Duration
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: Varies
Next start date
2025 Semester One – 3 March
2026 Semester One – 2 March
Available locations
City
Points
120
Programme type
Postgraduate

Programme overview

As a PGDipBioEnt student, you’ll gain skills in the financial, marketing and legal aspects of science to prepare you for a wide range of job opportunities in science and business enterprises.

As a graduate, you could bring a competitive edge to an existing company, or be the key to a successful science start-up.

The programme also offers plenty of networking opportunities for students to meet practitioners and leaders from industry and business.

Programme structure

The full-time programme is completed in one year, and the part-time programme may be completed over a maximum of four years.
Students must complete 120 points from the following courses:

  • 90 points: SCIENT 701-706 (the topics include accounting, finance, marketing, law, intellectual property and commercialisation, as they relate to scientists)
  • 30 points from 700-level courses in Biological Sciences, Bioinformatics, Medical Science, Medicinal Chemistry*, Food Science, Pharmacology* or Psychology*, which may include topics such as Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology; Proteomics; or Molecular Cell Biology and Biomedicine

*Subject to approval

You'll also need to meet other requirements, including time limits and total points limits. See Postgraduate enrolment.

For all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, fees, examinations, and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates, see the University Calendar.

2024 entry requirements

My highest qualification is from:

Programme requirements

Minimum programme requirements

Minimum requirements listed here are the likely grades required and do not guarantee entry. We assess each application individually and applicants may require a higher grade to be offered a place.

  • Study option
    Taught 120 points
    Grade required
    GPA Grade Point Average 3.0

    Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science (Hons), Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), Bachelor of Pharmacy or Bachelor of Technology

Further programme requirements

Taught 120 points

You must have completed one of the following with a GPA of 6.0:

  • BSc or BSc(Hons) with a major or specialisation related to the life sciences, in one of the following areas: Biological Sciences, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Science, Food Science, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology or Physiology
  • BE or BE(Hons) in Biomedical Engineering
  • BPharm
  • BTech in Biotechnology.

If you wish to apply for the programme you should email the Programme Director to arrange an initial interview: m.jullig@auckland.ac.nz.

All shortlisted candidates will be interviewed as part of the assessment process. Typically interviews are scheduled in November. Successful applicants are advised in December/January. International applicants may be offered an interview up until February.

Programme requirements

Minimum programme requirements

Minimum requirements listed here are the likely grades required and do not guarantee entry. We assess each application individually and applicants may require a higher grade to be offered a place.

  • Study option
    Taught 120 points
    Grade required
    GPE Grade Point Equivalent 3.0

    An undergraduate degree

  • Qualification
    IELTS Academic International English Language Testing System
    Score required
    6.5

Further programme requirements

Taught 120 points

You must have completed an undergraduate degree in science, engineering or technology at a recognised university (or similar institution) with a GPE of 6.0. Your degree must have been in one of the following areas: biological or biomedical sciences, bioinformatics, food science, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology or physiology.

If you wish to apply for the programme you should email the Programme Director to arrange an initial interview: director@bioscienterprise.ac.nz.

For all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, fees, examinations, and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates, see the University Calendar.

How much does a Postgraduate Diploma in Bioscience Enterprise cost per year?

2024 fees

Domestic students
NZ$10,275.60*
International students
NZ$50,810*

Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this website. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Amounts shown are indicative only. In addition to the tuition fees, there is a Student Services Fee of $8.88 per point, estimated at $1,065.60 for full-time study (120 points). Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses.

*Please note: amounts shown are indicative and estimates only.

Find out about financial support information

Scholarships and awards

Find out about the scholarships you may be eligible for.

Student loans and allowances

Are you a New Zealand citizen or resident? You could be eligible for a student loan or allowance.

Cost of living

Get an idea of how much accommodation and general living in Auckland will cost.

For all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, fees, examinations, and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates, see the University Calendar.

Key dates

Please note: We will consider late applications if places are still available. International students should start the application process as early as possible to allow sufficient time to apply for a visa.

