Accounting
ACCY 130 – Accounting for Accountability and Decision Making
The course covers the use and economic and social impact of internal and external accounting information.
15 pts
ACCY 131 – Fundamentals of Accounting
This course covers the preparation, assurance, and analysis of internal and external accounting information.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 130 (X) ACCY 111, ACCY 115
ACCY 223 – Accounting for Sustainable Decision Making and Control
Learn how to use an organisation's internal information for making decisions about costing and planning for a sustainable future. Discover how to analyse internal data and how to use it for performance evaluation and organisational and cost control.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 131 (or ACCY 115)
tut tba
ACCY 225 – Accounting Technology and Systems Management
Learn how organisations use existing and emerging technologies to manage their accounting systems and business processes. Discover how data and information is stored, managed and analysed and understand the role of accountants in this systems environment.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 131 (or ACCY 115)
lab, tut tba
ACCY 231 – International External Reporting and Business Sustainability
Learn to analyse financial statements of leading international firms and government agencies. Understand what firms should report in their annual reports to inform investors, banks, and creditors. Analyse big financial data and explore environmental, social, and governance reporting.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 131 (or ACCY 115)
tut tba
ACCY 302 – Accounting for Strategy, Performance, and Value
Learn how to use an organisation's strategic environmental and internal information to add customer, supplier and organisational value for a sustainable future. Find out how to account for strategy using value chain analysis, and to account for sustainability and lean management. Discover how to analyse data to guide capital investment and other decision-making and how to use it for strategic performance measurement, evaluation and management.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 223
tut tba
ACCY 306 – Data Analytics for Financial Statements
A critical examination of accounting and finance concepts as applied to financial statements of firms, focusing on the interests of equity investors. The course will also consider the value of financial statement analysis to capital markets and communities.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 231, FINA 201 (or FINA 211)
tut tba
ACCY 307 – Public Sector Accounting and Finance
The theoretical basis of government accounting; budgetary theory; the budgetary system of New Zealand government, accounting for local authorities and public enterprise.
15 pts • (P) 15 200-level ACCY pts
Not offered in 2025
ACCY 308 – External Reporting and Accountability
Current issues in financial accounting and reporting; alternative measurement bases from accounting and economics; the traditional framework of financial statements and other means of reporting.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 231
tut tba
ACCY 314 – Sustainability and Accountability
The study of accounting in a social and political context. Topics include accounting and the environment, ethics, industrial relations, social responsibility and philosophy.
15 pts • (P) 15 200-level ACCY pts or (ACCY 130 and one of MGMT 210, 211)
ACCY 320 – ST: Acctg for Strategy, Performance, and Value
Advanced and in-depth analysis of selected topics in cost and management accounting.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 223 and Permission of Head of School; (X) ACCY 302
Not offered in 2025
ACCY 330 – Auditing
Concepts and practice of auditing.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 231, COML 204
tut tba
SIDN 390 – Design for Social Innovation Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako
Within Agents of Change students create solutions that can impact positive social, cultural, political, economic and/or environmental change. Students use design tools, research methodologies and emergent co- design practices to design prototypes, and communicate and analyse design interventions that offer transitional pathways towards positive change. Students engage with diverse guiding values, including mana and manaaki, (respect and care) alongside whakawhanaungatanga (generation of authentic connections), to impact social awareness and/or change.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371 and 60 200-level pts including DSDN 242 or SIDN 242 and SIDN 272
^ Limited entry course
Actuarial Science
ACTS 201 – Financial Mathematics
Mathematical principles of compound interest, geometric series and annuities; valuation of loans; returns on financial transactions; duration and immunisation theory; term structure of interest rates; stochastic interest rates.
15 pts • (P) QUAN 102 (or STAT 193 or MATH 177), QUAN 111 (or MATH 141/142, 151)
ACTS 301 – Actuarial Science
This is a capstone course for the Actuarial Science major that brings together skills and knowledge from prior courses to develop an understanding of their practical application in the actuarial profession. It provides grounding in the mathematical techniques that can be used to model risks and contingencies.
15 pts • (P) ACTS 201, ECON 141, (MATH 277 or QUAN 203)
ACTS 336 – General Insurance Techniques
This course provides the mathematical foundation necessary to set premiums and reserves for general insurance contracts. It provides an overview of the various techniques used in general insurance, including loss distributions, ruin theory, credibility, run-off triangles and general insurance modelling.
15 pts • (P) MATH 277 (or QUAN 203)
STAT 335 – Statistical Models for Actuarial Science
This course introduces a range of models used in actuarial science, including Markov chains, Markov processes and transition, survival models and estimation with graduation methods and binomial models for mortality.
15 pts • (P) MATH 277
Animation and Visual Effects
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
ANFX 201 – Animation and Visual Effects I / Pakiwaituhi me ngā Mariko Ataata I
This course explores 3D design principles unique to creating animation and visual effects media. Students will create a series of digital artefacts for the screen. Tutorials cover development methods specific to digital content, with emphasis on fundamental principles and effective design process. In lab sessions students will use 3D modelling software and 2D image manipulation software to generate compelling and innovative visual imagery that demonstrates an understanding of animation and visual effects media.
15 pts • (P) Acceptance into the ANFX major
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 211 – Character Animation I / Pakiwaituhi Kiripuaki I
This course offers an introduction to animated storytelling through the art of character animation. We survey a range of animated films in various genres and styles, from large scale studio features to experimental auteur films. In response students will create their own animated films by designing, building and rigging characters, and through animation bring their creations to life on the screen. Students will gain insight into animated film production workflows and will acquire the technical skills to bring their story ideas to fruition.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts including DSDN 102 (DSDN 132 prior to 2024) and 15 further pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 221 – Digital 2D Animation I / Pakiwaituhi Matihiko Ahurua I
This course introduces digital 2D and frame-by-frame techniques in modern animation practice. Historical and contemporary examples will be studied including classic feature films, independent shorts, music videos, and video games. Students will apply basic animation principles and learn introductory 2D techniques within a digital workflow, suitable to professional or personal practice.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA/COMP courses
^ Limited entry course
COMD 241 – Visual Narratives / Ngā Paki Ataata
This course focuses on the structure and methods of effective storytelling, as expressed visually. Readings provide a broad survey of stories that employ visual narratives in innovative or instructive ways. Techniques are drawn from comics, books, graphic novels, film, children's books, and animation.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 261 – Motion Design I / Hoahoa ā-Nekehanga I
This course introduces basic concepts of motion design and time-based media in communication and graphic environments. Topics covered include introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery, graphic animation, as well as creative strategies and workflow. Students will apply concepts from motion design to time-based projects and outputs.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI schedule
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
ANFX 301 – Animation and Visual Effects II / Pakiwaituhi me ngā Mariko Ataata II
This trimester 1 course is the pre-production for students' Capstone Project in Trimester 2. Students are exposed to concepts and precedents relating to production, pitching and storytelling, and apply these to their own pitch and project development.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 201
ANFX 302 – Introduction to Technical Effects and Simulation
This course is an introduction to to essential concepts and practices technical artists employ when creating effects shots for screen roduction. Typical applications include film and games, but students may also find the course useful for exploring novel approaches to motion graphics, scientific visualisation or architectural studies. Example topics will include particle systems, fire/smoke simulation and rigid body dynamics (RBD) with the integration of digital assets and environments.
15 pts • (P) 45 pts at 200 or 300 level from ANFX, GAME, CGRA (X) DSDN 383 in 2023
Not offered in 2025
ANFX 311 – Character Animation II / Pakiwaituhi ā-Kiripuaki II
This course builds on Character Animation I and examines the art of character animation in depth. Students survey a range of animated film across genres and styles, with a focus on contemporary animation. Students will design, build, and rig characters, and bring these to life on the screen. Students will refine their technical skills and deepen their understanding of animation film production workflows in order to bring their story ideas to fruition.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 211
ANFX 321 – Digital 2D Animation II/Pakiwaituhi Matihiko Ahurua II
This course expands upon the practice of digital 2D and frame-by-frame animation in digital workflow. Students will learn intermediate animation principles and techniques for digital 2D production and its effective synthesis with other forms of animation and moving image. In addition to hands-on animation practice in the studio, students will watch, analyse, and discuss examples from a variety of contemporary sources, including film, music videos, and games.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 221
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 390 – Animation and Visual Effects Capstone/ Whakatinana ā-Wheako: Pakiwaituhi me ngā Mariko Ataata
The capstone project represents the culmination of study in the Animation and Visual Effects major. Students are offered the freedom to further develop any of the skills, concepts and approaches learnt from other courses. The course will engage the industry through a combination of guest lecture, brief development, and critique. The course focuses on portfolio and professional development.
30 pts • (P) ANFX 301, DSDN 371, and acceptance into the ANFX major (X) ANFX 312
MDDN 314 – Audio-Visual Space / Whaitua Ataata-Rongo
Students will investigate processes and strategies involved in the production of time-based media, including audio recording, editing and manipulation techniques. Revolving around the topic of audio-visual space, course projects will allow students to explore the psychology of perception and concepts of spatiality within audio and video design.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
Antarctic Research Centre
See also School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences
ESCI 201 – Climate Change and New Zealand's Future
The Antarctic Research Centre is offering this summer course. Designed for science and non-science students, this course provides a summary of current knowledge on climate change, the evidence and its uncertainties, and possible climate scenarios for the next 50 to 100 years. The course also discusses the influence of climate change on NZ’s society, economy and environment, and governmental strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
20 pts • (P) 30 points
tut tba
ESCI 204 – Petrology and Microscopy
This course examines all common major rock types and introduces crystallography as it pertains to optical mineralogy, with examples of a variety of common minerals and rocks in hand sample and under the microscope. The course covers the origins of common minerals and rocks and the conditions and processes that form them.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 241 – Introductory Field Geology
An introduction to field techniques in geology held at the Geology department's field station at Onekaka, near Takaka, Northwest Nelson. The course trains students in basic methods of geological field mapping and provides training and experience in the presentation of geological field data through the construction of geological maps, stratigraphic columns and geological cross-sections. Students gain experience at describing and interpreting a wide variety of rock types and geological features in individual outcrops. Students will gain practice in interpreting the geological history of an area from their observations. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 302 – Tectonics and Structural Geology
An introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and methods in global tectonics and structural geology. The laboratory part of the course emphasises practical methods of structural analysis and interpretation based on outcrop, rock mechanics, geophysical, and remote sensing data sets. It includes two all-day field trips.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 305 – Environmental and Applied Geophysics
This course covers geophysical techniques to explore the subsurface, with applications to engineering, environmental and groundwater monitoring, seismic hazard assessment, exploration for energy and mineral resources, and other aspects of Earth structure. Topics include gravity, seismic, electrical, magnetic, and satellite-based surveying methods.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, SPCE 201, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 341 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross- section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-112, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 342 – Structural Field Geology
In this course, you will learn to recognise and describe active faults in the field. You will gain the ability to distinguish between ancient and active geological structures, gather and analyse structural data, quantify fault slip rates, and perform a natural hazard risk assessment.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 203, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 344 – Field Geophysics
Methods and techniques for field geophysical surveys. This block course runs over a week, usually during the mid-trimester break, in a part of New Zealand that may vary from year to year. Students will learn how to apply several different techniques of environmental and geophysical methods to a single area and to integrate the results to answer a geophysical problem such as the shallow structure of a fault or a basin.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (C) ESCI 305
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 349 – Earth Sciences – International Field Course
This international field course in earth sciences aims to examine key geographical, geological and/or geophysical localities. The course will offer a variable but unique insight, understanding and experience of earth science in the field beyond that which already exists in New Zealand. This course is offered in alternate years and will run in the USA from 18 November 2019 to 18 December 2019. Numbers are limited, apply by 1 April 2019. An extra fee beyond that for the course, covering travel and subsistence costs applies and is to be met by the student.
20 pts • (P) 60 points of 200-level ESCI or GEOG including either ESCI 241 or GEOG 223; (X) ESCI 449
Not offered in 2025
Anthropology (Cultural)
ANTH 101 – Foundations of Society and Culture
This course introduces students to the subject by focusing on how anthropologists understand and explain social and cultural differences. We will explore a range of contemporary topics through a set of key questions that form the foundation of the discipline and are essential to both further study in Anthropology and an appreciation of world cultures.
20 pts
tut tba
ANTH 102 – Social and Cultural Diversity
This course introduces students to the study of social and cultural diversity by exploring culture and its role in our lives. Topics include ritual, symbolism, the body, exchange, belief, inequality, globalisation, kinship, gender and class. Case studies are drawn from New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
20 pts
tut tba
ANTH 201 – Gender, Sexuality and Kinship
This course examines anthropological approaches to kinship, sexuality and gender. It will explore the shifting social norms surrounding gender, sexuality, the family and relatedness across diverse cultural settings. It will reveal how practices of gender, sexuality and kinship intersect with new reproductive technologies, media, nationalism, capitalism, colonisation, class and race.
20 pts • (P) 20 ANTH pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or 75 points from DSDN 101-172
ANTH 202 – Capitalism, Culture, and Inequality
This course introduces topics in economic anthropology by examining the various. forms that capitalism takes within different cultural contexts, how it produces inequalities, and the varied ways that people and cultures respond to, appropriate and resist the economic systems of today's global world.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) ANTH 215 in 2019-2020, ANTH 315 in 2017- 2018
ANTH 204 – Modern Anthropological Thought
This course explores inspiring and influential ideas in recent Anthropology by discussing the writings of some of the discipline's greatest thinkers. Among the topics considered are: symbolism and the interpretation of cultures; culture and globalisation; ethnography and morality; culture and history; culture and evolution; culture and power; culture and experience.
20 pts • (P) ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 208 – Human Rights, Humanitarianism and Development
This course will examine the cultural encounters and human experiences that emerge out of contemporary human rights regimes, humanitarian interventions, development projects, and global politics. Taking case studies from a range of different cultural settings, it will focus on how culture and politics shapes these global practices, and how different groups understand, respond to and challenge these interventions.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
tut tba
ANTH 209 – Conflict and Reconciliation
This course focuses on anthropological approaches to conflict and reconciliation, exploring the relationship between the two, and considering how we as anthropologists approach these topics at local, national, and international levels. These themes are addressed through material that examines societies in conflict, post-conflict peace-building, nationalism, and state building. The course will also examine theories of social suffering and studies that explore local interpretations of history, politics, violence, and power. A variety of ethnographies will be considered.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 210 – Environmental Anthropology
This course explores human relationships with ecological and material environments. It will examine diverse cultural perceptions of and approaches to the environment, the relationship between nature and culture, and anthropology’s contribution to contemporary ecological and climate debates.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102 or EHUM 101; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
ANTH 213 – Ritual and Collective Life
How do communities give meaning and order to the world? What binds us together in collective relations with one another? This course offers an introduction to the anthropology of ritual. It will consider the ways rituals give order to social life, how they are used as public performances, how they generate political power, and how they are used to challenge established modes of living and being. The course examines a range of examples from New Zealand and beyond.
20 pts • (P) ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 216 – Anthropology, Education and Social Change
This course applies anthropological insights and theories to ideas about education in different historical and cultural contexts. We will examine core issues in the anthropology of education (such as gender, race and class) to ask how and where people learn, what education does in different societies, why education is often linked with social change, and what role education has in our own lives.
20 pts • (P) One of (ANTH 101, 102, EDUC 223, GLBL 101); 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) ANTH 215 in 2021- 2024
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 301 – Science, Technology and Culture
Science and technology are fundamental parts of all cultures. In this course, we examine how diverse sciences and technologies shape peoples’ interpretations of the world, their relations with one another, and their understandings of themselves. Considering issues like the relationship between indigenous knowledges and science, robotics, social media, medicine and biotechnology, and climate and environment, we ask what science is, how technology functions, and what place science and technology have in our own lives and societies.
20 pts • (P) 20 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ANTH 314 in 2018-2019
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 302 – Anthropology for Liberation
This course explores how Anthropology might contribute to human emancipation from racism, gender inequality, class disparities, and other forms of oppression and exploitation. We will consider what it means to approach anthropology from a decolonising perspective and explore what an anthropology for liberation might look like in theory and practice, drawing on examples from Asia, Oceania, and Latin America.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299 or GLBL 201 (X) ANTH 215 in 2017, ANTH 315 in 2019-2021
ANTH 307 – Medical Anthropology
This course explores what roles our cultural beliefs and practices play in shaping our understandings of health, wellbeing, illness and medicine. We ask how culture mediates our experiences of our bodies, our emotions and diseases, and how local and global inequalities affect health outcome. The course takes a comparative approach, asking students to consider cultural approaches to disease categories, illness experiences, and systems of healing in their own societies and communities as well as in a range of globally diverse settings.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200-299 or GLBL 201 or SOSC 200-299 or 15 pts from HLWB 200-299
ANTH 308 – Anthropology in Oceania
This course offers an in-depth exploration of the cultural diversity in Oceania by analysing the complex interplay between colonial encounters, postcolonial impacts, Indigenous epistemologies, and identity formation. We will explore these themes through the lens of the ocean, which has historically shaped connections, migration, trade, and cultural exchange within the region. Through a combination of theoretical discussions, case studies, ethnographic readings, and multimedia materials, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how various colonial histories have influenced indigenous societies and and their ways of knowing, being, and relating.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200-299
seminar tba
ANTH 312 – Creative Ethnographic Practices
In this course we will explore some of the methodologies anthropologists use to collect and analyse data (including participant-observation, interviews, collaboration, visual ethnography, and auto-ethnography), and consider ethical and political issues in ethnographic research. We will also guide you through the process of crafting your own research project – with an opportunity to do ethnographic fieldwork – discussing questions of ethics, beneficence, positionality, research relationships, representation, knowledge production, and how to analyse and present findings in a variety of creative styles and genres. This course seeks to equip you with a strong foundation in ethnographic research skills to take into future employment or postgraduate study.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 316 – Visual Anthropology
This course will consider the use of visual media in both the practice and production of ethnography by examining how visual representations are both products of cultural norms, values and actions and Considering the development of visual anthropology, this course will ask questions such as: what does seeing visual Anthropology, the analysis of scripts and picture mean? How are visual and other sensory media used to communicate? How do visual representations influence social relationships and actions? Can visual anthropology help produce a more publically accessible anthropology? This course may include visits to research institutes in Wellington.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299
tut tba
ANTH 317 – Migration, Culture and Identity
In this course we explore migration as both empirical phenomenon and subject of anthropological study. We compare the intentions, outcomes and experiences of migrants, considering citizenship, belonging, and the nation-state, and look critically at recent models of transnationalism and diaspora which have challenged earlier ideas about migration and culture.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299 or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 318 – Design Anthropology
Design anthropology is a form of applied anthropology that uses ethnographic, anthropological and design methodologies to foster positive social change. It is critical, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. This course uses the core principles and methods of design anthropology to explore the role of culture in shaping design practices. It asks what possibilities a design anthropology can open for sustainable change. The course will take a comparative approach to design, bringing cases specific to Aotearoa into dialogue with sites beyond. Topics addressed include health and wellbeing, urban design, environmental sustainability, Indigenous design theories and social justice.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299, DSDN 171, 172, SIDN 233, 272 (X) ANTH 214, ANTH 313 in 2020, 2022
Applied Physics
PHYS 242 – Electromagnetism I
PHYS 242 will provide a comprehensive foundation in electromagnetic theory using vector calculus, from the laws of electrostatics and magnetostatics to the time-varying Maxwell equations. The course will also introduce applications of these concepts to electrical circuits, as well as electromagnetic waves, interference and diffraction.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; (PHYS 142, 145) or (PHYS 114, 115) or (ENGR 141, 142) (X) PHYS 222; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 243 – Classical Mechanics and Relativity
An introduction to classical mechanics and relativity at an intermediate level, including Lagrangian mechanics, Hamiltonian mechanics, special relativity and a conceptual introduction to general relativity.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; one of (PHYS 101, 114, 142, ENGR 141) (X) PHYS 221, 223; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 245 – Methods of Experimental Physics
PHYS 245 will focus on skills required for experimental physics in laboratory environments. This will include planning of experimental designs and the processing, interpretation, documentation and presentation of experimental results. The course will also introduce basic concepts of programming and numerical physics.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142 (or B+ or better in MATH 141), MATH 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; (PHYS 114, 115) or (PHYS 145) or (ENGR 141, 142); (X) PHYS 217; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 260 – Topics in Physics 1
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School for students not majoring in physics.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School (X) any of PHYS 209-245 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 261 – Topics in Physics 2
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School for students not majoring in physics.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School (X) any of PHYS 209-245 as determined by the Head of School
Architecture
SARC 111 – Introduction to Design Processes / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Mahi Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce concepts and processes used in human environments. These concepts and processes are examined in relation to the physical, social and cultural contexts in which designers operate.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 112 – Design Processes / Ngā Tukanga
Studio-based projects explore how abstract concepts of formal and spatial composition can be used to create habitable places. Discipline-specific modules introduce concepts and processes which are particular to architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
SARC 121 – Introduction to Built Environment Technology / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Whare Hangahanga
An introduction to fundamental structural and constructional principles for designed environments, with particular emphasis on establishing an understanding of the mutual dependencies between design intentions, structural performance and construction materials and systems.
15 pts
SARC 122 – Introduction to Environmental Design Sciences/ He Timatanga Kōrero mō te Taiao Hoahoa
An introduction to the fundamental principles of environmentally-sensitive design, with respect to both interior and exterior designed environments (and their interactions).
15 pts
SARC 131 – Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Whakaora i Te Taiao Hangahanga
The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact and social equity.
15 pts
SARC 151 – Introduction to Design History and Theory / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho i te ao Whakarākei
Introduction to the major historical and theoretical influences shaping the contemporary built environment.
15 pts
SARC 161 – Introduction to Design Communication / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi Ngātahi i Te Ao Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce principles, media and techniques used in the representation of three-dimensional design concepts. The studio component emphasises conventions for describing formal and spatial subjects in scaled drawings, physical models, digital models and text.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 162 – Design Communication / Te Whakarākei me te Mahi Ngātahi
Studio-based projects explore principles, media and techniques used in the representation of two and three-dimensional design concepts. Students are introduced to the communication conventions of architecture, building science, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
ARCI 211 – Architecture Design I / Te Whakarākei Whare I
Studio-based design projects introduce the issues, concepts, vocabularies and strategies of architectural design. Exploration and representation of architectural ideas in a range of media.
15 pts • (P) BAS Part 1
^ Limited entry course
ARCI 212 – Architecture Design Integration I / Te Whakakotahitanga o ngā Tikanga Whakarākei Whare I
Studio-based projects explore people-environment relationships, integrating knowledge gained in the Human Environmental Science course. Architecture is examined as a means for modifying human environments in ways that affect comfort, efficiency, mood and meaning.
30 pts • (P) ARCI 211, SARC 223; (X) SARC 216
ARCI 222 – Structural Systems for Architecture / Te Whakamahinga o nga Rauemi mo Hoahoanga
Introduction to the basic structural principles and material properties that underpin the fabric of constructed environments. The course presents the basic requirements for structural systems; structural form and proportion; properties of construction materials; performance under load; and responds to aspects of sustainability; structural design principles and strategies; examples of architecture and engineering collaboration.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 122 (X) BILD 222
ARCI 251 – History and Theory of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho
Introduction to the development of architectural theory and its application to the recent history of built form.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
BILD 251 – History of Building Technology / Ngā Whanaketanga a te Ao Hangahanga
The historical, social and economic development of construction methods, materials and systems. The impact, relevance and importance of the scientific, industrial and information technology revolutions. Trends in the international development of building technology, with a primary focus on New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121 or 151
BILD 262 – Building Project Management Cost Planning / Te Whakahaere me te Whakamahere ā-utu i ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare
This course examines concepts of building cost planning and its theory and application in New Zealand. An overview of the principles of estimation, the standard method of measurement, schedules of quantities, elemental analysis, IT cost estimation and financial analysis.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
SARC 212 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Te Waihanga me Ngā Momo Hangarau
Studio-based survey of concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry and their creative application in the design of furniture and furnished environments.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 111 or SARC 112
SARC 214 – Seeing Architecture through Photography / Te Kitenga o te Hoahoa Whare mā te Whakaahua
This course examines architectural photography as a medium of communication within architectural discourse. Emphasising formal literacy in photographic analysis and image-making, students will explore photography as both a means of 'seeing' and as a method for analysing the fundamental elements and systems that order our experience of buildings, interiors and landscapes.
15 pts • (P) 75 points; (X) SARC 281 (2021)
SARC 216 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment I / Hanga taiao - he kākāno
Studio-based design projects focused on mātauranga Māori, including kaupapa, histories and Māori design strategies. This course will connect into the three design-focussed disciplines in Architecture – Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture - and provide students with specialist Māori knowledge and skills to augment the discipline-specific technical/skills-based learning required for the respective design discipline.
30 pts • (P) ARCI/INTA/LAND 211; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 212
SARC 221 – Building Materials and Construction / Te Waihanga me ngā Momo Rauemi
Buildings are studied as assemblages of distinct yet interrelated systems. Students explore basic materials and methods of construction, gaining insight to structural and other performance outcomes. Construction is discussed as a dimension in the overall design activity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 131
SARC 223 – Human Environmental Science / Te Āhurutanga o te Taiao
The course covers methods of achieving building environmental conditions that relate to the requirements of building users. The course covers climatic analysis and specifications of the environmental performance of buildings, together with the thermal, visual, acoustic, and aerodynamic principles of building elements; plus the services systems required to control and maintain these conditions.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122; (X) BILD 223 in 2010-2020; SARC 281 in 2014-2017
SARC 224 – Fire Safety Design / Te Tinihanga a Mahuika
Basic principles of design to ensure the safety of people in buildings during a fire. The implications for building form, layout and interiors on escape route design, statutory requirements, and alternative solutions as means of compliance.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
Not offered in 2025
SARC 232 – Sustainability in the Built Environment / Te toitūtanga i te hanganga
The philosophical, conceptual and contextual basis of sustainable and regenerative design. Content includes material on the ecological and environmental challenges to society in the present and future; resource stewardship and the effective utilisation of materials; working with nature and natural systems; well-being enhancement; green, sustainable and regenerative design.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level SARC pts; (X) BILD 232
SARC 233 – Environment and Behaviour / Ngā Huatanga o te Taiao
Study of the interaction between human behaviour and the design of the physical environment related to age, gender, culture and occupation. Content scopes across physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects and activity patterns.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
Not offered in 2025
SARC 252 – Building Heritage Conservation / Te Tiaki i ngā Whare Toitū
An introduction to building conservation with emphasis on New Zealand's architectural heritage. The course introduces systems of assessment, interpretation, management, and documentation of culturally significant buildings. Attention is given to issues raised by contemporary modification of buildings and implications on historic integrity and/or authenticity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
Not offered in 2025
SARC 261 – Communication / Ngā Kaupapa Hangarau
Studio-based course introduces and develops the representation of design concepts of projects, with a focus on drawing and modelling by means of analogue and digital media. Emphasis is placed on developing effective graphic communication techniques for design and implementation.
15 pts • (P) SARC 161 and 162
ARCI 311 – Architecture Design II / Te Whakarākei Whare II
Studio-based contemporary design issues related to the professional specialisations and research interests of academic staff. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or SARC 216; (X) SARC 313
ARCI 312 – Architecture Design Integration Capstone / Te Whakakotahitanga o ngā Tikanga-Tūtohu o te Whakarākei Whare
Studio-based design projects explore the relationship between architectural concepts, structural systems, materials and construction techniques, integrating knowledge gained in the construction course. Design is presented as an integrated problem-solving process, which results in a creative synthesis of concept, aesthetics, function and technology.
30 pts • (P) ARCI 311 or SARC 313, ARCI 222 (C) SARC 321
BILD 361 – Project Management / Ngā Kaupapa Whakahaere
The theory, practice and current technologies of project management from implementation through to delivery, including project constraints, cost planning and control, critical path, consultation, administration and quality control.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
BILD 364 – Building Code Compliance / Ngā Ture Whakaruruhau
Means of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code, building on technical knowledge gained in other courses. Means of compliance are: Acceptable Solutions, Verification Methods and Certification, and Performance Based Design.
15 pts • (P) one of LAND 221 or SARC 221; (X) SARC 364, SARC 464
SARC 302 – Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation / Ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare Herehere
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons. International examples will be drawn on. Particular attention will be paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) SARC 223; (X) SARC 368 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 328 in 2020; SARC 468 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 428 in 2020
SARC 311 – Exhibition Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Mahi Whakaaturanga
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the exhibition field. Students will undertake exhibition design projects.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INDN/INTA/LAND 212, BILD 232 or SARC 216, 232.
Not offered in 2025
SARC 312 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Waihanga Taputapu Whare
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points from the BAS or BDI schedules (X) SARC 412
SARC 313 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment II / Hanga taiao - he rito
Studio-based contemporary design issues focused on mātauranga Māori. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology. This course will connect the three disciplines of Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture, to provide students with the specific technical/skills-based learning required for these three disciplines.
15 pts • (P) SARC 216; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 311
SARC 315 – Critical Urbanism Aotearoa New Zealand / Tātari Kāinga Rua
This course critically explores concepts and practices which have influenced the production of space, form and meaning in Aotearoa New Zealand cities. Current urban issues and their relationship to historical and contemporary political, socio-cultural and environmental paradigms are examines alongside emerging urban practices motivated by justness.
15 pts • (P) 60 points at 200- level from the BAS or BBSc schedules or permission of Head of School
SARC 320 – Topic in Digital Computation / Tātai Hangarau
.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 321 – Construction / Te Mahi Waihanga
Medium-scale building construction with relevant building materials, key elements, construction technologies, construction sequences and building processes.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
SARC 323 – Colour, Pattern, Light / Ngā Āhuatanga o te Ata me te Pō
Study of colour, pattern and lighting concepts and technologies and their meaning, role and creative applications.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 212 or SARC 216
SARC 328 – Topic in Current Research in Architecture / Ngā Rangahau o te Wā i te Mahi Whakarākei / Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons, including film, digital and heritage representations of prisons. International examples will be drawn on, but there will be particular attention paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 331 – Sustainable and Regenerative Design / Te Whakarauoratanga o ngā Mahi Whakarākei
This course explores sustainable and regenerative design principles and applications across a range of designed and built environments. Emphasis is on operation at the leading edge of theoretical and philosophical thinking in the field and to explore and employ critical thinking and innovative solutions. The Living Building Challenge will provide a key reference point for the work in the course.
15 pts • (P) SARC (or BILD) 232 (X) BILD 331;
SARC 351 – Urban Design Theory and Practice / Te Mahi me ngā Kōrero o te Ao Kikokiko
Introduction to the history, theory and practice of urban design. Conceptual tools and practices for analyzing, designing and implementing change in the built environment of cities.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
SARC 352 – Pacific Designed Environments / Ngā Taiao o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Introduction to issues relating to designed and built environments of the Pacific region. Examination of contemporary conditions within a wider spatial and historical framework. In addition to a central focus on the settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand, course material extends to other cultures within the greater Pacific rim.
15 pts • (P) one of ARCI 251, BILD 251, INTA 251, LAND 251 or GLBL 201
SARC 353 – History of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero o Mua o Te Mahi Whakarākei
Examines paradigm shifts in architectural thinking. Course material emphasises enduring examples of great architecture which reflect the prevailing social and cultural standards of their respective periods.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
Not offered in 2025
SARC 354 – Heritage Conservation / Ngā Mahi Tiaki i ngā Whare Whakaniko
This course introduces the why, what and how of heritage conservation. Historic and contemporary approaches to heritage conservation are discussed with recent case studies (including building visits) used as vehicles for the discussion. The purpose and role of a Conservation Plan is explored. Research methods for eliciting historical information specific to a building or interior are introduced and practised. Methods of assessing heritage significance and value and of making recommendations for conservation activity are explored.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC; (X) SARC 454
SARC 362 – Introduction to Practice and Management / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi me Te Whakahaere
Management and procurement/development, examining the theories and ideas that underpin planning, organising, directing and controlling the use of resources over time. Topics include the principles of management, organisational development, basic finance, costing, development feasibility, valuation theory and quantitative analysis relevant to the construction industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
SARC 363 – Digital Representation and Documentation / Te Mahi a te Ao Hangarau
Computer applications as aids to visualisation and information management.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc, BDI schedules; (X) SARC 463
SARC 365 – Drawing / He Tuhituhi
Studio-based course covering creative and interpretive aspects of drawing with an emphasis on developing analytical and critical interrogation through manual graphic processes and across a range of subjects, media types and applied subjects. Discussed as principles and expanded upon in application, are the conventions and standards of architectural representation common to drawing practice.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 211
^ Limited entry course
SARC 371 – International Field Study / Te Mahi a te Ao Whānui
A cross-cultural design exploration of designed spaces and sites with special emphasis on understanding why and how they are uniquely formed by the historical and cultural contexts they are part of and the design inspiration that can be derived from such understanding.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC pts; (X) SARC 471
SARC 384 – Special Topic: Design Thinking Business
This course examines ways that business contributes to architecture and design enterprises. It also reviews a range of ways that creative strategic design-thinking contributes to various business enterprises. The course will look at how this is applied to architecture by looking at essential business concepts, tactics for starting practices and strategies for growing an established enterprise. In business application, it examines design-based concepts around Lean, Agile, Design Thinking and Scrum. The combined learnings will provide graduates with tools to open new business opportunities inside design and architecture, plus a broader set of transferable design-thinking skills to take into other businesses.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS and BDI schedules; (X) SARC 484
SARC 386 – Special Topic: Retail Experience Architectural Design
Investigate the future of retail design relevant to the 21st century, including research concepts underlying ethical branding, products and scripting of customer journeys. Develop a design proposal for the composition and atmosphere of retail space providing extraordinary customer experience for a brand and its products.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or BILD 251 or INTA 212 or LAND 212
SARC 387 – Independent Study / Kaupapa Rangahau Motuhake
This course is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes. Independent Study Projects are available under exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of head of school
SARC 388 – Psychology and Behaviour in the Built Environment / Te Mātai Hinengaro me te Whanonga i ngā Whare Hangahanga
Application of psychological theory, principles and research to the study of human interaction with the built environment across a range of settings. This course focuses on how to improve usability, health, well-being and work performance in relationship to space and place. The course covers human and environment interaction theory, systems theory, psychology and design research methods, consequences of poorly informed design decisions and environmental stressors.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc schedules or GLBL 201 (X) SARC 384, 484 (2017-2019)
Architecture History and Theory
SARC 111 – Introduction to Design Processes / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Mahi Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce concepts and processes used in human environments. These concepts and processes are examined in relation to the physical, social and cultural contexts in which designers operate.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 112 – Design Processes / Ngā Tukanga
Studio-based projects explore how abstract concepts of formal and spatial composition can be used to create habitable places. Discipline-specific modules introduce concepts and processes which are particular to architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
SARC 121 – Introduction to Built Environment Technology / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Whare Hangahanga
An introduction to fundamental structural and constructional principles for designed environments, with particular emphasis on establishing an understanding of the mutual dependencies between design intentions, structural performance and construction materials and systems.
15 pts
SARC 122 – Introduction to Environmental Design Sciences/ He Timatanga Kōrero mō te Taiao Hoahoa
An introduction to the fundamental principles of environmentally-sensitive design, with respect to both interior and exterior designed environments (and their interactions).
15 pts
SARC 131 – Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Whakaora i Te Taiao Hangahanga
The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact and social equity.
15 pts
SARC 151 – Introduction to Design History and Theory / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho i te ao Whakarākei
Introduction to the major historical and theoretical influences shaping the contemporary built environment.
15 pts
SARC 161 – Introduction to Design Communication / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi Ngātahi i Te Ao Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce principles, media and techniques used in the representation of three-dimensional design concepts. The studio component emphasises conventions for describing formal and spatial subjects in scaled drawings, physical models, digital models and text.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 162 – Design Communication / Te Whakarākei me te Mahi Ngātahi
Studio-based projects explore principles, media and techniques used in the representation of two and three-dimensional design concepts. Students are introduced to the communication conventions of architecture, building science, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
ARCI 211 – Architecture Design I / Te Whakarākei Whare I
Studio-based design projects introduce the issues, concepts, vocabularies and strategies of architectural design. Exploration and representation of architectural ideas in a range of media.
15 pts • (P) BAS Part 1
^ Limited entry course
ARCI 212 – Architecture Design Integration I / Te Whakakotahitanga o ngā Tikanga Whakarākei Whare I
Studio-based projects explore people-environment relationships, integrating knowledge gained in the Human Environmental Science course. Architecture is examined as a means for modifying human environments in ways that affect comfort, efficiency, mood and meaning.
30 pts • (P) ARCI 211, SARC 223; (X) SARC 216
ARCI 222 – Structural Systems for Architecture / Te Whakamahinga o nga Rauemi mo Hoahoanga
Introduction to the basic structural principles and material properties that underpin the fabric of constructed environments. The course presents the basic requirements for structural systems; structural form and proportion; properties of construction materials; performance under load; and responds to aspects of sustainability; structural design principles and strategies; examples of architecture and engineering collaboration.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 122 (X) BILD 222
ARCI 251 – History and Theory of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho
Introduction to the development of architectural theory and its application to the recent history of built form.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
BILD 251 – History of Building Technology / Ngā Whanaketanga a te Ao Hangahanga
The historical, social and economic development of construction methods, materials and systems. The impact, relevance and importance of the scientific, industrial and information technology revolutions. Trends in the international development of building technology, with a primary focus on New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121 or 151
SARC 212 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Te Waihanga me Ngā Momo Hangarau
Studio-based survey of concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry and their creative application in the design of furniture and furnished environments.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 111 or SARC 112
SARC 214 – Seeing Architecture through Photography / Te Kitenga o te Hoahoa Whare mā te Whakaahua
This course examines architectural photography as a medium of communication within architectural discourse. Emphasising formal literacy in photographic analysis and image-making, students will explore photography as both a means of 'seeing' and as a method for analysing the fundamental elements and systems that order our experience of buildings, interiors and landscapes.
15 pts • (P) 75 points; (X) SARC 281 (2021)
SARC 216 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment I / Hanga taiao - he kākāno
Studio-based design projects focused on mātauranga Māori, including kaupapa, histories and Māori design strategies. This course will connect into the three design-focussed disciplines in Architecture – Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture - and provide students with specialist Māori knowledge and skills to augment the discipline-specific technical/skills-based learning required for the respective design discipline.
30 pts • (P) ARCI/INTA/LAND 211; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 212
SARC 221 – Building Materials and Construction / Te Waihanga me ngā Momo Rauemi
Buildings are studied as assemblages of distinct yet interrelated systems. Students explore basic materials and methods of construction, gaining insight to structural and other performance outcomes. Construction is discussed as a dimension in the overall design activity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 131
SARC 223 – Human Environmental Science / Te Āhurutanga o te Taiao
The course covers methods of achieving building environmental conditions that relate to the requirements of building users. The course covers climatic analysis and specifications of the environmental performance of buildings, together with the thermal, visual, acoustic, and aerodynamic principles of building elements; plus the services systems required to control and maintain these conditions.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122; (X) BILD 223 in 2010-2020; SARC 281 in 2014-2017
SARC 224 – Fire Safety Design / Te Tinihanga a Mahuika
Basic principles of design to ensure the safety of people in buildings during a fire. The implications for building form, layout and interiors on escape route design, statutory requirements, and alternative solutions as means of compliance.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
Not offered in 2025
SARC 232 – Sustainability in the Built Environment / Te toitūtanga i te hanganga
The philosophical, conceptual and contextual basis of sustainable and regenerative design. Content includes material on the ecological and environmental challenges to society in the present and future; resource stewardship and the effective utilisation of materials; working with nature and natural systems; well-being enhancement; green, sustainable and regenerative design.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level SARC pts; (X) BILD 232
SARC 233 – Environment and Behaviour / Ngā Huatanga o te Taiao
Study of the interaction between human behaviour and the design of the physical environment related to age, gender, culture and occupation. Content scopes across physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects and activity patterns.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
Not offered in 2025
SARC 252 – Building Heritage Conservation / Te Tiaki i ngā Whare Toitū
An introduction to building conservation with emphasis on New Zealand's architectural heritage. The course introduces systems of assessment, interpretation, management, and documentation of culturally significant buildings. Attention is given to issues raised by contemporary modification of buildings and implications on historic integrity and/or authenticity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
Not offered in 2025
SARC 261 – Communication / Ngā Kaupapa Hangarau
Studio-based course introduces and develops the representation of design concepts of projects, with a focus on drawing and modelling by means of analogue and digital media. Emphasis is placed on developing effective graphic communication techniques for design and implementation.
15 pts • (P) SARC 161 and 162
ARCI 311 – Architecture Design II / Te Whakarākei Whare II
Studio-based contemporary design issues related to the professional specialisations and research interests of academic staff. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or SARC 216; (X) SARC 313
ARCI 312 – Architecture Design Integration Capstone / Te Whakakotahitanga o ngā Tikanga-Tūtohu o te Whakarākei Whare
Studio-based design projects explore the relationship between architectural concepts, structural systems, materials and construction techniques, integrating knowledge gained in the construction course. Design is presented as an integrated problem-solving process, which results in a creative synthesis of concept, aesthetics, function and technology.
30 pts • (P) ARCI 311 or SARC 313, ARCI 222 (C) SARC 321
SARC 302 – Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation / Ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare Herehere
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons. International examples will be drawn on. Particular attention will be paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) SARC 223; (X) SARC 368 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 328 in 2020; SARC 468 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 428 in 2020
SARC 311 – Exhibition Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Mahi Whakaaturanga
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the exhibition field. Students will undertake exhibition design projects.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INDN/INTA/LAND 212, BILD 232 or SARC 216, 232.
Not offered in 2025
SARC 312 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Waihanga Taputapu Whare
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points from the BAS or BDI schedules (X) SARC 412
SARC 313 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment II / Hanga taiao - he rito
Studio-based contemporary design issues focused on mātauranga Māori. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology. This course will connect the three disciplines of Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture, to provide students with the specific technical/skills-based learning required for these three disciplines.
15 pts • (P) SARC 216; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 311
SARC 315 – Critical Urbanism Aotearoa New Zealand / Tātari Kāinga Rua
This course critically explores concepts and practices which have influenced the production of space, form and meaning in Aotearoa New Zealand cities. Current urban issues and their relationship to historical and contemporary political, socio-cultural and environmental paradigms are examines alongside emerging urban practices motivated by justness.
15 pts • (P) 60 points at 200- level from the BAS or BBSc schedules or permission of Head of School
SARC 320 – Topic in Digital Computation / Tātai Hangarau
.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 321 – Construction / Te Mahi Waihanga
Medium-scale building construction with relevant building materials, key elements, construction technologies, construction sequences and building processes.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
SARC 323 – Colour, Pattern, Light / Ngā Āhuatanga o te Ata me te Pō
Study of colour, pattern and lighting concepts and technologies and their meaning, role and creative applications.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 212 or SARC 216
SARC 328 – Topic in Current Research in Architecture / Ngā Rangahau o te Wā i te Mahi Whakarākei / Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons, including film, digital and heritage representations of prisons. International examples will be drawn on, but there will be particular attention paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 331 – Sustainable and Regenerative Design / Te Whakarauoratanga o ngā Mahi Whakarākei
This course explores sustainable and regenerative design principles and applications across a range of designed and built environments. Emphasis is on operation at the leading edge of theoretical and philosophical thinking in the field and to explore and employ critical thinking and innovative solutions. The Living Building Challenge will provide a key reference point for the work in the course.
15 pts • (P) SARC (or BILD) 232 (X) BILD 331;
SARC 351 – Urban Design Theory and Practice / Te Mahi me ngā Kōrero o te Ao Kikokiko
Introduction to the history, theory and practice of urban design. Conceptual tools and practices for analyzing, designing and implementing change in the built environment of cities.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
SARC 352 – Pacific Designed Environments / Ngā Taiao o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Introduction to issues relating to designed and built environments of the Pacific region. Examination of contemporary conditions within a wider spatial and historical framework. In addition to a central focus on the settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand, course material extends to other cultures within the greater Pacific rim.
15 pts • (P) one of ARCI 251, BILD 251, INTA 251, LAND 251 or GLBL 201
SARC 353 – History of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero o Mua o Te Mahi Whakarākei
Examines paradigm shifts in architectural thinking. Course material emphasises enduring examples of great architecture which reflect the prevailing social and cultural standards of their respective periods.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
Not offered in 2025
SARC 354 – Heritage Conservation / Ngā Mahi Tiaki i ngā Whare Whakaniko
This course introduces the why, what and how of heritage conservation. Historic and contemporary approaches to heritage conservation are discussed with recent case studies (including building visits) used as vehicles for the discussion. The purpose and role of a Conservation Plan is explored. Research methods for eliciting historical information specific to a building or interior are introduced and practised. Methods of assessing heritage significance and value and of making recommendations for conservation activity are explored.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC; (X) SARC 454
SARC 362 – Introduction to Practice and Management / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi me Te Whakahaere
Management and procurement/development, examining the theories and ideas that underpin planning, organising, directing and controlling the use of resources over time. Topics include the principles of management, organisational development, basic finance, costing, development feasibility, valuation theory and quantitative analysis relevant to the construction industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
SARC 363 – Digital Representation and Documentation / Te Mahi a te Ao Hangarau
Computer applications as aids to visualisation and information management.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc, BDI schedules; (X) SARC 463
SARC 365 – Drawing / He Tuhituhi
Studio-based course covering creative and interpretive aspects of drawing with an emphasis on developing analytical and critical interrogation through manual graphic processes and across a range of subjects, media types and applied subjects. Discussed as principles and expanded upon in application, are the conventions and standards of architectural representation common to drawing practice.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 211
^ Limited entry course
SARC 371 – International Field Study / Te Mahi a te Ao Whānui
A cross-cultural design exploration of designed spaces and sites with special emphasis on understanding why and how they are uniquely formed by the historical and cultural contexts they are part of and the design inspiration that can be derived from such understanding.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC pts; (X) SARC 471
SARC 384 – Special Topic: Design Thinking Business
This course examines ways that business contributes to architecture and design enterprises. It also reviews a range of ways that creative strategic design-thinking contributes to various business enterprises. The course will look at how this is applied to architecture by looking at essential business concepts, tactics for starting practices and strategies for growing an established enterprise. In business application, it examines design-based concepts around Lean, Agile, Design Thinking and Scrum. The combined learnings will provide graduates with tools to open new business opportunities inside design and architecture, plus a broader set of transferable design-thinking skills to take into other businesses.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS and BDI schedules; (X) SARC 484
SARC 386 – Special Topic: Retail Experience Architectural Design
Investigate the future of retail design relevant to the 21st century, including research concepts underlying ethical branding, products and scripting of customer journeys. Develop a design proposal for the composition and atmosphere of retail space providing extraordinary customer experience for a brand and its products.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or BILD 251 or INTA 212 or LAND 212
SARC 387 – Independent Study / Kaupapa Rangahau Motuhake
This course is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes. Independent Study Projects are available under exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of head of school
SARC 388 – Psychology and Behaviour in the Built Environment / Te Mātai Hinengaro me te Whanonga i ngā Whare Hangahanga
Application of psychological theory, principles and research to the study of human interaction with the built environment across a range of settings. This course focuses on how to improve usability, health, well-being and work performance in relationship to space and place. The course covers human and environment interaction theory, systems theory, psychology and design research methods, consequences of poorly informed design decisions and environmental stressors.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc schedules or GLBL 201 (X) SARC 384, 484 (2017-2019)
Art History
ARTH 101 – Art, Creativity and Identity
What does art do? How do humans use art to express our diverse social, cultural, collective and individual identities? Through a series of case studies, this course examines the way visual art and culture is used to express identity and its relation to changing notions of creativity and selfhood. The goal of the course is to think critically about the purpose of art: what is it, what does it do, who is it for, how is it made?
20 pts • (X) ARTH 103
ARTH 102 – Art, Revolution and Crisis
How has art changed the world? This course introduces students to the ways art has responded to political, cultural, social, environmental and technological revolutions over the past 250 years. We examine how art anticipates and interrogates the definition of revolution itself. Students will develop critical and descriptive skills to analyse the role of art in revolution, activism, social movements and political transformation.
20 pts
ARTH 103 – Art, Creativity and Identity
What does art do? How do humans use art to express our diverse social, cultural, collective and individual identities? Through a series of case studies, this course examines the way visual art and culture is used to express identity and its relation to changing notions of creativity and selfhood. The goal of the course is to think critically about the purpose of art: what is it, what does it do, who is it for, how is it made? This course is specifically targeted at BDI students, BA students should enrol in ARTH 101 instead.
15 pts • (X) ARTH 101
ARTH 201 – Art and Environment
This course explores the relationship between art and the environment, with a focus on art since 1968. Alongside changing definitions of 'nature' and what it means to be human, the course considers the role of art in environmental activism. Students will reflect on the way the environment is experienced and imagined within art historical and interdisciplinary debates.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH or 20 EHUM, GLBL or PASI pts; (X) ARTH 226 in 2020-2021
ARTH 202 – The Long Century: European Art 1789-1900
This course examines the relationship between art, politics and power in Europe from the French Revolution to the end of the nineteenth century. Topics include: the art of revolution and reaction, romanticism and subjectivity, the crisis of the European classical tradition, landscape and industrialisation, socialism and the avant-garde, and modernity and the representation of modern life.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH pts; (X) ARTH 222
ARTH 203 – Object Lessons: Art and Visual Culture
We live in a visual world constructed from material objects. Some of these objects are imbued with spiritual and cultural energies, others are ignored for their mundane presence in our everyday lives. This course introduces students to the study of visual cultures, and the speculative role of art history in an encounter with objects in the world including flowers made from glass, microbes and fungi, drains, dragons and digital humans.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH points
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 204 – Art, Vision and Encounter
This course examines the role of art and vision in the formation of two globalising maritime civilisations, European and Oceanic, and in the encounters between them from the seventeenth century to the early twentieth century. The course considers ways in which space, time and self were visualised in different cultural contexts and the role of art in mediating cross-cultural encounters.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH points (or PASI 101); (X) ARTH 214
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 205 – Questioning Modernity
This course explores how artists responded to the experience of modernity from the late-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. It examines individual and collective efforts to develop new visual vocabularies to make sense of a world of contingency and flux where incessant change threatens to dissolve the authority of past tradition.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH or 20 GLBL points; (X) ARTH 219
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 206 – Art in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course introduces the major artists, art forms and issues to have shaped the history of art in Aotearoa New Zealand. In particular, the course focuses on the effects of Māori-Pākehā interrelations, and the role of landscape and identity as key subjects in the history of New Zealand art. We consider Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the ever-evolving cultural and institutional frameworks and theoretical contexts for art in Aotearoa.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH points; (X) ARTH 213
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 208 – Topics In Aotearoa New Zealand Art
This course introduces students to a topic in art in Aotearoa New Zealand, developed and delivered by the Oroya and Melvin Day Fellow in New Zealand Art History. Co-taught with ARTH 308.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level points; (X) ARTH 308
ARTH 225 – Special Topic: Fashioning the Artist
What it means to be an artist changes through history and across cultures. From medieval workshops to the artist as entrepreneur, this course looks at individual and collective approaches to artistic creation in Western and non-Western societies. The goal is to challenge common assumptions about art and ‘individual genius’ that often underwrite art history.
20 pts • (P) 15 ARTH points
ARTH 301 – Cultures of Surrealism
This course looks at the work of artists, writers and critics associated with surrealism and its legacies. It will analyse the cultures of surrealism, exploring their relation to previous artistic and cultural movements, polemics within the surrealist movement, and their legacies on contemporary practice.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ARTH 200-299 (X) ARTH 334 in 2021
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 302 – Art and the Cold War
This course focuses on the visual arts from the post-WWII period to the end of the 1970s. It looks at the fate of modernism and avant-garde art in an era characterised by the ideological conflict between the capitalist West and communist East, decolonialisation and the emergence of the Third World, and increasing mobility and technological change.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ARTH 200-299 (X) ARTH 335 in 2020
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 303 – Monuments and Memory
From Hagia Sophia, and Spiral Jetty, to the Matakana War Memorial, this course traces the role of art in collective memory. We consider the shifting practices of public art, the desires of the powerful to memorialise themselves through public sculpture, the role of art in remembering collective trauma, the counter-monument; and, how calls to decolonise are challenging European and settler colonial notions of the monument.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ARTH 200-299 or GLBL 201
ARTH 304 – The Planetary Turn: Art and Science
This course introduces the living planet as a site to reimagine the meeting points of art and science. With a particular focus on global intersections of art, science, technology, and environment since the seventeenth century, the course examines non-Western and Indigenous as well as European, cultural, political and aesthetic perspectives on the complex challenges facing our planet.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ARTH 200-299 or GLBL 201; (X) EHUM 301
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 305 – Island Identities Oceanic Imaginaries
This course examines the field of contemporary Pacific art in Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific. Focusing on the tension between 'Island Identities' and 'Oceanic Imaginaries' – between roots and routes – the course examines the significance of place, ethnicity, history and culture as well as alliances, exchanges, migration and mobility in the politics of identity formation, community building and decolonisation in the Pacific.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ARTH 200-299, EHUM 201, GLBL 201 or PASI 200-299; (X) ARTH 336
Not offered in 2025
ARTH 306 – Indigenous Modernisms: Genealogies of the Contemporary
Today, Indigenous artists across the world bring a challenging array of aesthetic, cultural, and political perspectives to the discourse of contemporary art. This course examines the ‘genealogies’ of these practices in the indigenisation of European modernism and the crafting of modern identities in response to the incursions of colonial modernity.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ARTH 200-299
ARTH 308 – Topics In Aotearoa New Zealand Art
This course introduces students to a topic in art in Aotearoa New Zealand, developed and delivered by the Oroya and Melvin Day Fellow in New Zealand Art History. Co-taught with ARTH 208.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points; (X) ARTH 208
Artificial Intelligence
AIML 131 – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Enter the dynamic world of Artificial Intelligence with AIML 131. Delve deep into Large Language Models, such as ChatGPT, addressing challenges like bias and hallucinations. Witness the power of text-to-image generation through tools like Midjourney. Grasp the foundational principles of Machine Learning and get acquainted with Explainable AI. Discover how AI is making waves in Aotearoa, touching on ethics and real-world applications. No programming experience? No worries! AIML 131 is designed for everyone. You will gain a good understanding of AI principles and its transformative impact so that you can use AI to improve lives, whatever your area of work.
15 pts • (X) COMP 307, COMP 309
AIML 231 – Techniques in Machine Learning
This course introduces core concepts and techniques in machine learning, as well as commonly used software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. It includes an overview of the machine learning field, including supervised and unsupervised learning; fundamental machine learning techniques including neural networks; tools to understand data such as exploratory data analysis, pre-processing, and visualisation; and the design machine learning pipelines. This course balances theoretical concepts of machine learning and the use of programming libraries for hands-on practice.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 131, MATH 177, QUAN 102, STAT 193) or 60 200-level pts of COMP, CGRA, CYBR, SWEN, EEEN; one of (COMP 103, 132); (X) COMP 307, 309, DATA 302
AIML 232 – Techniques in Artificial Intelligence
This course introduces various concepts and techniques of broad applicability to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It includes an introduction to common machine learning paradigms such as neural networks and evolutionary learning; gradient-based and gradient-free optimisation techniques; dimensionality reduction; reasoning under uncertainty including Bayesian networks; and an introduction to AI planning. The course covers how these concepts can be used to solve important AI/ML tasks such as classification, regression, clustering and sequential decision making.
15 pts • (P) AIML 131, COMP 103, one of (ENGR 123, MATH 177, STAT 193, QUAN 102, EEEN 220); (X) COMP 307
AIML 320 – Artificial Intelligence
This course addresses concepts and techniques of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides a brief overview of AI history and search techniques, as well as covering important machine learning topics, tools, and algorithms with their applications, including neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. Other topics include analysing data, probability and Bayesian networks, planning and scheduling. The course will also give a brief overview of a selection of other current topics in AI.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or NWEN 241 or SWEN 221 or at least a B in both DATA 201 and 202; one of (ENGR 123, MATH 151, 161, 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292) (X) AIML 131, 231, 232, 420, 421, COMP 307, 309, 420
AIML 331 – AI Computer Vision and Image/Video Processing
Computer vision and image processing has a wide range of real-world applications, such as automated vehicles and face recognition. This course addresses key AI techniques, tasks, and applications in this area. The course covers a range of topics, starting from the basics of image pre-processing and data augmentation to recent deep learning techniques, addressing tasks such as edge detection, image segmentation, and image classification. Various applications of relevant techniques will also be introduced.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221, at least a B in both AIML 231, DATA 202)
AIML 332 – AI Natural Language Processing
This course introduces the basic concepts, applications and algorithms for natural language processing, with a particular focus on processing and analysing large natural language data sets. The course will cover topics such as text representation, text classification, text clustering, text generation, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and information extraction. It will explain traditional natural language processing techniques and algorithms and will also explore more recent deep learning based methods.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221, at least a B in both AIML 231, DATA 202)
AIML 333 – Acting, Planning, and Scheduling
This course introduces key concepts, techniques and algorithms for AI systems that perform actions. It starts with reactive systems that respond intelligently to observations, expands to AI systems that use their knowledge about the world to plan or schedule actions into the future, and finally considers AI systems that improve their behaviour while interacting with the world. The course considers a range of real-world application domains such as controlling devices, robotics, games, and logistics.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221)
AIML 335 – Machine Learning
This course teaches fundamental concepts and mathematical techniques that underlie much of machine learning (ML). Topics include an introduction to learning theory, optimisation for ML, unsupervised learning, learning with latent variables, generative models, kernels, aspects of information theory, deep learning, continual/online learning, transfer learning, and anomaly detection. The course will also explore the connections between ML and cognitive science.
