Higher Diploma in Health Studies | IVE Health & Life Science

Programme Aims

The programme aims to equip students with the medical and healthcare profession-specific knowledge and skills together with the necessary language, IT, interpersonal and other generic skills for employment, further study and active citizenship. It also seeks to cultivate a spirit of lifelong learning in the medical and healthcare field.

The programme will equip students with the necessary technical and professional knowledge and skills, initially at a paraprofessional level, via the blending of theoretical knowledge and practical application, to build their passion and ambitions in health industry and the students are to be trained with discipline, responsibility, professionalism.

The programme is linked to the “Earn and Learn” scheme. Upon completion of the full-time first year of this programme², the student may choose to study in the “Earn and Learn” scheme. Under the “Earn and Learn” scheme, students can enroll in the seventh semester of the “Earn and Learn” Part-Time (Day) mode. Students will be employed by the participating companies as registered apprentice for two years in the “Earn and Learn”. During the two-year training period, there will be salary, government allowance under the Earn & Learn Scheme, Industry Incentive Allowance and Training Allowance. For the two years of “Earn and Learn” scheme, the employer will sponsor the apprentice to study the Higher Diploma (HD) programme at IVE for one day per week³.

The tuition fee for the full-time Higher Diploma is paid by the student.
Employers will sponsor the tuition fees for these two years.

Professional Recognition

The programme is approved by the Social Welfare Department as a ‘Health Worker Training Course’. Students who meet the requirements of registered health workers can apply for registration as Health worker with the Social Welfare Department.

Career Prospects

Graduates enable to pursue a career in the healthcare sector as competent and professional healthcare personnel, executive personnel or supervisors in public and private hospitals, healthcare institutions and agencies, medical group practices and community clinics, medical representatives in healthcare companies and medical group practices. Graduates may also work as health service education and promotion personnel etc.

Information

Duration of Study	2 Years
Mode of Study	Full-time
Offering Campus(es) / Venue(s)	IVE (Kwai Chung)
Entrance Requirements	VTC Diploma of Foundation Studies; OR VTC Diploma of Vocational Education / VTC Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate; OR Diploma Yi Jin / Diploma of Applied Education; OR Relevant and substantial work experience and/or prior qualification(s) obtained in or outside Hong Kong (e.g. assessed through recognition of prior learning and credit accumulation and transfer), with demonstrated ability to undertake sub-degree education; OR Equivalent Remarks : Applicants can use HKDSE Applied Learning (ApL) subjects (except ApL Chinese) for admission purpose. An "Attained", "Attained with Distinction (I)" and "Attained with Distinction (II)" in an ApL subject (Category B subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2", "Level 3" and "Level 4" respectively for admission purpose. For 2024 HKDSE and before, a "Grade D or E" and a "Grade C or above" in an HKDSE Other Language subject (Category C subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" and "Level 3" respectively; From 2025 HKDSE onwards, Language Proficiency Level A2 or above in French / German / Spanish, N3 or above in Japanese and TOPIK II: Grade 3 or above in Korean are also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement. Recognition of Urdu Language subject in 2026 HKDSE Other Language subject (Category C subjects) will be announced later. For details, please click here. One Other Language subject can be counted for admission purpose. An "Attained" in HKDSE Citizenship and Social Development is regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" for admission purpose. If one of the five HKDSE subjects is Citizenship and Social Development, the general entrance requirement would become "Attained" for Citizenship and Social Development and Level 2 or above in four other HKDSE subjects including Chinese Language and English Language. Besides, Level 2 or above in Mathematics Extended Part (Module 1 or Module 2) is also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement. If applicants have taken both Module 1 and Module 2, either one of the modules (with a higher level) will be counted for admission purpose. Applicable to holders of Diploma in Vocational Education / Diploma of Vocational Education (DVE) (students admitted to DVE in AY2017/18 or before are required to complete prescribed further studies modules). Upon completion of the Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate (DVB) programmes, students can progress to Higher Diploma programmes in VTC, subject to their BTEC and IGCSE results. Applications with work experience and/or prior qualification(s) submitted will be assessed individually by the departments concerned.
Articulation	Graduates may articulate to the Degree programmes offered by Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi): BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Healthcare Management Graduates may apply for admission to the following programmes: BA (Hons) in Business (Health Services Management) offered by the School of Professional Education and Executive Development, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Notes	Students may be required to attend classes on other VTC campuses. VTC reserves the right to cancel any programme, revise programme content or change the offering institute(s) / campus(es) / class venue(s) if circumstances so warrant.