Why Study/Key Benefits

• The Graduate Diploma in Business Studies (GradDipBusStuds) is designed for university graduates who want to change or broaden their business subject area without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
• It can be useful for professionals who want to update their business knowledge and skills or who are working in a business area different from their original qualification.
• The Without Specialisation pathway provides flexibility to combine business subjects rather than committing to one named specialisation.
• Massey describes the qualification as a bridging tool that can provide the equivalent of an undergraduate major in a business area and potentially support progression to postgraduate study, subject to the relevant postgraduate admission requirements.
• The majority of available courses are drawn from the Bachelor of Business and its majors, allowing students to build knowledge across several business disciplines.

Programme Structure and Subjects/Topics

The Without Specialisation option is deliberately flexible.

Students select 120 credits from the approved Graduate Diploma in Business Studies schedule. The current schedule draws primarily from 200- and 300-level courses associated with the Bachelor of Business and its majors.

The approved subject prefixes include:

• 110 – Accountancy
• 114 – Human Resource Management
• 115 – College of Business
• 125 – Finance
• 127 – Property Studies
• 152 – Management
• 153 – Dispute Resolution
• 155 – Business Law
• 156 – Marketing
• 157 – Information Systems
• 178 – Economics
• 219 – Communication and Journalism
• 290 – Retail
• 295 – Business

The precise courses available depend on the current schedule, prerequisites, course offering and the student's academic background.

Examples of subject areas that can therefore be incorporated into a study plan include:

• Accounting and accountancy
• Finance
• Management
• Human resource management
• Marketing
• Business law
• Information systems
• Economics
• Property studies
• Dispute resolution
• Retail and business
• Communication and journalism.

Disciplines/Specialisations

The requested pathway is Without Specialisation, so there is no single named major or endorsement attached to this option.

The wider Graduate Diploma in Business Studies currently has the following named endorsements:

• Accounting
• Human Resource Management
• Personal Financial Planning

The Without Specialisation pathway instead allows students to select courses from the approved schedule across multiple business areas.

Programme Highlights

• 120-credit qualification.
• Designed for university graduates.
• Allows students to change or broaden their business subject area without completing another bachelor’s degree.
• Flexible Without Specialisation structure.
• At least 75 credits must be at 300 level or above.
• 200- and 300-level Business courses form the core of the available schedule.
• 700-level Business courses may be included where the student qualifies for postgraduate study.
• Normally studied part-time over at least two years.
• May be completed in one year full-time if courses are carefully selected.
• Auckland and Manawat? campus options, with distance/online study available.

Career Outcomes

The qualification does not have one fixed career outcome because students can build different combinations of business subjects.

Depending on the courses selected, the knowledge gained may support career development in areas such as:

• Business administration
• Management
• Human resources
• Marketing
• Finance
• Accounting-related business roles
• Information systems and business technology
• Economics and commercial analysis
• Retail and commercial operations
• Property-related business
• Business communication
• Business law and compliance-related work.

Latest Updates/Special Requirements

• The current qualification remains a 120-credit Graduate Diploma in Business Studies.
• Students can take the qualification Without Specialisation or pursue one of the named endorsements.
• The Without Specialisation pathway requires at least 75 credits at 300 level or above.
• 100-level courses cannot count toward the Graduate Diploma.
• Students may need to complete 100-level prerequisite courses separately before entering certain 200-level courses.
• Returning students should check Massey's Transitional Provisions because qualification requirements and available courses can change.
• Courses may include contact workshops, block courses, field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials or laboratories where required by the selected course.
• The current 2027 standard international application deadlines are 31 October 2026 for Semester One and 1 May 2027 for Semester Two.
• Exact 2027 course availability should be checked before choosing a one-year full-time study plan.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students who intend to study this qualification physically in New Zealand will generally need a New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements include:

• An offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Sufficient funds to pay tuition fees, or an applicable scholarship.
• Sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable insurance.
• Meeting health and character requirements.
• A genuine reason for studying in New Zealand.
• Evidence that the student can leave New Zealand at the end of the stay.
• Medical examinations/chest X-rays and police certificates where required