The Postgraduate Diploma is aimed at students who have completed the Bachelor of Musculoskeletal Health and will:
Produce graduates with osteopathic professional competencies including the clinical and critical thinking skills to be in demand in the labour market and be successful in osteopathic practices.
Meet the needs of international partners by delivering a Postgraduate diploma level qualification, whose graduates can take up opportunities in overseas jurisdictions (e.g. Australia and East Asia).
Allow graduates to gain entrance to the osteopathic register with a qualification pathway that articulates with the Vocational and Extended Scope of Practice.
Enable graduates to enhance the osteopathy industry through acquisition of cultural knowledge and understanding of the New Zealand healthcare system.

Graduates of the Post Graduate Diploma in Osteopathy will be able to:
1. Work professionally, ethically and within a legal framework in a primary health care setting.
2. Critically reflect on their own values and apply ethical decision making processes to their practice.
3. Respond culturally and safely when working with patients, colleagues a, health care workers and communities.
4. Apply interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and professional values in their practice with people from diverse backgrounds with different needs.
5. Utilise oral and written communication effectively when engaging with individuals. Health care providers and communities.
6. Critically analyse and apply interdisciplinary and specialised research findings and professional knowledge to their practice.
7. Demonstrate competencies in osteopathic diagnosis and clinical reasoning skills to create clinically appropriate solutions.
8. Use an integrated and reflective approach to person-centred osteopathic patient care.
9. Critically reflect on, and articulate a philosophy and rationale for osteopathic practice.
10. Articulate and apply knowledge of tikanga, Te Reo Maori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi in health care delivery and osteopathic practice.

Master in Health Science (Ara, AUT, Canterbury, Otago, Auckland), Master of Health Sciences (MHealSc) endorsed in Musculoskeletal Management (Otago), Master of Health Practice in Child Health (AUT), Master of Health Sciences (MHealSc) endorsed in Pain and Pain Management (Otago), Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science in Acupuncture (AUT), Master of Health Practice in Acupuncture (AUT), Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science in Child Health (AUT), Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma in Health Science in Child Health (AUT), Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma in Health Science in Older Adult: Health and Wellness (AUT), Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences endorsed in Musculoskeletal Management (University of Otago), Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences endorsed in Pain and Pain Management (University of Otago)

English Language Requirements
If English is not the applicant's first language, applicants will need to provide a result from a test or qualification on the acceptable alternatives English Proficiency Outcomes Chart. Applicants who do not have evidence of English language skills and are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, may contact Ara for an assessment.
* IELTS 6.5 Academic (no lower than 6.0 in all subtests).
Note: IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form and are valid for two years from the date of the test.
Students who have achieved NCEA Level 3 University Entrance requirements are not required to provide evidence of English language skills.

Additional Entry Requirements:

In order to access an individual placement in this programme, the applicant may be required to provide evidence of immunity to particular infectious diseases or other health requirements specific to the practice.

Consent to Disclosure of Information
Successful applicants will be required to complete a New Zealand Police Consent to Disclosure of Information form. The form will be sent by Ara to the Police Licensing and Vetting Service, and returned in confidence to the Head of Department. Information on the NZ Police Vetting Service is available from the New Zealand Police website.

Selection
Applicants who meet the requirements for admission are accepted in the order their applications are received, with a proportion of places reserved on the programme for priority learners. In the event that there are more applications than spaces available on the programme, a waitlist will be maintained.