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Graduate Diploma in Construction (Level 7)

Graduate Diploma in Construction (Level 7)

Graduate Diploma in Construction (Level 7)

The Graduate Diploma in Construction is aimed at construction professionals who want to upgrade their qualifications and improve their knowledge and skill to advance their careers.

Students will learn about building modelling, contracts and management, quality management, sustainable technology and construction methodologies and specialise in Construction Management, Project Management or Quantity Surveying.

Please note that we may not be able to offer some strands every year. Please contact us for further details.

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Key Details
Invercargill
Qualification:
Graduate Diploma
Level:
7
Credits:
120
Duration:

One year full-time

Study Modes:
On Campus
Dates:

2025 Semester 1: 17 February to 21 November

Fees:

This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.

  • NO tuition fees
  • Direct material costs: $1,221.00 (GST inclusive).

International Fees can be found here.

The Graduate Diploma in Construction is aimed at construction professionals who want to upgrade their qualifications and improve their knowledge and skill to advance their careers.

Students will learn how to manage projects, including building information modelling, contracts management, health and safety management, quality management, sustainable technology and construction methodologies and specialise in Construction Management, Project Management or Quantity Surveying.  The student will have the opportunity to do an industry project to gain practical experience.

Please note that we may not be able to offer some strands every year. Please contact us for further details.

Graduates of this qualification will be able to:

  • Apply analytical, practical and research capabilities to unfamiliar situations in the area of construction
  • Engage in professional level communication in visual, written and verbal modes
  • Assess efficiency and productivity in construction projects
  • Critically evaluate and financially manage construction projects
  • Evaluate, advise on and manage risks associated with construction projects
  • Manage employment relations in construction contexts
  • Manage quality assurance in construction projects
  • Evaluate and advise on sustainable construction materials, methods and technologies for use in construction projects
  • Design, evaluate and apply health and safety management systems in construction contexts (Construction Management specialists)
  • Plan and manage construction projects using project management principles, tools and techniques (Project Management specialists)
  • Undertake measurement and estimation processes for construction projects (Quantity Surveying specialists).

Common Compulsory           

BCON700 Level 7 Project

Students will undertake and report on a project in construction management or project management or quantity surveying.

BCON710 Building Information Modelling and Communication

Students will apply the principles of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to collaborative inter-disciplinary design and construction of buildings, using a range of communication strategies.

BCON720 Contracts and Management 1

Students will apply principles of construction contract management from feasibility to completion.

BCON750 Sustainable Technology and Construction Methodologies

Students will develop knowledge of sustainable technology as applied to residential and commercial construction

BCON765 Legislation and Compliance

Students will develop knowledge of construction law and professional standards.

Compulsory for Construction Management      

BCON660 Construction Practices

Students will develop an overall understanding of all aspects of industry standard construction methods and practices for a large construction site.

BCON675 Planning and Scheduling Projects

Students will develop higher level skills in the practice of construction project planning, programming, scheduling and risk analysis.

BCON760 Health and Safety in Construction

Students will extend their knowledge of health and safety management in a construction context.

Compulsory for Project Management                

BCON650 Project Management

Students will develop a working knowledge of project management in a construction context.

BCON675 Planning and Scheduling Projects

Students will develop higher level skills in the practice of construction project planning, programming, scheduling and risk analysis.

BCON740 Quality Management

Students will apply the theory and practice of quality assurance and reliability to a construction project.

Compulsory for Quantity Surveying   

BCON680 Measurement and Estimation 1

Students will develop skills in measurement and scheduling of commercial construction works utilising standard systems of measurement and software packages.

BCON685 Design Economics and Cost Planning

Students will develop knowledge and skills required to apply advanced financial concepts to early stages of construction projects.

BCON770 Measurement and Estimation 2

Students will develop knowledge of measurement systems and use software packages to undertake measurement and construction scheduling for construction works.

After graduation (and further work experience in some cases) possible jobs include Estimator, Building Inspector, Construction Manager, Contracts Manager, Project Manager, Property Manager, Quantity Surveyor, Site Manager and Team Leader.

Please refer to the graduate profiles the Construction landing page (bottom of page)

Refer to Long Term Skill Shortage List published by Immigration NZ for relevant occupations.

Students will have completed all requirements of a bachelors' degree in a relevant field (such as architecture, engineering, science - with a construction related major/strand , surveying, technology) and been employed in a responsible position in the field of construction for at least three years.

Mature Application (20 years of age and above) 

Notwithstanding the above admission criteria, mature aged applicants who can show evidence of ability to succeed in the programmes may be considered for admission, provided they have successfully completed an approved course or programme, or have relevant industry experience, which is deemed to meet the required standard for entry.

English Language Requirements

Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:

NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or

an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL); or

Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in  either New Zealand, Australia­, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or

Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or

Successful completion of a Bachelor ‘s Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be  from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or

Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment.

Graduate Certificate or Diploma at Level 7

  • IELTS test - Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5
  • TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE)
  • TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18)
  • Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169.  No less than 162 in each skill.
  • OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
  • NZCEL - a) Expiring Level   b) Current:
  • Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic)
  • Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42
  • Language Cert - C1 Expert International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS
  • Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than distinction in any band

To be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Construction students will have been credited with all required papers as specified in the programme schedule. The total credit value of the Graduate Diploma in Construction is 120 credits. Graduates of the Graduate Diploma are entitled to use the letters GDipConstr after their name.

Please note – students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit zero fees entitlement.

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