Program Overview

Introduction to the Diploma in Advancing University Studies

The Diploma in Advancing University Studies (DipAdvUniStud) offers a pre-master's pathway into the University of Canterbury's master's degree programmes. This diploma allows students to complete advanced courses in a wide range of subjects and obtain the necessary skills to proceed to postgraduate studies.

Entry Requirements

To enrol in the Diploma in Advancing University Studies, students must have previously completed a university-level certificate or diploma programme (or equivalent) of at least two years full-time study. For the full entry requirements, see the Regulations for the Diploma in Advancing University Studies.

Degree Structure

The DipAdvUniStud is made up of 120 total points, with at least 90 points being 300-level courses, generally in the same subject area as previously studied. The diploma includes a compulsory academic writing course and an elective course based on the intended focus in Arts, Business, Engineering, or Science areas.

Compulsory Course

• WRIT101 Writing for Academic Success

Elective Courses

Choose one of the following (unless waived based on previous studies):

• ARTS102 Problems, Questions, Evidence
• BSNS201 Business and Culture
• MAOR165 Tuakiri: Culture and Identity
• SCIE101 Science, Society and Me

Subjects and Courses

The remaining 90 points in the Diploma are chosen from 300-level courses in subject areas such as:

• Accounting
• Anthropology
• Art History and Theory
• Astronomy
• Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Chinese
• Cinema Studies
• Classics
• Computer Science
• Cultural Studies
• Data Science
• Digital Humanities
• Economics
• Education
• English
• European and European Union Studies
• Finance
• French
• Geography
• Geology
• German
• History
• Human Services
• Information Systems
• Japanese
• Linguistics
• Management
• Māori and Indigenous Studies
• Marketing
• Mathematics
• Media and Communication
• Music
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science and International Relations
• Psychology
• Russian
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Statistics
• Te Reo Māori

Fees

Domestic Students

• 2025 tuition fee estimate: $7,153 - $8,291 (120 points)
• 2026 tuition fee estimate: $7,582 - $8,788 (120 points)

International Students

• 2025 tuition fee estimate: $32,400 (120 points)
• 2026 tuition fee estimate: $34,000 (120 points)
• 2027 tuition fee estimate: $36,000 (120 points)

Student Services Levy (SSL)

• 2025 SSL: $9.72 per point ($1,166.40 per 120 points)
• 2026 SSL: $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points)

Further Study

The Diploma in Advancing University Studies will pathway students directly into one of the following master's degrees at the University of Canterbury (depending on course choices):

• Master of Applied Data Science
• Master of Applied Finance and Economics
• Master of Business Information Systems
• Master of Business
• Master of Civil Engineering
• Master of Disaster Risk and Resilience
• Master of Engineering Management
• Master of Engineering Studies
• Master of Financial Analysis
• Master of Geospatial Data Science
• Master of International Relations and Diplomacy
• Master of Marketing
• Master of Policy and Governance
• Master of Professional Accounting
• Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Master of Urban Resilience and Renewal
• Master of Water Science and Management

Please note that some master's degrees may have additional entry requirements, such as completing the Diploma at a minimum Grade Point Average. Students may also choose to credit their completed courses to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, or Bachelor of Science before graduating with the Diploma, depending on their subject choices.