Diploma in Applied Science
Develop knowledge of different science disciplines with this one-year science diploma.
The Diploma in Applied Science is a great way to prepare yourself for further study in the Bachelor of Science. You can choose from a wide range of courses from Year 1 and 2 of our Bachelor of Science.
Download programme guides
Minimum entry requirements
If you have New Zealand qualifications
- Completion of Year 12
- NCEA: 48 level 2 credits including eight level 2 credits in any one subject from Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Physics, Science
- CIE: 60 points on the UCAS Tariff, including any one subject similar to the NCEA subjects listed above
If you have qualifications from another country
See entry requirements for students from other countries. Select your country from the dropdown menu.
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 5.5 overall with all bands 5.0 or higher; or equivalent.
To complete the Diploma in Applied Science you need to study eight courses (120 points) from different science subjects. Five of these courses (75 points) should be at level 5 or above.
We highly recommend you complete this course
- LSKL500 Uni101 (15 points)
And choose another seven courses from
Level 4 courses
- BIOL401 Foundation Biology (15 points)
- CHEM401 Foundation Chemistry (15 points)
- ECOL401 Foundation Ecology (15 points)
- HUMB401 Foundation Human Anatomy and Physiology (15 points)
- SCIE401 Foundation Biophysics (15 points)
Level 5 courses
- ASTR500 Introductory Astronomy (15 points)
- BIOL500 Foundations of Life (15 points)
- BMED500 Introduction to Biomedical Science (15 points)
- CHEM500 Chemistry in Our World (15 points)
- CHEM501 Principles of Chemistry (15 points) #
- CHEM502 Biological Chemistry (15 points)
- COMP500 Programming Concepts and Techniques (15 points)
- COMP503 Object Oriented Programming (15 points)
- CONS500 Biodiversity (15 points)
- DIDG507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices (15 points)
- EASC500 Our Dynamic Earth (15 points)
- ENVS503 Our Total Environment (15 points)
- FOOD502 Food Science (15 points)
- FOOD503 Food Technology (15 points)
- GESC500 Mapping Our Environment (15 points)
- HEAL505 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (15 points)
- HEAL506 Knowledge, Enquiry and Communication (15 points)
- HEAL507 Health and Environment (15 points)
- MASC500 Introduction to Marine Science (15 points)
- MAOH501 Hauora Māori and Environment (15 points)
- MATH502 Algebra and Discrete Mathematics (15 points)
- MATH504 Introductory Mathematics for Science (15 points)
- MELS501 Histology and Cytology (15 points)*
- MICR501 Microbial Life (15 points)
- PHYS501 Physics for Scientists and Engineers (15 points)
- SCIE504 Science and Society (15 points)
- STAT500 Applied Statistics (15 points)
- STAT502 Introductory Probability and Statistics (15 points)
- SOSC585 Climate Action (15 points)
Level 6 courses
- ASTR600 Space, Time and Gravity (15 points)
- ASTR601 Astrophysics and Space Science (15 points)
- BMED600 Molecular Biomedicine (15 points)
- BMED601 Natural Biomedical Products (15 points)
- CHEM601 Inorganic Chemistry (15 points)
- CHEM602 Biochemistry (15 points)
- CHEM603 Organic Chemistry (15 points)
- CHEM604 Instrumental Analysis (15 points)
- CHEM605 Thermodynamics and Chemical Kinetics (15 points)
- CONS600 Ecology and Evolution (15 points)
- CONS601 Plant and Animal Taxonomy (15 points)
- EASC600 Concepts in Earth Science Systems (15 points)
- EASC601 Tectonic Processes and Climate Change (15 points)
- ENVS605 Environmental Cycles and Flows (15 points)
- ENVS606 Environmental Pressures, Threats and Risks (15 points)
- FOOD601 Food Chemistry (15 points)
- FOOD602 Food Microbiology (15 points)
- FOOD604 Food Process Engineering (15 points)
- GENE603 Cells, Genes and Molecules (15 points)
- GESC600 Geospatial Analysis (15 points)
- GESC601 Geospatial Field Skills (15 points)
- HPRO600 Environmental Health (15 points)
- MASC600 Estuaries to Deep Sea (15 points)
- MASC601 Biology of Marine Organisms (15 points)
- MATH605 Algebra and Calculus II (15 points)
- MATH606 Modelling and Differential Equations I (15 points)
- MATH607 Quantitative Decision Analysis (15 points)
- MELS607 Medical Microbiology I (15 points)
- MICR601 Environmental Microbiology (15 points)
- SCIE600 Scientific Inquiry (15 points)
- SCIE606 Vision Mātauranga: Science Practice in Aotearoa (15 points)
- SPSC604 Applied Sports Biomechanics (15 points)
- STAT603 Forecasting (15 points)
- STAT604 Statistical Inference (15 points)
- STAT605 Statistical Data Analysis (15 points)
*Not offered in 2025.
#Please note that this course is designed for students with chemistry knowledge from high school. If you're unsure about your level of knowledge, you can take an optional pre-test here.
You may also be able to include courses from other AUT undergraduate programmes with approval of the programme leader.
More information about the Diploma in Applied Science
Graduates with this broad foundation in science are prepared for careers in science and laboratory work in a variety of industries. You can also progress to further study in a Bachelor of Science.
($7,726 - $7,925 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
($38,100 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
- Fees-free study may be available for domestic students
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.