The New Zealand Certificate in Digital Media and Design (Level 3) aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge required for employment or further training.
The theoretical and practical skills taught in this qualification reflect the diverse range of skills required to work in the sector. Students will explore a variety of techniques and approaches to animation, gaming and film-making through a variety of projects.
The programme aims to develop a character and associated environment to support a game concept, film concept through a narrative or experimental framework, basic 3D and spatial concepts through the principles of sculpture in actual and digital environments, basic concepts through the principles of painting, and basic concepts through the principles of photography.
School Leavers
Students must be a minimum of 17 years at the start of their course and ideally have NCEA Level 2 or 3.
Mature Applicants
Applicants over the age of 20 years at time of enrolment will be considered where they can demonstrate the ability to succeed in a programme. Examples of demonstration of ability to succeed are the provision of evidence of successful completion of a programme of study at Level 1 or above in a related discipline and/or employment in the related sector for one or more years. They 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.
Notwithstanding the above admissions categories, in exceptional circumstances, a mature aged applicant who can show evidence of ability to succeed in the programme may be considered for admission provided the applicant has successfully completed an approved course or programme, which is deemed to prepare graduates for the required academic standard for entry.
Language Requirements
Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate of at least 80 per cent, 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
Certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), 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 preceding two years:
- IELTS test General or Academic Score of 5 with no band score lower than 5
- TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) 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 Examinations FCE or FCE for schools with a score of 154. No less than 154 for each skill OET at Grade C in all sub-tests
- NZCEL a) Expiring b) Current a) Level 3 (General) b) Level 3 (General)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) PToE (Academic) score of 36
- City and Guilds IESOL B1 Achiever with a score of 43
- LanguageCert B1 Achiever IESOL (LRWS) with PASS
An NZQA approved English Language proficiency test, where the student has achieved an outcome that is equivalent or better than those scores listed for Internationally recognised English language proficiency tests above in relation to the level of intended programme of study or
Completion of all primary education and at least three years’ secondary education at schools with English as the language of instruction or
Completion of five years of secondary education at schools with English as the language of instruction.
Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate below 80 per cent, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English must provide evidence that they:
- Have gained NCEA Level 3 and met New Zealand University Entrance requirements, or
- Have successfully completed a Bachelors’’ 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
- Have achieved a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, CELTA, or
- Have achieved the required score and with all scores achieved in a single test in one of the internationally recognised English Proficiency tests (specified above) within the preceding two years.