15 pts • (P) AIML 232; one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221); one of (MATH 177, STAT 292)
Not offered in 2025
AIML 338 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
AIML 339 – Artificial Intelligence Project
A capstone project to construct a solution to an AI task. The project may be an individual or a group project.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232 320, COMP 307, 309); one of AIML 331-335
DATA 302 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
This course introduces a range of machine learning techniques of importance in Data Science, and gives students experience in using modern software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. Topics will include machine learning techniques for both supervised and unsupervised learning, including neural networks, and the design of machine learning pipelines.
15 pts • (P) DATA 201, DATA 202 (X) AIML 231, COMP 309
Not offered in 2025
Asian Studies
ASIA 101 – Aotearoa New Zealand and Asia
An interdisciplinary introduction to the study of aspects of Asia, via a focus on the relationship between Asia and New Zealand. Topics include historical contacts, economic and political relations, cultural globalisation, and immigrant communities.
20 pts
tut tba
ASIA 111 – Introduction to Asian Histories and Cultures
Asia is significant to New Zealand’s future. But how much do you know about this incredibly vast, dynamic and diverse region? In this course we will discuss key societal aspects of Northeast, Southeast and South Asia. You will learn about the basic characteristics of the cultures including geographical locations, peoples, religions, histories and traditions. This course will allow you to understand the challenges and opportunities that lie in the region and will prepare you to continue study in many areas with an international focus, such as International Relations, International Business, Languages, Security Studies, or Global Studies. This course will suit all students who are interested in an internationally focussed degree and future career.
20 pts
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
ASIA 201 – Contemporary Asian Society
An in-depth look at contemporary Asian societies with particular attention to economic, political and social change within the region and how these changes have been manifested in cultural productions.
20 pts • (P) (ASIA 101 or 111) or GLBL101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
tut tba
ASIA 203 – Modern Korean Society
This course offers a study of contemporary Korean society and popular culture and draws on primary sources from literature, film and music. Co-taught with ASIA 304.
20 pts • (P) (ASIA 101 or 111) or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ASIA 304
ASIA 204 – Special Topic: East Asia: Tradition and Transformation
Are you interested in learning about how East Asia’s history and culture has become vital in Aotearoa New Zealand? In this course we will explore the rich traditions of China and Japan and other communities in the region such as Korea and the Ryūkyū Islands and the impact that they have had upon the world. The region has undergone dynamic changes over centuries, and we will also study the significant transformations that have occurred in such areas as the family, religion, language, gender roles, intercultural relations, politics and the economy.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from ICOM, GLBL or the BA Schedule
ASIA 208 – East Asian Society and Culture through Film
This course examines East Asian cinema from the early twentieth century to the present. Selected East Asian films are studied in their historical, political and cultural context with special emphasis on issues related to nationhood, modernity, gender roles and globalisation. This course is to be taught in English and has a film viewing component.
20 pts • (P) 40 points, including at least 20 points from (ASIA, CHIN, JAPA, FILM)
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
ASIA 301 – Nation and Nationalism in Asia
What is a nation? What is nationalism? This course provides an interdisciplinary context within which students explore these important questions as they relate to Asian Studies.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the the BA Schedule, including at least 20 points from (ASIA, HIST, INTP) or GLBL 201
ASIA 302 – Selected Topic: Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of research and study on selected themes in Asian Studies.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from the BA Schedule, a B average or better at 200-level and permission of the Course Coordinator
^ Limited entry course
ASIA 304 – Modern Korean Society
This course offers a study of contemporary Korean society and popular culture and draws on primary sources from literature, film and music. Co-taught with ASIA 203.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ASIA 203
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
Biological Sciences
See also Cell and Molecular Bioscience, Conservation Biology, Ecological Restoration, Ecology and Biodiversity, Marine Biology and Microbiology
BIOL 111 – Cell and Molecular Biology
This course will explore the molecular basis of life, providing students with a strong foundation in cell biology. Key concepts will include the structure and function of major cell types, biological chemistry and metabolism, and cell division and development. We’ll explore these concepts using a variety of examples from across the tree of life, including plants, animals and microbes.
15 pts
BIOL 113 – Biology of Plants
An exploration into the structure, function and biodiversity of plants and fungi, emphasising their adaptations to different environments, their interactions with other organisms and their fundamental importance to humanity.
15 pts
BIOL 114 – Biology of Animals
An introduction to animal structure and function. This course is largely based on the biology of mammals with a strong emphasis on human biology but comparison is made throughout with other animals.
15 pts • (X) BMSC 114
BIOL 132 – Biodiversity and Conservation
An introduction to the diversity, management and conservation of microbial, plant and animal communities. Using key taxa or ecosystems as examples, students will gain an appreciation of the current issues facing the world's biodiversity, and explore possible methods for conservation, including habitat restoration, translocation, and predator control.
15 pts
SCIE 105 – The Molecular Science of Life
Explore the molecular basis of human health and everyday life. You will learn about atomic and molecular structure and how this relates to the function of blood. Topics include electrolytes and osmolarity, blood group determinants, gas transport, blood pH, the molecules and chemistry of blood tests, and metabolic imbalances that lead to diseases that are commonly screened for using blood. This course is designed to support students from a range of backgrounds, including the health sciences. No previous chemistry experience needed. This course can be taken fully online, although in-person workshop sessions will be provided to assist with student learning.
15 pts • (X) SCIE 103 in 2022
BIOL 219 – New Zealand Flora and Fauna
A field course that explores the unique flora and fauna of Aotearoa, New Zealand. This course covers the basic principles of species interactions and how they can shape the ecology and evolution of native trees. Reading material covers how New Zealand's flora and fauna parallels that on other isolated islands. Daily field trips will reinforce the concepts learned in lectures and gives hands-on experience with native plants and animals.
15 pts • (P) 60 points
BIOL 222 – Ecology and Environment
An introduction to the principles of Ecology and Environmental Science, including a required week long field trip in the mid-trimester break. The course will focus on physical and biological processes in terrestrial environments and ecosystem functioning. The field trip will introduce techniques relevant to field-based enquiry in ecological and environmental science.
20 pts • (P) STAT 193; 30 points from (BIOL 111, 113, 114, 132, ENVI/GEOG 114, ESCI/GEOG 111, ESCI 112, GEOS 101, 102); (X) GEOG 222
BIOL 227 – Plants and Algae: Function and Diversity
Plant and algal physiology and structure with emphasis on adaptations of the whole organism; diversity and evolution of photosynthetic organisms (including blue-green bacteria, algae, and plants) and fungi.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111 or 219; BIOL 113
BIOL 228 – Animal Diversity
Diversity, form, and function of animals; an overview of the taxonomic diversity of all animals; focused study of selected terrestrial and aquatic taxa, including sponges, cnidarians, annelids, molluscs, arthropods and vertebrates.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 114
BIOL 236 – Microbes and their Environments
Microbes may be small, but they are mighty. They make up ~15% of the biomass on Earth and are critical drivers of ecological processes. This course will introduce the physiological and biochemical diversity of microbes. It will also explore the important roles that microbes play in different environments (soil, water, and within hosts).
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111
lab tba
BIOL 241 – Genetics
An introduction to the structure and behaviour of chromosomes, genes and DNA; and to the processes of heredity and the mechanisms by which genetic information is transmitted and expressed in animals (including humans), plants and micro-organisms. Introduction to population genetics and DNA technologies.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111 (X) BMSC 241
BIOL 243 – Physiology and Pathology 1
The functioning and roles of the peripheral nervous system and endocrine/neuroendocrine systems in the control of activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney and reproductive systems. The emphasis is on human physiology. For these systems, mechanisms of disease (pathological processes) will be presented alongside normal and abnormal physiology.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111, 114; one of CHEM 113-121 (X) BIOL 253
BIOL 244 – Introductory Biochemistry
An introduction to the relationship between structure and function of proteins, including catalysis and its regulation; the mechanisms and roles of metabolic processes in the interconversion of molecules in animals, plants and micro-organisms.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111; CHEM 113 or 114 or 121 (X) BIOL/BMSC 239, 240, BMSC 244
BIOL 252 – Cell and Developmental Biology
Have you ever wanted to become a “parent” of sea urchin embryos or transform stem cells? In this course we build on topics introduced in first year cell biology, you will explore the structure and behaviour of cells in terms of underlying molecular events, and the role of cells in the physiology and development of the whole organism. You will refine your skills in data analysis and reporting, communication, critical and creative thinking, alongside creating sea urchin embryos in your first lab!
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111, 114 (X) BMSC 252
BIOL 253 – Physiology and Pathology for Health
The functioning and roles of the peripheral nervous system and endocrine/neuroendocrine systems in the control of activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney and reproductive systems. The emphasis is on human physiology. For these systems, mechanisms of disease (pathological processes) will be presented alongside normal and abnormal physiology.
15 pts • (P) BIOL 111, 114; one of CHEM 113-121 (C) 60 MIDW points (X) BIOL 243
Not offered in 2025
BIOL 271 – Introductory Marine Ecology
An introductory course focusing on marine biology and ecology. This course introduces students to: the diversity and physiology of marine organisms; biological oceanography; the structure and function of marine ecosystems such as the deep sea, polar seas, rocky shores, mangrove forests and coral reefs and marine conservation issues.
20 pts • (P) 60 pts including BIOL 114
BIOL 314 – Island Ecology & Evolution - International Field Course in Biological Sciences
This course will put New Zealand's biota in a broader evolutionary context by investigating how our flora and fauna has evolved after reaching Lord Howe Island (LHI). A week long field trip to LHI will teach advanced principles of evolution, island ecology and conservation covered in preliminary lectures. This field trip typically takes place in the mid-year break. Note additional field costs of around $3,000 for the course.
15 pts • (P) BIOL/GEOG 222 and 15 200-level BIOL, ENVI or STAT pts or permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
BIOL 325 – Global Change Biology: The Ecology of Our Planet Under Stress
An introduction to the ecophysiological responses of plants and animals to environmental and anthropogenic stress, with an emphasis on the effects of changes in global climate and land use. The course focuses on biological functions as they are affected by interactions with their physical, chemical and biotic environments.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level BIOL pts
BIOL 327 – Population and Community Ecology
This course will cover practical and conceptual approaches to the study of plant and animal ecology covering population dynamics, community structure and ecosystem ecology.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/GEOG 222, 15 200-level BIOL, ENVI or STAT pts
BIOL 328 – Behaviour and Conservation Ecology
This course will cover the behaviour and conservation ecology of animals and plants. The course will include ethology and sociobiology, and ecological, genetic and biogeographic principles relevant to biological conservation. Topics will incorporate pest control, environmental impact assessment, and conservation priority ranking. Case studies and issues of topical interest will be debated.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/GEOG 222, 15 200-level BIOL, ENVI or STAT pts
BIOL 329 – Evolution
Origin and development of concepts about biological history including the establishment of modern experimental methods for understanding pattern and process in the origin of new species.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level BIOL, BMSC, BTEC pts
BIOL 340 – Genes and Genomes
Recombinant DNA technology, biotechnology, gene organisation, expression, chemical genetics and evolution in higher organisms, bioinformatics and comparative genomics.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/BMSC 241, 244 (X) BMSC 340
BIOL 370 – Field Marine Ecology
A research-based course of sampling, analysis and independent projects, which includes several days of intensive field work and laboratories. PLEASE NOTE: There are two different streams of this course, one focussed on intertidal ecology, and one on subtidal ecology. Both streams will run at some point from late January to late February with exact dates varying from year-to-year to accommodate tide times. Please see details for each stream in the course content description below.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 271, STAT 292 (X) BIOL 272, 373; SCIE 304 in 2018-2020.
^ Limited entry course
BIOL 371 – Marine Ecology
Focusing on marine system quantitative ecology; teaching encourages students to think critically while investigating ecological processes and impacts upon population dynamics and community structure across various marine settings (e.g. soft shores, rocky and coral reefs). The course emphasises quantitative methods including design, statistical analysis and interpretation of field experiments and observational studies.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 271, STAT 292
BIOL 372 – Applied Marine Biology
Focusing on applied marine biology, you will be introduced to a wide range of human impacts on the marine environment. We will explore the diverse management strategies, approaches, and tools available globally to manage these impacts. Zealand.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 228, 271
BIOL 373 – Tropical Field Marine Ecology
An intensive research-based field course to the tropical island of Moorea, French Polynesia, involving underwater fieldwork, sampling, analysis and independent projects. The field component of this course runs in T1, over Easter/mid-trimester break; additional class meetings will occur throughout the term. This is an equivalent offering to BIOL370 (Field Marine Ecology), but with emphasis on coral reefs and subtidal ecology. Course entry requires strong swimming skills, specialist equipment, documents permitting international travel, and payment of a supplemental fee ($5000) to cover costs of airfares and accommodation.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 271, STAT 292 (X) BIOL 272, 370; SCIE 304 in 2018-2020
Not offered in 2025
Biomedical Science
BMSC 116 – Sex and Evolution
This course examines broad evolutionary themes in relation to mating patterns,gamete and early development. Examples will be taken from plants and a range of animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate. Human pregnancy and birth will also be examined. Tutorial workshops are an opportunity to discuss and explore selected topics in more depth. The course introduces basic aspects of human anatomy, physiology, genetics and psychology, and is thus a stepping-stone to advanced courses in these subjects.
15 pts • (X) BIOL 116
Not offered in 2025
BMSC 117 – The Biology of Disease
The nature and origin of disease. Bacteria and viruses: structure, identification and classification. Mechanisms of infection, pathogenesis, virulence, host susceptibility, immunity, epidemiology.Control strategies, new technologies. New organisms. Invertebrate and fungal parasites. Ecological and cultural aspects of disease.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
SCIE 105 – The Molecular Science of Life
Explore the molecular basis of human health and everyday life. You will learn about atomic and molecular structure and how this relates to the function of blood. Topics include electrolytes and osmolarity, blood group determinants, gas transport, blood pH, the molecules and chemistry of blood tests, and metabolic imbalances that lead to diseases that are commonly screened for using blood. This course is designed to support students from a range of backgrounds, including the health sciences. No previous chemistry experience needed. This course can be taken fully online, although in-person workshop sessions will be provided to assist with student learning.
15 pts • (X) SCIE 103 in 2022
BMSC 301 – Medical Microbiology
This course charts the development of the microbiology field up to the present day. The course features an in-depth investigation of microorganisms at the genetic and phenotypic levels and examines their role in infectious diseases. Students will acquire practical experience in the characterisation and identification of microbes using both classical and modern techniques. This course includes six 4-hour laboratory classes. Students are advised to check the laboratory class times before course enrolment.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/BMSC 244 or BTEC 201
BMSC 334 – Cell and Immunobiology
The cellular and molecular basis of the immune system, its organisation, reactions and controls in health and disease. Topics covered include the activation, differentiation and control of specific cell functions and immunological methods in research.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/BMSC 241, 252 (X) BIOL 334
BMSC 335 – Physiology and Pathology 2
Cellular, organismal and integrative physiology of the human gastrointestinal tract, liver, muscle, neurophysiology, reproduction and human development. Diseases of these systems will also be described.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/BMSC 243 (X) BIOL 335
BMSC 339 – Cellular Regulation
The overall theme is a consideration of molecular processes that affect normal cell structure and function. Abnormalities, including cancer, are also described.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/BMSC 244, 252; (X) BIOL 339
BMSC 343 – Advanced Genetics
A survey of experimental approaches in genetics, from classical screens to genome-wide analyses, examining a variety of genetic model organisms and their specific applications, cytogenetics, chromosomal abnormalities and associated genetic counselling issues in humans. Fundamentals are applied to searches for complex disease genes, and understanding genetic variation in human populations.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/BMSC 241; (X) BIOL 343, BIOL/BMSC 341, 342
BMSC 354 – Pharmacology
Where do new therapeutic agents come from and how do they work? You will investigate the world of drug discovery and development from traditional medicines through to genome mining. We will explore how drugs interact with receptors and cause therapeutically beneficial change, as well as how transport and metabolism influence drug availability. Along the way, you will design and carry out experiments, and pick your own path through an in-class project. Through this course you will build your skills in critical thinking, developing intellectual autonomy, and integrating complex ideas.
20 pts • (P) 35 points from (BIOL/BMSC 243, 244, CHEM 115, 201)
Biotechnology
See also Biological Sciences
BTEC 101 – Introduction to Biotechnology
The aims of this course are to provide a solid understanding of the pure and applied science underlying the biotechnology industry, and to provide insight into the cultural and ethical values, and economic and political issues, that this science must align with. Particular focus in lectures will be given to the techniques and applications of recombinant biotechnology in microbes, plants & animals; harnessing natural resources; health-related biotechnology; reproductive biotechnology; environmental biotechnology; and regulation of biotechnology.
15 pts
BTEC 201 – Molecular Biotechnology
The aims of this course are to introduce the biotechnology industry, through examples of biotechnological innovation, introduction to microbial, plant and animal biotechnology, harnessing natural resources, health-related biotechnology and placing these in the context of cultural and ethical values and political issues. A key focus will be the understanding of important biotechnological processes and events at a molecular level.
20 pts • (P) BIOL 111, BTEC 101
BTEC 301 – Biotechnological Techniques and Processes
The aims of this course are to provide a solid understanding of the pure and applied science underlying the biotechnology industry, and to provide insight into the cultural and ethical values, and economic and political issues, that this science must align with. Particular focus in lectures will be given to the techniques and processes involved in development of therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics, and to stem cell and genetic technologies. A six-week laboratory component will provide hands-on experience with key techniques and concepts introduced in both BTEC 201 and BTEC 301.
20 pts • (P) BTEC 201
Building Science
SARC 111 – Introduction to Design Processes / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Mahi Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce concepts and processes used in human environments. These concepts and processes are examined in relation to the physical, social and cultural contexts in which designers operate.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 112 – Design Processes / Ngā Tukanga
Studio-based projects explore how abstract concepts of formal and spatial composition can be used to create habitable places. Discipline-specific modules introduce concepts and processes which are particular to architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
SARC 121 – Introduction to Built Environment Technology / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Whare Hangahanga
An introduction to fundamental structural and constructional principles for designed environments, with particular emphasis on establishing an understanding of the mutual dependencies between design intentions, structural performance and construction materials and systems.
15 pts
SARC 122 – Introduction to Environmental Design Sciences/ He Timatanga Kōrero mō te Taiao Hoahoa
An introduction to the fundamental principles of environmentally-sensitive design, with respect to both interior and exterior designed environments (and their interactions).
15 pts
SARC 131 – Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Whakaora i Te Taiao Hangahanga
The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact and social equity.
15 pts
SARC 151 – Introduction to Design History and Theory / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho i te ao Whakarākei
Introduction to the major historical and theoretical influences shaping the contemporary built environment.
15 pts
SARC 161 – Introduction to Design Communication / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi Ngātahi i Te Ao Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce principles, media and techniques used in the representation of three-dimensional design concepts. The studio component emphasises conventions for describing formal and spatial subjects in scaled drawings, physical models, digital models and text.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 162 – Design Communication / Te Whakarākei me te Mahi Ngātahi
Studio-based projects explore principles, media and techniques used in the representation of two and three-dimensional design concepts. Students are introduced to the communication conventions of architecture, building science, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
BILD 222 – Structural Systems for Building Science / Te Whakamahinga o nga Rauemi mo Hanga putaiao
Introduction to the basic structural principles and material properties that underpin the fabric of natural and constructed environments. The course presents the basic requirements for structural systems; structural form and proportion; equilibrium; strength of materials; bending and shear; combined stresses; elasticity, plasticity and ductility; elastic deformation; buckling; structural design principles; and elementary soil mechanics.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 122 (X) ARCI 222
BILD 231 – Environmental Design / Hoahoa Taiao
This course examines types of environmental engineering systems used in buildings and urban settings, outlining the principles underlying their design and selection, together with their planning implications. Systems to be covered include: energy supply; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; electricity distribution; lighting; water supply and drainage; waste disposal and recycling.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122
BILD 251 – History of Building Technology / Ngā Whanaketanga a te Ao Hangahanga
The historical, social and economic development of construction methods, materials and systems. The impact, relevance and importance of the scientific, industrial and information technology revolutions. Trends in the international development of building technology, with a primary focus on New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121 or 151
BILD 261 – Building Project Management Economics / Te Whakahaere i te Ōhanga o ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare
Economic problems and the tools of economic analysis, demand, supply, competition, structure, profitability and production in the New Zealand building and construction industry. The impact of Government policy, investment evaluation and lifecycle costing of buildings.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts 100-level SARC
BILD 262 – Building Project Management Cost Planning / Te Whakahaere me te Whakamahere ā-utu i ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare
This course examines concepts of building cost planning and its theory and application in New Zealand. An overview of the principles of estimation, the standard method of measurement, schedules of quantities, elemental analysis, IT cost estimation and financial analysis.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
SARC 212 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Te Waihanga me Ngā Momo Hangarau
Studio-based survey of concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry and their creative application in the design of furniture and furnished environments.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 111 or SARC 112
SARC 214 – Seeing Architecture through Photography / Te Kitenga o te Hoahoa Whare mā te Whakaahua
This course examines architectural photography as a medium of communication within architectural discourse. Emphasising formal literacy in photographic analysis and image-making, students will explore photography as both a means of 'seeing' and as a method for analysing the fundamental elements and systems that order our experience of buildings, interiors and landscapes.
15 pts • (P) 75 points; (X) SARC 281 (2021)
SARC 216 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment I / Hanga taiao - he kākāno
Studio-based design projects focused on mātauranga Māori, including kaupapa, histories and Māori design strategies. This course will connect into the three design-focussed disciplines in Architecture – Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture - and provide students with specialist Māori knowledge and skills to augment the discipline-specific technical/skills-based learning required for the respective design discipline.
30 pts • (P) ARCI/INTA/LAND 211; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 212
SARC 221 – Building Materials and Construction / Te Waihanga me ngā Momo Rauemi
Buildings are studied as assemblages of distinct yet interrelated systems. Students explore basic materials and methods of construction, gaining insight to structural and other performance outcomes. Construction is discussed as a dimension in the overall design activity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 131
SARC 223 – Human Environmental Science / Te Āhurutanga o te Taiao
The course covers methods of achieving building environmental conditions that relate to the requirements of building users. The course covers climatic analysis and specifications of the environmental performance of buildings, together with the thermal, visual, acoustic, and aerodynamic principles of building elements; plus the services systems required to control and maintain these conditions.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122; (X) BILD 223 in 2010-2020; SARC 281 in 2014-2017
SARC 224 – Fire Safety Design / Te Tinihanga a Mahuika
Basic principles of design to ensure the safety of people in buildings during a fire. The implications for building form, layout and interiors on escape route design, statutory requirements, and alternative solutions as means of compliance.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
Not offered in 2025
SARC 232 – Sustainability in the Built Environment / Te toitūtanga i te hanganga
The philosophical, conceptual and contextual basis of sustainable and regenerative design. Content includes material on the ecological and environmental challenges to society in the present and future; resource stewardship and the effective utilisation of materials; working with nature and natural systems; well-being enhancement; green, sustainable and regenerative design.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level SARC pts; (X) BILD 232
SARC 233 – Environment and Behaviour / Ngā Huatanga o te Taiao
Study of the interaction between human behaviour and the design of the physical environment related to age, gender, culture and occupation. Content scopes across physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects and activity patterns.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
Not offered in 2025
SARC 252 – Building Heritage Conservation / Te Tiaki i ngā Whare Toitū
An introduction to building conservation with emphasis on New Zealand's architectural heritage. The course introduces systems of assessment, interpretation, management, and documentation of culturally significant buildings. Attention is given to issues raised by contemporary modification of buildings and implications on historic integrity and/or authenticity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
Not offered in 2025
SARC 261 – Communication / Ngā Kaupapa Hangarau
Studio-based course introduces and develops the representation of design concepts of projects, with a focus on drawing and modelling by means of analogue and digital media. Emphasis is placed on developing effective graphic communication techniques for design and implementation.
15 pts • (P) SARC 161 and 162
BILD 321 – Sustainable Engineering Systems Design / Ngā Punaha Whakarauora i te Taiao
This course addresses the interaction between buildings and the environment in the achievement of comfort, performance and sustainability and the design of appropriate sustainable engineering systems at the building scale.
15 pts • (P) BILD 231, SARC (or BILD) 232
BILD 322 – Structures / Ngā Āhuatanga Whare
Qualitative analysis of indeterminate structures; introduction to earthquake resistant design of buildings; structural loads and load paths; advanced reinforced concrete, timber and structural steel design and construction concepts.
15 pts • (P) BILD 222
BILD 361 – Project Management / Ngā Kaupapa Whakahaere
The theory, practice and current technologies of project management from implementation through to delivery, including project constraints, cost planning and control, critical path, consultation, administration and quality control.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
BILD 362 – Construction Law / Ngā Ture Waihanga
The New Zealand legal system relating to land, buildings and the construction industry, including the law of torts, copyright, property, contracts, professional liability and arbitration.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
BILD 364 – Building Code Compliance / Ngā Ture Whakaruruhau
Means of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code, building on technical knowledge gained in other courses. Means of compliance are: Acceptable Solutions, Verification Methods and Certification, and Performance Based Design.
15 pts • (P) one of LAND 221 or SARC 221; (X) SARC 364, SARC 464
SARC 302 – Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation / Ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare Herehere
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons. International examples will be drawn on. Particular attention will be paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) SARC 223; (X) SARC 368 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 328 in 2020; SARC 468 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 428 in 2020
SARC 311 – Exhibition Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Mahi Whakaaturanga
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the exhibition field. Students will undertake exhibition design projects.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INDN/INTA/LAND 212, BILD 232 or SARC 216, 232.
Not offered in 2025
SARC 312 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Waihanga Taputapu Whare
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points from the BAS or BDI schedules (X) SARC 412
SARC 313 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment II / Hanga taiao - he rito
Studio-based contemporary design issues focused on mātauranga Māori. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology. This course will connect the three disciplines of Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture, to provide students with the specific technical/skills-based learning required for these three disciplines.
15 pts • (P) SARC 216; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 311
SARC 315 – Critical Urbanism Aotearoa New Zealand / Tātari Kāinga Rua
This course critically explores concepts and practices which have influenced the production of space, form and meaning in Aotearoa New Zealand cities. Current urban issues and their relationship to historical and contemporary political, socio-cultural and environmental paradigms are examines alongside emerging urban practices motivated by justness.
15 pts • (P) 60 points at 200- level from the BAS or BBSc schedules or permission of Head of School
SARC 320 – Topic in Digital Computation / Tātai Hangarau
.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 321 – Construction / Te Mahi Waihanga
Medium-scale building construction with relevant building materials, key elements, construction technologies, construction sequences and building processes.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
SARC 323 – Colour, Pattern, Light / Ngā Āhuatanga o te Ata me te Pō
Study of colour, pattern and lighting concepts and technologies and their meaning, role and creative applications.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 212 or SARC 216
SARC 328 – Topic in Current Research in Architecture / Ngā Rangahau o te Wā i te Mahi Whakarākei / Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons, including film, digital and heritage representations of prisons. International examples will be drawn on, but there will be particular attention paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 331 – Sustainable and Regenerative Design / Te Whakarauoratanga o ngā Mahi Whakarākei
This course explores sustainable and regenerative design principles and applications across a range of designed and built environments. Emphasis is on operation at the leading edge of theoretical and philosophical thinking in the field and to explore and employ critical thinking and innovative solutions. The Living Building Challenge will provide a key reference point for the work in the course.
15 pts • (P) SARC (or BILD) 232 (X) BILD 331;
SARC 351 – Urban Design Theory and Practice / Te Mahi me ngā Kōrero o te Ao Kikokiko
Introduction to the history, theory and practice of urban design. Conceptual tools and practices for analyzing, designing and implementing change in the built environment of cities.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
SARC 352 – Pacific Designed Environments / Ngā Taiao o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Introduction to issues relating to designed and built environments of the Pacific region. Examination of contemporary conditions within a wider spatial and historical framework. In addition to a central focus on the settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand, course material extends to other cultures within the greater Pacific rim.
15 pts • (P) one of ARCI 251, BILD 251, INTA 251, LAND 251 or GLBL 201
SARC 353 – History of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero o Mua o Te Mahi Whakarākei
Examines paradigm shifts in architectural thinking. Course material emphasises enduring examples of great architecture which reflect the prevailing social and cultural standards of their respective periods.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
Not offered in 2025
SARC 354 – Heritage Conservation / Ngā Mahi Tiaki i ngā Whare Whakaniko
This course introduces the why, what and how of heritage conservation. Historic and contemporary approaches to heritage conservation are discussed with recent case studies (including building visits) used as vehicles for the discussion. The purpose and role of a Conservation Plan is explored. Research methods for eliciting historical information specific to a building or interior are introduced and practised. Methods of assessing heritage significance and value and of making recommendations for conservation activity are explored.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC; (X) SARC 454
SARC 362 – Introduction to Practice and Management / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi me Te Whakahaere
Management and procurement/development, examining the theories and ideas that underpin planning, organising, directing and controlling the use of resources over time. Topics include the principles of management, organisational development, basic finance, costing, development feasibility, valuation theory and quantitative analysis relevant to the construction industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
SARC 363 – Digital Representation and Documentation / Te Mahi a te Ao Hangarau
Computer applications as aids to visualisation and information management.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc, BDI schedules; (X) SARC 463
SARC 365 – Drawing / He Tuhituhi
Studio-based course covering creative and interpretive aspects of drawing with an emphasis on developing analytical and critical interrogation through manual graphic processes and across a range of subjects, media types and applied subjects. Discussed as principles and expanded upon in application, are the conventions and standards of architectural representation common to drawing practice.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 211
^ Limited entry course
SARC 371 – International Field Study / Te Mahi a te Ao Whānui
A cross-cultural design exploration of designed spaces and sites with special emphasis on understanding why and how they are uniquely formed by the historical and cultural contexts they are part of and the design inspiration that can be derived from such understanding.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC pts; (X) SARC 471
SARC 384 – Special Topic: Design Thinking Business
This course examines ways that business contributes to architecture and design enterprises. It also reviews a range of ways that creative strategic design-thinking contributes to various business enterprises. The course will look at how this is applied to architecture by looking at essential business concepts, tactics for starting practices and strategies for growing an established enterprise. In business application, it examines design-based concepts around Lean, Agile, Design Thinking and Scrum. The combined learnings will provide graduates with tools to open new business opportunities inside design and architecture, plus a broader set of transferable design-thinking skills to take into other businesses.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS and BDI schedules; (X) SARC 484
SARC 386 – Special Topic: Retail Experience Architectural Design
Investigate the future of retail design relevant to the 21st century, including research concepts underlying ethical branding, products and scripting of customer journeys. Develop a design proposal for the composition and atmosphere of retail space providing extraordinary customer experience for a brand and its products.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or BILD 251 or INTA 212 or LAND 212
SARC 387 – Independent Study / Kaupapa Rangahau Motuhake
This course is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes. Independent Study Projects are available under exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of head of school
SARC 388 – Psychology and Behaviour in the Built Environment / Te Mātai Hinengaro me te Whanonga i ngā Whare Hangahanga
Application of psychological theory, principles and research to the study of human interaction with the built environment across a range of settings. This course focuses on how to improve usability, health, well-being and work performance in relationship to space and place. The course covers human and environment interaction theory, systems theory, psychology and design research methods, consequences of poorly informed design decisions and environmental stressors.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc schedules or GLBL 201 (X) SARC 384, 484 (2017-2019)
Business and Government
BCOM 101 – Identifying Grand Challenges in Business and Government
BCOM 101 is the first in a sequence of "Grand Challenges" courses, providing a foundation for the knowledge, tools and experience required to address grand challenges in Aotearoa New Zealand and the world. The course will: introduce a grand challenge framework; explore how business and government relate (positively and negatively); and consider the important role of different disciplines and perspectives in addressing grand challenges. You will engage with experts to discuss, debate and share ideas on who is affected and how, who has the power to support or inhibit change, and what actions are available to make progress on grand challenges.
15 pts
BCOM 102 – Introducing Essential Tools for Study and Work in Business and Government
A focus on developing tools for success, including: working effectively individually and in teams, understanding tikanga, workplace te reo, how to present yourself in a professional way, self-management, note-taking, information seeking and appraisal; communicating in different form and cultural contexts; developing your ability with analytical tools: data literacy and technological agility (for example, spreadsheet skills, algorithms, and AI); understanding Aotearoa New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements and sources of law, including the Treaty of Waitangi and their implications for business and government; and understanding expectations and standards, and the role of ethical practice in study and work.
15 pts
Chemistry
See also Biomedical Science
CHEM 113 – Concepts of Chemistry
CHEM 113 investigates electronic structures and properties of atoms, bonding and periodic trends. This knowledge will be applied to chemical processes including equilibria, redox reactions, transformations of acids and bases and organic reactions leading to an understanding why reactions occur. You will study the properties of organic compounds including nomenclature, isomerism, and the identification and reactivity of organic functional groups.
15 pts • (X) CHEM 114, 115, 121, 122
CHEM 121 – Chemistry of Life
CHEM 121 is designed for you to understand fundamental chemistry and how it is applied to the biological sciences. This course will cover core chemistry topics including principles of atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding and reactivity, thermodynamics and kinetics. You will explore the application of chemistry in biologically relevant systems.
15 pts • (P) CHEM 113 or 16 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Chemistry including 2 external standards, or equivalent background (X) CHEM 114
CHEM 122 – Chemistry of Matter, Energy and the Environment
CHEM 122 considers the chemical structure and properties of matter and uses this knowledge to explore the energetics of chemical processes and how this relates to the modern energy landscape. You will then apply this knowledge to investigate the chemistry of environmental systems. A central theme that is embedded within all topics is how chemical technologies can be used for our sustainable future.
15 pts • (P) CHEM 113 or 16 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Chemistry including two external standards, or equivalent background; MATH 132 or B+ or better in (STAT 193 or QUAN 102) or 12 Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Mathematics including one of 91575, 91577, 91578 or 91579
CHEM 191 – Introductory Chemistry
This summer bridging course provides basic chemical concepts and laboratory skills as a preparation for the study of chemistry at university level. It is designed for those with little or no background in chemistry or to be a refresher course for those who have studied chemistry in the past. In this course you will study the big ideas of science and chemistry, explore the fundamental building blocks of matter, and the connections between energy and reactions. You will also investigate these concepts whilst building your practical skills over a three day block in the laboratory.
15 pts • (X) CHEM 113, 114, 121, 122
CHEM 207 – Experimental Chemistry and Spectroscopy
Chemistry is a science embedded within the physical world. In this practical, laboratory-based course, you will gain hands-on experience in modern chemical experimental approaches. You will develop skills in safe chemical handling, using and analysing instrumental data, and will link macroscopic observation with the microscopic world of chemicals. Additionally, workshops and computer simulations will supplement your learning in how to interpret complex data patters to identify molecules and their behaviours at the atomic scale.
20 pts • (P) 15 points from CHEM 121, 122 (or 114, 115) (X) CHEM 205 or 206
CHEM 208 – Chemistry of Life: Organic, Biomolecular and Medicinal Chemistry
Explore the structure and reactivity of organic and biomolecular compounds pertinent to metabolic processes and medicines. You will learn about molecular structure, reaction mechanisms, and spectroscopy, and the application of these concepts to the chemistry of alkene, carbonyl, alkyl, and aromatic compounds. The relevance of this chemistry to drug development and understanding the molecular foundations of living systems will be exemplified.
20 pts • (P) 15 points from CHEM 121 (or 114); (X) CHEM 201
CHEM 210 – Chemistry: Matter and Reactivity
Explore key topics for understanding chemical systems; from molecules to materials, their reactions, changes and transformations. Gain a fundamental ramework for how and why molecules/materials exist in the forms they do. Explore how energy and light are important to chemical systems and chemical reactivity. Understand the reactions molecules/materials undergo, and the reasons, dynamics and "why" of chemical change. Real-world examples illustrate chemical applications.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 122 (or 114); (X) CHEM 202 or 203
CHEM 307 – Advanced Experimental Techniques
Refine and expand your experimental and computational skills, exploring practical aspects of chemistry. Choose to build techniques across the breadth of chemistry or focus on medicinal chemistry related areas (depending on your individual interests and background). You will develop synthetic, computational and instrumental analysis skills, and investigate principles of measurement. You will also develop communication skills through the presentation of technical information and data in written, digital and oral formats.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 207 (or one of CHEM 205, 206) (X) CHEM 305 or CHEM 306
CHEM 308 – Chemistry of Life: Molecules and Mechanisms
Explore the structure and reactivity of organic compounds. You will learn about molecular tructure and reactivity through spectroscopy, reactions of carbohydrate compounds, pericyclic chemistry, mechanistic principles and retrosynthesis.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 208 (or 201); (X) CHEM 301
CHEM 309 – Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry
Explore the use of chemical tools for the study of biochemical pathways and the development of pharmaceutical drugs. Topics will include the design and synthesis of chemical probes, principles of medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, biosynthesis and an introduction to synthetic strategy.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 208 (or 201)
Not offered in 2025
CHEM 310 – Reactivity, Molecules and Materials
Explore the structure and reactivity of molecules and materials. You will learn about molecular structures, material structures, and their reactivities, properties and applications. The course discusses structure-property relationships as a foundation towards molecular reactivities, and materials applications in advanced technologies.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 210 or (CHEM 202 and CHEM 203) (X) any of CHEM 302, 303 or CHEM 311, 312 in 2024
CHEM 311 – Special Topic: Chemistry of Materials
This course will enable students that lack the full prerequisites for CHEM 322 to do the inorganic and materials sections of CHEM 322, in combination with a directed individual study component. The course explores the structure and reactivity of molecules and materials. You will learn about molecular structures, material structures, and their properties and applications. The course discusses structure-property relationships, and materials applications in advanced technologies.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 202; (X) CHEM 222, CHEM 302, 322, 341
CHEM 312 – Special Topic: Chemical Reactivity of Materials
This course will enable students that lack the full prerequisites for CHEM 322 to do the reactivity and materials sections of CHEM 322, in combination with a directed individual study component. The course explores the structure and reactivity of molecules and materials. You will learn about molecular structures, material structures, and their properties and applications. The course discusses structure-property relationships as a foundation towards molecular reactivities, and materials applications in advanced technologies.
20 pts • (P) CHEM 203; (X) CHEM 222, CHEM 302, 322
Chinese
ASIA 111 – Introduction to Asian Histories and Cultures
Asia is significant to New Zealand’s future. But how much do you know about this incredibly vast, dynamic and diverse region? In this course we will discuss key societal aspects of Northeast, Southeast and South Asia. You will learn about the basic characteristics of the cultures including geographical locations, peoples, religions, histories and traditions. This course will allow you to understand the challenges and opportunities that lie in the region and will prepare you to continue study in many areas with an international focus, such as International Relations, International Business, Languages, Security Studies, or Global Studies. This course will suit all students who are interested in an internationally focussed degree and future career.
20 pts
CHIN 101 – Chinese Language 1A
This is a beginners Chinese (Mandarin) course developing basics in reading, writing, speaking and listening in Modern Standard Chinese, using pinyin and simplified characters. Various aspects of Chinese culture will also be introduced. This course is designed for students with no previous knowledge of the language.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Chinese
CHIN 102 – Chinese Language 1B
This course is a continuation of CHIN 101, further developing students' Chinese (Mandarin) language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening at an elementary level. Various aspects of Chinese culture will also be introduced.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 101
CHIN 112 – Introduction to Chinese Civilisation
This is a survey course introducing some of the salient features of Chinese civilisation from prehistoric times to the present century. Topics include literature, thought and scholarship, religious beliefs, art, and the cultural and social achievements of the main dynasties.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
CHIN 201 – Chinese Language 2A
This course builds on the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills acquired in CHIN 102. Special attention is placed on developing students’ ability to communicate in Chinese in basic social interactions and in further understanding Chinese society and culture through discussions on selected topics.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 102; (X) CHIN 211
CHIN 202 – Chinese Language 2B
As for CHIN 201, with further development of students' Chinese communication skills and their understanding of Chinese language and culture.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 201 or 211; (X) CHIN 212
CHIN 213 – Chinese Culture Through Literature and Film
A study of key aspects of Chinese culture through analysis of selected literary texts and films in their social and historical context. No prior knowledge of Chinese language is necessary.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
CHIN 301 – Chinese Language 3A
This course builds on the language skills acquired at 200 level. Cultural topics reinforce understanding of the language and people.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 202 or 212; (X) CHIN 311
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 302 – Chinese Language 3B
The further study of language skills with translation both from and into Chinese, and communication in Chinese.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 301 or 311; (X) CHIN 312
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 313 – Classical Chinese Language and Literature
An introductory course in the classical language, employing selected historical and philosophical texts from the pre-Qin and Han periods. Students are also instructed in the use of a range of sinological reference materials.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 202 or 212
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 314 – Advanced Chinese Composition and Translation
A course for native speakers and advanced learners of Chinese that gives emphasis to written Chinese composition, both formal and informal, along with practical translation both to and from Chinese.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 302 or 312
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
Classical Performance
PERF 101 – Performance Principal Study 1A
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) Audition (X) PERF 120, 121, 130;
PERF 102 – Performance Principal Study 1B
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 or audition; (X) PERF 120, 121, 130
PERF 105 – Performance Skills 1A
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) P One of PERF 101, 102, 106, or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 106 – Performance Skills 1B
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) One of PERF 101, 102, 105 or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 165 – Project in Performance 1A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 166 – Project in Performance 1B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 167 – Project in Performance 1C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
10 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 168 – Project in Performance 1D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
10 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 201 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 202 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 205 – Performance Skills 2A
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 206 – Performance Skills 2B
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 207 – Performance Extended Skills 2A
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include Latin and jazz fusion ensembles.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (X) PERF 210, 223, 224;
Not offered in 2025
PERF 208 – Performance Extended Skills 2B
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include conducting, Latin and jazz fusion ensembles. In 2024, only the classical stream is offered.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (for latin/fusion); or two of MUSC 166, 167, 266 (for conducting); (X) PERF 210, 223, 224
PERF 211 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102 (X) PERF 220, 221;
PERF 212 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 220, 221
PERF 255 – Performance in Ethnomusicology: Māori Music/Gamelan
In this course you will learn about the music and culture of the Asia-Pacific region through hands-on engagement with either Māori music or Javanese Gamelan. By participating in rehearsals and performances, and researching the broader social context of the music, you will develop a holistic and experiential understanding of one of these rich and dynamic musical traditions. No audition is required to take the course. In 2024, only the Gamelan is offered.
15 pts • (P) 40 100-level points (X) PERF 151, 250, 251, 252;
PERF 265 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 266 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 267 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 268 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 301 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3A
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202 (X) PERF 330;
PERF 302 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3B
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202; (X) PERF 330
PERF 305 – Performance Skills 3A
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 306 – Performance Skills 3B
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 307 – Performance Extended Skills 3A
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101, PERF 102, PERF 105 and PERF 106, or by audition (X) PERF 324
Not offered in 2025
PERF 308 – Performance Extended Skills 3B
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212, or audition; (X) PERF 324
PERF 311 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3A
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212 (X) PERF 320;
PERF 312 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3B
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212; (X) PERF 320
PERF 365 – Advanced Project in Performance 3A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
20 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 366 – Advanced Project in Performance 3B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 367 – Advanced Project in Performance 3C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 368 – Advanced Project in Performance 3D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Classical Studies, Greek and Latin
CLAS 106 – Ancient Civilisations: the Greeks and the Romans
The origins of Western culture in Ancient Europe: an introduction to ancient Greek and Roman civilization – history, war and conquest, politics, society, and culture.
20 pts • (X) CLAS 104, 105
CLAS 111 – Myth and Mythologies
CLAS 111 is a study of ancient myth in literature (poetry, drama, historiography, and other genres) and art. We will explore different ways of interpreting myths and seek to understand the meaning of myths in their contexts. Prominent themes include creation, gods, heroes, sex/gender, violence, and civilization.
20 pts • (X) CLAS 204, 304
GREE 101 – Introduction to Greek
An introduction to ancient Greek for beginners, with emphasis on the acquisition of basic reading skills.
20 pts • (X) GREE 112
Not offered in 2025
GREE 102 – Elementary Greek
A study of ancient Greek, assuming basic reading skills, with emphasis on the reading of texts in Attic Greek.
20 pts • (P) GREE 101 or 112; (X) GREE 113
Not offered in 2025
LATI 101 – Introduction to Latin
An introduction to the Latin Language for beginners, with emphasis on the acquisition of basic reading skills.
20 pts • (X) LATI 103
Not offered in 2025
LATI 102 – Elementary Latin
A study of Latin, assuming basic reading skills, with emphasis on the reading of selected texts.
20 pts • (P) LATI 101 or 103 or a required standard in Latin; (X) LATI 104
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 201 – Death, Dying and Disposal in Ancient Greece
This course examines ancient Greek attitudes and practices regarding death and dying through a wide range of different material, including material culture, literature, and historical sources. Topics include burial practices, 'good' and 'bad' deaths, mythical explorations of death, philosophical approaches, and views of the afterlife.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 301; CLAS 314 in 2018
CLAS 203 – Greek and Roman Drama
A study of the Greek and Roman dramatists with special emphasis on the theatrical techniques of the authors and the means of production in the ancient theatre. Co-taught with CLAS 303. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 303
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 205 – Anthony and Cleopatra
A close study, through history, literature, and art, of the lives and careers of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, with special attention given to their legacy both in the immediate aftermath of the age of Augustus and also in modern literature and art (including film and television).
20 pts • (P) 40 points (X) CLAS 305; CLAS 212 or 312 (2015, 2016, 2018)
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 206 – Animals and Monsters In Ancient Greece and Rome
This course will look at the ways in which animals are represented and used in ancient Greek and Roman literature, myth, art, religion, philosophy and everyday life.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 212 in (2017, 2019, 2021), CLAS 312 in 2017, CLAS 306 in 2023
CLAS 207 – Roman Social History
A study of the main features of Roman social history from the time of Augustus to AD 200. Topics include class structure, law, education, the family, slavery, poverty and public entertainment. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 307
tut tba
CLAS 208 – Greek Society
A study of ancient Greek society, particularly Athens in the Classical period. Topics include sex, gender, politics, education, entertainment, and food and agriculture. Co-taught with CLAS 308.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 308
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 210 – Greek and Roman Epic
The development of Classical Epic, from Homer to Vergil and his successors. What is distinctive about epic artistry and the connection of epic poetry to the societies that value it. Co-taught with CLAS 310. Offered in alternate years. 50% internal assessment, 50% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 310
tut tba
CLAS 211 – Myth and Storytelling
A study of the diverse functions of myth and storytelling in Greek and Roman literature and society, and the intersection of mythical and rational modes of thought.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 311
Not offered in 2025
GREE 201 – Intermediate Greek
An integrated course of literature and language.
20 pts • (P) GREE 102 or 113; (X) GREE 215
GREE 202 – Greek Literature
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) GREE 201 or 215 ; (X) GREE 216
LATI 201 – Latin Literature and Language A
An integrated course of literature and language designed to enhance the ability of students to read Latin more easily and develop an appreciation of Latin Literature.
20 pts • (P) LATI 102 or 104 or a required standard in Latin; (X) LATI 213
LATI 202 – Latin Literature and Language B
An integrated course of literature and language to build on LATI 201 and further develop reading skills and literary appreciation.
20 pts • (P) LATI 201 or 213; (X) LATI 214
CLAS 301 – Death, Dying and Disposal in Ancient Greece
This course examines ancient Greek attitudes a attitudes and practices regarding death and dying through a wide range of different material, including material culture, literature, and historical sources. Topics include burial practices, 'good' and 'bad' deaths, mythical explorations of death, philosophical approaches, and views of the afterlife.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200-299; (X) CLAS 201, CLAS 314 (2018)
CLAS 303 – Greek and Roman Drama
A study of the Greek and Roman dramatists with special emphasis on the theatrical techniques of the authors and the means of production in the ancient theatre.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 203
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 305 – Antony and Cleopatra
A close study, through history, literature, and art, of the lives and careers of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, with special attention given to their legacy both in the immediate aftermath of the age of Augustus and also in modern literature and art (including film and television). Co-taught with CLAS 205.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 205; CLAS 212, 312 in 2015, 2016, 2018
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 306 – Special Topic: Animals and Monsters in ancient Greece and Rome
This course will look at the ways in which animals are represented and used in ancient Greek literature, myth, art, religion and everyday life.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200-299, 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) CLAS 206, CLAS 212, 312 in 2017
CLAS 307 – Roman Social History
A study of the main features of Roman social history from the time of Augustus to AD 200. Topics include class structure, law, education, the family, slavery, poverty and public entertainment. Co-taught with CLAS 207. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 207
tut tba
CLAS 308 – Greek Society
A study of ancient Greek society, particularly Athens in the Classical period. Topics include sex, gender, politics, education, entertainment, and food and agriculture. Co-taught with CLAS 208.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 208
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 310 – Greek and Roman Epic
The development of Classical Epic, from Homer to Vergil and his successors. What is distinctive about epic artistry and the connection of epic poetry to the societies that value it that value it. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 210
tut tba
CLAS 311 – Myth and Storytelling
A study of the diverse functions of myth and storytelling in Greek and Roman literature and society, and the intersection of mythical and rational modes of thought. Co-taught with CLAS 211. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 211
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 312 – Special Topic: Urbs and Spaces: Exploring the Ancient Roman City
The city of Rome was central to the Roman empire ideologically as well as geographically. This course uses archaeological and literary evidence to examine both Rome and other important cities in the empire as spaces of human activity, places imbued with memory and meaning, and figures important in thought and literature.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299
tut tba
CLAS 315 – Directed Individual Study
Students will undertake an approved, supervised programme of research and study on a selected theme/topic in Classical Studies.
20 pts • (P) permission of the programme director
^ Limited entry course
CLAS 316 – Directed Individual Study
Students will undertake an approved, supervised programme of research and study on a selected theme/topic in Classical Studies.
20 pts • (P) permission of the programme director
^ Limited entry course
CLAS 320 – Greek Field Trip
A study of various Greek archaeological sites with special emphasis on sites in Crete. Co-taught with CLAS 420. Note: A maximum of 20 students can be accepted for this and CLAS 420 in any year. An extra fee beyond that for a 20-point course will apply.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 420
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
GREE 301 – Advanced Greek Literature A
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) GREE 202 or 216; (X) GREE 315
GREE 302 – Advanced Greek Literature B
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) GREE 202 or GREE 216; (X) GREE 316
LATI 301 – Advanced Latin Literature
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language, and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) LATI 202 or LATI 214; (X) LATI 330
Not offered in 2025
LATI 302 – Advanced Latin Literature
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) LATI 202 or LATI 214; (X) LATI 331
Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience
PSYC 242 – Experimental Research Methods
Experiments in psychology allow researchers to discover the causes of behaviour. In this course, students will learn how to design and conduct psychology experiments, to analyse data collected using common experimental designs, and to report the results using the conventions of scientific writing.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
Cognitive Science
COGS 101 – Kinds of Minds
What is a mind? And who has one? In this course, we will use a multidisciplinary approach to understanding human, animal, and artificial minds. Drawing on research and methodologies in the cognitive sciences of psychology, biology, and computer science, we will explore the many varieties of minds in the natural and virtual world, seeking to determine what minds actually are.
15 pts
COGS 201 – Foundations of Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science is the interdisciplinary study of mind. In this course, we cover foundational topics in cognitive science from the perspectives of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, and computation. Topics may include how minds are defined, how they represent the world, how they communicate, and how they behave adaptively.
15 pts • (P) AIML 131, COGS 101; one of (COMP 102, 112, 132), PSYC 122; one of (STAT 193, QUAN 102)
Commerce
FCOM 204 – Sustainability, Business, Society
This course examines the concept of sustainability in the context of societal and business value shifts. Problem-based learning approaches are utilised to explore interplays among sustainability dimensions - economic, socio-cultural and environmental – and operationalisations from perspectives such as information systems, marketing and public policy.
15 pts • (P) 30 points (X) FCOM 201 in 2020-2021
Not offered in 2025
Commercial Law
COML 111 – Law for Business
Explore how laws are made in New Zealand, how taxes fund the administration of law, and New Zealand’s unique constitutional arrangements. This course also considers the impact of law on business, and you will gain insights into the effects of New Zealand’s laws on how the nation operates in a globalised world. Additionally, it will examine legal issues arising from the selected grand challenges facing society.
15 pts • (X) Any of FCOM 111, LAWS 111, 121, 124
tut tba
COML 203 – Legal Environment of Business
An overview of the legal system and the legislative process with an emphasis on their impact on the business environment, including elements of contract, administrative law and the law of organisations.
15 pts • (P) COML 111 (or FCOM 111 or one of LAWS 121, LAWS 124); (X) LAWS 111, 122, or 123
tut tba
COML 204 – Law of Organisations
An examination of the law of business organisations.
15 pts • (P) COML 203 (or at least 30 points from 100-level LAWS); (X) LAWS 360, 361
tut tba
COML 205 – Consumer Law
The law relating to consumers.
15 pts • (P) COML 203 or 35 LAWS pts
tut tba
COML 302 – The Law of Work
Work is of vital importance to the economy, businesses, and the well-being of individuals, and there is an increasing demand for ethical and sustainable work practices, ie practices that are legal, fair, and decent. In this course students will learn about the legal framework of work from a practical and ethical perspective, considering its impact on individuals and businesses, as well as critically reflecting on, and formulating proposals for, possible improvements to the law.
15 pts • (P) (COML 111, 15 200-level BCom pts) or COML 203 or 30 LAWS pts; (X) LAWS 355
tut tba
COML 306 – Law of International Business
This course examines the law and practice affecting international business, including New Zealand's multilateral trading relationships, the law affecting international commercial transactions including international sales, methods of doing business abroad and the international protection of intellectual property rights.
15 pts • (P) (COML 111, 15 200-level BCom pts) or COML 203 or 30 LAWS pts; (X) LAWS 354
COML 307 – Legal Issues for e-Commerce
Selected aspects of the law relating to e-commerce, including electronic transactions, intellectual property, privacy, consumer payment and protection, cross-border concerns and tax implications.
15 pts • (P) (COML 111, 15 200-level BCom pts) or COML 203 or 30 LAWS pts
Not offered in 2025
COML 308 – Marketing Law
This course examines selected legal issues affecting the marketing of a new product, from its inception and development to its promotion and distribution. To a lesser extent, legal issues affecting the marketing of a new service are also considered.
15 pts • (P) (COML 111, 15 200-level BCom pts) or COML 203 or 30 LAWS pts
Not offered in 2025
COML 309 – Banking Law and Regulation in New Zealand
Selected areas from the law of banking, including bank-customer relationship, negotiable instruments, liability of paying and collecting banks, debit/credit/smart cards, electronic payments, securities for bank lending, letters of credit, and the Reserve Bank and its functions.
15 pts • (P) (COML 111, 15 200-level BCom pts) or COML 203 or 30 LAWS pts; (X) LAWS 352
COML 310 – Business Contracts
The law relating to business contracts.
15 pts • (P) COML 203 or 35 LAWS pts; (X) COML 305, LAWS 211
tut tba
COML 312 – Intellectual Property and Business Innovation
This course provides students with an understanding of intellectual property laws that are essential tools for success in an innovation-based business. The course includes lectures on the patent system, trade secrets, copyright, registered designs, trade marks and intellectual property management for business.
15 pts • (P) COML 203 or 30 LAWS pts or 15 approved 200-level pts; (X) COML 321 (2017-2019), LAWS 353
Not offered in 2025
COML 322 – Directed Individual Study
A customised course in an approved area or application of commercial law.
15 pts • (P) COML 203
Not offered in 2025
Communication
COMS 101 – Introduction to Communication Studies
The course provides students with a foundation in the theoretical principles and practices of communication. It introduces theories of how communication shapes and responds to human relationships in different interpersonal, digital/online, organisational, bicultural and intercultural contexts. This includes critical reflection on how communication processes can reproduce or challenge power relations. The factors influencing the efficacy in communication in different situations will also be discussed and analysed. Theoretical learning is applied through oral, written and/or non-verbal/visual modes of communication.
20 pts
ICOM 101 – Introduction to Intercultural Communication
This course introduces students to the theories and practices of Intercultural Communication. Students will develop skills that are increasingly important to communicate effectively and appropriately when engaging in intercultural interactions.Considering local and global case studies, the course places particular emphasis on the way in which linguistic and cultural differences influence the production, transmission and reception of communications in all forms.
20 pts
LCCM 171 – The Art of Writing: Literary and Creative Communication
Even in a modern world dominated by visual and digital media, written communication remains the most essential and powerful tool not only in the university but in all social and professional contexts. This course draws on traditions of literary and creative writing to teach the skills of imaginative and persuasive written and oral communication. You will analyse and create personal, creative, critical, and multimodal texts which may include the speech, the essay, the review, poetry, transcultural writing, and performance.
20 pts
LCCM 172 – Reading and Writing Poetry
The course teaches skills in both critical and creative reading and writing, through engagement with a wide range of poetry. You will explore the effects of concision, ornament, sentence structure, repetition, metre and form.
20 pts • (X) ENGL 172, FHSS 101 (2016–2018)
COMS 201 – Approaches to Communication Research
This course develops students' critical academic literacy in communication research. We will overview key paradigms, theories, and methods used to conduct research across the spectrum of industries, platforms, texts, audiences, and everyday social interactions. We will focus on communication research in Aotearoa New Zealand including kaupapa Māori methods. Students will learn how to analyse and critique research across academia, government, and industry. With an understanding of research principles including ethics and research design, students will have an opportunity to design a research question of their own in line with their interests.
20 pts • (P) COMS 101
COMS 202 – Global Communication and Society
This course examines the complex and dynamic relationship between communication and society, including the broader social contexts of culture, politics, and economics. It incorporates global as well as Aotearoa- focused theories and practices related to communication and its role in society. Students will gain the necessary skills to analyse the historical evolution of communication theories and technologies and their relationship to social change, which includes applying these skills through case studies and multimedia projects.
