HomeProgrammesBusinessNew Zealand Diploma in Business

New Zealand Diploma in Business

Level 5

Develop your business skills and learn what it takes to succeed in the New Zealand business sector with the UCOL Te Pūkenga New Zealand Diploma in Business.

People working with laptops doing accounting work.
Quick info

Level: 5

Locations: UCOL Te Pūkenga Manawatū in Palmerston North, UCOL Te Pūkenga Whanganui

Duration: 1 year full-time (41 weeks)
Part-time option available.
(See Course Hours & Duration for details)

Dates:
Palmerston North
19 Feb 2024 - 29 Nov 2024
22 Jul 2024 - 27 June 2025

Whanganui
19 Feb 2024 - 29 Nov 2024
22 Jul 2024 - 27 June 2025

Domestic Fees: *
$6,843.00

Scholarship info

International Fees:*
$25,000.00 + Student Services Levy $591.00

Additional Fees
Compulsory course costs may apply.

* Fees are indicative only, and are inclusive of the student services levy and GST (goods and services tax). The fee shown is for one year of study.

Contribute to the strategic objectives of any organisation by applying the skills learnt in the UCOL Te Pūkenga New Zealand Diploma in Business.

Choose to focus on Accounting or Leadership and Management.

The Accounting focus will qualify you to gain the academic requirements for the Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ) Accounting Technician (AT) designation.

 Course Hours & Duration

This programme runs for 41 weeks each year, including 7 holiday weeks.

Per week, your learning will include approximately:

Class Time
16 hrs

Lectures, tutorials and/or online recordings.
Study Time
24 hrs

Study in your own time.

You can also choose to study part-time, or possibly by paper. Talk to us about your options with this programme.

 Career & Study Outcomes

On completion of this programme you will be ready to take on a range of careers and will have the skills and knowledge to be employed in a variety of business entities in roles such as:

  • Accounts assistant
  • Accounts payable administrator
  • Accounting technician
  • Finance administrator 
  • Human resource manager
  • Management assistant
  • Middle management role
  • Operations leader
  • Payroll administrator
  • Team leader

To find out more about possible job prospects and salaries for Managers and Accountants, see careers.govt.nz

Education pathway

In just one year, you will gain an industry-valued business qualification that will also serve as an ideal stepping stone for further business degree studies. This diploma provides one year of credit toward UCOL’s Bachelor of Applied Management degree.

The Accounting Strand leads to the first year of UCOL's Bachelor of Accounting Level 7.

 Course Information

Note: As a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, UCOL Te Pūkenga is committed to providing the best learning outcome for you. As part of this, all programmes are currently being reviewed to make them portable, consistent, and closely aligned with the needs of the industry. When published, this course information is correct, but the courses offered may change over time. If you have any questions call an Enrolment Advisor on 0800 468 265.

This programme consists of 120 Credits.

Your studies will differ according to your chosen area of focus - Accounting or Leadership and Management.

CORE COURSES

Business Environments (15 Credits)
Learn to analyse environmental influences on a business entity. The course covers:

  • External environments - government policy, legislation, common law, economic dynamics, technology, sustainable management, and social trends
  • Internal environments - systems, structure, resources, and organisational culture
  • Economics - the principles of scarcity, and supply and demand
  • Risk management and creating a risk management plan
  • Legal principles assessed using a problem-solving methodology

Business Functions (15 Credits)
Learn to apply knowledge of core business functions for operational efficiency and effectiveness. The course covers:

  • Accounting principles and practices
  • Operations - layout, workflow, productivity
  • Human resource management - estimating staff requirements, recruitment and selection, and renumeration
  • Sales and marketing - forecasting, internal marketing, marketing communications
  • Skills for managing learning and performance

Organisations in a New Zealand Context (15 Credits)
Review and analyse business entities from a range of perspectives in a New Zealand context. The course covers:

  • Communication
  • Internal and external stakeholders
  • Risks
  • Bi-cultural partnership (as embedded in the Treaty of Waitangi)
  • Regional considerations and partnerships
  • Ethical behaviour including widely accepted standards relating to obeying the law, being honest in dealings, showing respect for individuals, contracts, and societal standards and institutions' environmental, community and sustainability expectations
  • Culturally appropriate interpretations wider than just ethnicity

Understanding Change (15 Credits)
Learn how to contribute to innovation and change in organisations. The course covers:

  • Innovation in an operational context
  • Management of sustainability
  • Analysis of the impact of sustainability on business entities
  • Implementation of change
  • Application of professional and ethical behaviour in a socially and culturally appropriate manner
  • Professional attitudes, qualities and behaviours
  • Perspectives on ethics
  • Problem-solving and decision making
  • Communication

Accounting Focus

Person using calculator

 

Analysis of Financial Information (15 Credits)
Learn to calculate, analyse and interpret financial information to inform decision-making for a business entity and evaluate debtor risk. The course covers:

  • Purpose and users of financial analysis, limitations/assumptions
  • Calculation and analysis of financial ratios
  • Interpret financial information to inform decision-making- include analytics
  • Formulate recommendations
  • Accounts receivable management
  • Action plan around debtor risk, including options and recommendations

Applied Accounting (15 Credits)
Learn to record and process a wide range of financial transactions manually and using software. Students will act in accordance with the accounting profession’s Code of Ethics to research and communicate technical financial information for a business entity’s performance.

