Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery
This advanced qualification can help you extend your knowledge in midwifery. It will further your critical thinking and application of research to your practice while you analyse your experiences as a midwife. You can also build upon this qualification with a Master of Midwifery.
Domestic
April
July
October
About the programme
Are you a registered midwife and want to extend your midwifery knowledge through a review of current thinking and research?
Build on the Postgraduate Certificate in Midwifery Practice and extend your professional skills during this relevant and practice-focused programme. Critically analyse your own experiences as a midwife as a means of adding depth to your knowledge base, and further develop your confidence and transferable skill set enabling you to work anywhere in the world and to really make a difference in people's lives.
Successful completion of this Diploma contributes half the credits required for our Master of Midwifery. Our online learning means that you can study from home and benefit from the support of experienced lecturers and the opportunity for networking. Online learning resources may include PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, word documents, interactive web pages and links to relevant electronic documents or websites.
There are two options for completing the Postgraduate Diploma. If you intend to go on to Masters-level study, you will need to complete the two pre-requisite courses: Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Knowledge, and Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Research Methodologies (30-credits per course).
Alternatively, you can complete eight (15 credit) courses of your choice.
Consult with our Postgraduate Course Coordinator (suzanne.miller@op.ac.nz) to plan your future study pathway.
Studying part-time
We know that full-time study isn't always possible. We also offer this programme with part-time options - talk to us about what will suit you best!
International
April
July
October
About the programme
Are you a registered midwife and want to extend your midwifery knowledge through a review of current thinking and research?
Build on the Postgraduate Certificate in Midwifery Practice and extend your professional skills during this relevant and practice-focused programme. Critically analyse your own experiences as a midwife as a means of adding depth to your knowledge base, and further develop your confidence and transferable skill set enabling you to work anywhere in the world and to really make a difference in people's lives.
Successful completion of this Diploma contributes half the credits required for our Master of Midwifery. Our online learning means that you can study from home and benefit from the support of experienced lecturers and the opportunity for networking. Online learning resources may include PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, word documents, interactive web pages and links to relevant electronic documents or websites.
There are two options for completing the Postgraduate Diploma. If you intend to go on to Masters-level study, you will need to complete the two pre-requisite courses: Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Knowledge, and Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Research Methodologies (30-credits per course).
Alternatively, you can complete eight (15 credit) courses of your choice.
Consult with our Postgraduate Course Coordinator (suzanne.miller@op.ac.nz) to plan your future study pathway.
Studying part-time
We know that full-time study isn't always possible. We also offer this programme with part-time options - talk to us about what will suit you best!
What You Study
What you will learn
2026 course dates
Learning packages will be displayed on our online learning management system (Moodle) and includes tutorials and activities such as quizzes, worksheets, and the use a forum for discussion and presentations.
|
Dates |
Course |
|
02 February - 26 June |
Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Knowledge |
|
20 July - 04 December |
Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Research Methodologies |
You can read a summary of these courses here.
If you are a returning student, please contact ebsMID@op.ac.nz for a course selection form. If you're a new student, please apply online.
Further study options
Hone your expertise and increase your career prospects by applying for the Master of Midwifery.
If you have completed your Postgraduate Certificate, or the pre-thesis Diploma courses (Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery Knowledge and Pathway to Thesis: Midwifery), please contact Suzanne Miller (suzanne.miller@op.ac.nz) for advice on enrolling in the Master of Midwifery.
Workload
Your workload
Each course requires working through online resources and participating in online discussions. There will be additional reading and preparation of assessments. Individual pathways and hours will vary but each ‘credit’ in a course size equates to approximately 10 learning hours.
Entry
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
- You must be a registered midwife and hold a bachelor's degree, Postgraduate Certificate in Midwifery Practice, OR equivalent.
- You must have access to the internet.
- International students will be individually assessed to ensure they are ready for this study.
International requirements and equivalence
To enter Otago Polytechnic's undergraduate certificates, diplomas and degrees, you need to have achieved a secondary school qualification that is equivalent to New Zealand's NCEA levels (National Certificate of Educational Achievement).
This information is available by country on our Equivalent academic entry requirements page.
English Language requirements
For New Zealand registered midwives:
If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- Overall Academic IELTS 7.5 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for internationally recognised proficiency tests and proficiency outcomes for international students).
For International midwifery students who are not registered in New Zealand:
If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- Overall Academic IELTS 6.5 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years)
- Speaking band >/=7.0
- Listening band >/=7.0
- No individual band less than 6.0, OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for internationally recognised proficiency tests and proficiency outcomes for international students).
If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
All fees and costs are approximate.
Fees
Domestic fees
International fees
Tuition fees
The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied. These fees also don’t include additional costs or living costs.
Studylink
Visit Welcome to StudyLink studylink.govt.nz to apply for a student loan to cover your course fees, course-related costs or living costs, or to apply for a student allowance.
If you are eligible for Fees Free you may not need to borrow for course fees, but you may still wish to apply for course-related costs, living costs or student allowance.
Student Services Fee
For most students, your tuition fee shown above includes a Student Services Fee – also known as the Student Levy. This compulsory fee covers your access to the student services we offer. This cost is tailored depending on how you're studying.
The international tuition fee does not include your Student Levy. This will be calculated when you enrol with us.
Click below to find out more about the Student Levy costs and services provided.
Fees Free
Starting tertiary study or work-based learning for the first time? You may be able to get Fees Free after you complete your first eligible qualification or programme.
Fees Free covers the cost of your fees for the final year of study or final two years of work-based learning, up to $12,000.
When you enrol, you will need to pay your fees. To help you cover this cost, you may wish to apply for a student loan. Find out more at Student loan – StudyLink.
For more information on the eligibility requirements and when it is best to apply for Fees Free, visit Fees Free – Inland Revenue.
