Qualification Overview

Qualification Title Graduate Diploma in Engineering with strands in Mechatronics, Water and Waste Engineering, Strutures, and Building Services
Qualification Type Graduate Diploma
Level 7
Credits 120
Subject Area
  • Engineering and Related Technologies » Civil Engineering » Civil Engineering not elsewhere classified
Strategic Purpose Statement
The aim of the Graduate Diploma in Engineering is to create multi-disciplinary technology professionals who have the ability to undertake high-level design, specification and project management within a specific selection of subject areas.
In addition, the Graduate Diploma provides technology professionals with multi-disciplinary skills and knowledge from strands including Mechatronics, Water and Wastewater, Structures and Building Services. This enables graduates to provide optimal design solutions and apply the technical skills to specify and manage projects by comparing and evaluating differing alternatives provided within the discipline strand.
Graduate profile
On successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Engineering, students will have the ability to:
Apply specialised technical knowledge and skills to a specific engineering field
Apply skills in an organised approach to problem solving
Display well-developed critical thinking capabilities, including analysing, evaluating and critically reflecting on information, decisions and behaviour to enable strategic thinking and adaptability in a constantly changing global environment
Recognise, adopt and where necessary, instil in others ethical dimensions inherent in business decision making having particular regard for issues of social responsibility and sustainable practice
Exercise self-direction and adopt independent working practices, and an ability to foster these in others
Accept responsibility for the quality of their own work outcomes, and, where applicable, for the quality of others' work outcomes
Apply independent learning skills that encourage the regular accessing of new knowledge and information
Use effective written communication and well-developed inter-personal skills
Use technology and communication systems effectively.

Students completing the Mechatronics Strand will also be able to:
Design, specify, plan, organise, and implement a mechatronic system
Manage and work effectively with a team of domain specialists in the core technologies of Mechanical Systems, Power Systems, Control Systems and Automation Systems
Integrate and test multi-disciplinary mechatronic projects
Compare, contrast and evaluate alternative approaches to mechatronic system designs
Effectively plan the extension and upgrading of existing implementations.

Students completing the Water and Waste Engineering Strand will also be able to:
Analyse and generate solutions for water and waste problems
Design, specify and plan implementation of water and waste systems
Effectively plan the extension and upgrading of existing implementations
Recognise and consider social, political and environment impacts on water and waste management.

Students completing the Structures Strand will also be able to:
Investigate the behavior of structural systems and elements
Design structures using timber, masonry, steel, and concrete
Articulate understanding of real-world open-ended design issues.

Students completing the Building Services Strand will also be able to:
Provide advice for effective and efficient processes and principles, and quality systems, to the production of components and/or provision of mechanical building services
Interpret drawings and/or specifications and select and use the appropriate engineering materials, processes, tools and equipment for the mechanical building services task being undertaken.

Graduates will also have the appropriate skills and knowledge to pursue further study and professional development opportunities.
Education pathways
Students graduating with the Graduate Diploma in Engineering could progress to post graduate study at other tertiary institutes or enter the work force.
Employment pathways
Mechatronics
The Mechatronics Specialisation will enable students to consider careers in a wide spectrum of industries where complex software plays a major role, including the robotics, aerospace, building systems, chemical, Defence, automotive and manufacturing industries. Within these industries, students may undertake roles such as design engineers, software engineers, project planners, product designers or project managers.

Water and Waste Engineering
Water is coming under increasing pressure from demographic and climatic changes. Treatment processes play a key role in delivering safe, reliable supplies of water to households, industry and agriculture and in safeguarding the quality of water in rivers, lakes, aquifers and around coastal areas. Well educated, skilled and experienced graduates are required to operate and manage vital water and waste treatment services and stormwater management. The demand for such graduates is already high and will only increase over coming years as environmental standards for water quality increase, and pressures on our water supplies continue to grow.

Structures
Structural building engineering is primarily driven by the creative manipulation of materials and forms and the underlying mathematical and scientific ideas to achieve an end which fulfills its functional requirements and is structurally safe when subjected to all the loads it could reasonably be expected to experience.The recent earthquakes within New Zealand have highlighted the critical role that structures design plays in all areas of engineering.

Building Services
Building services engineers are responsible for the design, installation, and operation and monitoring of the mechanical, electrical and public health systems required for the safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly operation of modern buildings.
Building services engineers work closely with other construction professionals such as architects, structural engineers and quantity surveyors. They influence the architecture of a building and play a significant role on the sustainability and energy demand of a building. Within building services engineering, new roles are emerging, for example in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, low carbon technologies and energy management. With buildings accounting for around 50% of all carbon emissions, building services engineers play a significant role in combating climate change. As such, a typical building services engineer has a wide-ranging career path.To find out more about employment opportunities click on the CareersNZ logo, then the provider who offers this qualification.
Entry Requirements
Graduate Diploma in Engineering Mechatronics Academic Either: A bachelors degree in an electrical engineering discipline, excluding a Mechatronics specialisation, or Equivalent practical, professional or educational experience of an appropriate kind. English Language: The minimum requirements are: IELTS, Academic, score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6 or Equivalent Other: Computer literacy, particularly in word processing and spreadsheets



Graduate Diploma in Engineering, Water and Waste Engineering Academic Either A bachelors degree in an civil engineering discipline, excluding a Water and Waste specialisation, or Equivalent practical, professional or educational experience of an appropriate kind. English Language The minimum requirements are: IELTS, Academic, score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6 or equivalent Other Computer literacy, particularly in word processing and spread sheets
Education Organisation 2 Organisations can assist in gaining this qualification
Developed By Te Pukenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology
Quality Assured By New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Number 2569
Status Current
Created September 2014
Last Reviewed October 2017
Next Review December 2018
Content
The Graduate Diploma has been developed using both existing courses already being taught within the Bachelor of Engineering Technology programme and additional new specialist courses for Water and Waste Engineering. The combination of courses into a Graduate Diploma is to provide a specialised body of knowledge within the Engineering field. Students must complete 120 credits at Levels 6 and 7 with a minimum of 75 credits at Level 7. Each strand has compulsory and elective requirements. All strands have a compulsory 30 credit core compulsory course being either Engineering Development Project or Applied Research. Students choose either the Project or Applied Research course in consultation with teaching staff. The concept of applied learning is core to the Graduate Diploma, students apply knowledge, skills and capabilities in a variety of ways and contexts as they progress through their study. Students build upon sound relevant theoretical knowledge and apply this within the context of the Engineering Development Project or the Applied Research course. The 30-credit Engineering Development Project course is normally completed in the final trimester of study - this is the capstone of the programme. The Project allows students to apply their knowledge to a workplace context and for them to reflect on their learning experience. It also prepares students for work through professional practice components. Their performance throughout the project is monitored and support processes will be implemented where necessary. The 30-credit Applied Research course in contrast takes the form of a systematic inquiry involving the practical application of the specialist knowledge. It will access accumulated theories, knowledge, methods and techniques for a specific purpose.

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Education pathways

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Employment pathways

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