Master of Arts

Programme Overview

The Master of Arts (MA) offers an extensive selection of over 40 subjects designed to elevate critical capabilities, strategic reasoning, and cultural awareness to an advanced level. Depending on your prior academic background, the curriculum allows you to study an advanced subject distinct from your undergraduate specialization.

Students can choose between a Taught framework—focusing on deepening knowledge in intimate, small-group seminar settings—and a Research framework, which provides an opportunity to contribute directly to your field via a substantial supervised independent project.

Programme Pathways & Core Formats

The exact curriculum layout depends on your chosen subject area, but tracks are broadly divided by your entry background:

1. Taught Track (180 Points)

• Entry Pathway: Designed for students entering directly from a completed undergraduate bachelors degree.
• Structure: Comprises advanced taught courses paired with a mandatory dissertation worth 60 points.

2. Taught Track (120 Points)

• Entry Pathway: Only available in selected subjects; designed for students entering from a prior postgraduate qualification (such as a BA(Hons) or PGDipArts).
• Structure: Advanced taught courses paired with a smaller research project or dissertation, usually worth 45 points. Students may include up to 30 points from other subjects.

3. Research Track (120 Points)

• Entry Pathway: Designed for students entering from an honors degree or postgraduate diploma.
• Structure: Usually consists entirely of a 120-point thesis or a comprehensive research portfolio. Some subject areas offer a combination of a 90-point thesis alongside 30 points of taught coursework. Up to 30 points can potentially be included from other subjects.

Available Subjects Include (Examples):

Ancient History, Anthropology, Applied Linguistics, Art History, Asian Studies, Criminology, Drama, Economics, Education, Employment Relations and Organisation Studies, English, Geography, History, Latin, Linguistics, Māori Studies, Media and Screen Studies, Museums and Cultural Heritage, Pacific Studies, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, Psychology, Screen Production, and Sociology.

What You'll Study

The degree requires the completion of either 120 or 180 postgraduate-level points. While exact course schedules depend entirely on the chosen subject and chosen track, the progression follows a clear academic layout:

Initial Stage (Advanced Coursework):

• Thematic Seminars: Advanced Stage VII seminar and lecture-based papers within your chosen specialty field.
• Interdisciplinary Breadth: Where regulations permit, selection of up to 30 points from complementary external subject schedules to match unique professional goals.

Final Stage (Supervised Research & Capstone):

• Research Portfolio / Dissertation: Executing an independent research project worth 45 or 60 points (Taught tracks) under direct faculty mentorship.
• Master's Thesis: Completing an intensive 90 or 120-point supervised research thesis (Research track) providing deep training in advanced methodologies and independent research practices.

Why Choose This Programme?

• Scholarly Mentorship: Complete your thesis or dissertation under the direct guidance of some of New Zealand's top academic supervisors and internationally recognized researchers.
• Interdisciplinary Reach: Many tracks permit the inclusion of up to 30 points from complementary external subject schedules to match your unique professional goals.
• Flexible Learning Tracks: Tailor your workload to your personal schedule with dedicated full-time or highly extended part-time completion windows.

Entry Requirements

• Academic Minimums (180-Point Track): A completed Bachelor of Arts (or equivalent) with a GPA of 5.0 or higher. This threshold must specifically be met across 75 points above Stage II, including at least 45 points in the prerequisite major.
• Academic Minimums (120-Point Tracks): A completed Bachelor of Arts (Honours) or Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in the intended subject area with a minimum GPA of 5.0 over the programme. Alternatively, a completed equivalent qualification or approved postgraduate certificate background may be considered.
• Prerequisites & Supplemental Selection: Some specific subjects have prerequisite courses that must be completed prior to entry (detailed in the MA Schedule). Applications are reviewed individually; high-demand or limited-entry disciplines may enforce higher entry grade thresholds or cap total numbers.
• Language Requirement: Evidence of meeting English language competency via a strict Academic IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no individual sub-band below 6.0.