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Environmental Water Monitoring and Sampling (Micro-credential)
This programme can be taken from anywhere in New Zealand with our distance delivery which participants say is more personal than much in-person delivery.
Credits
15
Level
4
Who for
This programme is for people planning to do professional, or high quality volunteer, monitoring and sampling of water for environmental assessment purposes.
Fees

There are three fee statuses.  Click here for details.FeeTypes

NZ domestic: Currently no fees due to generous support through the Tertiary Education Commission.  Without that support, the fee would be over $900.

International: $2910

Global: Click here for details.

We lend

We lend the following to participants for pre-placement practical work without any extra charge.  We pay the courier charges when the items are sent to the participant, and when the participant returns the items.

  • water clarity tube,
  • pH meter,
  • dissolved oxygen meter, 
  • anemometer, and
  • sundry equipment  

(We also supply disposable items for practical work without charge.)

If needed, we can lend a laptop and/or a portable device to record field work.

Indicative content

The heart of this programme is learning the practical aspects of doing high quality monitoring and sampling of water for environmental assessment purposes. That includes practical concepts important to environmental water sampling such as:

  • representative sampling
  • sub-sampling
  • preventing contamination
  • sample preservation
  • sample storage
  • sample transportation, and
  • the influence of what the sample will be used for on how the sample is taken and handled.

This will include the use of and care for sampling and monitoring equipment such as that used for sampling, determining pH, water clarity, dissolved oxygen, wind speed, vegetation cover and cloud cover. Key considerations such as safety,
record keeping, and sample practices responsive to Māori culture are covered all in the context of broader environmental efforts.

Learning outcome(s)

On successful completion of this micro-credential, participants will be able to safely, while applying relevant concepts, and at a proficiency required for professional work, according to written procedures:
1. Perform water sampling for environmental assessment purposes.
2. Perform on-site monitoring related to water for environmental assessment purposes.
3. Describe specific water sampling and monitoring functions as a component of efforts to maintain or enhance the environment.

Entry requirements
  • NCEA Level 2 (or equivalent) or recommendation by an organisation involved in relevant monitoring or sampling.
  • Demonstration of understanding of the micro-credential, and general suitability for the study through Real World Education's pre-entry process.
  • It is strongly recommended that participants have a full New Zealand driver's license (or be close to having one), since employment opportunities as a sampler will be very limited without that. We also plan to recommend (less strongly) that participants be able to drive vehicles with manual transmissions or have a plan to learn that soon, since inability to drive manual vehicles will significantly limit employment options.
Intakes

Intakes are arranged with organisations involved in relevant sampling or monitoring who wish to have a cohort trained.  Please contact admissions@real.ac.nz if you are an interested organisation and have three or more people for a cohort.

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