Welcome message
Welcome to Massey University. Ka rere atu ngā mihi o Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa ki a koutou.
Throughout its history, Massey has played a uniquely important role in the development of New Zealand through its groundbreaking research, its distinctive mix of internal, distance (extramural) and international teaching, commitment to innovation, and connections with communities.
Massey has served generations of learners from all backgrounds. Our students experience research-led teaching, innovative modes of delivery, outstanding student support services and high quality resources.
Our ambition is that all Massey students graduate with academic excellence and creative, innovative approaches that will serve them well in whatever they choose to do. The concepts and sentiments in this welcome underpin the Massey University waiata – Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa.
Nei rā te reo karanga e tau atu nei. Ki te hāpai ake i te rau tāngata. Whakaako, whakaeke ki te kōmata.
Te ara mātauranga ka whakarewa e. Te māramatanga ka kitea e. Kimihia, rangahaua kia whita e.
Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa!
The staff at Massey University joins with me in wishing you well with your studies.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou katoa,
Steve Maharey
Vice-Chancellor
Planning a programme of study
University programmes exist inside a regulatory framework with all degrees, diplomas and certificates having a set structure. Some programmes are tightly circumscribed in terms of the papers that must be included, while others offer a great deal of flexibility.
The University has a detailed set of Regulations for each qualification that specify the number of credits allotted to papers that must be selected. Typically there is a core area of specialisation (the major, subject, or the endorsement) as well as a number of associated papers that may be taken from other areas. When enrolling in a programme of study, students must keep in mind not only the number of credits but also the combination of credits and papers necessary to complete the requirements for their particular qualification.
There may also be requirements to be observed at a paper level, namely prerequisites (papers that must be completed to a defined standard before enrolment in another paper is confirmed), corequisites (papers that must be attempted in the same semester as another paper unless the corequisite paper has previously been passed) and restrictions (where papers are similar in content and therefore students may not count both papers to a qualification). Professional programmes will also have required practical components that must be met.
The Calendar remains the definitive document for all Qualification Regulations.
Students requiring assistance in planning their programmes of study should contact the University.
Semesters
The Massey University academic year is divided into distinct enrolment periods, which are Semester One, Semester Two and Summer School. Each semester consists of twelve teaching weeks and concludes with its own examination period. In addition, a longer enrolment period, the Double Semester, parallels Semesters One and Two with an examination period at the end of Semester Two. Summer School comprises the November-February period and includes some compressed offerings (generally January through February).
A winter break of three weeks is normally scheduled between the Semester One examination period and the start of Semester Two. Within Semester One, a two-week mid-semester break is linked to the Easter holiday break. Within Semester Two, there is a two-week mid-semester break.
Some programmes and papers do not conform to these standard semester periods. Professional programmes in particular may have a longer instructional year to accommodate practical requirements.
The credits system
Every paper has a credit value that indicates its contribution to the qualification enrolled for (or to any other qualification to which that paper can contribute). These values have been derived on the basis of an equivalent full-time year for a degree being 120 credits.
The credit value also gives an indication of the total amount of time that a student might reasonably expect to have to spend on each paper in order to satisfactorily complete the assessment requirements (including lecturer and tutor contact hours, workshops and tutorials, tests and assignments, supervised practical placements, study time). Converted into a number of hours per week, this is referred to as the effective weekly hours for the paper.
The total hours required for the paper can be calculated at 15 weeks (the number per semester) with a total commitment of 10 effective hours per week, or 150 effective hours per semester for a 15 credit paper. The effective weekly hours for a paper will depend on the number of weeks over which it is intended to spread the study programme during the year. The course outline provided for each paper should indicate the effective weekly hours and how these might typically be spent.
All undergraduate and taught postgraduate papers (with the exception of a small number of papers) have a 15 credit value or multiples thereof. Between 1999-2006 all undergraduate papers (apart from a small number of qualification-specific papers in the Colleges of Design, Fine Arts and Music, Education and Sciences) had a 12.5-point value. Papers passed in previous years will carry the points earned in those years, except in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, where the papers passed in 1994 and prior years will all count at 15 points.
General information for international students
The following applies to international students who seek admission to Massey University:
- Applicants who have not previously attended Massey University and who wish to enrol in a qualification must apply to the International Office, Massey University. ‘International students’ are all those people who are admitted to New Zealand on a student permit issued by the New Zealand Immigration Service (including students attending New Zealand secondary schools), and all persons who have come to New Zealand from a country overseas unless they have become New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.
- Students who have been enrolled at another university in New Zealand or overseas and wish to gain credit for study already completed or wish to undertake postgraduate study must apply to the International Office (see ‘Admission Ad Eundem Statum Regulations’).