20 pts • (P) COMS 101
COMS 203 – Organisational Communication
This course examines communication in organisations and workplaces. Students will be introduced to different ways to think about the relationship between communication and organisations. How do people work together in teams or groups? What role do communication technologies play in work-life conflict? How do the communicative practices of everyday work sustain the working of institutions? We will discuss case studies of New Zealand organisational communication, including communication practices within Māori and Pasifika contexts. We will also focus on applications of organisational communication theory. Students will apply their knowledge to analyse cases of communication breakdown and make recommendations for communication training.
20 pts • (P) COMS 101
Not offered in 2025
ICOM 201 – Approaches to Intercultural Communication
This course explores theories and practices of intercultural communication. Students will apply these theories and practices in case studies with a view to identifying effective communicative strategies in intercultural interactions. Topics covered include stereotyping and cross-cultural social media.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ANTH, ASIA, CHIN, CLAS, FHSS, FREN, GERM, GLBL, GREE, ITAL, JAPA, LANG, LATI, MAOR, NZSL, PASI, SAMO, SPAN
ICOM 202 – Intercultural Communication and Global Citizenship
This course focuses on how intercultural communication is central to global citizenship, using real and potential communication breakdowns caused by linguistic and cultural diversity. Students will develop skills and strategies to negotiate difference and address communication impasse or conflict productively.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ANTH, ASIA, CHIN, CLAS, FHSS, FREN, GERM, GLBL, GREE, ITAL, JAPA, LANG, LATI, MAOR NZSL, PASI, SAMO, SPAN
LCCM 271 – Literature and Journalism
This course explores the relationship between English literature and journalism from the 18th to the 21st century. It considers questions of fact and fiction, objectivity, and style, across a range of genres. Students have the opportunity to produce creative work as part of the assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA points; (X) ENGL 248 2017- 2018
LCCM 272 – The Art of the Essay: Critical, Public, Personal
Not merely a tool of academic assessment, the essay is an art form with a long and rich history in English and other literatures. This course analyses classic essays from the Renaissance to the 21st century, and uses these as models for students' own writing practice in both critical and personal essays in both traditional print and digital media.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA points
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 273 – Digital Oceania: Writing the Pacific
The proliferation of digital media is pushing the boundaries of literary and creative communication in Oceania. This course is grounded in the digital and environmental humanities as it asks students to navigate Indigenous transformations of writing in Oceania. You will engage with digital modes of publication, including the phenomena of digital poetry, podcasts, virtual worlds, online communities, and online activism. You will hear from digital storytelling and archival experts, collaborate using digital tools, and develop your own creative and critical approaches to these literatures.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA pts
PCOM 201 – Introduction to Political Communication
This course is a broad introduction to the field of political communication. It introduces key political actors and institutions and their use of communication, including political parties, governments, campaign groups, voter-citizens and other organised interests in civil society. The course also covers the production and dissemination of political news and information, in both traditional legacy media and across alternative online platforms. Key political communication events, such as general elections, interest group campaigns and policy case areas are explored. In addition, the course engages with wider theory and research on public sphere theory, comparative political communication and voter perceptions and behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS 100-199 or INTP 100-199
PCOM 202 – Public Relations, Communication Power and Democracy
This course looks at the rise of the public relations and associated promotional professions and their impact on communication power and democracy. The first half of the course sets out a number of theoretical perspectives, including those from: industry, critical media and cultural studies, audiences/consumption, technological and symbolic/emotional. The second half looks at governments, corporations and interest groups, and their use of public relations and promotion to influence politics, economics and wider society. The course ends with a series of case studies such as war and conflict, science and the environment, economics and markets, welfare and housing.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS 100-199 or INTP 100-199
COMS 301 – Applied Communication Project
Students will undertake a project to demonstrate their theoretical and applied learning in communication studies. This may either take the form of a small research project using appropriate theories and method or an applied project demonstrating digital communication practice (e.g. design of a communication campaign or website). The medium of the project may be written or audio-visual. Topics require approval from the supervisor and course coordinator. Students will be supervised throughout the process, but may also undertake the project in conjunction with an external stakeholder.
20 pts • (P) COMS 201, one of COMS 202-299, SCIS 311
COMS 302 – Communication, Information and Digital Technologies
This course explores the role digital communication and information networks play in reshaping contemporary and future society. Different perspectives on digital society and the information economy are introduced. The course then examines the democratic implications of corporate and state control over the production, dissemination and discovery of information. This encompasses issues such as the commodification of information, platform capitalism, surveillance and Big Data. The course also critically evaluates the potential benefits and hazards of “smart” technologies, augmented/virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
20 pts • (P) COMS 201, one of COMS 202-299, SCIS 311
COMS 303 – Special Topic: Identities, Relationships, and Communication
This course explores how identities and relationships are made visible when we communicate. How do people negotiate who they are in their daily interactions with others? How do identities and relationships shape how we accomplish co-ordinated actions and organise social life? This course will provide students with analytic tools for studying social interaction as a form of everyday human communication and explore how gender, race, and culture are built through fundamental structures of conversation.
20 pts • (P) COMS 201, one of COMS 202–299, SCIS 311; (X) LING 321
ICOM 301 – Moving Meanings: Translation as Intercultural Communication
This course treats translation not only as it is conventionally understood (as linguistic substitution) but in its broader sense of cross-cultural communication. Analysing a range of case studies (including crowd-translation, fan-subbing, localization) students will engage with translation as interpretation and communication of linguistic and cultural diversity.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from ICOM 201-299
ICOM 302 – Topic in Intercultural Communication in Global Contexts
This course provides students with strategies for engaging in intercultural communication in international contexts. Topics may include: global citizenship and intercultural communication; intercultural communication in situations of conflict and crisis; language, culture and mobility; digital intercultural communication and localization; indigenous perspectives on intercultural communication.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedules or GLBL 201
ICOM 303 – Intercultural Communication Project
This course supports students in undertaking a research project under close supervision. Applying principles and practices covered in previous courses in the major, students will make a scholarly, civic or creative contribution to the study of intercultural communication.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from ICOM 201-299
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 310 – Special Topic:To be confirmed
This course will be a workshop-based seminar that explores how different forms of creative nonfiction and personal writing respond to contemporary issues, likely with a focus on the environment. Students will read a range of model forms and be supported to develop their own writing practice.
20 pts
LCCM 371 – Public Writing
In this course you will connect your literary and creative communication skills to writing that addresses the public sphere(s). You will look at classic and contemporary examples of public and political writing, from Wollstonecraft and Orwell to Te Punga Somerville and Teaiwa. You will also create your own advocacy projects, as you explore literary forms, rhetorical strategies, and linguistic devices frequently used when engaging with public audiences.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 372 – Forms of Creative Communication: The Essay at Large
Developing the themes of LCCM 272 The Art of the Essay, this course offers advanced critical analysis and creative practice of more specialised forms of non-fictional written communication. Topics include digital writing (from the tweet to the multi-part serial essay literary journalism (profiles, opinion pieces, arts and media reviewing), travel writing, popular science writing, and (auto)biography. The course will include guest contributions from creative professionals and public intellectuals from outside the university.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 373 – Te Mata o te Pene: Māori Writing in English
Māori writers, leaders, and intellectuals have engaged with and in English for over two centuries. In this course, you will explore the interweaving of Māori literary concepts and the English language across fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. This course centres Māori critical and theoretical perspectives on writing in English and literature's role in Māori creative arts.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from the BC or BA (A) schedule
PCOM 301 – International Communication and Politics
The course examines the connections between international communication systems, flows of information, capital and media content and the international political system. Themes include communication and ‘empire’, the impact of informational capitalism and global finance for the state and national/economic sovereignty, the potential for communications technology to enhance national socio-economic development, and the impact of global news media reporting on international diplomatic relations and conflict. This course first runs in 2022.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299 or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
PCOM 302 – Political Speech Writing
This course examines the theory and practice of political speechwriting. In the first half of the class students will analyse a number of important historical and contemporary political speeches, identifying the rhetorical and stylistic devices employed. Theoretical literature concerning the relationship between persuasive rhetoric and political behaviour will also be explored. In the second half of the course students will develop their own political speechwriting skills with guidance from practitioner guest lecturers. This course first runs in 2022.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299
Not offered in 2025
PCOM 303 – Special Topic: Campaign Skills
This course introduces students to a range of campaign skills to help equip them for future employment in political communication, including work for political parties, interest groups and think tanks. Part of the course will cover formulating and implementing election and civil society campaigns, including such elements as lobbying and advocacy, mobilising public opinion, media and social media strategies, and political marketing. The other part of the course will introduce students to basic research methods used in campaigns. Topics include basic surveys, interviews and focus groups, and quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Case studies and guest speakers will also feature.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from PCOM 200-299
PCOM 304 – Special Topic: Tweeting to Power: Social Media Politics
This course examines the intersection between social media, politics and society, analysing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram to understand their role in our lives, in our political discourse and in shaping our culture. We examine the positives of social media including social activism, the democratisation of news, and heightened capacities for community, communication and connectivity. We also delve into the darker side of these platforms, exploring the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, terrorist networks and gendered issues including trolling and cyber-harassment.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from PCOM 200-299
PCOM 305 – Social Media Politics
This course examines the intersection between social media, politics and society, analysing platforms like Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram to understand their role in our lives, in our political discourse and in shaping our culture. We examine the positives of social media including social activism, the democratisation of news, and eightened capacities for community, communication and connectivity. We also delve into the darker side of these platforms, exploring the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, terrorist networks and gendered issues including trolling and cyber-harassment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299; (X) PCOM 304 in 2022- 2024
Not offered in 2025
Communication Design
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
COMD 201 – Graphic Design / Hoahoa ā-Whakairoiro
In this course students will develop their understanding and facility with the elements and principles of graphic design. Areas include typography, colour, layout, heirarchy, balance and space. Students will look at the history of type and graphic design, and how this informs contemporary communication in print and screen. Students will become familiar with both historical and contemporary typographic and design styles and genres, and develop a critical eye for the complexities of graphic design.
15 pts • (P) Acceptance into the COMD major
^ Limited entry course
COMD 211 – Drawing I / Tuhi Pikitia I
This course will allow students to practice traditional and contemporary approaches to both observational and imaginative drawing. In addition to building on skills and techniques developed in earlier courses, students will be encouraged to nurture their personal practice and develop their creative voice through drawing.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 231 – Illustration / Pikitia Whakaari
In this course students will learn to illustrate and use illustration thoughtfully and effectively in a range of media. Historical and contemporary approaches will be studied from various perspectives: aesthetic, social, and commercial. Students will develop and complete illustration project briefs using a range of digital and physical tools and techniques.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 241 – Visual Narratives / Ngā Paki Ataata
This course focuses on the structure and methods of effective storytelling, as expressed visually. Readings provide a broad survey of stories that employ visual narratives in innovative or instructive ways. Techniques are drawn from comics, books, graphic novels, film, children's books, and animation.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 251 – Information Design / Hoahoa ā-Pārongo
This course addresses the demand for well-designed visual presentation of data in the information age. The course is interdisciplinary, combining skills from graphic design, interaction design, and data science. Students practice information design skills with applications beyond the traditional design professions. Students will shape data-driven messages in order to make knowledge accessible visually.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
COMD 261 – Motion Design I / Hoahoa ā-Nekehanga I
This course introduces basic concepts of motion design and time-based media in communication and graphic environments. Topics covered include introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery, graphic animation, as well as creative strategies and workflow. Students will apply concepts from motion design to time-based projects and outputs.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI schedule
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
COMD 302 – Typography / Tātai Momotuhi
Students will hone and refine their critical eye for typography and delve into the anatomy, materiality, and complexities of type. There will be an intensive study of typographic hierarchies and expressive typography through practical exercises. Projects will introduce opportunities to work within constraints while challenging traditional typographic precedents.
15 pts • (P) P 60 200-level pts including COMD 201 (X) COMD 201 prior to 2023
^ Limited entry course
COMD 325 – Print Media Now: Design for Publications / Arapāho Mātātuhi o Nāianei: Hoahoa mō ngā Whakaputanga
This course introduces students to specialist print design skills and knowledge. Print will be explored in many contexts, from hot metal and letterpress processes through the University’s own letterpress workshop, through to contemporary in-studio processes, such as silkscreen printing and risograph printing. There will be a particular emphasis on the craft of book design, taking a broad view of what defines a book – from simple zine-making through to more complex artefacts.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
COMD 335 – Comics and Graphic Novels / Pukawaituhi me ngā Pakimaero Waituhi
This course examines formal aspects of comics and graphic novels, their historical development, visual and culturally diverse vocabularies, and narrative applications. Readings provide examples of graphic storytelling and critique theoretical and practical approaches to the form. Students will develop and complete their own comics.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 45 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or ENGL, FILM, THEA, WRIT, LCCM courses
^ Limited entry course
COMD 342 – Generative Graphic Design / Hoahoa Waihanga Whakairoiro
Students will use a design process, set of instructions, or computer programme, to generate a solution that blends design artistry with artificially generated output. This blend of traditional and emerging techniques will produce surprising outcomes. Students will create and analyse generative works. The purpose of the course is to explore how generative techniques can add to a design practice.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 and 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA/COMP courses
COMD 351 – Writing for Design / Tuhituhi mō te Hoahoa
Students taking this course will develop a command of writing styles for use in creative practice. Projects will delve into self-reflective and exploratory writing about design, as well as critical interpretation. The course will also cover writing techniques that serve creative practice, such as client briefs, feedback and reports.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI schedule or permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
COMD 390 – Communication Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Kōrero Hoahoa
In this course students produce a final work to demonstrate the skills and knowledge gained in Communication Design. Students complete a large studio-based project or portfolio demonstrating design mastery. In seminar-style discussions, students develop their own briefs or portfolio goals that address advanced problems or questions in communication design. Projects are published, and engagement with a community beyond the school is a goal of the work in this course.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, COMD 201 (X) COMD 301
^ Limited entry course
Computer Graphics
CGRA 151 – Introduction to Computer Graphics and Games
Introduces necessary background, fundamental concepts, and basic algorithms of Computer Graphics, including human visual perception, representation of colour and images, representation of 2D and 3D spaces, manipulation, movement and drawing of 2D and 3D objects. Students will use an appropriate modern programming language to investigate many of the ideas presented in the lectured material.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112 or DSDN 142
MATH 151 – Algebra
Linear algebra is central to mathematics, and essential in science and engineering. This course introduces linear algebra, motivated by some of these applications, and maintaining a practical approach using fundamental mathematical objects such as matrices and vectors. Methods to solve systems of linear equations using matrices are introduced, as are eigenvectors, which can be used to characterise matrices amongst many other applications. The concept of an algebraic structure is introduced, as are complex numbers, which allow the solution of many equations that did not previously have solutions.
15 pts • (P) 16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132
MATH 161 – Discrete Mathematics and Logic
Logic underlies all of mathematics. This course introduces the basic notions of logic and discusses what makes some arguments good or valid, and others invalid. This leads to a definition of a mathematical proof, whereby the truth of mathematical statements is guaranteed. Other topics include sets, relations, functions, elementary counting principles, and an introduction to number theory. The second half of the course introduces the fundamental concepts of graph theory, which is the study of networks, which have applications from computing to disease transmission.
15 pts • (P) Approval of Head of School or (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132.
CGRA 252 – Game Engine Programming
This course introduces students to a range of and graphics engines and teaches students how to use the variety of tools in these engines to build games and graphics output. Students will evaluate the engines as implementations of graphics pipelines and game development systems. Students will learn how to program extensions to games and graphics engines and how to use graphics APIs such as OpenGL in their programming.
15 pts • (P) CGRA 151, COMP 103
CGRA 259 – Game Prototyping – Programming
This course uses game jams and hackathons as a learning environment where students work with commercial developers to learn how to develop new and innovative game prototypes. Students from the Graphics and Games major will be collaborating with students from the School of Design Innovation.
15 pts • (P) CGRA 151, COMP 103 (X) GAME 203 taken concurrently;
Not offered in 2025
CGRA 350 – Real-time 3D Computer Graphics
This course addresses graphics programming for real-time 3D graphics. It covers graphics APIs, in particular OpenGL, and the graphics processing pipeline (including geometry processing, viewing, projection, transformation, illumination, texture mapping). It also addresses display hardware and graphics cards.
15 pts • (P) CGRA 252 (or 251), NWEN 241
CGRA 352 – Image-based Graphics
Image-based graphics brings together the power visual media content to produce vivid, compelling, and meaningful computer graphics. This course studies ways of manipulating and combining images and videos, including image filtering, image manipulation, and video processing.
15 pts • (P) CGRA 252 (or 251); NWEN 241; ENGR 121 or MATH 151
CGRA 354 – Computer Graphics Programming
This course addresses algorithms, mathematical knowledge and programming tools for 3D Computer Graphics, including offline rendering. It covers programming with Modern low-level graphics APIs, shader programming and the graphics processing pipeline (including geometry processing, viewing, projection, transformation, illumination, texture mapping and shading algorithms).
15 pts • (P) CGRA 252, NWEN 241; ENGR 121 or MATH 151 (X) CGRA 251
CGRA 359 – Games and Graphics Project
This course is a capstone for the Computer Graphics and Games major in which students learn to work in a multidisciplinary team to develop a game or graphics system up to release quality. The course will be taught in conjunction with GAME 390, and most teams will have students from both courses. The course brings together practical development and theoretical analysis to ensure students know both how to make games and how to assess them.
30 pts • (P) CGRA 252, 15 300-level CGRA pts (X) COMP 313; GAME 390 taken concurrently
MDDN 342 – Creative Coding and AI III / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga III
Creative Coding III builds on the content taught in Creative Coding I and II and extends the use of procedural and parameterised design strategies and AI tools. Students will be taught advanced computer graphics and data mapping techniques in order to create dynamic visuals and assets for use in screen-based media. AI tools use and prompt engineering will also be deployed to advance code design workflows.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including MDDN 242
Not offered in 2025
Computer Science
See also Software Engineering and Network Engineering, and (for postgraduate level) Logic and Computation
AIML 131 – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Enter the dynamic world of Artificial Intelligence with AIML 131. Delve deep into Large Language Models, such as ChatGPT, addressing challenges like bias and hallucinations. Witness the power of text-to-image generation through tools like Midjourney. Grasp the foundational principles of Machine Learning and get acquainted with Explainable AI. Discover how AI is making waves in Aotearoa, touching on ethics and real-world applications. No programming experience? No worries! AIML 131 is designed for everyone. You will gain a good understanding of AI principles and its transformative impact so that you can use AI to improve lives, whatever your area of work.
15 pts • (X) COMP 307, COMP 309
CGRA 151 – Introduction to Computer Graphics and Games
Introduces necessary background, fundamental concepts, and basic algorithms of Computer Graphics, including human visual perception, representation of colour and images, representation of 2D and 3D spaces, manipulation, movement and drawing of 2D and 3D objects. Students will use an appropriate modern programming language to investigate many of the ideas presented in the lectured material.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112 or DSDN 142
COMP 102 – Introduction to Computer Program Design
Today, most problems are solved using computers. An understanding of programming is needed to harness the full potential of computers. This course serves as an introduction to the foundational principles of programming utilising the high-level object-oriented programming language Java. You will progressively enhance your programming abilities through the creation of computer programs tailored for various applications. This course establishes the fundamental groundwork for all subsequent computer science and software engineering courses, fostering the development of programming skills applicable to a wide range of academic disciplines.
15 pts • (X) COMP 112
COMP 103 – Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
This course focuses on the techniques for designing, building and analysing computer programs that deal with large collections of data. The course addresses techniques for programming with collections of data, and the data structures and algorithms needed to implement these collections. The course expands programming skills and provides an understanding of the principles of data abstraction, algorithm design, and the analysis of algorithms fundamental to computer science.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112
lab tba
COMP 112 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course introduces a range of important concepts and topics across Computer Science, Software Engineering and Network Engineering. Students will also gain a solid foundation of programming skills in object oriented programming. The course is an entry point to the BE(Hons) and BSc in Computer Science for students who already have basic programming skills.
15 pts • (P) 14 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Digital Technology including 6 credits in Computer Programming, or COMP 132, or equivalent programming experience; (X) COMP 102
Not offered in 2025
COMP 132 – Programming for the Natural and Social Sciences
This course addresses the fundamental programming skills required to process, transform, analyse and present data. The course will explore a range of kinds of data, kinds of analysis and kinds of visualisation that can be performed on the data, and give students expertise in a variety of programming techniques and tools to accomplish this analysis and visualisation. The practical assignments will enable students to develop programming skills that they will be able to apply in many different fields of study. The course does not assume any background in programming.
15 pts
CYBR 171 – Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Hacker—hero or villain? Explore the world of cyber criminals, state-sponsored hackers, and commercial and government defenders. Engage directly with cybersecurity professionals as you explore diverse career paths — from incident response to digital forensics. This foundational course introduces you to social engineering, security and privacy concerns, physical security, common threats, attacks, and the techniques, frameworks, and tools used to defend and protect against them. You will leave the course equipped with essential skills to be a proactive guardian of your security without needing to be a programmer.
15 pts
ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 123 – Engineering Mathematics with Logic and Statistics
Mathematical techniques employed by cybersecurity and software engineers, including combinatorics, logic, probability distributions, model fitting and estimation. The course emphasises engineering applications.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121; (X) the pair MATH 161, (MATH 177, QUAN 102 or STAT 193)
AIML 231 – Techniques in Machine Learning
This course introduces core concepts and techniques in machine learning, as well as commonly used software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. It includes an overview of the machine learning field, including supervised and unsupervised learning; fundamental machine learning techniques including neural networks; tools to understand data such as exploratory data analysis, pre-processing, and visualisation; and the design machine learning pipelines. This course balances theoretical concepts of machine learning and the use of programming libraries for hands-on practice.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 131, MATH 177, QUAN 102, STAT 193) or 60 200-level pts of COMP, CGRA, CYBR, SWEN, EEEN; one of (COMP 103, 132); (X) COMP 307, 309, DATA 302
AIML 232 – Techniques in Artificial Intelligence
This course introduces various concepts and techniques of broad applicability to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It includes an introduction to common machine learning paradigms such as neural networks and evolutionary learning; gradient-based and gradient-free optimisation techniques; dimensionality reduction; reasoning under uncertainty including Bayesian networks; and an introduction to AI planning. The course covers how these concepts can be used to solve important AI/ML tasks such as classification, regression, clustering and sequential decision making.
15 pts • (P) AIML 131, COMP 103, one of (ENGR 123, MATH 177, STAT 193, QUAN 102, EEEN 220); (X) COMP 307
COMP 261 – Algorithms and Data Structures
This course covers a range of algorithms and data structures building on the fundamental structures and algorithms from COMP 103. The major areas covered are: graph algorithms, graphics algorithms and advanced data structures. This course takes a practical approach focusing on the implementation of a wide variety of algorithms.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103, ENGR 123 or MATH 161 (X) INFO 205
CYBR 271 – Code Security
This course covers measures taken to protect software code and applications from unauthorized access, modification, or exploitation. It involves identifying and addressing potential security vulnerabilities in the source code, design, and architecture of software applications.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, NWEN 241
EEEN 201 – Mechatronic Design and Prototyping
This course will equip students with a basic understanding of mechanical theory and the skills of electronic and mechanical design and construction so that they can successfully design and complete a moderately complex project. A presentation of this project work forms an integral part of the course.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112; ENGR 101, 110; ENGR 121 or MATH 141 or equivalent; (X) ECEN 201
EEEN 202 – Digital Electronics and Microprocessors
An introduction to the design and construction of digital electronic instruments. Following a review of binary arithmetic and Boolean algebra, the course will focus on the design of digital circuits using both combinatorial and sequential logic. Further work will study microprocessor architectures, programming and interfacing and the conversions of digital and analogue signals.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 102, 112, ENGR 101, 121, MATH 161) (X) ECEN 202
EEEN 203 – Circuit Analysis
This course covers the analysis of analogue electrical and electronic circuits. Topics covered include basic circuit theorems, operational amplifier circuits, the use of phasors for AC circuit analysis and the Laplace transform for switched systems. The use of computational and measurement tools for circuit characterisation is also covered.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 122 or MATH 142); (ENGR 142 or PHYS 142 or 115); (X) ECEN 203
EEEN 204 – Electronic Devices
This course introduces fundamental electronic devices and their circuit applications. Topics include semiconductor fundamentals, diodes, transistors and operational amplifiers and the operation and application of special function diodes such as light emitting diodes and solar cells. Prototyping and testing of practical circuits using these electronic devices will be addressed in the laboratory sessions.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 122 or MATH 142); (ENGR 142 or PHYS 142 or 115); (X) ECEN 204
EEEN 220 – Signals, Systems and Statistics 1
The course introduces analysis techniques for signals and linear time-invariant systems as well as fundamentals of engineering statistics. The first part of the course focuses on continuous time signals and systems and Fourier transform techniques, with applications to circuit analysis and communication systems. The second part of the course introduces probability mass and density functions, random variables and functions of random variables.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121,122) or (MATH 142, 151); (X) ECEN 220
NWEN 241 – Systems Programming
This course considers the issues raised when programming at a low-level, for example in embedded systems, OS system level, or network protocol stacks. It includes an introduction to C language programming and motivating examples related to a wide variety of applications of system programming.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
NWEN 243 – Clouds and Networking
The course provides a broad introduction to computer networks and a basic understanding of network application programming, with an emphasis on the working principles and application of computer networks. It covers a range of introductory topics including the essentials of data communication, computer network concepts, protocols, network applications and cloud computing. The course features an interactive laboratory component with projects starting from basic networking technologies leading into cloud application development.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 221 – Software Development
This course develops a deeper understanding of object- oriented programming and associated practices. The focus is on programming techniques at the micro scale. Topics include: inheritance, polymorphism, genericity, error handling, testing and debugging. A sequence of short assignments will develop the key ideas and practices; rigour in testing will be developed through (automated) assessment of programme correctness.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 225 – Software Design
This course develops a strong understanding of object-oriented design. Students will study modelling and programming techniques that support the analysis, design and development of large and maintainable programs. Students will work together in groups on an engineering problem and use a variety of best practices (e.g. Design Patterns) and notations (e.g. UML). Students will use specialized tools to apply these techniques in practical work.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 221; (X) SWEN 222
AIML 320 – Artificial Intelligence
This course addresses concepts and techniques of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides a brief overview of AI history and search techniques, as well as covering important machine learning topics, tools, and algorithms with their applications, including neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. Other topics include analysing data, probability and Bayesian networks, planning and scheduling. The course will also give a brief overview of a selection of other current topics in AI.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or NWEN 241 or SWEN 221 or at least a B in both DATA 201 and 202; one of (ENGR 123, MATH 151, 161, 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292) (X) AIML 131, 231, 232, 420, 421, COMP 307, 309, 420
AIML 331 – AI Computer Vision and Image/Video Processing
Computer vision and image processing has a wide range of real-world applications, such as automated vehicles and face recognition. This course addresses key AI techniques, tasks, and applications in this area. The course covers a range of topics, starting from the basics of image pre-processing and data augmentation to recent deep learning techniques, addressing tasks such as edge detection, image segmentation, and image classification. Various applications of relevant techniques will also be introduced.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221, at least a B in both AIML 231, DATA 202)
AIML 332 – AI Natural Language Processing
This course introduces the basic concepts, applications and algorithms for natural language processing, with a particular focus on processing and analysing large natural language data sets. The course will cover topics such as text representation, text classification, text clustering, text generation, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and information extraction. It will explain traditional natural language processing techniques and algorithms and will also explore more recent deep learning based methods.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221, at least a B in both AIML 231, DATA 202)
AIML 333 – Acting, Planning, and Scheduling
This course introduces key concepts, techniques and algorithms for AI systems that perform actions. It starts with reactive systems that respond intelligently to observations, expands to AI systems that use their knowledge about the world to plan or schedule actions into the future, and finally considers AI systems that improve their behaviour while interacting with the world. The course considers a range of real-world application domains such as controlling devices, robotics, games, and logistics.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221)
AIML 335 – Machine Learning
This course teaches fundamental concepts and mathematical techniques that underlie much of machine learning (ML). Topics include an introduction to learning theory, optimisation for ML, unsupervised learning, learning with latent variables, generative models, kernels, aspects of information theory, deep learning, continual/online learning, transfer learning, and anomaly detection. The course will also explore the connections between ML and cognitive science.
15 pts • (P) AIML 232; one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221); one of (MATH 177, STAT 292)
Not offered in 2025
AIML 338 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
AIML 339 – Artificial Intelligence Project
A capstone project to construct a solution to an AI task. The project may be an individual or a group project.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232 320, COMP 307, 309); one of AIML 331-335
COMP 304 – Programming Languages
This course addresses the principles of programming language design and use. It introduces different models of computation and the programming languages based on them, particularly functional programming and logic programming. It then examines a range of underlying issues in programming languages, such as semantics of programming languages, type systems, and control in programming languages.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261
Not offered in 2025
COMP 312 – Simulation and Stochastic Models
Simulation and modelling of stochastic systems, covering examples from Operations Research and Computer Science, including queues, networks and computer systems. Design, analysis and validation of simulation experiments. Previous experience with computer programming is required before starting this course. Co-taught with DATA 304.
15 pts • (P) one course from (COMP 102, 112, 132, DATA 202); one course from (ENGR 123, MATH 177, 277, STAT 292), 15 further 200-level COMP, DATA, MATH, NWEN, STAT or SWEN pts; (D) DATA 304
Not offered in 2025
COMP 361 – Design and Analysis of Algorithms
This course examines techniques for developing correct and efficient algorithms for some important classes of problems in Computer Science. It explores methods for designing algorithms, including greedy algorithms, divide and conquer, dynamic programming and graph algorithms. It covers techniques for demonstrating the correctness of algorithms and for analysing their efficiency.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261
Not offered in 2025
CYBR 371 – System and Network Security
This course covers system and network security, emphasizing secure design, access control, and TCP/IP protocol security. Students will gain practical skills in Linux ACLs, shell scripting, and the deployment of defence mechanisms, preparing them for modern cybersecurity challenges.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, NWEN 243
CYBR 372 – Applied Cryptography
This course covers key cryptography concepts and services, encryption, hash functions, digital signatures, public key certificates, cryptographic protocols, and applications like SSL/TLS and blockchain.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171; COMP 261 or SWEN 221
CYBR 373 – Governance, Risk and Compliance
This course offers a detailed exploration of risk management in cybersecurity, covering concepts from basic principles to advanced applications. It includes practical exercises on security controls, incident response, and policy development, alongside in-depth discussions on security governance, ethics, legal environments, and cloud security. We also cover cultural considerations, as well as Māori Data Sovereignty principles.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, 60 200-level pts from (AIML, COMP, CYBR, SWEN)
DATA 302 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
This course introduces a range of machine learning techniques of importance in Data Science, and gives students experience in using modern software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. Topics will include machine learning techniques for both supervised and unsupervised learning, including neural networks, and the design of machine learning pipelines.
15 pts • (P) DATA 201, DATA 202 (X) AIML 231, COMP 309
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 301 – Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems
The course develops an understanding of the structure of computers, how they execute programs and how they interface to the real world. The course first covers ARM assembly language programming, data representation, computer arithmetic, microprocessor architecture at the hardware level and a comparison with GPU, DSP and FPGA architectures. The course then explores the design flow and application of embedded computers in real-world engineering problems. Practical experience is gained using microprocessors, techniques to interface them with the physical world, development tool chains, debugging and embedded Linux operating systems.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 202 (or ECEN 202), NWEN 241 (X) ECEN 301, NWEN 342
EEEN 310 – Communication Engineering
The course provides students with an introduction to the physical layer of communication systems. It begins with basics of analog communications (AM, FM). Digital communications topics include intersymbol interference and Nyquist pulse shaping for bandlimited channels, matched filter receivers for additive noise channels and their error rate performance. Also covered are fundamentals of wireless fading channels and diversity receivers, followed by a brief overview of equalisation and OFDM.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 220 (or ECEN 220); (X) ECEN 310
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 313 – Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
This course covers the theory, design and application of electrical machines, power electronic circuits, electric drives, and the transformation and control of electrical energy. The course introduces the fundamentals of electromagnetics and electrical machines, as well as power electronics and discusses the design issues related to electrical drives and small-scale power generation. Practical work will involve the design, development, and implementation of solutions to drive motors, convert renewable power, and switch mode power amplifiers.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203 (or ECEN 203), EEEN 204 (or ECEN 204)
EEEN 315 – Control and Instrumentation
The course shows how models can be used to analyse, describe and predict the behaviour of mechanical and electrical systems. The use of feedback to alter the properties of these systems to meet desired specifications is presented. A variety of methods are developed for designing control systems, including the use of a PID controller.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203 (or ECEN 203) (X) ECEN 315
EEEN 320 – Signals, Systems and Statistics 2
The course introduces analysis techniques for discrete-time signals and linear time-invariant systems as well as topics in engineering statistics. The first part of the course focuses on discrete-time signals and systems and discrete Fourier transform techniques, with applications to circuit analysis and communication systems. The second part of the course covers topics in engineering statistics, including confidence intervals, statistical tests, and regression, as applied to engineering problems.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 220 (or ECEN 220) (X) ECEN 321
EEEN 325 – Robotic Engineering
This course presents the principles of robotic and mechatronic design, construction and control. It covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating mechanical, electronic and software components.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 201 (X) ECEN 301
NWEN 301 – Operating Systems Design
This course addresses the design and implementation of operating sytems and examines fundamental concepts such as resource management, concurrency, protection and security. Examples drawn from a range of modern operating systems illustrate these concepts and project work provides practical experience in the design and implementation of operating systems.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 302 – Computer Network Design
This course addresses the principles, architectures and protocols that have shaped the development of the Internet and modern networked applications. It examines network design principles, underlying protocols, technologies and architectures of the TCP/IP protocol stack. Topics include the design of transport protocols, routing protocols, logical link control, medium access control and physical media.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241, 243; ENGR 123 or (MATH 161 and one of (MATH 177 or QUAN 102 or STAT 193))
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 303 – Concurrent Programming
This course examines a range of techniques for programming multi-threaded and distributed applications. Topics include synchronisation mechanisms used for programs that communicate via shared memory and message passing techniques for programs that communicate across a network. Practical work involves implementing programs using these techniques in a modern concurrent language, such as Java.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 123 or MATH 161; SWEN 221; 15 points from (COMP 261, CYBR 271, NWEN 241, 243)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 304 – Advanced Network Applications
This course introduces technologies, algorithms and systems for developing secure, scalable and reliable web server applications. Specific emphasis will be placed on application development middleware, computer security, network protocols and distributed systems. Particularly a variety of topics ranging from fundamental to advanced technologies for developing RESTful web applications, including MVC, distributed authentication and authorization, secure data communication, web caching and content replication, will be covered in lectures.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 123 or MATH 161, NWEN 243; COMP 261 or NWEN 241 or SWEN 221
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 301 – Scalable Software Development
This course introduces the processes, practices, and tools required to engineer medium to large software systems, and to address challenges arising from the emerging complexity of such systems. Topics include software craft, architecture, design, implementation, testing, maintenance, quality assurance, configuration management, build automation and principled use of components and libraries, and open-source development. Practical work will use integrated development environments, automation, and domain specific languages.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 225
SWEN 303 – User Experience Engineering
This course addresses the engineering of user experiences (UX). It presents principles and guidelines for design and covers a range of design and engineering processes. It presents techniques for user testing of applications, digital systems, and physical devices.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 221 (X) INFO 307
SWEN 304 – Database System Engineering
The course addresses fundamental principles underlying databases and database management systems. It covers the structure and principles of the relational data model, including SQL, and the principled design of the relational database schema. It also addresses issues in database transaction procession, concurrency control, recovery, and the complexity of query processing.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 221; ENGR 123 or MATH 161 (X) COMP 302, INFO 310
SWEN 324 – Software Correctness
This course is concerned with the development of correct software, especially the use of formal requirements and specifications to develop high-integrity software. This has applications in several areas, such as safety-critical systems (e.g. commercial airliners, space systems, etc.) and high-performance concurrent systems. The course will examine a range of principles and techniques which underpin a rigorous approach to the specification and implementation of software. A sequence of assignments and labs will see a range of tools being used to specify small software systems, and to check that they meet their requirements.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103; ENGR 123 or MATH 161; 30 200-level COMP/NWEN/SWEN points; (X) SWEN 224
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 325 – Software Development for Mobile Platforms
This course addresses the concepts, techniques, and tools required for developing applications within software frameworks for mobile platforms. Topics include the concepts and principles underlying software frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for mobile applications, and key concepts in reliability, privacy, security and safety critical systems. Practical work will involve the design, implementation and testing of a range of mobile applications.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 243, SWEN 225 (or 222)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 326 – Safety-Critical Systems
This course addresses the concepts, techniques and tools required for developing computer systems that are applicable where safety and reliability is paramount. Topics include: the concepts and principles underlying safety-critical systems & standards (e.g. DO178C and IEC61508); techniques for design validation (e.g. model checking); and implementation techniques for ensuring software correctness (e.g. coding guidelines, testing, static analysis, etc). Practical work will involve the design, implementation, and analysis of simple safety critical applications (e.g. for industrial, embedded and healthcare systems).
15 pts • (P) (NWEN 241 or SWEN 225), 15 further 200-level AIML, CGRA, COMP, CYBR, EEEN, NWEN, SWEN pts
COMP 420 – Artificial Intelligence
This course addresses concepts and techniques of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides a brief overview of AI history and search techniques, as well as covering important machine learning topics and algorithms with their applications, including neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. Other topics include probability and Bayesian networks, planning and scheduling. The course will also consider a selection of other current topics in AI (Being offered as AIML 420 from 2021).
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level COMP, SWEN or NWEN pts; (X) COMP 307
Not offered in 2025
COMP 440 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts
COMP 441 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts
EEEN 401 – Applied Electromagnetics and Compliance
This course will address the engineering applications of electromagnetism, including propagation of signals, low EM emissions circuit board design, radio waves and antennas, grounding, high voltage insulators, and electrical safety design and testing. An important focus of the course is to become familiar with the international framework of product compliance and sustainability.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 313, one of (ENGR 222, MATH 244)
EEEN 402 – Programmable Digital Logic
The course develops an understanding of the structure of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, how to program them and how to interface them to the real world. The topics covered are VHDL programming, logic design, state machine design, I/O, design tools, simulation, timing analysis, debugging, IP block design methodology, softcore microprocessors and system on a chip implementation. Practical experience is gained through the use of professional design tools and hardware to interface FPGAs with the physical world.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 301 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 302
EEEN 403 – Advanced Electronic Instrumentation
This course develops a deeper understanding of electronic instrumentation and the underlying models and methodologies used in electronic design. Topics covered are: derivation of discrete device models (including noise behaviour) for simulation, radio frequency design and simulation, two port networks, power transfer and impedance matching, transmission lines, high speed PCB design, noise, discrete device and Op Amp low noise amplifier design and Phase Locked Loop modelling and implementation. Practical skills are developed through laboratory simulation and design exercises.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 315 (or ECEN 303) (X) ECEN 403
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 410 – Advanced Communications Engineering
The course covers advanced topics in physical layer wireless communications. It begins with a brief introduction to Information Theory, leading to the concept of channel capacity. Multiple antenna techniques for both single and multiple user communications are discussed, including diversity, space time coding and digital beamforming. Large scale systems and advanced channel models are discussed. Matlab system simulations are used throughout the course for evaluating the communication system performance.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 310 (or ECEN 310) (X) ECEN 410
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 411 – Coding and Cryptography for Communications
The course covers key topics in modern coding theory (finite vector spaces, linear codes, coding bounds, perfect codes, cyclic codes) as applied to wireless communication systems. Further topics include cryptography (classical ciphers, the one-time pad, Shannon's Theorem, linear shift registers, public key cryptography, one-way functions, the RSA cryptosystem, key distribution and digital signatures).
15 pts • (P) EEEN 310 (or ECEN 310) (X) MATH 324
EEEN 415 – Advanced Control Systems Engineering
This course extends previous control studies to cover the use of modern control techniques in shaping the behaviour of complex systems having multiple inputs and outputs, in both discrete and continuous time. Optimal control (LQR) and estimation (the Kalman filter) are introduced. The course concentrates on linear and linearised systems, but some introductory nonlinear material is presented, including applications to robot control.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 315 (or ECEN 315) (X) ECEN 415
EEEN 421 – Advanced Signal Processing
This course provides a geometric intuition to signal processing. This geometric point of view is a powerful tool for the understanding of signal processing techniques including transforms, sampling, time-frequency analysis and wavelets. The course provides the mathematical depth and rigor that is necessary for the study of more advanced topics in signal processing, including stochastic processes and estimation.
15 pts • (P) one of (ECEN 321, EEEN 320, MATH 318, MATH 377, STAT 332) (X) ECEN 421
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 422 – Convex Optimisation
Convex optimisation problems are common in science, engineering and economics. The course teaches identifying and solving convex optimisation problems. It discusses convex sets and functions, linear and quadratic programs, semi-definite programming, and duality theory. It uses these concepts to solve practical optimisation problems .
15 pts • (P) EEEN 320 (or ECEN 320 or 321) (X) ECEN 422, ECEN 426 in 2014–2016
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 425 – Advanced Robotic Engineering
This course presents advanced principles of robotic and mechatronic design, prototyping, construction and control. It covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating the mechanical, electronic and software components and applies relevant machine learning concepts.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 325 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 425
EEEN 427 – Special Topic: Advanced Mechatronic Design
The course will cover a number of topics in design, simulation, construction and testing of advanced mechatronic systems, addressing both theoretical and practical design aspects.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 325 or EEEN 301
EEEN 430 – Robotic Intelligence and Design
The course addresses the applications of artificially intelligent systems in embodied scenarios. It will teach the skills to assess tasks, evaluate appropriate techniques, and will provide experience in designing and implementing solutions and communicating the benefits of AI in physically based tasks.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 309, EEEN 325 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 430
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 431 – Musical Robotics
This project-based course incorporates a music theme in the design and construction of a novel mechatronic instrument. The necessary fundamentals of the appropriate music theory are introduced, and then students are guided in a project-based learning style to develop an actuator and sensor rich robotic device that can play a suitable music score. Students are evaluated on their design, construction and testing of this robotic device.
15 pts • (P) ECEN 325 or equivalent (X) ECEN 427 in 2017-2018
Not offered in 2025
Courses with a focus on Maori content
HIST 112 – Aotearoa NZ in World History: Islands and People/Ko Aotearoa Tēnei
Who are Aotearoa New Zealand's people? How and when did they get here? New Zealand is the last major land mass settled by humans. What does this mean for its peoples and the world? In this course we interweave two major historical strands of Aotearoa's rich history, Māori and Pākehā, to answer these and other questions. You will explore and analyse stories of first arrivals, first encounters, trade, love, politics and education. Histories of structural power - iwi, rangatiratanga, colonialism and capitalism - with everyday histories of home, solidarity and resistance. How does New Zealand position itself in global terms? And perhaps even more importantly, when?
20 pts
tut tba
MAOR 101 – Te Tīmatanga/Introduction to Māori Language
This course is an introduction to the Māori language for those who have little or no previous experience of the Māori language or culture. In MAOR 101 students work to develop a foundation of basic Māori language speaking, reading and writing skills, approximately equivalent to NCEA Level 1. The course covers the fundamentals of Māori pronunciation, learning vocabulary and basic sentence structures, karakia, waiata, and mihimihi.
20 pts
tut tba
MAOR 102 – Te Arumanga/Elementary Māori Language
This course is designed for students with some basic Māori language experience, and extends upon the foundations laid in MAOR 101. In MAOR 102, students work to improve their oral and written Māori language competence, reaching a level approximately equivalent to NCEA Level 3. Students are introduced to new vocabulary and extend their knowledge of the structures of te reo Māori, and begin to engage in basic conversations on everyday topics.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 101 or passed NCEA Level 2 Māori or equivalent to allow for sufficient Māori language training
tut tba
MAOR 103 – Whakakokoi Mātauranga / Academic Skills A
MAOR 103 is a course tailored to the Tohu Māoritanga programme for Tohu students who are enrolled in a 20-point degree related course. It introduces students to competencies needed for University such as critical thinking, academic writing, independent learning, personal management, note making, goal setting, presentations and library skills. Students will also learn to read academic texts, and follow ethical study practices. Essential computing skills are also covered and students will develop and refine their own study strategies. Co-taught with MAOR 104.
20 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School; (X) MAOR 003, 104
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 104 – Whakakokoi Mātauranga / Academic Skills B
MAOR 104 is a course tailored to the Tohu Māoritanga programme for Tohu students who are enrolled in a 15-point degree related course. It introduces students to competencies needed for University such as critical thinking, academic writing, independent learning, personal management, note making, goal setting, presentations and library skills. Students will also learn to read academic texts, and follow ethical study practices. Essential computing skills are also covered and students will develop and refine their own study strategies. Co-taught with MAOR 103.
25 pts • (P) permission of Head of School; (X) MAOR 003, 103
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 111 – Wana te Wanawana/Māori Language 1A
This course focuses upon developing a foundation of tertiary level Māori language learning and academic skills. Throughout MAOR 111 students will work to develop oral and aural confidence in te reo Māori. They will also encounter a range of Māori language literature, and will work to expand their vocabulary and develop accuracy in reading and writing in te reo Māori. Students with NCEA Level 2, Sixth Form Certificate, NCEA Level 3, University Entrance Māori or an equivalent should begin with this course. This course includes a noho marae component.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 102 preferred, or equivalent elementary knowledge
MAOR 112 – Wanawana te Tū / Māori Language 1B
This course focuses upon further developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in te reo Māori. There is a focus upon oral performance. Students will further develop their language proficiency by beginning to evaluate, edit, and critically analyse their use of te reo Māori. They will begin to develop awareness of register and formality in te reo Māori.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 111
MAOR 123 – Te Iwi Māori me āna Tikanga/Māori Society and Culture
This course introduces students to a broad range of Māori beliefs, concepts and structures that are important to the foundations and development of Māori society and culture. The course will cover aspects of pre-European Māori society, cultural change, present-day developments as well as visions for the future.
20 pts
tut tba
ARCI 251 – History and Theory of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho
Introduction to the development of architectural theory and its application to the recent history of built form.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
EDUC 223 – Education, Ethnicity and Culture
An examination of the underlying concepts in indigenous education and the theories that inform current research practice. Particular emphasis is given to theories of ethnicity, culture, indigeneity and colonisation and their application to the New Zealand context.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level EDUC/EPSY/EPOL/FEDU/KURA/MAOR/PASI pts; (X) KURA 241
ESCI 201 – Climate Change and New Zealand's Future
The Antarctic Research Centre is offering this summer course. Designed for science and non-science students, this course provides a summary of current knowledge on climate change, the evidence and its uncertainties, and possible climate scenarios for the next 50 to 100 years. The course also discusses the influence of climate change on NZ’s society, economy and environment, and governmental strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
20 pts • (P) 30 points
tut tba
HIST 227 – Māori and Pākehā in the Nineteenth-Century World
This course examines the histories of Māori and Pākehā cultural interactions during the nineteenth century. It explores relationships between identity, power and place, in both international and local forums.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 249 – New Zealand Political History
What are the forces that have shaped our political world? Who are the winners and losers, the dreamers and schemers? In this course, you will explore the key themes in New Zealand political history: the changing shape and nature of the New Zealand state, the growth of political parties, the development of economic and social policy, and the evolving relationship between Māori and the state. You will gain a strong background for a career in policy, advocacy or journalism. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106, POLS 111, 112, 114
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 211 – Tū Te Wana Wana/Māori Language 2A
This Māori language course extends oral, aural, reading and writing skills, with a particular focus on the relationship between language and Māori worldviews. It develops these language skills by drawing on literature from a range of time periods and genres, including narratives contained within Te Tumu Herenga Waka. Kīwaha (colloquialisms), whakataukī/whakatauākī (aphorisms) and mita (dialect) are examined in developing creative writing abilities.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 112
tut tba
MAOR 213 – Te Kawa o te Marae/Marae Etiquette and Protocols
This course examines the Maori rituals and customs that govern the processes and functions of the marae. It examines the theoretical and practical application of kawa (protocols) of the marae, in both a traditional and contemporary context. Attendance is required at a noho marae (approximate cost $15.00).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 111, 112, 123; (X) MAOR 001, 801
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 216 – Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi
This course examines Te Tiriti o Waitangi/ The Treaty of Waitangi, developing an understanding of its impact on the people of Aotearoa from its conception to the current day and beyond.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts
tut tba
MAOR 217 – Te Pūwhenuatanga o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa / The Peopling of Polynesia
This course focuses on Polynesian origins in the Pacific with special emphasis on the settlement of New Zealand and the development of Māori culture. It draws on archaeological, linguistic, traditional and other forms of evidence. There is an optional field trip (cost to be advised).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 123 or HIST 112 or PASI 101 or GLBL 101 (X) MAOR 122
MAOR 218 – Tirohanga Ahumahi / Sustainable Māori Economies
This course applies a tikanga lens to explore sustainable aspects of the Māori economy, business and investment. Students will consider practical examples of how tikanga works in theory and practice, the impact on whānau, hapū and iwi, and the implications for Aotearoa New Zealand. They will also investigate the structures and entities that Māori businesses use, learn how decisions are made, and consider other indigenous approaches.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts
MAOR 221 – Tū Tū Te Wana/Māori Language 2B
This Māori language course further extends oral, aural, reading and writing skills, with a particular focus on modern language contexts. It draws on a number of literary genres and situations that develop an understanding of language acquisition and use in modern contexts. Kīwaha (colloquialisms), whakataukī/whakatauākī (aphorisms) and mita (dialect) are further extended for modern use. Translation theories are also examined in the development of modern language corpora.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
tut tba
MAOR 222 – Te Aukorimiha, Te Auripomiha o te Reo/The Social and Political Development of the Māori Language
MAOR 222 explores the socio-linguistic landscapes related to language revitalisation, planning and policy. The course also probes the current climate of Māori language revitalisation and the impact different initiatives have made on the social and political development of the language.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts
tut tba
PHIL 209 – Special Topic: Metaphysics
What is time? What is causation? What is it for an object to have a property? Do abstract entities exist? Do humans have free will? Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that for answers to such fundamental questions, exploring some of the deepest and most challenging puzzles about the nature of reality. In this course you will investigate such topics carefully, drawing on both historical and contemporary sources.
20 pts • (P) 20 PHIL points; (X) PHIL325
POLS 218 – Politics and the Media in New Zealand
This course focuses on the political roles, functions and effects of the media in New Zealand. Topics studied will include: media and elections (including voting behaviour); news management and production; the role of public relations in political lobbying and electioneering; the political uses of opinion polls and experts; the regulatory environment within which the media operates; ownership and control of the media, public service broadcasting; Maori politics and the media; and the media and political leadership. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
TXTT 201 – Print, Communication and Culture
An introduction to the history of books, print and textual transmission in western, eastern, and indigenous cultures. Topics include book design and technological change, readers and reading spaces, censorship and oppression, packaging and advertising, and the reinvention of the book in the digital age. This course includes two distinctive dimensions: an overview of print culture in Aotearoa/New Zealand, including its relationship to Maori oral culture and the influence of the book on Pacific peoples; and hands-on experience in the letterpress printing laboratory at Wai-te-ata Press.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 323 – Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Education Aotearoa
This course will investigate the drive by various indigenous groups to be more self-determining through education. An interdisciplinary focus is taken. The course will discuss contemporary themes such as indigenous identities, the impact of globalisation and the self-determination of indigenous peoples.
20 pts • (P) 40, 200 level pts including 20 EDUC/EPOL/EPSY/KURA pts; (X) KURA 342
HIST 323 – Māori Textual Cultures in the 19th Century World: Ngā Tuhinga a Ngā Tūpuna
Māori is often described as an oral culture. How then do we explain the massive amount of texts produced by Māori in the 19th century – one of the largest collections of Indigenous written material in the world? This course offers you the opportunity to work on a globally unique set of materials and histories, taking a deep dive into texts which add depth, shade and colour to histories of Aotearoa New Zealand and the world beyond. Students from all backgrounds and cultures are welcome. Piki mai! Kake mai! Te reo Māori is encouraged but is not a necessary prerequisite.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (ANTH/CLAS/ENGL/HIST/MAOR/RELI 200-299, EDUC 223)
Not offered in 2025
HIST 329 – Special Topic: Telling NZ-Pacific Lives
We examine the history of New Zealand’s relations with the Pacific islands from the 1890s to the 1990s through the life histories of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa and NZers in the Pacific (e.g., travellers, traders, “chiefs”, missionaries, students, performers, workers, administrators, politicians, soldiers, families, activists, subalterns, etc.). In so doing we explore how the study of life histories in written, visual and oral forms allows us to reflect on, illuminate and/or challenge perspectives on Aotearoa’s place in, and relations with, the Pacific islands. The course will both examine lives that have been recorded and provide the opportunity to research others.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208); (X) HIST 235 (in 2020, 2022), HIST 329 in 2020
seminar tba
LAWS 313 – Ngā Tikanga Ture Māori – Māori Law
An introduction to Maori customary law and customary concepts.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 316 – Maori Land Law
An examination of rights in Maori land both pre- and post-Treaty; the history, functions, jurisdiction and procedure of the Maori Land Court; land claims and the Waitangi Tribunal; related legal issues.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 330 – Jurisprudence
An introduction to the principal traditions, objectives and issues in European and Anglo-American jurisprudence, and a comparative introduction to Maori and indigenous jurisprudence.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 334 – Ethics and the Law
Legal practitioners' ethical responsibilities to their clients, the profession, the organs of justice and society. Formal standards for professional ethics and the development of transcultural ethics, especially in relation to Maori.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 392 – Special Topic: Feminist Legal Theory
To be confirmed.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301.
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 311 – Tiri Te Wana Wana/Māori Language 3
In this course students test their advanced Māori language oral, aural, reading and writing skills, through engaging in a variety of advanced level Māori language tasks. This includes delving into the use of figurative language (kōrero whakaniko) and colloquialisms (kīwaha) and discussing and analysing examples of literature rich in these language features. Students are also challenged to demonstrate their competence in te reo Māori through debating current issues related to te reo and te ao Māori, and crafting quality translations with sensitivity to key translation principles and language features such as subtlety, formality, and grammatical accuracy.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
MAOR 313 – Ngā Tikanga Tuku Iho/Māori Customary Concepts
This course aims to develop student insight and understanding of the nature of both traditional and contemporary Māori culture, society and politics through critical analysis of concepts such as utu, muru, raupatu, rahui and tapu.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MAOR 213-217 or GLBL 201
MAOR 316 – Te Mana me te Rangatiratanga/Māori Politics
This online course examines a range of Māori political structures, movements, ideologies and visions. Students will also explore Māori politics in relation to Pacific and international Indigenous contexts. The themes covered in the course include Tino Rangatiratanga and Sovereignty, nationalism, Liberal democracy, Local governance, Iwi governance, Pacific and Indigenous contexts. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in KAIT, INTP or POLS.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 216 (X) POLS 316
MAOR 321 – Te Reo Karanga, Te Reo Whaikōrero/The Language of Karanga and Whaikōrero
This course examines the classical language of the Māori with an emphasis on the composition of original narrative and lyrical material. Attendance is required at a noho marae (approximate cost $15.00).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 311
MAOR 322 – Te Tāhū o te Reo/Topics in the Structure of Māori Language
This course provides an introduction to linguistic themes and the linguistic description of the Māori language, through the medium of te reo Māori, for competent Māori speakers. It concentrates on the analysis of the structure of Māori sentences and the critical analysis of elements of grammar fundamental to the fabric of the Māori language. MAOR 322 focuses on aspects of linguistic themes and concepts particularly relevant to speakers of Māori, including language change.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 308 – Māori Media
This course examines the idea of Māori media from a range of perspectives. Broadly defined, Māori media includes the creative works of Māori media practitioners; however, the course also examines representations of te ao Māori more generally. Drawing from resources and methodologies from the fields of Māori Studies and Media Studies, this course considers how Māori media poses a challenge to current thinking about media practices and processes.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from MDIA 200-299 or MAOR 212-299) or GLBL 201 (D) MAOR 308
Not offered in 2025
PASI 301 – Framing the Pacific: Theorising Culture and Society
This course examines a number of critical issues in the contemporary Pacific through a detailed consideration of the work, ideas, and writings of Pacific writers, artists, film makers, activists and scholars. It also encourages critiques of established historical and narrative accounts.
20 pts • (P) (PASI 201, 20 pts in Maori, French or Samoan language) or GLBL 201
Creative Writing
See also Writing (Academic and Professional)
FHSS 103 – Great Ideas / Whakaaro Hirahira
Great Ideas is a course reflecting on some of the most exciting, important and revolutionary ideas that have shaped society and culture as it is today. It also considers how those ideas have an ongoing influence. It’s an interdisciplinary course looking at topics across the humanities, arts and social sciences.
20 pts
LCCM 171 – The Art of Writing: Literary and Creative Communication
Even in a modern world dominated by visual and digital media, written communication remains the most essential and powerful tool not only in the university but in all social and professional contexts. This course draws on traditions of literary and creative writing to teach the skills of imaginative and persuasive written and oral communication. You will analyse and create personal, creative, critical, and multimodal texts which may include the speech, the essay, the review, poetry, transcultural writing, and performance.
20 pts
LCCM 172 – Reading and Writing Poetry
The course teaches skills in both critical and creative reading and writing, through engagement with a wide range of poetry. You will explore the effects of concision, ornament, sentence structure, repetition, metre and form.
