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.

Spanish

Spanish is one of the major languages of Western Europe, and the most widely spoken language of the Americas, with a substantial number of native and second language speakers, ranging from Metropolitan areas of Canada and the US through Mesoamerican countries, most of South America and even in the Philippines.

Spanish is a Romance language with approximately 470 million speakers. Some Romance languages acquired with relative ease are Portuguese, French, Italian, and even Romanian. A significant number of people also speak Spanish as a foreign language. Spanish is spoken in Spain and 22 other countries including: Andorra, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, the USA and Venezuela.

The Spanish-speaking world is home to many cultures: Iberian, Afro-Caribbean, and Amerind, as well as the cultural mixes resulting from five hundred years of American/European/African contacts.

Career opportunities

• Ethnographer
• International Development Worker
• Lecturer
• Museum Curator
• Overseas Aid Worker
• Research or Policy Analyst
• Teacher
• Travel and Tourism Operator

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.