Bachelor of Nursing
Course details
| NZQF Level | 7 |
|---|
About the course
For over 40 years, SIT’s School of Nursing has been shaping outstanding nurses and supporting generations of graduates into meaningful, impactful careers in healthcare.
The Bachelor of Nursing is your pathway to becoming a registered nurse building not just knowledge and skills, but confidence, resilience, and heart. This three-year, full-time programme (or six years part time) blends hands-on clinical placements with supportive, student-focused teaching, preparing you to deliver compassionate, high‑quality care in real-world settings.
Nursing is more than a career, it’s a calling. With nurses in demand locally, nationally, and worldwide, your qualification can take you anywhere, opening doors to diverse opportunities across Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
Step into a profession that makes a difference—every day.
For more than 40 years, SIT’s School of Nursing has been nurturing generations of successful nurses who make a real difference in the lives of others. With a proud history and a strong future focus, SIT is recognised for producing competent, compassionate, and work‑ready graduates.
Our passionate and enthusiastic academic staff bring a wealth of nursing experience from Aotearoa New Zealand and across the world, ensuring your learning is grounded in real-world practice, current evidence, and diverse health contexts.
Learn in State‑of‑the‑Art Clinical and Simulation Environments
SIT offers exceptional, contemporary learning facilities designed to prepare you for modern healthcare practice. Our purpose-built clinical and simulation suites feature:
- Advanced computerised mannequins
- Virtual Reality
- Mixed Reality
- Simulated Patients
- Anatomical models
- Simulated hospital and community care environments
- Digital technologies that support clinical decision‑making and patient safety
These technologies allow you to practice skills, build confidence, and learn safely before entering real clinical settings.
Real-World Experience Where It Matters
Clinical placements across Southland and Otago are a cornerstone of the programme. You’ll gain hands‑on experience in a wide range of hospital and community healthcare settings, working alongside experienced clinicians and engaging with diverse populations.
With free parking around SIT and many placement sites, practical learning is accessible and student‑friendly.
A Career Without Borders
Nursing is a career that offers choice, mobility, and long-term security. Nurses are in demand locally, nationally, and globally, giving you the opportunity to shape a career that suits your passions whether that’s community health, acute care, mental health, emergency nursing, or beyond. Nursing can truly take you around the world.
Bachelor of Nursing
The Bachelor of Nursing is a three-year full‑time (or six-year part‑time) degree that prepares you for a wide and growing range of nursing careers.
The programme integrates theoretical knowledge with strong applied learning, covering:
- Primary health care
- Acute and chronic illness
- Mental health and mental illness across the lifespan
- Medical and surgical nursing
- Emergency nursing care
- Health promotion and illness prevention
- Evidence‑based and sustainable practice
Strong emphasis is placed on the cultural dimensions of nursing, recognising the importance of culturally safe care within Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse communities. he Bachelor of Nursing is firmly grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, recognising it as the foundation for Māori health and nursing practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. In line with NCNZ competencies, students learn to apply Te Tiriti principles across all areas of nursing practice.
Preparing You for the Realities of Healthcare
As healthcare becomes increasingly complex, nurses must be highly skilled, reflective, and compassionate practitioners. Throughout the programme, you will develop the ability to:
- Apply and critique knowledge from nursing and safely integrate clinical judgement across all clinical settings
- Provide safe, ethical, and legally sound nursing care
- Use research to inform practice
- Work confidently across a variety of healthcare settings
- Meet the requirements of the Nursing Council of New Zealand for registration as a Registered Nurse
Entry requirements
The Head of the School of Nursing has a responsibility to ensure that all applicants meet the requirements to enter a nursing programme in accordance with section 16 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act.
Admission Criteria
Application by Academic Qualification (Under 20 years of age)
University Entrance - NCEA Level 3
- NCEA Level 3
- Three subjects at Level 3 or above made up of the following:
- 14 credits minimum in science (or related subjects)
- 14 credits minimum in English rich subjects
- 14 Credits minimum in Math's
And
- Literacy, 10 credits at Level 2 or above made up of:
- 5 credits in reading
- 5 credits in writing
- And
- Numeracy, 10 credits at Level 1 or above made up of:
- Specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects.
- An overseas qualification which is considered to be the equivalent of the above at the discretion of the Academic Lead of Nursing.
Application by Mature Entry (20 years of age and above)
Applicants who do not meet the criteria stated above may be invited to enroll in the Bachelor of Nursing degree programme if they are over the age of 20 years and have demonstrated academic ability to undertake the undergraduate nursing degree. There will need to be evidence of successful completion of a science-based programme of study at NZQA Level 4 or above in the last five years with a B Average. This could include but is not limited to a bridging programme e.g. New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways – however successful completion of these pre-entry qualifications does not guarantee automatic entry into this programme.
Interview
You will be required to attend a group interview during your application process which provides critical information around the programme to ensure you are fully informed.
Covid-19 Vaccinations
While COVID-19 vaccinations are not mandatory, it is highly recommended you have both vaccinations plus one booster. This is a requirement for some clinical placements. If you are not fully vaccinated, there may be a chance you will not be able to complete all your clinical placements. This may be subject to change.
English Language Entry Criteria
Tauira are required to demonstrate they can communicate effectively to meet the theory and clinical learning experience requirements; and to demonstrate they can communicate in and comprehend English sufficiently to protect the health and safety of the public (sections16 a and b, HPCA Act, 2003).
Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to provide proof of English proficiency. Applicants must meet all stated entry requirements and demonstrate English language skills with either an:
- IELTS academic overall band score of 6.5 with no band score less than 6.5
or
- Occupational English Test (OET) with a C+ band/score in each section in one sitting. SIT will only accept IELTS academic or OET as evidence of meeting the English Language requirements
- Tests must be from an outside organisation and results must be from within two years of applying.
English language assessment can be requested for those with English as a second language at the discretion of the Academic Lead of Nursing at any time during the programme to ensure public safety as per the HPCA (2003).
The Nursing Council of New Zealand regularly reviews their requirements; these will be reflected by changes to any SIT documentation aligning with the recommendation/requirements from NCNZ. The Academic Lead of Nursing has designated authority, autonomy and responsibility for decisions on tauira entry into the programme (Nursing Council of New Zealand Edu Stds, 2024).
Note:
The English Language requirements for this programme are higher than the minimum set by NZQA, therefore; applicants who have met New Zealand University Entrance may be required to provide evidence of English Language proficiency.
PTE is not accepted by Nursing Council of New Zealand for English language proficiency.
The Head of Nursing can request at any point an ILETS or equivalent English language test be undertaken by an ākonga where English is a second language and where ākonga are experiencing communication difficulties in theory and/or clinical learning experience courses during the DEN programme. This additional testing will be at the cost of ākonga. Ākonga must achieve a minimum as set out above. Failure to demonstrate English language proficiency at this level will result in ākonga being withdrawn from the programme. (HPCA ACT 2003)
About the provider
Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) provides quality tertiary education and training across a wide range of subjects and qualifications. From certificates to postgraduate studies, we offer NZQA programmes for students to learn at a level and pathway that suits them.
We are home to the Zero Fees Scheme and are the only tertiary provider in New Zealand to offer a no tuition cost education to domestic NZ students for every year of study, at all levels.
We offer SIT programmes at campuses in Invercargill, Queenstown, Gore, and online through SIT2LRN Distance Learning.
We also have a specialised faculty in rural education at Telford in Balclutha, South Otago.