The purpose of this qualification is to equip people with the skills needed for technical and/or management professionals in IT related positions in cyber security. Cyber security roles are occupations identified on the New Zealand Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL), suggesting sustained shortages of skilled workers and ongoing demand for graduates skilled in these areas.
Cyber security is also a key priority for Government, and the 2015 Cyber Security Strategy and 2018/9 refresh of the strategy signals the government's commitment to ensuring New Zealand is safe, resilient and prosperous online.
Cyber security is critical for New Zealand, and is at the forefront of protecting infrastructure, business and computer networks from attack.

Graduates will be able to:
- Understand information security, governance, risk and related standards and how these should be interpreted and applied to a business environment
- Discuss the role of information security with relation to modern organisational functions
- Examine implementation of information security in organisations and make recommendations for improvement and maintenance
- Design, plan, organise, and implement information security programmes in an organisation
- Understand the design requirements of secure systems
- Effectively plan for future information security implementations
- Conduct risk management assessments including business impact analyses
- Evaluate the controls needed to protect information within the organisation to include policy, education and awareness, and technology
- Evaluate and apply current cryptographic and security techniques within IT business and personal environments
- Prevent, detect, and react to threats to information security in the organisation
- Recognise and competently assess cyber threats and undertake incident response and digital forensic-related activities
- Conduct security tests against networks and understand contemporary business and security needs in the context of security testing
-Identify and manage ethical issues related to the use of, and advancement of, digital technologies

Graduates from the GDipCS can progress to study towards the Postgraduate Certificate in Information Technology, Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology or Master of Information Technology at Whitireia and WelTec or other similar programmes at tertiary organisations within New Zealand and internationally.
The GDipCS is part of a group of programmes designed to staircase learners from Level 2 study to Masters level study. This supports learners to enter IT study at the level that suits their background and provides a clear pathway for their progression through learning.

Bachelor degree or equivalent practical, professional or educational experience in the IT industry.
International Students - English Language Requirements:
* An international English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall academic score of at least 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each band) issued within the last two years, or equivalent.