Course details

Summary

Studying a graduate diploma helps you develop knowledge and skills in your chosen subject area which will enable you to undertake a new career or further study.

Graduate diplomas are intended to provide the equivalent of a major in a subject area that is different to your first degree’s major. You may be eligible if you haven’t studied for a degree before if you can demonstrate an interest in the subject area and a satisfactory academic ability.

A graduate diploma is a more in-depth version of a graduate certificate, is studied at undergraduate level, and can be completed in the equivalent of one year (two semesters) of full-time study.

To complete the qualifications, students need to gain 120 points at 100 level (first year papers) or above, including at least 80 points at 300 level (third year papers) or above, in the graduate diploma subjects.

International Languages and Cultures

International Languages and Cultures at Waikato delivers on advanced language skills to meet the world's need for multilingual and culturally sensitive speakers. Speaking another language will not only enhance your business and social skills but will also prepare you for success in a multicultural work environment.

We offer many possibilities to study languages and enable you to use multimedia applications to make international communication easier. You'll significantly increase your marketability and open doors for adventurous overseas job opportunities. Our languages programme is QS-rated in the top 250 subjects in the world.

We offer a range of options for studying languages with papers in Chinese, French, Japanese, Te Reo 毛利 and Spanish. You can choose to major in International Languages and Cultures endorsed in Chinese, French, Japanese or Spanish or take language papers to round off your degree. We allow you to combine languages with other courses, such as law or science, to further enhance your preparation for the workforce.

Students also benefit from travelling abroad to study their language through immersive learning opportunities. Chinese students, for instance, travel to China to gain first-hand language skills and cultural understanding.

Waikato gives you the space to become versatile to deal with texts in a variety of media formats to meet communication and translation needs. The International Languages and Cultures programme at Waikato is highly reputed and increases employability for those seeking job opportunities in other cultures and with different people groups.

Career opportunities

• Diplomat
• Hospitality Operator
• International Lawyer
• Tour Guide
• Translator or Interpreter
• Travel Agent

Entry criteria

A qualification considered equivalent to a New Zealand bachelor’s degree with a B average.

English language requirements:

IELTS - 6.5 overall (no less than 6.0 in writing); iBT (internet based TOFEL) - 90 with a score of 22 in writing; Pearson PTE Academic- 65 with English language requirements no less than 58 for each communicative skill; From Waikato Pathways College - Successful completion of Level 8 with a B grade average in the Certificate of Attainment in Academic (CAAE) programme.