- As tuition is normally in English, applicants whose first language is not English must gain an acceptable score in the ‘Princeton Test of English as a Foreign Language’ (TOEFL) or the ‘International English Language Testing System’ (IELTS) or some other appropriate and approved test before an Offer of Place will be issued. Even when an Offer of Place is issued, that Offer may be subject to the student satisfying the University that he or she has the necessary English competency. Please refer to English Language Competency under the Admission Regulations.
- The University is not permitted to give financial assistance to international students, who must therefore make their own financial arrangements. A condition of entry into New Zealand is proof that students can support themselves financially for the duration of their studies.
- Full information on tuition fees and other charges for private or sponsored international students is available from the International Office.
General information for postgraduate programmes
Massey University offers a range of postgraduate programmes. The responsibility for administration is delegated to Colleges in the case of Postgraduate Diplomas, Bachelor Honours and Masters Degrees, and to the Doctoral Research Committee for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, the Doctor of Business and Administration (DBA), the Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych), the Doctor of Education (EdD) and higher doctoral degrees (DSc and DLitt). As a committee of the Academic Board, the Doctoral Research Committee may be asked to advise on research developments affecting graduate teaching.
Doctorates
The University Council has approved the award of doctoral degrees in Philosophy, Business and Administration, Clinical Psychology, Education, Science and Literature. The Regulations for these degrees are given in a later section of this Calendar. The University also awards honorary doctoral degrees in Science, Literature and Commerce. The University has approved the following guidelines for these degrees:
Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is awarded for a thesis, which is an integrated and coherent report that demonstrates a candidate’s ability to carry out independent research, analysis, and presentation of this research at an advanced level in a particular field of study. The thesis as a whole should make an original contribution to the knowledge of the subject with which it deals, and the candidate should understand the relationship of the thesis to the wider context of knowledge in which it belongs. Key entry qualifications for the PhD include (i) a relevant Honours, Bachelors or Masters Degree with First Class or Second (Division 1/Upper Division) Honours, or the equivalent; and (ii) the applicant has satisfied the Academic Board that they have sufficient experience of independent research to benefit from the course.
Named Doctorates
Doctor of Business and Administration (DBA), Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych), and Doctor of Education (EdD)
The Named Doctorate is a specially tailored University programme of high-level study and research to support the ongoing professional development and education of existing and prospective senior managers and leaders in a wide range of professions and private and public sector institutions. The programme of study comprises: (1) a structured suite of four high-level courses (120 credits); and (2) a thesis investigation (240 credits) that is likely to be applied, creative or strategic in emphasis rather than basic or fundamental research, as in the PhD. In all other respects, including the examination, the standards of discipline, rigour and scholarship, the requirements for the PhD and the Named Doctorates are the same.
The Doctor of Business and Administration (DBA) targets current and potential business leaders and senior managers in the private and public sectors, who are seeking experience and expertise in reflective professional practice appropriate to a leadership role in business and administration.
The Doctor of Education (EdD) degree targets existing and prospective educational leaders and managers across all sectors of education, early years to tertiary and quasi government education agencies and organisations, who are seeking experience and expertise in reflective professional practice appropriate to a leadership role in education.
Key entry qualifications for the DBA and EdD include: (i) a relevant Honours, Bachelors or Masters Degree with First Class or Second (Division 1/Upper Division) Honours, or the equivalent; and (ii) a background of appropriate professional leadership and management experience in either business and administration or education.
The Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) programme is a professional qualification that prepares people to integrate practice and research in their careers as clinical psychologists. Entry criteria include a relevant Honours, Bachelors or Masters Degree with First Class or Second (Division 1/Upper Division) Honours, or PhD in psychology or its equivalent as well as some entry level coursework.
The named doctorate normally involves a maximum of three or four years of full-time study depending on the programme, or up to six years part-time study. It is available in Clinical Psychology and Education. The Doctor of Business Administration is undergoing a review and so is not currently available.
Higher Doctorates
The Doctor of Science and Doctor of Literature degrees are the highest academic awards of the University. These degrees recognise scholarly achievement and a demonstrated ability to make original contributions in Science or in Letters resulting in major publications, which, in the view of the examiners, mark the candidate as a creative and outstanding scholar. Candidates must apply to be considered for examination for a Higher Doctorate.
Honorary Doctorates
Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc honoris causa), Honorary Doctor of Literature (DLitt honoris causa) and Honorary Doctor of Commerce (DCom honoris causa)
The Honorary Doctor of Science, Doctor of Literature and Doctor of Commerce are awarded by the University to persons whom it wishes to honour. The Regulations and guidelines for the conferment of honorary degrees are available from the University’s website.
Normally candidates will be expected to have an academic or other appropriate association with New Zealand.
The Regulations for the PhD, EdD, DClinPsych, DBA, DSc and DLitt are set out in the Doctoral Degrees section of the Calendar.
