A stepping stone
Use this qualification to change the direction of your career.
The Graduate Diploma in Business Studies is useful if you wish to keep up with professional developments in your field and are short of time. Or you may have found yourself working in a different field of business to that in which you hold a qualification.
The Graduate Diploma in Business Studies enables you to study another subject without completing a second bachelor’s degree. This is an undergraduate diploma, designed for those who do not have a degree in the subject you wish to pursue. You need to be a university graduate to enrol in this programme.
It is a bridging tool to gain the equivalent of an undergraduate major in a specific area so you can go on to postgraduate study.
This is a flexible qualification, with no core or compulsory subjects. You can tailor your study to your interests or needs.
The Graduate Diploma in Business Studies is designed to be completed part-time over at least two years or up to eight years. It may be possible to complete the Graduate Diploma in Business Studies in one year of full-time study if you do not choose an endorsement.
For those already working in the field, the diploma will give you additional skills and bring you up-to-date on theory and practice. It may also be useful if you have found yourself in a role outside of your key area of specialty and wish to up-skill.
If successful in this programme you may be able to progress to a postgraduate business programme.
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.
As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
To enter the Graduate Diploma in Business Studies programme you will:
You will need to provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
From the Schedule to the Graduate Diploma including:
EITHER: No Endorsement
At 200 level
At 300 level
From one endorsement
Electives from the Graduate Diploma Schedule
Ensure that overall you also have:
Attend contact workshops, block courses, field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials, and laboratories as required.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
You may enrol in this qualification with or without a specialisation (endorsement).
See the Regulations for this programme for the courses available for the ‘without specialisation’ option.
If you study full time, in the first year you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.
If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses in summer school if you wish.
Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.
The GradDipBusStuds programme schedule includes some courses which have specific courses required as prerequisites which must be met before enrolling in a course. Meeting prerequisite regulations may require you to study courses in addition to those specified for the GradDipBusStuds. Please note: No 100-level credits can be included in the GradDipBusStuds.
The Graduate Diploma in Business Studies is designed to be completed part-time over at least two years . It may be possible to complete the Graduate Diploma in Business Studies in one year of full-time study if you do not choose an endorsement.
If you choose to take the ‘without specialisation’ option, you will need to pass approved courses totalling at least 120 credits from the Schedule to the GradDipBusStuds, or from courses with Massey Business School prefixes of 110, 114, 115, 125, 127, 137, 152, 153, 155, 156, 178 or 219.
No 100-level (first year) and not more than 45 credits at 200-level may be included. 700-level courses may be included in the unendorsed Graduate Diploma in Business Studies if you qualify for postgraduate study.
There are maximum time limits to complete some undergraduate and all postgraduate qualifications. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the programme if you wish to continue your studies.
For postgraduate qualifications where they are completed within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with a class of Honours, or Distinction or Merit.
Look for information on ‘Student Progression’ in the:
Ensure you have met the pre-requisite requirements of the 200-level courses that you will start with, either from prior study at Massey or another tertiary institution.
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
Massey Business School is rated in the top 5% of global business colleges by AACSB International.
You have an opportunity in this programme to develop the digital skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world, and gain Microsoft certification through Massey's Digital Reskill initiative.
Massey University is ranked by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) as one of the top 300 universities for business and management.
Massey University is ranked #1 in New Zealand and in the top 150 universities globally for business administration and finance by ShanghaiRanking.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the programme or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.