New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Level 3)
With this programme, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to manage your own beehives. You’ll meet commercial apiarists in your local area and have the chance to complete an American Foulbrood (AFB) disease recognition course. Topics include bee behaviour and life cycle, beekeeping equipment, harvesting and extracting honey, and suitable bee forage plants.
Domestic
About the programme
Want to learn more about beekeeping?
Apiculture is one of New Zealand's fastest-growing industries and there is international demand for mānuka honey and other beehive products.
During this programme, you will gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage your own beehives and be exposed to commercial apiarists in your local area. You will also have the opportunity to complete an American Foulbrood (AFB) disease recognition course as part of this certificate.
This programme is taught online with block courses in a range of locations throughout New Zealand (see locations in 'What you study' area below).
Graduates of this new programme will be able to work as an assistant beekeeper for commercial operators, as an independent beekeeper with a small number of beehives or even develop their own business. Alternatively, you will be able to progress into Level 4 Apiculture training (either as a leading hand or specialising in queen bee rearing).
What You Study
Block course locations
- Cromwell, Central Otago (Bannockburn Road)
- Dunedin (Momona Hall)
- Hamilton (Fraser High School)
- Hokitika (72 Tudor Street)
- Lincoln (Biological Husbandry Unit)
- New Plymouth, Taranaki (Coastal Taranaki School, Okato)
- Orewa, North Auckland (Hibiscus Coast Community House)
- Tauranga (Whataroa Road)
- Wellington (Newtown School)
You will study
Each Apiculture tutor will develop their own course timetable and will supply you with the appropriate information. This information will include the dates of each workshop, their content and what will be assessed. There are no electives within this programme and all students undertake the following topics of learning:
- Bee behaviour and life cycle
- Suitable bee forage plants
- Beekeeping equipment
- Building a beehive
- How to feed bees
- Beehive products
- Manipulating beehives including swarm control, and dividing hives
- Re-queening beehives
- Harvesting and extracting honey
- Identifying and managing pests and diseases
- Shifting beehives
- Wintering beehives
At the end of this programme, you will have the knowledge and skills to manage your own beehives throughout a beekeeping season.
Further study options
Graduates of this programme can further their learning with:
Workload
Your workload
This programme will involve:
- two weekend days per month (from 9.00am-5.00pm each day) for eight months - see locations in What you study tab
- 12 assessments (a mixture of theory and practical)
- a one-day, industry-recognised bee disease workshop (short test to complete at end of workshop)
- reading three text books that we provide you with
- the completion of a logbook documenting field work undertaken
- 5-10 additional hours per week for extra reading (online and books), undertaking assessments and doing practical work on your own beehives/course hives.
Entry
Pathways into this programme
- New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills (Level 2)
- On job training for those employed in the Apiculture industry
Entry requirements
- Open entry.
- You must be physically capable of meeting the demands of the programme and will need to disclose any medical conditions which may affect your ability to participate.
- If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.0 with no individual band score lower than 5.0 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).
If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
Fees
Domestic fees
Additional costs
- One kitset beehive
- Three textbooks
- AFB course
Approximate cost = $500
Studylink
As this programme is part-time, students generally aren't eligible for student loans or allowances to cover additional material or living costs. But, some help may be possible depending on your circumstances. Check the Studylink website for more information. If you have any questions about student loans and allowances, please email our Studylink Advisor: Amanda.McAra@op.ac.nz
Fees Free
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.
If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.
For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.
Student Services Fee
For most students, your tuition fee shown above includes a Student Services Fee – also known as the Student Levy. This compulsory fee covers your access to the student services we offer. This cost is tailored depending on how you're studying.
The international tuition fee does not include your Student Levy. This will be calculated when you enrol with us.
Click below to find out more about the Student Levy costs and services provided.
