Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis)) in Maori Studies

Summary

The Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA (Thesis))

The MA by thesis

The thesis option 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 of up to 40,000 words on a topic of current interest.

The primary aim of the MA by thesis 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.

Why study Maori Studies?

Maori Studies will provide you with an enhanced knowledge and understanding of the Maori language, Maori customary lore and the Maori world. This knowledge and understanding may be integrated with other studies or professional areas such as business, education, health, law, management, the media, public administration and social work.

Government ministries, businesses, social agencies and educational institutions in New Zealand recognise the need for employees with such knowledge and skills. Excellent employment prospects await graduates with knowledge of issues affecting Maori and other peoples in New Zealand.

The Maori Studies programme will equip students with a wide range of skills giving graduates:

A high level of fluency in the Maori language

An understanding of contemporary Maori issues combined with an understanding of, for example, history, cultural expression and environmental concerns

An awareness of ethical issues in relation to Maori in the context of past and present practices, and society and culture

Skills in intercultural communication

Research skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Team work

Independent judgement

An ability to relate to people from a wide range of backgrounds

Maori Studies encourages you to explore the connectivity between different disciplines so as to enable indigenous communities to determine their own future.

Graduates develop a multidisciplinary, culturally inflected understanding of contemporary Maori concepts and issues, including the use of cooperation rather than competition, listening as well as communicating with others, and respecting differences.

Career opportunities

Graduates with a degree in Maori Studies have a broad interdisciplinary knowledge base.

This can lead to careers in the fields of:

Government ministries

Policy and governance

Teaching

Arts advisors, museum curators

Business

Law

Public health

Community organisations

Maori Studies graduates are needed to help find ways to address the needs and interests of the Maori community and to help to promote and implement the goals of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Having more than one major in your degree, or a major plus a minor, will make you more marketable and attractive to prospective employers. A major in Maori Studies will be your point of difference in your chosen career.