Leonard Guy
Student
DipGrad
Although he had been working as a professional computer programmer for some 10 years, Leonard Guy had no formal qualification in the field and this was becoming an obstacle to his professional development.
So, with his BA in History of Art from the University of California, Berkeley, he came to Otago to do a DipGrad endorsed in Computer Science.
"For someone in my position- entering Computer Science with a degree from a completely different academic field - the DipGrad is a required qualification before a postgraduate diploma or master's degree can be pursued; it was the only choice."
And it has been worthwhile. Leonard completed his DipGrad in just one year and is now working full-time as a senior software developer at a Dunedin-based company that supplies mission-critical global satellite tracking.
He says the DipGrad was effectively the same as a major in Computer Science. It was instrumental in getting him his new job and he is still very much enjoying life in Dunedin.
"The DipGrad works as advertised: it's a programme of study for students with existing qualifications wishing to pursue qualification in another discipline. It does this job admirably."