Manukau Institute of Technology
Manukau Institute of Technology is answering the call for more science and technology graduates with the establishment
of a new engineering degree for the year 2000.
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering academic leader Don Alford says the bachelor of engineering
technology degree will offer specialist options of electrical, electronic and computer engineering.
Mr Alford says the degree has been developed in response to industry, which noted a gap in qualifications, and will
produce graduates who are practical designers without the full design scope of a professional engineer.
“Graduates from this degree will be people who can run high technology systems. They will have practical hands-on skills
together with supervisory knowledge.”
Career options vary. Computing specialists would lean towards becoming team leaders for software development or running
major company computer networks.
Electronics specialists would be likely to be involved in design and development within small companies and as a
supervisory team member in a large company’s development team.
An electrical specialist could end up working on the design and implementation of large electrical systems like the
commissioning of a new power station.
The three-year programme incorporates a significant practical project in the final year, which is designed to
consolidate all the theoretical papers studied in the previous two years.
Entry qualifications are flexible. School leavers need three C passes in Bursary or a total of 12 or less in their best
four Sixth Form Certificate subjects.
People who hold a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering can gain entry to the degree programme and there is an option
for part time study.
The programme has been developed to complement MIT’s existing engineering qualifications with direct entry to the degree
from the diplomas in electrical, electronic and computer engineering.
Mr Alford says a significant number of current MIT engineering students have already expressed an interest in the new
degree.
The programme is pending accreditation by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.