20 pts • (X) ENGL 172, FHSS 101 (2016–2018)
CREW 253 – Poetry Workshop - He Rotarota
A workshop course in writing poetry which also involves wide reading in the genre. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 254 – Short Fiction Workshop - He Kōrero Paki
A workshop course in writing short fiction which also involves wide reading in the genre. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 255 – Writing for the Young- He Tuhinga mā ngā Tamariki
A workshop course in writing for children which also involves wide reading of children's literature. Please note that entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
Not offered in 2025
CREW 257 – Creative Nonfiction Workshop- He Kōrero Pono
A workshop course in writing creative nonfiction (e.g. memoirs, travel writing) which also involves representative reading in the genre. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 258 – Iowa Prose Workshop - He Tuhinga nō Tāwāhi
A topic in creative writing. Course materials will be an additional cost. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts, and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 259 – Iowa Poetry Workshop - He Rotarota nō Tāwāhi
A topic in creative writing. Course materials will be an additional cost. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts, and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 260 – Māori and Pasifika Creative Writing Workshop- Te Hiringa a Tuhi
This creative writing workshop is a practical paper for students who wish to produce fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry or scriptwriting which is informed by Māori or Pasifika perspectives, cultures and origins, the process of colonisation, or questions of identity and belonging. However, this is not a prescriptive list, and students are free to write creatively in ways that do not directly address these subjects. The writing workshop will form the heart of this course, with students also reading and discussing Māori, Pasifika and other writers of colour. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200-level and approval of the Programme Director (X) CREW 256 (2014-2018)
^ Limited entry course
CREW 351 – Writing for Television Workshop - He Tuhinga mō te Pouaka Whakaata
A workshop course in writing television drama - including sketch comedy, sitcom, soap and series drama. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 353 – Writing for Theatre Workshop - He Tuhinga Whakaari
A workshop in the art and craft of writing scripts for live performance. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts at 200-level and permission of Programme Director; (X) THEA 309
^ Limited entry course
CREW 354 – Long-Form Fiction
This advanced creative writing workshop is a practical course for students who wish to produce long-form fiction (10,000+ word stories). Through the workshopping of each other’s fiction and the close reading of published literary texts, students will explore aspects of craft such as sustaining tension and integrating multiple storylines. This course is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts at 200-level and approval of the Programme Director
^ Limited entry course
CREW 355 – World-Building Creative Writing Workshop
An advanced workshop for writers interested in long-form speculative fiction. Students will collaboratively develop a single story while working individually on the different components of successful world-building, including characterisation, structure, point-of-view, dialogue and pace. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts at 200-level and approval of the Programme Director (X) CREW 350 (2017-2020)
^ Limited entry course
Criminology
CRIM 111 – Introduction to Criminology
CRIM 111 is a broad-based introduction to key criminological concepts, debates and theories. The first half explores a wide range of theoretical explanations for crime/criminality. The second explores the attempts to measure crime, media representations of crime and the social dimensions or correlates of crime including ethnicity, class, gender and age.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS, or 15 PSYC points
CRIM 202 – Crime in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course critically examines criminal offending in Aotearoa New Zealand. The course considers patterns of offending and victimization in relation to historical events, political ideologies and social relations, and highlights processes of criminalisation in the news media and on behalf of ‘moral entrepreneurs’. The course draws on case studies and guest speakers to illustrate key issues.
20 pts • (P) CRIM 111 (X) CRIM 212
^ Limited entry course
CRIM 203 – Criminal Justice in Aotearoa New Zealand
While providing an overview of the development and implementation of criminal justice, this course critically examines the significant social, political, economic and cultural contexts in which ‘justice’ is undertaken in Aotearoa New Zealand. The course explores how criminal justice measures are differentially experienced, and considers how justice could be done differently.
20 pts • (P) as for CRIM 202; (X) CRIM 212
CRIM 204 – Current Issues in Criminology
The course will consider issues of current criminological concern, here in New Zealand and globally. Students will be encouraged to think about the full range of crimes and social harms associated with these issues. Human rights will be introduced as a way of thinking about harms perpetrated by the state. There will be a focus on applying theory and research. The course aims to develop students who know how to interpret and respond to real life events in ways that promote security and social justice.
20 pts • (P) CRIM 111; (X) CRIM 219 2017-2018
CRIM 210 – Beyond Crime: Understanding Social Harm
This course will introduce you to the concept of social harm, moving beyond the idea of 'crime' to consider a broad range of harms that occur throughout society. This is achieved through engagement with key theoretical literature that has laid the foundations for the social harm concept, and a series of case studies focused on a range of topics including borders, poverty, colonialism, gender, labour, sport, and the environment.
20 pts • (P) CRIM 111
CRIM 217 – Criminal Psychology
CRIM 217 provides an introduction to psychological approaches to understanding, investigating and preventing criminal behaviour. Topics covered include developmental patterns in offending, the psychology of wrongful convictions and criminal investigation, homicide (including mass and serial murder), and crimes against non-human animals and the environment.
20 pts • (P) CRIM 111
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 218 – Discrimination and Criminal Justice
Students will critically examine the nature and extent of discrimination experienced by particular groups in the criminal justice system with particular focus on indigenous people, minority ethnic groups, women and Muslims. Key concepts explored include: power; prejudice; discrimination, non-discrimination and anti-discrimination; social construction; othering; 'race'; labelling; prejudice and stereotyping. Please note this course is not offered for 2023.
20 pts • (P) CRIM 111
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 304 – Green Criminology
This course explores the harms experienced by people, non-human animals, and ecosystems resulting from human activity with the environment. Engaging with the concept of ecojustice and drawing on a range of perspectives from the field of green criminology, the course examines the nature of harm in relation to issues such as trophy hunting, climate refugees, and water security. Students will have the opportunity to conduct in-depth analysis for a case study of their choosing and to craft ecocritical responses to current regulatory problems.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from CRIM 200–299, EHUM 201, GLBL 201; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC; (X) CRIM 303 in 2023
CRIM 309 – Critical Issues in Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice has been deemed one of the most significant innovations in the administration of justice since the birth of the modern nation state. This course explores the origins, development, theory and practice of restorative approaches in criminal justice. Current debates and critical approaches, including perspectives from te ao Māori, on theory and practice will be explored.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from CRIM 200–299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC (X) CRIM 330 in 2020-2022
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 310 – Prisons in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course examines issues of state punishment and incarceration in Aotearoa New Zealand. A central focus is the record growth in the country’s prison population over the last four decades. These changes are viewed in relation to broader social issues of colonialism and post-colonialism, shifting public values and morality, and contemporary patterns of inequality. Alternatives to incarceration are evaluated and explored.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from CRIM 200–299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC; (X) CRIM 303 (2017-2019)
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 311 – Policing
A critical examination of policing in modern society. Topics will include the history of the police and policing, the evolution of policing methods and strategies, police culture and discretion, issues of gender and ethnicity, and police accountability.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC (X) LAWS 309
tut tba
CRIM 312 – Punishment and Modern Society
The historical development of modern punishment, with particular reference to New Zealand, and its relationship to broader social and political change.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 313 – Women, Crime and Social Control
The study of women's involvement and experiences within the criminal justice system and its social control implications. Topics include women as offenders, women as victims, and women as criminal justice professionals.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299 (or SACS 202); one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
tut tba
CRIM 314 – Special Topic: Delinquency, Ethnicity and Gangs
An exploration of the range of delinquency theories that account for the formation of gangs in societies. The course explores these traditions through a critical and Pacific criminological lens and identifies key themes that challenge the global north and western hold on the production of knowledge for this field. It argues for a wider theoretical framework for delinquency theorising and presents alternative crime and justice theorising through analyses of gang case studies. It also includes professional insights and experiences particularly from youth justice, social work, probation, and police points of view.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
tut tba
CRIM 315 – White-Collar Crime
This course will examine white-collar crime, using case study examples to look at well-known case studies of individual white-collar crimes, corporate crimes, and political crimes. Understanding these 'crimes of the powerful' is a key part of contemporary criminology. We will consider the main explanations of the causes of white-collar crimes, and discuss the merits of various methods of policing, regulating and punishing powerful offenders. The limits of criminology and the criminal law as policy tools for controlling elite deviance will be critically evaluated.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC; (X) CRIM 314 (2016-19)
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 316 – Criminological Theory
A study of various theories of crime causation and their implications for understanding criminal behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
tut tba
CRIM 322 – Crime, Deviance and Popular Culture
This course examines the relationship between popular cultural, criminal, and deviant practices. In addition to studying examples of the criminalisation of cultural practices, students will focus on how far popular cultural representations of crime and deviance reflect the 'reality' of crime and deviance in contemporary society. Popular cultural representations of crime and deviance as a mirror reflecting societal attitudes and stereotypes of race, masculinity and femininity in relation to crime and deviance will be examined. Students will be encouraged to develop a critical analysis of research which has attempted to examine and explain the ways in which cultural, criminal and deviant practices may come together.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 323 – State Crime
This course examines theoretical, social, political, and legal perspectives on state crime. Through case-study material, state crime is shown to be diverse, destructive and, often, hidden. The course evaluates how state officials join with other actors to commit crimes, and analyses the range of response to these events.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
CRIM 324 – Sexual Violence
This course is designed to introduce students to the issues and concepts central to an understanding of sexual violence. The focus of the course is on the study of adult rape/sexual assault and child sexual abuse. The course explores the causes, characteristics and consequences of sexual violence, examining issues for both the victims and offenders of these crimes. Topics covered may include theories of sexual offending, criminal justice system responses, victim impacts and survival, rape prevention, and offender treatment programmes.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299 (or SACS 202); one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 325 – Drugs, Risk and Play
This course will examine the place of drugs, both legal and illegal, in contemporary society through a critical exploration of the socially constructed boundaries between use and misuse. The course will also critically interrogate the use of drugs in a recreational setting, focusing on the socially constructed boundaries between recreational and 'problem' drug use, as well as the separation between licit and illicit use.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC; (X) CRIM 216
CRIM 326 – Criminological Research Methods
CRIM 326 will provide an introduction to research methods in criminology. The course will present different approaches to studying crime and explore the important ethical issues in doing criminological research. Note: this course is strongly recommended for students wishing to progress to Honours level study.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 327 – Biosocial criminology
This course provides an introduction to the biosocial approach in criminology. The role of evolution, genetics and neurobiology in understanding criminal behaviour will be examined and implications for the criminal justice system will be explored. A key focus will be on how biological factors can be integrated with social and cultural factors to provide a more complete understanding of key findings in criminology. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the implications of a biosocial approach for crime prevention, offender rehabilitation, and criminal responsibility.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 328 – Terrorism and Political Violence
The course analyses terrorism and political violence, and challenges conventional distinctions between legitimate war and illegitimate political violence. The course explores the causes of terrorism and political violence by describing and evaluating current theories and research on terrorism and radicalisation. It examines and critiques military and non-military policy responses to terrorism and political violence. Students will develop a nuanced understanding of terrorism and political violence, as well as policy responses to these forms of violence, from a criminological perspective.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from CRIM 200–299; one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 101 – Foundations of Society and Culture
This course introduces students to the subject by focusing on how anthropologists understand and explain social and cultural differences. We will explore a range of contemporary topics through a set of key questions that form the foundation of the discipline and are essential to both further study in Anthropology and an appreciation of world cultures.
20 pts
tut tba
ANTH 102 – Social and Cultural Diversity
This course introduces students to the study of social and cultural diversity by exploring culture and its role in our lives. Topics include ritual, symbolism, the body, exchange, belief, inequality, globalisation, kinship, gender and class. Case studies are drawn from New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
20 pts
tut tba
ANTH 201 – Gender, Sexuality and Kinship
This course examines anthropological approaches to kinship, sexuality and gender. It will explore the shifting social norms surrounding gender, sexuality, the family and relatedness across diverse cultural settings. It will reveal how practices of gender, sexuality and kinship intersect with new reproductive technologies, media, nationalism, capitalism, colonisation, class and race.
20 pts • (P) 20 ANTH pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or 75 points from DSDN 101-172
ANTH 202 – Capitalism, Culture, and Inequality
This course introduces topics in economic anthropology by examining the various. forms that capitalism takes within different cultural contexts, how it produces inequalities, and the varied ways that people and cultures respond to, appropriate and resist the economic systems of today's global world.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) ANTH 215 in 2019-2020, ANTH 315 in 2017- 2018
ANTH 204 – Modern Anthropological Thought
This course explores inspiring and influential ideas in recent Anthropology by discussing the writings of some of the discipline's greatest thinkers. Among the topics considered are: symbolism and the interpretation of cultures; culture and globalisation; ethnography and morality; culture and history; culture and evolution; culture and power; culture and experience.
20 pts • (P) ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 208 – Human Rights, Humanitarianism and Development
This course will examine the cultural encounters and human experiences that emerge out of contemporary human rights regimes, humanitarian interventions, development projects, and global politics. Taking case studies from a range of different cultural settings, it will focus on how culture and politics shapes these global practices, and how different groups understand, respond to and challenge these interventions.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
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ANTH 209 – Conflict and Reconciliation
This course focuses on anthropological approaches to conflict and reconciliation, exploring the relationship between the two, and considering how we as anthropologists approach these topics at local, national, and international levels. These themes are addressed through material that examines societies in conflict, post-conflict peace-building, nationalism, and state building. The course will also examine theories of social suffering and studies that explore local interpretations of history, politics, violence, and power. A variety of ethnographies will be considered.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 210 – Environmental Anthropology
This course explores human relationships with ecological and material environments. It will examine diverse cultural perceptions of and approaches to the environment, the relationship between nature and culture, and anthropology’s contribution to contemporary ecological and climate debates.
20 pts • (P) (ANTH 101 or 102 or EHUM 101; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
ANTH 213 – Ritual and Collective Life
How do communities give meaning and order to the world? What binds us together in collective relations with one another? This course offers an introduction to the anthropology of ritual. It will consider the ways rituals give order to social life, how they are used as public performances, how they generate political power, and how they are used to challenge established modes of living and being. The course examines a range of examples from New Zealand and beyond.
20 pts • (P) ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 216 – Anthropology, Education and Social Change
This course applies anthropological insights and theories to ideas about education in different historical and cultural contexts. We will examine core issues in the anthropology of education (such as gender, race and class) to ask how and where people learn, what education does in different societies, why education is often linked with social change, and what role education has in our own lives.
20 pts • (P) One of (ANTH 101, 102, EDUC 223, GLBL 101); 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) ANTH 215 in 2021- 2024
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 301 – Science, Technology and Culture
Science and technology are fundamental parts of all cultures. In this course, we examine how diverse sciences and technologies shape peoples’ interpretations of the world, their relations with one another, and their understandings of themselves. Considering issues like the relationship between indigenous knowledges and science, robotics, social media, medicine and biotechnology, and climate and environment, we ask what science is, how technology functions, and what place science and technology have in our own lives and societies.
20 pts • (P) 20 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ANTH 314 in 2018-2019
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 302 – Anthropology for Liberation
This course explores how Anthropology might contribute to human emancipation from racism, gender inequality, class disparities, and other forms of oppression and exploitation. We will consider what it means to approach anthropology from a decolonising perspective and explore what an anthropology for liberation might look like in theory and practice, drawing on examples from Asia, Oceania, and Latin America.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299 or GLBL 201 (X) ANTH 215 in 2017, ANTH 315 in 2019-2021
ANTH 307 – Medical Anthropology
This course explores what roles our cultural beliefs and practices play in shaping our understandings of health, wellbeing, illness and medicine. We ask how culture mediates our experiences of our bodies, our emotions and diseases, and how local and global inequalities affect health outcome. The course takes a comparative approach, asking students to consider cultural approaches to disease categories, illness experiences, and systems of healing in their own societies and communities as well as in a range of globally diverse settings.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200-299 or GLBL 201 or SOSC 200-299 or 15 pts from HLWB 200-299
ANTH 308 – Anthropology in Oceania
This course offers an in-depth exploration of the cultural diversity in Oceania by analysing the complex interplay between colonial encounters, postcolonial impacts, Indigenous epistemologies, and identity formation. We will explore these themes through the lens of the ocean, which has historically shaped connections, migration, trade, and cultural exchange within the region. Through a combination of theoretical discussions, case studies, ethnographic readings, and multimedia materials, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how various colonial histories have influenced indigenous societies and and their ways of knowing, being, and relating.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200-299
seminar tba
ANTH 312 – Creative Ethnographic Practices
In this course we will explore some of the methodologies anthropologists use to collect and analyse data (including participant-observation, interviews, collaboration, visual ethnography, and auto-ethnography), and consider ethical and political issues in ethnographic research. We will also guide you through the process of crafting your own research project – with an opportunity to do ethnographic fieldwork – discussing questions of ethics, beneficence, positionality, research relationships, representation, knowledge production, and how to analyse and present findings in a variety of creative styles and genres. This course seeks to equip you with a strong foundation in ethnographic research skills to take into future employment or postgraduate study.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 316 – Visual Anthropology
This course will consider the use of visual media in both the practice and production of ethnography by examining how visual representations are both products of cultural norms, values and actions and Considering the development of visual anthropology, this course will ask questions such as: what does seeing visual Anthropology, the analysis of scripts and picture mean? How are visual and other sensory media used to communicate? How do visual representations influence social relationships and actions? Can visual anthropology help produce a more publically accessible anthropology? This course may include visits to research institutes in Wellington.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299
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ANTH 317 – Migration, Culture and Identity
In this course we explore migration as both empirical phenomenon and subject of anthropological study. We compare the intentions, outcomes and experiences of migrants, considering citizenship, belonging, and the nation-state, and look critically at recent models of transnationalism and diaspora which have challenged earlier ideas about migration and culture.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299 or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
ANTH 318 – Design Anthropology
Design anthropology is a form of applied anthropology that uses ethnographic, anthropological and design methodologies to foster positive social change. It is critical, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. This course uses the core principles and methods of design anthropology to explore the role of culture in shaping design practices. It asks what possibilities a design anthropology can open for sustainable change. The course will take a comparative approach to design, bringing cases specific to Aotearoa into dialogue with sites beyond. Topics addressed include health and wellbeing, urban design, environmental sustainability, Indigenous design theories and social justice.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ANTH 200–299, DSDN 171, 172, SIDN 233, 272 (X) ANTH 214, ANTH 313 in 2020, 2022
Cybersecurity
CYBR 171 – Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Hacker—hero or villain? Explore the world of cyber criminals, state-sponsored hackers, and commercial and government defenders. Engage directly with cybersecurity professionals as you explore diverse career paths — from incident response to digital forensics. This foundational course introduces you to social engineering, security and privacy concerns, physical security, common threats, attacks, and the techniques, frameworks, and tools used to defend and protect against them. You will leave the course equipped with essential skills to be a proactive guardian of your security without needing to be a programmer.
15 pts
CYBR 271 – Code Security
This course covers measures taken to protect software code and applications from unauthorized access, modification, or exploitation. It involves identifying and addressing potential security vulnerabilities in the source code, design, and architecture of software applications.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, NWEN 241
CYBR 371 – System and Network Security
This course covers system and network security, emphasizing secure design, access control, and TCP/IP protocol security. Students will gain practical skills in Linux ACLs, shell scripting, and the deployment of defence mechanisms, preparing them for modern cybersecurity challenges.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, NWEN 243
CYBR 372 – Applied Cryptography
This course covers key cryptography concepts and services, encryption, hash functions, digital signatures, public key certificates, cryptographic protocols, and applications like SSL/TLS and blockchain.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171; COMP 261 or SWEN 221
CYBR 373 – Governance, Risk and Compliance
This course offers a detailed exploration of risk management in cybersecurity, covering concepts from basic principles to advanced applications. It includes practical exercises on security controls, incident response, and policy development, alongside in-depth discussions on security governance, ethics, legal environments, and cloud security. We also cover cultural considerations, as well as Māori Data Sovereignty principles.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, 60 200-level pts from (AIML, COMP, CYBR, SWEN)
Data Science
DATA 101 – Introduction to Data Science
We live in an increasingly data-driven world with the volume of data generated annually following a roughly exponential trend. Data scientists find themselves in high demand because of their skills to derive valuable insights from data. But what exactly do they do? This course provides an overview of data science. You will gain an understanding of the skill set that data scientists possess. This includes understanding data sources and types, data wrangling, data visualisation, modelling, and communicating results. Aspects of privacy law and Māori data sovereignty relevant to data science are also introduced.
15 pts
DATA 201 – Techniques of Data Science
Discover the essential computational techniques at the heart of data science, encompassing the realms of data integration and encryption. Dive into the mathematical concepts and techniques that underpin the entire data lifecycle, from generation and representation to transformation.
15 pts • (P) (DATA 101 or SPCE 201), one of (COMP 102, 112, 132, INFO 102, 151), one of (ENGR 123, MATH 177, PHYS 245, QUAN 102, SPCE 245, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
DATA 202 – Data Management and Programming
Explore the practical side of data management in this course designed for those working with data sources. You will get hands-on experience in programming and data management using a high-level language and SQL. You will build confidence in skills such as web scraping, data transformation, data cleaning, and the creation of data summaries and visualisations.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 102, 112, 132, INFO 102)
DATA 301 – Data Science in Practice
Take your data science skills to the next level with our capstone course. Dive into interactive displays, infographics, and dashboards equipped with mathematical modelling tools and coding skills. Sharpen your communication and reporting abilities through visualisation. Explore the social and ethical aspects of data science.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, DATA 201); DATA 202, 303
DATA 302 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
This course introduces a range of machine learning techniques of importance in Data Science, and gives students experience in using modern software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. Topics will include machine learning techniques for both supervised and unsupervised learning, including neural networks, and the design of machine learning pipelines.
15 pts • (P) DATA 201, DATA 202 (X) AIML 231, COMP 309
Not offered in 2025
DATA 303 – Statistics for Data Science
In this course we uncover the role that Statistics plays in Data Science. With a focus on understanding relevant statistical methods and their practical applications, this course will help you consolidate key data science skills. Topics covered include generalised linear models, polynomial regression, generalised additive models, shrinkage methods and supervised learning methods. The topics are covered in the context of inference and prediction for continuous, count and binary outcomes.
15 pts • (P) DATA 202 or STAT 293; one of (MATH 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292)
DATA 304 – Simulation and Stochastic Models
Simulation and modelling of stochastic systems, covering examples from Operations Research and Computer Science, including queues, networks and computer systems. Design, analysis and validation of simulation experiments. Previous experience with computer programming is required before starting this course. Co-taught with COMP 312.
15 pts • (P) one course from (COMP 102, 112, 132, DATA 202); one course from (ENGR 123, MATH 177, 277, STAT 292); 15 further 200-level COMP, DATA, MATH, NWEN, STAT or SWEN pts; (D) COMP 312
Not offered in 2025
DATA 305 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
Data Science uses machine learning methods to fit data and make predictions. In this course you will learn how to explore data in order to identify the appropriate ethical and cultural considerations and select the appropriate tools to analyse the data, develop the theory that underlines those tools, and see a variety of modern machine learning algorithms (such as Large Language Models) that make modern machine learning such a fascinating topic.
15 pts • (P) AIML 231, DATA 202 (X) DATA 302
DATA 351 – Data Science Internship
Students will complete an approved and supervised project in a public, private or non-profit organisation with established data science work stream. This project will enable students to gain professional work experience in the application of data science and to develop teamwork and communication skills in a relevant organisation.
15 pts • (P) AIML 231 or DATA 201; DATA 202; one of (MATH 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292), 15 further 200-level pts all with B+ average
^ Limited entry course
Deaf Studies
DEAF 801 – Deaf Culture and Society
This course examines characteristics of the Deaf community as a linguistic minority by identifying aspects of Deaf identity and Deaf culture.
20 pts
^ Limited entry course
DEAF 802 – Introduction to Structure and Use of NZ Sign Language
This course includes an introduction to the phonology, morphology, syntax and use of NZ Sign Language, and its history and variation.
20 pts
DEAF 803 – Introduction to Learning Sign Language
This course introduces the nature of sign language acquisition by Deaf children and non-deaf adults, with reference to general research about second language learning processes and contexts.
20 pts
DEAF 804 – Principles of Teaching NZ Sign Language
The course includes a review of major principles of language teaching approaches, and introduces techniques for teaching sign languages.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
DEAF 805 – Curriculum Design and Materials Development
This course includes an introduction to the design, preparation and use of appropriate classroom teaching materials for learners of NZ Sign Language at different levels.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
DEAF 806 – Deaf Studies Teaching Practicum
The practicum includes classroom practice in teaching NZSL, with the expectation that students apply theoretical learning from previous courses to their teaching work. In addition to teaching, activities include keeping a journal for self-review and teacher observation.
20 pts
^ Limited entry course
Design for Social Innovation
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
DSDN 211 – Design Psychology I / Mātai Hinengaro ā-Hoahoa I
Students will learn how designs can affect our thinking, our emotions and our actions. The course will introduce students to basic psychology principles. Through the practice of designing students will learn how to use psychology principles and methods to inspire, guide and refine their design process. There will be a strong aesthetic and creative goal in mind throughout the projects.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from BDI or BAS Schedules or GLBL 101 or PSYC 122 (X) IXXN 211
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 221 – Design for Sustainability / Hoahoa mō te tōitutanga
An introduction to the key concepts, theories and methodologies relevant to sustainable design and their application to a cross-disciplinary design practice. Students will develop awareness of sustainability from an ecological perspective and, within this context, will investigate the challenges and opportunities in propelling positive environmental, social, and cultural change through design. Fundamental sustainable design frameworks and strategies will be examined and applied through the development of creative studio-based projects.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) SIDN 221
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 242 – Whakapapa Design II / Hoahoa ā haere ake nei II
DSDN 242 builds on DSDN 172 Whakapapa Design I. This course introduces students to Mauri Ora as a design methodology. Students learn essential practice based tikanga within kaitiakitanga (guardianship) roles. This course is taught through pakiwaitara and making mahi toi (art/ design) and provides students a grounding in the knowledge and skill required to reflect Mauri Ora within their discipline specific practices and contexts.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 242, SIDN 242
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 244 – Photographics / Ngā Whakaahuatanga
Photography is explored as both a creative process and a design research tool. Students engage in both photographic practice and theoretical exploration, articulating their response to the photographic medium and developing their theoretical tool kit for analysing new image forms in relation to multiple types of design.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 244
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
DSDN 281 – Directed Individual Study / Ako Arahanga Takitahi
Independent study work undertaken on an approved course of study.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 233 – Accessible Design / Tā te Hoahoa Titiro I
Accessibility is about designing physical and digital products and services inclusively. Accessible design upholds people's human rights and removes barriers to participation in society. In this course you will learn foundational skills and theoretical approaches to make your designs accessible, so they work well for disabled people, meet national and international standards and enhance the use experience for everyone.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 233
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 271 – Design in Transition / Hoahoa hai Kaupapa Whakawhiti
This course investigates emergent design methods and strategies that prioritise the use of design-led societal change. Students will gain an appreciation of the interconnectedness and interdependency of social, cultural, economic and political systems. Students will challenge existing methods of design thinking and doing and envision new approaches that can lead to radical and positive change both in teams and individually.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 271
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 272 – Design Toolkits for Co-Design Practice / Hoahoa Mahi Ngātahi I
Co-design is a fundamental practice used in design. Enabling collective and equitable engagement with communities it a core competency to designing in the 21st century. Students will be introduced to industry standards and best practices for working with and within culturally and socially challenging contexts. Students will research, plan, design, prototype, trial and communicate the results of existing and design new co-design process and/or tool that aim to empower positive change.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 321 – Design Justice / Hoahoa o Te Nāianei
This course introduces students to the complex relations between design, people and the environment, and explores the notion of design justice, as a provocation for creating positive impact through design practice and of design practice. The course explores design ethics and responsibilities in relation to climate and environmental justice; indigenous justice; disability justice; social justice, through creative projects.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or GLBL 201
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 333 – Design Ethnography II / Tā te Hoahoa Titiro II
Building on SIDN 233 Design Ethnography I, this course offers students the opportunity to further develop their cultural research skills through field observations, interviews, interpretations, and reflections. Students will create a personal research portfolio to support further study and/or professional activities.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including SIDN 233
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 352 – Whakapapa Design III / Hoahoa ā haere ake nei III
In this course students explore through their creative practice the rich stories/pūrākau and whakapapa of local communities and environments to establish meaningful connections (whakawhanaungatanga) and insights into both the diverse and unique needs of others. Engaging with Iwi, Hapū and community directly, students will be introduced to real-world issues. This immersive experience aims to instil in students a deep sense of responsibility as kaitiaki, or guardians, of both the stories and the spaces they call home—both in the present and for generations to come.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including DSDN 242 or SIDN 242
SIDN 372 – Service Design / Hoahoa ā-Ratonga
In this course students consider the transitional changes required to achieve shifts in social infrastructure, existing paradigms and organisational networks and pipelines. Students create and articulate sustainable pipelines and systems that acknowledge the health and well-being of both humans and nature.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or GLBL 201
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 390 – Design for Social Innovation Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako
Within Agents of Change students create solutions that can impact positive social, cultural, political, economic and/or environmental change. Students use design tools, research methodologies and emergent co- design practices to design prototypes, and communicate and analyse design interventions that offer transitional pathways towards positive change. Students engage with diverse guiding values, including mana and manaaki, (respect and care) alongside whakawhanaungatanga (generation of authentic connections), to impact social awareness and/or change.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371 and 60 200-level pts including DSDN 242 or SIDN 242 and SIDN 272
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 481 – Research Methods/Tikanga ā-Rangahau
This seminar-based course introduces postgraduate students to current qualitative methods in design research. It explores a range of creative and empirical and culturally appropriate methods, concentrating on the formulation of research questions, the identification or appropriate research methods, and the articulation of research methodologies and analytical frameworks.
30 pts
Design Innovation
See Culture+Context, Industrial Design and Media Design
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
ANFX 201 – Animation and Visual Effects I / Pakiwaituhi me ngā Mariko Ataata I
This course explores 3D design principles unique to creating animation and visual effects media. Students will create a series of digital artefacts for the screen. Tutorials cover development methods specific to digital content, with emphasis on fundamental principles and effective design process. In lab sessions students will use 3D modelling software and 2D image manipulation software to generate compelling and innovative visual imagery that demonstrates an understanding of animation and visual effects media.
15 pts • (P) Acceptance into the ANFX major
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 211 – Character Animation I / Pakiwaituhi Kiripuaki I
This course offers an introduction to animated storytelling through the art of character animation. We survey a range of animated films in various genres and styles, from large scale studio features to experimental auteur films. In response students will create their own animated films by designing, building and rigging characters, and through animation bring their creations to life on the screen. Students will gain insight into animated film production workflows and will acquire the technical skills to bring their story ideas to fruition.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts including DSDN 102 (DSDN 132 prior to 2024) and 15 further pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 221 – Digital 2D Animation I / Pakiwaituhi Matihiko Ahurua I
This course introduces digital 2D and frame-by-frame techniques in modern animation practice. Historical and contemporary examples will be studied including classic feature films, independent shorts, music videos, and video games. Students will apply basic animation principles and learn introductory 2D techniques within a digital workflow, suitable to professional or personal practice.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA/COMP courses
^ Limited entry course
COMD 201 – Graphic Design / Hoahoa ā-Whakairoiro
In this course students will develop their understanding and facility with the elements and principles of graphic design. Areas include typography, colour, layout, heirarchy, balance and space. Students will look at the history of type and graphic design, and how this informs contemporary communication in print and screen. Students will become familiar with both historical and contemporary typographic and design styles and genres, and develop a critical eye for the complexities of graphic design.
15 pts • (P) Acceptance into the COMD major
^ Limited entry course
COMD 211 – Drawing I / Tuhi Pikitia I
This course will allow students to practice traditional and contemporary approaches to both observational and imaginative drawing. In addition to building on skills and techniques developed in earlier courses, students will be encouraged to nurture their personal practice and develop their creative voice through drawing.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 231 – Illustration / Pikitia Whakaari
In this course students will learn to illustrate and use illustration thoughtfully and effectively in a range of media. Historical and contemporary approaches will be studied from various perspectives: aesthetic, social, and commercial. Students will develop and complete illustration project briefs using a range of digital and physical tools and techniques.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 241 – Visual Narratives / Ngā Paki Ataata
This course focuses on the structure and methods of effective storytelling, as expressed visually. Readings provide a broad survey of stories that employ visual narratives in innovative or instructive ways. Techniques are drawn from comics, books, graphic novels, film, children's books, and animation.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 251 – Information Design / Hoahoa ā-Pārongo
This course addresses the demand for well-designed visual presentation of data in the information age. The course is interdisciplinary, combining skills from graphic design, interaction design, and data science. Students practice information design skills with applications beyond the traditional design professions. Students will shape data-driven messages in order to make knowledge accessible visually.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
COMD 261 – Motion Design I / Hoahoa ā-Nekehanga I
This course introduces basic concepts of motion design and time-based media in communication and graphic environments. Topics covered include introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery, graphic animation, as well as creative strategies and workflow. Students will apply concepts from motion design to time-based projects and outputs.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI schedule
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 211 – Design Psychology I / Mātai Hinengaro ā-Hoahoa I
Students will learn how designs can affect our thinking, our emotions and our actions. The course will introduce students to basic psychology principles. Through the practice of designing students will learn how to use psychology principles and methods to inspire, guide and refine their design process. There will be a strong aesthetic and creative goal in mind throughout the projects.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from BDI or BAS Schedules or GLBL 101 or PSYC 122 (X) IXXN 211
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 221 – Design for Sustainability / Hoahoa mō te tōitutanga
An introduction to the key concepts, theories and methodologies relevant to sustainable design and their application to a cross-disciplinary design practice. Students will develop awareness of sustainability from an ecological perspective and, within this context, will investigate the challenges and opportunities in propelling positive environmental, social, and cultural change through design. Fundamental sustainable design frameworks and strategies will be examined and applied through the development of creative studio-based projects.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) SIDN 221
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 242 – Whakapapa Design II / Hoahoa ā haere ake nei II
DSDN 242 builds on DSDN 172 Whakapapa Design I. This course introduces students to Mauri Ora as a design methodology. Students learn essential practice based tikanga within kaitiakitanga (guardianship) roles. This course is taught through pakiwaitara and making mahi toi (art/ design) and provides students a grounding in the knowledge and skill required to reflect Mauri Ora within their discipline specific practices and contexts.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 242, SIDN 242
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 244 – Photographics / Ngā Whakaahuatanga
Photography is explored as both a creative process and a design research tool. Students engage in both photographic practice and theoretical exploration, articulating their response to the photographic medium and developing their theoretical tool kit for analysing new image forms in relation to multiple types of design.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 244
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
DSDN 281 – Directed Individual Study / Ako Arahanga Takitahi
Independent study work undertaken on an approved course of study.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
FADN 201 – Design Studio / Taupuni Waihanga
In this intermediate course students will trial various digital and physical pattern design and manufacturing techniques to explore the expressive power of appearance in both fictional and real-world contexts. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion will be discussed, including the significance of Māori clothing and adornment in Aotearoa, providing students a context for developing a unique and ethically focused design position. Examples from the professional domain will be discussed, including fashion design in local and global contexts, costume design for stage and screen, and character design in animation and video games.
15 pts • (P) acceptance into the FADN major
^ Limited entry course
FADN 202 – Fashion Design Studio II / Taupuni Waihanga Kākahu II
This intermediate course will extend on the principles of fashion design covered in FADN 201 with an emphasis on digital tools. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion will be discussed, including Mātauranga Māori (framed in Transition Design), providing students a context for developing a unique design position.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including FADN 201
Not offered in 2025
FADN 242 – Generative Textiles / Ngā Papanga ā-Waihanga
Using generative approaches to textile design informed by broad cultural contexts and/or emerging technologies, students taking this course will explore the systemised creation of textiles. Students will be exposed to a range of software, manufacturing and production techniques to create artefacts using a constructive rather than restrictive set of rules.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
FADN 273 – Fashion in Society / Kākahu i te Papori
Across human history, fashion has played an important role in every aspect of culture: religious order, social status, occupational position and rank, personal freedom (or lack thereof) and rejection of the status quo. In this course students will analyse precedents as well as cross-cultural examples, including Mātauranga Māori, that reveal the nuanced socio-political narratives embodied in the garments and objects that people wear.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
GAME 201 – Game Design I / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu I
Students are introduced to indie games, arcade games and early home console experiences as a pathway to understanding the fundamental requirements of game design. This course builds upon game mechanics and core loops, utilising these concepts to create fully formed and engaging gaming experiences. Students will use game design software and establish intermediate game programming knowledge, and gain the capabilities to ideate, pitch concepts, and develop playable 2D games using a variety of software applications.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 102 or COMP 103 and 30 further pts from the BDI, BAS or BBSc schedules; (X) MDDN 221, 243
GAME 202 – Digital Asset Creation / Auaha Huarawa Matihiko
This course will allow students to explore and develop art and animation assets for game design with a focus on optimisation and working within the limitations that real time hardware can often impose. Students will learn the history of developing real-time assets and will be introduced to a variety of methods to create efficient work for game development. Over the duration of the course students will produce a variety of real time assets in both 2D and 3D, exploring and experimenting with different techniques in optimisation and developing an understanding of game art workflow.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
GAME 203 – Game Prototyping – Design: Tauira Whakamātau ā-Kēmu – Hoahoa
This course uses game jams and hackathons as a learning environment where students work with commercial developers to learn how to develop new and innovative game prototypes. Design students will be collaborating with students from the Graphics and Games major.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 102 or COMP 103 (X) CGRA 259 taken concurrently
GAME 204 – Writing for Games
This course focuses on the craft of writing fiction and narrative design for interactive media, including video games, interactive fiction, board games, and VR. No previous experience with Game Design and/or Script/Writing is required. Students play and analyse contemporary story-driven games and experiences. Students learn digital tools for crafting interactive narratives and producing games prototypes.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI, BAS or BBSc schedules or CGRA, FILM, WRIT, THEA, ENGL, LCCM courses
INDN 204 – Materialised Codes / Ngā Waehere i Puta
This course will explore a variety of approaches to material simulation and coded design processes. Topics covered will include advanced rendering, rapid digital iteration, and the translating of digital form to physical artefact. Students will look outside of traditional CAD software and expand their skills in the areas of polygon modelling and simulated materials to discover intuitive design and iteration processes. Students will represent the outcomes of these digital design processes as highly refined rendered images.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 211 – Communicative Products / Ngā Hua o te Whakakōrero
Industrial designers communicate primarily through the physical aesthetic qualities of the products they create. In this founding industrial design course students will explore and expand their three dimensional visual vocabulary to empower them to produce meaningful and articulate objects. This will be based on experiments into a products form, material and surface finish explored through physical materials and digital manufacturing processes.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 212 – Responsive Products / Ngā Hua o te Whakautu
This course investigates how industrially designed products respond to the people and environment in which they exist. This four-dimensional quality of products offers significant opportunity for design experimentation and expression. Through the use of dynamic components students will be challenged to design specific, responsive products and experiences.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
INDN 241 – Sustainable Mediums / Ngā Huarahi Toitūtanga
This course stimulates students to explore and experiment with a range of design-focused mediums, materials and techniques. In addition to material and technical proficiency students will gain competence in creating contextual design interventions and responsive objects with a specific focus on sustainability.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 252 – Physiology Codes / Ngā Waehere ā-Mātai Whaiaroaro
This course examines the dynamic complexity of the human body and its form, mapping personal variation, movement and anatomy as the inspiration for products. 3D scanning and colour 3D printing will be used to collect data and create a tailored product.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 201 – Design for Experience I / Hoahoa kia Whai Wheako I
In this course students will learn about the process of user experience (UX) design, and common research and design techniques, such as: observation, interviews, prototyping and user testing. Students will also become skilled at using industry-standard tools and software.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 202 – Design for Experience II / Hoahoa kia Whai Wheako II
In this course students will become adept at user experience (UX) design techniques, such as: case study analysis, user interface design, rapid visualisation and prototyping. Students will also become skilled at using the industry standard tools and techniques of UX design.
15 pts • (P) 45 200-level pts including IXXN 201 (X) IXXN 302
IXXN 221 – Web Design / Hoahoa ā-Ipurangi
In this course students explore and implement Web design tools and techniques. Students will also learn about principles and practices of web accessibility. An emphasis is placed on creative approaches to front-end development, design and scripting techniques.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 251 – Information Design / Hoahoa ā-Pārongo
This course addresses the demand for well-designed visual presentation of data in the information age. The course is interdisciplinary, combining skills from graphic design, interaction design, and data science. Students practice information design skills with applications beyond the traditional design professions. Students will shape data-driven messages in order to make knowledge accessible visually.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) COMD 251
MDDN 201 – Digital Society and Social Media Design/ Porihanga Matihiko me te Arapāho ā-Pāpori
In this course students will learn to design for digitally networked infrastructures such as the Internet, and the various protocols and frameworks that belong to this ever-expanding realm. Topics will include networking basics, Internet cultures and the privacy paradox, with a particular emphasis on designing for Social Media and critical analysis of the complex media environments that this creates.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 211 – Digital Video Creation / Auaha Ata Matihiko
In this course students will conceive, shoot, edit, and remix video-based projects. Students will learn video editing techniques, shooting video using DSLR cameras, elementary lighting, codecs, compositing, cinematography, and working with audio alongside building video content.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 222 – Virtual Reality Design / Taupuni Ao Hoahoa
Students are introduced to the histories and technical development of Virtual Reality both as a field of inquiry and as a creative platform for novel and engaging multimedia experiences. Topics include examples of VR from a variety of fields such as science, cinematography and new media arts. Students will critically evaluate contemporary VR environments using state of the art technology including a variety of hardware platforms.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 231 – Physical Computing / Rorohiko ā-Ōkiko
Introduction to electronics, circuit design, and programming as design tools for creative electronic solutions. This course is for students wishing to explore physical computing and interaction design (including IoT). Thinking beyond the mouse/keyboard/screen paradigm, simple techniques using microcontrollers and sensors will be taught to build smart objects and systems.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 or COMP 102 and 60 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 251
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 242 – Creative Coding and AI II / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga II
This course focuses on working with simple algorithms to generate visuals, as well as compositing different media, such as photography. Inspired by real world phenomena, this course uses parameterised design and generative modelling to produce creative coded design solutions. AI tools will be used in this course to support both design workflows and code reviews.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules and including one of (DSDN 142, COMP 102, 112)
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 244 – Photographics / Ngā Whakaahuatanga
Photography is explored as both a creative process and a design research tool. Students engage in both photographic practice and theoretical exploration, articulating their response to the photographic medium and developing their theoretical tool kit for analysing new image forms in relation to multiple types of design.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 144 or 151
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 233 – Accessible Design / Tā te Hoahoa Titiro I
Accessibility is about designing physical and digital products and services inclusively. Accessible design upholds people's human rights and removes barriers to participation in society. In this course you will learn foundational skills and theoretical approaches to make your designs accessible, so they work well for disabled people, meet national and international standards and enhance the use experience for everyone.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 233
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 271 – Design in Transition / Hoahoa hai Kaupapa Whakawhiti
This course investigates emergent design methods and strategies that prioritise the use of design-led societal change. Students will gain an appreciation of the interconnectedness and interdependency of social, cultural, economic and political systems. Students will challenge existing methods of design thinking and doing and envision new approaches that can lead to radical and positive change both in teams and individually.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 271
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 272 – Design Toolkits for Co-Design Practice / Hoahoa Mahi Ngātahi I
Co-design is a fundamental practice used in design. Enabling collective and equitable engagement with communities it a core competency to designing in the 21st century. Students will be introduced to industry standards and best practices for working with and within culturally and socially challenging contexts. Students will research, plan, design, prototype, trial and communicate the results of existing and design new co-design process and/or tool that aim to empower positive change.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 301 – Animation and Visual Effects II / Pakiwaituhi me ngā Mariko Ataata II
This trimester 1 course is the pre-production for students' Capstone Project in Trimester 2. Students are exposed to concepts and precedents relating to production, pitching and storytelling, and apply these to their own pitch and project development.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 201
ANFX 302 – Introduction to Technical Effects and Simulation
This course is an introduction to to essential concepts and practices technical artists employ when creating effects shots for screen roduction. Typical applications include film and games, but students may also find the course useful for exploring novel approaches to motion graphics, scientific visualisation or architectural studies. Example topics will include particle systems, fire/smoke simulation and rigid body dynamics (RBD) with the integration of digital assets and environments.
15 pts • (P) 45 pts at 200 or 300 level from ANFX, GAME, CGRA (X) DSDN 383 in 2023
Not offered in 2025
ANFX 311 – Character Animation II / Pakiwaituhi ā-Kiripuaki II
This course builds on Character Animation I and examines the art of character animation in depth. Students survey a range of animated film across genres and styles, with a focus on contemporary animation. Students will design, build, and rig characters, and bring these to life on the screen. Students will refine their technical skills and deepen their understanding of animation film production workflows in order to bring their story ideas to fruition.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 211
ANFX 321 – Digital 2D Animation II/Pakiwaituhi Matihiko Ahurua II
This course expands upon the practice of digital 2D and frame-by-frame animation in digital workflow. Students will learn intermediate animation principles and techniques for digital 2D production and its effective synthesis with other forms of animation and moving image. In addition to hands-on animation practice in the studio, students will watch, analyse, and discuss examples from a variety of contemporary sources, including film, music videos, and games.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 221
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 390 – Animation and Visual Effects Capstone/ Whakatinana ā-Wheako: Pakiwaituhi me ngā Mariko Ataata
The capstone project represents the culmination of study in the Animation and Visual Effects major. Students are offered the freedom to further develop any of the skills, concepts and approaches learnt from other courses. The course will engage the industry through a combination of guest lecture, brief development, and critique. The course focuses on portfolio and professional development.
30 pts • (P) ANFX 301, DSDN 371, and acceptance into the ANFX major (X) ANFX 312
COMD 302 – Typography / Tātai Momotuhi
Students will hone and refine their critical eye for typography and delve into the anatomy, materiality, and complexities of type. There will be an intensive study of typographic hierarchies and expressive typography through practical exercises. Projects will introduce opportunities to work within constraints while challenging traditional typographic precedents.
15 pts • (P) P 60 200-level pts including COMD 201 (X) COMD 201 prior to 2023
^ Limited entry course
COMD 325 – Print Media Now: Design for Publications / Arapāho Mātātuhi o Nāianei: Hoahoa mō ngā Whakaputanga
This course introduces students to specialist print design skills and knowledge. Print will be explored in many contexts, from hot metal and letterpress processes through the University’s own letterpress workshop, through to contemporary in-studio processes, such as silkscreen printing and risograph printing. There will be a particular emphasis on the craft of book design, taking a broad view of what defines a book – from simple zine-making through to more complex artefacts.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
COMD 335 – Comics and Graphic Novels / Pukawaituhi me ngā Pakimaero Waituhi
This course examines formal aspects of comics and graphic novels, their historical development, visual and culturally diverse vocabularies, and narrative applications. Readings provide examples of graphic storytelling and critique theoretical and practical approaches to the form. Students will develop and complete their own comics.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 45 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or ENGL, FILM, THEA, WRIT, LCCM courses
^ Limited entry course
COMD 342 – Generative Graphic Design / Hoahoa Waihanga Whakairoiro
Students will use a design process, set of instructions, or computer programme, to generate a solution that blends design artistry with artificially generated output. This blend of traditional and emerging techniques will produce surprising outcomes. Students will create and analyse generative works. The purpose of the course is to explore how generative techniques can add to a design practice.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 and 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA/COMP courses
COMD 351 – Writing for Design / Tuhituhi mō te Hoahoa
Students taking this course will develop a command of writing styles for use in creative practice. Projects will delve into self-reflective and exploratory writing about design, as well as critical interpretation. The course will also cover writing techniques that serve creative practice, such as client briefs, feedback and reports.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI schedule or permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
COMD 390 – Communication Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Kōrero Hoahoa
In this course students produce a final work to demonstrate the skills and knowledge gained in Communication Design. Students complete a large studio-based project or portfolio demonstrating design mastery. In seminar-style discussions, students develop their own briefs or portfolio goals that address advanced problems or questions in communication design. Projects are published, and engagement with a community beyond the school is a goal of the work in this course.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, COMD 201 (X) COMD 301
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 311 – International Design Studio / Taupuni Hoahoa ā-Ao Whānui
A cross-cultural design exploration of designed objects, spaces and sites, with special emphasis on understanding why and how they are uniquely formed by the technological, historical and cultural contexts that are part of, and the design inspiration that can be derived from such understanding. The course has two components: field analysis and studio project.
20 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from the BDI Schedule
Not offered in 2025
DSDN 321 – Interactive Products / Ngā Hua Hei Pāhekohekotanga
Students will investigate real-world issues through interaction design methodologies to identify problems, needs and desires that can be addressed through physical and digital interactions. Students will learn to design scenarios and prototype interactions through quick 4D sketching. Students will work in participatory teams to apply tools for testing their designs and develop professional documentation skills using video.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) INDN 321
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 331 – Concept Art and World Building / Toi Ariā me te Waihanga ā-Ao
In this course students will use a variety of techniques to craft concepts and visual images that convey speculative or fictional worlds. Contemporary and historical approaches to concept art will be critically analysed. World building across media (illustration, graphic novels, film, animation, books, and games) will be explored through examples and exercises.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) COMD 331
DSDN 351 – Writing for Design / Tuhituhi mō te Hoahoa
Students taking this course will develop a command of writing styles for use in creative practice. Projects will delve into self-reflective and exploratory writing about design, as well as critical interpretation. The course will also cover writing techniques that serve creative practice, such as client briefs, feedback and reports.
15 pts • (P) 45 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI schedule (X) COMD 351
DSDN 371 – Research Explorations for Capstone / Hōpara Rangahau mō te Whakatinana ā-Wheako
This course prepares students for the Capstone projects and across disciplines. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (generates meaningful connections) between design disciplines, research methods and diverse knowledges. This course asks students to demonstrate a critical approach to design through actively engaging with research as a part of the design thinking, process and praxis.
15 pts • (P) 45 200-level pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
DSDN 381 – Directed Individual Study / Ako Arahanga Takitahi
Independent study work undertaken on an approved course of study.
20 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
FADN 301 – Fashion Design Studio Ill / Taupuni Waihanga Kākahu Ill
In this course students will explore various design and production methods used in fashion design and wearable technology. Students will be encouraged to use digital manufacturing techniques as well as traditional and/or experimental elements incorporating a range of textile properties. Current issues critical to the domain of fashion and wearables will be discussed.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including FADN 202
Not offered in 2025
FADN 321 – Character and Costume Design / Hoahoa ā-Kahu Whakaari
In this course students will investigate the narrative and expression power of wearable items for stage (theatre, performance), screen (film, tv), and digital industries (animation, video games), through hands-on production as well as cultural study and research, including Mātauranga Māori.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
FADN 331 – Wearable Technology / Hangarau Hei Kākahu Mau
Students will explore the field of wearable technology through research and practical experimentation. They will learn how to use various technologies to create successful reactive and interactive wearable projects. Areas of exploration include the application of technology on wearable forms for the health sector, sports, hazardous occupations and for people with disabilities.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 and 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) MDDN 331, 351
^ Limited entry course
FADN 341 – High Performance Fashion and Wearables / Kākahu Whai Tikanga me Ngā Kākahu Hei Mau
In this course students will investigate the design of garments, uniforms and equipment that are subject to extreme levels of stress by the performer and/or the environment. Students will be introduced to topics that include design for sport, hazardous occupations and for people with disabilities, emphasising a variety of traditional and newly emerging fabrics and materials. Through project work students will address one or more of these special instances of worn designs.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
FADN 390 – Fashion Design Technology Capstone/ Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hangarau Hoahoa ā-Kākahu
In this course, students learn to integrate skills, concepts, and approaches covered in the Fashion Design Technology major to produce a final work. Students will develop their unique focus through a research-informed project that critically engages with how wearable design reflects and contributes to the surrounding culture and society. Students develop their own proposal and goals that define their unique position in the selected industry related to digital or physical wearable design: fashion, costume, or character design.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, FADN 201
GAME 301 – Game Design II / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu II
In this course students will build on the knowledge gained in Game Design I to design within the expanded parameters of a 3D environment. Using games as a medium of exploration, including examples from the early transitional period of 2D to 3D gaming as design precedents, students will gain a broader comprehension of contemporary gaming as the medium continues to develop.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including GAME 201 (X) MDDN 321, MDDN 343
GAME 302 – Game Engines for Design / Pūkaha Kēmu mō to Hoahoa
Students will use and explore the game engine as a design tool. Creating data visualisations and virtual exhibition spaces, students will engage with the game engine in ways both useful to game designers, animators, user experience architects and media designers more broadly.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points Including 30pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA 252 (X) CCDN 344, MDDN 344
Not offered in 2025
GAME 390 – Game Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa ā-Kēmu
In this course students will develop and build large scale video game concepts in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams. Design students will be collaborating with students from the Graphics and Games major. Students will apply their respective skills and knowledge from previous courses in order to develop a refined playable game output. During production students will document their development, their contribution and critically reflect on their design process. This courses is offered for the first time in 2024.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, GAME 301 (X) CGRA 359 taken concurrently
INDN 311 – Publishable Products / Ngā Hua Hei Whakaputanga
This course challenges students to explore and engage with specific online publications that inspire them to design a product suitable for publication to an international audience. To reach this standard students will select appropriate media including immaculately finished visual prototypes, photography/video, rendering, animation and writing to create a compelling and contemporary narrative.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
INDN 332 – Future Under Negotiation / Te Matapaki i te Anamata
This course explores industrial design from a historic, contemporary and future (speculative) perspective with a specific focus on the implications of technological evolution. Emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, biological printing and climate change will be explored through design experiments and scenario building.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 341 – Innovative Mediums / Ngā Huarahi Hei Auahatanga
This course asks students to plan and create design-driven innovations for the near future through bold experimentation with a variety of non-traditional mediums including smart materials, intelligent processes and emerging technologies. Students will engage in problem-solving strategies and agile learning to initiate, grow and propagate their ideas towards real-world implementation.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
INDN 342 – Fabrication Codes / Ngā Waehere Hei Waihanga
This course considers the relationship between digital creation - CAD (Computer Aided Design) and digital making/fabrication - CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) and explores the design opportunities these technologies offer. Students will investigate a range of digital creation and manufacturing methods and produce designs that exploit these technologies.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 390 – Industrial Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa ā-Ahumahi
This course introduces branding as a business concept to students. It explores the role that a product and associated services play in promoting and developing a company’s brand as well as the way a brand impacts on the perception and value of a product. As a capstone course, it offers an opportunity to integrate all the design skills and knowledge students have acquired to explore customised and connected products in both corporate and cultural contexts. Projects are often undertaken in collaboration with industry partners.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, INDN 211 (X) INDN 312
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 302 – Design for Experience II / Hoahoa kia Whai Wheako II
In this course students will become adept at user experience (UX) design techniques, such as: case study analysis, user interface design, rapid visualisation and prototyping. Students will also become skilled at using the industry standard tools and techniques of UX design.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including IXXN 201
Not offered in 2025
IXXN 311 – Design Psychology II / Mātai Hinengaro ā-Hoahoa II
Students will develop further skills to critically read psychology literature, find design opportunities and write design briefs based on psychology principles. Students will develop sophisticated designs based on those briefs and test them with advanced psychology methods that the students critically selected.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including IXXN 211 or DSDN 211
IXXN 331 – Design Enterprise / Pakihi ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to a range of approaches for applying their interaction design skills in industry, from entrepreneurship to employability. The course includes research, literature reviews as well as studio work towards developing entrepreneurial skills.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
IXXN 341 – Design for Health / Hoahoa kia Whai Hauora
This course introduces students to the wide range of opportunities for design to inform healthcare products and services. The course includes introduction to methods for working with clinicians and patients and how to design physical devices and digital interactions to address specific physiological requirements for a range of health conditions.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
IXXN 390 – Interaction Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa ā-Pāhekoheko
This course facilitates the development of a major interaction design project that builds and expands on skills learned in the programme and individual interests of the students. Starting from seminar-style discussions, students will develop their own briefs that address an advanced interaction design problem, select appropriate methods for addressing it, develop a working design and test its efficacy in context.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, IXXN 201
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 314 – Audio-Visual Space / Whaitua Ataata-Rongo
Students will investigate processes and strategies involved in the production of time-based media, including audio recording, editing and manipulation techniques. Revolving around the topic of audio-visual space, course projects will allow students to explore the psychology of perception and concepts of spatiality within audio and video design.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 333 – Data Driven Design / Hoahoa Ānga ā-Raraunga
This course focuses on the interpretation and presentation of data. Datasets are combined with programming and scripting tools to provide context to our digitized information systems and databases. Students will work with data sources from science, the humanities and commerce to design solutions to real-world problems using data.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 and 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or from DATA/COMP courses
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 342 – Creative Coding and AI III / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga III
Creative Coding III builds on the content taught in Creative Coding I and II and extends the use of procedural and parameterised design strategies and AI tools. Students will be taught advanced computer graphics and data mapping techniques in order to create dynamic visuals and assets for use in screen-based media. AI tools use and prompt engineering will also be deployed to advance code design workflows.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including MDDN 242
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 345 – Photographics III / Ngā Whakaahuatanga III
Photography is explored to an advanced level as a creative process and design research tool. Building on previous technical and creative skills, students engage with multiple photographic genres and practices. An ongoing technical tool kit and theoretical understanding of photography is developed for use across multiple fields of design and research.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including MDDN 244 or DSDN 244
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 346 – Blockchains and Web3
'Blockchains and Web3' is a 6-week intensive course covering topics surrounding Blockchain technologies such as Smart Contracts, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and Distributed Autonomous Organisations (DAO). The course focuses on understanding design paradigms and delivering technical tuition in relation to fundamental theories of Blockchain, and its current and upcoming impact on our society.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts or permission of head of school
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 321 – Design Justice / Hoahoa o Te Nāianei
This course introduces students to the complex relations between design, people and the environment, and explores the notion of design justice, as a provocation for creating positive impact through design practice and of design practice. The course explores design ethics and responsibilities in relation to climate and environmental justice; indigenous justice; disability justice; social justice, through creative projects.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or GLBL 201
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 333 – Design Ethnography II / Tā te Hoahoa Titiro II
Building on SIDN 233 Design Ethnography I, this course offers students the opportunity to further develop their cultural research skills through field observations, interviews, interpretations, and reflections. Students will create a personal research portfolio to support further study and/or professional activities.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including SIDN 233
Not offered in 2025
SIDN 352 – Whakapapa Design III / Hoahoa ā haere ake nei III
In this course students explore through their creative practice the rich stories/pūrākau and whakapapa of local communities and environments to establish meaningful connections (whakawhanaungatanga) and insights into both the diverse and unique needs of others. Engaging with Iwi, Hapū and community directly, students will be introduced to real-world issues. This immersive experience aims to instil in students a deep sense of responsibility as kaitiaki, or guardians, of both the stories and the spaces they call home—both in the present and for generations to come.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including DSDN 242 or SIDN 242
SIDN 372 – Service Design / Hoahoa ā-Ratonga
In this course students consider the transitional changes required to achieve shifts in social infrastructure, existing paradigms and organisational networks and pipelines. Students create and articulate sustainable pipelines and systems that acknowledge the health and well-being of both humans and nature.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or GLBL 201
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 390 – Design for Social Innovation Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako
Within Agents of Change students create solutions that can impact positive social, cultural, political, economic and/or environmental change. Students use design tools, research methodologies and emergent co- design practices to design prototypes, and communicate and analyse design interventions that offer transitional pathways towards positive change. Students engage with diverse guiding values, including mana and manaaki, (respect and care) alongside whakawhanaungatanga (generation of authentic connections), to impact social awareness and/or change.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371 and 60 200-level pts including DSDN 242 or SIDN 242 and SIDN 272
^ Limited entry course
Earth Sciences
GEOS 101 – Our Dynamic Earth and Environment
In this course you will be introduced to the Earth system, covering the physical processes that shape the Earth and environment. This course emphasises how humans interact with the environment, recognising differing societal perspectives, especially around key issues such as climate change and sea level rise, natural hazards, and resource use. It provides a platform or further study in Geography, Earth and Environmental sciences and includes a one-day field trip in the Wellington region.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 111
GEOS 102 – Earth Science for a Changing Planet
In GEOS 102 you will explore the foundations of Earth Science, necessary for understanding and mitigating climate change and natural hazards, including sea-level rise, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In addition, you will be introduced to environmentally responsible management of natural resources such as groundwater and minerals. As part of the course, you will go into the field develop practical skills to better understand and interpret the physical environment.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 112
GEOS 103 – Antarctica: Unfreezing the Continent
A broad introduction to Antarctica, including its history, exploration, weather, geology, fauna and management. Its role in the global climate system is emphasised. This course is primarily designed for non-science majors.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 132
ESCI 201 – Climate Change and New Zealand's Future
The Antarctic Research Centre is offering this summer course. Designed for science and non-science students, this course provides a summary of current knowledge on climate change, the evidence and its uncertainties, and possible climate scenarios for the next 50 to 100 years. The course also discusses the influence of climate change on NZ’s society, economy and environment, and governmental strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
20 pts • (P) 30 points
tut tba
ESCI 204 – Petrology and Microscopy
This course examines all common major rock types and introduces crystallography as it pertains to optical mineralogy, with examples of a variety of common minerals and rocks in hand sample and under the microscope. The course covers the origins of common minerals and rocks and the conditions and processes that form them.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 241 – Introductory Field Geology
An introduction to field techniques in geology held at the Geology department's field station at Onekaka, near Takaka, Northwest Nelson. The course trains students in basic methods of geological field mapping and provides training and experience in the presentation of geological field data through the construction of geological maps, stratigraphic columns and geological cross-sections. Students gain experience at describing and interpreting a wide variety of rock types and geological features in individual outcrops. Students will gain practice in interpreting the geological history of an area from their observations. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
^ Limited entry course
GEOS 201 – Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management
This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. This course brings together lecturers from a range of disciplines to discuss the crucial roles of freshwater in Aotearoa including alternative and indigenous perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from ESCI 111, GEOG 114, GEOS 101; 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 301
GEOS 204 – Geohazards and Risk
This course provides an understanding of major geohazard phenomena, from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to tsunami, landslides and beyond. Through field trips, hands-on exercises and class-based learning, you will learn about geohazard identification and the potential for individual geohazards to cascade into multi-hazard events with wider societal and environmental effects. You will develop skills in characterising and communicating the risks associated with geohazards. Finally, you will see how the knowledge you have gained in this course is used every day by the agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to geohazards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) GEOS 304
GEOS 208 – Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure
Building on your knowledge of Earth systems, you will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface imaging, analysis, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater and geothermal exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. The course comprises two modules: theory and analysis of underground pore fluids, heat, stress, and rock failure; and practical techniques for underground imaging and sampling. Each module integrates qualitative and quantitative concepts through lectures, laboratory and field exercises. This course introduces practical skills and knowledge applicable to a wide range of careers in industry, research, and government organisations.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102); 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 308
GEOS 211 – Earth’s Changing Surface
Humanity lives and depends on sedimentary environments (e.g., soil for farming, coastal plains for residence). You will learn to interpret and explain the interactions that are occurring today between environment and climate change, Earth-surface processes, sediment movement, and landforms. When you complete the course, you will be able to both interpret how these interactions have changed in the past and predict how they may change in the future.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) ESCI 202
ESCI 302 – Tectonics and Structural Geology
An introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and methods in global tectonics and structural geology. The laboratory part of the course emphasises practical methods of structural analysis and interpretation based on outcrop, rock mechanics, geophysical, and remote sensing data sets. It includes two all-day field trips.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 305 – Environmental and Applied Geophysics
This course covers geophysical techniques to explore the subsurface, with applications to engineering, environmental and groundwater monitoring, seismic hazard assessment, exploration for energy and mineral resources, and other aspects of Earth structure. Topics include gravity, seismic, electrical, magnetic, and satellite-based surveying methods.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, SPCE 201, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 341 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross- section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-112, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 342 – Structural Field Geology
In this course, you will learn to recognise and describe active faults in the field. You will gain the ability to distinguish between ancient and active geological structures, gather and analyse structural data, quantify fault slip rates, and perform a natural hazard risk assessment.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 203, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 344 – Field Geophysics
Methods and techniques for field geophysical surveys. This block course runs over a week, usually during the mid-trimester break, in a part of New Zealand that may vary from year to year. Students will learn how to apply several different techniques of environmental and geophysical methods to a single area and to integrate the results to answer a geophysical problem such as the shallow structure of a fault or a basin.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (C) ESCI 305
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 349 – Earth Sciences – International Field Course
This international field course in earth sciences aims to examine key geographical, geological and/or geophysical localities. The course will offer a variable but unique insight, understanding and experience of earth science in the field beyond that which already exists in New Zealand. This course is offered in alternate years and will run in the USA from 18 November 2019 to 18 December 2019. Numbers are limited, apply by 1 April 2019. An extra fee beyond that for the course, covering travel and subsistence costs applies and is to be met by the student.
