Course details

Summary

The Postgraduate Diploma in Physiotherapy (PGDipPhty) is designed to provide individuals currently working in a specific area of physiotherapy with a programme of study designed to enhance their knowledge, competence and skill. Each programme develops a student's ability to critically review and evaluate current practice and apply this information appropriately to the evaluation and management of client needs. It further aims to provide students with an ability to contribute to the ongoing development of effective physiotherapy management.

This qualification is available to registered physiotherapists. Domestic students must have a current Annual Practising Certificate from the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand. International students must obtain Special Purpose Scope of Practice from the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand before arriving in New Zealand.

Distance based students must be practising physiotherapy whilst undertaking the clinical paper and should note that some papers involved in this qualification involve attending residential blocks in Dunedin and phoning in on audioconferences. Applicants enrolling for distance learning should ensure that they nominate the distance learning option. On-campus students will be based at the School of Physiotherapy in Dunedin.

On completion of the Diploma, with a minimum grade average of B, students can progress to the Master of Physiotherapy (MPhty) endorsed in the same area.

Programme Requirements

Papers

• PHTY 501 Biomedical Science in Physiotherapy
• PHTY 543 Orthopaedic Manipulative Physiotherapy
• PHTY 561 Clinical Practice
• Plus one further paper worth 30 points from:

PHTY 539, PHTY 542, PHTY 545, PHTY 548, or papers worth 30 points from MSME, OCCH, PAIN, PUBH, REHB or SPME papers. (Enrolment in any paper requires approval from an authorized Course Approver.)

Note: A candidate who has completed the Diploma in Manipulative Therapy awarded by the New Zealand Manipulative Therapists' Association and who enrolled initially for that diploma in 1990 or later may be exempted from PHTY 543.

Entry criteria

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) on the advice of the Board of Studies in Physiotherapy, which must be satisfied that the candidate has the ability and experience to proceed to the programme.
Every applicant shall

• have been admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Physiotherapy or hold an equivalent Physiotherapy qualification acceptable to the Board of Studies in Physiotherapy;
• obtain registration with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand and possess an Annual Practising Certificate, where applicable, before the programme commences; and
• have had relevant post-qualification clinical experience in physiotherapy, where the application is for an area of specialisation.

English Language Requirements: IELTS - Score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); Internet-based TOEFL Score of 95 with a minimum writing score of 22.; Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 587 (TWE 4.5); Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); APIEL Advanced Placement International English Language Examination - Grade 4 or higher; Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 64 with no communicative skills score below 57; University of Otago Foundation Studies Ltd: Completion of 'English for Postgraduate Academic Purposes' with a grade of C or higher.