Lincoln University’s mid-year entry option gives students the opportunity to take up a course and start studying towards a qualification in July rather than delay the move until the traditional university intake time of February.
Mid-year entry - which Lincoln pioneered among the New Zealand universities in the late 1980s - offers a number of advantages. It means students can enrol when the intake is smaller and registration is less busy. Another benefit is that after students complete their studies - generally at mid-year, three years down the track, for a degree - they are able to apply for jobs and look for employment at a time of year when there are fewer graduates doing the same.
Mid-year entry has shown itself to be a particularly popular option for mature students who, with a year unfolding in front of them, often decide it’s time for a new challenge or change of direction.
For many mature students, however, the shift to study from full-time employment, domestic duties or some other activity is not a move taken lightly.
Software engineer Wendy Spray of Christchurch says that deciding to go to University as an adult student was “quite a difficult decision” but in the end she found all her worries fairly easy to overcome at Lincoln University and she has never looked back. Wendy completed a Bachelor of Applied Computing degree with First Class Honours.
“I did wonder how I would cope with the study and financial pressure, not to mention the unfamiliar student environment!” Wendy says. “My fears were soon overcome. I found the Lincoln University environment friendly and relaxed and the life experience of having been in the workforce before starting university made it easier for me to manage my time, cope with a busy schedule, and relate to the lecturers. Also, because I had been in the workforce I had developed a strong work ethic which meant the pressure of exams and assignments were not overwhelming.”
Lincoln University offers a pathway to university study for mature students who want to ease their way into the system or for those who narrowly missed gaining University Entrance at high school. The Certificate of University Preparation (CUP) offers small classes and a supportive environment. The certificate can be completed in a single semester, so candidates can start the programme in the second semester this year and be ready to begin their degree programmes in Semester One 2008.
Among others who take up the mid-year entry option are those who want to do a short programme of study such as a graduate certificate or diploma. A certificate or diploma can be completed in just one or two semesters and because there is no set finishing date, students can complete their study in their own time. The graduate certificates and diplomas have been designed to broaden students’ knowledge and help those in the workplace keep pace with the changing demands of their industry or to take advantage of new career opportunities.
There are also a number of undergraduate certificates and diplomas which can be completed in just two semesters. These include the Diploma in Agriculture and Diploma in Horticulture programmes which give students the opportunity to gain a well recognised qualification in these areas. Students can also continue studying for the advanced Diploma in Farm Management and Diploma in Horticultural Management.
All of the programmes at Lincoln are available for mid-year entry and enrolments are open now with registration starting on 28th June 2007.
Further information
Student Services
PO Box 94
Lincoln University
Lincoln 7647
Canterbury
New Zealand
Phone: 64 3 325 2811
Freephone: 0800 10 60 10 (New Zealand only)
Fax: 64 3 325 3840
Email: Student enquiries
Free text: 8999 (New Zealand only)