Personal Interest Courses
South Pacific College of Natural Medicine offers a limited number of Personal Interest courses for those who are interested in learning more about natural medicine.
Personal Interest courses may be suitable for those who have not studied for some time, and who may like to try studying at an advanced level before committing to enrolling in a 3 – 5-year degree programme. Personal Interest students are in the same classes, and study the same course content, as degree students.
We also offer a Certificate in Study & Employment Pathways – Natural Medicine (Level 4) (highly recommended for those who have never studied at tertiary level).
- If a student would prefer, they can choose (at the start of their study) to attend classes or access course material online without completing any of the assessments.
- If a student has chosen to study with assessments, all Bachelor of Natural Medicine assessment and attendance requirements will apply.
- Please note that successful completion of a Personal Interest course does not guarantee entry into the Bachelor of Natural Medicine.
On occasion, our admissions sub-committee may suggest to prospective students that Personal Interest courses may be a better option than applying to enrol in the degree programme. This allows the student an opportunity to experience studying with SPCNM, as outlined above. It also allows academic staff to gauge the student’s academic ability and engagement.
Some students who have successfully completed Personal Interest courses (with assessments), and who have met all entry criteria, have gone on to apply for and/or be accepted into the Bachelor of Natural Medicine. Students may receive credit recognition transfer for a maximum of four courses that have been completed immediately prior to acceptance into the degree.
The following courses are offered as Personal interest courses, subject to class numbers. Normally, only one course per semester may be taken as a Personal Interest student.
Semester One (February – June) |
|||
Course Code | Course Name | Level | Prerequisite |
CPI04 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Foundations of Research | Level 5 | For students choosing to study with assessments or hoping to apply for the degree programme in the future, it is recommended that you start with Foundations of Research. |
CPI01 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Anatomy & Physiology 1 | NA | |
CPI02 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Herbal Medicine 1 | For students choosing to study with assessments, Herbal Medicine 1 requires you to complete fully referenced essays, so students need a background in tertiary study (at Level 4 or higher) or to have completed Foundations of Research. | |
CPI03 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Principles & Philosophy of Natural Medicine | Level 5 | For students choosing to study with assessments, PPNM requires you to complete fully referenced essays, so students need a background in tertiary study (at Level 4 or higher) or to have completed Foundations of Research. |
Semester Two (July – December) |
|||
CPI04 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Foundations of Research | Level 5 | For students choosing to study with assessments or hoping to apply for the degree programme in the future, it is recommended that you start with Foundations of Research. NB: This course may not be offered in Semester Two every year. |
CPI05 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Anatomy & Physiology 2 | Level 6 | This course is a suitable first course to study at SPCNM if you do not have a background in tertiary study (at Level 4 or higher) and have not completed Foundations of Research. You must have a basic understanding of human biology if you have not already completed Anatomy & Physiology 1. |
CPI07 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Biochemistry | Level 5 | This course is a suitable first course to study at SPCNM if you do not have a background in tertiary study (at Level 4 or higher) and have not completed Foundations of Research. You will need to be competent in basic chemistry. |
CPI06 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Herbal Medicine 2 | Level 5 | As this course builds on previous concepts, Herbal Medicine 1 must be completed first. |
CPI08 | Certificate of Personal Interest in Rongoā Māori Healing Concepts | Level 6 | For students choosing to study with assessments, Rongoā Māori requires you to complete fully referenced essays, so students need a background in tertiary study (at Level 4 or higher) or to have completed Foundations of Research. |
Please note: Personal Interest students are self-funding only and are not eligible for Studylink or Fees-free assistance.