Certificate of University Preparation
(Level 4, 60 credits)
This programme is made up of four courses (15 credits each).
Two courses are compulsory:
- Communication Skills
- Study Skills
Plus two electives – you must choose two from the following:
-
Bridging the Humanities
Bridging Studies in Maori Culture and Society
Bridging Social Science
Bridging the Physical Sciences
Bridging the Biological Sciences
Bridging Mathematics and Statistics
HOW TO NOTIFY US OF YOUR TWO ELECTIVES:
Email: bpstudentadmin@unitec.ac.nz with:
1. Your full name
2. Your Unitec student ID number (this is on your offer letter)
3. Your TWO electives.
If you don’t do this you will not be enrolled. For assistance, call 0800 10 95 10.
Descriptions of all courses are on the following pages.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHOOSING ELECTIVES
Study areas:
Electives recommended:
Early Childhood Education
Choose two from Humanities, Maori Culture, Social
Sciences or Maths
Natural Sciences – Animal
Management/ Welfare, Biodiversity
Management
Maths and Biology (unless already passed at NCEA
Level 3)
Diploma in Vet Nursing
Choose Biology (unless already passed at NCEA Level
3) plus either Maths, Social Science, Humanities or
Maori Culture
Medical Imaging
A science subject is recommended as one of your
electives - either Physical Sciences or Biology (unless
already passed at NCEA Level 3)
Nursing
Biology is strongly recommended (unless already
passed at NCEA Level 3) plus either Humanities, Social
Sciences or Maori Culture
Social Practice, Community Skills
Choose two from Social Science, Maori Culture or
Humanities
Sport
Choose two from Social Sciences, Biology or Maori
Culture
All other programmes
You may choose any two electives
HOW TO NOTIFY US OF YOUR TWO ELECTIVES:
Email: bpstudentadmin@unitec.ac.nz with:
4. Your full name
5. Your Unitec student ID number (this is on your offer letter)
6. Your TWO electives.
If you don’t do this you will not be enrolled. For assistance, call 0800 10 95 10.
COURSE DESCRIPTORS
Compulsory courses:
1. Communication Skills
2. Study Skills
What these courses are about:
These courses are designed to prepare students for the variety of academic skills required at
university level. The content focuses on how to read and write for academic purposes. The
student will learn to decipher or unpack mixed media texts, apply critical thinking skills, and
formulate the information in a logical and coherent manner. Research skills, development
of writing, studying for exams and critical thinking will be applied to a number of
assessment types (text analysis, essays, reports, presentations) with the aim of preparing
them for university. Topics to be covered include the following:










Developing academic learning skills: critical thinking, questioning, listening, writing,
reading and note-making.
Identifying learning preferences and effective individual and group learning
strategies, including managing time effectively.
Using research support facilities of libraries.
Developing skills for oral presentations.
Identification of support services and understanding the University environment.
Formal Writing
Knowledge and comprehension strategies
Academic genres
The writing process and using sourced material
Editing.
Elective courses:
1.
Bridging the Humanities:
Available at Mt Albert only
This course offers a structured and focused introduction to the Humanities related to
the interaction of different ethnicities and cultures, in both historical and modern
day settings, and provides the opportunity to engage in critical discussion and to
practise academic writing skills.
A range of topics is covered including the following:
 What is Moral Philosophy?
 Euthanasia
 Heaven and Hell
 Karma
 Nazism
 Punishment
 Sexual Morality
 Death in Medieval Europe
 Disease
2.
Bridging Studies in Maori Culture and Society
Available at Mt Albert only
The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to a range of values and
principles that underpin aspects of Māori culture and are current within Māori
mythological narrative. This paper will explore cultural values, as they appear within
Māori migration traditions and Māori settlement within Aotearoa pre-1800. The
learning outcomes expect the student to:





Have a basic understanding of Māori creation narratives and the values and
principles evident in these narratives
Identify prominent characters within Māori mythology, together with their roles
Identify cultural values as they appear within migration traditions and settlement
within Aotearoa pre-1800
Have a critical awareness of historical source material and the period in which it
was written
Be familiar with using a formal tone of writing suitable for academia and the
assessment methods commonly used at tertiary level.
3.
Bridging Social Science
Available at Mt Albert, Waitakere
This paper has been designed to introduce students to the concepts, methods and
scope of the social sciences and to develop awareness of contemporary social issues
in Aotearoa/New Zealand and in global contexts. Students will gain an
understanding of the underlying philosophies and values of the social sciences, as
well as those of science and knowledge more generally. It will provide an
introduction to various social science disciplines by understanding how they
emerged, how they reason and their potential roles in public life.
Various social science methods will be explored and unpacked using social scientific
approaches to New Zealand society and other societies.
Topics include:
 Introducing the social sciences
 Sociology
 Anthropology
 History as a social science
 Political science
 Psychology
 Media Studies
 Linguistics and Communications
 Globalization
 Identity
 Religion and Ritual
4.
Bridging the Physical Sciences
Available at Mt Albert only
This paper focuses on basic physical concepts including, units of measurement,
dynamics and forces, as well as the properties of atoms, atomic structure, and basic
concepts of chemistry.
Students who successfully complete this paper should be able to:




Explain basic concepts in core areas of physics.
Apply basic physics principles to new situations.
Obtain data from measurements of physical and chemical phenomena, to make
meaningful deductions relating experiment and theory.
Describe how all matter is made up of atoms which combine to form molecules
and compounds.



Explain how the physical properties of substances are determined by inter and
intra molecular forces.
Perform basic chemical calculations including using the mole, solution
calculations and pH.
Balance simple chemical equations and understand the principles of equilibria
and reaction rates.
As part of the paper is taught online, broadband access is required. In addition to
accessing the Paper Guide, students will be required to access core and
supplementary digital study resources, contribute to discussion fora and complete
online activities and assessment tasks. Core study resources that can be published in
print will be supplied to the students who request them.
5.
Bridging the Biological Sciences
Available at Mt Albert, Waitakere
Students who have already successfully completed Biology at NCEA Level 3 cannot
enrol in this course as this has the same content.
This paper introduces a broad range of topics in the biological sciences. Topics
include:





the structure and function of cells, plants and animals (including humans),
DNA and its control of cellular processes
genetics
ecology
evolution
This course is strongly recommended for students intending to study Nursing.
Students will need to purchase the textbook:
Campbell Essential Biology with Physiology
New International Edition
Simon, Dickey and Reece
Pearson Benjamin Cummings Publishers (5th Edition, 2014)
Including Mastering Biology Access Kit
ISBN 9781486043033
Cost is approximately $169 (includes Pearson's Mastering Biology website access
code). Second-hand copies from previous students may be available
6.
Bridging Mathematics and Statistics:
Available at Mt Albert only
Mathematics and Statistics is equivalent to Years 11-12 and covers advanced
numeracy, statistics, graphs and trigonometry and basic algebra. It would suit
students who have already studied an NCEA Level 1 course based on Achievement
Standards, not Unit Standards, and who have some passes in both internal and
external maths Achievement Standards.
It is not suitable if you have studied a Unit Standards based course at school or if
your highest mathematics achievement is one of the following Bridgepoint courses:
Basic Maths, UMA, Nursing Maths. However, a good pass in UMB may be suitable.
This course may be suitable for students planning to study business, arts, nursing or
early childhood education.
You will need a suitable calculator, and you will need to purchase the textbook. The
approximate cost of the textbook is $54.
HOW TO NOTIFY US OF YOUR TWO ELECTIVES:
Email: bpstudentadmin@unitec.ac.nz with:
1. Your full name
2. Your Unitec student ID number (this is on your offer letter)
3. Your TWO electives.
If you don’t do this you will not be enrolled. For assistance, call 0800 10 95 10.