Diploma in Fine Materials and Craft Techniques
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in fine materials and craft techniques: 8 modules covering fine materials in design, leather and hides, wood and decorative veneers, metals and metallic finishes, stone, ceramics and fine textiles, craft techniques and industrialisation, and durability, care and certification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Fine Materials and Craft Techniques — studying from New Zealand
Product design and human-machine interface work in New Zealand spans consumer goods, medical devices, agricultural machinery and digital products, with a strong design community in Auckland and Wellington. Design-led companies often export globally, and the country's reputation for innovation in outdoor and sporting equipment supports a steady demand for industrial designers. Professionals may work in-house for manufacturers, in design consultancies, or with research organisations on usability and interface development.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$2,960 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Do New Zealand professional bodies regulate design and human-machine interface work?
Design and HMI work is generally not a regulated profession in New Zealand. Engineers in product roles may pursue Engineering New Zealand registration if their work is engineering-based. Industry associations also exist for designers. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their value is judged by employers.
Where do product and HMI engineers work in New Zealand?
Typical employers include software and hardware product companies, manufacturers, medical device and consumer product firms, and design consultancies. Hiring usually focuses on a strong portfolio and evidence of user-centred work. A private qualification can add to your profile, but it does not guarantee employment or a particular outcome.
Is this workable online with a job, and what language level is needed?
The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you need solid English for technical reading and writing. No student visa is required to study from New Zealand. You will have an assigned technical tutor and complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and specialist courses take 300 hours.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Recognise the properties and perceived value of fine materials.
Specify leathers, woods, metals and textiles for premium products.
Understand craft techniques and their industrial integration.
Apply durability tests to natural materials and finishes.
Meet traceability, REACH and sustainability requirements.
Plan small series while controlling natural variability.
Develop a fine-materials proposal for a high-end product.
Who it's for
- High-end CMF designers
- Luxury materials specialists
- Craft atelier managers
- Interior materials engineers
- Technical buyers of fine materials
- Finish quality managers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the luxury automotive sector
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EC) 1907/2006, REACH (registration, evaluation and restriction of chemicals)
- ISO 105-B02 (colour fastness to artificial light: xenon arc)
- ISO 17076-1 (leather: abrasion resistance)
- ISO 5402-1 (leather: flex resistance)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (deforestation-free products)
- FSC-STD-40-004 (FSC chain-of-custody certification)
- ISO 4892-2 (plastics: exposure to xenon-arc laboratory light sources)
- Adobe Substance 3D Designer
- KeyShot
- Rhinoceros
- Ansys Granta Selector
8 modules
1.1Perceived value and authenticity1.2History of luxury and craftsmanship1.3Leather, wood, metal, stone and textiles1.4Fine materials in automotive and marine1.5Watchmaking, jewellery and designer furniture1.6Authentic materials versus imitations1.7Traceability and certified origin1.8Sustainability and responsible luxury1.9CMF trends in the premium segment1.10Workshop: material board for a premium interior
2.1Vegetable tanning versus chrome tanning2.2Full grain, corrected grain and nubuck2.3Hide selection and defects2.4Cutting, skiving and pattern making2.5Decorative seams and topstitching2.6Upholstery of seats and panels2.7Colour fastness to ISO 1052.8Abrasion and flex resistance2.9Restriction of chromium VI under REACH2.10Practical exercise: upholstering a door panel
3.1Species and veneer cuts3.2Burls, figures and book matching3.3Lamination on curved substrates3.4Open-pore versus lacquered wood3.5Varnishes and high-gloss finishes3.6Dimensional stability and moisture3.7Wood over airbag zones3.8Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation3.9Marquetry and inlays3.10Workshop: book-matched veneer composition
4.1Anodised and brushed aluminium4.2Polished stainless steel4.3Brass, bronze and patinas4.4Titanium and anodic colouring4.5Knurling and machined textures4.6Laser engraving and guilloché4.7Electroplating and PVD coatings4.8Solid metal versus coating4.9Touch and temperature of metal4.10Laboratory: comparison of PVD and anodised finishes
5.1Laminated and flexible natural stone5.2Technical ceramics and porcelain5.3Glass and cut crystal5.4Wool, cashmere and suede microfibres5.5Silk and hand-woven textiles5.6Embroidery and textile techniques5.7Exposed carbon fibre as a luxury material5.8Cork and emerging natural materials5.9Transitions between different materials5.10Case study: yacht interior with stone and wood
6.1The trades of saddler, cabinetmaker and silversmith6.2Passing on craft knowledge6.3CNC-assisted craftsmanship6.4Small series and personalisation6.5Control of natural variability6.6Craft labour times and costs6.7Atelier workshops in luxury factories6.8Training and certification of craftspeople6.9Protection of craft heritage6.10Practical exercise: production plan for a limited series
7.1Ageing and desirable patina7.2Light, heat and humidity tests7.3Resistance to cosmetics and sweat7.4Cleaning and maintenance by the user7.5Repair and restoration7.6Origin and tanning certifications7.7Environmental footprint of fine materials7.8REACH and emissions compliance7.9Guarantee of authenticity7.10Case study: varnish failure on a wood veneer
8.1Premium product brief8.2Materials research8.3Selection and combination of materials8.4Definition of craft techniques8.5Physical sample prototypes8.6Durability test plan8.7Cost and scaling analysis8.8Value narrative for the customer8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Adobe Substance 3D Designer, KeyShot, Rhinoceros and Ansys Granta Selector, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: colour fastness and abrasion tests on leather, prototyping of material samples with craftspeople, and ageing assessment of veneers and varnishes. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH), ISO 105-B02, ISO 17076-1, ISO 5402-1, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, FSC-STD-40-004, ISO 4892-2.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Adobe Substance 3D Designer, KeyShot, Rhinoceros and Ansys Granta Selector, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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