Study for a degree in nursing and help improve Pasifika health
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Duration and study methods
Full-time for 3 years (34 teaching weeks per year), part-time available for first year only.
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Start dates
February, July
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Qualification
Bachelor of Nursing Pacific (Level 7)Programme code: MN4512 -
Credits
360 -
Locations
MIT Manukau
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Domestic fees
$7,700 (approx.)* per year
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International fees
NZD $29,120 (approx.)* per year
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Free* study
Explore the free options available for this programme, and check your eligibility:
Programme highlights
Become a registered nurse with unique skills to support and enhance Pacific health.
This programme has a strong emphasis on cultural-identity and connections to Pacific and nursing world-views. Pacific ways of knowing and learning are woven throughout this programme giving you the practical healthcare skills and hands-on clinical experience to work within your community.
Smaller class sizes encourage a sense of family, aiga (Samoan), kopu tangata (Cook Islands), kāinga (Tongan), magafaoa (Niuean), matavuvale (Fijian) and kāiga (Tokelau, Tuvalu) and contributes to life-long connections.
Pacific leaders, communities and organisations work collaboratively with MIT to enable you to form relationships with those in the health sector.
When you graduate, you'll be ready to sit the Nursing Council of New Zealand State Examination and apply for registration as a registered nurse in New Zealand.
For FAQ's specific to the BNP, please click here.
If you are Māori or Pasifika, find out how you could be supported on your MIT journey with Te Ara Oranga.
Please note: Although the Government vaccine mandate for health and disability workers ended on 11:59pm 26 September 2022, some employers can still require workers to be vaccinated due to their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Placement is a compulsory component of MIT’s healthcare programmes. To go on placement in this sector, students will need to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination to MIT. Students that hold a medical exemption that prevents them from being vaccinated are permitted to work in the healthcare sector, but will have limited placement opportunities in that sector. Students that are not vaccinated, or that do not wish to share their vaccination status with MIT, may not be able to go on placement in the healthcare sector. If you hold a medical exemption, or if you are unable or unwilling to provide proof of vaccination to MIT, your placement opportunities will accordingly be limited and MIT cannot guarantee availability with placement providers. If this applies to you, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your options.
Entry requirements
Applicants must meet the following entry requirements:
University entrance
NCEA Level 3
- Three subjects - at Level 3 or above, made up of:
- 14 credits each, in three approved subjects.
- Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
- 5 credits in reading;
- 5 credits in writing.
- Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
- Achievement standards – specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects; or
- Unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required; and
- A minimum of 12 credits at NQF Level 2 or higher from the subjects listed below:
- Biology;
- Chemistry;
- Physics;
- Science;
OR
NCEA Level 2
- Applicants must hold at least 80 credits at NCEA Level 2, of which 40 credits must be at merit or excellence.
- Of the 80 NCEA Level 2 credits, students must have gained;
- A minimum of 5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing in English or Te Reo Māori; and
- A minimum of 12 credits from the subjects listed below:
- Biology;
- Chemistry;
- Physics;
- Science; and
- A minimum of 10 credits at Level 1 or higher in mathematics;
OR
- Applicants who have completed the New Zealand Certificate in Career and Study Preparation (Nursing Studies) who achieve a B grade or higher in all subjects will be offered a place on the BNP programme subject to referee reports and available places. Students who did not achieve B grades or higher will be considered on an individual basis by the HOS;
OR
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate a mature approach to study; ability to pass a science diagnostic test; the ability to manage their time; ability to seek support; a strong motivation to work in the Health Sector; the ability to read and write at the level required for degree-level study. The above attributes will be assessed through information session; and
- Have English language competence to undertake this programme, which is taught and assessed in English. Any applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of an overall IELTS (Academic) band score of 6.5 (with no score below 6.5) or equivalent.
Equivalence will be considered by a case by case basis demonstrated by evidence of having completed 3 years of secondary education, or tertiary study in New Zealand at a diploma or degree level.
General requirements
- Each applicant is required to submit the names of at least two referees who are able to affirm that the applicant is of good character and reputation and is likely to be a ‘fit and proper’ person to register as a Registered Nurse. Relatives may not be used as referees. Referees must have known the applicant for at least two years.
- The applicant’s level of health shall be such that it is possible to achieve the competencies required for the registration as a nurse. A health declaration is required and further reports may be requested with the consent of the applicant. Immune status must be provided for the specified diseases/conditions as determined by the School from time to time.
- Applicants are required to declare all criminal or pending criminal convictions with enrolment. Police screening is required for all applicants. In cases where a previous criminal conviction has been reported, applicants will be interviewed by the Director of Nursing of School and their prospects of gaining registration upon successful completion of the programme will be outlined.
