Advance your skills in information management
Develop a thorough understanding of how information is created, managed, and shared across organisations and communities for a career in information management.
The PGDipIS deepens your expertise in information management, library and archives practice, and knowledge services. It combines theory and applied learning to explore information systems and how data is managed in the digital world. You’ll learn to design and evaluate information systems, and develop the advanced analytical, technical, and communication skills needed in today’s information careers.
You’ll graduate with a globally recognised qualification, ready for leadership and specialist roles in information services and information management. You’ll also have a solid foundation for further postgraduate study.
Who can study for this qualification
Choose this qualification if you’re aiming for a professional career in information management, archives, records, or library science. It’s a comprehensive, practical programme that sits between the Postgraduate Certificate and the Master of Information Studies. It’s a good fit for you if:
- you’ve graduated with an unrelated degree, or you’re already working in another field, and now want to change careers to information management
- you need a professional qualification to prepare for more senior information management roles, and you need a flexible qualification to fit your schedule.
The shorter postgraduate certificate (PGCertIS) suits people in the field who want to upskill quickly while they work, while the MIS is a longer, research-focused path.
What you’ll learn
The PGDipIS deepens your knowledge of the ways organisations organise, preserve, and use information. It combines theoretical study with practical learning in areas central to today’s information professions.
You’ll complete 120 points by taking eight courses—five compulsory courses and three electives. Each course reflects professional practices and global standards to make sure your learning is relevant to careers in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas.
For example, you might take courses in:
- information technology management
- digital libraries
- records and archives management
- data curation
- information access and retrieval
- the ethics and governance of information.
You’ll learn to design and evaluate information systems, and manage digital and physical collections. You’ll also:
- learn to apply data-management strategies that support decisions and long-term access to information
- develop your leadership, research, and communication skills, so you can help guide organisations through changes in the way they manage their information resources.
Specialisation options
This programme lets you choose to specialise in Archives and Records Management or Library Science.
- To specialise in Archives and Record Management, take courses in Archival Systems (INFO 534) and Managing Current Records (INFO 535).
- To specialise in Library Science, take two courses in Digital Technologies for Information Professionals (INFO 525) and Management of Library Services (INFO 542).
How you’ll study
This is a coursework-based qualification—there is no research component. The programme is delivered entirely online in evening lectures.
Some courses are delivered through live sessions that are also recorded for you to review later. Other courses contain recorded content that you can watch whenever it suits you. Most courses combine both, using the live sessions for discussions and activities.
Part-time study option
You can study for the Postgraduate Diploma part-time as long as you complete the qualification within three years of enrolling in it.
International students study online
The Master's, Postgraduate Diploma, and Postgraduate Certificate in Information Studies are delivered and assessed entirely online. So if you’re an international student, you’ll study by distance.
You won’t need to travel to New Zealand to complete the qualification, and you won’t be eligible for a student visa to enter New Zealand.
Contact the International Office if you have any questions about studying with us.
Degree support and advice
We can help you match your interests and career goals with the right course of study.
If you’re a new student, talk to a Future Student Adviser.
If you’re already studying with us, talk to Tītoko—Student Success.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for domestic students
- Requirements for students who completed university in:
If you live in New Zealand and are a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand or Australia, you're considered a domestic student.
Some citizens of the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau may automatically hold New Zealand citizenship.
Diplomatic residents living in New Zealand are also regarded as domestic students.
To be accepted into this qualification, you need:
1. (a) Before enrolment, a candidate for the PGDipIS shall have:
(i) completed a Bachelor’s degree; and
(ii) been accepted by the Director of Information Studies Programmes as capable of proceeding with the proposed course of study.
(b) Requirement (a)(i) may be waived by the Associate Dean (Students) of the Wellington School of Business and Government for a candidate who has had extensive practical, professional, or scholarly experience of an appropriate kind.
Qualification requirements
Excerpt from the regulations for the PGDIST
2. Except as provided in section 6, the course of study for the PGDipIS shall consist of courses worth 120 points, including:
(i) The Information Professions (INFO 520), Management in Information Services (INFO 521), Information Policy Concepts, Issues and Processes (INFO 522), Information Access and Use (INFO 523), Creating and Managing Metadata (INFO 527);
(ii) three INFO 500-level courses.
3. (a) A candidate for the PGDipIS shall normally complete the diploma within three years of first enrolling for the certificate or the diploma.
(b) The director may extend the maximum period in (a) in special cases.
4. A candidate who has been awarded the PGCertIS shall abandon that qualification upon being awarded the PGDipIS.
International recognition
Wellington School of Business and Government is among the top 1% of business schools worldwide that hold the ‘Triple Crown’ of international business education accreditations. By studying here, you can be confident your qualification will be recognised globally for its quality.
Future careers
The PGDipIS is a professional Level 8 qualification. It prepares you for specialised and leadership roles in libraries and archives, government agencies, and other information-rich organisations.
This qualification gives you skills that apply across borders. You could work for international NGOs, multinational companies, archival and records firms with cross-border clients, or cultural and heritage organisations with global reach.
More career information
Find out more about careers.
The government careers website, Tahatū, offers more information about jobs, salaries, and current opportunities.
Scholarships
You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.
We have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It's a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Business and Government
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The scholarship will be awarded to a student who is undertaking research at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington on the interactions and relationship between the public and private sectors in the area of policy and management.
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Applicants must be of Māori descent, identify as female, enrolled or intending to enrol full-time or part-time in an undergraduate or postgraduate programme at Wellington School of Business and Government. Grade point average (GPA) or grade point equivalent (GPE) of at least 6.00 is required.
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This scholarship is for a Master's research project on the tensions concerning insurability and climate adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand, ideally with a particular focus on marae-centred communities.
Scholarships for international students
We're currently offering a NZ$10,000 VUW Postgraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma programme.
Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.
Other scholarships
We also have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It's a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Business and Government
-
The scholarship will be awarded to a student who is undertaking research at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington on the interactions and relationship between the public and private sectors in the area of policy and management.
-
This scholarship is for a Master's research project on the tensions concerning insurability and climate adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand, ideally with a particular focus on marae-centred communities.
-
In honour of Jonathan Nicholls (ACC's Head of Actuarial Services who passed away in early 2015), ACC wishes to promote the actuarial profession in much the same way that Jonathan did. ACC is dedicated to supporting Actuarial Science students and others looking to pursue a career in the actuarial profession.
Join our postgraduate community
The Postgraduate Students’ Association provides a voice for you on campus and information on studying at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Postgraduate Students’ Association
MAI ki Pōneke
MAI ki Pōneke are part of an international network of Māori and Indigenous postgraduate students. They provide advice, support, and information to Indigenous postgraduate students of all levels, as well as those thinking about enrolling.
Further research or study
The PGDipIS belongs to a family of related qualifications, including the shorter Postgraduate Certificate in Information Studies and the longer Master of Information Studies.
These qualifications are ‘staircased’—you can move between them, and shared courses count towards each. Once you’ve completed the PGDipIS, you can continue to the Master’s without repeating any courses.
Get help to manage your finances
We can help you:
- budget your money
- manage your student loan or allowance
- work out your accommodation payment schedule.
If you’re facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for the Hardship Fund.
You may be eligible for government or community support, too.
Apply for a New Zealand study visa
You’ll need to apply for a study visa if you plan to study with us as an international student.
You should apply for your visa after you’ve received your Offer of Place, and before you come to New Zealand.