Do you dream of designing electric generators, internal combustion engines or steam and gas turbines? Our two-year, high value course of study will enable you to conceive, design and build power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, elevators and escalators and more.
Two years full-time
Keep an eye out here for when the 2025 dates are available. Students who have already completed study in this qualification may join SIT in Semester 2, please contact Carlo Gabriel, carlo.gabriel@sit.ac.nz, for potential study options.
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
The SIT Zero Fees Scheme (ZFS) is subject to NZ government policies.
Do you dream of designing electric generators, internal combustion engines or steam and gas turbines?
Our two-year, high value course of study will enable you to conceive, design and build power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, elevators and escalators and more.
The course acts as a foundational year for advanced mechanical engineering and is designed to upskill you for advanced studies, leading to career opportunities such as becoming a mechanical engineer, mechanical design engineer, mechanical field engineer, piping engineer or a mechanical project engineer.
Learn how to:
Technology used during course:
Year One
DE3301 Engineering Practice
To develop an understanding of the skills involved in safely using engineering workshop machines and equipment and to develop an awareness of common manufacturing processes.
DE4101 Engineering fundamentals
To introduce the basic fundamentals of a range of engineering strands.
DE4102 Engineering Mathematics
To develop mathematical skills, concepts and understanding in order to perform calculations and solve problems within engineering contexts,
DE4103 Technical Literacy
To develop technical research skills along with oral, written, graphical and interpersonal communication skills.
DE4301 Engineering CAD
To provide students with the basic CAD draughting skills required for an engineering technician.
DE4302 Mechanics
To develop a sound understanding of the principles of mechanics
DE4303 Material Properties
To develop an understanding of the characteristics and properties of common engineering materials relevant to mechanical and process engineering.
DE5301 Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
To develop a sound basic knowledge of thermodynamic principles - including gas laws, measurement of pressure and temperature, mass and energy conservation and energy sources in the New Zealand context - and the mechanisms of heat transfer including the uses of heat exchangers
Year Two
DE5302 Strengths of Materials 1
To develop an understanding of the essential elements of strengths of materials
DE5303 Manufacturing Processes
To apply engineering knowledge to common manufacturing processes
DE5304 Electrical Fundamentals
To develop a sound knowledge of electrical and electronic theory and how these are applied to mechanical engineering systems.
DE6101 Engineering Management
To develop the knowledge and skills required to administer and manage projects effectively in a specific strand of engineering.
DE6102 Engineering Project (Mechanical)
To apply knowledge and problem-solving skills to plan and complete an engineering project relevant to the strand studied (civil, mechanical, electrical or electronics) to accepted practice and standards from a given specification.
DE6301 Fluid Mechanics
To understand and apply the principles of fluid statics and dynamics to common engineering problems
DE6302 Mechanics of Machines
To develop understanding to solve complex problems involved with machinery dynamics such as power transmission, balancing, noise, and lubrication systems.
DE6309 Advanced Thermodynamic
To develop a sound understanding in the theory and application of thermodynamics, especially as related to heat engines, air compressors, nozzles, steam plant, and energy conservation plant/principles.
Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering will be able to gain employment as engineering technicians in workplaces that have a technical/engineering basis relevant to their specialist engineering strand like mechanical engineering.
For the mechanical engineering strand, roles include the design, manufacture and maintenance of tools, engines, machines and systems.
On achievement of this qualification, graduates should:
For entry to this programme, applicants are required to have:
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 6 with no band score lower than 5.5 TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE) TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18) Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill. OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic) Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42 Language Cert - C1 Expert International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than distinction 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
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering:
For students to be considered to have satisfactorily completed this programme, and to be eligible for award of the qualification “New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Mechanical)”, they must have:
(Please note – students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours will forfeit zero fees entitlement)
Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE) will be able to study towards a technologist degree such as a Bachelor of Engineering Technology,
Classes are held Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm at SIT's Invercargill campus.
Night classes may be available please contact Carlo Gabriel here for more information.