Summary
The Master of Arts (MA) degree normally requires at least one year of full-time study and entails completion of a thesis. The thesis is a major piece of supervised research on a topic of current interest.
The primary aim of the programme is to develop in a candidate skills needed to identify a significant topic, design and implement an extended piece of research, and present the findings in a form acceptable to an expert readership.
It prepares candidates for employment in education, regional and national government agencies, the private sector, and industry. The degree is also an possible qualification for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Intake: Anytime.
Entry criteria
Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).
Applicants seeking admission to the programme of study comprising the 120-point thesis only on the basis of completing the degree of BA with Honours or the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects or equivalent must
- have undertaken a programme of study that provides adequate preparation for the thesis, and
- have achieved a grade of at least a B+ for the research report, thesis preparation, dissertation requirement, or relevant preparatory papers of the qualification concerned.
English language requirements
- IELTS Academic - Score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0). IELTS Online is also accepted.
- Internet-based TOEFL - Score of 90 with a minimum writing score of 21
- Paper-based TOEFL - score of 587 (TWE 4.5)
- Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) & Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) - Minimum of 176
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 58 with no communicative skills score below 50.
- LanguageCert - International ESOL: C1 Expert (LRWS) with a high pass overall and no less than a pass in each skill OR C2 Mastery (LRWS) with a pass overall and no less than a pass in each skill
- NZCEL - NZCEL 5 Academic endorsement
- University of Otago Language Centre ‘English for Otago’, English for Postgraduate Academic Purposes (EPAP) - Grade C or higher
- University of Auckland English Language Academy (ELA) pathway programmes - Successful completion of the English Pathway for Postgraduate Studies (EPPS) with a B Grade
- University of Auckland Foundation Certificate in English for Academic Purposes (FCertEAP) - Successful completion of the certificate with a B Grade