The strategic purpose of this qualification is to provide Aotearoa New Zealand with graduates who have attained a broad understanding of the core concepts and practical skills in Information Technology (IT).
This qualification builds on the learner’s existing IT skills from previous qualifications, or relevant experience and provides the common core for all pathways in the professional IT suite of New Zealand qualifications.
Primarily, it will equip students for further IT related study and may also prepare them for employment in an entry level IT role.
Graduates will be capable of applying the fundamentals of current and emerging concepts and practice in IT. They will also be able to demonstrate awareness of appropriate professional practice, and work both as part of a team and independently under broad supervision, with skills that are internationally relevant.
Businesses, organisations and communities will benefit from having IT professionals with a sound base understanding of both the technical and professional aspects of their profession.
ITC501 Information Technology Operations
The learner will apply essential knowledge and concepts of computer hardware, operating systems, applications and networks.
ITC502 Fundamentals of Programming and Problem Solving
Apply the principles of software development to create simple working applications.
ITC503 Professional Practice
To provide students with the knowledge to apply professional, legal and ethical principles and practices in a socially responsible manner, and apply communication, personal and interpersonal skills relevant to IT roles.
ITC504 Enterprise
To assist students to demonstrate understanding of the development of effective IT solutions for enterprise.
School Leavers
All applicants should be over the age of 16 years and have achieved one of the following:
NCEA Level 2
60 credits at Level 2 or above, preferably including English, mathematics and science plus 20 credits from any level. In addition, the literacy and numeracy requirements for NCEA Level 1 must be met as follows:
Literacy requirement
Minimum of 10 credits through either specified assessment standards - available through a range of subjects and English for Academic Purposes unit standards 22750 and 22751, or unit standards - package of three literacy unit standards 26622, 26624, 26625 (all three required).
Numeracy requirement
Minimum of 10 credits through either achievement standards - specified assessment standards available through a range of subjects, or unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards 26623, 26626, 26627 (all three required), and/or
Successful completion of the New Zealand Certificate in Information Technology Essentials (Level 4) or equivalent programme of study, knowledge, skills and experience.
Mature Applicants (20 years of age or above)
Successful completion of the New Zealand Certificate in Information Technology Essentials (Level 4) or equivalent programme of study, knowledge, skills and experience.
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment
IELTS test - Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5
TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE)
TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 46 (with a writing score of 14)
Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 162. No less than 154 in each skill
OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 4 (General) or (Workplace) b) Level 4 (General) or (Employment)
Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 42 with no band score lower than 36
Language Cert - B2 Communicator IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS and no less than Pass in each skill
Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than merit in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current