Gain the practical skills employers are looking for. Learn the fundamentals of livestock farming, animal health, pasture management, and farm operations, with specialised pathways in Dairy Farming or Meat and Fibre production.
1 year full time
2027 Semester 1: 15 February to 03 December
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
The purpose of this qualification is to provide pastoral livestock farming sectors with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to carry out a range of core tasks relevant to either dairy or meat and/or fibre farming.
This qualification is stranded to recognise the specific skills and knowledge required by the pastoral livestock farming sectors. The livestock farming industry will benefit by having staff that are able to carry out tasks in a safe, appropriate and effective manner.
This qualification is targeted at people who either have some experience, or who have a desire to work, in the pastoral farming industry, who want to develop their skills and knowledge in dairy farming meat farming and/or fibre farming. Graduates will be capable of working under limited supervision with responsibility for work outcomes.
Core programme content includes:
Dairy Farming strand content includes:
Meat and/or Fibre strand content includes:
Applicants under 20 years must have:
Applicants over 20 years:
Applicants may be admitted subject to programme regulations approved by the Head of Faculty in consultation with the Programme Manager as appropriate. Personal commitment and a belief in one’s own ability to succeed are important personal traits and will always be taken into consideration during the selection process.
English Language Entry Criteria
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 Certificate at Level 3 IELTS test
- General or Academic score of 5 with no band score lower than 5 TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) where the test was carried out prior to 1 October 2017
- Score of 500 (with an essay score of 4 TWE) TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 35 (with a writing score of 14) Cambridge English Examination – B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 154.
No less than 154 in each skill. OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
NZCEL Level 3 (General) or (Workplace)Level 3 (General)
Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PTE (Academic) score of 36 with no band score lower than 36
Language Cert - B1 Achiever IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than PASS in each skill
Trinity ISE - ISE I with no less than distinction in any band
Right of entry into programmes of study is restricted by SIT and apparent eligibility may not lead to automatic acceptance.
Applicants must demonstrate attributes which in the assessment of SIT should lead to success.
Where SIT is satisfied that it is necessary to do so because of insufficiency of staff, accommodation, or equipment it may determine the maximum number of students who may be enrolled in a particular course of study.
Where the number of applications for enrolment exceeds the number of places in any case where such a limitation applies the criteria for selection shall be academic merit and suitability for admission to that course of study.
Eligible students not admitted to their chosen course of study will be placed on a waiting list and or may be referred to another programme.
Applications should be received by SIT no later than the applications due date.
Late applications may be considered subject to availability of places. Applicants may be required to attend an interview or if they live at some distance from the campus complete a telephone interview and must produce copies of applicable certificates or evidence of prior achievements before interviews.
To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Level 3) with strands in Dairy, and Meat and/or Fibre and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve:
(Please note: students failing to engage in study as per programme requirements may forfeit zero fees entitlement).