Postgraduate Diploma in the Practice of Psychology
The Postgraduate Diploma in the Practice of Psychology is designed to meet the requirements for registration as a psychologist under the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance (HPCA) Act.
Applications for 2026 entry open in July 2025.
Applications for 2026 entry close at 11.59 pm on 15 September.
Degree information
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Subjects Choose a subject
Browse available subjects and choose one for more information.
Browse PGDipPracPsych subjects Browse available subjects and choose one for more information
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Entry Requirements Applications to enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma in the Practice of Psychology ("PGDipPracPsych") open in July of the year preceding entry and close on September 15.
To ensure you meet the deadline, you are encouraged to apply in MyWaikato as soon as applications open, as applicants will go through a selection process. Complete applications will be considered by the selection committee after the closing date and those who are successful in moving to the next stage will be invited for an interview in late October/early November.
Please check your eligibility for entry before submitting an application.
To be considered, applicants must have completed the Master of Applied Psychology (or equivalent) in the relevant specialisation.
For confirmed enrolment, successful applicants are required to have work (paid or unpaid) in an organisation that provides them with the opportunity to practice significantly in the relevant specialisation.
Entry into the programme is competitive and places are limited.
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Fees and scholarships Estimated fees
$10,266 per year
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Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 17 October 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees free study.
Estimated fees
$35,958 per year
-
International tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for international students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
International tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 17 October 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.
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Graduate outcomes Graduates of the PGDipPracPsych will have:- the ability to collect, present, interpret and evaluate research data with particular regard to participative, observational, interview, survey, etc. procedures
- a capacity to synthesise and integrate information
- experience in community development and evaluation
- experience in monitoring and reviewing community psychology techniques
- the ability to analyse, overview and scope social and health problems
- the ability to evaluate research and interventions to develop community and address social issues and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new initiatives
- the ability to effectively communicate information, arguments, and analyses in a variety of forms, to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
- the ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, including the application of those principles in an employment context
- the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project and to adjust the project in the light of unforeseen problems
- the ability to work and negotiate effectively in a team, and to produce work collaboratively
- the ability to locate, evaluate and use information in a range of contexts, in both print and electronic form
- competence in written, verbal and visual communication
- the skills of a self-reflective, responsive and critical practitioner of Community Psychology
- the skills of self-directed learning
- high standards of ethical awareness.
- an understanding of ethnicity, social justice and equity issues
- an awareness of personal values and respect for the values of other people
- experience in team problem solving and a capacity to work in interdisciplinary teams
- sensitivity to professional and personal ethics
- a capacity for self-evaluation and assessment of one鈥檚 own work, and the ability to modify and change in the light of such evaluation
- the willingness and ability to learn and continue learning, and to appreciate that learning is continuous throughout life
- a capacity for sound professional judgement and independence of judgment
- an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge
- the ability to exercise initiative and personal responsibility
- the confidence to make decisions in complex and unpredictable contexts
- the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further education
- self-direction and originality in tackling and solving practical and academic problems
-
the confidence to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks
-
an understanding of ethical issues related to professional practice and academic research.
Browse available subjects and choose one for more information
Applications to enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma in the Practice of Psychology ("PGDipPracPsych") open in July of the year preceding entry and close on September 15.
To ensure you meet the deadline, you are encouraged to apply in MyWaikato as soon as applications open, as applicants will go through a selection process. Complete applications will be considered by the selection committee after the closing date and those who are successful in moving to the next stage will be invited for an interview in late October/early November.
Please check your eligibility for entry before submitting an application.
To be considered, applicants must have completed the Master of Applied Psychology (or equivalent) in the relevant specialisation.
For confirmed enrolment, successful applicants are required to have work (paid or unpaid) in an organisation that provides them with the opportunity to practice significantly in the relevant specialisation.
Entry into the programme is competitive and places are limited.
Estimated fees
$10,266 per year
-
Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 17 October 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees free study.
Estimated fees
$35,958 per year
-
International tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for international students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
International tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Scholarships Finder
Relevant as of 17 October 2025.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.
- the ability to collect, present, interpret and evaluate research data with particular regard to participative, observational, interview, survey, etc. procedures
- a capacity to synthesise and integrate information
- experience in community development and evaluation
- experience in monitoring and reviewing community psychology techniques
- the ability to analyse, overview and scope social and health problems
- the ability to evaluate research and interventions to develop community and address social issues and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new initiatives
- the ability to effectively communicate information, arguments, and analyses in a variety of forms, to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
- the ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, including the application of those principles in an employment context
- the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project and to adjust the project in the light of unforeseen problems
- the ability to work and negotiate effectively in a team, and to produce work collaboratively
- the ability to locate, evaluate and use information in a range of contexts, in both print and electronic form
- competence in written, verbal and visual communication
- the skills of a self-reflective, responsive and critical practitioner of Community Psychology
- the skills of self-directed learning
- high standards of ethical awareness.
- an understanding of ethnicity, social justice and equity issues
- an awareness of personal values and respect for the values of other people
- experience in team problem solving and a capacity to work in interdisciplinary teams
- sensitivity to professional and personal ethics
- a capacity for self-evaluation and assessment of one鈥檚 own work, and the ability to modify and change in the light of such evaluation
- the willingness and ability to learn and continue learning, and to appreciate that learning is continuous throughout life
- a capacity for sound professional judgement and independence of judgment
- an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge
- the ability to exercise initiative and personal responsibility
- the confidence to make decisions in complex and unpredictable contexts
- the learning ability needed to undertake appropriate further education
- self-direction and originality in tackling and solving practical and academic problems
-
the confidence to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks
-
an understanding of ethical issues related to professional practice and academic research.
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