English language entry requirements
International students are required to meet the minimum English language requirements for this level programme as detailed on the following NZQA webpages:http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/legislation/nzqa-rules/nzqf-related-rules/the-table/
AND
Any applicants whose first language is not English may be required to provide evidence of an overall IELTS (Academic) band score of 6.5 (with no score of below 6.5) or equivalence.
Exceptions
Applicants who have not attained the age of 20 years and do not hold the required minimum entry requirements may be eligible to be enrolled in exceptional circumstances. Such decisions will be made by the appropriate Director of Nursing and will be determined on a case by case basis.
Special & discretionary admission
Any ākonga who is 20 years of age or older and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme is eligible for Special Admission. Te Pūkenga works with the ākonga to ensure they are prepared for their intended programme. Any ākonga who is not yet 20 years of age and has not reached the general admission requirements for their intended programme may be eligible for Discretionary Admission. In assessing whether to grant Discretionary Admission, the delegated authority focuses on the applicant’s level of preparedness for their intended programme.
Give yourself credit with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Did you know you can use the knowledge and experience you already have to your advantage?
Your previous work experience and on-the-job skills, volunteering, professional development, and other providers’ qualifications can be recognised as prior learning, matched against credits in our courses, and put towards your qualification – potentially saving you money and possibly helping you to complete your qualification faster Learn more.
Programme structure
You will need to complete the below 13 courses (360 credits):
Level 5
722.532 Health and wellness (15 credits)
You will explore, develop and understand Pacific worldviews in relation to individual, family and community health and wellbeing, and nursing practice.
722.533 Sciences for nurses 1 (15 credits)
This course will lay the foundations of scientific knowledge required for future nursing practice.
722.536 Introduction to pharmacology (15 credits)
Introduces you to pharmacological concepts of nursing practice as underpinned by Pacific worldviews.
722.537 Science for nurses 2 (15 credits)
This course continues the development of the scientific knowledge required for future nursing practice.
722.545 Self-identity and Pacific worldviews (30 credits)
Enables you to be grounded in your own cultural identity and to explore your unique relationship between Pacific people and Tangata Whenua within the context of traditional and contemporary Nursing practice.
722.546 Introduction to nursing practice (30 credits)
This course will introduce the philosophy and principles of nursing practice as underpinned by Pacific worldviews.
Level 6
722.657 Nursing with an in-patient focus (45 credits)
This course will integrate cultural, clinical and theoretical components into nursing practice. It is designed to extend their practice within an inpatient setting, incorporating Pacific worldviews.
722.658 Nursing with a mental health focus (45 credits)
This course integrates cultural, clinical and theoretical components into nursing practice. It is designed to extend your practice with a mental health focus, incorporating Pacific worldviews.
722.659 Professional practice (15 credits)
This course will develop your role as a professional practice nurse incorporating Pacific worldviews, evidence-based research skills, legal and ethical nursing practice frameworks.
722.660 Nursing with a community focus (45 credits)
This course will integrate cultural, clinical and theoretical components into nursing practice. It is designed to extend your practice within a community setting, incorporating Pacific worldviews.
Level 7
722.798 Hauora Māori (15 credits)
This course is designed to promote the nature of inclusiveness through the correlation of both Māori and Pacific worldviews, acknowledging Māori as Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa New Zealand framed within the context of Nursing Practice.
722.799 Pacific health priorities (15 credits)
This course will promote the nature of inclusiveness through the correlation of both Pacific and Māori worldviews, framed within the context of Nursing Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
726.701 Focussed experience and transition to practice (60 credits)
This course will integrate previous learning and extend your experience in a focused area of clinical practice and prepare you to make an effective transition from student to the role of the registered nurse.
Do you want to study a single course, without enrolling into the full programme?
Courses within some of our programmes may be offered as an individual Certificate of Proficiency (COP). Programme entry requirements and course fees apply. For more information, please speak to our friendly Ask Me! team.
Career opportunities
A broad range of career options as a registered nurse with specialised skills in Pacific health care. For potential salaries visit careers.govt.nz.
“I’ve found that giving forward is the best way to go. There’s always going to be a need for nurses and what’s a better way to help our Pacific people. A lot of our Pacific people don’t have a good understanding of health literacy. Being a nursing student and working part-time as a health care assistant I am able to help change this."
Sapphire Satele
MIT student
"I enjoy talking to people and connecting with people and when you get into nursing you have opportunities to do these things. I draw my motivation from my own family and wanting to give them the best care possible.
