Why Study / Key Benefits

The Postgraduate Certificate in International Rural Development is a 60-credit postgraduate qualification at Lincoln University designed around international development, rural development, agribusiness, economics, planning, sustainability and related disciplines.

Key benefits include:

• Develop postgraduate-level understanding of international and rural development issues.
• Study development projects, rural economies, agribusiness and sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective.
• Gain exposure to international development planning and assessment.
• Choose electives covering areas such as international trade, environmental impact assessment, agribusiness in developing economies, water management and sustainability.
• Build knowledge relevant to development organisations, government agencies, NGOs, agribusiness and rural-development work.
• The programme can provide a foundation for further postgraduate study in International Rural Development and related disciplines.
• Lincoln's Department of Agribusiness and Markets identifies International Rural Development as one of its specialist disciplines, with research themes including economic development policy, rural development, agribusiness, international business, stakeholder engagement and community/regional development.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The programme regulations require 60 credits.

The core component includes:

• MGMT 615 – Planning and Assessing International Development Projects, 20 credits.

The programme schedule also identifies elective courses from which students could choose two 20-credit courses.

Semester 1 electives included:

• ERST 604 – Advanced Urban, Regional and Resource Planning
• ERST 606 – Advanced Geographic Information Systems A
• ERST 632 – Economics in Environmental Policy
• FINC 603 – Commercial Banking
• MGMT 638 – Agribusiness Organisations
• TOUR 603 – Tourism Management.

Semester 2 electives included:

• ECOL 612 – Wildlife Management
• ECON 602 – International Trade
• ERST 621 – Principles of Environmental Impact Assessment
• ERST 636 – Aspects of Sustainability: An International Perspective
• FINC 604 – Finance, Futures and Options
• MAST 603 – Mana Kaitiaki (M?ori Resource Management)
• MGMT 624 – International Agribusiness Systems
• RECN 626 – Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism
• TOUR 604 – Tourist Behaviour
• WATR 603 – Water Management, Policy and Planning.

A variable elective was also listed:

• MGMT 628 – Agribusiness in Developing Economies.

Disciplines / Specialisations

There are no separately named specialisations within the Postgraduate Certificate itself.

The programme is interdisciplinary and draws on areas including:

• International rural development
• International development
• Rural development
• Agribusiness
• Agricultural economics
• Economic development policy
• International business
• Rural and international communication
• Land and farm management
• Sustainability
• Environmental policy
• Environmental planning
• Water management
• Tourism
• Natural-resource management. 

Programme Highlights

• Postgraduate Certificate.
• NZQF Level 8.
• 60 credits.
• Normal full-time duration of 0.5 years.
• Lincoln University Campus.
• Core study in planning and assessing international development projects.
• Electives across agribusiness, economics, planning, environmental management, sustainability, tourism, water management and international trade.
• Relevant to international and rural development.
• Strong interdisciplinary character.
• Academic links to Lincoln's International Rural Development discipline.

Career Outcomes

The programme's subject mix is relevant to potential careers in:

• International development
• Rural development
• Agribusiness
• Development project coordination
• Government and public-sector development
• Non-governmental organisations
• International development agencies
• Rural and regional planning
• Sustainability
• Environmental and natural-resource management
• Agricultural development
• International trade
• Community and regional development.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The most important current update is that Lincoln's official programme page says the Postgraduate Certificate in International Rural Development is currently not being offered.

Consequently:

• No current intake for this programme should be assumed.
• The historical Semester 1 and Semester 2 structure remains visible on the programme page, but it does not confirm current availability.
• Students should obtain written confirmation from Lincoln University before submitting an application or paying fees.
• The programme's listed academic entry requirement remains an undergraduate degree with at least a B- average in the 300-level and final-year full-time-equivalent courses.
• IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 is specifically listed on the programme page.

International Student Visa Requirements

Because the programme is currently not being offered, there is no current programme-specific visa pathway to confirm.

If Lincoln reopens the programme and an international student is admitted for campus-based study, the student would generally need an appropriate New Zealand student visa and would need to satisfy Immigration New Zealand's current requirements.

Immigration New Zealand currently requires tertiary students to demonstrate living funds of NZ$20,000 per year, or NZ$1,667 per month when the study period is shorter than one year.

Evidence can include:

• Available funds in a bank account.
• An acceptable scholarship award.
• An approved financial undertaking.
• An acceptable sponsorship arrangement.
• Evidence of accommodation or other permitted financial arrangements where applicable.

Other requirements may include:

• Valid passport.
• Offer of Place.
• Tuition-fee payment evidence.
• Photograph.
• Medical or chest X-ray evidence where required.
• Police certificate where required.
• Evidence of genuine study intentions and financial circumstances.