About Bachelor Of Fashion (design And Technology) in Southern Institute of Technology

In the first two years, the programme is structured to allow students to gain a solid understanding of the design development process, understand fashion from a cultural perspective, explore a wide variety of 2D imagery and build their capacity of pattern development and garment construction for a diverse selection of garment types.  The third year provides opportunities for students to develop these skills to a point where they are used in a more professional context in preparation for successful careers in the fashion industry and/or further study.

This degree offers ‘real world’ projects - making real garments for real people.  Students have access to fully automatic industrial sewing machines and computer programmes with hardware used for computer-aided pattern-making.  They also have many opportunities to gain public exposure at fashion shows, competitions and SIT Fashion - our central city fashion shop.

Career Opportunities

The degree will prepare graduates for employment in the fashion industry and/or further study by developing creative, innovative designers who are culturally aware, consumer conscious and skilled in the technological aspects of the fashion industry. Graduates of the programme will be skilled in research, design development, manual and CAD pattern making, garment construction, illustration, portfolio presentation, written and oral communication and have sound knowledge of business marketing and management practices in the fashion industry. 

Graduates will be able to express their personal vision of fashion through innovative design, while considering the practical aspects of garment manufacture and fulfilling the requirements of a brief.  They will have acquired the skills to develop innovative designs from original research, then produce those garments demonstrating their talent as designers, their design philosophies and their abilities as technicians in fashion production. By mastering traditional skills and utilising current technology, graduates will be able to enhance and communicate their creative design and technological abilities and work in the fashion industry as multi-skilled, innovative professionals and/or be prepared for postgraduate study both within New Zealand and overseas.

Satisfactory Completion

Every candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Fashion (Design and Technology) is required to follow to the satisfaction of the Board of Studies, a programme of study for a minimum period of three years.

The overall programme of study for every candidate requires 360 credits for successful completion of the degree.

Individual papers may have specific pre-requisites or other knowledge/skill requirements, which must be satisfied by all students.

In order to be awarded the Bachelor of Fashion (Design and Technology), the student will have been credited with all required papers and electives as specified in the degree schedule.

The student completing the Bachelor of Fashion (Design and Technology) will normally be expected to complete the three-year programme (full-time equivalent) within five years.

Notwithstanding the requirements set out above, the Head of Faculty with the approval and recommendation of the Board of Studies may allow a student a longer period to complete the programme.

School Leavers

University Entrance - NCEA Level 3 - three subjects at Level 3, made up of:

• 14 credits each, in three NZQA University Entrance approved subjects, and
• Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of five credits in reading and five credits in writing, and
• Numeracy – 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of specified achievement standards through a range of subjects, or package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627 – all three required)

Mature Applicants

The entry requirements noted above may be applicable to mature entry applicants.  Adults over the age of 20 years who do not have the minimum entry requirements may be admitted if they can satisfy the teaching institution they are capable of studying at this level and have a reasonable chance of successfully completing each paper attempted.

Special Admission

Students must have successfully completed SIT’s Certificate in Pattern Making and Garment Construction (Level 3), National Certificate in Clothing Manufacture (Design and Patternmaking), or the New Zealand Certificate in Fashion (Level 4), or have completed an external or overseas qualification, which is considered to be the equivalent of any of the above qualifications, as approved by the Head of Faculty.

However, in exceptional circumstances, a mature aged applicant who can show evidence of ability to succeed in the programme may be considered for admission provided the applicant has successfully completed an approved course or programme, which is deemed to prepare graduates for the required academic standard for entry.

Language Requirements

Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate of at least 80 per cent, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following:

NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or

Certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), or

Successful completion of a Bachelors’ Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or

Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the preceding two years:

• IELTS test - Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5
• TOEFL Paper-based test (pBT) – Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE)
• TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) – Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18)
• Cambridge English Examinations – FCE or FCE for schools with a score of 169 No less than 162 in each skill.  OET at Grade C in all sub-tests.
• NZCEL3 – Level 4 with the Academic endorsement
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PToE (Academic) score of 50
• City and Guilds IESOL – B2 Communicator with a score of 66
• Language Cert – C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with PASS

An NZQA approved English Language proficiency test, where the student has achieved an outcome that is equivalent or better than those scores listed for Internationally recognised English language proficiency tests above in relation to the level of intended programme of study, or

Completion of all primary education and at least three years’ secondary education at schools with English as the language of instruction, or

Completion of five years of secondary education at schools with English as the language of instruction.  

Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate below 80 per cent, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English must provide evidence that they:

1. Have gained NCEA Level 3 and met New Zealand University Entrance requirements, or
2. Have successfully completed a Bachelors’ Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters’ Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States, or
3. Have achieved a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, CELTA, or
4. Have achieved the required score and with all scores achieved in a single test in one of the internationally recognised English Proficiency tests (specified above) within the preceding two years.

Southern Institute of Technology Highlights

New Zealand Living Expenses

You'll require between $20,000 and $25,000 a year ($380–480 per week) for housing/rent, food, transportation, phone bills, internet usage, and entertainment, in addition to your tuition and insurance fees. The average living expense will be the same for everyone, regardless of their tuition or course price. Please keep in mind that these are only suggestions; the Immigration New Zealand requirement is $15,000 per year including return travel or an additional $2,000.