Diploma in Construction (Level 6) Year 1 (Distance)

Welcome

Hello, Kia ora, Talofa, Kumusta, Malo’etau lava, Kia Orana.
Nĭ hăo, Fakalofa Atu, Namaste, Bula, Sata srī akāla.

Welcome to Year 1 of the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6). We hope you have a wonderful time studying with NZMA.

This course is the first year of a two-year diploma. The aim of the first year of the diploma is to introduce you to the fundamentals of construction management. You will gain an understanding of:

• The importance of communication in the construction industry.
• The legislative and regulatory requirements that govern construction in New Zealand.
• The interpretation of technical drawings for sites and structures.
• Structural principles and these influence building design.
• The selection of sustainable and functional materials for construction projects.  
• Administrative processes for developing construction contracts, including building work valuation and management of anticipated expenditure.
• Financial management of construction projects.
• The management of construction contracts including tender evaluation, quantity surveying and preparation of schedules of quantities.

In Year 2, you will choose one of two strands: Construction Management or Quantity Surveying.

How will you Learn?

Year 1 requires a total of 1150 learning hours. That is about 36 hours per week. This includes all learning activities and assessment tasks.

This diploma is delivered online using the NZMA online campus. The way the course is delivered depends on whether you are a domestic or international student.

Domestic Students

Your learning hours are fully asynchronous. This means you complete them in your own time. There is no set class time, and learning takes place at different times for students/ākonga enrolled in the programme. You are encouraged to interact with other students/ākonga through forums and group messaging. Keep in mind that not everyone likes to study when you do, so you may need to wait for a response.

International Students

Your learning hours are asynchronous. This means you complete them at your own pace. There is no set teaching schedule. You will be required to attend classes at the NZMA campus for a total of 20 hours a week. You will use this class time to access your course via the online campus. There will be a facilitator available, but they will not deliver any additional teaching material. You are encouraged to interact with other students/ākonga in your classes to enhance your learning.

Year 1 Module Overview

Module Name	Assessment*	Learning  Hours*
Communication in the Construction Industry	01A1 01A2	150
Legislation in the Construction Industry	02A1	40
Structures for Construction Projects	03A1 03A2	240
Materials in the Construction Industry	04A1 04A2	210
Pre-Contract Administration for Valuing Building Works	05A1 05A2	150
Contract Administration for Valuing Building Works	06A1 06A2	150
Construction Contract Management	07A1 07A2	150
Commercial Construction: Regulatory Environment	08A1 08A2 08A3	60

Assessments/Aromatawai

A total of 125 credits are awarded for Year 1 of this diploma.

There are 16 assessments to complete, spread across the modules that make up this course. Assessments will be awarded an achieved or not-achieved result. All learning outcomes must be met to obtain an achieved result. All assessments must be completed in full, with all answers correct, for an achieved result.

Assessments are recorded as follows:

• Achieved – all work/unit has been achieved to the standards set in the assessment and performance criteria.
• Not Achieved – the student/ākonga has yet to complete the relevant work to be awarded the assessment or unit.

This is an example of how the modularised assessment schedule might look over 33 weeks of study.

Assessment Submission

Week	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33
M1		0 1 A 1		0 1 A 2
M2						0 2 A 1
M3									0 3 A 1			0 3 A 2
M4															0 4 A 1			0 4 A 2
M5																				0 5 A 1		0 5 A 2
M6																								0 6 A 1		0 6 A 2
M7																												0 7 A 1		0 7 A 2
M8																															0 8 A 1	0 8 A 2	0 8 A 3

Studying at Level 6

A graduate of a Level 6 diploma is able to:

• demonstrate specialised technical or theoretical knowledge with depth in a field of work or study
• analyse and generate solutions to familiar and unfamiliar problems
• select and apply a range of standard and non-standard processes relevant to the field of work or study
• demonstrate complete self-management of learning and performance within dynamic contexts
• demonstrate responsibility for leadership within dynamic contexts.

Graduates of this qualification will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders to administer and manage a construction contract.
• Operate within the legislative and regulatory frameworks as they apply to the New Zealand building and construction industry.
• Evaluate and select materials and finishes for building projects, giving consideration to environmental impacts of the design and construction techniques to be used.
• Apply knowledge of structure and structural principles to manage construction for foundations, substructure, the building envelope, and the interior for small, medium and large buildings, and fire protection systems for medium and large buildings.
• Plan, and monitor construction contracts including evaluation of tender submissions, measurement for and preparation of schedules of quantities, management of variations and expenditure control during construction.
• Analyse, select and administer construction contracts including the preparation of a tender submission from trade sections and other financial components, and value building works up to and including final account statements.
• Communicate effectively with parties to a construction contract using organisational principles, digital technologies and industry best practice.

Graduates of the Construction Management strand will also be able to:

• Manage construction site logistics, resource allocation and construction activity for small, medium and large construction programmes.
• Manage site establishment and provision of site services for short and long duration construction projects.
• Create technical sketches to communicate information relevant to the construction project.
• Apply leadership principles to manage construction site teams and support physical and mental well-being of a diverse construction site workforce.

Graduates of the Quantity Surveying strand will also be able to:

• Analyse and present feasibility information and preliminary estimates to clients.
• Assemble quantity surveying documentation relevant to specialist and specific trade sections, measure quantities and prepare a schedule of quantities for small and medium building projects of an individual trade section including services.
• Collate all priced components into a tender submission for small, medium and large buildings using tender process knowledge.

Employment Pathways

Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) Construction Management strand will be able to work in roles such as:

• Construction site manager
• Construction management assistant
• Construction project management assistant.

Graduates of the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) Quantity Surveying strand will be able to work as a Quantity Surveyor.

This qualification may lead to higher level qualifications in the fields of Construction Management or Quantity Surveying.

Kei ōu ringaringa te ao
- The world is yours.

We’re Here to Help

If you're ever unsure about something or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact your tutor. You can send them a message via email or via the 💬 messages feature on the top right corner of the online campus.