EIT’s enhanced business programmes mean new opportunities for studying in 2017.

Responding to changes sought by the NZQA of tertiary educators nationwide, the School of Business has restructured its degree and diploma programmes – a move that provides more flexibility for dovetailing study with other commitments.

Students will now be able to choose between the one-year New Zealand Diploma in Business or the three-year Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS).

With satisfactory progress in the diploma, they can staircase from the diploma into year two of the BBS and gain both qualifications.

“In the past, diploma students took two years for their level 6 qualification and, if they chose to progress, another 1½ years to complete the degree,” says assistant head of school Nick Cordery. “In contrast, BBS students starting from year one take three years.”

The diploma is a popular entry point for many starting business studies at EIT and can provide an alternative route into the degree.

Head of school Rebekah Dinwoodie says EIT is one of just a handful of institutes to have aligned its business diploma and degree programmes so that students can complete both in just three years.

In a further initiative, EIT has redesigned its Bachelor of Business Studies and the diploma to provide four rather than two entry points during the academic year.

“That’s been made possible by condensing courses, which gives students more flexibility in managing their commitments,” Rebekah says. “Students can complete a course in the first nine weeks of our academic year, for example, and then take the next term off.”

A further factor in the school’s decision to adopt the more condensed course structure was the success rate achieved by those studying EIT’s short summer courses. EIT is again one of only a handful of institutes spearheading this approach. “It’s quite new,” Rebekah adds.

“More practical study has developed in tandem with EIT’s good connections with industry. This is building on that.”

From 2017, the school, responding to industry demand, is also adding two further offerings to its suite of programmes – the New Zealand Certificate in Business (Small Business) and the New Zealand Certificate in Business (Accounting Support Services).

Both are being offered as night classes, ideal for those wanting to align work and other commitments