Molly Pirihira McGregor

Molly Pirihira knows that ‘real life’ often gets in the way of pursuing lifelong dreams.

She left school to work in the food industry and has also raised five children. But deep down, she knows the classroom is where she wants to be, inspiring the next generation of learners.

When one of her own daughters enrolled to study primary teaching at Waikato University, Molly realised it was time to grab hold of her own teaching dream.

Contemplating a change in career, especially when your school days were a long time ago – or if you never passed University Entrance in the first place – can be a daunting prospect.

That’s why the University of Waikato offers a Certificate in University Preparation (CUP) course. CUP is specifically designed to help students who left school a long time ago and need additional academic preparation – or people who don’t meet the current entry requirements.

“I want to be a high school teacher but it’s been over 25 years since I’ve been in a school environment,” Molly explains. “So to be successful in achieving my goal, I wanted to complete CUP which offered the skills I needed in preparation for my degree.”

Within six months, students are ready to launch themselves into an undergraduate degree so they can take back control of their lives and future careers. Molly is now studying towards a Bachelor in Business (BBus) majoring in Economics as well as a minor in Māori and Indigenous Studies.

The one-semester Certificate of University Preparation gives you the skills and confidence you need to successfully tackle tertiary study and build your future.

You will learn key skills such as how to take notes in a lecture or tutorial setting, how to conduct effective research, how to write an appropriate essay, how to manage your time, and how to think critically – which is vital in today’s tertiary environment and modern workforce.

The course is run by the Waikato Pathways College and is taught at the University of Waikato’s Hamilton campus. As a CUP student, you will have full access to all University of Waikato facilities and services during your course so you can quickly adapt to the tertiary environment before starting your degree.

Once you have completed CUP, you will be eligible for entry at all New Zealand universities and can enroll in most undergraduate degrees.