(if you don’t have any already)

This means the shoes you wear in your bioscience labs need to have a closed toe to protect your feet (so no jandals, scuffs, sandals etc).

We encourage all students to have Microsoft Office (or equivalent) installed on their laptops.

Doing so will support and enhance learning and assist in the completion of assessments.

As an Otago Polytechnic student, Microsoft Office 365 is FREE to download and install on up to five devices. It includes OneDrive, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and more.

Click here to find out how to download Microsoft Office 365 for free

This programme is very demanding, but it is also very rewarding, if you make a commitment to work hard. At tertiary level, you may feel you spend less time in class with your peers compared to traditional teaching methods. However, you will find that you have more interaction with your peers and your lecturers using our online technology.

Consequently, there is more potential to experience satisfaction as a learner because of the new and challenging learning environment. 

To be successful in the programme, students need to have the following in place:

• Ability to manage time and study independently. Otago Polytechnic has a Student Success team and resources to assist both our on-campus and off-campus learner;
• Ability to commit to 35-40 hours per week of quality focused study;
• Develop confidence with technology to be able to access and engage with the online content which is a key part of the programme;
• Have suitable internet, to access the learning materials and tutorials,
• Have support from family and friends;
• Be proactive about seeking help early when they feel they need some extra assistance.

If you have NCEA level 3 or another Level 3 qualification, you may be eligible to have those qualifications cross-credited or even wait to join us for Level 4 in July.

You will be taught via a mode of teaching we call 'flexible delivery'. This means that of the 35 hours of study you need to put in each week, only approximately 9 hours per week are face-to-face with your teachers, and the rest of your study is online from your own home.

For On Campus students, your face-to-face tutorials will be held at the Dunedin campus (Forth Street). 

For Off Campus students, your face-to-face tutorials will be held online. If you cannot attend these online sessions at the scheduled times, you can watch a recording of the tutorial online at a later date. Off Campus students will also attend three block courses per semester, either in Dunedin for South Island Off Campus students, or in Porirua, Wellington for North Island Off Campus students.

If you would like to know more about flexible delivery to ensure it’s going to work for you, please email Matt Lambeth (Programme Leader) to give you a call.

• A computer/laptop/tablet
• Internet connection
• Microsoft Office 365 software is highly recommended (and available free to Otago Polytechnic students)

For all students, the weekly time commitment for the Health Bridging Programme is the same as for any full-time course of study, i.e. 35 quality, uninterrupted hours every week. This includes attending 9 hours of weekly tutorial classes, either on campus, or online for Off Campus students. 

It is important that you realise that flexible delivery and online learning are not easier options. To succeed, you need to be committed as a student to the programme. This means you must make the time for study every weekday and be committed to keeping up-to-date with all your learning resources.

You will participate in compulsory online discussions and quizzes, submit regular formal written assignments, worksheets, essays, in-class presentations, and for your Human Biological Science course(s), you will sit online closed book tests.

If you feel you are not coping with your studies, don’t leave this, as we can help! Have a chat with someone from the programme. They may recommend contacting Student Success within the Polytechnic that are here to help.

Because the Health Bridging Programme is a very popular programme, we need to hear from you as soon as possible if you wish to withdraw.

Successful completion of the Health Bridging Programme will provide you with academic entry to the health degree programmes at Otago Polytechnic. However, please note that selection criteria for each do apply.

Please check with your degree programme of interest, to see what other requirements there are, before beginning your study with us, to check anything that is not clear for you. For example, do you have a criminal record, and do you need to disclose this? Do you need a full driver’s licence? etc.

To meet the academic entry requirements for the Bachelor of Midwifery and the Bachelor of Nursing at Otago Polytechnic, you need to complete your Level 4 Health Bridging Certificate with a B+/75% average across your four semester two courses, which must include at least a B+ in Human Biological Science 2.

Midwifery Council states that applicants under 20 years must meet the NCEA academic entry criteria to be considered for the Bachelor of Midwifery. Applications from applicants under 20 who have met the academic entry criteria to the Bachelor of Midwifery via the Health Bridging Programme will be assessed on their individual merits.