400-500 Level Course Descriptions for
NZ Diploma in Business
400 Accounting Principles
What will you learn?
Designed to provide you with a clear understanding of the
financial statements of a company and their component parts.
Course content includes: evaluating and understanding the
effects of transactions on a firm’s financial statements,
preparing and analysing financial statements, analysing
budgets, and break-even analysis.
Assessment
Assessment for this paper will consist of assignments and a final exam.
Recommendation
This course is a recommended pre-requisite for other accounting/finance courses.
430 Quantitative Business Methods
What will you learn?
Aims to teach you how to analyse statistical data, use financial mathematics to solve basic interest rate and investment decisions, and use a statistical or spreadsheet package for statistical and financial analysis.
Course content includes: data analysis, correlation and regression, index
numbers, time series, sampling, inference, quality and financial mathematics.
Assessment
There are regular practical assignments and a final examination.
Recommendation
This paper is strongly recommended for students who wish to proceed to further studies beyond the NZ Diploma in Business. It is also useful for students who study Managerial Economics, Operations Management and Business Finance.
501 Accounting Practices
What will you learn?
Designed to give you the practical skills required in the preparation of financial statements for sole traders, and/or small companies using both manual accounting methods and a commercial accounting package.
Course content includes: bank reconciliations, accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory records, accounting for GST, and the formation of partnerships.
Assessment
Assessment for this paper consists of tests, assignments and a final exam.
Recommendation
This paper is a pre-requisite for 601 Financial Accounting and a recommended pre-requisite for 602 Management Accounting. Knowledge from 400 Accounting Principles is assumed in 501 Accounting Practices.
510 Introduction to Commercial Law
What will you learn?
Introduces you to the law, especially the branch most common in business, the law of contract.
Course content includes: parliament, the courts, buying and selling goods, the law of negligence, the law of contracts, and law designed to protect consumers such as the Fair Trading Act and the Consumer Guarantees Act.
Assessment
Assessment will consist of two assignments and a final examination.
520 Economic Environment
What will you learn?
Aims to help you develop an understanding of economic principles and theories in contemporary society.
Course content includes: the national economy, international trade, the role of government, economic issues facing New Zealand, how competitive markets determine prices and allocate resources, and profit-maximising decision-making by firms.
Assessment
Assessment for this course may consist of assignments, a test, a computer simulation, and a final exam.
530 Organisation and Management
What will you learn?
Aims to provide you with an excellent grounding in the study of management subjects.
Course content includes: an introduction to the various types of organisational structures, the role of management, the management decision-making process, and the ethical and social responsibilities of management.
Assessment
Assessment for this paper consists of assignments, a test and an examination.
Recommendation
This paper is a recommended pre-requisite for other management courses.
541 Fundamentals of Marketing
What will you learn?
Designed to give you the opportunity to explore, learn, and apply marketing principles.
Course content includes: marketing environments, market research and marketing information systems, marketing mix, buyer behaviour, market segmentation, target markets and marketing objectives.
Assessment
Assessment is by way of projects and/or case studies. You will be expected to contribute in class discussion.
Recommendation
This course is a recommended pre-requisite for other marketing courses.
550 Business Computing
What will you learn?
Designed to promote the basic computer user to an intermediate-advanced practical skill level in the use of Microsoft Office Professional Suite of products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. Students are also introduced to the basics of computer theory to evaluate alternative technologies to fit specific business needs.
The course consists of four hours practical computing lab time (attendance is flexible if you have access to computing facilities outside of the polytechnic), and two hours computing theory per week.
Assessment
Assessment consists of projects and regular practical assignments. At the end of the course there is a written computer theory assessment.
560 Business Communication
What will you learn?
Designed to give you an understanding of current communication theory and principles and how these function in the workplace. This programme will also improve your individual written and oral communication skills.
Course content includes: communication barriers, written communication, logical and creative thinking, human behaviour, oral presentation and how emerging technology influences communication.
Assessment
Assessment for this course consists of a supervised written assessment on theory, a supervised document writing exercise, a group presentation, a report on the group presentation, reflective feedback on your group’s performance, and one-to-one interview exercises.
Recommendation
If you complete Business Communication early in your study you should develop skills that will be useful in other areas.
600 Level Programmes
600 level course listings