MEDICAL & HEALTH SCIENCES
Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences in Digital Health (Online)
PGCertHSc in Digital Health
Upskill and pursue postgraduate study in the rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field of Digital Health and develop the skills to design, implement and evaluate digital technologies and initiatives.
Entry Requirements
A relevant degree
Or
A relevant and appropriate health qualification and at least two years of relevant professional experience
Duration
2 Semesters
Next Start Dates
- Semester 1: 3 March 2025 (applications close 17 February)
- Semester 2: 21 July 2025 (applications close 7 July)
Domestic Programme Fees
$5,446.20 (estimate)
Programme Overview
The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences specialising in Digital Health (PGCertHSc in Digital Health) is an introductory postgraduate programme for those who want to advance their knowledge and practice associated with any aspect of adopting digital technologies to improve health, from inception to operation. This programme aims to upskill the healthcare and information and technology workforce in this rapidly evolving interdisciplinary field between medical/clinical practice, business, and computer sciences. This programme would be of particular interest to a diverse range of professionals including managers, health professionals, data scientists, computer scientists, and bio-engineers. Throughout this introductory programme, you will learn to design, implement and evaluate digital health tools and initiatives to improve and support equity of health service provision and outcomes for patients and populations in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. If you want to be well-prepared for a range of specialist employment opportunities and careers in digital health, this programme is for you!
The PGCertHSc in Digital Health is for those who want to advance their competencies and adaptability in response to changing health care contexts and to meet employer demands both nationally and globally. During this programme, you will develop a specialised set of knowledge and skills in digital health in the Aotearoa New Zealand and international context, Hauora Māori, equity, health informatics, knowledge management, data ethics and analytics, and digital health development, implementation and evaluation.
The PGCertHSc in Digital Health is a 60-point programme that comprises 4 15-point courses. Each course runs over a 12-week teaching period, allowing you to complete this programme in as little as two Semesters part-time, taking two courses at a time (30-points per term).
To complete this programme, you will be required to take, DIGIHTLH 701, 30 points from DIGIHLTH 702-706 and 15 points from DIGIHLTH 702-706, POPLHLTH 724 or POPLHLTH 760.
Please note that Auckland Online courses are scheduled on rotation, so your course progression will be largely predetermined depending on when you start your programme of study. In instances where there are specific course prerequisites within the programme itself, we will ensure that you are enrolled in the correct courses to achieve your goals.
| Course Code | Course | Description | Points |
| DIGIHLTH 701 | Principles of Digital Health | The study of information technology and information management concepts relevant to the delivery of high quality and cost-effective healthcare. Theoretical frameworks such as data management, decision support, strategic planning and implementation, change management, knowledge management and privacy and other ethical aspects of digital health are included. | 15 |
| DIGIHLTH 702 | Health Knowledge Management | Analyses the role and dynamics of knowledge in the working environment in the health sector, and develops aspects of knowledge infrastructure. | 15 |
| DIGIHLTH 703 | New Zealand Health Data Landscape | An overview of key issues to support the appropriate and effective use of large volumes of routinely collected data to drive improvements in the delivery of health care. Ethical and equitable use of health data, critical evaluation of health data, identification of analytic methods and appropriate interpretation to support health care decision-making are discussed. Specific datasets are not analysed. | 15 |
| DIGIHLTH 704 | Healthcare Decision Support Systems | Familiarises students with the main developments of decision support systems in healthcare. The theoretical concepts and the technology including data mining, clinical decision support systems, diagnostic systems and decision support in managed care are outlined. Ethical issues are also addressed. | 15 |
| DIGIHLTH 705 | Digital Health Design and Evaluation | Examines the design and development of digital health tools to meet end-user and health service needs. A series of case studies are used to illustrate the different stages of digital health tool development, evaluation, and implementation. Health service, researcher and end-user perspectives are covered. | 15 |
| DIGIHLTH 706 | Health Data Analytics | Analyses, interprets, and presents quantitative data to assist decision making in the health sector. Fundamental elements of statistics, data management, visualisation, epidemiology and computing are covered. | 15 |
| POPLHLTH 724 | Quality in Health Care | Quality healthcare is examined with an emphasis on strategies that enable individuals, teams, and services within healthcare organisations to implement and sustain performance improvement. Allows students to explore the quality principles to an area of their own choice. | 15 |
| POPLHLTH 760 | Principles of Public Health | Consideration of the principles underlying the modern practice of public health. Students examine the major core concepts in public health, including determinants of health, health equity, environments and health, health promotion and health systems. | 15 |
As a graduate of the PGCertHSc in Digital Health, you will be able to develop the following skills depending on the courses you take:
- Differentiate, critique, deconstruct and synthesize existing theoretical knowledge and integrate it within your own understandings of digital health contexts and practice.
- Critique research and your own practice or professional viewpoints, drawing on a sophisticated understanding of concepts and theories and applying them to a range of digital health practices and contexts.
- Critically reflect on the ways in which different theoretical approaches inform current practices in and understandings of digital health.
- Reflect on, and articulate, the ways in which different perspectives and theoretical approaches inform and challenge your personal and professional viewpoints, understandings and actions.
- Explore potential digital health solutions to known health problems in a guided enquiry, accounting for the complexity of the digital health environment and known constraints in the health system.
- Contrast recognized digital health models and approaches to improve health systems, structures or outcomes for communities, articulating findings and implications in a systematic manner.
- Consider and apply appropriate communication and disciplinary models, strategies and frameworks to communicate evidence-based information with individuals or groups.
