Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma-Transformative Support

Summary

Go beyond trauma awareness and trauma-informed care, and drive meaningful change in your organisation.

Available from 2027

The Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma-Transformative Support will be offered from 2027.

In the Postgraduate Diploma in Trauma‑Transformative Support (PGDipTSS), you'll apply trauma‑transformative principles to drive systems‑level change. The Diploma builds on the Postgraduate Certificate in Trauma‑Transformative Support (PGCertTSS).

You'll examine interventions, programmes, and practices informed by evidence, culture, and lived experience. Learn how to promote hauora and well-being, and to protect, restore, and heal.

You’ll also develop the skills to support individuals, organisations, services, and communities. Address barriers and shift from trauma-responsive approaches to trauma-transformative practice.

Who can study for this qualification

The PGDipTSS is ideal if you work with trauma survivors or plan to in the future. It suits education professionals, health professionals, social workers, and other community workers.

It's also suitable for graduates looking to deepen their knowledge of trauma and its impacts.

The programme's structure allows you to study online in manageable stages while working. You’ll focus on reflexive practice, analysis, skill development, and real-world application. You’ll be ready to lead systemic change in organisations that support people with experiences of trauma. Your work will strengthen hauora/wellbeing, improve functioning, and promote healing.

How you’ll study

If you study full time you’ll take four courses worth 120 points over two trimesters.

You’ll learn with:

• weekly online modules with readings, interactive tasks, and self-quizzes
• online, pre-recorded lectures with captions and recorded interviews with experts, advocates, and practitioners
• live online tutorials for one-to-one support
• assessment modules with assignment guidelines, resources, and how-to videos to help with assessment tasks
• live seminars on hot topics, perspectives, and practice issues (recorded for viewing later)
• discussion boards to connect with classmates and build community/whanaungatanga
• webinars with guest speakers, experts, advocates, researchers, practitioners, and people with lived experience.

Why Te Herenga Waka

Te Herenga Waka is the first university in New Zealand to offer a staircased trauma-transformative programme that equips graduates to lead systemic change beyond trauma awareness and trauma-informed care. The Faculty of Education, Health, and Psychological Sciences provides the expertise behind the programme, helping you explore trauma as a complex practice and systems issue.

What you'll learn

The PGDipTSS combines the latest research, perspectives, and evidence-based practice. It also draws on holistic, traditional, and Indigenous knowledge and approaches. You'll learn from experts in education, health, and psychological sciences.

You’ll be at the forefront of trauma-transformative practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. You’ll have the research-led, lived-experience-informed, and culturally grounded expertise to understand:

• the causes, prevalence, and impacts of trauma
• how people respond to trauma
• what effective, responsive and transformative support looks like
• the skills and confidence to collaborate with individuals, whānau and communities, and lead meaningful, system-level change.

Future careers

You’ll be equipped for trauma-informed practice and leadership across different sectors:

Education

• youth worker, child and adolescent services, family support worker, and disability services
• educator, teacher (early childhood, primary and secondary, tertiary)
• resource teaching and behaviour specialist, Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO), teaching assistant.

Health

• counsellor
• psychologist (including educational psychology)
• therapist
• crisis response team (traumatic incident management team, civil defence response team)
• social worker (working with children, young people and families, housing, and refugee and migrant communities)
• mental health (support worker, addiction support worker)
• GP, nurse, or midwife
• health and safety officer
• suicide prevention and postvention coordinator
• NGOs (working with vulnerable populations) and registered charities.

Justice

• corrections officer or probation officer
• police, police prosecutor, or court official
• age concern and elder abuse team.

Continue your study

The Diploma in Trauma-Transformative Support is a standalone qualification. But you can use the courses from your Diploma toward related Master’s qualifications (provided you meet the grade and entry requirements), including:

• [Master of Education (MEd)](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/explore/postgraduate-programmes/master-of-educat...