Application closing dates

Semester One 2024
8 December 2023

Start dates

Here are the start dates for the programme.

Other important dates

See important dates for the academic year, including orientation, enrolment, study breaks, exams, and graduation.

For all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, fees, examinations, and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates, see the University Calendar.

The following are pre-approved elective courses.

INFOSYS 700: Digital Innovation
PSYCH 700: Political Psychology
MEDSCI 700: Drug Discovery Biology
FORENSIC 702: Introduction to Forensic Science
EXERSCI 703: Cardiac Rehabilitation
FOODSCI 703: Food Processing
MEDSCI 705: Infection, Immunity and Disease
EXERSCI 706: Seminar in Advanced Exercise Physiology
FOODSCI 706: Food Safety
MEDSCI 706: Genomic Medicine
MEDSCI 707: Antimicrobials and Resistance
PSYCH 707: Psychology of Offending
FOODSCI 708: Advanced Food Science
MEDSCI 708: Advanced Immunology and Immunotherapy
FOODSCI 709: Selected Topics in Food Science and Technology
MEDSCI 709: Nutrition in Health and Disease
MEDSCI 710: Nutrition Mechanisms
MEDSCI 712: Critical Evaluation of Nutritional Therapies
MEDSCI 713: Principles of Cancer Therapy
PSYCH 714: Cognitive Neuroscience
MEDSCI 714: Advanced Cancer Biology
MEDSCI 715: Molecular Toxicology
PSYCH 715: Psychology and Sustainability
HLTHPSYC 716: Psychoneuroimmunology
MEDSCI 717: Advanced Neuroscience: Neuropharmacology
MEDSCI 718: Pharmacology of Anaesthetics and Analgesics
POPLHLTH 718: Health and Public Policy
POPLHLTH 719: Health Economics
PAEDS 719: Health, Education and Youth Development
POPLHLTH 720: Cost Effectiveness Evaluation
MEDSCI 720: Biomedical Research Techniques
MEDSCI 722: Clinical Pharmacology
MEDSCI 723: Cancer Pharmacology
PSYCH 725: Evolution and Human Behaviour
MEDSCI 727: Advanced Neuroscience: Neurophysiology
STATS 727: Foundations of Applied Time Series Analysis
MEDSCI 729: Perinatal Physiology and Medicine
MEDSCI 730: Reproductive Science
MEDSCI 731: Advanced Reproductive Biology
MEDSCI 733: Advanced Methods in Cell Physiology
MEDSCI 734: Advanced Cardiovascular Science
CHEM 735: Advanced Medicinal Chemistry
MEDSCI 735: Concepts in Pharmacology
MEDSCI 737: Biomedical MRI
MEDSCI 738: Biological Clocks
MEDSCI 740: Stem Cell Biology and Transgenesis
PSYCH 740: Sensory Science
MEDSCI 744: Project Design in Biomedical Science
MEDSCI 745: Drug Development
PHARMACY 752: Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance
PHARMACY 753: Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs
PHARMACY 754: Pharmaceutical Science Research Proposal
PSYCH 759: Advanced Behavioural Psychology
PSYCH 766: Occupational Health Psychology

For all official programme information, including regulations about entry, enrolment, fees, examinations, and requirements for degrees, diplomas and certificates, see the University Calendar.

Where could this programme take you?

Graduates of the PGDipBioEnt can look forward to opportunities in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, reagent or device companies; the food and beverage industry; technology transfer offices in universities; Crown Research Institutes; business development, finance and investment firms; and Government agencies.

Jobs related to this programme

  • Business analyst
  • Business development manager
  • Clinical research associate
  • Commercial analyst
  • Marketing executive
  • Project manager
  • Regulatory affairs associate
  • Sales consultant

Student career planning service

Once you become a student at the University, you can get help with planning and developing your career from Career Development and Employability Services.

For more information about careers and our industry networks, head to the Institute for Innovation in Biotechnology (IIB) website.

Key Information for Students

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