Information and Communications Technology

Entry requirements

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Senate.

Every applicant shall

• be a graduate; and
• have attained a satisfactory standard of academic performance; or
• have submitted evidence satisfactory to the Senate of previous training and experience appropriate to the planned programme of study.

If your first language is not English you need to meet our English language requirements as follows: IELTS score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); we also accept a number of other English language tests. Due to COVID-19, we currently accept Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS Indicator Test, and TOEFL iBT Special home Edition.

Don’t meet the English language requirements? The University of Otago Language Centre "English for Otago" programme offers a pathway for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students to meet the English language requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Months of entry

February

Course content

The Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad) can be used for many purposes, and in some cases, effectively provides an additional major. It requires you to do at least seven papers, of which at least four are at 300-level or above. The programme is designed for graduates and may be completed by full-time candidates in one year or by part-time candidates over more than one year.

A DipGrad is a great way to retrain or to update existing qualifications. Many students also find it a convenient way to continue learning and that it is a useful bridge to postgraduate study.

There is no doubt that the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector will continue to be one of the fastest growing areas of employment in New Zealand and around the world for the foreseeable future. Our students will explore and develop skills required for employment in this sector, and also learn how to continue to extend those skills in this ever-changing area. They will test this ability in a studio setting looking at industry-relevant projects, and then more directly through an extensive project embedded in a local industry context.

The aim of the programme is to allow students with a degree in other areas to acquire the background and fundamental skills in information technology, which would allow them to enter employment in that sector. There is now an enormous diversity of possible career paths in the ICT sector, many of which do not require the full technical background that a degree in Computer Science or Information Science would provide. This programme aims to shift the skill sets of its students in a way that makes it possible for them to contribute directly in an ICT-related position, and then continue to develop their skills and abilities.

The Shift (International) version of the DipGrad in ICT is offered in conjunction with the Signal ICT Grad School, a collaboration between the University of Otago, two other universities and two polytechnics.

Students in the programme will be required to obtain approval for their elective paper choices through course advising to ensure that they contribute to the desired outcomes of the programme.

Papers required

• COMP 270 ICT Fundamentals
• COMP 371 ICT Studio 1
• COMP 372 ICT Studio 2
• COMP 373 ICT Studio 3
• COMP 390 ICT Industry Project
• Two further approved papers from a relevant area at 200-level or above, totalling at least 30 points

Note: Admission to the programme and elective papers are subject to the approval of the programme director.

Information for international students

Otago offers students an unrivalled campus experience and a vibrant, social student culture. The majority of Otago’s 21,000 students live, work and play in Dunedin - New Zealand’s only true university city. Otago is home to over 3,000 students, from over 100 countries.

Fees and funding