New Zealand Certificate in Computing (Intermediate User) (Level 3)

The purpose of this qualification is to provide Aotearoa New Zealand organisations and communities with graduates who have intermediate level user computing skills, and can be employed in a range of roles, operating effectively with skills that will meet standard professional conventions and be internationally relevant.

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Availability

Our distance learning courses are offered throughout the year to help you fit study around your work and life commitments.
Courses are offered up to 12 times per year depending on demand and availability of academic staff.
Exact start dates are in the course information pages and in our Enrolment dates page:

Enrolment dates

Cost

• Course costscan be found on all course pages.  The fees may increase annually.
• Qualification cost – to give you an idea of how much a qualification may cost in total over the duration of your studies, an approximate cost is provided for many of our qualifications. This is based on the required number of courses to complete the qualification and the average cost of those courses. It does not include annual administration fees, text books and course materials or external exam fees, and is subject to annual course fee increases.

Credits

Courses are assigned credits depending on how much time and effort is needed to complete their learning outcomes. In general, each credit represents approximately 10 hours of study time.

Delivery method

• Online – The course materials for online courses are delivered in an online format and all assignments are submitted online.
• Mixed – These courses are delivered using a mix of online and paper based course materials. This may include receiving paper course materials, submitting  assignments online, or being required to participate in online forums and learning activities.
• Print Only - The course will be delivered using paper based courses materials, and assignments may need to be submitted in hard copy rather than online. This will depend on the course.

Whether courses are delivered online, on paper or a mixture of both, there may also be components such as workshops, noho marae, work experience and practicum to participate in. To find out what your course involves check the course information page.

EFTS

EFTS stands for equivalent full-time student. An EFTS is the study time required for each course and is used by the Tertiary Education Commission to decide if a course is part-time or full-time. 

One year of full-time study is generally between 0.8 and 1.2 EFTS.

Level

You can tell how hard a course or qualification is by the level it is set at:

• Levels 1-4 are about the same as secondary school and basic trades training.
• Levels 5-7 are the same as university study.

Prerequisites

• Prerequisites are courses that must be completed before another course can be studied.
• Co-requisites are courses that can be studied at the same time as another course.

If a course has a specific prerequisite or co-requisite course, it will be listed on the course page under the title 'Prerequisites'. If no courses are listed, check the entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying for. Some courses require you to have studied at a particular level prior to enrolling.

Student loans

Not all qualifications or students are eligible for student loans. You will need to meet criteria such as studying a minimum number of credits over a specific study period. It is up to you to apply for a student loan via StudyLink - Open Polytechnic does not do this for you.

Information about student loans and eligibility

StudyLink website

Teaching weeks

Teaching weeks is the number of weeks that we teach a course. This differs from the enrolment period, which is based on the course start and end dates.

For example, a 20-week enrolment period will have 16 teaching weeks, followed by four weeks to accommodate marking, any extensions and reassessments, or exams.

Workload

The workload estimate given on a course page is calculated like this:

Number of credits x 10, divided by the number of teaching weeks for the course. The hours will be rounded up to nearest whole number.

Please note, this is a guide only. You may need more or less time for study, and you may also need to do more hours during assessment due dates or exams times.

• Level

3

• Credits

60

• Student loan Available. 

Student loans and eligibility

What you will learn

 When you achieve this qualification, you will be able to:  

• Use a wide range of features, functions and settings of digital devices, software and techniques to search, access, create, combine, manipulate, store, and share data, and explore current and emerging trends in the use of digital tools
• Investigate, plan, consult, design and develop integrated solution(s) to meet the requirements of a specified brief
• Identify risks and consistently apply appropriate ethics and practices when using digital tools and digitally stored and transmitted information to securely and legally operate in a digital environment
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with others in a range of formal and informal digital environments, using appropriate communication principles, etiquette, and tools
• Manage own learning and work effectively in a digital context
• Use problem solving techniques to trouble-shoot, fix or escalate a range of common hardware and software problems by selecting from known solutions

Career opportunities

Graduates of this qualification will have the skills and knowledge to get employment in entry-level positions that include the use of computing and digital technology capabilities in a variety of industries or contexts. Graduates may also progress further in their professional development pathway. 

Computer and internet requirements

The programme is specifically designed for a Windows / Microsoft environment. You will not be able to complete this qualification using a tablet, Chromebook, or Apple Mac computer.

This programme is delivered online. To complete this programme you will need access to a laptop or desktop computer, reliable broadband internet connection and a data plan able to support online learning such as streaming of videos (including YouTube), downloading content, and writing and submitting online assessments.

If you are unsure if your current computer or internet access allows you to complete your online learning with us, please contact us before applying to enrol.

Learn more about our online learning and study tools.

Maximum Programme Completion time

To be awarded the qualification, the programme must be completed in no more than 3 years of first enrolment, unless there are exceptional circumstances.