- Select appropriate media, technologies and techniques that will engage diverse communities or population groups to communicate findings, evidence and solutions.
- Undertake and initiate inquiry within digital health, developing a credible academic stance and following accepted academic processes and procedures in the completion of coursework and research inquiry.
- Consistently apply ethical principles, culturally safe practices and academic conventions in your academic work, demonstrating respect for those individuals, groups and health services whose contexts you draw on in your coursework.
- Consider the effect of past and current approaches to supporting Hauora Māori (Māori health) and your alignment with the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Explore where your contribution and practice in digital health can give voice to improving health equity within a range of contexts and drawing on evidence.
The PGCertHSc in Digital Health is for those who want to advance their competencies and adaptability in response to changing health care contexts and to meet employer demands both nationally and globally. During this programme, you will develop a specialised set of knowledge and skills in digital health in the Aotearoa New Zealand and international context, Hauora Māori, equity, health informatics, knowledge management, data ethics and analytics, and digital health development, implementation and evaluation.
The PGCertHSc in Digital Health is a 60-point programme that comprises 4 15-point courses. Each course runs over a 12-week teaching period, allowing you to complete this programme in as little as two Semesters part-time, taking two courses at a time (30-points per term).
To complete this programme, you will be required to take, DIGIHTLH 701, 30 points from DIGIHLTH 702-706 and 15 points from DIGIHLTH 702-706, POPLHLTH 724 or POPLHLTH 760.
Please note that Auckland Online courses are scheduled on rotation, so your course progression will be largely predetermined depending on when you start your programme of study. In instances where there are specific course prerequisites within the programme itself, we will ensure that you are enrolled in the correct courses to achieve your goals.
| Course Information |
| Principles of Digital Health (DIGIHLTH 701) 15 points The study of information technology and information management concepts relevant to the delivery of high quality and cost-effective healthcare. Theoretical frameworks such as data management, decision support, strategic planning and implementation, change management, knowledge management and privacy and other ethical aspects of digital health are included. |
| Health Knowledge Management (DIGIHLTH 702) 15 points Analyses the role and dynamics of knowledge in the working environment in the health sector, and develops aspects of knowledge infrastructure. |
| New Zealand Health Data Landscape (DIGIHLTH 703) 15 points An overview of key issues to support the appropriate and effective use of large volumes of routinely collected data to drive improvements in the delivery of health care. Ethical and equitable use of health data, critical evaluation of health data, identification of analytic methods and appropriate interpretation to support health care decision-making are discussed. Specific datasets are not analysed. |
| Healthcare Decision Support Systems (DIGIHLTH 704) 15 points Familiarises students with the main developments of decision support systems in healthcare. The theoretical concepts and the technology including data mining, clinical decision support systems, diagnostic systems and decision support in managed care are outlined. Ethical issues are also addressed. |
| Digital Health Design and Evaluation (DIGIHLTH 705) 15 points Examines the design and development of digital health tools to meet end-user and health service needs. A series of case studies are used to illustrate the different stages of digital health tool development, evaluation, and implementation. Health service, researcher and end-user perspectives are covered. |
| Health Data Analytics (DIGIHLTH 706) 15 points Analyses, interprets, and presents quantitative data to assist decision making in the health sector. Fundamental elements of statistics, data management, visualisation, epidemiology and computing are covered. |
| Quality in Health Care (POPLHLTH 724) 15 points Quality healthcare is examined with an emphasis on strategies that enable individuals, teams, and services within healthcare organisations to implement and sustain performance improvement. Allows students to explore the quality principles to an area of their own choice. |
| Principles of Public Health (POPLHLTH 760) 15 points Consideration of the principles underlying the modern practice of public health. Students examine the major core concepts in public health, including determinants of health, health equity, environments and health, health promotion and health systems. |
As a graduate of the PGCertHSc in Digital Health, you will be able to develop the following skills depending on the courses you take:
- Differentiate, critique, deconstruct and synthesize existing theoretical knowledge and integrate it within your own understandings of digital health contexts and practice.
- Critique research and your own practice or professional viewpoints, drawing on a sophisticated understanding of concepts and theories and applying them to a range of digital health practices and contexts.
- Critically reflect on the ways in which different theoretical approaches inform current practices in and understandings of digital health.
- Reflect on, and articulate, the ways in which different perspectives and theoretical approaches inform and challenge your personal and professional viewpoints, understandings and actions.
- Explore potential digital health solutions to known health problems in a guided enquiry, accounting for the complexity of the digital health environment and known constraints in the health system.
- Contrast recognized digital health models and approaches to improve health systems, structures or outcomes for communities, articulating findings and implications in a systematic manner.
- Consider and apply appropriate communication and disciplinary models, strategies and frameworks to communicate evidence-based information with individuals or groups.
- Select appropriate media, technologies and techniques that will engage diverse communities or population groups to communicate findings, evidence and solutions.
- Undertake and initiate inquiry within digital health, developing a credible academic stance and following accepted academic processes and procedures in the completion of coursework and research inquiry.
- Consistently apply ethical principles, culturally safe practices and academic conventions in your academic work, demonstrating respect for those individuals, groups and health services whose contexts you draw on in your coursework.
- Consider the effect of past and current approaches to supporting Hauora Māori (Māori health) and your alignment with the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Explore where your contribution and practice in digital health can give voice to improving health equity within a range of contexts and drawing on evidence.
Disclaimer: *The programme fees are indicative and estimates only. Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this webpage. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses.
Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences in Digital Health
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