Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Entry requirements

The MA by thesis: The normal admission requirement is a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) degree in one of at least 24 subjects, but admission on the basis of alternative qualifications and experience is possible. Some thesis candidates may be required to pass approved postgraduate papers before embarking on the thesis research, but will be advised of that before enrolment.

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

Anytime

Course content

The Master of Arts (MA (Coursework)) prepares candidates for employment in education, regional and national government agencies, the private sector, and industry. The degree is also an entry qualification for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The MA (Coursework) normally requires either one year or three semesters of full-time, or equivalent part-time, study and entails completion of papers and a dissertation. 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. The dissertation is a major piece of supervised research of up to 20,000 words.

The primary aim of the MA (Coursework) is to provide candidates with a grounding in their chosen subject area within a wider disciplinary frame. The degree cultivates 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.

Papers - One of ECON 580 Research Dissertation, PHIL 590 Research Dissertation, POLS 590 Research Dissertation Two of: HUMS 501 Writing and Revision for Graduate Research, HUMS 502 Research Methods in the Humanities, HUMS 503 Key Debates in the Humanities, 400- or 500-level papers in ECON, PHIL or POLS worth 60 points. No more than 90 points may be from any one of the component disciplines. CLAS 440 may be substituted for one 400-level PHIL paper.

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.