Education

Entry requirements

The MA by coursework: The normal admission requirement is a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in one of at least 24 subjects but admission on the basis of alternative qualifications and experience is possible.

If your first language is not English you need to meet our English language requirements as follows: IELTS score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); we also accept a number of other English language tests. Due to COVID-19, we currently accept Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS Indicator Test, and TOEFL iBT Special home Edition.

Don’t meet the English language requirements? The University of Otago Language Centre English for Otago programme offers a pathway for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students to meet the English language requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Months of entry

February, July

Course content

The MA by coursework

The coursework option normally requires either one year or three semesters of full-time study and entails completion of papers and a dissertation. The dissertation is a major piece of supervised research of up to 20,000 words on a topic of current interest.

The primary aim of the MA by coursework programme is to provide candidates with a grounding in their chosen discipline within a wider disciplinary frame to build the skills needed to identify a significant topic, design and implement a significant piece of research, and present the findings in a form acceptable to an expert readership.

Structure of the Programme

Coursework option

• EDUC 580 MEd Dissertation
• HUMS 502 Research Methods in the Humanities
• either HUMS 501 Writing and Revision for Graduate Research or HUMS 503 Key Debates in the Humanities
• and three of: EDUC 401, EDUC 421, EDUC 423, EDUC 428, EDUC 429, EDUC 430, EDUC 431, EDUC 432, EDUC 433, EDUC 434, EDUC 435, EDUC 438, EDUC 439, EDUC 440, EDUC 441, EDUC 444, EDUC 451, EDUC 453, EDUC 459, EDUC 461, EDUC 462, EDUC 463, EDUC 464, EDUC 465

A candidate may not present a research dissertation, or studio option, which has previously been accepted for another degree.

Information for international students

Otago offers students an unrivalled campus experience and a vibrant, social student culture. The majority of Otago’s 21,000 students live, work and play in Dunedin - New Zealand’s only true university city. Otago is home to over 3,000 students, from over 100 countries.

Fees and funding

New Zealand is a relatively affordable country to live in. Dunedin, being a student-focused city, has living and entertainment options for all budgets.

Students are eligible for the Otago International Excellence Scholarship.