20 pts • (P) 60 points of 200-level ESCI or GEOG including either ESCI 241 or GEOG 223; (X) ESCI 449
Not offered in 2025
GEOS 301 – Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management
This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. This course brings together lecturers from a range of disciplines to discuss the crucial roles of freshwater in Aotearoa including alternative and indigenous perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from ESCI 111, GEOG 114 or GEOS 101; 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 201
GEOS 302 – Measuring Aotearoa's Dynamic Landscape
In this course, you will investigate the unique forces that have led to the formation and evolution of Aotearoa's iconic landscapes, including te ao Māori perspectives. You will gain an understanding of the processes through field expeditions to collect raw data from diverse landscapes around the Wellington region. Armed with tools ranging from sediment samplers to cutting-edge remote sensing devices, students will interpret field data and perform laboratory and computer analyses. You will gain valuable skills in real-world data collection and presentation, equipping you with the practical expertise needed to quantify change at Earth’s surface.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111 or GEOS 102 (X) GEOS 202
GEOS 304 – Geohazards and Risk
This course provides an understanding of major geohazard phenomena, from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to tsunami, landslides and beyond. Through field trips, hands-on exercises and class-based learning, you will learn about geohazard identification and the potential for individual geohazards to cascade into multi-hazard events with wider societal and environmental effects. You will develop skills in characterising and communicating the risks associated with geohazards. Finally, you will see how the knowledge you have gained in this course is used every day by the agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to geohazards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) GEOS 204
GEOS 306 – Past, Present and Future Environmental Change
Sedimentary deposits record past changes in Earth’s surface environments and biosphere – a series of natural experiments that provide important context for the future of global change. You will learn to use knowledge of processes operating today to interpret those past changes. These skills will then be used to both predict the impacts of modern environmental degradation and understand natural mechanisms of mitigation and adaptation.
20 pts • (P) one of (ESCI 202, GEOS 211, 311) (X) ESCI 301
GEOS 307 – Deep Earth Processes
In this course you will explore dynamic processes that shape our earth though tectonics, faulting, metamorphism, and magmatism. Through practical exercises and interactive lectures, you will learn about the principles of plate tectonics, earth structures and deformation, metamorphism and the generation and evolution of magmatic systems, with a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand. You will combine this theoretical knowledge with field and laboratory observations and learn how to link small-scale observations to large-scale tectonic processes.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT); GEOS 209 or 309 (X) ESCI 302, 303, GEOS 207
GEOS 308 – Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure
Building on your knowledge of Earth systems, you will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface imaging, analysis, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater and geothermal exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. The course comprises two modules: theory and analysis of underground pore fluids, heat, stress, and rock failure; and practical techniques for underground imaging and sampling. Each module integrates qualitative and quantitative concepts through lectures, laboratory and field exercises. This course introduces practical skills and knowledge applicable to a wide range of careers in industry, research, and government organisations.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102); 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 208
GEOS 313 – Structural Field Geology
Field mapping and analysis of geological structures, including folds, thrust and active strike-slip faults. You will measure structural data, produce maps and draw cross-sections of Kekerengu, an area on the Kaikoura coast that provides a dramatic window into the tectonic evolution of Aotearoa New Zealand’s landmass over the last 100 million years.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 202, 203, GEOS 202, 207, 208, 302, 307, 308
Not offered in 2025
GEOS 314 – Volcanic Field Geology
Methods and techniques for studying volcanic geology in the field. This course runs from Whakapapa in the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) of the central North Island. It examines the products of andesite and basalt eruptions from the Tongariro National Park volcanoes and some rhyolitic products of Taupo volcano.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 204, GEOS 207, 307
^ Limited entry course
GEOS 315 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross-section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 202, 206, GEOS 302
Not offered in 2025
Econometrics
See also Economics
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
QUAN 111 – Mathematics for Economics and Finance
Mathematical methods appropriate for study of economics and finance. After refreshing basic mathematical knowledge, the course covers systems of linear equations, matrix algebra, functions, calculus of functions of one of several variables (differentiation and optimisation). Applications include using functional approximations, calculating marginal utility and marginal cost, solving profit/utility maximisation problems. Note: QUAN 111, CRN 15973 is for Vietnam-based students only.
15 pts • (X) (MATH 141/142) and 151
tut tba
QUAN 201 – Introduction to Econometrics
The course focuses on the estimation and interpretation of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models. The OLS assumptions and their implications are discussed. The methods learned are applied to real data.
15 pts • (P) (B+ or better in QUAN 102/ STAT 193) or (QUAN 111 and QUAN 102/STAT 193) or MATH 177
tut tba
QUAN 202 – Business and Economic Forecasting
Basic concepts of forecasting; smoothing and seasonal adjustment, forecasting via adaptive procedures, ARIMA models, and the use of explanatory variables, the evaluation and combination of forecasts. Computer software is used to illustrate all aspects of the course.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, QUAN 102 (or STAT 193); QUAN 111 or (or one of MATH 141/142, 151)
Not offered in 2025
QUAN 203 – Mathematical Statistics for Economics and Finance
Analysis of discrete, continuous, conditional and independent random variables, including mean, variance, covariance, moment generating function, limit behaviour and other properties. Estimation techniques including multiple regression, method of moments, and maximum likelihood. General strengthening of mathematical thinking algebraic skills, calculus and linear algebra.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); QUAN 111 or (MATH 141/142, 151); (X) MATH 277
tut tba
Economics
ECON 130 – Microeconomic Principles
An introduction to economic principles and their application to issues facing households, businesses and government in the New Zealand economy and the international economic environment. Note: CRNs 17450 and 15517 are for Vietnam-based students only.
15 pts
tut tba
ECON 141 – Macroeconomic Principles
An introduction to macroeconomics, including fiscal and monetary policies, the international sector, and analysis of income-expenditure, IS-MPR and aggregate demand-aggregate supply models.
15 pts
ECON 201 – Intermediate Microeconomics
This course in intermediate microeconomic analysis includes demand theory and applications of consumer behaviour, analysis of market structures, strategic behaviour, introductory welfare economics and analysis of public goods and externalities.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130; QUAN 111 (or MATH 141/142, 151)
tut tba
ECON 202 – Open-economy Macroeconomics
Applications of an open economy macroeconomic model to macroeconomic issues and policy, including the interdependence of macroeconomic activity and markets, the roles of expectations variables and other dynamic adjustment mechanisms, the significance of international events, exchange rate regimes, inflation, unemployment.
15 pts • (P) ECON 141 (or 140)
tut tba
ECON 301 – Econometrics
Econometric theories with simulation and real-world data application including: ordinary least squares (with matrix algebra); generalised least squares; instrumental variables estimation; maximum likelihood estimation; binary response and limited dependent variables models; panel data models.
15 pts • (P) (QUAN 111 and QUAN 201) or QUAN 203 or MATH 277
ECON 303 – Applied Econometrics
This course is about carefully answering economic questions with data. Various classical and contemporary econometric techniques are presented and applied using econometric software to real and synthetic data, from realms such as education, health and the labour market.
15 pts • (P) (QUAN 111 and QUAN 201) or QUAN 203 or MATH 277
ECON 305 – Advanced Macroeconomics
Causes and consequences of Economic Growth, viewed both narrowly in terms of GDP, and more broadly in terms of the progress of societies. The roles of monetary and fiscal policy in shaping Macroeconomic outcomes. Individual, in-depth anlysis of these issues for a selected economy.
15 pts • (P) ECON 202, QUAN 111 or (MATH 141/142, 151)
tut tba
ECON 307 – Economic Policy
Economic policy addresses a broad range of factors: the role of the state; the interplay of market failure and government failure; and how policy instruments are used to affect outcomes. The course covers all of these and has a specific focus on taxation, social security, and education with examples from Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201 or (ECON 130 and one of PUBL 203/209); (X) PUBL 303
Not offered in 2025
ECON 314 – Game Theory
This course introduces and develops game theory and its applications.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201
tut tba
ECON 328 – Industrial Organisation
Economic theory combines with empirical evidence in the study of the organisation of firms, industries and markets. The course draws on game theory, transaction cost analysis, information theory and the application of economics to legal issues.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201; (X) ECON 211
Not offered in 2025
ECON 330 – Law and Economics
An introduction to the economic analysis of law and legal institutions. The course covers issues in the economic analysis of tort law, property law, contract law, criminal law, litigation and settlement, as well as corporate and antitrust law.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, 15 pts from (COML/ECON 201-299 or LAWS 201-289); (X) LAWS 335
Not offered in 2025
ECON 333 – Labour Economics
This course covers both economic theories and real-world data analysis of the labour market with the following topics: causal inference, labour supply, labour demand, market equilibrium, immigration, and human capital accumulation.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201; QUAN 102 or MATH 177 or STAT 193
Not offered in 2025
ECON 339 – Information Economics
The economics of information and incentives. Topics covered include efficiency; complete and incomplete verifiability; uncertainty, expected utility and insurance, moral hazard; selection, screening and lemons; auctions.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201
Not offered in 2025
ECON 340 – Environmental and Resource Economics
This course provides economic background to topical questions in environmental and resource economics Economic methods (eg cost-benefit analysis and static/dynamic efficiency) are applied to economics of pollution control (eg climate change), depletable and and renewable resources. Inefficiencies (externalities, market power, property rights) in various resource markets (oil, electricity, fisheries, water, land) are discussed.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201
Not offered in 2025
ECON 342 – Development Economics
Why are some countries rich while others are poor? How can less affluent countries catch up? This course aims to address these critical questions in economics. By building upon fundamental economic theories, the course guides you through an exploration of diverse empirical facts related to economic growth and development. Additionally, it provides you with analytical tools to assess development policies effectively.
15 pts • (P) ECON 201, 202; (X) ECON 350 in 2017-2023
ECON 361 – Disasters and Economic Policy
The economic aspects of disaster management and policy, including these topics: the economic history of natural disasters; the research literature on the economics of natural disasters; poverty and vulnerability, insurance, risk transfer, cost benefit of mitigation, and other related topics.
15 pts
Education
EDUC 101 – Education, Society and Culture
This interdisciplinary course is an introduction to the relationship between education, society and change. It analyses the ways in which political and cultural beliefs influence children’s and young people’s experiences of education in multiple settings with a particular focus on Aotearoa New Zealand and the Oceania region.
20 pts • (X) EPOL 181, FEDU 101, KURA 101
EDUC 102 – Te Ao Hurihuri 1: Te Tiriti—History and transformative education
This course introduces the historical context for education in Aotearoa, beginning with pre-colonial Māori tikanga, the early contact period, He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the impacts of colonisation since 1840. It includes examples of Māori resistance to Tiriti breaches and an overview of Waitangi Tribunal findings, with a focus on the implications for transformative education, including ecological justice, in contemporary and local education contexts.
15 pts
EDUC 103 – Te Ao Hurihuri 2: Ngā Auahatanga—Innovations in Care and Education
This course provides students with an opportunity to interrogate the genealogies of indigenous and Western models of childrearing and the intergenerational transmission of languages, values and knowledges, including a view of play and playfulness. Students engage in in-depth exploration, comparison and critique of historical and contemporary contexts for early childhood philosophies and programmes, with a focus on Indigenous models (such as Kōhanga Reo, Aoga Amata, Punanga Reo and Punana Leo) and key Western pedagogical innovations and influences (such as is seen in the work of John Dewey, Frederick Froebel, Rudolph Steiner, Maria Montessori, and the MacMillan sisters).
20 pts • (X) EDUC 115
EDUC 104 – Te Ao Hurihuri 3: Ngā Ariā—Theories of growth and learning in context
This course offers an introduction to, and a critical analysis of, historical and contemporary theories of learning, growth and transformation across the lifespan, with a particular focus on young children and their education. The course examines theories informed by Māori, Pacific and other Indigenous world views as well as key Western theories of learning and development.
20 pts • (X) EDUC 116
EDUC 115 – The Discovery of Early Childhood
An introduction to the history and philosophies underpinning early childhood care and education in Europe, the United States and New Zealand from the 18th century to the present day.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 113
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 116 – Understanding Young Children
An introduction to past and present theories of child development with a particular focus on understanding the theoretical context out of which contemporary understandings of how young children learn and develop have emerged.
15 pts • (X) EPSY 113
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 117 – Motivation and Grit
Why do you do the things you do? Why are some activities more effective than others in trying to achieve goals? What is grit and how does it relate to motivation? This course will address all of these questions and will help students understand what affects peoples’ motivation. This course is taught online.
20 pts
EDUC 136 – Professional knowledge for Mathematics Education
How do children learn mathematics and how can teachers promote mathematical learning and thinking? This course explores specialised content knowledge; a knowledge of mathematical concepts essential for the effective teaching of mathematics. Learning will be based around the pedagogies promoted in New Zealand curriculum documents. This course is particularly relevant for students considering enrolling in a teaching qualification upon completion of their undergraduate degree.
20 pts
EDUC 141 – Human Development and Learning
This course takes a lifespan approach to examining how people develop and learn from birth to death. It explores key milestones and changes in physical, cognitive, emotional and social development; and critically examines a range of factors and contexts that shape development and learning.
20 pts • (X) EPSY 141, FEDU 101
EDUC 191 – Special Topic: Introduction to Academic Studies
An introduction to the skills and dispositions necessary for success in degree programmes at Victoria University of Wellington, including academic writing, critical thinking, resilience and sound study techniques and strategies.
25 pts
EDUC 192 – Special Topic: Introduction to Academic Studies
An introduction to the skills and dispositions necessary for success in degree programmes at Victoria University of Wellington, including academic writing, critical thinking, psychological factors in learning and sound study techniques and strategies.
20 pts • (X) EDUC 191
TCHG 102 – Te Reo Māori 1: Hei Whaiora
In this course, student teachers are introduced to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in relation to the conceptual framework that underpins Te Whāriki, including the place of tākaro, or play, in te ao Māori.
15 pts • (X) TCHG 118
TCHG 103 – Ako 1: Ngā Anga—Care and education frameworks and pedagogies
This course introduces you to practice frameworks taught across the programme, including professionalism, ethical practice and reflective practice. We examine the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Code and Standards, the EC regulatory framework, and professional guidelines such as Tātaiako and Tapasā. We focus on notions of wellbeing, belonging, diversity, cultural sustainability and inclusivity.
15 pts • (C) TCHG 102, TCHG 104, EDUC 102 (X) TCHG 116
TCHG 104 – Tātaimarau 1: Te Whāriki
In this course, student teachers critically examine notions of curriculum and pedagogical practices in early childhood care and education settings in Aotearoa New Zealand, focussing on wellbeing, learning and growing through play and exploration. They build understandings of social, cultural, and ecological justice in relation to curriculum, play pedagogies and inclusive education. Māori and Pacific Peoples’ ontologies and theoretical perspectives and children’s diverse life-worlds are a focus.
15 pts • (X) TCHG 111
TCHG 105 – Tātaimarau me Te Reo Māori 2: Kia Rere—The '100' Languages of Children
Students will explore introductory notions of creativity including Māori, Pacific Peoples and Western conceptualisations. They enhance their own creative skills and attitudes by exploring languages, literacy, visual art, music, dance, drama, science, maths and technology. They develop enriched understandings of design for programme planning and learning environments, which integrate digital learning, a sustainability focus, and transformative approaches. The course incorporates a te reo Māori language component congruent with the level acquired in TCHG 102: Te Reo Māori 1 that builds on earlier te reo learning and uses a corpus of language appropriate to working in these curriculum domains.
20 pts • (P) TCHG 102, TCHG 104
EDUC 202 – Education for the Environment
Education has a key role in equipping citizens with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to care for the environment. Education for the environment occurs in education settings and community contexts. In this course you will critique and creatively engage with education for sustainability, kaitiakitanga, and climate education frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 100 level pts
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 211 – Educational Neuroscience
This course will examine the neural mechanisms of learning and its implications for educational practices. Topics related to individual differences in abilities and translating research into classroom practices will be explored. Students will gain an introductory understanding of neuropsychological properties of learning that will help them further develop their training in Educational Psychology.
20 pts • (P) one of (EDUC 141, PSYC 121, 122) (X) EDUC 289 (2021, 2022)
EDUC 215 – The Early Years Debates
This course explores current early years issues and debates in both local and international contexts. It offers opportunities to consider and critique a variety of arenas and strategies for equitable education in the early childhood years.
20 pts • (P) one of (EDUC 101,115, 116 or 142) (X) EPOL 215
EDUC 221 – Youth, Society and Education
This course examines the ways in which young people create meaning in their lives and in their school environments. It explores the influences that shape their understandings of the world and their experiences of being young in a rapidly changing society.
20 pts • (P) 20, 100 level EDUC/EPOL/EPSY/FEDU/KURA/SOSC pts; (X) EPOL 281
EDUC 222 – Educational Inquiry
This course provides an introducation to key concepts, processes and methodological approaches to educational research. The emphasis of the course is on building research literacy and developing basic research skills.
20 pts • (P) 20 EDUC/EPOL/EPSY/FEDU/KURA pts
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 223 – Education, Ethnicity and Culture
An examination of the underlying concepts in indigenous education and the theories that inform current research practice. Particular emphasis is given to theories of ethnicity, culture, indigeneity and colonisation and their application to the New Zealand context.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level EDUC/EPSY/EPOL/FEDU/KURA/MAOR/PASI pts; (X) KURA 241
EDUC 224 – Pacific Nations Education
The course examines concepts, issues and trends in Pacific Nations Education with particular reference to the education of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand and indigenous education systems in the Pacific.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level EDUC/EPOL/EPSY/FEDU/KURA/MAOR/PASI pts; (X) PASP 102
EDUC 243 – Learning and Motivation
This course examines psychological principles of learning and motivation in educational contexts. Key theories and evidence on learning and motivation are evaluated. This course helps students acquire evidence-based strategies for long-term retention of important information and develop their ability to use newly learned knowledge within educational settings and beyond. In addition, the course builds students' understanding of motivation processes that play important roles in learning and equips students with a toolkit of effective strategies to manage their motivation in learning settings.
20 pts • (P) one of (EDUC 116, 141, EPSY 113, 141, PSYC 121, 122); (X) EPSY 243
EDUC 244 – Issues in Child and Adolescent Development
This course examines child and adolescent development within an applied developmental psychology framework. Key theories and evidence on a range of issues and challenges that influence child and adolescent development is evaluated.
20 pts • (P) one of (EDUC 116, 141, EPSY 113, 141, PSYC 121, 122); (X) EPSY 244
TCHG 220 – Ako 2: Te Tirohanga Whānui - Approaches to EC curriculum, assessment and planning
In this course, student teachers examine theories and practices for curriculum, assessment and planning, including kaupapa Māori and Pacific Peoples’ perspectives. They use multiple approaches and tools to gather information and reflect on children’s diverse ways of being, knowing, doing and relating, to plan for individual children. Student teachers examine how interpersonal, temporal and material environments influence children’s curriculum experiences and engagement. Attention is paid to culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogical practices that support kaiako/teachers’ attunement to children and their whānau, hapū and iwi. Campus-based student teachers will participate in five weeks of external teaching experience. Centre-based student teachers will participate in four weeks of in-centre teaching experience.
20 pts • (P) TCHG103, 104 (X) TCHG117
TCHG 221 – Ako me Te Reo Māori 3: Kia Tika - Being a kaiako with infants, toddlers and their whanau
This course supports student teachers to work effectively with infants, toddlers and their whānau in culturally and linguistically responsive ways, using different philosophical and pedagogical approaches, including indigenous Māori and Pacific constructs such as tuakana-teina, manaakitanga, and inati, pakiwaitara and oriori. Student teachers reflect critically on their own identity and culture/s and how these impact on their role as kaiako supporting children’s wellbeing. The interpersonal, temporal, and material environment in relation to play-based/tākaro curriculum experiences and pedagogy with the youngest children is addressed. The course incorporates an intermediate course in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Kia Tika.
20 pts • (P) TCHG103, 105, EDUC104 (X) TCHG114
TCHG 222 – Tātaimarau 3: Ngā Torohanga—Modalities for understanding lifeworlds
In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching mathematics, science, technology and languages to infants, toddlers and young children. They intentionally draw on pedagogical practices to enhance infants, toddlers and young children’s creativity, expression, experimentation, thinking and problem-solving as they relate to these learning areas. They consider the social, cultural, and sustainability values that underpin their teaching and professional behaviours in these domains and their understanding of assessment practices. Student teachers also learn domain specific vocabulary in te reo Māori and other Pacific languages.
20 pts • (P) TCHG105 (X) TCHG211, 213
TCHG 223 – Te Ao Hurihuri me Te Reo Māori 4: Kia Māori—Inclusive teaching in diverse communities
In this course, student teachers explore specificities and commonalities across cultural communities. They develop a nuanced and critical understanding of their responsibilities, and pedagogical strategies, with regard to delivering programmes that are inclusive of and responsive to a wide range of social, cultural and linguistic diversities. This course incorporates an intermediate course in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Kia Māori.
20 pts • (P) TCHG221 (X) TCHG217
TCHG 224 – Ako 4: Kia Mataara—Intentional pedagogies in local contexts
In this course, student teachers examine how intentional pedagogical practices can support young children’s social and emotional growth, competence and sense of belonging and wellbeing. Video is used as a reflective tool to support student teachers’ intentional teaching practices. They also examine how cultural, family/whānau and community contexts frame children’s social and emotional wellbeing, teachers’ pedagogy and the development of local curriculum, including for children with additional learning needs. The course includes a six-week teaching experience with a particular focus on student teachers working collaboratively with members of the teaching team, children, parents and whānau to enact local curriculum consistent with Mātauranga a iwi.
20 pts • (P) TCHG220 (C) TCHG 223, TCHG 225 (X) TCHG216
TCHG 225 – Tātaimarau 4: Ngā Toi—Exploring modes of creativity and expression
In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching oral and written literacy, dance and movement, music, drama and visual arts relevant to the diverse life-worlds of infants, toddlers and young children. They intentionally draw on pedagogical practices to enhance infants, toddlers and young children’s creativity, expression, experimentation, thinking and problem-solving as they relate to these learning areas. They consider the social, cultural, and sustainability values that underpin their teaching, professional behaviours and assessment practices in these domains. Student teachers also learn domain specific vocabulary in te reo Māori and other languages.
20 pts • (P) TCHG105 (X) TCHG211
EDUC 311 – Ethics of Educational Neuroscience
This course will examine the ethical implications of neurophysiological interventions related to the education of students. Case studies and ethical frameworks will be used to assess the potential benefits and limitations of techniques such as neuroimaging, neuropharmacology and neurostimulation. The course format will encourage in-class discussion and promote critical thinking about the current and future impact of neuroscience on pedagogical practices.
20 pts • (P) 40 200 level pts, including one of (EDUC 211, 243, 244)
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 315 – Te Ao Hurihuri 6: Kia hurihia— Advocacy with children and communities
This course provides students with the theoretical, contextual and strategic knowledge and skills that will equip them to advocate for the early childhood profession, young children and diverse families and communities. Students critique community, national and international levels of policy, frameworks and practices relevant to advocacy with and for children, families, communities, non-governmental organisations and professions. Te Tiriti o Waitangi provides an underpinning framework for the advocacy models to be developed in the course.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200 level
EDUC 316 – Youth Activism and Climate Change
In this course you will consider the significance of climate change for youth and how hey are involved in multiple levels and sectors in advocating for more sustainable future. You will examine how youth participation in environmental, cultural and social sustainability issues has changed over time and apply theoretical and conceptual framings to critically evaluate international and Aotearoa New Zealand examples of youth activism for climate change. You will consider educational responses relating to early childhood and schooling and how children and young people themselves can be involved in responding to Climate and Environmental issues.
20 pts • (P) 40 200 level pts including 20 EDUC pts
Not offered in 2025
EDUC 321 – Education Policy and Practice
This course examines contemporary education policy and the politics and debates surrounding how policy is developed and put into practice. These debates are used to shed light on the relationship between globalising processes, the State, education and individuals.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level EDUC pts;
EDUC 322 – Multi-ethnic Education
This course examines concepts, issues and trends in multi-ethnic education.
20 pts • (P) 40, 200 level EDUC/EPOL/EPSY/KURA/ANTH/HIST MAOR/POLS/SOSC pts; (X) KURA 341
EDUC 323 – Contemporary Issues in Indigenous Education Aotearoa
This course will investigate the drive by various indigenous groups to be more self-determining through education. An interdisciplinary focus is taken. The course will discuss contemporary themes such as indigenous identities, the impact of globalisation and the self-determination of indigenous peoples.
20 pts • (P) 40, 200 level pts including 20 EDUC/EPOL/EPSY/KURA pts; (X) KURA 342
EDUC 341 – Learning Environments
In this course we explore several key questions. How do we regulate, that is, manage, our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to reach our goals in formal and informal learning environments? What types of goals should we set in learning environments and how should we pursue them to optimally learn and achieve? How can we strengthen our self-control, that is, our ability to circumvent temptations and resist impulses that negatively influence our engagement in learning environments? In answering these questions, the course helps students understand theory and research evidence and formulate strategies that support effective self-regulation and self-control in learning environments.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts including 20 approved EDUC/EPSY/KURA pts; (X) EPSY 341
EDUC 342 – Supporting Diverse Ākonga/Learners
This course examines psychological and educational aspects of supporting diverse learners, including neurodivergent learners and those with physical and health needs. There is a focus on evidence-based practices and considerations of support needs across contexts.
20 pts • (P) 40, 200 level pts including one of EDUC 211, 243, 244; EPSY 243, 244); (X) EPSY 342
EDUC 343 – Youth and Life Challenges
This course takes a developmental and psychological approach to examining the factors and contexts that impact on the development, risk, resilience and wellbeing of young people during adolescence and emerging adulthood. It also focuses on young people’s experiences of life challenges and the role of education in prevention, intervention and supporting youth.
20 pts • (P) 40, 200 level pts including one of EDUC 211, 243, 244, EPSY 243, 244); (X) EPSY 343
Educational Psychology
PSYC 121 – Foundations in Psychology 1
PSYC 121 introduces core concepts in psychology with a focus on research methods, social psychology, social development, and mental health. Students will consider how psychology can be used in applied contexts and the importance of bicultural and cross-cultural perspectives in our understanding of human behaviour. In lectures, students will learn about Māori models of mental health and in lectures and labs they will have the opportunity to reflect upon the principles that underpin Kaupapa Māori research. Students will develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
PSYC 122 – Foundations in Psychology 2
PSYC 122 introduces students to theory and research in the biological basis of behaviour, learning and memory, cognition and perception, and applied psychology in the context of Aotearoa. In the lab programme, students develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
PSYC 232 – Survey and Naturalistic Research Methods
Psychology researchers need to be able to collect and analyse data about people’s behaviours and beliefs in everyday life. In this course, students will learn how to design surveys and apply observational and qualitative methods to collect data. Students will learn how to develop research questions, design a questionnaire, conduct appropriate statistical analyses, and communicate findings in a scientific research report.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102); (X) PSYC 325
Electrical & Electronic Engineering
COMP 103 – Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
This course focuses on the techniques for designing, building and analysing computer programs that deal with large collections of data. The course addresses techniques for programming with collections of data, and the data structures and algorithms needed to implement these collections. The course expands programming skills and provides an understanding of the principles of data abstraction, algorithm design, and the analysis of algorithms fundamental to computer science.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112
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ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 141 – Engineering Science
ENGR 141 deals with scientific topics relevant to Engineering. Topics will include forms and use of energy, Newton’s laws of motion, gravity, waves, thermodynamics and required math concepts (limits, derivatives, functions). Students will obtain an appreciation for quantitative scientific reasoning and the role of fundamental physical laws in governing human energy use.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 101, PHYS 114, PHYS 115
ENGR 142 – Engineering Physics for Electronics and Computer Systems
Physics theory and practice relevant to electronics and computer systems engineering. Topics covered will include electrostatics (charge, force, field, potential), magnetic field and force, DC and AC circuits, electromagnetic induction and other selected topics. Lectures, assignments and laboratory work will all focus on the application of physics to engineering situations.
15 pts • (P) either ENGR 141 and (ENGR 121 or MATH 141) or approved levels of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Calculus or equivalent (X) PHYS 115, 142
MATH 142 – Calculus 1B
Integration looks at summing continuous variables, providing a way to define and compute areas and volumes, which are essential for many applications. This course develops integral calculus, including the view of integration as anti-differentiation, leading to the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Sequences and series are introduced, and functions are approximated using their Taylor polynomials. Techniques of integration are developed, including substitution and integration by parts. Differential equations are introduced, many of which arise from physical systems, and the course also introduces basic methods for solving them.
15 pts • (P) MATH 141 or QUAN 111 or PHYS 101 or approved level of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Calculus or an equivalent background in mathematics.
MATH 151 – Algebra
Linear algebra is central to mathematics, and essential in science and engineering. This course introduces linear algebra, motivated by some of these applications, and maintaining a practical approach using fundamental mathematical objects such as matrices and vectors. Methods to solve systems of linear equations using matrices are introduced, as are eigenvectors, which can be used to characterise matrices amongst many other applications. The concept of an algebraic structure is introduced, as are complex numbers, which allow the solution of many equations that did not previously have solutions.
15 pts • (P) 16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132
EEEN 201 – Mechatronic Design and Prototyping
This course will equip students with a basic understanding of mechanical theory and the skills of electronic and mechanical design and construction so that they can successfully design and complete a moderately complex project. A presentation of this project work forms an integral part of the course.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112; ENGR 101, 110; ENGR 121 or MATH 141 or equivalent; (X) ECEN 201
EEEN 202 – Digital Electronics and Microprocessors
An introduction to the design and construction of digital electronic instruments. Following a review of binary arithmetic and Boolean algebra, the course will focus on the design of digital circuits using both combinatorial and sequential logic. Further work will study microprocessor architectures, programming and interfacing and the conversions of digital and analogue signals.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 102, 112, ENGR 101, 121, MATH 161) (X) ECEN 202
EEEN 203 – Circuit Analysis
This course covers the analysis of analogue electrical and electronic circuits. Topics covered include basic circuit theorems, operational amplifier circuits, the use of phasors for AC circuit analysis and the Laplace transform for switched systems. The use of computational and measurement tools for circuit characterisation is also covered.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 122 or MATH 142); (ENGR 142 or PHYS 142 or 115); (X) ECEN 203
EEEN 204 – Electronic Devices
This course introduces fundamental electronic devices and their circuit applications. Topics include semiconductor fundamentals, diodes, transistors and operational amplifiers and the operation and application of special function diodes such as light emitting diodes and solar cells. Prototyping and testing of practical circuits using these electronic devices will be addressed in the laboratory sessions.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 122 or MATH 142); (ENGR 142 or PHYS 142 or 115); (X) ECEN 204
EEEN 220 – Signals, Systems and Statistics 1
The course introduces analysis techniques for signals and linear time-invariant systems as well as fundamentals of engineering statistics. The first part of the course focuses on continuous time signals and systems and Fourier transform techniques, with applications to circuit analysis and communication systems. The second part of the course introduces probability mass and density functions, random variables and functions of random variables.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121,122) or (MATH 142, 151); (X) ECEN 220
ENGR 222 – Computational Algebra and Calculus
This course covers fundamental concepts in linear algebra and multivariable calculus, with an emphasis on their applications to physical and engineering problems. Topics covered include linear transformations, matrix decomposition including the singular value decomposition, Taylor series, calculus of vector-valued functions, multivariate functions and vector fields. Mathematical software will be used extensively.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121, 122) or (MATH 142, 151)
NWEN 241 – Systems Programming
This course considers the issues raised when programming at a low-level, for example in embedded systems, OS system level, or network protocol stacks. It includes an introduction to C language programming and motivating examples related to a wide variety of applications of system programming.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
EEEN 301 – Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems
The course develops an understanding of the structure of computers, how they execute programs and how they interface to the real world. The course first covers ARM assembly language programming, data representation, computer arithmetic, microprocessor architecture at the hardware level and a comparison with GPU, DSP and FPGA architectures. The course then explores the design flow and application of embedded computers in real-world engineering problems. Practical experience is gained using microprocessors, techniques to interface them with the physical world, development tool chains, debugging and embedded Linux operating systems.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 202 (or ECEN 202), NWEN 241 (X) ECEN 301, NWEN 342
EEEN 310 – Communication Engineering
The course provides students with an introduction to the physical layer of communication systems. It begins with basics of analog communications (AM, FM). Digital communications topics include intersymbol interference and Nyquist pulse shaping for bandlimited channels, matched filter receivers for additive noise channels and their error rate performance. Also covered are fundamentals of wireless fading channels and diversity receivers, followed by a brief overview of equalisation and OFDM.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 220 (or ECEN 220); (X) ECEN 310
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 313 – Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
This course covers the theory, design and application of electrical machines, power electronic circuits, electric drives, and the transformation and control of electrical energy. The course introduces the fundamentals of electromagnetics and electrical machines, as well as power electronics and discusses the design issues related to electrical drives and small-scale power generation. Practical work will involve the design, development, and implementation of solutions to drive motors, convert renewable power, and switch mode power amplifiers.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203 (or ECEN 203), EEEN 204 (or ECEN 204)
EEEN 315 – Control and Instrumentation
The course shows how models can be used to analyse, describe and predict the behaviour of mechanical and electrical systems. The use of feedback to alter the properties of these systems to meet desired specifications is presented. A variety of methods are developed for designing control systems, including the use of a PID controller.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203 (or ECEN 203) (X) ECEN 315
EEEN 320 – Signals, Systems and Statistics 2
The course introduces analysis techniques for discrete-time signals and linear time-invariant systems as well as topics in engineering statistics. The first part of the course focuses on discrete-time signals and systems and discrete Fourier transform techniques, with applications to circuit analysis and communication systems. The second part of the course covers topics in engineering statistics, including confidence intervals, statistical tests, and regression, as applied to engineering problems.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 220 (or ECEN 220) (X) ECEN 321
EEEN 325 – Robotic Engineering
This course presents the principles of robotic and mechatronic design, construction and control. It covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating mechanical, electronic and software components.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 201 (X) ECEN 301
EEEN 401 – Applied Electromagnetics and Compliance
This course will address the engineering applications of electromagnetism, including propagation of signals, low EM emissions circuit board design, radio waves and antennas, grounding, high voltage insulators, and electrical safety design and testing. An important focus of the course is to become familiar with the international framework of product compliance and sustainability.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 313, one of (ENGR 222, MATH 244)
EEEN 402 – Programmable Digital Logic
The course develops an understanding of the structure of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, how to program them and how to interface them to the real world. The topics covered are VHDL programming, logic design, state machine design, I/O, design tools, simulation, timing analysis, debugging, IP block design methodology, softcore microprocessors and system on a chip implementation. Practical experience is gained through the use of professional design tools and hardware to interface FPGAs with the physical world.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 301 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 302
EEEN 403 – Advanced Electronic Instrumentation
This course develops a deeper understanding of electronic instrumentation and the underlying models and methodologies used in electronic design. Topics covered are: derivation of discrete device models (including noise behaviour) for simulation, radio frequency design and simulation, two port networks, power transfer and impedance matching, transmission lines, high speed PCB design, noise, discrete device and Op Amp low noise amplifier design and Phase Locked Loop modelling and implementation. Practical skills are developed through laboratory simulation and design exercises.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 315 (or ECEN 303) (X) ECEN 403
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 410 – Advanced Communications Engineering
The course covers advanced topics in physical layer wireless communications. It begins with a brief introduction to Information Theory, leading to the concept of channel capacity. Multiple antenna techniques for both single and multiple user communications are discussed, including diversity, space time coding and digital beamforming. Large scale systems and advanced channel models are discussed. Matlab system simulations are used throughout the course for evaluating the communication system performance.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 310 (or ECEN 310) (X) ECEN 410
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 411 – Coding and Cryptography for Communications
The course covers key topics in modern coding theory (finite vector spaces, linear codes, coding bounds, perfect codes, cyclic codes) as applied to wireless communication systems. Further topics include cryptography (classical ciphers, the one-time pad, Shannon's Theorem, linear shift registers, public key cryptography, one-way functions, the RSA cryptosystem, key distribution and digital signatures).
15 pts • (P) EEEN 310 (or ECEN 310) (X) MATH 324
EEEN 415 – Advanced Control Systems Engineering
This course extends previous control studies to cover the use of modern control techniques in shaping the behaviour of complex systems having multiple inputs and outputs, in both discrete and continuous time. Optimal control (LQR) and estimation (the Kalman filter) are introduced. The course concentrates on linear and linearised systems, but some introductory nonlinear material is presented, including applications to robot control.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 315 (or ECEN 315) (X) ECEN 415
EEEN 421 – Advanced Signal Processing
This course provides a geometric intuition to signal processing. This geometric point of view is a powerful tool for the understanding of signal processing techniques including transforms, sampling, time-frequency analysis and wavelets. The course provides the mathematical depth and rigor that is necessary for the study of more advanced topics in signal processing, including stochastic processes and estimation.
15 pts • (P) one of (ECEN 321, EEEN 320, MATH 318, MATH 377, STAT 332) (X) ECEN 421
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 422 – Convex Optimisation
Convex optimisation problems are common in science, engineering and economics. The course teaches identifying and solving convex optimisation problems. It discusses convex sets and functions, linear and quadratic programs, semi-definite programming, and duality theory. It uses these concepts to solve practical optimisation problems .
15 pts • (P) EEEN 320 (or ECEN 320 or 321) (X) ECEN 422, ECEN 426 in 2014–2016
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 425 – Advanced Robotic Engineering
This course presents advanced principles of robotic and mechatronic design, prototyping, construction and control. It covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating the mechanical, electronic and software components and applies relevant machine learning concepts.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 325 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 425
EEEN 427 – Special Topic: Advanced Mechatronic Design
The course will cover a number of topics in design, simulation, construction and testing of advanced mechatronic systems, addressing both theoretical and practical design aspects.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 325 or EEEN 301
EEEN 430 – Robotic Intelligence and Design
The course addresses the applications of artificially intelligent systems in embodied scenarios. It will teach the skills to assess tasks, evaluate appropriate techniques, and will provide experience in designing and implementing solutions and communicating the benefits of AI in physically based tasks.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 309, EEEN 325 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 430
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 431 – Musical Robotics
This project-based course incorporates a music theme in the design and construction of a novel mechatronic instrument. The necessary fundamentals of the appropriate music theory are introduced, and then students are guided in a project-based learning style to develop an actuator and sensor rich robotic device that can play a suitable music score. Students are evaluated on their design, construction and testing of this robotic device.
15 pts • (P) ECEN 325 or equivalent (X) ECEN 427 in 2017-2018
Not offered in 2025
Electronic and Computer System Engineering
See also Computer Science and Physics
ENGR 101 – Engineering Technology
This course provides a general introduction to the fundamental technical concepts needed to understand the design and engineering of electronic, mechatronic, networked and software systems. Experience is gained in basic engineering practice, with assembly and testing of basic hardware, software and networked systems, and construction of a personal computer.
15 pts • (P) enrolment in BE(Hons)
lab tba
ENGR 110 – Engineering Design
This course addresses the engineering design process through a collection of engineering projects that require a range of technologies and design techniques. Sustainability will be an important component of the course, with some of the projects addressing technology and design for sustainable engineering.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112, ENGR 101 (X) ENGR 111
ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 123 – Engineering Mathematics with Logic and Statistics
Mathematical techniques employed by cybersecurity and software engineers, including combinatorics, logic, probability distributions, model fitting and estimation. The course emphasises engineering applications.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121; (X) the pair MATH 161, (MATH 177, QUAN 102 or STAT 193)
ENGR 141 – Engineering Science
ENGR 141 deals with scientific topics relevant to Engineering. Topics will include forms and use of energy, Newton’s laws of motion, gravity, waves, thermodynamics and required math concepts (limits, derivatives, functions). Students will obtain an appreciation for quantitative scientific reasoning and the role of fundamental physical laws in governing human energy use.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 101, PHYS 114, PHYS 115
ENGR 142 – Engineering Physics for Electronics and Computer Systems
Physics theory and practice relevant to electronics and computer systems engineering. Topics covered will include electrostatics (charge, force, field, potential), magnetic field and force, DC and AC circuits, electromagnetic induction and other selected topics. Lectures, assignments and laboratory work will all focus on the application of physics to engineering situations.
15 pts • (P) either ENGR 141 and (ENGR 121 or MATH 141) or approved levels of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Calculus or equivalent (X) PHYS 115, 142
ENGR 201 – Engineering in Context
This course addresses the research, analysis, critical and creative thinking skills embodied in written and oral communication which professional engineers are expected to display in the workplace. While addressing these aspects, the course at the same time develops the personal and interpersonal skills required to work effectively as part of a team in an engineering context.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 101, 110 and 45 further points from Part 1 of the BE(Hons) schedule
ENGR 222 – Computational Algebra and Calculus
This course covers fundamental concepts in linear algebra and multivariable calculus, with an emphasis on their applications to physical and engineering problems. Topics covered include linear transformations, matrix decomposition including the singular value decomposition, Taylor series, calculus of vector-valued functions, multivariate functions and vector fields. Mathematical software will be used extensively.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121, 122) or (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 240 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 241 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 301 – Engineering Project Management 1
The course takes a practice-based approach to teaching engineering project management, including aspects of project life cycle, requirements analysis, principles of design, project tasks and deliverables, contracts, cost estimation, project scheduling, risk management, quality assurance, managing project resources, testing and delivery, interpersonal communication, teamwork and project leadership. Students will work on a technical group project which will provide opportunities to practice the project management techniques learned in class.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201 and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN)
ENGR 302 – Engineering Project Management 2
The course uses a large collaborative group project to teach engineering project management. Through the project, the students will experience the full lifecycle of a project, from requirements analysis through design and implementation to closing the project.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301
ENGR 338 – ST: EEEN Project Management
The course presents material on systems engineering and project management of relevance to engineering projects involving physical hardware. Topics covered will include techniques for supporting successful group work, approaches to project management and systems engineering principles including sustainability, reliability and safety.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN); enrolment in the EEEN major; (X) ENGR 301
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 339 – ST: EEEN Group Project
Students will work in teams to design, prototype and test a working electromechanical device according to user requirements. Aspects of professional engineering practice such as sustainability, reliability, safety and ethics will be considered as appropriate.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 338 in 2024; (X) ENGR 302
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 340 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 341 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 401 – Professional Practice
This course will prepare student's expectations for many of the events and situations they are likely to meet in the professional working world. This includes: codes of conduct, as determined by professional bodies and company practices; ethical behaviour, as found in the workplace and dictated by company practices; critical thinking and people issues, as relevant in the workplace and in company practice.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) Schedule
ENGR 440 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 441 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 489 – Engineering Project
Students will work on an individual project of a complex nature in order to develop a solution to an engineering problem. In addition to the technical engineering development work, the project may require consideration of issues such as customer specifications, cost analysis, IP and product testing and delivery. Students will be required to give an oral and a poster presentation as well as a final report on their project.
30 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) schedule
Engineering
See also Computer System Engineering, Network Engineering, and Software Engineering
ENGR 101 – Engineering Technology
This course provides a general introduction to the fundamental technical concepts needed to understand the design and engineering of electronic, mechatronic, networked and software systems. Experience is gained in basic engineering practice, with assembly and testing of basic hardware, software and networked systems, and construction of a personal computer.
15 pts • (P) enrolment in BE(Hons)
lab tba
ENGR 110 – Engineering Design
This course addresses the engineering design process through a collection of engineering projects that require a range of technologies and design techniques. Sustainability will be an important component of the course, with some of the projects addressing technology and design for sustainable engineering.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112, ENGR 101 (X) ENGR 111
ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 123 – Engineering Mathematics with Logic and Statistics
Mathematical techniques employed by cybersecurity and software engineers, including combinatorics, logic, probability distributions, model fitting and estimation. The course emphasises engineering applications.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121; (X) the pair MATH 161, (MATH 177, QUAN 102 or STAT 193)
ENGR 141 – Engineering Science
ENGR 141 deals with scientific topics relevant to Engineering. Topics will include forms and use of energy, Newton’s laws of motion, gravity, waves, thermodynamics and required math concepts (limits, derivatives, functions). Students will obtain an appreciation for quantitative scientific reasoning and the role of fundamental physical laws in governing human energy use.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 101, PHYS 114, PHYS 115
ENGR 142 – Engineering Physics for Electronics and Computer Systems
Physics theory and practice relevant to electronics and computer systems engineering. Topics covered will include electrostatics (charge, force, field, potential), magnetic field and force, DC and AC circuits, electromagnetic induction and other selected topics. Lectures, assignments and laboratory work will all focus on the application of physics to engineering situations.
15 pts • (P) either ENGR 141 and (ENGR 121 or MATH 141) or approved levels of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Calculus or equivalent (X) PHYS 115, 142
RESE 111 – Introduction to Renewable Energy Systems
This course provides an overview of the role of energy systems in sustainability, and the development trends, past and future, of different technologies. The ways in which the technologies influence industry, government, and society are examined from a range of different perspectives. Students will gain practical skills in energy generation and utilisation through a range of experiments, as well as skills in modelling renewable energy systems for different contexts. Mathematics and physics at NCEA level 3 are recommended, but not essential to take this course.
