Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Practice

at Ara Institute of Canterbury - City Campus New Zealand

This programme is designed to enable you to perform the vital role that accounting plays across all facets of business. You'll investigate business software options, study up-to-date accounting principles and practices, and learn about risk management, ethics, legislation, economic dynamics, supply and demand, sustainable management and strategies for operational efficiency. HR, sales and marketing, innovation and communication are also covered.

You'll also gain a thorough grounding in financial and management accounting with options to specialise in taxation, business financing, or other aspects of the commercial world that interest you most.

This program has been designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge the industry requires to meet the increasing demand for outdoor leaders and guides and to prepare you for a varied, rewarding and adventurous career.

Learning from some of the most qualified educators and instructors in the country you'll become technically competent in a range of outdoor pursuits including sea kayaking, rock climbing, bushwalking and mountain biking. You'll gain skills in leadership, sustainability and environmental education, supervision, and instruction. You'll also learn how to plan, prepare, instruct and guide participants in a range of outdoor activities while maintaining safe, ethical and professional practice in familiar and unfamiliar outdoor environments. This will include assessing and managing emergency care situations in isolated locations.

IT industry partners have significant input into the structure and content of this programme to ensure that what is being taught continually meets industry needs. The first year covers a broad range of ICT topics that will provide you with a solid base of knowledge in software engineering (programming), hardware and networking, website development, IT tools and concepts and mathematics skills relevant to IT.

In years two and three you'll choose one of three specialist pathways: Information Systems, Networking and Infrastructure or Software Development. During this time you'll develop in-depth knowledge of your chosen area through a range of compulsory and elective courses.

You'll also develop skills in problem solving, critical thinking, analysis, team work, project management, time management, self-reliance and communication skills. There is a strong emphasis on practical skills and work-readiness, so wherever possible, theory is integrated and applied to practical tasks.

Our one year program, which has been designed in collaboration with New Zealand employers, provides you with specific knowledge, practical skills and relevant analytical techniques for work as a laboratory technician. These skills include critical thinking, problem solving and the ability to interpret results.

You'll also gain an understanding of laboratory quality management practice and reporting skills suitable for international quality standards, and have the skills to work independently and within groups. Personal skills such as punctuality, team work and time management will be developed.

You'll have the opportunity to enrich and broaden your knowledge with electives in areas such as microbiology, analytical and environmental chemistry, food microbiology and molecular biology. The program also includes a research project and work placement element to ensure you're work-ready when you graduate.

This programme aims to develop you as an independent animator/film maker or concept artist. Core skills taught include design strategies, digital drawing, 3D modelling and animation, videography, sound design, post-production, motion graphics and concept art. In addition, you'll choose three courses from a range of electives, which will enable you to develop complementary skills in particular areas of interest.

As well as studio courses, you'll complete a group of core courses in academic subjects. These include both professional and contextual studies, which will give you developed communication skills, a background in the history and sociology of creative practices, insights into contemporary professional ethics and some business skills.

This diploma is designed to equip you with sales and marketing skills that will enable you to contribute to the achievements of a business or organisation. It covers business basics such as communication, human resources, business law, organisational culture, economics, risk management and problem solving, then focuses on sales and marketing aspects of business. This focus will give you knowledge and skills in marketing philosophy, segmentation, targeting and positioning. You'll also gain skills in managing performance, attitudes and buyer behaviour.

Businesses in the 21st Century are wanting more data analytics and evaluation of business intelligence. This specialisation will equip you with sound business knowledge and management expertise, and the ability to work with business information systems and strategies to grow any enterprise.

In your first year of study you’ll develop knowledge in core business strategies including accounting, business communication, commercial law, business heritage, culture and sustainability, marketing, computing, management and applied research.

In the second and third years you’ll focus on business information systems and enhance your understanding of business decision making and planning processes. You’ll also complete a Cooperative Education Project where you’ll work 'hands-on' in a business environment applying your learning on a real-world info systems problem or opportunity.

Flexibility has been built into this degree, allowing you to not only to study part-time, full-time and/or in the evenings, but to choose two specialisations at no extra cost and requiring no additional time. Alternatively, you can personalise your degree by including up to five elective courses (Level 5 and above, equal to 15 credits each) from any subject area of your choosing.

This programme looks in-depth at a wide range of retail-related areas, with a focus on strategic decision making around the resources used to develop and sustain a high performing retail business. Areas covered include ownership models, channel management, human capital, technology use and adoption, customer experience and merchandising.

You'll learn how to critically evaluate management and marketing concepts in a range of retailing environments; identify and analyse opportunities for improvement; and create strategies for building and sustaining a retail enterprise.

You will gain a solid grounding in engineering theory and principles of engineering science including design and drawing electrical, electronics, networks, programming and microcontrollers. Working closely with professional engineers you will apply current and emerging technologies in new situations. Our courses are industry designed and during this program you will develop sound thinking and problem solving skills for work in designing and implementing engineering technology.

In your first year you will develop your knowledge in core business strategies and operations, you will study accounting, business communication, commercial law, business heritage, culture and sustainability, marketing, computing, management and applied research. During the second and third years you will specialise in project management where you will focus on the many inter-related aspects of a project.