Budgets for Planning and Control (15 Credits)
Learn to prepare budgets and use budgets to monitor business performance for a business entity, and determine internal controls to minimise financial risk.

  • Preparation of budgets
  • Sensitivity analysis
  • Flexible budgets Variance reporting / communicationImpact on business performance
  • Internal controls
  • Identification and measurement of risks
  • Risk management Bank reconciliations
  • External environment

Introduction to Accounting and Taxation (15 Credits)
Learn to apply accounting concepts and standards to prepare financial statements for a business entity and apply tax rules. The course covers:

  • Income statements
  • Balance day adjustments
  • Trial balance
  • Statement of changes in equity
  • Cash flow
  • Going concern, periodic and historic cost
  • Income statement and balance sheet with adjustments
  • GST calculations and adjustments
  • Family assistance scheme
  • Student loans
  • Tax Credits
  • Individual tax returns
  • Kiwi Saver scheme
  • Employer obligations and calculations
  • Employee and independent contractor
  • Payment and due date of taxes

 

Leadership and Management Focus

Two people having a discussion


Business Planning
(15 Credits)
Learn to formulate a business plan. The course covers strategic, tactical and operational aspects, and managing change such as workplace culture and gap analysis.

Leadership (15 Credits)
Learn to apply leadership skills to achieve organisational outcomes and change. The course covers the concept of leadership and:

  • Negotiation
  • Achieving desired outcomes and change
  • Evaluating successful leadership in self and others
  • Nature and complexity of leading change
  • Leadership and its influence on success within an organisation

Managing Projects (15 Credits)
Learn to effectively manage a project. The course covers:

  • Planning
  • Execution
  • Monitoring and control
  • Implications on workplace culture
  • Project closeout
  • Project management phases in regard to documentation and collation of useful information
  • Identification and management of project variances

Operations Management and Compliance (15 Credits)
Learn to apply techniques to improve operational management and compliance. The course will cover internal and external drivers such as legislation, government policy, quality management systems within a business, and the policies and procedures of a business.

 Student & Staff Profiles

 Industry Connections

  • Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ) 
  • New Zealand Institute of Management (NZIM) 
  • Toyota NZ 
  • Central Economic Development Agency 
  • Morrison Creed Chartered Accountants 

The UCOL Te Pūkenga New Zealand Diploma in Business is well supported by industry and this strong industry involvement means that learners are able to apply their knowledge and skills and develop an analytical approach to real-world problems and issues.

 Domestic Entry Requirements

Entry Criteria

General Admission

To be admitted to this programme all applicants must be at least 16 years of age on the date of the programme's commencement for the semester in which they wish to enrol (or provide a completed Early Release Exemption form), and meet one of the following requirements:

  1. Achievement of NCEA Level 2 including:
  2. An equivalent of the above

    Or
  3. Successful completion of an approved qualification at Level 3 or above with a relevant pathway.

Discretionary Admission

Applicants who do not meet the general admission requirements stated above and who believe that they have the level of preparedness for study at this level may apply for discretionary admission.

In assessing whether to grant discretionary admission the primary focus will be on the applicant's ability to demonstrate a likelihood to succeed in the programme.

All decisions will be at the discretion of the Relevant Academic Authority.

Language Literacy Admission Requirements

All applicants must provide evidence that they have the necessary language literacy proficiency required for the Programme as demonstrated by the equivalence of:


Applicants who are unable to provide evidence of the above may be required to demonstrate capability using an approved proficiency test or an equivalent described in NZQA Rules.

 

For more information about NCEA Credits see the UCOL Te Pūkenga NCEA explained page.

 International Entry Requirements

In addition to the Domestic Entry Requirements, the following applies to international learner applicants.

International applicants must provide evidence that they have the necessary English language proficiency required for the Programme as demonstrated by an IELTS score of 5.5 (academic) with no individual band lower than 5.0 from one test taken in the preceding two years, or an equivalent described in NZQA Rules and on Delivery Site English Language Requirements for International Ākonga Web-page.

 Advice & Guidance

This programme is designed for those who want to work in an operational role in a New Zealand business. It is suitable for graduates of New Zealand Certificates in Business.

Recognition of prior learning
Applications for Recognition of Prior Learning, including Cross Credit, Credit Transfer and Assessment of Prior Learning may be made on the Recognition of Prior Learning Form where a student believes all learning outcomes for a course have already been met. Applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the UCOL | Te Pūkenga Academic Statute and other relavant policies and procedures.

Application checklist
It will make the process easier if you prepare the following before you apply:

  • National Student Number (NSN) (If you don't have a NSN, you may request one from NZQA, or you can supply a verified copy of your birth certificate, passport or Whakapapa statement.)
  • Evidence of your highest level of academic achievement (and evidence of prior learning, if applicable)
  • Evidence that you meet the entry requirements of the programme
  • Check if you're eligible for additional support or a scholarship. If you're 19 years or younger, you may be eligible to enrol in one of our free Youth Transition programmes.

Note that you will need to provide any verified documents in person, via post or email (not via the online application form).

 Additional Costs

Approximately $124.00 for textbook.

 Accreditation

The programme is approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority under the provisions of the Education and Training Act 2020, and Universal College of Learning Limited, a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga is accredited to teach it.

Top