New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) (Fire Engineering)
Course details
| NZQF Level | 6 |
|---|
About the course
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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:
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
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
6
- Credits
240
- Cost $12,393 NZ Domestic Not including any course materials or external exam fees.
- Student loan This programme can only be studied part-time. It is not eligible for course-related costs, living costs or student allowances from StudyLink.
Programme update: Temporarily closed to new enrolments
New learners
Open Polytechnic is currently not accepting enrolments from new learners into NZ261205 New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) (Fire Engineering).
If you wish to specifically complete a course in the field of fire engineering, depending on your previous study and experience, you may apply to enrol in the courses in the below table under our Certificate of Proficiency.
Before applying for one of these courses under Certificate of Proficiency, please contact us and a Student Advisor will provide advice based on your previous study and experience.
For more information on enrolling under Certificate of Proficiency click on the below link
| Course Name | Course Availability | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | |||||||
| March | July | Nov | March | July | Nov | March | July | Nov | |
| DE6501 - Means of Escape | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| DE6502 – Fire Dynamics | X | X | X | ||||||
| DE6503 – Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Hazard Analysis | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| DE6504 – Fire Protection Systems - Active | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| DE6505 – Fire Protection Systems - Passive | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| DE6506 – Engineering Design Practice | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Current learners
If you were already enrolled in NZ261205 New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) (Fire Engineering) up to and including 7 October 2024, you can keep enrolling in courses as normal.
If you have not already, we recommend you complete DE4101 Engineering Fundamentals, DE4102 Engineering Mathematics 1, DE4103 Technical Literacy and DE5301 Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer first as these courses are pre-requisites for subsequent courses. These courses are offered 3 times a year in March, July and November, except for DE5301 which is only available in March.
The table above shows when the fire engineering courses will be available before they close after the planned final offering in November 2027.
Please note that DE6502 is only available once a year so we recommend you prioritise enrolment in this course.
To be awarded this version of NZ261205 New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) (Fire Engineering), you must:
- Be enrolled in your last course from the above table by the last date each course is offered and successfully complete their course requirements.
- Successfully complete all compulsory courses and one course from the fire specialisation elective section within 10 years of your first enrolment in the programme, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
If you have any questions, or need assistance with a study plan, please contact us.
About this qualification
The New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) (Fire Engineering) is designed for people working in or planning a career in fire engineering at a technician level.
This qualification has been designed by the New Zealand Board for Engineering Diplomas (NZBED) in consultation with the Institution of Fire Engineers, Society of Fire Protection Engineers, Fire Protection Association, and Fire Emergency New Zealand. It will prepare you for a career in fire engineering at a technician level.
Please note this programme is available for part-time study only. You can enrol in a maximum of two courses per trimester.
What you will learn
When you achieve this qualification, you will be able to:
- Competently perform technical operations to the standards, ethical and professional responsibilities required by the engineering profession
- Work collaboratively within team environments to provide a comprehensive engineering service in the relevant specialist area
- Apply the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi when carrying out engineering activities
- Apply the Resource Management Act and Health & Safety in Employment Act while carrying out engineering activities
- Apply engineering knowledge to make informed problem-solving decisions in fire engineering and to implement these decisions
- Identify, evaluate and manage risks within well-defined engineering problems relevant to their field of fire engineering.
Practical component
Some courses in this programme have a practical laboratory component and you will be informed about the specific location[s] at the beginning of your trimester. Any travel to these practicals will be at your own expense.
These courses are DE4101, DE5305, DE5301, DE6301 and DE6502.
See the individual course pages for details.
Maximum Programme Completion Time
To be awarded the qualification, the programme must be completed in no more than 10 years of first enrolment, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
About the provider
Open Polytechnic is New Zealand's leader in online and distance learning.
What’s our distance learning difference? It’s the almost 30,000 students who join us each year to study and achieve their career and personal goals.
It’s Open Polytechnic being New Zealand’s specialist distance learning provider for over 70 years.
All our students study by distance.
Distance learning is what we do.
Our programmes are designed exclusively for distance learning. Our online courses include a range of rich content to engage you – readings, videos, interactive elements, case studies, quizzes and activities, and forums.
Our academic staff are experts at teaching by distance learning. It’s what they do.
They will be with you every step of the way to encourage you, and ensure you understand the course content. They will help you gain the skills and knowledge you need, so that you can succeed.
If you need other support or help, we’ve got a range of people here for you.
With Open Polytechnic, you’re not alone.