The Graduate Diploma in Audio Production will equip graduates who have majored in a different discipline with the skills and knowledge that fulfil the expectations of the audio production industry, its practitioners and clients.
Students will study compulsory papers on audio equipment and choose from elective papers in acoustics, electronics, technology, specialist audio topics or a major research project.
Graduates will acquire critical thinking and independent learning skills, along with in-depth knowledge in audio production which will enhance their professional skills in this selected area or staircase to postgraduate study.
34 weeks full-time
2025: 17 February to 21 November
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
Graduate Diploma graduates will acquire critical thinking and independent learning skills, along with in-depth knowledge in audio production which will enhance their professional skills in this selected area or staircase to postgraduate study.
Compulsory
AUD502 Applied Audio Engineer 1 (15 credits)
AUD602 Applied Audio Engineering 2 (15 credits)
Students may choose a maximum of 15 credits from the following paper schedule at Level 6
Electives
AUD601 Acoustics 2 (15 credits)
AUD603 Applied Audio Production 2 (15 credits)
AUD605 Music Theory and Technology 2 (15 credits)
CON601 Contextual Studies 2 (15 credits)
CIB601 Creative Industries Business (15 credits)
AUD606 Audio Electronics 2 (15 credits)
AUD607 Sound for Visual Media (15 credits)
Students must choose a minimum of 75 credits from the following paper schedule at Level 7
BAP 755 Specialist Audio (30 credits)
BAP 765 Major Research Project (45 credits)
BAP 700 Applied Acoustics (15 credits)
BAP 730 Industry Applications (15 credits)
BAP 750 Professional Studies (15 credits)
BAP 707 Advanced Audio for Visual Media (15 credits)
BAP 760 Workplace Practices and Internship (15 credits)
Elective Paper/s Elective paper/s to be approved by Programme Manager (15 credits)
Graduates will be able to apply, to an advanced level, the theoretical and practical skills required to capture and manipulate sound and its behaviour in an industry setting. They can apply knowledge of audio production concepts, principles and techniques to identify and provide solutions for issues and problems.
This programme leads students towards employment in the audio and entertainment industries as well as on to postgraduate study in related fields.
Entry is open to degree graduates, however those who have been able to demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or educational experience of an appropriate kind, may be granted admission.
Additional Criteria
Applicants are required to provide two confidential references from people who are able to affirm that the applicant is of good character and reputation.
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
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: a) 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
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current
The student completing the Graduate Diploma in Audio Production will normally be expected to complete the programme within four years. The overall programme of study for every graduate diploma candidate requires 120 credits for successful completion of the qualification. Every candidate is required to pass 120 credits: a minimum of 75 credits at Level 7 and a maximum of 45 credits at Levels 5 and 6 as outlined in the relevant programme schedule.
Classes are held Monday to Friday, 9.00am-4.00pm, at the SIT Sound campus (corner Don & Deveron Sts, Invercargill) or at SIT Downtown / Centrestage Theatre (Don St).