One of the main things about being able to care for our people is allowing them to live in that space and be themselves in that space. Studies have proven that a person gets better quicker when you are able to look after them holistically. So you’re looking at the person as a whole and not just the condition."
Pauline Niu
MIT student
“MIT is a great place to study. From the first moment I arrived, I felt welcome and like part of a big family. The small classes, great resources and support from our amazing lecturers kept me on track. They were always available when we needed help.
The practical skills I learnt at MIT gave me confidence during my placements and I graduated feeling well prepared to enter the workforce.”
Fono McFarland
MIT graduate
“It was such a privilege to be in the Bachelor of Nursing Pacific. For me and who I am as a person, I was able to come in and meet people I could relate to with the same background, same values and same believes. They helped push me through my degree when I felt like I needed that push."
Susana Gaiana
MIT student
“Having a profession where you can show your family that this is what I do, I think that’s really important for us. This morning I was saving someone’s life and at 3 o'clock, now I’m at home playing with my girls outside kicking a ball. That’s the sort of stuff money can’t buy and that’s the sort of stuff you get being a health professional."
Sonny Te Wao
MIT student
“I was an international flight attendant for Air New Zealand for 15 years. Covid happened and a lot of us were made redundant, so I decided to enrol in the MIT nursing programme. It was highly recommended by friends and people who have been studying at MIT.
I also think that nursing will be my way of giving back to society and the community even though it’s a paid profession but you care and support people when they are in a hospital or any healthcare setting.
I love the location of the Manukau campus, right in the heart of Manukau city and there is a good chance you will see someone you know studying at MIT. The student support services at MIT are fantastic.
MIT is a melting pot of students from different backgrounds and all walks of life. The diversity allows for students to learn about each other’s culture and way of life.
I think the challenges that most students are facing are working and study and how to balance that with everything else in life. I will have to say – plan your time and talk to your whānau and friends that you can’t be at every event, they will understand.
Nursing is not just working in hospitals, there are so many areas in health that one could go into. If I could do it in my 40’s, anyone could do it. I would like to work in a hospital first to hone my nursing skills before branching to other areas of health that I am interested in.
MIT is a great and fun place to study.”
Sione ‘Ulufonua
MIT student
"My grandfather got sick and unfortunately passed away due to a lack of knowledge about his health. I wanted to be an advocate not just for my family but for many others, especially Pacific families who may be struggling with the same issue.
After graduating high school, I went straight into studies at MIT. I chose MIT after attending a high school career day. I enjoyed the event and the learning spaces at MIT. The course itself was a challenge. Managing school, personal life and mental health was also a challenge. But I overcame it with the support of my family, friends I made at MIT, and the support services at MIT. Lecturers took time out of their lunch breaks and sometimes even outside of working hours to draw up mind maps and summarise content for us, which really helped a lot.
The people make MIT unique - most definitely. The diversity of cultures I got to learn about and be friends with was amazing.
My qualification has most definitely helped me in my career. I still use some content from my classes to help me remember the whys in my current job.
My advice is to attend every lecture, and if you cannot make it – always make the time to go and do some self-learning. Find YOUR way of learning.”
Linda Tolo
MIT graduate
Ready to put your plans in place?
Fees Free scheme: Free study for the first or final year of your Level 3 or above qualification may be available under the Government’s Fees Free study scheme. Visit feesfree.govt.nz for eligibility criteria and more information. Students must meet New Zealand residency criteria. Note: The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free scheme will replace it, starting from January 2025. Learners who have already used Fees Free in their first year of study won’t be able to access Fees Free under the new final-year policy. However, from now until the end of 2025, first-year Fees Free will operate under ‘first-year transition rules’. For more information, visit feesfree.govt.nz. All free study is subject to availability and funding confirmation. Proof of residency status required. Entry criteria, and some costs, may also apply. Eligibility for student allowances or student loans may vary. Contact StudyLink for more information.
Information is correct as at 4 December 2024. Programme fees are based on a full-time student and may vary depending on your final selection of courses that make up your programme. Where the fees are indicative, the approximate fees quoted in this publication are based on the indicative 2025 fee structure. The indicative programme fees for 2025 do not include the Compulsory Student Services Fee (CSSF). The CSSF is an additional levy to your 2025 programme or course fees. Further information about the CSSF can be found here www.manukau.ac.nz/cssf. Programmes stated as eligible for free study in 2025 are based on the 2024 fee structure and subject to funding confirmation for 2025. All fees are in New Zealand Dollars. You will be advised of the current fees at the time of enrolment. All courses and programmes will proceed subject to numbers and academic approval. Manukau Institute of Technology is part of Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. Te Pūkenga is accredited under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020. International students must study in class and will not be able to enrol for online study options.