15 pts • (X) ENGR 111, ENGR 110 in 2019-2020
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 201 – Mechatronic Design and Prototyping
This course will equip students with a basic understanding of mechanical theory and the skills of electronic and mechanical design and construction so that they can successfully design and complete a moderately complex project. A presentation of this project work forms an integral part of the course.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112; ENGR 101, 110; ENGR 121 or MATH 141 or equivalent; (X) ECEN 201
EEEN 202 – Digital Electronics and Microprocessors
An introduction to the design and construction of digital electronic instruments. Following a review of binary arithmetic and Boolean algebra, the course will focus on the design of digital circuits using both combinatorial and sequential logic. Further work will study microprocessor architectures, programming and interfacing and the conversions of digital and analogue signals.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 102, 112, ENGR 101, 121, MATH 161) (X) ECEN 202
EEEN 203 – Circuit Analysis
This course covers the analysis of analogue electrical and electronic circuits. Topics covered include basic circuit theorems, operational amplifier circuits, the use of phasors for AC circuit analysis and the Laplace transform for switched systems. The use of computational and measurement tools for circuit characterisation is also covered.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 122 or MATH 142); (ENGR 142 or PHYS 142 or 115); (X) ECEN 203
EEEN 204 – Electronic Devices
This course introduces fundamental electronic devices and their circuit applications. Topics include semiconductor fundamentals, diodes, transistors and operational amplifiers and the operation and application of special function diodes such as light emitting diodes and solar cells. Prototyping and testing of practical circuits using these electronic devices will be addressed in the laboratory sessions.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 122 or MATH 142); (ENGR 142 or PHYS 142 or 115); (X) ECEN 204
EEEN 220 – Signals, Systems and Statistics 1
The course introduces analysis techniques for signals and linear time-invariant systems as well as fundamentals of engineering statistics. The first part of the course focuses on continuous time signals and systems and Fourier transform techniques, with applications to circuit analysis and communication systems. The second part of the course introduces probability mass and density functions, random variables and functions of random variables.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121,122) or (MATH 142, 151); (X) ECEN 220
ENGR 201 – Engineering in Context
This course addresses the research, analysis, critical and creative thinking skills embodied in written and oral communication which professional engineers are expected to display in the workplace. While addressing these aspects, the course at the same time develops the personal and interpersonal skills required to work effectively as part of a team in an engineering context.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 101, 110 and 45 further points from Part 1 of the BE(Hons) schedule
ENGR 222 – Computational Algebra and Calculus
This course covers fundamental concepts in linear algebra and multivariable calculus, with an emphasis on their applications to physical and engineering problems. Topics covered include linear transformations, matrix decomposition including the singular value decomposition, Taylor series, calculus of vector-valued functions, multivariate functions and vector fields. Mathematical software will be used extensively.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121, 122) or (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 240 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 241 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 241 – Systems Programming
This course considers the issues raised when programming at a low-level, for example in embedded systems, OS system level, or network protocol stacks. It includes an introduction to C language programming and motivating examples related to a wide variety of applications of system programming.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
NWEN 243 – Clouds and Networking
The course provides a broad introduction to computer networks and a basic understanding of network application programming, with an emphasis on the working principles and application of computer networks. It covers a range of introductory topics including the essentials of data communication, computer network concepts, protocols, network applications and cloud computing. The course features an interactive laboratory component with projects starting from basic networking technologies leading into cloud application development.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
RESE 211 – Renewable Energy Generation Systems
This course will expose the students to the different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each system, the theoretical underpinning will be examined; for example, optical physics to harness solar radiation in a concentrating solar technology. The life cycle (sustainability) implications of the different systems will also be explored, including manufacturing.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 110 or RESE 111; ENGR 121 (or MATH 141 and 151); ENGR 141 ((or PHYS 114 or 101) and (CHEM 114 or 122))
Not offered in 2025
RESE 212 – Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage
This course will provide the students with insight into technologies to convert generated energy into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will specifically focus on bioenergy conversion processes, such as gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction; chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries); and pumped and mechanical storage. For each technology platform the underlying physics and chemistry will be examined, with related practical experiments in the laboratory. The life cycle (sustainability) implications of the different,= technologies will also be explored, including manufacturing.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 110 or RESE 111; ENGR 121 (or MATH 141 and 151); ENGR 141 (or (PHYS 114 or 101) and (CHEM 114 or 122))
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 221 – Software Development
This course develops a deeper understanding of object- oriented programming and associated practices. The focus is on programming techniques at the micro scale. Topics include: inheritance, polymorphism, genericity, error handling, testing and debugging. A sequence of short assignments will develop the key ideas and practices; rigour in testing will be developed through (automated) assessment of programme correctness.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 225 – Software Design
This course develops a strong understanding of object-oriented design. Students will study modelling and programming techniques that support the analysis, design and development of large and maintainable programs. Students will work together in groups on an engineering problem and use a variety of best practices (e.g. Design Patterns) and notations (e.g. UML). Students will use specialized tools to apply these techniques in practical work.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 221; (X) SWEN 222
EEEN 301 – Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems
The course develops an understanding of the structure of computers, how they execute programs and how they interface to the real world. The course first covers ARM assembly language programming, data representation, computer arithmetic, microprocessor architecture at the hardware level and a comparison with GPU, DSP and FPGA architectures. The course then explores the design flow and application of embedded computers in real-world engineering problems. Practical experience is gained using microprocessors, techniques to interface them with the physical world, development tool chains, debugging and embedded Linux operating systems.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 202 (or ECEN 202), NWEN 241 (X) ECEN 301, NWEN 342
EEEN 310 – Communication Engineering
The course provides students with an introduction to the physical layer of communication systems. It begins with basics of analog communications (AM, FM). Digital communications topics include intersymbol interference and Nyquist pulse shaping for bandlimited channels, matched filter receivers for additive noise channels and their error rate performance. Also covered are fundamentals of wireless fading channels and diversity receivers, followed by a brief overview of equalisation and OFDM.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 220 (or ECEN 220); (X) ECEN 310
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 313 – Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
This course covers the theory, design and application of electrical machines, power electronic circuits, electric drives, and the transformation and control of electrical energy. The course introduces the fundamentals of electromagnetics and electrical machines, as well as power electronics and discusses the design issues related to electrical drives and small-scale power generation. Practical work will involve the design, development, and implementation of solutions to drive motors, convert renewable power, and switch mode power amplifiers.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203 (or ECEN 203), EEEN 204 (or ECEN 204)
EEEN 315 – Control and Instrumentation
The course shows how models can be used to analyse, describe and predict the behaviour of mechanical and electrical systems. The use of feedback to alter the properties of these systems to meet desired specifications is presented. A variety of methods are developed for designing control systems, including the use of a PID controller.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203 (or ECEN 203) (X) ECEN 315
EEEN 320 – Signals, Systems and Statistics 2
The course introduces analysis techniques for discrete-time signals and linear time-invariant systems as well as topics in engineering statistics. The first part of the course focuses on discrete-time signals and systems and discrete Fourier transform techniques, with applications to circuit analysis and communication systems. The second part of the course covers topics in engineering statistics, including confidence intervals, statistical tests, and regression, as applied to engineering problems.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 220 (or ECEN 220) (X) ECEN 321
EEEN 325 – Robotic Engineering
This course presents the principles of robotic and mechatronic design, construction and control. It covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating mechanical, electronic and software components.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 201 (X) ECEN 301
ENGR 301 – Engineering Project Management 1
The course takes a practice-based approach to teaching engineering project management, including aspects of project life cycle, requirements analysis, principles of design, project tasks and deliverables, contracts, cost estimation, project scheduling, risk management, quality assurance, managing project resources, testing and delivery, interpersonal communication, teamwork and project leadership. Students will work on a technical group project which will provide opportunities to practice the project management techniques learned in class.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201 and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN)
ENGR 302 – Engineering Project Management 2
The course uses a large collaborative group project to teach engineering project management. Through the project, the students will experience the full lifecycle of a project, from requirements analysis through design and implementation to closing the project.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301
ENGR 338 – ST: EEEN Project Management
The course presents material on systems engineering and project management of relevance to engineering projects involving physical hardware. Topics covered will include techniques for supporting successful group work, approaches to project management and systems engineering principles including sustainability, reliability and safety.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN); enrolment in the EEEN major; (X) ENGR 301
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 339 – ST: EEEN Group Project
Students will work in teams to design, prototype and test a working electromechanical device according to user requirements. Aspects of professional engineering practice such as sustainability, reliability, safety and ethics will be considered as appropriate.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 338 in 2024; (X) ENGR 302
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 340 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 341 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 301 – Operating Systems Design
This course addresses the design and implementation of operating sytems and examines fundamental concepts such as resource management, concurrency, protection and security. Examples drawn from a range of modern operating systems illustrate these concepts and project work provides practical experience in the design and implementation of operating systems.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 302 – Computer Network Design
This course addresses the principles, architectures and protocols that have shaped the development of the Internet and modern networked applications. It examines network design principles, underlying protocols, technologies and architectures of the TCP/IP protocol stack. Topics include the design of transport protocols, routing protocols, logical link control, medium access control and physical media.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241, 243; ENGR 123 or (MATH 161 and one of (MATH 177 or QUAN 102 or STAT 193))
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 303 – Concurrent Programming
This course examines a range of techniques for programming multi-threaded and distributed applications. Topics include synchronisation mechanisms used for programs that communicate via shared memory and message passing techniques for programs that communicate across a network. Practical work involves implementing programs using these techniques in a modern concurrent language, such as Java.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 123 or MATH 161; SWEN 221; 15 points from (COMP 261, CYBR 271, NWEN 241, 243)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 304 – Advanced Network Applications
This course introduces technologies, algorithms and systems for developing secure, scalable and reliable web server applications. Specific emphasis will be placed on application development middleware, computer security, network protocols and distributed systems. Particularly a variety of topics ranging from fundamental to advanced technologies for developing RESTful web applications, including MVC, distributed authentication and authorization, secure data communication, web caching and content replication, will be covered in lectures.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 123 or MATH 161, NWEN 243; COMP 261 or NWEN 241 or SWEN 221
Not offered in 2025
RESE 311 – Energy Economic Analyses
This course introduces principles of economics, and how they relate to energy systems, specifically reflecting on the energy-economic nexus. It explores practical techniques to analyse the micro- and macro-economic implications of transitions in the energy system along with relevant business and financial analysis techniques. It presents an overview of the Resource Management Act and related aspects for engineering projects, such as Environmental Impact Assessments.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212; one of (STAT 193, QUAN 102, ECEN 321)
Not offered in 2025
RESE 312 – Sustainability Modelling Techniques
This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, life cycle analysis, and simulation modelling techniques, with a focus on system dynamics modelling. Practical work explores simulation using an industry- standard software package and a project to model and investigate the sustainability implications of an implemented renewable energy technology in a specific context; for example, a bioenergy system in an island community.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 321 – Renewable Energy Generation Engineering
This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (at different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each technology, the theoretical underpinning is examined – for example, optical physics to harness solar radiation in concentrating solar systems – and the engineering approaches to identify and design efficiency improvements for such systems are established.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, 204 (X) RESE 211
RESE 322 – Renewable Energy Storage Engineering
This course provides insights into technologies that convert renewable energy generation into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will include bioenergy conversion processes, such as gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction; chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries); thermal storage; and pumped and mechanical storage. It examines the underlying physics and chemistry for each technology platform, with related practical experiments in the laboratory. The engineering approaches to identify and design efficiency improvements for such systems are established.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, 204; (X) RESE 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 323 – Renewable Energy Policy
This course provides an overview of the policy context of renewable energy, consisting of the regulatory, institutional, and market setting for renewable energy technologies. It explores the sustainability of the technologies from the perspectives of policy-makers and other stakeholders. The course equips students with the means to assess, identify, and prioritise renewable energy technologies from the perspectives of various stakeholders, as well as decision-making tools to promote appropriate and sustainable renewable energy technologies from a policy perspective.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 301 – Scalable Software Development
This course introduces the processes, practices, and tools required to engineer medium to large software systems, and to address challenges arising from the emerging complexity of such systems. Topics include software craft, architecture, design, implementation, testing, maintenance, quality assurance, configuration management, build automation and principled use of components and libraries, and open-source development. Practical work will use integrated development environments, automation, and domain specific languages.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 225
SWEN 303 – User Experience Engineering
This course addresses the engineering of user experiences (UX). It presents principles and guidelines for design and covers a range of design and engineering processes. It presents techniques for user testing of applications, digital systems, and physical devices.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 221 (X) INFO 307
SWEN 304 – Database System Engineering
The course addresses fundamental principles underlying databases and database management systems. It covers the structure and principles of the relational data model, including SQL, and the principled design of the relational database schema. It also addresses issues in database transaction procession, concurrency control, recovery, and the complexity of query processing.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 221; ENGR 123 or MATH 161 (X) COMP 302, INFO 310
SWEN 324 – Software Correctness
This course is concerned with the development of correct software, especially the use of formal requirements and specifications to develop high-integrity software. This has applications in several areas, such as safety-critical systems (e.g. commercial airliners, space systems, etc.) and high-performance concurrent systems. The course will examine a range of principles and techniques which underpin a rigorous approach to the specification and implementation of software. A sequence of assignments and labs will see a range of tools being used to specify small software systems, and to check that they meet their requirements.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103; ENGR 123 or MATH 161; 30 200-level COMP/NWEN/SWEN points; (X) SWEN 224
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 325 – Software Development for Mobile Platforms
This course addresses the concepts, techniques, and tools required for developing applications within software frameworks for mobile platforms. Topics include the concepts and principles underlying software frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for mobile applications, and key concepts in reliability, privacy, security and safety critical systems. Practical work will involve the design, implementation and testing of a range of mobile applications.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 243, SWEN 225 (or 222)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 326 – Safety-Critical Systems
This course addresses the concepts, techniques and tools required for developing computer systems that are applicable where safety and reliability is paramount. Topics include: the concepts and principles underlying safety-critical systems & standards (e.g. DO178C and IEC61508); techniques for design validation (e.g. model checking); and implementation techniques for ensuring software correctness (e.g. coding guidelines, testing, static analysis, etc). Practical work will involve the design, implementation, and analysis of simple safety critical applications (e.g. for industrial, embedded and healthcare systems).
15 pts • (P) (NWEN 241 or SWEN 225), 15 further 200-level AIML, CGRA, COMP, CYBR, EEEN, NWEN, SWEN pts
EEEN 401 – Applied Electromagnetics and Compliance
This course will address the engineering applications of electromagnetism, including propagation of signals, low EM emissions circuit board design, radio waves and antennas, grounding, high voltage insulators, and electrical safety design and testing. An important focus of the course is to become familiar with the international framework of product compliance and sustainability.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 313, one of (ENGR 222, MATH 244)
EEEN 402 – Programmable Digital Logic
The course develops an understanding of the structure of Field Programmable Gate Arrays, how to program them and how to interface them to the real world. The topics covered are VHDL programming, logic design, state machine design, I/O, design tools, simulation, timing analysis, debugging, IP block design methodology, softcore microprocessors and system on a chip implementation. Practical experience is gained through the use of professional design tools and hardware to interface FPGAs with the physical world.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 301 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 302
EEEN 403 – Advanced Electronic Instrumentation
This course develops a deeper understanding of electronic instrumentation and the underlying models and methodologies used in electronic design. Topics covered are: derivation of discrete device models (including noise behaviour) for simulation, radio frequency design and simulation, two port networks, power transfer and impedance matching, transmission lines, high speed PCB design, noise, discrete device and Op Amp low noise amplifier design and Phase Locked Loop modelling and implementation. Practical skills are developed through laboratory simulation and design exercises.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 315 (or ECEN 303) (X) ECEN 403
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 410 – Advanced Communications Engineering
The course covers advanced topics in physical layer wireless communications. It begins with a brief introduction to Information Theory, leading to the concept of channel capacity. Multiple antenna techniques for both single and multiple user communications are discussed, including diversity, space time coding and digital beamforming. Large scale systems and advanced channel models are discussed. Matlab system simulations are used throughout the course for evaluating the communication system performance.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 310 (or ECEN 310) (X) ECEN 410
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 411 – Coding and Cryptography for Communications
The course covers key topics in modern coding theory (finite vector spaces, linear codes, coding bounds, perfect codes, cyclic codes) as applied to wireless communication systems. Further topics include cryptography (classical ciphers, the one-time pad, Shannon's Theorem, linear shift registers, public key cryptography, one-way functions, the RSA cryptosystem, key distribution and digital signatures).
15 pts • (P) EEEN 310 (or ECEN 310) (X) MATH 324
EEEN 415 – Advanced Control Systems Engineering
This course extends previous control studies to cover the use of modern control techniques in shaping the behaviour of complex systems having multiple inputs and outputs, in both discrete and continuous time. Optimal control (LQR) and estimation (the Kalman filter) are introduced. The course concentrates on linear and linearised systems, but some introductory nonlinear material is presented, including applications to robot control.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 315 (or ECEN 315) (X) ECEN 415
EEEN 421 – Advanced Signal Processing
This course provides a geometric intuition to signal processing. This geometric point of view is a powerful tool for the understanding of signal processing techniques including transforms, sampling, time-frequency analysis and wavelets. The course provides the mathematical depth and rigor that is necessary for the study of more advanced topics in signal processing, including stochastic processes and estimation.
15 pts • (P) one of (ECEN 321, EEEN 320, MATH 318, MATH 377, STAT 332) (X) ECEN 421
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 422 – Convex Optimisation
Convex optimisation problems are common in science, engineering and economics. The course teaches identifying and solving convex optimisation problems. It discusses convex sets and functions, linear and quadratic programs, semi-definite programming, and duality theory. It uses these concepts to solve practical optimisation problems .
15 pts • (P) EEEN 320 (or ECEN 320 or 321) (X) ECEN 422, ECEN 426 in 2014–2016
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 425 – Advanced Robotic Engineering
This course presents advanced principles of robotic and mechatronic design, prototyping, construction and control. It covers both the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating the mechanical, electronic and software components and applies relevant machine learning concepts.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 325 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 425
EEEN 427 – Special Topic: Advanced Mechatronic Design
The course will cover a number of topics in design, simulation, construction and testing of advanced mechatronic systems, addressing both theoretical and practical design aspects.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 325 or EEEN 301
EEEN 430 – Robotic Intelligence and Design
The course addresses the applications of artificially intelligent systems in embodied scenarios. It will teach the skills to assess tasks, evaluate appropriate techniques, and will provide experience in designing and implementing solutions and communicating the benefits of AI in physically based tasks.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 309, EEEN 325 (or ECEN 301) (X) ECEN 430
Not offered in 2025
EEEN 431 – Musical Robotics
This project-based course incorporates a music theme in the design and construction of a novel mechatronic instrument. The necessary fundamentals of the appropriate music theory are introduced, and then students are guided in a project-based learning style to develop an actuator and sensor rich robotic device that can play a suitable music score. Students are evaluated on their design, construction and testing of this robotic device.
15 pts • (P) ECEN 325 or equivalent (X) ECEN 427 in 2017-2018
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 401 – Professional Practice
This course will prepare student's expectations for many of the events and situations they are likely to meet in the professional working world. This includes: codes of conduct, as determined by professional bodies and company practices; ethical behaviour, as found in the workplace and dictated by company practices; critical thinking and people issues, as relevant in the workplace and in company practice.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) Schedule
ENGR 440 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 441 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 489 – Engineering Project
Students will work on an individual project of a complex nature in order to develop a solution to an engineering problem. In addition to the technical engineering development work, the project may require consideration of issues such as customer specifications, cost analysis, IP and product testing and delivery. Students will be required to give an oral and a poster presentation as well as a final report on their project.
30 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) schedule
NWEN 401 – Distributed Systems Design
Distributed system concepts and techniques underlie much of modern computer technology; client-server systems based on high-bandwidth networks support applications ranging from business data processing to multimedia information systems. This course teaches the concepts and principles employed in the design and implementation of distributed systems, with practical examples, providing a suitable knowledge base for those aiming for careers in advanced system and application development, or in research.
15 pts • (P) two courses from (NWEN 301, 302, 303)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 402 – Internet Engineering
This course addresses the use of important technologies in the design and engineering of modern high performance Internet applications and infrastructure. Course coverage includes views on the impact of economic, political and technical issues on internet engineering which are explored through case studies and recent professional and research literature. These aspects are explored through practical group work in distributed systems/Internet technology plus lectures and seminars.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 302, 304; 15 further 300-level COMP, ECEN, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 403 – Advanced Network Engineering
This course extends the data communications and telecommunication taught in Computer Network Design, concentrating on new developments and network case studies. The course is designed for those aiming for careers that involve networking or network research and enhances the understanding of distributed systems through the applications of distributed systems in network management and Internet infrastructure.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 302, 30 further 300-level pts from (COMP, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 404 – Mobile Computing
The course introduces the fundamental topics of Mobile Computing. In particular, the course will emphasise the network and transport layers of wireless communication protocols and network infrastructure suitable for mobile personal systems (e.g. GSM, 3G, Mobile IP, etc). Key issues of mobility and disconnected operation with respect to mobile computing systems and quality of service issues in mobile personal systems will be covered and how applications handle node mobility and wireless communications will be explored.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 302 and 30 further 300-level pts from (COMP, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 405 – Security Engineering
The Internet's role as a large, public, distributed system has raised security to an issue of critical importance. This course examines security mechanisms, security policies, security evaluation and risk management, security issues in networks and operating systems, and case studies that show how these security techniques can be used to solve real- world problems such as conducting trustworthy auctions and secret ballots.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 304, 30 further 300-level pts from (COMP, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 406 – Distributed Computing in Grids and Clouds
The course focuses on the design and use of distributed systems for high end computing. In particular we look at the aggregation of geographically distributed computing resources to form massive distributed computing platforms. These platforms can then be applied to solve large problems in science and industry - protein docking, seismology medicine, astronomy, particle physics, climate prediction etc. Topics in this course typically include: e-Science, clusters, grids and clouds, service oriented architectures, workflow management, utility computing and grid economies.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 301; NWEN 302 or 303
Not offered in 2025
RESE 411 – Power Systems Analysis
This course introduces the electricity industry and its components along with techniques for modern electric power system modelling and analysis. Topics include transmission line models, transformers and per unit systems, generator models, network matrices, power flow analysis and computation, real and reactive power control, voltage control, and protection. The course incorporates lab and simulation based exercises, an industrial tour, and an industrial project.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 313 or (C) RESE 413
RESE 412 – Advanced Development of RE Systems
This course presents techniques used to design advanced, integrated renewable energy solutions for given situations. The hardware and control enabling renewable energy systems to interact with a wider grid are presented along with topologies such as nano- and micro-grids. To supplement the technical content, this course presents the concepts of systems engineering, which introduces systems thinking principles.
15 pts • (P) (EEEN 313, 315) or (C) (one of RESE 421, 431)
RESE 413 – Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
This course covers the theory, design and and application of electrical machines, power electronic circuits, electric drives, and the transformation and control of electrical energy. The course introduces the fundamentals of power electronics and electrical machines, and discusses the design issues related to electrical drives and small-scale power generation. Practical work will involve the design, development, and implementation of solutions to drive motors, convert renewable power, and switch mode power amplifiers.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, EEEN 204 (X) EEEN 313, EEEN 405, ECEN 405
RESE 421 – Energy Economic Analyses
This course introduces principles of economics, and how they relate to energy systems, specifically reflecting on the energy-economic nexus. It explores practical techniques to analyse the micro- and macro-economic implications of transitions in the energy system, along with relevant business and financial analysis techniques. It applies the principles and techniques to analyse a real-world topic to inform decision- or policy-making with appropriate conclusions and recommendations.
15 pts • (C) (one of RESE 423, 431, 412) (X) RESE 311
RESE 422 – Sustainability Modelling Techniques
This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, and simulation modelling techniques. It then focuses more deeply on system dynamics modelling and life cycle analysis. Practical work explores simulations using industry-standard software packages and a project to model and investigate the sustainability implications of a renewable energy intervention in the economy – to develop a policy brief.
15 pts • (P) One of (RESE 423, 431, 412) (X) RESE 312
RESE 423 – Case studies of RE Systems
This course provides an overview of the role of energy systems in sustainability, and the development trends, past and future, of different technologies. The ways in which the technologies influence industry, government, and society are examined from a range of different perspectives, by focussing on specific, real-world case studies. Students will also gain practical skills in modelling renewable energy systems for different contexts, by utilising standard industry software packages.
15 pts • (C) One of (RESE 431, RESE 421)
Not offered in 2025
RESE 431 – RE Systems Generation
This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each technology, the theoretical underpinning is examined with related practical experiments in the laboratory. Approaches to identify and conceptualise efficiency improvements for such systems are established. A practical project is undertaken to conceptualise and demonstrate an improved energy generation system for a real-world context.
15 pts • (X) RESE 321
RESE 432 – RE Storage and Conversion
This course provides insights into technologies that convert renewable energy generation into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will include bioenergy conversion processes, chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries), thermal storage, and pumped and mechanical storage. It examines the underlying physics and chemistry for each technology platform with related practical experiments in the laboratory. Approaches to identify and conceptualise efficiency improvements for such systems are established. A practical project is undertaken to conceptualise and demonstrate an improved energy storage system for a real-world context.
15 pts • (X) RESE 322
Not offered in 2025
RESE 451 – Research methods for RE systems (theory)
This course covers the theory and practice of undertaking research. The nature and process of quantitative and qualitative research approaches are explored to enable students to formulate and conduct a research effort to find answers to specific problems related to renewable energy. Topics that will be covered include: the aims of research; the research topic, project title, and research problem; literature review types; population and sampling types; types of quantitative and qualitative research designs; data-collecting methods and measuring instruments in quantitative and qualitative research; data analysis and interpretation of results; and validity of conclusions.
15 pts • (C) one of (RESE 421, 431, 412)
RESE 452 – Research methods for RE systems (project)
This course applies the research theory – from RESE 451 – to a specific renewable energy related, real-world problem that is identified. It explores and applies practical methods to undertake in-depth, critical analyses of the literature to derive the research rationale, objectives/questions, and strategy, as well as grounding the theory and engineering or analytical methods, and the related gaps in knowledge, that are applicable to the identified research problem. Practical workshops are undertaken to instil academic writing techniques that are applied to writing a research proposal and a supporting research article.
15 pts • (P) RESE 451
RESE 487 – Research Project
This course gives students the opportunity to pursue an individual research project relating to an aspect of renewable energy – for the Bachelor of Science with Honours in Renewable Energy. Students will be given guidance and support from a supervisor.
30 pts • (C) RESE 452
SWEN 421 – Formal Software Engineering
This course addresses the use of mathematical logic in the specification and construction for software systems. It presents an introduction to the area of formal methods; the formal specification of software systems; the refinement of specifications to code; and their semantic foundations.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 324 (or 224); 30 300-level pts from (COMP, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 422 – Human Computer Interaction
This course covers principles of human-computer interaction that underlie good design of software user interfaces. Advanced topics are introduced with a focus on current research areas.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 313, SWEN 303, 325).
SWEN 423 – Design: Patterns, Frameworks and Languages
Object-orientation is the basis for many different programming languages, frameworks and programming patterns. This course explores advanced topics in formal design techniques for OO Languages, OO Frameworks and OO Programming Patterns, and connects those formal designs with practical programming examples.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 225; 30 300-level COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 424 – Model-Driven Development
An introduction to model-driven development - the modern approach to large scale software system development along with an introduction to the core concepts of model-driven development, the course will address the foundations and principles for supporting infrastructures. This includes an in-depth discussion of 'metamodelling' and a critique of existing modelling techniques. Students will get hands-on experience with using a meta-case tool.
15 pts • (P) 30 300-level pts from (COMP, CYBR, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 425 – Design Patterns
The course addresses a variety of advanced issues in Software Engineering, including the use for Software Patterns for software design.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 301, 15 further 300-level COMP, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 426 – Advanced Software Implementation and Development
This course covers issues relating to the successful implementation of a software design, including processes, metrics, the choice of implementation tools and platforms, coding styles, code reviews, and testing. The course looks closely at maintenance and operation, and the issue of quality throughout the entire DevOps life cycle. Issues such as software quality assurance, configuration management and software process improvement are raised.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301, 15 further 300-level AIML, COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts; (X) SWEN 438 in 2020, 2021, 2023
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 427 – Advanced Software Engineering: Requirements and Design
This course covers basic concepts and principles of software requirements engineering, its tools and techniques, including a survey of methods for modelling software requirements. The course also covers methods and techniques used in the design of software systems, including both architectural and detailed design. In the requirements and design areas issues such as documentation, reviews and inspections are covered.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 301, 15 further 300-level SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 428 – Protocols and Architecture for the Internet of Things
This course introduces the fundamental networking protocols and architectures used in the Internet of Things (IoT). In particular, the course will examine the latest protocols and protocol stacks for low power wireless networking in both short-range and long-range settings. It will include in-depth discussion of protocols and algorithms at various layers of the network stack including medium access control, network, application, as well as security aspects unique to IoT.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241, 243; 60 300-level pts from (COMP, CYBR, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN) (X) NWEN 439 in 2020-2021
SWEN 430 – Compiler Engineering
The course looks at a range of issues relating to the design and implementation of modern compilers. In particular, the course will focus on techniques and algorithms for code generation, code optimisation and type checking. During the course projects, students will be working on a fully-fledged compiler for a small imperative language. Students should expect to learn a great deal about how compilers work and, in particular, about the Java Bytecode and x86 instruction sets.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 324 (or 224); 30 further 300-level points from (COMP, NWEN 303, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 431 – Advanced Programming Languages
This course applies a range of advanced contemporary programming languages in current use, covering practical programming skills in the languages as well as their niches and design paradigms. The course will cover languages of present industrial interest, along with design trends of future languages.
15 pts • (P) 30 300-level COMP or SWEN points (X) COMP 432
SWEN 432 – Advanced Database Design and Implementation
This course explores a selection of the following topics: XML Databases, Cloud Databases, Data Warehouse and Object-Relational Databases. It examines features of these advanced database systems and analyses the new applications they facilitate.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 304, 15 further 300-level COMP, NWEN or SWEN pts; (X) COMP 442, INFO 311
SWEN 433 – Web Information Systems Engineering
This course gives a technology-centered introduction to web information systems and services. On successful completion of the course students are able to explain basic concepts used in building and managing web information systems. They know central technological standards underlying web information systems and web services, understand architectural principles, and are able to evaluate and critically discuss such systems.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 304 or 435, 15 further 300-level COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 434 – Data Warehousing
This course considers theory, design and implementation of Data Warehouses.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 304, 15 further 300-level COMP, NWEN or SWEN pts; (X) COMP 444
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 435 – Database System Engineering
The course addresses fundamental principles underlying databases and database management systems. It covers the structure and principles of the relational data model, including SQL, and the principled design of the relational database schema. It also addresses issues in database transaction procession, concurrency control, recovery, and the complexity of query processing.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level pts of COMP, NWEN, SWEN (X) SWEN 304, SWEN 439 in 2021-2022
SWEN 438 – Special Topic: Automated Program Analysis
The course will look at different techniques that can be used to automatically discover bugs and vulnerabilities in software. The course covers both static and dynamic techniques and discusses the pros and cons of various approaches. Students will develop their own program analyses, and learn how to use existing state-of-the-art tools.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261, 30 300-level points from COMP, CYBR, NWEN, SWEN
English Literature
ENGL 111 – Wild Civility: English Literature, 1380-1830
"Wild Civility" introduces some of the great English texts from the medieval to the Romantic period (1380-1830). It explores literature from the bawdy tales of Chaucer, to the drama and poetry of the age of Shakespeare, to the verse of the Romantic poet Keats. These texts provide a vivid insight into the literature of the past, its themes and techniques, and into the foundations of the English literary canon. The course also focuses on the essential reading skills which enable a student to understand and enjoy such works, and on the basic skills of academic writing.
20 pts
tut tba
ENGL 112 – Cultural Encounters: The Literature of Aotearoa New Zealand
Twenty-first century New Zealand literature in English has been shaped by a variety of cultures, literatures, traditions and practices: Māori, Pasifika, European, and Asian- from the tangata whenua to the various tangata tiriti. These encounters- on the page as well in society at large- have resulted in a contemporary literary scene that is innovative, exciting and challenging, breaking new ground in form and delivery as well as content. This course is an introduction to these contemporary voices.
20 pts • (X) THEA 112
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 117 – Introduction to Narrative
How does fiction work? What happens when we approach the reading of fiction as an experience? What does it mean to respond to a voice crafted in prose? This course aims to provide students with some essential tools for the study of narrative. We read outstanding examples of prose fiction in order to think about fiction’s mechanics, and its ethics. How does attention to the craft of storytelling enhance our experience as readers- as well as writers- of fiction? Students will be introduced to the discipline of narratology by studying fiction’s organisation, effects, and rhetorical power.
20 pts
FHSS 103 – Great Ideas / Whakaaro Hirahira
Great Ideas is a course reflecting on some of the most exciting, important and revolutionary ideas that have shaped society and culture as it is today. It also considers how those ideas have an ongoing influence. It’s an interdisciplinary course looking at topics across the humanities, arts and social sciences.
20 pts
LCCM 171 – The Art of Writing: Literary and Creative Communication
Even in a modern world dominated by visual and digital media, written communication remains the most essential and powerful tool not only in the university but in all social and professional contexts. This course draws on traditions of literary and creative writing to teach the skills of imaginative and persuasive written and oral communication. You will analyse and create personal, creative, critical, and multimodal texts which may include the speech, the essay, the review, poetry, transcultural writing, and performance.
20 pts
LCCM 172 – Reading and Writing Poetry
The course teaches skills in both critical and creative reading and writing, through engagement with a wide range of poetry. You will explore the effects of concision, ornament, sentence structure, repetition, metre and form.
20 pts • (X) ENGL 172, FHSS 101 (2016–2018)
CREW 253 – Poetry Workshop - He Rotarota
A workshop course in writing poetry which also involves wide reading in the genre. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 254 – Short Fiction Workshop - He Kōrero Paki
A workshop course in writing short fiction which also involves wide reading in the genre. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 255 – Writing for the Young- He Tuhinga mā ngā Tamariki
A workshop course in writing for children which also involves wide reading of children's literature. Please note that entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
Not offered in 2025
CREW 257 – Creative Nonfiction Workshop- He Kōrero Pono
A workshop course in writing creative nonfiction (e.g. memoirs, travel writing) which also involves representative reading in the genre. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 258 – Iowa Prose Workshop - He Tuhinga nō Tāwāhi
A topic in creative writing. Course materials will be an additional cost. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts, and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 259 – Iowa Poetry Workshop - He Rotarota nō Tāwāhi
A topic in creative writing. Course materials will be an additional cost. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts, and an appropriate standard in written composition.
^ Limited entry course
CREW 260 – Māori and Pasifika Creative Writing Workshop- Te Hiringa a Tuhi
This creative writing workshop is a practical paper for students who wish to produce fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry or scriptwriting which is informed by Māori or Pasifika perspectives, cultures and origins, the process of colonisation, or questions of identity and belonging. However, this is not a prescriptive list, and students are free to write creatively in ways that do not directly address these subjects. The writing workshop will form the heart of this course, with students also reading and discussing Māori, Pasifika and other writers of colour. Entry to this course is by selection.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200-level and approval of the Programme Director (X) CREW 256 (2014-2018)
^ Limited entry course
ENGL 202 – Nineteenth-Century American Literature
This course will explore literature written in the territory that is now the United States of America as the new colonial nation expanded across the continent during the nineteenth century. We will focus in particular on literature by Indigenous, Black, and women writers that speaks to the promise, limits, and even contradictions of the emerging nation’s ideals. As we read a range of literary forms—from poetry and fiction to essays and autobiography—we will also examine how different forms of literacy shape self-expression and political agency.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 203 – Modernist Literature
A survey of British, Irish and American literature from 1899 to the Second World War. This course studies many of the major writers of the Modernist period and includes poetry, short stories, novels, plays, film and the visual arts. Particular attention will be paid to the historical context, including reactions to “primitivism”, Fordism and mass culture, feminism, the Depression, Irish politics and nationalism, and the emergence of fascism.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
ENGL 208 – Shakespeare
A study of a group of plays by Shakespeare (and his contemporaries), focusing particularly on their treatment of gender difference and gender ambiguity. The plays will be approached both as literary texts and as scripts for stage performance and film adaptation. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in THEA.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) THEA 208
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 209 – The Realist Novel
The English novel from its beginnings to 1930, with special attention to a selection of major works. The lectures discuss the novel's general historical development, special areas of interest, and individual authors and works; tutorials give practice in the critical study of the form and text of major novels.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 211 – Science Fiction
Science Fiction as a literary genre from its beginnings to the present day, with special attention to a selection of canonical works. The lectures discuss Science Fiction’s general historical development, special areas of interest, and individual authors and works; tutorials give practice in the critical study of the form and text of major novels and short stories.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 227 – Reading and Writing the Climate Crisis
How do literary texts represent and respond to the climate crisis? How can literature develop our imaginative, affective, and interpersonal capacities for inhabiting the present and future of the planet? In this course, you'll explore these questions through reading a range of contemporary literary forms--novels, short stories, essays, and poems--from around the globe, including Indigenous perspectives. We'll focus on cultivating modes of reading and writing that are responsive to some of the many facets of the climate crisis. You'll engage a iverse range of perspectives, while also being supported to refine your capacities to respond in writing.
20 pts • (P) (20 100-level ENGL or EHUM pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) ENGL 336, ENGL 348 2019-2020
ENGL 228 – Special Topic: Dark and Stormy Nights: Gothic Literature
This course traces the gothic from Romanticism up until the the present. Particular attention will be paid to how representations of monstrosity, haunting and sexual transgression have changed from the nineteenth century female gothic through fin-de-siècle decadence and American Southern Gothic to our own times. You will read novels which exemplify each of these historical moments as well as a number of short stories, and we will also explore other media such as painting, film, and popular culture. You will discover that the aestheticization of horror and dread is in part a response to social anxieties about race, gender, and class.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule.
ENGL 231 – Modern Poetry
What makes a poem 'modern'? How have poets in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries responded to the challenge of imaging the modern? Reading poets from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, this course explores how modern poets negotiate the competing claims of writing in a tradition and establishing space for the new. Particular attention is given to questions of voice, lyric and anti-lyric, gender, sexuality, ‘race’ and racism.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 234 – New Zealand Literature
A thematic and historical study of New Zealand literature from the eighteenth century to the present focussing on such issues as: fantasies of place and encounter; the ecologies of the colonial world; cultural nationalism and literature as ‘a home in thought’; literature and transgression; writing as other; and the future of national literatures.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 248 – Special Topic: Dark Unknowing in Māori Literature
Pō evokes multiple translations- darkness perpetual, the unknown, the night, realm of death. It is a pivotal epistemology in Māori literary studies and throughout the Pacific region. You will explore a bespoke selection of creative works in English by authors who write darkly. Indigenous theories and literary strategies will be introduced alongside close readings of poetry, fiction, visual art texts, and pūrākau.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level points from Part A of the BA Schedule.
tut tba
LCCM 271 – Literature and Journalism
This course explores the relationship between English literature and journalism from the 18th to the 21st century. It considers questions of fact and fiction, objectivity, and style, across a range of genres. Students have the opportunity to produce creative work as part of the assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA points; (X) ENGL 248 2017- 2018
LCCM 272 – The Art of the Essay: Critical, Public, Personal
Not merely a tool of academic assessment, the essay is an art form with a long and rich history in English and other literatures. This course analyses classic essays from the Renaissance to the 21st century, and uses these as models for students' own writing practice in both critical and personal essays in both traditional print and digital media.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA points
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 273 – Digital Oceania: Writing the Pacific
The proliferation of digital media is pushing the boundaries of literary and creative communication in Oceania. This course is grounded in the digital and environmental humanities as it asks students to navigate Indigenous transformations of writing in Oceania. You will engage with digital modes of publication, including the phenomena of digital poetry, podcasts, virtual worlds, online communities, and online activism. You will hear from digital storytelling and archival experts, collaborate using digital tools, and develop your own creative and critical approaches to these literatures.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA pts
THEA 205 – Dramaturgies of the West
This course explores the development, theory, and practice of Western dramaturgy from Romanticism to the present. Dramaturgy is the study of how meaning is generated in drama and performance. Students will learn and practice a suite of analytic and synthetic skills associated with Western and text-based dramaturgy, and conduct performance-based research on selected plays. The course aims to a) develop familiarity with from the canons of modern and post-modern drama; b) equip students with knowledge and skills of dramaturgy; and c) provide students with a critical understanding of and practical experience in dramaturgical work. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ENGL 341, THEA 305
Not offered in 2025
THEA 211 – From Whare Tapere to the Globe: Theatre of Aotearoa/New Zealand
A study of the diverse theatrical practices of theatre in Aotearoa New Zealand from the pre-colonial era to the present. There will be a core focus on how on how cultural identities have been formed and expressed through performance and playwriting. The course focuses on work from tangata whenua, diasporic and settler cultures across a variety of genres; from realist to devised, dance drama and street theatre.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA schedule; (X) THEA 315
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 308 – Renaissance Literature
A study of early modern English poetry and drama from 1560-1680, the flowering of the Renaissance to the English Civil Wars. The course focuses on themes of love and friendship, conscience, selfhood, gender, society and the state. Focal texts are selected from a range of canonical and counter-canonical authors, and will include some of: Philip Sidney, Shakespeare, John Donne, John Webster, Anne Bradstreet, Andrew Marvell, Katherine Philips, Margaret Cavendish and John Milton.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205, 211
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 311 – Romantic Literature
This course will explore literature written in the Romantic period (1789-1832) and its afterlives. We will study the major canonical British writers of the period as well as Black and Indigenous writers who engaged with Romanticism and its legacies. The course will consider the interconnected global histories of colonisation and environmental degradation as influences on Romanticism, as well as questions of poetic voice, agency and canon-formation.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205, 211
tut tba
ENGL 312 – Victorian Literature
This course will explore the literary and cultural landscape of the Victorian period (1837-1901) through extended engagement with one major novel. Reading together in community, we’ll explore how seriality (publishing in monthly parts) allowed the novel form to harness the forces of modernity and become the period’s dominant literary mode. We’ll also read a range of shorter works—poems, stories, excerpts, and so on—to further explore key issues including industrialisation and urbanization, ideologies of class and gender, and the impact of evolutionary theory. Assessments will offer students opportunities to write critically and creatively with serial form.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205,211.
tut tba
ENGL 313 – Early English Literature
This course explores early English literature—that is, literature written before the age of print (approximately from the 7th to the 15th centuries). It begins with texts written in Old English, looking in particular at the elegy and passages from the heroic poem Beowulf. The texts are read in Old English with parallel translations. The course then explores selections of Middle English poetry, including the romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a selection of lyrics, and work by Geoffrey Chaucer and William Langland.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from ENGL 200–299, 20 further pts from CREW 200-299, ENGL 200-299, THEA 205, 211
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 315 – Restoration and 18th Century Literature
This course examines the literature of the eighteenth century, with particular attention to the changing role of the writer, the emergence of journalism and the novel, travel, colonisation and imperialism, and the connections between literature and politics.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205, 211
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 330 – Postcolonial Literature
This course considers the impact of colonialism on the development of modern literature, with a particular focus on texts responding to the colonisation of the Korean peninsula and the freedom movements resisting this colonisation. Students will read read 20th and 21st century texts, which are considered in the contexts of their historical and cultural production. Recent anti-colonial debates provide the theoretical framework for discussion.
20 pts • (P) (20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205, 211) or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 331 – New Zealand Literature
This course is organised into distinct and discrete modules, which may examine, in turn, a particular author or a recurrent literary motif or a particular genre or a singular text considered in terms of their significance within the corpus of New Zealand literature.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205, 211
Not offered in 2025
ENGL 332 – American Literature: Twentieth Century
This course will be concerned with studying the developments in American Literature, in prose and poetry, from the turn of the 20th century to the present. The course considers the impact of major literary movements of the 20th century, including Modernism, the Beats, Minimalism or "Dirty Realism", and the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poetry movement of the 1980s.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ENGL 200-299, 20 further points from ENGL 200-299, CREW 200-299, THEA 205, 211
tut tba
ENGL 336 – Literature of Ecology and Climate Change
This course will explore how contemporary fiction responds to climate change, and in particular the task of reimagining human relationships with the environment and the non-human. The course will investigate questions about systems of collective behaviour, modes of existing with (and without) other species, and forms of conceptualising catastrophic or alternative futures. Readings include contemporary literature from around the globe, as well as theoretical texts on literature and the environment.
20 pts • (P) (20 points from ENGL 200-299; 15 further points from BIOL 200-399, CREW 200-399, ENGL 200-299, GEOG 200-399, SCIS 200-399, THEA 205, 211) or GLBL 201 (X) ENGL 348 (2019, 2020)
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 310 – Special Topic:To be confirmed
This course will be a workshop-based seminar that explores how different forms of creative nonfiction and personal writing respond to contemporary issues, likely with a focus on the environment. Students will read a range of model forms and be supported to develop their own writing practice.
20 pts
LCCM 371 – Public Writing
In this course you will connect your literary and creative communication skills to writing that addresses the public sphere(s). You will look at classic and contemporary examples of public and political writing, from Wollstonecraft and Orwell to Te Punga Somerville and Teaiwa. You will also create your own advocacy projects, as you explore literary forms, rhetorical strategies, and linguistic devices frequently used when engaging with public audiences.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 372 – Forms of Creative Communication: The Essay at Large
Developing the themes of LCCM 272 The Art of the Essay, this course offers advanced critical analysis and creative practice of more specialised forms of non-fictional written communication. Topics include digital writing (from the tweet to the multi-part serial essay literary journalism (profiles, opinion pieces, arts and media reviewing), travel writing, popular science writing, and (auto)biography. The course will include guest contributions from creative professionals and public intellectuals from outside the university.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 373 – Te Mata o te Pene: Māori Writing in English
Māori writers, leaders, and intellectuals have engaged with and in English for over two centuries. In this course, you will explore the interweaving of Māori literary concepts and the English language across fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. This course centres Māori critical and theoretical perspectives on writing in English and literature's role in Māori creative arts.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from the BC or BA (A) schedule
THEA 305 – Dramaturgies of the West
This course explores the development, theory, and practice of Western dramaturgy from Romanticism to the present. Dramaturgy is the study of how meaning is generated in drama and performance. Students will learn and practice a suite of analytic and synthetic skills associated with Western and text-based dramaturgy, and conduct performance-based research on selected plays. The course aims to a) develop familiarity with from the canons of modern and pot-modern drama; b) equip students with knowledge and skills of dramaturgy; and c) provide students with a critical understanding of and practical experience in dramaturgical work. Co-taught with THEA 205. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from THEA 201-299; (X) ENGL 241, THEA 205.
Not offered in 2025
Environmental Humanities
EHUM 101 – Green Humanities: Humanities and the Land
This course introduces students to key ideas within the Environmental Humanities and their importance in helping us understand and address our relationships to broader environmental forces including the crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural disasters. We look at representation of nature and culture and consider how the arts and literature approach the many questions that arise in this era of rapid environmental and social change. Through a study of key texts in the Environmental Humanities we learn the importance of the humanities in imagining alternative futures.
20 pts
EHUM 201 – Blue Humanities: Humanities and the Sea
This course introduces students to the study of the 'blue' spaces of our planet—oceans, rivers, reefs, and inland bodies of water—through case studies in the arts and literature. Using as our vantage point in Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, "The Great Connector" we consider environments and peoples whose lives are explicitly connected with and determined by the ocean. We consider kinship, sovereignty, and belonging through aesthetic, historical, religious, political, social, and material manifestations. Situated around issues of ocean acidification, pollution, and sea-level rise we critically reflect on ways the humanities can improve our knowledge of cultures, histories, publics and practices of the blue planet.
20 pts • (P) EHUM 101 and 20 further 100-level pts
Not offered in 2025
EHUM 301 – The Planetary Turn: Art and Science
This course introduces the living planet as a site to reimagine the meeting points of art and science. With a particular focus on global intersections of art and science, natural history and human history, the course examines non-Western and Indigenous as well as European, cultural, political and aesthetic perspectives on the complex challenges facing our planet.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from 200-level ARTH, EHUM, or GLBL; (X) ARTH 304
Not offered in 2025
Environmental Science
RESE 111 – Introduction to Renewable Energy Systems
This course provides an overview of the role of energy systems in sustainability, and the development trends, past and future, of different technologies. The ways in which the technologies influence industry, government, and society are examined from a range of different perspectives. Students will gain practical skills in energy generation and utilisation through a range of experiments, as well as skills in modelling renewable energy systems for different contexts. Mathematics and physics at NCEA level 3 are recommended, but not essential to take this course.
15 pts • (X) ENGR 111, ENGR 110 in 2019-2020
Not offered in 2025
RESE 211 – Renewable Energy Generation Systems
This course will expose the students to the different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each system, the theoretical underpinning will be examined; for example, optical physics to harness solar radiation in a concentrating solar technology. The life cycle (sustainability) implications of the different systems will also be explored, including manufacturing.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 110 or RESE 111; ENGR 121 (or MATH 141 and 151); ENGR 141 ((or PHYS 114 or 101) and (CHEM 114 or 122))
Not offered in 2025
RESE 212 – Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage
This course will provide the students with insight into technologies to convert generated energy into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will specifically focus on bioenergy conversion processes, such as gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction; chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries); and pumped and mechanical storage. For each technology platform the underlying physics and chemistry will be examined, with related practical experiments in the laboratory. The life cycle (sustainability) implications of the different,= technologies will also be explored, including manufacturing.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 110 or RESE 111; ENGR 121 (or MATH 141 and 151); ENGR 141 (or (PHYS 114 or 101) and (CHEM 114 or 122))
Not offered in 2025
ENSC 301 – Topics in Environmental Science
Topics in environmental science that may include: environmental toxicology, Antarctica and environmental change, greenhouse effect environmental risk assessment, mathematical modelling of environmental problems; human health and ecology, atmosphere and ocean dynamics and natural resource management. This course will allow students to integrate their science discipline into an environmental framework and discuss, analyse and apply these ideas.
20 pts • (P) 90 pts of 200-level study in approved subjects from the Science schedule; (C) ENSC 302 or 303 and admission to the major in Environmental Science.
ENSC 302 – Directed Individual Study
20 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School.
ENSC 303 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School.
Not offered in 2025
RESE 311 – Energy Economic Analyses
This course introduces principles of economics, and how they relate to energy systems, specifically reflecting on the energy-economic nexus. It explores practical techniques to analyse the micro- and macro-economic implications of transitions in the energy system along with relevant business and financial analysis techniques. It presents an overview of the Resource Management Act and related aspects for engineering projects, such as Environmental Impact Assessments.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212; one of (STAT 193, QUAN 102, ECEN 321)
Not offered in 2025
RESE 312 – Sustainability Modelling Techniques
This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, life cycle analysis, and simulation modelling techniques, with a focus on system dynamics modelling. Practical work explores simulation using an industry- standard software package and a project to model and investigate the sustainability implications of an implemented renewable energy technology in a specific context; for example, a bioenergy system in an island community.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 321 – Renewable Energy Generation Engineering
This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (at different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each technology, the theoretical underpinning is examined – for example, optical physics to harness solar radiation in concentrating solar systems – and the engineering approaches to identify and design efficiency improvements for such systems are established.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, 204 (X) RESE 211
RESE 322 – Renewable Energy Storage Engineering
This course provides insights into technologies that convert renewable energy generation into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will include bioenergy conversion processes, such as gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction; chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries); thermal storage; and pumped and mechanical storage. It examines the underlying physics and chemistry for each technology platform, with related practical experiments in the laboratory. The engineering approaches to identify and design efficiency improvements for such systems are established.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, 204; (X) RESE 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 323 – Renewable Energy Policy
This course provides an overview of the policy context of renewable energy, consisting of the regulatory, institutional, and market setting for renewable energy technologies. It explores the sustainability of the technologies from the perspectives of policy-makers and other stakeholders. The course equips students with the means to assess, identify, and prioritise renewable energy technologies from the perspectives of various stakeholders, as well as decision-making tools to promote appropriate and sustainable renewable energy technologies from a policy perspective.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212
Not offered in 2025
CCSP 401 – Physical Basis of Climate Change
Students will learn elementary radiative transfer physics, energy balance, concepts of climate forcing, feedback and response. Some elements of planetary circulation will be covered, along with modes of variability. Carbon, methane and nitrogen cycles will be covered in support of understanding the relationship between emissions and concentrations. Introductory atmospheric, oceanic and cryosphere physics will be taught. Topics to be covered include: observations of the atmosphere, ocean, carbon cycle and cryosphere; earth system models and their performance; modes of variability; patterns of forcing, feedback and response; and emergent patterns of change.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
CCSP 402 – Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation
This course will provide participants with high-level understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation at global, national and local scales. Climate prediction models will be used to examine social and biophysical vulnerabilities to environmental change, and explore policies and measures to minimise impacts, and the potential for adaptation at different scales. Topics include: global and local implications of climate change impacts and adaptation, implications (and risks) of a variable and changing climate on particular societies, models, feedback processes and uncertainties; adaptation strategies; categories of adaptation; Māori knowledge and values related to adaptation, information and communication; public engagement.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
CCSP 403 – International Climate Change Policy
This course provides an overview of international climate policy, drawing on policy-relevant physical climate change science, economics, game theory, ethics, and international relations theory relevant for climate policy. At the end of the course students will understand and be able to critically analyse key decision-relevant aspects of climate change science and environmental economics, as well as the history, theory and prospects of landmark efforts to govern climate change, domestically and internationally.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
CCSP 404 – Climate Change Mitigation
An examination of the domestic and international policy issues surrounding climate change mitigation, including why mitigation represents a challenging social and economic as well as environmental problem; differing perspectives on policy solutions to the mitigation challenge; linkages with international policy; policies and behaviour change; the roles of relevant institutions; sectoral considerations and policy measures; policy communication, and the politics of mitigation strategies.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
CCSP 405 – Climate Policy: Carbon Pricing Mechanisms
This course introduces the policy and institutional dimensions of carbon pricing. Putting a price on carbon creates incentives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This market-based approach has important implications for climate change mitigation. The lectures will cover major international, national, and private-sector initiatives that involve carbon pricing, with a focus on those linked with an emission trading system. Cases from the United Nations, European Union, China, Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the world will be presented and discussed.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School; (X) GEOG 407 in 2019-2021
Not offered in 2025
CCSP 408 – Special Topic: Emerging Topics in Climate Change in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific
An applied overview of the practical aspects of addressing climate change in relevant government agencies and organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific. This course is delivered through public research seminars from guest speakers in government, industry, and academia. Students will gain valuable insights into the dynamic and evolving landscape of climate change governance and adaptation and mitigation strategies.
15 pts
RESE 411 – Power Systems Analysis
This course introduces the electricity industry and its components along with techniques for modern electric power system modelling and analysis. Topics include transmission line models, transformers and per unit systems, generator models, network matrices, power flow analysis and computation, real and reactive power control, voltage control, and protection. The course incorporates lab and simulation based exercises, an industrial tour, and an industrial project.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 313 or (C) RESE 413
RESE 412 – Advanced Development of RE Systems
This course presents techniques used to design advanced, integrated renewable energy solutions for given situations. The hardware and control enabling renewable energy systems to interact with a wider grid are presented along with topologies such as nano- and micro-grids. To supplement the technical content, this course presents the concepts of systems engineering, which introduces systems thinking principles.
15 pts • (P) (EEEN 313, 315) or (C) (one of RESE 421, 431)
RESE 413 – Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
This course covers the theory, design and and application of electrical machines, power electronic circuits, electric drives, and the transformation and control of electrical energy. The course introduces the fundamentals of power electronics and electrical machines, and discusses the design issues related to electrical drives and small-scale power generation. Practical work will involve the design, development, and implementation of solutions to drive motors, convert renewable power, and switch mode power amplifiers.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, EEEN 204 (X) EEEN 313, EEEN 405, ECEN 405
RESE 421 – Energy Economic Analyses
This course introduces principles of economics, and how they relate to energy systems, specifically reflecting on the energy-economic nexus. It explores practical techniques to analyse the micro- and macro-economic implications of transitions in the energy system, along with relevant business and financial analysis techniques. It applies the principles and techniques to analyse a real-world topic to inform decision- or policy-making with appropriate conclusions and recommendations.
15 pts • (C) (one of RESE 423, 431, 412) (X) RESE 311
RESE 422 – Sustainability Modelling Techniques
This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, and simulation modelling techniques. It then focuses more deeply on system dynamics modelling and life cycle analysis. Practical work explores simulations using industry-standard software packages and a project to model and investigate the sustainability implications of a renewable energy intervention in the economy – to develop a policy brief.
15 pts • (P) One of (RESE 423, 431, 412) (X) RESE 312
RESE 423 – Case studies of RE Systems
This course provides an overview of the role of energy systems in sustainability, and the development trends, past and future, of different technologies. The ways in which the technologies influence industry, government, and society are examined from a range of different perspectives, by focussing on specific, real-world case studies. Students will also gain practical skills in modelling renewable energy systems for different contexts, by utilising standard industry software packages.
15 pts • (C) One of (RESE 431, RESE 421)
Not offered in 2025
RESE 431 – RE Systems Generation
This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each technology, the theoretical underpinning is examined with related practical experiments in the laboratory. Approaches to identify and conceptualise efficiency improvements for such systems are established. A practical project is undertaken to conceptualise and demonstrate an improved energy generation system for a real-world context.
15 pts • (X) RESE 321
RESE 432 – RE Storage and Conversion
This course provides insights into technologies that convert renewable energy generation into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will include bioenergy conversion processes, chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries), thermal storage, and pumped and mechanical storage. It examines the underlying physics and chemistry for each technology platform with related practical experiments in the laboratory. Approaches to identify and conceptualise efficiency improvements for such systems are established. A practical project is undertaken to conceptualise and demonstrate an improved energy storage system for a real-world context.
15 pts • (X) RESE 322
Not offered in 2025
RESE 451 – Research methods for RE systems (theory)
This course covers the theory and practice of undertaking research. The nature and process of quantitative and qualitative research approaches are explored to enable students to formulate and conduct a research effort to find answers to specific problems related to renewable energy. Topics that will be covered include: the aims of research; the research topic, project title, and research problem; literature review types; population and sampling types; types of quantitative and qualitative research designs; data-collecting methods and measuring instruments in quantitative and qualitative research; data analysis and interpretation of results; and validity of conclusions.
15 pts • (C) one of (RESE 421, 431, 412)
RESE 452 – Research methods for RE systems (project)
This course applies the research theory – from RESE 451 – to a specific renewable energy related, real-world problem that is identified. It explores and applies practical methods to undertake in-depth, critical analyses of the literature to derive the research rationale, objectives/questions, and strategy, as well as grounding the theory and engineering or analytical methods, and the related gaps in knowledge, that are applicable to the identified research problem. Practical workshops are undertaken to instil academic writing techniques that are applied to writing a research proposal and a supporting research article.
15 pts • (P) RESE 451
RESE 487 – Research Project
This course gives students the opportunity to pursue an individual research project relating to an aspect of renewable energy – for the Bachelor of Science with Honours in Renewable Energy. Students will be given guidance and support from a supervisor.
30 pts • (C) RESE 452
CCSP 510 – Research Essay
This major research project gives the student scope to investigate a climate related topic of particular interest, and centres on writing and presenting an extended research essay of up to 15,000 words. The investigation will relate to a research question concerning an aspect of climate change science or policy, broadly interpreted. It will consist of a review of the literature, some primary research and analysis, and the leading of a seminar to share understanding of the project’s outcomes with fellow students.
60 pts • (P) Completion of Part 1 and Part with at least B+ average or permission of Head of School
CCSP 511 – Practicum Placement and Project
This course has three components: a placement, a research project, and presentation of a seminar. The placement is a period of work with an employer in the field of climate change science, policy or management (e.g. climate-related transport research or policy formulation). The short research project aims to research a particular aspect of the work undertaken, or the host organisation itself, to enrich the student’s understanding of the organisation’s work. A seminar aims to share understanding among fellow students of the role of the host organisation.
60 pts • (P) Completion of Part 1 and Part 2 with at least B+ average or permission of Head of School
Environmental Studies
GEOG 114 – Sustainability: People and Environment
This course focuses on the relationships between people and the (natural and built) environment. We examine a range of contemporary ways of thinking about these relationships, using local and international examples. This course brings together the social and physical sciences to help understand key environmental issues and work towards possible solutions.
15 pts
GEOG 214 – Environmental Futures for Aotearoa New Zealand
This course broadly maps human-nature relationships throughout human history in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will focus on how our relationships as part of the natural world, and our perspectives of them, manifest environmental values and ethics that become embedded in environmental management systems, policy and legislation. By mapping this, the course builds your sense of agency and purpose in Aotearoa New Zealand’s environmental future.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 114 or GLBL 101 or 15 approved pts
SCIE 212 – To be confirmed
15 pts
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 313 – Geographies of New Zealand
GEOG 313 studies human geographies of New Zealand, including demography, historical geography, political economy, economic geography, industrial geography, rural geography, social geography and urban geography, in both historical and contemporary settings. For final year students it will advance their knowledge of contemporary geographical processes in the New Zealand environment. For foreign, exchange or graduate students it will give them an advanced introduction to geographical context of the country in which they are studying. See course content information for dates.
20 pts • (P) 20 200-level GEOG pts or approved courses for non-GEOG majors (X) GEOG 311
GEOG 314 – Global Environmental Justice
All environmental problems have human dimensions. Throughout this course, we will build an understanding of environmental issues as social issues by focussing on environmental justice. We will explore the causes of environmental problems, how problems are understood and experienced by different populations, and how communities work towards fairer environmental futures.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 214 or GLBL 201
Fashion Design Technology
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
COMD 211 – Drawing I / Tuhi Pikitia I
This course will allow students to practice traditional and contemporary approaches to both observational and imaginative drawing. In addition to building on skills and techniques developed in earlier courses, students will be encouraged to nurture their personal practice and develop their creative voice through drawing.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
FADN 201 – Design Studio / Taupuni Waihanga
In this intermediate course students will trial various digital and physical pattern design and manufacturing techniques to explore the expressive power of appearance in both fictional and real-world contexts. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion will be discussed, including the significance of Māori clothing and adornment in Aotearoa, providing students a context for developing a unique and ethically focused design position. Examples from the professional domain will be discussed, including fashion design in local and global contexts, costume design for stage and screen, and character design in animation and video games.
