Taught course

Mathematics

Institution
University of Otago · Division of Humanities
Qualifications
PGDip(Arts)

Entry requirements

A postgraduate diploma can usually be taken at any time after the completion of your bachelor's degree.

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 Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) requires two semesters of full-time study. It entails a structured programme of postgraduate coursework and, in some instances, a piece of supervised research that counts for one or two of the required papers. The normal admission requirement is a completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the major of the proposed programme.

Graduates are employed in administration, business, education, government, industry and journalism where their advanced knowledge of an academic area, ability to solve problems, research and writing skills are valued. It is also a recognised qualification for admission as a candidate for the Master of Arts (MA) and, if a dissertation is included, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

From accounting to zoology, wherever there is a need to quantify and analyse, there is an application of mathematics or its close ally, statistics. Mathematics provides the language and means to understand the symbolic and quantitative aspects of much of our knowledge, so many students will combine the study of Mathematics with Statistics, Computer Science and/or Information Science, a physical science (such as Geology, Chemistry or Physics), applied science (Engineering, Surveying), biological science, social science (Education, Psychology), commerce (Economics, Finance), or the humanities (Linguistics, Philosophy). And, quite apart from its usefulness, many students take mathematics simply because they like it! It is a subject with a strong cultural element, encapsulating much of the history of scientific discovery from the ancient Greek geometers to the latest developments in the theory of chaos.

Mathematics is valuable at all levels, either as a tool to allow physical systems to be modelled in a quantitative way, or as a logical framework that underpins and describes processes, objects or structures.

Students who pursue mathematics and statistics, even if it is not their major subject, will gain very marketable skills that will advantage them in the career of their choice. Clear thinking and deductive reasoning are valuable in all areas of modern life.

Level of Award of the Diploma

The diploma may be awarded with distinction or with credit.

Diploma in a Second Subject

A student who has obtained the diploma in one subject may become a candidate for the diploma in any other subject.

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

International students
NZ $28,805

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

  • PGDip(Arts)
    full time
    12 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification

Course contact details

Name
AskOtago
Email
university@otago.ac.nz