Management: Growing an Identity | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS424 | 2026 | Leadership and Management: Quality & Strategic Change | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS426 | 2026 | Nursing - Gerontology | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS427 | 2026 | Long-term Conditions: Pathophysiology and Management | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS429 | 2026 | Therapeutics for Advanced Nursing | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS433 | 2026 | Intellectual Disability: Theory into Practice | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS434 | 2026 | Therapeutics: Knowledge and Integration | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS435 | 2026 | Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS441 | 2026 | Professional Nursing | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (16 February 2026 - 4 December 2026) |
| NURS442 | 2026 | Health Care in New Zealand | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (16 February 2026 - 4 December 2026) |
| NURS443 | 2026 | Nursing Science 1 | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (16 February 2026 - 17 July 2026) |
| NURS444 | 2026 | Nursing Science 2 | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (3 August 2026 - 4 December 2026) |
| NURS445 | 2026 | Introduction to Clinical Nursing Practice | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (16 February 2026 - 17 July 2026) |
| NURS446 | 2026 | Nursing Clients with Altered Health States | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (3 August 2026 - 4 December 2026) |
| NURS447 | 2026 | Applied Nursing Research | 30 points | 1st Non standard period (16 February 2026 - 4 December 2026) |
| NURS471 | 2026 | Special Topic | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| NURS472 | 2026 | Special Topic | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS501 | 2026 | Nursing Science 3 | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (19 January 2026 - 15 May 2026) |
| NURS502 | 2026 | Mental Health Nursing | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (19 January 2026 - 15 May 2026) |
| NURS503 | 2026 | Nursing Clients with Complex Health States | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (19 January 2026 - 15 May 2026) |
| NURS504 | 2026 | Consolidation of Practice | 30 points | 1st Non standard period (1 June 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| NURS530 | 2026 | Nurse Practitioner Prescribing Practicum | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| NURS531 | 2026 | Clinical Research Project | 30 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
| NURS580 | 2026 | Nursing Research Project | 30 points | 1st Non standard period (19 January 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| NURS581 | 2026 | Integration of Nursing Theory and Practice | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (1 June 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| NURS582 | 2026 | Policy Analysis | 30 points | 1st Non standard period (19 January 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| NURS590 | 2026 | Dissertation | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (5 January 2026 - 18 December 2026), 2nd Non standard period (6 July 2026 - 25 June 2027), 3rd Non standard period (5 January 2026 - 26 June 2026), 4th Non standard period (6 July 2026 - 18 December 2026) |
| NURS5P | 2026 | Clinical Research Practicum | 120 points | Thesis full year |
Contacts
For enquiries related to admission and enrolment
Co-ordinator, Student Experience
University of Otago, Christchurch
Email postgrad.uoc@otago.ac.nz
For all other queries
Email nursingstudies.uoc@otago.ac.nz
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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2026 Calendar and supplementary material.
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