15 pts • (P) acceptance into the FADN major
^ Limited entry course
FADN 202 – Fashion Design Studio II / Taupuni Waihanga Kākahu II
This intermediate course will extend on the principles of fashion design covered in FADN 201 with an emphasis on digital tools. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion will be discussed, including Mātauranga Māori (framed in Transition Design), providing students a context for developing a unique design position.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including FADN 201
Not offered in 2025
FADN 242 – Generative Textiles / Ngā Papanga ā-Waihanga
Using generative approaches to textile design informed by broad cultural contexts and/or emerging technologies, students taking this course will explore the systemised creation of textiles. Students will be exposed to a range of software, manufacturing and production techniques to create artefacts using a constructive rather than restrictive set of rules.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
FADN 273 – Fashion in Society / Kākahu i te Papori
Across human history, fashion has played an important role in every aspect of culture: religious order, social status, occupational position and rank, personal freedom (or lack thereof) and rejection of the status quo. In this course students will analyse precedents as well as cross-cultural examples, including Mātauranga Māori, that reveal the nuanced socio-political narratives embodied in the garments and objects that people wear.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
INDN 252 – Physiology Codes / Ngā Waehere ā-Mātai Whaiaroaro
This course examines the dynamic complexity of the human body and its form, mapping personal variation, movement and anatomy as the inspiration for products. 3D scanning and colour 3D printing will be used to collect data and create a tailored product.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 231 – Physical Computing / Rorohiko ā-Ōkiko
Introduction to electronics, circuit design, and programming as design tools for creative electronic solutions. This course is for students wishing to explore physical computing and interaction design (including IoT). Thinking beyond the mouse/keyboard/screen paradigm, simple techniques using microcontrollers and sensors will be taught to build smart objects and systems.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 or COMP 102 and 60 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 251
^ Limited entry course
FADN 301 – Fashion Design Studio Ill / Taupuni Waihanga Kākahu Ill
In this course students will explore various design and production methods used in fashion design and wearable technology. Students will be encouraged to use digital manufacturing techniques as well as traditional and/or experimental elements incorporating a range of textile properties. Current issues critical to the domain of fashion and wearables will be discussed.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including FADN 202
Not offered in 2025
FADN 321 – Character and Costume Design / Hoahoa ā-Kahu Whakaari
In this course students will investigate the narrative and expression power of wearable items for stage (theatre, performance), screen (film, tv), and digital industries (animation, video games), through hands-on production as well as cultural study and research, including Mātauranga Māori.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
FADN 331 – Wearable Technology / Hangarau Hei Kākahu Mau
Students will explore the field of wearable technology through research and practical experimentation. They will learn how to use various technologies to create successful reactive and interactive wearable projects. Areas of exploration include the application of technology on wearable forms for the health sector, sports, hazardous occupations and for people with disabilities.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 and 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) MDDN 331, 351
^ Limited entry course
FADN 341 – High Performance Fashion and Wearables / Kākahu Whai Tikanga me Ngā Kākahu Hei Mau
In this course students will investigate the design of garments, uniforms and equipment that are subject to extreme levels of stress by the performer and/or the environment. Students will be introduced to topics that include design for sport, hazardous occupations and for people with disabilities, emphasising a variety of traditional and newly emerging fabrics and materials. Through project work students will address one or more of these special instances of worn designs.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
FADN 390 – Fashion Design Technology Capstone/ Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hangarau Hoahoa ā-Kākahu
In this course, students learn to integrate skills, concepts, and approaches covered in the Fashion Design Technology major to produce a final work. Students will develop their unique focus through a research-informed project that critically engages with how wearable design reflects and contributes to the surrounding culture and society. Students develop their own proposal and goals that define their unique position in the selected industry related to digital or physical wearable design: fashion, costume, or character design.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, FADN 201
INDN 332 – Future Under Negotiation / Te Matapaki i te Anamata
This course explores industrial design from a historic, contemporary and future (speculative) perspective with a specific focus on the implications of technological evolution. Emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, biological printing and climate change will be explored through design experiments and scenario building.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 341 – Design for Health / Hoahoa kia Whai Hauora
This course introduces students to the wide range of opportunities for design to inform healthcare products and services. The course includes introduction to methods for working with clinicians and patients and how to design physical devices and digital interactions to address specific physiological requirements for a range of health conditions.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Film
FILM 101 – Introduction to Film Analysis
This course examines how cinema creates meaning through formal elements such as narrative, mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound and editing. It introduces students to key concepts and terms in Film Studies. It develops their textual analysis skills and explores different practices of interpretation.
20 pts
tut tba
FILM 102 – Film Movements and Contexts
This course involves a critical exploration of several important stages in the history of cinema. These periods will be examined within a range of artistic, cultural, historical, material and/or theoretical contexts.
20 pts • (X) FILM 231
FILM 201 – Critical Approaches to Film Studies
This course involves a survey of the significant theoretical approaches that inform Film Studies. Topics will vary from year to year but may include realism, formalism, semiotics, narratology, psychoanalysis, phenomenology, and/or postmodernism. In 2023, this course focuses on the cinema and visual culture of Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231); (X) FILM 331
Not offered in 2025
FILM 202 – Cinema of Aotearoa New Zealand
This course focuses on the cinema and visual culture of Aotearoa New Zealand from different cultural, aesthetic, historical, industrial and economic perspectives.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231) or GLBL 101; (X) FILM 237, FILM 201 in 2023
FILM 203 – Film Cultures A
This course is a study of a film culture or linked film cultures that are fostered through shared production, distribution and exhibition practices and that emerge from particular cultural or subcultural contexts. It explores the relationship of film and culture across national/transnational or cross-cultural frames.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231); (X) FILM 233
Not offered in 2025
FILM 204 – Documentary Histories
This course investigates the documentary mode in a range of historical contexts from its early history and its relationship with the avant-garde to the current prevalence of documentary in multiple forms and contexts.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231); (X) FILM 233 in 2013
FILM 205 – Film Genre
This course will examine one or more film genres from an aesthetic, historical, cultural, and/or economic perspective.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231); (X) FILM 338
FILM 206 – Hollywood Cinema
In this course we will examine one or more periods of Hollywood cinema from an aesthetic, historical, cultural, and/or economic perspective.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231); (X) FILM 234 and FILM 334 in 2013
Not offered in 2025
FILM 210 – Introduction to Film Production
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop practical skills in production including directing, cinematography, editing and sound. It involves both individual and collaborative production exercises as well as script development assignments. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102 (or 231); (X) FILM 222
^ Limited entry course
FILM 220 – Special Topic: Web Series Production
This practical course will explore the ideation and production processes of short web series. Students will develop, produce, and post-produce a complete mini web series in small production groups.
20 pts • (P) FILM 101 or 102
^ Limited entry course
FILM 301 – Current Issues in Film Studies
This course will focus on significant contemporary debates and theoretical issues in Film Studies. Topics will vary.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts in FILM at 200-level
FILM 302 – Cinema and Representation
This course examines how cinema represents issues such gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality and/or class in a critical manner.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts or 40 PASI pts or 45 200-level DSDN points (X) FILM 336
FILM 303 – Pacific Cinema
This course focuses on Pacific cinema from a range of cultural, aesthetic, historical, industrial and/or economic perspectives. Topics may vary from year to year. In 2016 the course will focus on colonial/settler visual and literary representations of the Pacific, largely focusing on Polynesia. It will then turn to contemporary indigenous films/TV shows and other visual material and some literature from the Pacific region which engages or reworks representational histories of the Pacific.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (FILM 200-299, PASI 200-399)
Not offered in 2025
FILM 304 – Film Cultures B
This course is an advanced study of a film culture or linked film cultures that are fostered through shared production, distribution and exhibition practices and that emerge from particular cultural or subcultural contexts. It explores the relationship of film and culture across national/transnational or cross-cultural frames.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts; (X) FILM 233, 333 in 2011-13
Not offered in 2025
FILM 305 – Cinemedia
This course examines the relationships between cinema and other media in a variety of contexts. Topics may include analogue and/or digital technologies, animation, 3D, and/or multiple platforms. FILM 305 provides students with opportunities to develop practical skills in production alongside critical skills.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts
FILM 306 – The Art of Film
This course examines the artistic dimensions of cinema at an advanced level. It may focus on specific film styles, aspects of the medium, individual directors, avant-garde and experimental cinema, or historical trends.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts; (X) FILM 238
Not offered in 2025
FILM 307 – Film Institutions, Industries, and Cultures
The course focuses on the field of film in its cultural, institutional and industrial contexts. This may include consideration of cinema as industry; the cultures and practices of film and related creative industries; or the role and influence of cultural policies and institutions.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts
Not offered in 2025
FILM 308 – Contemporary Debates in Cinema of Aotearoa New Zealand
This course involves an advanced study of the cinema of Aotearoa New Zealand with an emphasis on contemporary critical debates.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts
Not offered in 2025
FILM 310 – Short Film Production
This course involves a practical study of the creative and technical aspects of film production. Students will make a short dramatic film in small groups. This will develop their skills at scripting, photography, mise-en-scene, performance, editing, sound recording and mixing. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts; (X) FILM 332
^ Limited entry course
FILM 311 – Documentary Film Production
A critical and practical study of documentary filmmaking. Documentary Film Production aims to provide students with a broad understanding of the forms and styles of documentary. The course will focus on stylistic and structural aspects of the documentary form as a basis from which to inform the productions produced within the class. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts; (X) FILM 335
^ Limited entry course
FILM 312 – Topics in Film Praxis
This course uses hands-on film production techniques to explore topics in film. Possible topics include national cinemas, film genres, historical film movements and/or film theories.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts
Not offered in 2025
Finance
FINA 101 – Finance for Business
An introduction to the principles of finance and their application to issues facing businesses and individual investors. Extensive use will be made of spreadsheets.
15 pts • (X) FINA 201, 202, 211
Not offered in 2025
FINA 101 – Finance for Business
An introduction to the principles of finance and their application to issues facing businesses and individual investors. Extensive use will be made of spreadsheets.
15 pts • (X) FINA 201, 202, 211
Not offered in 2025
FINA 201 – Introduction to Corporate Finance
An introduction to the fundamental concepts in corporate finance. Topics include the net present value method, alternative investment rules, capital budgeting, and the theories of capital structure.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, 141 (or 140), QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); QUAN 111 or (MATH 141/142, 151); (X) FINA 211
FINA 201 – Introduction to Corporate Finance
An introduction to the fundamental concepts in corporate finance. Topics include the net present value method, alternative investment rules, capital budgeting, and the theories of capital structure.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, 141 (or 140), QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); QUAN 111 or (MATH 141/142, 151); (X) FINA 211
FINA 202 – Introduction to Investments
An introduction to the institutions, markets and instruments of the financial system, as well as the theory and practice of asset valuation and portfolio selection.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, 141, QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); QUAN 111 (or one of MATH 141, 142, 151)
FINA 202 – Introduction to Investments
An introduction to the institutions, markets and instruments of the financial system, as well as the theory and practice of asset valuation and portfolio selection.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, 141, QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); QUAN 111 (or one of MATH 141, 142, 151)
FINA 203 – Applied Finance
This course applies finance theories to problems involving corporate and personal financial decision making, and the principles of valuation to common situations. Extensive use will be made of spreadsheets.
15 pts • (P) FINA 101 or 201 or 211
Not offered in 2025
FINA 203 – Applied Finance
This course applies finance theories to problems involving corporate and personal financial decision making, and the principles of valuation to common situations. Extensive use will be made of spreadsheets.
15 pts • (P) FINA 101 or 201 or 211
Not offered in 2025
FINA 211 – Corporate Finance for Accounting and Business
An introduction to the fundamental concepts in corporate finance for accounting and business. Topics include net present value, alternative investment rules, capital budgeting, capital structure and long-term financing.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); (X) FINA 201
FINA 211 – Corporate Finance for Accounting and Business
An introduction to the fundamental concepts in corporate finance for accounting and business. Topics include net present value, alternative investment rules, capital budgeting, capital structure and long-term financing.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130, QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193); (X) FINA 201
FINA 301 – Corporate Finance
Significant aspects of financial decision making by firms, including capital structure, capital budgeting, and dividend decisions. The primary focus will be upon normative theory, ie. decisions that maximise the market value of the firm.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202
FINA 301 – Corporate Finance
Significant aspects of financial decision making by firms, including capital structure, capital budgeting, and dividend decisions. The primary focus will be upon normative theory, ie. decisions that maximise the market value of the firm.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202
FINA 302 – International Corporate Finance
This course examines exchange rate behaviour and the implications for corporate financial management. Topics include modelling exchange rate behaviour; foreign exchange risk management, with applications to international debt raising, financial management, and hedging exchange rate risk; and international portfolio choice.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201
Not offered in 2025
FINA 302 – International Corporate Finance
This course examines exchange rate behaviour and the implications for corporate financial management. Topics include modelling exchange rate behaviour; foreign exchange risk management, with applications to international debt raising, financial management, and hedging exchange rate risk; and international portfolio choice.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201
Not offered in 2025
FINA 303 – Derivatives
This course covers options, forward contracts, futures contracts, and other common derivative contracts. Topics include how these contracts work, how they are used, and how they are priced.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202; (X) QUAN 371
Not offered in 2025
FINA 303 – Derivatives
This course covers options, forward contracts, futures contracts, and other common derivative contracts. Topics include how these contracts work, how they are used, and how they are priced.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202; (X) QUAN 371
Not offered in 2025
FINA 304 – Financial Econometrics
This course develops tools for analysing financial time series and estimating and testing simple financial models, including: the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models, and generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic (GARCH) models.
15 pts • (P) FINA 202, QUAN201/203 (or MATH 277); (X) QUAN 304
Not offered in 2025
FINA 304 – Financial Econometrics
This course develops tools for analysing financial time series and estimating and testing simple financial models, including: the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models, and generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic (GARCH) models.
15 pts • (P) FINA 202, QUAN201/203 (or MATH 277); (X) QUAN 304
Not offered in 2025
FINA 305 – Investments
This course examines the problem of portfolio management confronted by individuals and pension plans. Topics covered include preferences for risk, valuation of stocks, portfolio allocation, and an introduction to derivative pricing. The course aims to provide students with the tools necessary to work in this area, along with a solid grounding in the financial theory behind the models used.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202
FINA 305 – Investments
This course examines the problem of portfolio management confronted by individuals and pension plans. Topics covered include preferences for risk, valuation of stocks, portfolio allocation, and an introduction to derivative pricing. The course aims to provide students with the tools necessary to work in this area, along with a solid grounding in the financial theory behind the models used.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202
FINA 306 – Financial Economics
This course bridges the gap between undergraduate and honours-level study in economics and finance. It reinforces and extends the theoretical basis of decision making as it applies to asset pricing and corporate finance. It is intended for students who have an interest in pursuing honours-level study in economics and finance at VUW.
15 pts • (P) B or better in (ECON 201 or ACTS 201); QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193)
FINA 306 – Financial Economics
This course bridges the gap between undergraduate and honours-level study in economics and finance. It reinforces and extends the theoretical basis of decision making as it applies to asset pricing and corporate finance. It is intended for students who have an interest in pursuing honours-level study in economics and finance at VUW.
15 pts • (P) B or better in (ECON 201 or ACTS 201); QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193)
FINA 307 – Risk Management and Insurance
Selected topics in risk management, banking and insurance; the use of financial and insurance markets to transfer and share risk; financial risk management case studies; regulation of finance, banking and insurance markets; recent developments in financial markets.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201/202/203/211; (X) QUAN 371
Not offered in 2025
FINA 307 – Risk Management and Insurance
Selected topics in risk management, banking and insurance; the use of financial and insurance markets to transfer and share risk; financial risk management case studies; regulation of finance, banking and insurance markets; recent developments in financial markets.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201/202/203/211; (X) QUAN 371
Not offered in 2025
FINA 308 – The Economics of Banking
This course begins by introducing the fundamental concept of a bank and its key functions. Subsequently, it delves into the management of risks such as bank run risk, liquidity risk, and systemic risk. Finally, the course examines the evolved bank regulatory framework stemming from the global financial alongside the complexities presented by digital currencies and fintech advancements.
15 pts • (P) FINA 202
Not offered in 2025
FINA 308 – The Economics of Banking
This course begins by introducing the fundamental concept of a bank and its key functions. Subsequently, it delves into the management of risks such as bank run risk, liquidity risk, and systemic risk. Finally, the course examines the evolved bank regulatory framework stemming from the global financial alongside the complexities presented by digital currencies and fintech advancements.
15 pts • (P) FINA 202
Not offered in 2025
FINA 309 – Entrepreneurial Finance
Financial tools needed to start, build and exit a new venture. How and where to obtain financing to launch and develop a new business. Valuation and security design used by venture capitalists.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201 or 211, or (FINA 101 and ACCY 130)
FINA 309 – Entrepreneurial Finance
Financial tools needed to start, build and exit a new venture. How and where to obtain financing to launch and develop a new business. Valuation and security design used by venture capitalists.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201 or 211, or (FINA 101 and ACCY 130)
FINA 310 – Behavioural Finance
The traditional framework for thinking about financial markets assumes that all market participants are fully rational. However, a recently emerging paradigm, behavioural finance, argues that many financial phenomena are the result of less than fully rational thinking. This course revisits basic topics in finance from a behavioural finance perspective.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202 (X) FINA 350 in 2018-2021;
FINA 310 – Behavioural Finance
The traditional framework for thinking about financial markets assumes that all market participants are fully rational. However, a recently emerging paradigm, behavioural finance, argues that many financial phenomena are the result of less than fully rational thinking. This course revisits basic topics in finance from a behavioural finance perspective.
15 pts • (P) FINA 201, 202 (X) FINA 350 in 2018-2021;
FINA 311 – New Zealand Financial System
The financial system plays a key role in the economy, facilitating the intermediation of savings and investment, transactions and risk management. The course gives an understanding of the New Zealand financial system, its functions, structure, current issues and the regulatory framework. The course also considers the credit cycle, its interaction with the real economy, and financial stabilisation policies.
15 pts • (P) FINA 202; (X) FINA 351 in 2019-2021
FINA 311 – New Zealand Financial System
The financial system plays a key role in the economy, facilitating the intermediation of savings and investment, transactions and risk management. The course gives an understanding of the New Zealand financial system, its functions, structure, current issues and the regulatory framework. The course also considers the credit cycle, its interaction with the real economy, and financial stabilisation policies.
15 pts • (P) FINA 202; (X) FINA 351 in 2019-2021
French
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
FREN 101 – French Language 1A
An intensive course designed for beginners and those with little prior knowledge of French, covering all four skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. On completing this course, students will have gained knowledge of basic French grammar and vocabulary equivalent to proficiency level A1 in the Common European Framework, or to NCEA level 1.
20 pts • (X) at least 14 credits at NCEA Level 2 French, or equivalent, as determined by the academic teaching staff in French
FREN 102 – French Language 1B
An intensive course that continues the work begun in FREN 101 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. On completing this course, students will have knowledge of basic French grammar and understand a range of vocabulary approximately equivalent to level A2 in the Common European Framework, or to NCEA level 2; or NCEA Level 3 credits (with merit or excellence).
20 pts • (P) FREN 101 or at least 14 credits at NCEA Level 2; or NCEA level 3 French, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French;
FREN 104 – French Society and Culture
This is a French civilisation course which aims to provide students with a general knowledge of French geography, history, past and present culture and social and political issues. No knowledge of French is required. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
LANG 101 – Shaping the World: Cultural Forces in Europe and Latin America
This course introduces students to themes central to the study of the cultures of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Cultural case studies will allow students to draw out commonalities without losing sight of historical, political and socio-cultural specificities. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
FREN 201 – French Language 2A
This course builds on work done in FREN 102 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. By the end of the course, students will have acquired a sound knowledge of French syntax and vocabulary approximately equivalent to level A2-B1 in the Common European Framework or to more than 20 credits at NCEA level 3 with merit or excellence.
20 pts • (P) FREN 102 or 14 credits at NCEA Level 3 French with merit or excellence, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
FREN 202 – French Language 2B
This course develops skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking to an intermediate level while preparing students for more advanced language learning. By the end of this course, students will acquire knowledge of French syntax and vocabulary approximately equivalent to level B1 in the Common European Framework.
20 pts • (P) FREN 201 or 20 credits at NCEA level 3 French with merit or excellence, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
FREN 221 – French Literary Studies
Selected 20th- and 21st-century texts studied in their social and historical context. The course will develop students' ability to write about these texts in a critical, informed and persuasive manner. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) FREN 102, or 14 credits at NCEA Level 3 French with merit or excellence, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
LANG 201 – Capital Cities: Their Cultures and Stories
A course that charts the physical and cultural landscapes of some of the world’s most exciting cities and explores the changing histories of their peoples. This course is recommended for all students interested in cultural exchange. It is taught entirely in English and fulfils major requirements for students of European Languages and Cultures.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
LANG 202 – Moving the World: Artistic Movements in Context
This course introduces students to major artistic movements that represent key moments in the cultural histories of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Artefacts such as literary texts and art works will be studied in relation to historical and political contexts and prevailing intellectual currents in the source-language community. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
FREN 301 – French Language 3A
This course extends work done in FREN 202 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will have acquired a sound knowledge of French grammar, syntax and vocabulary approximately equivalent to level B2 (part 1) in the Common European Framework.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202
Not offered in 2025
FREN 302 – French Language 3B
This course extends work done in FREN 301 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will have attained an advanced level of skill in applying their knowledge of French grammar and vocabulary at a level approximately equivalent to level B2 (part 2) in the Common European Framework.
20 pts • (P) FREN 301
Not offered in 2025
FREN 331 – 19th & 20th-Century French Literature
This course aims to encourage critical reading and understanding of the prescribed texts with an emphasis on various critical approaches, and to develop students' ability to write about those texts in a critical, informed and persuasive manner.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
FREN 332 – 20th-Century French World Literature
This course aims to foster your critical reading, comprehensive understanding, and effective communication skills, encompassing both written and verbal expression. You will engage deeply with selected cultural sources, enhancing your ability to analyse and discuss these works in a critical, informed and persuasive manner. The curriculum will highlight the intricate relationship between language and culture, providing insights into the lived experiences of people in Francophone societies around the globe. Through this approach, you will gain a broader appreciation of the cultural contexts and communicative practices that shape the French-speaking world.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
FREN 333 – 17th and 18th-Century French Literature
Selected 17th and 18th century texts studied in their social and historical context.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
Game Design
COMP 103 – Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
This course focuses on the techniques for designing, building and analysing computer programs that deal with large collections of data. The course addresses techniques for programming with collections of data, and the data structures and algorithms needed to implement these collections. The course expands programming skills and provides an understanding of the principles of data abstraction, algorithm design, and the analysis of algorithms fundamental to computer science.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112
lab tba
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
ANFX 211 – Character Animation I / Pakiwaituhi Kiripuaki I
This course offers an introduction to animated storytelling through the art of character animation. We survey a range of animated films in various genres and styles, from large scale studio features to experimental auteur films. In response students will create their own animated films by designing, building and rigging characters, and through animation bring their creations to life on the screen. Students will gain insight into animated film production workflows and will acquire the technical skills to bring their story ideas to fruition.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts including DSDN 102 (DSDN 132 prior to 2024) and 15 further pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 221 – Digital 2D Animation I / Pakiwaituhi Matihiko Ahurua I
This course introduces digital 2D and frame-by-frame techniques in modern animation practice. Historical and contemporary examples will be studied including classic feature films, independent shorts, music videos, and video games. Students will apply basic animation principles and learn introductory 2D techniques within a digital workflow, suitable to professional or personal practice.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA/COMP courses
^ Limited entry course
COMD 211 – Drawing I / Tuhi Pikitia I
This course will allow students to practice traditional and contemporary approaches to both observational and imaginative drawing. In addition to building on skills and techniques developed in earlier courses, students will be encouraged to nurture their personal practice and develop their creative voice through drawing.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
COMD 241 – Visual Narratives / Ngā Paki Ataata
This course focuses on the structure and methods of effective storytelling, as expressed visually. Readings provide a broad survey of stories that employ visual narratives in innovative or instructive ways. Techniques are drawn from comics, books, graphic novels, film, children's books, and animation.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
GAME 201 – Game Design I / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu I
Students are introduced to indie games, arcade games and early home console experiences as a pathway to understanding the fundamental requirements of game design. This course builds upon game mechanics and core loops, utilising these concepts to create fully formed and engaging gaming experiences. Students will use game design software and establish intermediate game programming knowledge, and gain the capabilities to ideate, pitch concepts, and develop playable 2D games using a variety of software applications.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 102 or COMP 103 and 30 further pts from the BDI, BAS or BBSc schedules; (X) MDDN 221, 243
GAME 202 – Digital Asset Creation / Auaha Huarawa Matihiko
This course will allow students to explore and develop art and animation assets for game design with a focus on optimisation and working within the limitations that real time hardware can often impose. Students will learn the history of developing real-time assets and will be introduced to a variety of methods to create efficient work for game development. Over the duration of the course students will produce a variety of real time assets in both 2D and 3D, exploring and experimenting with different techniques in optimisation and developing an understanding of game art workflow.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
GAME 203 – Game Prototyping – Design: Tauira Whakamātau ā-Kēmu – Hoahoa
This course uses game jams and hackathons as a learning environment where students work with commercial developers to learn how to develop new and innovative game prototypes. Design students will be collaborating with students from the Graphics and Games major.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 102 or COMP 103 (X) CGRA 259 taken concurrently
GAME 204 – Writing for Games
This course focuses on the craft of writing fiction and narrative design for interactive media, including video games, interactive fiction, board games, and VR. No previous experience with Game Design and/or Script/Writing is required. Students play and analyse contemporary story-driven games and experiences. Students learn digital tools for crafting interactive narratives and producing games prototypes.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI, BAS or BBSc schedules or CGRA, FILM, WRIT, THEA, ENGL, LCCM courses
MDDN 222 – Virtual Reality Design / Taupuni Ao Hoahoa
Students are introduced to the histories and technical development of Virtual Reality both as a field of inquiry and as a creative platform for novel and engaging multimedia experiences. Topics include examples of VR from a variety of fields such as science, cinematography and new media arts. Students will critically evaluate contemporary VR environments using state of the art technology including a variety of hardware platforms.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 242 – Creative Coding and AI II / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga II
This course focuses on working with simple algorithms to generate visuals, as well as compositing different media, such as photography. Inspired by real world phenomena, this course uses parameterised design and generative modelling to produce creative coded design solutions. AI tools will be used in this course to support both design workflows and code reviews.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules and including one of (DSDN 142, COMP 102, 112)
^ Limited entry course
ANFX 311 – Character Animation II / Pakiwaituhi ā-Kiripuaki II
This course builds on Character Animation I and examines the art of character animation in depth. Students survey a range of animated film across genres and styles, with a focus on contemporary animation. Students will design, build, and rig characters, and bring these to life on the screen. Students will refine their technical skills and deepen their understanding of animation film production workflows in order to bring their story ideas to fruition.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 211
ANFX 321 – Digital 2D Animation II/Pakiwaituhi Matihiko Ahurua II
This course expands upon the practice of digital 2D and frame-by-frame animation in digital workflow. Students will learn intermediate animation principles and techniques for digital 2D production and its effective synthesis with other forms of animation and moving image. In addition to hands-on animation practice in the studio, students will watch, analyse, and discuss examples from a variety of contemporary sources, including film, music videos, and games.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including ANFX 221
^ Limited entry course
GAME 301 – Game Design II / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu II
In this course students will build on the knowledge gained in Game Design I to design within the expanded parameters of a 3D environment. Using games as a medium of exploration, including examples from the early transitional period of 2D to 3D gaming as design precedents, students will gain a broader comprehension of contemporary gaming as the medium continues to develop.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including GAME 201 (X) MDDN 321, MDDN 343
GAME 302 – Game Engines for Design / Pūkaha Kēmu mō to Hoahoa
Students will use and explore the game engine as a design tool. Creating data visualisations and virtual exhibition spaces, students will engage with the game engine in ways both useful to game designers, animators, user experience architects and media designers more broadly.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points Including 30pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or CGRA 252 (X) CCDN 344, MDDN 344
Not offered in 2025
GAME 390 – Game Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa ā-Kēmu
In this course students will develop and build large scale video game concepts in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams. Design students will be collaborating with students from the Graphics and Games major. Students will apply their respective skills and knowledge from previous courses in order to develop a refined playable game output. During production students will document their development, their contribution and critically reflect on their design process. This courses is offered for the first time in 2024.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, GAME 301 (X) CGRA 359 taken concurrently
MDDN 314 – Audio-Visual Space / Whaitua Ataata-Rongo
Students will investigate processes and strategies involved in the production of time-based media, including audio recording, editing and manipulation techniques. Revolving around the topic of audio-visual space, course projects will allow students to explore the psychology of perception and concepts of spatiality within audio and video design.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 342 – Creative Coding and AI III / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga III
Creative Coding III builds on the content taught in Creative Coding I and II and extends the use of procedural and parameterised design strategies and AI tools. Students will be taught advanced computer graphics and data mapping techniques in order to create dynamic visuals and assets for use in screen-based media. AI tools use and prompt engineering will also be deployed to advance code design workflows.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including MDDN 242
Not offered in 2025
Gender and Sexuality Studies
ANTH 201 – Gender, Sexuality and Kinship
This course examines anthropological approaches to kinship, sexuality and gender. It will explore the shifting social norms surrounding gender, sexuality, the family and relatedness across diverse cultural settings. It will reveal how practices of gender, sexuality and kinship intersect with new reproductive technologies, media, nationalism, capitalism, colonisation, class and race.
20 pts • (P) 20 ANTH pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or 75 points from DSDN 101-172
CLAS 211 – Myth and Storytelling
A study of the diverse functions of myth and storytelling in Greek and Roman literature and society, and the intersection of mythical and rational modes of thought.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 311
Not offered in 2025
SACS 202 – Gender and Sexuality Studies: Key Thinkers and Perspectives
This course will examine the major influences on and developments in feminist theory and gender and sexuality studies up to the present day. Among the topics considered are: gender and sexual difference and diversity, sexual politics and sexuality, the relationships between gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and class, and postmodernism and post-feminism. These topics are explored in a global and cross-cultural context, through close engagement with the writings of key thinkers in the field.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 101
SOSC 215 – Reproducing Gendered Bodies
This course will examine gender relations from a sociological perspective. It will draw on a variety of approaches and perspectives to examine key concepts, issues and themes in contemporary gender studies. Readings, lectures and tutorials will focus on a new topic each week. Topics will include: knowledge, experience, identity, sex, gender, embodiment, reproduction, intimacy, consumption, parenting, home, and work. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL or GNSX.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112; 20 points from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SOSC 315, SPOL 215, 315
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 223 – Reflecting on Violence
This course familiarises students with social theories of violence and security in various contexts, paying particular attention to the gendered dynamics of violence. We consider topics such as state violence, torture, terrorism, sexual violence, violence toward children and intimate partner violence. We debate the ethical and methodological issues involved in researching violence and social policies aimed at reducing violence.
20 pts • (P) (20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) SOSC 217 in 2013-2016
CLAS 311 – Myth and Storytelling
A study of the diverse functions of myth and storytelling in Greek and Roman literature and society, and the intersection of mythical and rational modes of thought. Co-taught with CLAS 211. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 211
Not offered in 2025
CRIM 313 – Women, Crime and Social Control
The study of women's involvement and experiences within the criminal justice system and its social control implications. Topics include women as offenders, women as victims, and women as criminal justice professionals.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299 (or SACS 202); one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
tut tba
CRIM 324 – Sexual Violence
This course is designed to introduce students to the issues and concepts central to an understanding of sexual violence. The focus of the course is on the study of adult rape/sexual assault and child sexual abuse. The course explores the causes, characteristics and consequences of sexual violence, examining issues for both the victims and offenders of these crimes. Topics covered may include theories of sexual offending, criminal justice system responses, victim impacts and survival, rape prevention, and offender treatment programmes.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from CRIM 200-299 (or SACS 202); one further 200-level course from Part A of the BA Schedule, LAWS or PSYC
Not offered in 2025
FILM 302 – Cinema and Representation
This course examines how cinema represents issues such gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality and/or class in a critical manner.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level FILM pts or 40 PASI pts or 45 200-level DSDN points (X) FILM 336
GEOG 312 – Race, Gender and Development
This course explores people’s experiences of development in relation to race, gender and sexuality in Aotearoa New Zealand and other places in the world. We engage feminist, queer, postcolonial, Kaupapa Māori and Mana Wahine theories to help us question the workings of power within development and to consider how place makes a difference to development outcomes. Through lectures, tutorial discussions, blogs and assignments, students build capacity in how to engage diverse knowledges and to bring an intersectional analysis to development experience.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 212, 20 further 200-level GEOG pts) or GLBL 201 or 40 approved 200-level pts
MDIA 306 – Media, Gender and Sexuality
This course examines the representations, contexts, and politics of gender, sexuality and the media. By interrogating the discourses of gender and sexuality as they are 'mediated' in a variety of forms (including television, film, popular music, social media, advertising), we will examine the construction and disruption of categories of gender and sexual identity, and their intersection with other identity frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299 (or SACS 202)
tut tba
POLS 362 – A Topic in Political Philosophy: Feminist Theory
This course enables students to engage deeply with a broad range of feminist thought. We will first focus on feminist critiques of social/political institutions, then on feminist prescriptions, and finally look at the means feminists have suggested for realising these solutions. Along the way, we will engage a myriad of controversies that have created schisms within feminist thought and practice. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in INTP or PHIL. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) PHIL 362
SOSC 315 – Reproducing Gendered Bodies
This course will examine gender relations from a sociological perspective. It will draw on a variety of approaches and perspectives to examine key concepts, issues and themes in contemporary gender studies. Readings, lectures and tutorials will focus on a new topic each week. Topics will include: knowledge, experience, identity, sex, gender, embodiment, reproduction, intimacy, consumption, parenting, home, and work. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL or GNSX.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SOSC 215, SPOL 215, 315
Not offered in 2025
Geography
See also Physical Geography
GEOG 112 – (Re)Making Places: Geographies of Development, Equity and Social Change
This course invites you to engage with key concepts and approaches in human geography and development studies relevant to rethinking and creating more just and equitable worlds. Through debate, creative thinking and written assignments, you will make connections between theories, processes and lived experience, and grapple with key contemporary issues such as sustainable transport, climate change migration, social inclusion, and how to address inequalities.
15 pts
GEOG 114 – Sustainability: People and Environment
This course focuses on the relationships between people and the (natural and built) environment. We examine a range of contemporary ways of thinking about these relationships, using local and international examples. This course brings together the social and physical sciences to help understand key environmental issues and work towards possible solutions.
15 pts
GEOG 115 – Digital Worlds: Environmental and Social Insights Through Data Analysis
Explore the practical applications of data analysis in understanding environmental, spatial, and temporal problems, equipping you with the skills to derive meaningful insights and propose informed solutions relevant to Aotearoa or internationally. Gain familiarity with a range of tools dedicated to data analysis and visualisation, facilitating efficient and innovative approaches to handling data.
15 pts
GEOS 101 – Our Dynamic Earth and Environment
In this course you will be introduced to the Earth system, covering the physical processes that shape the Earth and environment. This course emphasises how humans interact with the environment, recognising differing societal perspectives, especially around key issues such as climate change and sea level rise, natural hazards, and resource use. It provides a platform or further study in Geography, Earth and Environmental sciences and includes a one-day field trip in the Wellington region.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 111
GEOS 102 – Earth Science for a Changing Planet
In GEOS 102 you will explore the foundations of Earth Science, necessary for understanding and mitigating climate change and natural hazards, including sea-level rise, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In addition, you will be introduced to environmentally responsible management of natural resources such as groundwater and minerals. As part of the course, you will go into the field develop practical skills to better understand and interpret the physical environment.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 112
GEOS 103 – Antarctica: Unfreezing the Continent
A broad introduction to Antarctica, including its history, exploration, weather, geology, fauna and management. Its role in the global climate system is emphasised. This course is primarily designed for non-science majors.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 132
GEOG 212 – Worlds of Development
This course deepens students’ understanding of different theories and approaches to development from around the world by exploring their similarities, differences and intersections. We focus particularly on contemporary approaches to multilateral governance, grassroots action, and transnational organising. Through this focus, students gain a deeper understanding of the key actors, power relations and impacts involved when trying to sustain people’s livelihoods and enable them to live well.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 112 or GLBL 101 or TOUR 101 or approved course
GEOG 214 – Environmental Futures for Aotearoa New Zealand
This course broadly maps human-nature relationships throughout human history in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will focus on how our relationships as part of the natural world, and our perspectives of them, manifest environmental values and ethics that become embedded in environmental management systems, policy and legislation. By mapping this, the course builds your sense of agency and purpose in Aotearoa New Zealand’s environmental future.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 114 or GLBL 101 or 15 approved pts
GEOG 215 – Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Science
In this hands-on course, dive into real-world data and explore how GIS revolutionizes our understanding of the planet, people, and place. GIS combines the art of mapping, science of data analysis, and spatial understanding. From creating captivating maps to unravelling hidden patterns, you'll develop essential skills in demand in industry.
20 pts • (P) 60 100-level pts
GEOG 216 – Urban Geography
This course explores the main concepts and applications associated with the study of contemporary urban geography.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 112, 15 approved 100-level pts
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 217 – Human Geography: Approaching Our World
In this course, students delve deeply into the diverse viewpoints adopted by human geographers when studying local and global issues, both past and present. Examples of such issues include housing pressures, spatial justice (or injustice), place identity, and the complex relationship between people and nature. The course examines the value and practical relevance of adopting human geography lenses when seeking to understand and/or change our world.
20 pts • (P) (GEOG 112; GEOG 114 or 15 approved 100-level pts) or GLBL 101
GEOG 220 – Hydrology and Climate
This course provides the skills and training necessary to explore and understand the core hydrological and climatic processes that cause change within the environment, particularly the role of water. It will help you to understand why climate varies spatially, and why vegetation has such an important influence on the availability and timing of moisture and stream flow. It will also examine how hydrological and climatic systems respond to human interaction and environmental change. The emphasis will be on providing the skills necessary to interpret the processes controlling the spatial and temporal variability in climate and water availability.
20 pts • (P) ENVI/GEOG 114, ESCI/ GEOG 111, 15 pts from (MATH 132–177, PHYS 131, STAT 193, or equivalent)
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 222 – Ecology and Environment
An introduction to the principles of Ecology and Environmental Science, including a required week-long field trip in the mid-trimester break. The course will focus on physical and biological processes in terrestrial environments and ecosystem functioning. The field trip will introduce techniques relevant to field-based enquiry in ecological and environmental science.
20 pts • (P) STAT 193; 30 pts from (BIOL 111, 113, 114, 132, ESCI 111, 112, GEOG 114, GEOS 101,102); (X) BIOL 222
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 224 – Geomorphology
The course describes geomorphic processes and the landforms created by them. It will include a comprehensive review of the major processes shaping planetary surfaces by water, wind and ice. These concepts will be illustrated using case studies from Earth and other terrestrial planets.
20 pts • (P) ESCI/GEOG 111, 15 points from (MATH 132-177, PHYS 131, STAT 193, STAT 292)
Not offered in 2025
GEOS 201 – Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management
This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. This course brings together lecturers from a range of disciplines to discuss the crucial roles of freshwater in Aotearoa including alternative and indigenous perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from ESCI 111, GEOG 114, GEOS 101; 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 301
GEOS 204 – Geohazards and Risk
This course provides an understanding of major geohazard phenomena, from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to tsunami, landslides and beyond. Through field trips, hands-on exercises and class-based learning, you will learn about geohazard identification and the potential for individual geohazards to cascade into multi-hazard events with wider societal and environmental effects. You will develop skills in characterising and communicating the risks associated with geohazards. Finally, you will see how the knowledge you have gained in this course is used every day by the agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to geohazards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) GEOS 304
GEOS 208 – Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure
Building on your knowledge of Earth systems, you will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface imaging, analysis, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater and geothermal exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. The course comprises two modules: theory and analysis of underground pore fluids, heat, stress, and rock failure; and practical techniques for underground imaging and sampling. Each module integrates qualitative and quantitative concepts through lectures, laboratory and field exercises. This course introduces practical skills and knowledge applicable to a wide range of careers in industry, research, and government organisations.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102); 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 308
GEOS 211 – Earth’s Changing Surface
Humanity lives and depends on sedimentary environments (e.g., soil for farming, coastal plains for residence). You will learn to interpret and explain the interactions that are occurring today between environment and climate change, Earth-surface processes, sediment movement, and landforms. When you complete the course, you will be able to both interpret how these interactions have changed in the past and predict how they may change in the future.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) ESCI 202
SCIE 212 – To be confirmed
15 pts
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 312 – Race, Gender and Development
This course explores people’s experiences of development in relation to race, gender and sexuality in Aotearoa New Zealand and other places in the world. We engage feminist, queer, postcolonial, Kaupapa Māori and Mana Wahine theories to help us question the workings of power within development and to consider how place makes a difference to development outcomes. Through lectures, tutorial discussions, blogs and assignments, students build capacity in how to engage diverse knowledges and to bring an intersectional analysis to development experience.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 212, 20 further 200-level GEOG pts) or GLBL 201 or 40 approved 200-level pts
GEOG 313 – Geographies of New Zealand
GEOG 313 studies human geographies of New Zealand, including demography, historical geography, political economy, economic geography, industrial geography, rural geography, social geography and urban geography, in both historical and contemporary settings. For final year students it will advance their knowledge of contemporary geographical processes in the New Zealand environment. For foreign, exchange or graduate students it will give them an advanced introduction to geographical context of the country in which they are studying. See course content information for dates.
20 pts • (P) 20 200-level GEOG pts or approved courses for non-GEOG majors (X) GEOG 311
GEOG 314 – Global Environmental Justice
All environmental problems have human dimensions. Throughout this course, we will build an understanding of environmental issues as social issues by focussing on environmental justice. We will explore the causes of environmental problems, how problems are understood and experienced by different populations, and how communities work towards fairer environmental futures.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 214 or GLBL 201
GEOG 315 – Advanced GIS: Spatial Data Science
In this course, you will focus on the manipulation, and analysis of spatial data by exploring the interdisciplinary applications of GIS across social, environmental, and earth sciences. Delve into advanced techniques for geospatial analysis, emphasizing real-world problem-solving. Develop proficiency in handling complex spatial datasets and apply your skills to address multifaceted geographical challenges. By the end of the course, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of advanced GIS approaches and their applications.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 215
GEOG 316 – Geographies of Globalisation
In this course, we analyse the impacts of globalisation from a geographical perspective. Students gain a deep understanding of the challenges, benefits and complexities of different processes of globalisation through a focus on their socio-economic, cultural and environmental implications around the world. This approach helps us to assess how globalisation processes influence equity, sustainability and justice in different places.
20 pts • (P) (GEOG 212, 20 further 200-level GEOG pts) or GLBL 201 or 40 approved 200-level pts
GEOG 318 – Quaternary Environmental Change
New Zealand is well-endowed with a diverse array of sedimentary deposits and landforms of Quaternary-age that record significant climatic and environmental variability over time. This course aims to investigate these New Zealand Quaternary records, and to find out why these records are of global significance.
20 pts • (P) BIOL/GEOG 222, one of (GEOG 220, 224)
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 319 – Applied Geomorphology
This course will explore the operations and, where appropriate, the management of key landform systems. The course provides a detailed synthesis of the physical processes and linkages operating at the earth's surface that shape our landscape and physical environment. These processes will be explored through a range of topics that may include the geomorphology of coasts, tectonic regions, glacial environments and fluvial systems.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 224, one of (GEOG 220, BIOL/GEOG 222); 15 pts from MATH 132-177, PHYS 131 or (STAT 193 or equivalent)
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 321 – Ice and Climate
An overview of the climate system and the cryosphere, focussing on interactions between the two, covering (1) comprehensive treatment of climate processes over the 2000 years leading into the modern era of anthropogenic influence; (2) case studies of ice-climate interactions; recent behaviour of ice sheets, mountain glaciers and sea ice.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 220, one of (BIOL/GEOG 222, GEOG 223, 224); 15 pts from MATH 132-177, PHYS 131 or (STAT 193 or equivalent)
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 322 – Islands and Oceans: People, Power and Place
This course examines a range of issues relevant to island and ocean geographies in (post) colonial contexts – such as climate change, forced migration, militarization, biodiversity, the blue economy – through relevant geographic theories including material geographies, political geographies, more-than-human geographies, and feminist geographies. In doing so, it builds on geographic concepts of region, scale, scarcity, boundaries, marginality and identity. Case studies will largely be drawn from the wider Pacific region, including Aotearoa/New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) (40 200-level pts from ANTH, DEVE, GEOG, MAOR, PASI or POLS) or GLBL 201 or TOUR 203
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 324 – Research Project: Design and Methods
In this course, you will learn different approaches and methods to research design in human and physical geography. Working in teams, you will develop a proposal, budget and field plan to research a current issue facing people and/or the environment in the Wellington region.
10 pts • (P) 40 GEOG 200-level pts; STAT 193 or equivalent.
GEOG 325 – Research Project; Fieldwork and Analysis
Working in teams to carry out the research you designed in GEOG 324, you will gain hands-on experience in fieldwork, data collection and analysis, and present your findings to each other and project stakeholders. You will leave the course with enhanced disciplinary knowledge, field and/or laboratory research skills and capabilities in project management, teamwork, oral presentation and report writing.
10 pts • (P) GEOG 324
GEOG 326 – Research Project: Design and Methods
In this course, you will learn different approaches and methods to research design addressing socio-environmental questions and issues. Working in teams, you will develop a proposal, budget and field plan to research a current issue facing people and/or the environment in the Wellington region.
20 pts • (P) (40 200-level ESCI, GEOG, GEOS or approved pts; STAT 193 or equivalent); or (admission to the BEnvSoc and 60 200-level pts) (X) GEOG 324
Not offered in 2025
GEOG 327 – Research Project: Fieldwork and Analysis
Working in teams to carry out the research you designed in GEOG 326, you will gain hands-on experience in fieldwork, data collection and analysis, and present your findings to each other and project stakeholders. You will leave the course with enhanced disciplinary knowledge, field and/or laboratory research skills and capabilities in project management, teamwork, oral presentation and report writing.
20 pts • (P) GEOG 326 (X) GEOG 325
Not offered in 2025
GEOS 301 – Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management
This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. This course brings together lecturers from a range of disciplines to discuss the crucial roles of freshwater in Aotearoa including alternative and indigenous perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from ESCI 111, GEOG 114 or GEOS 101; 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 201
GEOS 302 – Measuring Aotearoa's Dynamic Landscape
In this course, you will investigate the unique forces that have led to the formation and evolution of Aotearoa's iconic landscapes, including te ao Māori perspectives. You will gain an understanding of the processes through field expeditions to collect raw data from diverse landscapes around the Wellington region. Armed with tools ranging from sediment samplers to cutting-edge remote sensing devices, students will interpret field data and perform laboratory and computer analyses. You will gain valuable skills in real-world data collection and presentation, equipping you with the practical expertise needed to quantify change at Earth’s surface.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111 or GEOS 102 (X) GEOS 202
GEOS 304 – Geohazards and Risk
This course provides an understanding of major geohazard phenomena, from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to tsunami, landslides and beyond. Through field trips, hands-on exercises and class-based learning, you will learn about geohazard identification and the potential for individual geohazards to cascade into multi-hazard events with wider societal and environmental effects. You will develop skills in characterising and communicating the risks associated with geohazards. Finally, you will see how the knowledge you have gained in this course is used every day by the agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to geohazards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) GEOS 204
GEOS 306 – Past, Present and Future Environmental Change
Sedimentary deposits record past changes in Earth’s surface environments and biosphere – a series of natural experiments that provide important context for the future of global change. You will learn to use knowledge of processes operating today to interpret those past changes. These skills will then be used to both predict the impacts of modern environmental degradation and understand natural mechanisms of mitigation and adaptation.
20 pts • (P) one of (ESCI 202, GEOS 211, 311) (X) ESCI 301
GEOS 307 – Deep Earth Processes
In this course you will explore dynamic processes that shape our earth though tectonics, faulting, metamorphism, and magmatism. Through practical exercises and interactive lectures, you will learn about the principles of plate tectonics, earth structures and deformation, metamorphism and the generation and evolution of magmatic systems, with a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand. You will combine this theoretical knowledge with field and laboratory observations and learn how to link small-scale observations to large-scale tectonic processes.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT); GEOS 209 or 309 (X) ESCI 302, 303, GEOS 207
GEOS 308 – Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure
Building on your knowledge of Earth systems, you will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface imaging, analysis, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater and geothermal exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. The course comprises two modules: theory and analysis of underground pore fluids, heat, stress, and rock failure; and practical techniques for underground imaging and sampling. Each module integrates qualitative and quantitative concepts through lectures, laboratory and field exercises. This course introduces practical skills and knowledge applicable to a wide range of careers in industry, research, and government organisations.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102); 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 208
GEOS 313 – Structural Field Geology
Field mapping and analysis of geological structures, including folds, thrust and active strike-slip faults. You will measure structural data, produce maps and draw cross-sections of Kekerengu, an area on the Kaikoura coast that provides a dramatic window into the tectonic evolution of Aotearoa New Zealand’s landmass over the last 100 million years.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 202, 203, GEOS 202, 207, 208, 302, 307, 308
Not offered in 2025
GEOS 314 – Volcanic Field Geology
Methods and techniques for studying volcanic geology in the field. This course runs from Whakapapa in the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) of the central North Island. It examines the products of andesite and basalt eruptions from the Tongariro National Park volcanoes and some rhyolitic products of Taupo volcano.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 204, GEOS 207, 307
^ Limited entry course
GEOS 315 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross-section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 202, 206, GEOS 302
Not offered in 2025
Geology
ESCI 201 – Climate Change and New Zealand's Future
The Antarctic Research Centre is offering this summer course. Designed for science and non-science students, this course provides a summary of current knowledge on climate change, the evidence and its uncertainties, and possible climate scenarios for the next 50 to 100 years. The course also discusses the influence of climate change on NZ’s society, economy and environment, and governmental strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
20 pts • (P) 30 points
tut tba
ESCI 204 – Petrology and Microscopy
This course examines all common major rock types and introduces crystallography as it pertains to optical mineralogy, with examples of a variety of common minerals and rocks in hand sample and under the microscope. The course covers the origins of common minerals and rocks and the conditions and processes that form them.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 241 – Introductory Field Geology
An introduction to field techniques in geology held at the Geology department's field station at Onekaka, near Takaka, Northwest Nelson. The course trains students in basic methods of geological field mapping and provides training and experience in the presentation of geological field data through the construction of geological maps, stratigraphic columns and geological cross-sections. Students gain experience at describing and interpreting a wide variety of rock types and geological features in individual outcrops. Students will gain practice in interpreting the geological history of an area from their observations. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 302 – Tectonics and Structural Geology
An introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and methods in global tectonics and structural geology. The laboratory part of the course emphasises practical methods of structural analysis and interpretation based on outcrop, rock mechanics, geophysical, and remote sensing data sets. It includes two all-day field trips.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 305 – Environmental and Applied Geophysics
This course covers geophysical techniques to explore the subsurface, with applications to engineering, environmental and groundwater monitoring, seismic hazard assessment, exploration for energy and mineral resources, and other aspects of Earth structure. Topics include gravity, seismic, electrical, magnetic, and satellite-based surveying methods.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, SPCE 201, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 341 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross- section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-112, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 342 – Structural Field Geology
In this course, you will learn to recognise and describe active faults in the field. You will gain the ability to distinguish between ancient and active geological structures, gather and analyse structural data, quantify fault slip rates, and perform a natural hazard risk assessment.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 203, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 344 – Field Geophysics
Methods and techniques for field geophysical surveys. This block course runs over a week, usually during the mid-trimester break, in a part of New Zealand that may vary from year to year. Students will learn how to apply several different techniques of environmental and geophysical methods to a single area and to integrate the results to answer a geophysical problem such as the shallow structure of a fault or a basin.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (C) ESCI 305
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 349 – Earth Sciences – International Field Course
This international field course in earth sciences aims to examine key geographical, geological and/or geophysical localities. The course will offer a variable but unique insight, understanding and experience of earth science in the field beyond that which already exists in New Zealand. This course is offered in alternate years and will run in the USA from 18 November 2019 to 18 December 2019. Numbers are limited, apply by 1 April 2019. An extra fee beyond that for the course, covering travel and subsistence costs applies and is to be met by the student.
20 pts • (P) 60 points of 200-level ESCI or GEOG including either ESCI 241 or GEOG 223; (X) ESCI 449
Not offered in 2025
Geophysics
ESCI 201 – Climate Change and New Zealand's Future
The Antarctic Research Centre is offering this summer course. Designed for science and non-science students, this course provides a summary of current knowledge on climate change, the evidence and its uncertainties, and possible climate scenarios for the next 50 to 100 years. The course also discusses the influence of climate change on NZ’s society, economy and environment, and governmental strategies for adaptation and mitigation.
20 pts • (P) 30 points
tut tba
ESCI 204 – Petrology and Microscopy
This course examines all common major rock types and introduces crystallography as it pertains to optical mineralogy, with examples of a variety of common minerals and rocks in hand sample and under the microscope. The course covers the origins of common minerals and rocks and the conditions and processes that form them.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 241 – Introductory Field Geology
An introduction to field techniques in geology held at the Geology department's field station at Onekaka, near Takaka, Northwest Nelson. The course trains students in basic methods of geological field mapping and provides training and experience in the presentation of geological field data through the construction of geological maps, stratigraphic columns and geological cross-sections. Students gain experience at describing and interpreting a wide variety of rock types and geological features in individual outcrops. Students will gain practice in interpreting the geological history of an area from their observations. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 111, 112; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 302 – Tectonics and Structural Geology
An introduction to the fundamental concepts, principles and methods in global tectonics and structural geology. The laboratory part of the course emphasises practical methods of structural analysis and interpretation based on outcrop, rock mechanics, geophysical, and remote sensing data sets. It includes two all-day field trips.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 305 – Environmental and Applied Geophysics
This course covers geophysical techniques to explore the subsurface, with applications to engineering, environmental and groundwater monitoring, seismic hazard assessment, exploration for energy and mineral resources, and other aspects of Earth structure. Topics include gravity, seismic, electrical, magnetic, and satellite-based surveying methods.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, SPCE 201, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 341 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross- section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-112, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 342 – Structural Field Geology
In this course, you will learn to recognise and describe active faults in the field. You will gain the ability to distinguish between ancient and active geological structures, gather and analyse structural data, quantify fault slip rates, and perform a natural hazard risk assessment.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 202, 203, 241; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (X) ESCI 340
^ Limited entry course
ESCI 344 – Field Geophysics
Methods and techniques for field geophysical surveys. This block course runs over a week, usually during the mid-trimester break, in a part of New Zealand that may vary from year to year. Students will learn how to apply several different techniques of environmental and geophysical methods to a single area and to integrate the results to answer a geophysical problem such as the shallow structure of a fault or a basin.
10 pts • (P) ESCI 112 or 203; 15 points from ENGR 121-142 or any 100-level MATH, PHYS, QUAN or STAT or approved equivalent; 15 further pts from (CHEM 113-122, ENGR 121-123, MATH 141-177, PHYS 101-131, PHYS 142-145, QUAN 102-111, STAT 193) (C) ESCI 305
Not offered in 2025
ESCI 349 – Earth Sciences – International Field Course
This international field course in earth sciences aims to examine key geographical, geological and/or geophysical localities. The course will offer a variable but unique insight, understanding and experience of earth science in the field beyond that which already exists in New Zealand. This course is offered in alternate years and will run in the USA from 18 November 2019 to 18 December 2019. Numbers are limited, apply by 1 April 2019. An extra fee beyond that for the course, covering travel and subsistence costs applies and is to be met by the student.
20 pts • (P) 60 points of 200-level ESCI or GEOG including either ESCI 241 or GEOG 223; (X) ESCI 449
Not offered in 2025
Geoscience
GEOS 101 – Our Dynamic Earth and Environment
In this course you will be introduced to the Earth system, covering the physical processes that shape the Earth and environment. This course emphasises how humans interact with the environment, recognising differing societal perspectives, especially around key issues such as climate change and sea level rise, natural hazards, and resource use. It provides a platform or further study in Geography, Earth and Environmental sciences and includes a one-day field trip in the Wellington region.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 111
GEOS 102 – Earth Science for a Changing Planet
In GEOS 102 you will explore the foundations of Earth Science, necessary for understanding and mitigating climate change and natural hazards, including sea-level rise, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. In addition, you will be introduced to environmentally responsible management of natural resources such as groundwater and minerals. As part of the course, you will go into the field develop practical skills to better understand and interpret the physical environment.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 112
GEOS 103 – Antarctica: Unfreezing the Continent
A broad introduction to Antarctica, including its history, exploration, weather, geology, fauna and management. Its role in the global climate system is emphasised. This course is primarily designed for non-science majors.
15 pts • (X) ESCI 132
GEOS 201 – Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management
This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. This course brings together lecturers from a range of disciplines to discuss the crucial roles of freshwater in Aotearoa including alternative and indigenous perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from ESCI 111, GEOG 114, GEOS 101; 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 301
GEOS 204 – Geohazards and Risk
This course provides an understanding of major geohazard phenomena, from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to tsunami, landslides and beyond. Through field trips, hands-on exercises and class-based learning, you will learn about geohazard identification and the potential for individual geohazards to cascade into multi-hazard events with wider societal and environmental effects. You will develop skills in characterising and communicating the risks associated with geohazards. Finally, you will see how the knowledge you have gained in this course is used every day by the agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to geohazards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) GEOS 304
GEOS 208 – Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure
Building on your knowledge of Earth systems, you will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface imaging, analysis, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater and geothermal exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. The course comprises two modules: theory and analysis of underground pore fluids, heat, stress, and rock failure; and practical techniques for underground imaging and sampling. Each module integrates qualitative and quantitative concepts through lectures, laboratory and field exercises. This course introduces practical skills and knowledge applicable to a wide range of careers in industry, research, and government organisations.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102); 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 308
GEOS 211 – Earth’s Changing Surface
Humanity lives and depends on sedimentary environments (e.g., soil for farming, coastal plains for residence). You will learn to interpret and explain the interactions that are occurring today between environment and climate change, Earth-surface processes, sediment movement, and landforms. When you complete the course, you will be able to both interpret how these interactions have changed in the past and predict how they may change in the future.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) ESCI 202
GEOS 301 – Hydrological Science and Freshwater Management
This course equips students with the fundamental principles of hydrology and water management. Through practical exercises and theory, you will learn about hydrological processes, river dynamics, floods, and droughts. We then apply this theoretical knowledge to questions of water quality, resources, and management, as well as climate change impacts on hydrology. This course brings together lecturers from a range of disciplines to discuss the crucial roles of freshwater in Aotearoa including alternative and indigenous perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from ESCI 111, GEOG 114 or GEOS 101; 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 201
GEOS 302 – Measuring Aotearoa's Dynamic Landscape
In this course, you will investigate the unique forces that have led to the formation and evolution of Aotearoa's iconic landscapes, including te ao Māori perspectives. You will gain an understanding of the processes through field expeditions to collect raw data from diverse landscapes around the Wellington region. Armed with tools ranging from sediment samplers to cutting-edge remote sensing devices, students will interpret field data and perform laboratory and computer analyses. You will gain valuable skills in real-world data collection and presentation, equipping you with the practical expertise needed to quantify change at Earth’s surface.
