The aims of the Graduate Diploma in Fashion (Design and Technology) are to provide a fashion programme that will enhance the knowledge base, skills and professionalism of those working or intending to work in the fashion sector, to produce dedicated, professional practitioners who hold a qualification which is well regarded by employers in the fashion industry and to prepare graduates for life-long learning, with the desire to constantly update their knowledge and skills within a changing work environment.

Graduates from the Graduate Diploma in Fashion (Design and Technology) programme will have the following generic skills, knowledge and personal qualities: * Demonstrate knowledge and skills relevant to the application of fashion and design, including key ideas, principles and concepts associated with the theory and application of the papers. * Think critically, analyse relevant issues, solve theoretical and practical problems and discuss these within the context of fashion and design in a logical and competent manner. * Understand, apply and communicate principles, concepts and operations within the fashion and design sector. * Develop professional knowledge and applied skills appropriate for the needs of clients within the fashion and design sector * Be confident, capable and professional practitioners and learners. * Demonstrate safe and ethical practices in the fashion industry. * Demonstrate understanding of business-related processes within the fashion design industry. * Apply design and technical skills and processes in response to a fashion brief. * Manage complex fashion design projects from concept to completion. * Analyse, evaluate and critique own fashion design work, and the work of others. * Research, generate and communicate design concepts of a fashion design outcome to internal and external stakeholders. * Demonstrate the ability to source and evaluate information. * Demonstrate the ability to analyse and solve design based theoretical and practical problems. * Be prepared for undertaking further study and research.

Graduates may progress to creative focused, business focused post graduate study, and other relevant industry qualifications.

Application Criteria Applicants must have obtained at least an undergraduate degree in any discipline or be a mature student aged at least 20 years and supply evidence of at least three years relevant work experience. Each mature applicant must provide their curriculum vitae detailing any relevant work experience and academic achievements. The Programme Manager will use this information to assess whether the applicant is likely to successfully complete the Graduate Diploma programme. Notwithstanding the above admissions categories, in exceptional circumstances, a mature aged applicant who can show evidence of ability to succeed in the programme may be considered for admission provided the applicant has successfully completed an approved course or programme, which is deemed to prepare graduates for the required academic standard for entry. Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate of at least 80 per cent, 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 Certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), 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 preceding 2 years 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 20) Cambridge English Examinations - FCE or FCE for schools with a score of 169 No less than 162 in each skill. OET at Grade C in all sub-tests. NZCEL - Level 4 with the Academic endorsement Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PToE (Academic) score of 50 City and Guilds IESOL - B2 Communicator with a score of 66 Language Cert - C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with PASS An NZQA approved English Language proficiency test, where the student has achieved an outcome that is equivalent or better than those scores listed for Internationally recognised English language proficiency tests above in relation to the level of intended programme of study or Completion of all primary education and at least three years secondary education at schools with English as the language of instruction or Completion of five years of secondary education at schools with English as the language of instruction. Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate below 80 per cent, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English must provide evidence that they: Have gained NCEA Level 3 and met New Zealand University Entrance requirements or Have successfully completed 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 Have achieved a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, CELTA or Have achieved the required score and with all scores achieved in a single test in one of the internationally recognised English Proficiency tests (specified above) within the preceding two years.