New Zealand Diploma in Business

The New Zealand Diploma in Business (NZDipBus) is a nationally recognised qualification that allows students to gain a broad range of general business skills and knowledge followed by an opportunity to focus on career related options such as accountancy, banking, management, marketing and tourism.

Graduate profile
NZQA and NZDipBus
The National Advisory Committee for Business Studies (NACBS)
The ITPNZ Business Co-ordination Forum
Entry requirements
Award of NZDipBus
NZDipBus programmes
Credit recognition and transfer
NZDipBus certificate
NZDipBus providers
Further information

Graduate Profile

A graduate of the New Zealand Diploma in Business will:

1. in a range of diverse and changing organisational settings, effectively be able to:

• add value by applying specific business skills
• apply a range of interpersonal and communication skills
• apply critical problem solving skills with initiative and judgement
• recognise ethical and cultural issues inherent in decision making
• work independently and within teams of diverse people

2. have appropriate skills, research abilities and knowledge to pursue further study and professional development.

NZQA and NZDipBus

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the owner of the NZDipBus. The roles of NZQA in relation to the NZDipBus are to:

1. establish and maintain the regulations for the qualification
2. maintain a national database of results for NZDipBus papers, and to issue result notices to students on request
3. maintain national records relating to NZDipBus graduates and to issue NZDipBus certificates as requested
4. develop and maintain prescriptions for NZDipBus subjects
5. manage the national external moderation system
6. service the NACBS.

The National Advisory Committee for Business Studies (NACBS)

The NACBS consists of nominees from national business, industry or professional organisations that recognise and support NZDipBus as a qualification (the "user groups") and nominees from national organisations of educational institutions that are accredited to offer NZDipBus courses ("provider groups"). Members may also be co-opted to the committee.

The NACBS advises NZQA on all matters relating to the qualification. It meets, typically, three times a year.

View the NACBS Terms of Reference.

The ITPNZ Business Co-ordination Forum

The Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand (ITPNZ) convenes a forum comprising the Heads of Business Faculties in polytechnics, the Business Co-ordination Forum (BCF). Other organisations (including NZQA) are also invited to send a representative to meetings of the BCF.

The BCF discusses matters relating to NZDipBus from the perspective of providers, and meets two or three times a year.

Specific activities of the BCF include:

1. acting as a national forum on NZDipBus matters
2. undertaking projects in relation to NZDipBus which have national significance
3. preparing reports for presentation to the NACBS on matters relating to NZDipBus.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for version two of the NZDipBus are different from those for version one.

Entry requirements for version one of the NZDipBus.

Entry requirements for version two of the NZDipBus.

Award of NZDipBus

The award requirements for version two of the NZDipBus are different from those for version one.

Award requirements for version one of the NZDipBus.

Award requirements for version two of the NZDipBus.

NZDipBus programmes

A NZDipBus can be completed in two years full-time study. However, a significant number of NZDipBus students enrol part-time. The teaching programme for a NZDipBus paper usually takes one semester (half year) and is typically delivered in four hours per week for 15 weeks, although there are some minor variations on this.

Credit recognition and transfer

The NZDipBus regulations allow for credit recognition and transfer from other qualifications. Credit transfer rules and guidelines are in the document opposite.

In addition, people with the required knowledge and skills (gained through workplace experience, for example) may be credited with NZDipBus papers as a result of an assessment of prior learning. Contact your local NZDipBus accredited provider for more details.

Credit transfer schedules for version one of the NZDipBus

Credit transfer schedules for version two of the NZDipBus.

Credit transfer to degrees

A number of providers offer exemptions from the initial stage(s) of a business degree to the holder of a NZDipBus. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand recognises the NZDipBus as fulfilling the academic requirements for admission to the College of Accounting Technicians provided that an applicant has included specified papers.

NZDipBus certificate

To apply for your New Zealand Diploma in Business certificate, complete and return the form:

NZDipBus providers

You can view the latest list of accredited NZDipBus providers here by clicking on Search.

Not all providers offer the full range of papers, and not all papers offered by a particular provider are offered every semester. Information on the papers offered by an individual provider should be obtained from that provider.

Further information

Further information on the NZDipBus can be obtained from Tertiary Assessment and Moderation or from NZDipBus accredited providers.