20 pts • (P) ESCI 111 or GEOS 102 (X) GEOS 202
GEOS 304 – Geohazards and Risk
This course provides an understanding of major geohazard phenomena, from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to tsunami, landslides and beyond. Through field trips, hands-on exercises and class-based learning, you will learn about geohazard identification and the potential for individual geohazards to cascade into multi-hazard events with wider societal and environmental effects. You will develop skills in characterising and communicating the risks associated with geohazards. Finally, you will see how the knowledge you have gained in this course is used every day by the agencies responsible for monitoring and responding to geohazards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102) (X) GEOS 204
GEOS 306 – Past, Present and Future Environmental Change
Sedimentary deposits record past changes in Earth’s surface environments and biosphere – a series of natural experiments that provide important context for the future of global change. You will learn to use knowledge of processes operating today to interpret those past changes. These skills will then be used to both predict the impacts of modern environmental degradation and understand natural mechanisms of mitigation and adaptation.
20 pts • (P) one of (ESCI 202, GEOS 211, 311) (X) ESCI 301
GEOS 307 – Deep Earth Processes
In this course you will explore dynamic processes that shape our earth though tectonics, faulting, metamorphism, and magmatism. Through practical exercises and interactive lectures, you will learn about the principles of plate tectonics, earth structures and deformation, metamorphism and the generation and evolution of magmatic systems, with a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand. You will combine this theoretical knowledge with field and laboratory observations and learn how to link small-scale observations to large-scale tectonic processes.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/ PHYS/QUAN/STAT); GEOS 209 or 309 (X) ESCI 302, 303, GEOS 207
GEOS 308 – Sustainable Resources and Infrastructure
Building on your knowledge of Earth systems, you will acquire practical understanding of theories and methods used for subsurface imaging, analysis, and sampling. The techniques underpin groundwater and geothermal exploration and utilization. Rock mass stability and site characterization underpin sustainable infrastructure development. The course comprises two modules: theory and analysis of underground pore fluids, heat, stress, and rock failure; and practical techniques for underground imaging and sampling. Each module integrates qualitative and quantitative concepts through lectures, laboratory and field exercises. This course introduces practical skills and knowledge applicable to a wide range of careers in industry, research, and government organisations.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from (ESCI 111, 112; GEOS 101, 102); 15 pts from (GEOG 115 or 100-level MATH/PHYS/QUAN/STAT) (X) GEOS 208
GEOS 313 – Structural Field Geology
Field mapping and analysis of geological structures, including folds, thrust and active strike-slip faults. You will measure structural data, produce maps and draw cross-sections of Kekerengu, an area on the Kaikoura coast that provides a dramatic window into the tectonic evolution of Aotearoa New Zealand’s landmass over the last 100 million years.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 202, 203, GEOS 202, 207, 208, 302, 307, 308
Not offered in 2025
GEOS 314 – Volcanic Field Geology
Methods and techniques for studying volcanic geology in the field. This course runs from Whakapapa in the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) of the central North Island. It examines the products of andesite and basalt eruptions from the Tongariro National Park volcanoes and some rhyolitic products of Taupo volcano.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 204, GEOS 207, 307
^ Limited entry course
GEOS 315 – Sedimentary Field Geology
Field sedimentary mapping in the hills east of Martinborough, covering the basics of mapping sedimentary sequences in an area of simple deformation. A map, cross-section and stratigraphic columns are prepared and an environmental analysis of the section is produced in the field. Note the details of dates and arrangements in the Course Content below.
10 pts • (P) one of ESCI 241, GEOS 210; 20 pts from ESCI 202, 206, GEOS 302
Not offered in 2025
German
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
GERM 101 – Introduction to the German Language
This course is designed as an introduction to German language and culture specifically for beginners. In the course, you will cover the basics of the German language in speaking, listening, writing and reading through a communicative, intercultural approach. Through audio-visual materials and readings, you will gain insight into the contemporary German way of life and Germany’s vibrant culture. This course is perfect for you if you are an absolute beginner. If you already have prior knowledge of German, you may take a placement test and begin at a more advanced level.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by academic staff in German, GERM 103
GERM 102 – Elementary German
This course is designed to advance your written and oral use of German from a complete beginner to an advanced beginner level (CERF proficiency level A1 to A2). You will cover the German language in speaking, listening, writing and reading through a communicative, intercultural approach. Audio-visual materials and readings provide insight into the vibrant cultures of the three main German-speaking countries Germany, Austria and Switzerland. To be eligible for this course, you should have passed GERM 101, have passed GERM 101, have at least 16 credits in NCEA Level 2 German, or approval from the GERM 102 course coordinator.
20 pts • (P) GERM 101 or 103 or equivalent; (X) GERM 104
GERM 114 – Topics in German Culture 1
This course introduces students to the study of German culture by examining themes of importance for understanding the German-speaking world and how these are represented, whether historically or in the present day, in a selection of novels and films. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
LANG 101 – Shaping the World: Cultural Forces in Europe and Latin America
This course introduces students to themes central to the study of the cultures of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Cultural case studies will allow students to draw out commonalities without losing sight of historical, political and socio-cultural specificities. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
GERM 201 – German Language 2A
Revision of basic German grammar. Practice of reading and listening to authentic German at an advanced level, building of German vocabulary knowledge pertaining to a number of different word fields.
20 pts • (P) GERM 102 or 104 or NCEA Level 3 German or equivalent; (X) GERM 217
GERM 202 – German Language 2B
A development of the skills taught in GERM 201, and an advanced study of the subjunctive mode. Special emphasis will be given to the active use of German in both written and spoken form.
20 pts • (P) GERM 201 or 217; (X) GERM 218
GERM 214 – Topics in German Culture 2
This course expands students’ familiarity with German culture by examining themes of importance for understanding the German-speaking world and how these are represented and/or evoked in a selection of poems and short prose works. Course material is studied in German. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) GERM 102 or 104, GERM 114; (C) GERM 201
Not offered in 2025
LANG 201 – Capital Cities: Their Cultures and Stories
A course that charts the physical and cultural landscapes of some of the world’s most exciting cities and explores the changing histories of their peoples. This course is recommended for all students interested in cultural exchange. It is taught entirely in English and fulfils major requirements for students of European Languages and Cultures.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
LANG 202 – Moving the World: Artistic Movements in Context
This course introduces students to major artistic movements that represent key moments in the cultural histories of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Artefacts such as literary texts and art works will be studied in relation to historical and political contexts and prevailing intellectual currents in the source-language community. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
GERM 301 – German Language 3A
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studied is based on the topics 'languages' and 'love'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 315
Not offered in 2025
GERM 302 – German Language 3B
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studied is based on the topics 'places' and 'media'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 316
Not offered in 2025
GERM 303 – German Language 3C
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studies is based on the topics 'consumerism' and 'health'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 320
Not offered in 2025
GERM 304 – German Language 3D
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studied is based on the topics 'the future' and 'mobility'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 321
Not offered in 2025
GERM 314 – Topics in German Culture
This course expands and deepens students’ familiarity with German culture by examining themes of importance for understanding the German-speaking world and how these are represented and/or evoked in a selection of literary texts and films. Course material is studied in German.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from GERM 200-299
Not offered in 2025
Global Studies
GLBL 101 – Introduction to Global Studies: Collaboration in Global Contexts
Big, complex global challenges need creative and ethical interdisciplinary solutions. In this course you’ll develop your critical and interdisciplinary thinking through an overview of key concepts in Global Studies. You’ll explore different ways of dealing with pressing global issues from the local to the planetary. You’ll learn from experts from areas including political, cultural and development studies, indigenous and postcolonial studies, geography, environmental and urban studies, international relations and diplomacy, business and economics, law, and health and wellbeing. Working with your peers and teachers, you’ll learn how to bring together these diverse approaches to investigate and critically analyse global problems and understand their local and regional impacts.
20 pts • (P) enrolment in the BGS
GLBL 201 – Leading Global Change
Our location in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Indo-Pacific region is the starting point for this course, which compares and contrasts different solutions to global problems across a range of cultures and in different geographical, historical and linguistic environments. It examines how effective and ethical leadership in different contexts – from local community organisations to the national and global level – can support the development of innovative solutions to global problems and their local manifestations.
20 pts • (P) GLBL 101; ICOM 101; one of (MAOR 101, 123, 126) and at least 15 further points.
GLBL 301 – Capstone Global Studies Project
Students will work in a team from across the different Global Studies subject areas to complete a capstone project based on a real global issue. Students will bring together knowledge and approaches from different disciplines and perspectives to define and scope the problem and propose approaches to solving it.
20 pts • (P) GLBL 201; at least 20 points from CHIN, FREN, GERM, ITAL, JAPA, MAOR, NZSL, SAMO, SPAN; at least 60 further 200-level points
GLBL 310 – Topic in Global Studies
Topic to be advised.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BGS or BA(A) Schedules
Government
RESJ 301 – Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Restorative Justice Practice
Restorative justice has been deemed the most significant innovation in the administration of justice since the birth of the nation state. This course explores the origins, historical development and theoretical underpinnings of restorative justice practice and the challenges of integrating it into the dominant systems of society.
15 pts • (P) Admission to the GCertRJP
Not offered in 2025
RESJ 302 – Critical Issues in Restorative Practice
This course examines a selection of current “hot” issues in the various fields of restorative justice practice. It looks at the strengths and weaknesses of various restorative initiatives and their implications for policy and practice, and for the integrity of restorative justice itself.
15 pts • (P) Admission to the GCertRJP
Not offered in 2025
RESJ 303 – Restorative Approaches in Context
This course investigates the role of restorative processes in a range of specific sectors or vocational contexts or case studies (e.g. prisons, schools, rest homes, child protection work, peacekeeping, community policing, health and safety) and the corresponding constraints and contingencies that influence practice and outcomes.
15 pts • (P) Admission to the GCertRJP
Not offered in 2025
RESJ 304 – Directed Independent Study
Students undertake an approved, supervised body of work tailored to the needs or interests of the student that investigates the use of restorative justice processes in a specific workplace or field of practice.
15 pts • (P) 15 300-level RESJ points
Not offered in 2025
Greek
GREE 101 – Introduction to Greek
An introduction to ancient Greek for beginners, with emphasis on the acquisition of basic reading skills.
20 pts • (X) GREE 112
Not offered in 2025
GREE 102 – Elementary Greek
A study of ancient Greek, assuming basic reading skills, with emphasis on the reading of texts in Attic Greek.
20 pts • (P) GREE 101 or 112; (X) GREE 113
Not offered in 2025
GREE 201 – Intermediate Greek
An integrated course of literature and language.
20 pts • (P) GREE 102 or 113; (X) GREE 215
GREE 202 – Greek Literature
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) GREE 201 or 215 ; (X) GREE 216
GREE 301 – Advanced Greek Literature A
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) GREE 202 or 216; (X) GREE 315
GREE 302 – Advanced Greek Literature B
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) GREE 202 or GREE 216; (X) GREE 316
Health
See also Midwifery and Nursing
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
Health Informatics
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
INFO 101 – Digital Systems and Information in Business and Society
Learn how digital systems affect the world and societies. Explore what systems and information can do and how they continuously change, providing new opportunities to solve problems and improve the world. This course is a non-technical introduction to emerging trends in digital systems, how the digital world impacts people, the opportunities digital technology creates, and the impact, for good and bad.
15 pts
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
Health Policy and Innovation
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
PUBL 113 – Social and Public Policy: Values and Change
This course focuses on the values and ideologies that underpin social policy and public policy in New Zealand. The course will examine the economic, political, and institutional arrangements within New Zealand which impact upon policy development and implementation. Also taught as SPOL 113
20 pts • (X) SPOL 111, 112, 113
tut tba
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
PUBL 201 – Introduction to Public Policy
An introduction to the study of public policy and policy analysis, models of policymaking and the policy process and the contribution of economics and politics to the study of public policy.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 113 or POLS 111 (or FCOM 111)
tut tba
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
Health Promotion
EDUC 141 – Human Development and Learning
This course takes a lifespan approach to examining how people develop and learn from birth to death. It explores key milestones and changes in physical, cognitive, emotional and social development; and critically examines a range of factors and contexts that shape development and learning.
20 pts • (X) EPSY 141, FEDU 101
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
SOSC 220 – Sociology of Health and Illness
The course introduces students to sociological approaches to health, illness, medicine and health care. A diversity of topics will be covered including health inequalities, health policy, health professions, the organisation of health care delivery, ethnicity and health, gender and health, mental health and the social construction of medical knowledge.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule or one of (HLWB 101, 102, 105) or GLBL 101 (X) SOSC 314; SPOL 314
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
Health Psychology
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
PSYC 121 – Foundations in Psychology 1
PSYC 121 introduces core concepts in psychology with a focus on research methods, social psychology, social development, and mental health. Students will consider how psychology can be used in applied contexts and the importance of bicultural and cross-cultural perspectives in our understanding of human behaviour. In lectures, students will learn about Māori models of mental health and in lectures and labs they will have the opportunity to reflect upon the principles that underpin Kaupapa Māori research. Students will develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
PSYC 122 – Foundations in Psychology 2
PSYC 122 introduces students to theory and research in the biological basis of behaviour, learning and memory, cognition and perception, and applied psychology in the context of Aotearoa. In the lab programme, students develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
PSYC 221 – Social and Personality Psychology
This course examines how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions depend on their social contexts and personalities. The course provides students a broad overview of contemporary and historic topics and establishes the background for various theoretical, conceptual, practical and empirical issues in social and personality psychology.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121
PSYC 232 – Survey and Naturalistic Research Methods
Psychology researchers need to be able to collect and analyse data about people’s behaviours and beliefs in everyday life. In this course, students will learn how to design surveys and apply observational and qualitative methods to collect data. Students will learn how to develop research questions, design a questionnaire, conduct appropriate statistical analyses, and communicate findings in a scientific research report.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102); (X) PSYC 325
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
Health Software Development
COMP 102 – Introduction to Computer Program Design
Today, most problems are solved using computers. An understanding of programming is needed to harness the full potential of computers. This course serves as an introduction to the foundational principles of programming utilising the high-level object-oriented programming language Java. You will progressively enhance your programming abilities through the creation of computer programs tailored for various applications. This course establishes the fundamental groundwork for all subsequent computer science and software engineering courses, fostering the development of programming skills applicable to a wide range of academic disciplines.
15 pts • (X) COMP 112
COMP 103 – Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
This course focuses on the techniques for designing, building and analysing computer programs that deal with large collections of data. The course addresses techniques for programming with collections of data, and the data structures and algorithms needed to implement these collections. The course expands programming skills and provides an understanding of the principles of data abstraction, algorithm design, and the analysis of algorithms fundamental to computer science.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112
lab tba
COMP 112 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course introduces a range of important concepts and topics across Computer Science, Software Engineering and Network Engineering. Students will also gain a solid foundation of programming skills in object oriented programming. The course is an entry point to the BE(Hons) and BSc in Computer Science for students who already have basic programming skills.
15 pts • (P) 14 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Digital Technology including 6 credits in Computer Programming, or COMP 132, or equivalent programming experience; (X) COMP 102
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
NWEN 241 – Systems Programming
This course considers the issues raised when programming at a low-level, for example in embedded systems, OS system level, or network protocol stacks. It includes an introduction to C language programming and motivating examples related to a wide variety of applications of system programming.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
NWEN 243 – Clouds and Networking
The course provides a broad introduction to computer networks and a basic understanding of network application programming, with an emphasis on the working principles and application of computer networks. It covers a range of introductory topics including the essentials of data communication, computer network concepts, protocols, network applications and cloud computing. The course features an interactive laboratory component with projects starting from basic networking technologies leading into cloud application development.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 221 – Software Development
This course develops a deeper understanding of object- oriented programming and associated practices. The focus is on programming techniques at the micro scale. Topics include: inheritance, polymorphism, genericity, error handling, testing and debugging. A sequence of short assignments will develop the key ideas and practices; rigour in testing will be developed through (automated) assessment of programme correctness.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 225 – Software Design
This course develops a strong understanding of object-oriented design. Students will study modelling and programming techniques that support the analysis, design and development of large and maintainable programs. Students will work together in groups on an engineering problem and use a variety of best practices (e.g. Design Patterns) and notations (e.g. UML). Students will use specialized tools to apply these techniques in practical work.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 221; (X) SWEN 222
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
History
HIST 111 – Colonial Encounters: Pacific Experiences
This course introduces students to the discipline of history through the study of colonial encounters in the greater Pacific region, drawing on experiences of indigenous peoples in Australia, the Pacific Islands, and New Zealand. Ranging from pre-contact societies to post-WWII developments, it examines themes such as the impact of disease and trade, the effects of Christianity and the missions, and indigenous resistance, struggle, loss and recovery. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
HIST 112 – Aotearoa NZ in World History: Islands and People/Ko Aotearoa Tēnei
Who are Aotearoa New Zealand's people? How and when did they get here? New Zealand is the last major land mass settled by humans. What does this mean for its peoples and the world? In this course we interweave two major historical strands of Aotearoa's rich history, Māori and Pākehā, to answer these and other questions. You will explore and analyse stories of first arrivals, first encounters, trade, love, politics and education. Histories of structural power - iwi, rangatiratanga, colonialism and capitalism - with everyday histories of home, solidarity and resistance. How does New Zealand position itself in global terms? And perhaps even more importantly, when?
20 pts
tut tba
HIST 113 – The World Re-Made, 1919-1939
The extraordinary events of 1936 are our starting point for this course: a Black athlete defied Hitler, the battle between communism and fascism boiled over in the Spanish Civil War, a blockbuster novel romanticizing slavery was published. You will delve into the inter-war decades as they played out across the world, a time when the world was re-made after the global catastrophe of WWI and as the stormcloud of WWII began to loom. You will sharpen your critical and digital skills and discover many approaches to studying the past.
20 pts
HIST 117 – Revolutions, Empires and Peoples: The Americas, 1500-1900
Pirates, spies, scoundrels, witches, revolutionaries, radicals, reactionaries, and the Ku Klux Klan! Welcome to the history of revolutions, empires and peoples in North, Central and South America. You will travel from the 1600s to the US Civil War and further to the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890 and the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 in a coup d'état. The course will explore important historical themes that shape the Americas today. You will gain skills in research, discussion and academic writing that provide a strong foundation for upper level study.
20 pts
tut tba
HIST 118 – The Birth of Modern Europe/Te Ōrokohanga o Ūropi Hou
How do Europe’s historical upheavals and contradictions inform our contemporary notions of modernity? Students will investigate the histories of the continent, and the local and global implications of Europe’s path towards modernity. Demographic change, political revolution, scientific and cultural development will frame how Europeans articulated their own experiences, from the 15th to the 20th Century. The period is defined by the emergence of the renegotiation of the relationship between the individual, God and the State, by the establishment and demise of empires, by the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, by the rise of nationalism and internationalism.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
HIST 121 – World War One and its Legacies/Te Pakanga Tuatahi o Te Ao me ōna Hua
World War One broke apart empires and families and fostered political, social and technological revolution. Using empire, nation, community, family and individual as frames, this global history of World War One examines the complex facets of the conflict. What were the technologies and political formations that made such a war possible? How can we investigate the experiences of families, children, ‘enemy aliens’, the disabled, and soldiers from colonised communities? What is the connection between this war and the rise of nationalist movements and claims for decolonisation or political equality around the world?
20 pts • (X) HIST 120 in 2014-15
Not offered in 2025
CLAS 207 – Roman Social History
A study of the main features of Roman social history from the time of Augustus to AD 200. Topics include class structure, law, education, the family, slavery, poverty and public entertainment. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 307
tut tba
CLAS 208 – Greek Society
A study of ancient Greek society, particularly Athens in the Classical period. Topics include sex, gender, politics, education, entertainment, and food and agriculture. Co-taught with CLAS 308.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) CLAS 308
Not offered in 2025
HIST 201 – Medieval and Early Modern Europe, 1000-1650
Assassin's Creed or Game of Thrones? What was life really like in a medieval city? What were the consequences of the Black Death? You will discover the political, economic, cultural and social lives of medieval and early modern Europeans, from peasants to queens, from explorers to popes. Encounter the men and women who experienced courtly culture, travel and imperial conquest, the Renaissance and Reformation, and the discovery of the Americas, and asked new questions about God, the self, society, and the state.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
HIST 202 – Radicals and Revolutionaries in Britain
A study of popular revolt, social protest and political sedition in Britain from the sixteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 203 – Te Ao Māori and History: Whakapapa, Waiata, Claims & Treaty Settlements
In the Māori world, time and place are configured in ways born of deep connection to these temperate islands of Kiwa's Great Ocean. The dynamic, living framework of whakapapa orders the universe relationally and waiata holds the history of the people within its own unique forms, styles, language and poetics. You will explore Indigenous, Māori ways of understanding, doing, and creating History and examine how Māori historical frameworks fare within the legal-political sphere of the Waitangi Tribunal. Students from all backgrounds and cultures are welcome. Nau mai! Piki mai! Te reo Māori is encouraged but is not a necessary prerequisite.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from HIST, MAOR, ANTH, EDUC, EPSY
HIST 204 – Twentieth-Century Peoples’ Movements in Aotearoa New Zealand /Ngā manu nanahu
This course examines an array of social movements, the banners under which people organised, the forms of collectivism they deployed, and the activities they engaged to contest colonialism and capitalism in Aotearoa New Zealand. We begin with Te Kotahitanga o te Tiriti o Waitangi and end with Protect Ihumātao.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level pts from HIST, CLAS, EDUC, MAOR, POLS, SOSC
HIST 208 – Mobilising the Masses: Propaganda in Europe in the Age of Catastrophe, 1914-1945
This course explores political propaganda in inter-war European society, focusing predominantly on Britain, Germany, France, the Soviet Union, Italy and Spain. It investigates techniques of persuasion in democratic and totalitarian states, examining a number of case studies and different media, including literature, posters, film, radio, photography and music.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from (HIST 100–199, CLAS 106) or GLBL 101 (X) HIST 235 in 2016
Not offered in 2025
HIST 215 – Revolutionary Nation: Creating the USA
This course examines the early history of the USA as it expanded across the North American continent, became an industrial power, emancipated slaves, and dispossessed native peoples. It looks at the effects of the United States' origins in an age of popular literacy as shaping a distinctive cultural, social and political system.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 216 – Crime, Justice and Human Rights in U.S. History, 1865-1975
The American century from 1865-1975 was one of criminalisation and liberation, punishment and protest, the expansion and contraction of human rights. You will examine American involvement in international jurisprudence about genocide, anti-communist repression, and post-World War II movements for the expansion of civil, political, social, sexual and reproductive rights. The course culminates with the reintroduction of capital punishment, the rise of mass incarceration and the conservative counterattack against feminism and gay rights in the mid-1970s.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from (HIST 100-199, CLAS 106) or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
HIST 217 – USA and Global Power, 1890 to Present
This course examines the history of the US as it expanded from a continental to an international power. It analyses crucial episodes in the century including the New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the US's role in the post-Cold War world. Among other aspects, it explores the exportation of American culture as involving the creation of a 'virtual empire'.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
tut tba
HIST 219 – Pacific Histories: Environments, Peoples and Empires
In the largest ocean on the planet, Pacific Island peoples navigate a world of waves and currents, volcanoes, islands and atolls. Explore the history of the peoples of the Pacific Islands from their initial settlement of Oceania to the present day. You will begin with Pacific Islanders’ colonisation of the region, then chart Pacific Islanders’ progressive involvement in the emerging global economy following sustained contact with Europe and Asia.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from (HIST 100-199, CLAS 106) or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
HIST 222 – Australian History
Australia and New Zealand are often described as neighbours, cousins and mates. But are we? Australia is a large and diverse country with a complex history. Students will examine aspects of Australia's past since the late 1700's focusing on themes of struggle and survival. Key topics in the course include: relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples from the British arrival in 1788 to current day calls for a Treaty; responses to and management of the many environments from Aboriginal fire-farming to protection of the Great Barrier Reef; and crime and punishment from convict settlements to detention centres.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 227 – Māori and Pākehā in the Nineteenth-Century World
This course examines the histories of Māori and Pākehā cultural interactions during the nineteenth century. It explores relationships between identity, power and place, in both international and local forums.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 230 – Gandhi, India and the World / Ko Ghandi, ko Īnia me te ao
A study of Gandhi and his India and his influence on democratic movements in other parts of the British Empire, South Africa and the USA.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 232 – The Worlds of Christopher Columbus
What does the life of Christopher Columbus tell us about medieval and early modern world history, 1000–1650? Explore the histories of Renaissance Italy, navigation, the Crusades, the Inquisition, and Empires in the Americas through Columbus’s life as a mariner, chart maker, explorer, imperialist and diplomat, and the historical processes set in motion by his four voyages to the Americas.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106 (X) HIST 310 in 2022, 2023, 2024, HIST 329 in 2019
Not offered in 2025
HIST 235 – Special Topic: Telling NZ-Pacific Lives
We examine the history of New Zealand’s relations with the Pacific islands from the 1890s to the 1990s through the life histories of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa and NZers in the Pacific (e.g., travellers, traders, “chiefs”, missionaries, students, performers, workers, administrators, politicians, soldiers, families, activists, subalterns, etc.). In so doing we explore how the study of life histories in written, visual and oral forms allows us to reflect on, illuminate and/or challenge perspectives on Aotearoa’s place in, and relations with, the Pacific islands. The course will both examine lives that have been recorded and provide the opportunity to research others.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (HIST 100–199, CLAS 104-106); (X) HIST 329 in 2020, 2022
HIST 236 – Race and Racism in Modern European History
This course examines the concept of race, the origins of racial thinking and the practice of racial intolerance and persecution in Europe and its colonies from 1750 to 1950. Emphasis will be given to the meanings of race through its codes: class, colour, and culture, and the implications of these codes for the negotiations of self, group and national identities in the construction of racial 'types' in a range of discourses. This theoretical background will be illuminated with select examples of race-based politics and nation-making projects, and the responses of colonised and persecuted groups to these policies, in Europe, the British and French Caribbean, and Africa. CLAS 106 may be counted towards the prerequisites for this course from 2018.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 245 – Peoples of the Soviet Empire
This course introduces the nations of the Soviet Empire, discussing both federal regions within the USSR itself and dependent states beyond the Soviet frontier. Lectures contrast the evolution of Communist rule at the Russian core of the empire with the experiences of various non-Russian nations on various imperial peripheries. Chronologically, the course runs from the late Romanov Empire to the present.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
HIST 248 – History of the German-Speaking Peoples
This course on the German-Speaking world starts at the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648 and concludes at the present day, and it takes the interplay between German linguistic nationalism and other political loyalties as its main theme.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106, GERM 100-399
Not offered in 2025
HIST 249 – New Zealand Political History
What are the forces that have shaped our political world? Who are the winners and losers, the dreamers and schemers? In this course, you will explore the key themes in New Zealand political history: the changing shape and nature of the New Zealand state, the growth of political parties, the development of economic and social policy, and the evolving relationship between Māori and the state. You will gain a strong background for a career in policy, advocacy or journalism. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106, POLS 111, 112, 114
Not offered in 2025
HIST 250 – The Terrible Wonder of Modernity: The World Re-made, c.1880s-1930s
Tracking across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, North America and parts of Europe, the course examines what it means to 'be modern'. Why did people in many different parts of the world come to see themselves as 'modern' and thereby distinctly different fromt their forbears in the period c.1880s-1930s? How do we understand the history and problem of modernity - a notion that promised progress but also nurtured fascism, exclusion and conformity. CLAS 106 may be counted towards the prerequisites for this course from 2018.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106
Not offered in 2025
HIST 256 – Arabs, Persians, Turks: The Modern Middle East
This course introduces the twentieth-century history of the Middle East with a focus on Arab, Persian, and Turkish national experiences. Lectures explore ideas of political legitimacy: the course examines the collapse of the Ottoman caliphate, European colonial empires, secular republicanism, socialism, and the rise of Islamism. Co-taught with HIST 318.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) HIST 234 (2018, 2021), 318 (2018, 2021, 2022, 2025)
CLAS 307 – Roman Social History
A study of the main features of Roman social history from the time of Augustus to AD 200. Topics include class structure, law, education, the family, slavery, poverty and public entertainment. Co-taught with CLAS 207. Offered in alternate years.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 207
tut tba
CLAS 308 – Greek Society
A study of ancient Greek society, particularly Athens in the Classical period. Topics include sex, gender, politics, education, entertainment, and food and agriculture. Co-taught with CLAS 208.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from CLAS/GREE/LATI 200–299; (X) CLAS 208
Not offered in 2025
HIST 301 – The Scientific Revolution
Why did the Church prosecute Galileo? What scientific work was open to women? How did Leonardo da Vinci and other artist-engineers contribute to the sciences? Science has a history- not just a history of how theories about nature improved over time, but a history of what it meant to study nature, who was allowed to study it, and how they went about doing so at different times. You will examine how the answers to these questions changed during the Scientific Revolution (1500-1700), when the scale of inventions and ways of gathering new knowledge about nature changed dramatically in Europe.
20 pts • (P) as for HIST 315; (X) HIST 318 in 2013-15
Not offered in 2025
HIST 302 – Contesting Colonialism: The British Empire and the Settler Colonies/ Te Tohe Koronitanga: Piritana Nui me ōna Koroni
A comparative study of settler colonialism and the evolution of self-government in Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200-299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200-299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208) or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
HIST 312 – Working Lives in New Zealand
This course explores how the meaning of work has changed over time in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It interrogates the interplay of race, class, gender and sexuality in the worlds of work.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from either HIST 200-299 or 20 pts from HIST 200-299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208
HIST 315 – Media and the Modern USA
This course examines the US from 1975 to the present, exploring the interaction between media and major events including the conservative counteroffensive, the undermining of Detente, the Reagan and Bush I eras, the end of the Cold War, the Clinton scandals, the Bush II and Obama presidencies, Trump and the post-truth era, concentrating on the role of the media in the modern USA.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200-299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200-299, one of CLAS 207, 208)
Not offered in 2025
HIST 316 – New Zealand Social History/ He Hītori Pāpori mō Niu Tīreni
Explores the changing visions and patterns of social life in Aotearoa/New Zealand from the early 19th to late 20th century, drawing on new approaches in cultural and social history. Central themes include the interaction of people with the land, radical, utopian and millennial visions, landscapes of 'bush' and 'home', dangerous and conformist communities and identities. The course includes opportunities to undertake original research in national collections including the Alexander Turnbull Library and Archives New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208)
Not offered in 2025
HIST 317 – New Zealand History/ He Kōrero Hītori mō Aotearoa
In 2025 this course will consider migration to to New Zealand from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales over the period 1800 to 1945 in the context of British and Irish migration more generally, and New Zealand’s place in the world in the Age of Mass Migration. Topics covered include factors in Britain and Ireland that encouraged emigration; factors in New Zealand that encouraged immigration; and the specific migration and settler experiences of select groups of migrants.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208)
seminar tba
HIST 318 – Special Topic: Arabs, Persians, Turks: The Modern Middle East
This course introduces the twentieth-century history of the Middle East with a focus on Arab, Persian and Turkish national experiences. Lectures explore ideas of political legitimacy: the course examines the collapse of the Ottoman caliphate, European colonial empires, secular republicanism, socialism, and the rise of Islamism.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 200-299; (X) HIST 234 (in 2016, 2018, 2021), HIST 256, HIST 318 (in 2016, 2018, 2021)
HIST 321 – The Cold War World, 1945-1991
The 'Cold War' carved up countries, built walls, fostered diplomatic paranoia and brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation. As an 'imaginary war' - one waged as much as a war of the mind as a military campaign - the Cold War had far-reaching cultural effects and shaped the world you know today. You will improve your research skills by exploring an aspect of Cold War history using the extensive primary sources that are digitally available including CIA reports, National Security Archives and published collections of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208) or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
HIST 323 – Māori Textual Cultures in the 19th Century World: Ngā Tuhinga a Ngā Tūpuna
Māori is often described as an oral culture. How then do we explain the massive amount of texts produced by Māori in the 19th century – one of the largest collections of Indigenous written material in the world? This course offers you the opportunity to work on a globally unique set of materials and histories, taking a deep dive into texts which add depth, shade and colour to histories of Aotearoa New Zealand and the world beyond. Students from all backgrounds and cultures are welcome. Piki mai! Kake mai! Te reo Māori is encouraged but is not a necessary prerequisite.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (ANTH/CLAS/ENGL/HIST/MAOR/RELI 200-299, EDUC 223)
Not offered in 2025
HIST 329 – Special Topic: Telling NZ-Pacific Lives
We examine the history of New Zealand’s relations with the Pacific islands from the 1890s to the 1990s through the life histories of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa and NZers in the Pacific (e.g., travellers, traders, “chiefs”, missionaries, students, performers, workers, administrators, politicians, soldiers, families, activists, subalterns, etc.). In so doing we explore how the study of life histories in written, visual and oral forms allows us to reflect on, illuminate and/or challenge perspectives on Aotearoa’s place in, and relations with, the Pacific islands. The course will both examine lives that have been recorded and provide the opportunity to research others.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208); (X) HIST 235 (in 2020, 2022), HIST 329 in 2020
seminar tba
HIST 331 – The Transatlantic Slave Trade
The history of the transatlantic slave trade, 1519-1867, and its impact on Europe, Africa and the Americas. Seminars discuss slavery in the early modern world, the commercial organisation of the slave trade, shipboard disease and mortality, the development of the plantation complex in the Atlantic islands and Americas, and abolition and slave emancipation.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208)
Not offered in 2025
HIST 332 – The Holocaust - Te Patunga Nui o ngā Hūrae mā
This course investigates the Holocaust through the history of antisemitism, Nazi ideology, ghettos and extermination camps, dehumanisation, collaboration and resistance. You You will gain in-depth knowledge of this unprecedented genocide, and acquire the tools to interpret both its historical significance and contemporary relevance. You will engage safely with a wide range of primary sources and eye-witness accounts, designed to understand the human dimension of this vast tragedy. This history course is specifically designed to suit students with a wide range of interests, such as gender and sexuality, disability studies, media, art, psychology, sociology, human rights and international law, and memory studies.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208) or GLBL 201; (X) HIST 228 in 2024
a/v class, seminar tba
HIST 334 – World War One: Social and Cultural Perspectives on 1914 - 1918
World War One was more than a military event. It was a catastrophic conflict that affected millions of people and accelerated cultural and technological change. You will investigate a range of social and cultural effects of the War, focusing particularly on Britain, New Zealand and Australia, and drawing on materials about France, Germany and Russia. You will delve into the period from 1900 to the 1920s, and reflect on how the legacies of war shape your world. You design your own research project to round out your degree.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208)
seminar tba
HIST 336 – The Pacific Islands after 1945/ Ngā Moutere a Kiwa whai muri i 1945
The political and social history of the Pacific Islands since 1945 has been tumultuous, with decolonisation, democratisation, urbanisation, governance and ethnic conflict playing out in various countries. We will examine developments between WWII and the attainment of independence in some Pacific Islands and consider some of the challenges faced by Pacific states and nations since independence. A key aim is to examine the ways in which the social and political changes of the immediate postwar decades have shaped the postcolonial heritage of Pacific Island states and nations. This course may be taken towards majors in POLS and PASI (see major requirements for details).
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (HIST or POLS or INTP 200-299, CLAS 207, 208); (X) INTP 336
HIST 338 – Prelude to Peace: Displaced Persons and Refugees in Post-War Europe
This course explores the aftermath of World War II, namely the problem of displaced persons, refugees and expellees on the quest for peace and governance of Europe. It will include attention to humanitarian organisations, international law, the geography of displacement and expulsion, and the memory of war in personal national narratives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208)
Not offered in 2025
HIST 339 – History on Film/Film on History
This course explores the relationship between History and the Moving Image. Drawing from case studies from four different continents, the course will engage with the theory and practice of cinema's dual role as mirror and catalyst of social trends, as well as with the medium's ability to shape historical consciousness.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208)
Not offered in 2025
Human Resources Management and Employment Relations
HRER 201 – Managing People and Work
This introductory course provides the theoretical foundations of human resource management and employment relations. The course also explores contemporary themes related to managing people and work, and develops a critical analytical skill using multiple perspectives and frameworks.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 101 or 30 pts from the BA or BCom schedules; (X) HRIR 201
HRER 207 – The Future of Work
Workforces are changing at a rapid pace with various predictions regarding the future nature of work. In this interdisciplinary course, students will critically examine the changing nature of the work and employment from a range of perspectives. The course traces the history of work and employment, and considers the contemporary challenges facing workers and their employers in the context of labour market and wider social changes. Students will critically evaluate a range of views on these changes, and apply their understandings to a specific challenge presented by a Wellington organisation.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts; (X) FHSS 207, HRIR 207
HRER 301 – Workplace Wellbeing
This course explores the role of HRM in promoting wellbeing in the workplace. Topics concern health and safety generally, and specific problems such as workplace bullying, harassment, stress and accidents. Effective preventative steps, and interventions, are also addressed. The course is primarily focussed on psychosocial factors in the workplace.
15 pts • (P) 30 200 level pts (X) HRIR 306
HRER 302 – Negotiation and Conflict Management in Organisations
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to concepts in negotiation and dispute resolution. It explores various types of negotiations including integrative (win/win approach), distributive (win/lose approach), intra-organisational and attitudinal restructuring, as well as alternative processes for resolving disputes (mediation, tikanga Māori dispute resolution, arbitration and litigation).
15 pts • (P) 30 200 level pts; (X) HRIR 302
HRER 303 – Managing People in Global Markets
A critical examination of the management of people across nationally distinct employment and cultural contexts. This course provides a critical understanding of developments in global labour markets and the strategic challenges organisations face in managing global workforces.
15 pts • (P) 30 200 level pts; (X) HRIR 303
HRER 304 – Issues in Work and Employment
This course explores issues in New Zealand employment relations and examines ways in which contemporary practice challenges traditional customs and beliefs, including those integral to Māoritanga, about the roles of employers, managers, employees and the institutions established for regulating the interactions between those parties. Key areas covered in this course include regulation of the employment relationship, employee voice mechanisms, and diversity and inclusion.
15 pts • (P) HRER 201 or equivalent (X) HRIR 304;
HRER 305 – Applied HRM: The Individual at Work
This course explores the heart of HRM practice: the recruitment, management, development, recognition and reward of workers. The issues of effectiveness, unconscious bias, equity and the psychological contract underpin the examination of these practices and systems of talent management.
15 pts • (P) HRER 201 or equivalent (X) any two of HRIR 305, 306, 307;
HRER 320 – Practicum
The course enables students to develop a range of professional abilities through work-integrated learning. Students apply theories and concepts to real-life situations and gain an understanding of industry operations and managerial decision-making via 75 hours of practical HR or ER related work experience in a workplace. Workshops and seminars are the basis of developing a professional portfolio.
15 pts • (P) HRER (or FHSS) 207; 15 300-level HRER pts (X) TOUR 320;
Not offered in 2025
Humanities and Social Sciences
FHSS 103 – Great Ideas / Whakaaro Hirahira
Great Ideas is a course reflecting on some of the most exciting, important and revolutionary ideas that have shaped society and culture as it is today. It also considers how those ideas have an ongoing influence. It’s an interdisciplinary course looking at topics across the humanities, arts and social sciences.
20 pts
FHSS 201 – Special Topic: Queer Histories from Antiquity to Rainbow Pride
Examining a range of times and places, you will explore historical perspectives on those people in the past who we might identify as ‘queer’, as well as the challenges and rewards of researching and understanding their lives and contexts. Three lenses on ‘queer’ histories structure the course: life stories (who can we know?); histories in archives (how can we know?); and collective histories (the activist, political and public histories). Led by a team from the Classics, History and Media Studies programmes, you will be introduced to a range of research methods.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from the BA (A), BC and BGS schedules
FHSS 202 – BA Internship
Students will complete an approved and supervised work-based project while on a voluntary placement in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation. 100% internal assessment. Limited entry. Students must be enrolled in a BA degree. B+ average and selection documents required. To be considered for this course you will need to provide: 400-800 word statement outlining why you are applying for the course; an indication of the type of organisation you would like to be placed in (private sector, public sector, NGO, no preference) and a recent CV (checked by Victoria Careers & Employment Service). Label each page with your name and student ID and send to fhss-enquiries@vuw.ac.nz.
20 pts • (P) 120 100-level pts, 60 of which must be from Part A of the BA schedule, B+ average; (X) FHSS 302
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 302 – FHSS Internship
Students will complete an approved and supervised work-based project while on a voluntary placement in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or a non-governmental organisation. Please note that this is a limited entry course requiring separate application and that it is graded on a pass/fail basis.
20 pts • (P) 120 pts including 60 200-level points; minimum B+ average across all courses; permission of the FHSS Internships Coordinator; (X) FHSS 202
^ Limited entry course
Industrial Design
See also Design Innovation
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
INDN 204 – Materialised Codes / Ngā Waehere i Puta
This course will explore a variety of approaches to material simulation and coded design processes. Topics covered will include advanced rendering, rapid digital iteration, and the translating of digital form to physical artefact. Students will look outside of traditional CAD software and expand their skills in the areas of polygon modelling and simulated materials to discover intuitive design and iteration processes. Students will represent the outcomes of these digital design processes as highly refined rendered images.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 211 – Communicative Products / Ngā Hua o te Whakakōrero
Industrial designers communicate primarily through the physical aesthetic qualities of the products they create. In this founding industrial design course students will explore and expand their three dimensional visual vocabulary to empower them to produce meaningful and articulate objects. This will be based on experiments into a products form, material and surface finish explored through physical materials and digital manufacturing processes.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 212 – Responsive Products / Ngā Hua o te Whakautu
This course investigates how industrially designed products respond to the people and environment in which they exist. This four-dimensional quality of products offers significant opportunity for design experimentation and expression. Through the use of dynamic components students will be challenged to design specific, responsive products and experiences.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
INDN 241 – Sustainable Mediums / Ngā Huarahi Toitūtanga
This course stimulates students to explore and experiment with a range of design-focused mediums, materials and techniques. In addition to material and technical proficiency students will gain competence in creating contextual design interventions and responsive objects with a specific focus on sustainability.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 252 – Physiology Codes / Ngā Waehere ā-Mātai Whaiaroaro
This course examines the dynamic complexity of the human body and its form, mapping personal variation, movement and anatomy as the inspiration for products. 3D scanning and colour 3D printing will be used to collect data and create a tailored product.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 231 – Physical Computing / Rorohiko ā-Ōkiko
Introduction to electronics, circuit design, and programming as design tools for creative electronic solutions. This course is for students wishing to explore physical computing and interaction design (including IoT). Thinking beyond the mouse/keyboard/screen paradigm, simple techniques using microcontrollers and sensors will be taught to build smart objects and systems.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 or COMP 102 and 60 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 251
^ Limited entry course
INDN 311 – Publishable Products / Ngā Hua Hei Whakaputanga
This course challenges students to explore and engage with specific online publications that inspire them to design a product suitable for publication to an international audience. To reach this standard students will select appropriate media including immaculately finished visual prototypes, photography/video, rendering, animation and writing to create a compelling and contemporary narrative.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
INDN 332 – Future Under Negotiation / Te Matapaki i te Anamata
This course explores industrial design from a historic, contemporary and future (speculative) perspective with a specific focus on the implications of technological evolution. Emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, biological printing and climate change will be explored through design experiments and scenario building.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 341 – Innovative Mediums / Ngā Huarahi Hei Auahatanga
This course asks students to plan and create design-driven innovations for the near future through bold experimentation with a variety of non-traditional mediums including smart materials, intelligent processes and emerging technologies. Students will engage in problem-solving strategies and agile learning to initiate, grow and propagate their ideas towards real-world implementation.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
INDN 342 – Fabrication Codes / Ngā Waehere Hei Waihanga
This course considers the relationship between digital creation - CAD (Computer Aided Design) and digital making/fabrication - CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) and explores the design opportunities these technologies offer. Students will investigate a range of digital creation and manufacturing methods and produce designs that exploit these technologies.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
INDN 390 – Industrial Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa ā-Ahumahi
This course introduces branding as a business concept to students. It explores the role that a product and associated services play in promoting and developing a company’s brand as well as the way a brand impacts on the perception and value of a product. As a capstone course, it offers an opportunity to integrate all the design skills and knowledge students have acquired to explore customised and connected products in both corporate and cultural contexts. Projects are often undertaken in collaboration with industry partners.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, INDN 211 (X) INDN 312
^ Limited entry course
Information Systems
INFO 101 – Digital Systems and Information in Business and Society
Learn how digital systems affect the world and societies. Explore what systems and information can do and how they continuously change, providing new opportunities to solve problems and improve the world. This course is a non-technical introduction to emerging trends in digital systems, how the digital world impacts people, the opportunities digital technology creates, and the impact, for good and bad.
15 pts
INFO 102 – Foundations of Application Development
An introduction to the foundations of application development in a business context. The course takes students through the process of translating business requirements into simple business applications using web technologies and the Python programming language, working in teams using an agile iterative approach.
15 pts • (X) INFO 226
INFO 103 – Databases
Principles of database definition, design, access and implementation, and an analysis of how databases support modern data processing systems. Students will be to create a data model from a business situation, implement a database from that data model and use a query language such as SQL to access data.
15 pts • (X) INFO 151
INFO 201 – Foundations of Digital Strategy & Management
Foundations of digital strategy in contemporary organisations, including how organisations can transform and benefit from digital technology. Students will develop an understanding of digital strategy practices and frameworks, including IS strategic analysis, IS portfolio management, IS risk management, and digital business model design. Students will also be able to discern the digital capabilities required for different kinds of digital business models, such as multisided platforms and digital ecosystems. This course is the demand-side counterpart to the supply-oriented INFO 202 course. Both courses can be taken independently.
15 pts • (P) INFO 101
INFO 202 – Digital Systems Delivery
Foundations of digital systems delivery in contemporary organisations across three dimensions: managing the development and operation of digital systems; managing the delivery of digital systems in traditional and agile ways; and common themes such as scoping, budgeting, risk and resilience, quality, stakeholder inclusion, procurement and sourcing, ethics and sustainability, or governance. This course is the supply-side counterpart to the demand-oriented INFO 201 course. Both courses can be taken independently.
15 pts • (P) INFO 101 (X) INFO 231, ENGR 301
INFO 203 – Business and System Analysis
An introduction to business and systems analysis methodologies and techniques, and their application to identify business problems and propose solutions (from the perspective of a business analyst). Students will use an analysis and design methodology to understand the as-is situation and develop and test potential solutions for the to-be situation. This will provide students with the knowledge to be able to critically analyse information systems, determine problems worth solving, and document requirements for a new (or updated) information system.
15 pts • (P) INFO 101 (X) INFO 141, INFO 232
INFO 204 – Business Process Design and Management
This course will explore the role and potential of digital technologies to support business process management and design. Students will learn a modern business process modelling technique, apply that to designing an improved business process, then test and evaluate their proposed design using simulation software.
15 pts • (P) INFO 101 (X) INFO 234
Not offered in 2025
INFO 205 – Full Stack Application Development
An introduction to contemporary web application architecture development and to associated modern development tools using Python.
15 pts • (P) INFO 102 (or INFO 101 and one of COMP 102, 112, 132) (X) COMP 261
Not offered in 2025
INFO 206 – Organisational Analytics
Explores data-driven insights for effective decision-making in diverse organisational contexts. Students will master data collection, analysis, and visualisation techniques, leveraging cutting-edge tools. Through real-world case studies, they'll develop strategic skills to optimise processes, enhance performance, and drive innovation within organisations.
15 pts • (P) One of (DATA 101, QUAN 102, STAT 193) (X) INFO 264
INFO 226 – Application Development
An introduction to the use of software languages and tools for rapid application development. The course takes students through the process of translating business requirements, expressed with functional and structural models, into business applications. Note: As workshops commence in week 1 students are encouraged to sign up for a workshop the week prior to the trimester commencing.
15 pts • (P) INFO 151; (X) INFO 102
Not offered in 2025
INFO 246 – User Experience Design
Introduces fundamental principles, standards and best practices of human-computer interaction, usability and user experience. Advanced software tools enable students to create low-fidelity and high-fidelity user-interfaces for business websites and applications and covers the full lifecycle of user-interface design, from requirements specification to design, prototyping, and evaluation.
15 pts • (P) INFO 101 or 141 or 151
Not offered in 2025
INFO 301 – Project in Information Systems
This course provides students with an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to a practical problem in the area of information systems. Students work in teams on real projects for real clients. The projects are identified by the course coordinator.
15 pts • (P) B+ or better in any two INFO 200 level courses; 15 further 300-level INFO points (X) INFO 320
INFO 302 – Digital Platform & Business Model Analysis
Students will develop the knowledge and skills required to design and evaluate business models that have digital technology as a core enabler of their value proposition and capabilities. Students will learn about the dynamics of platform-based competition, such as network effects, learning effects, and platform envelopment. The course covers a range of digital business models and organisational forms, such as platform ecosystems, multi-sided platforms and online marketplaces, omnichannel services, decentralised (blockchain) models, software and AI as-a-service, data monetisation, crowdsourcing and open innovation, online communities, product digitisation, API services. The course includes a team project.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level INFO pts; (X) INFO 354
INFO 303 – Advanced Application Development and Management
This course considers the full life cycle of of application deployment and management. It introduces the concepts and principles of DevOps. It then focuses on practices and techniques for automated building, deployment, monitoring, and management of applications, using modern tools. Security and configuration are also covered. The course includes a team project.
15 pts • (P) INFO 205 (or SWEN 325 and NWEN 304
Not offered in 2025
INFO 304 – Communicating Data for Impact
In this course you will learn to visualise and communicate data-driven insights and business intelligence in a way that will make them as useful as possible to a given target audience based on their information needs. This could include business intelligence, analytics, dashboards, infographics, evidence-based policy recommendations, reports and presentations. The course includes a team project.
15 pts • (P) one of AIML 231, DATA 201, 202, INFO 206, 264, STAT 292
Not offered in 2025
INFO 305 – Digital Business Innovation
The course focuses on how businesses can adapt information technologies to add innovation to business models, products and services. It includes an evaluation of digital strategies to support other corporate initiatives and how to integrate innovative business models such as social media and e-commerce to build customer relationships and improve the customer experience.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level INFO pts; (X) INFO 334
Not offered in 2025
INFO 306 – Digital Architecture
This course addresses the alignment between enterprise goals and strategy, business processes, data, information systems and the technical infrastructure. Students learn about digital architecture's role in digital transformations, how to analyse, model, design and evaluate digital architectures, how to plan the transition from a baseline to a target architecture, and how to create effective governance instruments for successful digital architecture management.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level INFO pts; (X) INFO 376
Not offered in 2025
INFO 307 – Designing and Evaluating User-Centered and Value-Driven Applications
Introduces fundamental principles, standards and best practices of designing and evaluating high quality digital products and services from the user perspective. This includes business models, value-driven design, human-computer interaction, usability and user experience and other quality considerations. The course will focus on the user experience of digital products and services within a broader social context.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level INFO/DATA pts; (X) INFO 246, SWEN 303
INFO 308 – Digital Platforms
This course examines conceptual and physical building blocks of current information and communication infrastructures, including distributed, mobile, pervasive and cloud solutions. The course describes how the internet is used as a platform for developing business applications, and uses practical technologies to enable students to model and design IT architectures from a business perspective.
15 pts • (P) INFO 202 (or 231); 15 further 200-level INFO pts; (X) INFO 386
INFO 309 – Digital Security
This course explores current managerial and technical digital (or cyber) security topics. Students will become familiar with contemporary digital security-related threats and risks for organisations. They will also learn proven digital security management approaches, methods, techniques and tools, and how to apply these to control prevalent threats and risks.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level INFO/COMP/SWEN pts; (X) INFO 388
Not offered in 2025
INFO 310 – Advanced Database Management
This course continues from INFO 103 which introduces an enterprise-level database management server. Students will acquire additional database knowledge and practical scripting skills needed to implement effective database solutions for an organisation using an enterprise-level database server.
15 pts • (P) INFO 103 (or 151) or DATA 202 (X) SWEN 304
Not offered in 2025
INFO 311 – Advanced Data Models
This course builds on INFO 103 and covers more complex databases, non-relational databases, knowledge graphs, data warehouses and data lakes. It also discusses which of those different ways of storing and organising data are most useful in different situations based on organisational requirements, computational considerations, interoperability, and future-proofing.
15 pts • (P) INFO 103 (or 151 or SWEN 304), or DATA 202 (X) SWEN 432
Not offered in 2025
INFO 312 – Social Responsibility in a Digital World
A critical examination of the relationship between digital technologies and systems and concerns centred on sustainability and social justice. Topics will focus on current issues regarding both sustainability (eg clean energy, climate change, innovation, and sustainable cities) and ethics (eg inequality, digital divide, privacy, and professional codes of conduct) in the context of organisations, communities, government and society.
15 pts • (P) 15 200-level INFO or COMP/NWEN/SWEN pts or (INFO 101 and one of MGMT 210, 211) (X) INFO 333, 336, INFO 381 in 2018
INFO 360 – Information Systems for Healthcare
This course examines the essential building blocks of health information systems (HIS) by developing analytic skills to scrutinise workflow and infrastructures for the development of HIS. The course applies practical cases using modelling technologies to enable students to acquire and practice the skills necessary to define and implement HIS systems.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level INFO pts
Not offered in 2025
INFO 382 – Directed Individual Study
Approved directed individual study.
15 pts • (P) approval of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
INFO 391 – Research Paper in Information Systems
A supervised investigation of an information systems issue. The investigation may take the form of a case study, action research, extended research essay, or other research project. This is a restricted entry course offered only occasionally under special circumstances.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School, 30 300-level INFO pts; (X) ELCM 391
Not offered in 2025
Interaction Design
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
IXXN 201 – Design for Experience I / Hoahoa kia Whai Wheako I
In this course students will learn about the process of user experience (UX) design, and common research and design techniques, such as: observation, interviews, prototyping and user testing. Students will also become skilled at using industry-standard tools and software.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 202 – Design for Experience II / Hoahoa kia Whai Wheako II
In this course students will become adept at user experience (UX) design techniques, such as: case study analysis, user interface design, rapid visualisation and prototyping. Students will also become skilled at using the industry standard tools and techniques of UX design.
15 pts • (P) 45 200-level pts including IXXN 201 (X) IXXN 302
IXXN 221 – Web Design / Hoahoa ā-Ipurangi
In this course students explore and implement Web design tools and techniques. Students will also learn about principles and practices of web accessibility. An emphasis is placed on creative approaches to front-end development, design and scripting techniques.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 251 – Information Design / Hoahoa ā-Pārongo
This course addresses the demand for well-designed visual presentation of data in the information age. The course is interdisciplinary, combining skills from graphic design, interaction design, and data science. Students practice information design skills with applications beyond the traditional design professions. Students will shape data-driven messages in order to make knowledge accessible visually.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) COMD 251
MDDN 201 – Digital Society and Social Media Design/ Porihanga Matihiko me te Arapāho ā-Pāpori
In this course students will learn to design for digitally networked infrastructures such as the Internet, and the various protocols and frameworks that belong to this ever-expanding realm. Topics will include networking basics, Internet cultures and the privacy paradox, with a particular emphasis on designing for Social Media and critical analysis of the complex media environments that this creates.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 231 – Physical Computing / Rorohiko ā-Ōkiko
Introduction to electronics, circuit design, and programming as design tools for creative electronic solutions. This course is for students wishing to explore physical computing and interaction design (including IoT). Thinking beyond the mouse/keyboard/screen paradigm, simple techniques using microcontrollers and sensors will be taught to build smart objects and systems.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 or COMP 102 and 60 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 251
^ Limited entry course
SIDN 233 – Accessible Design / Tā te Hoahoa Titiro I
Accessibility is about designing physical and digital products and services inclusively. Accessible design upholds people's human rights and removes barriers to participation in society. In this course you will learn foundational skills and theoretical approaches to make your designs accessible, so they work well for disabled people, meet national and international standards and enhance the use experience for everyone.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules (X) CCDN 233
^ Limited entry course
IXXN 302 – Design for Experience II / Hoahoa kia Whai Wheako II
In this course students will become adept at user experience (UX) design techniques, such as: case study analysis, user interface design, rapid visualisation and prototyping. Students will also become skilled at using the industry standard tools and techniques of UX design.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including IXXN 201
Not offered in 2025
IXXN 311 – Design Psychology II / Mātai Hinengaro ā-Hoahoa II
Students will develop further skills to critically read psychology literature, find design opportunities and write design briefs based on psychology principles. Students will develop sophisticated designs based on those briefs and test them with advanced psychology methods that the students critically selected.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including IXXN 211 or DSDN 211
IXXN 331 – Design Enterprise / Pakihi ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to a range of approaches for applying their interaction design skills in industry, from entrepreneurship to employability. The course includes research, literature reviews as well as studio work towards developing entrepreneurial skills.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
Not offered in 2025
IXXN 341 – Design for Health / Hoahoa kia Whai Hauora
This course introduces students to the wide range of opportunities for design to inform healthcare products and services. The course includes introduction to methods for working with clinicians and patients and how to design physical devices and digital interactions to address specific physiological requirements for a range of health conditions.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
IXXN 390 – Interaction Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa ā-Pāhekoheko
This course facilitates the development of a major interaction design project that builds and expands on skills learned in the programme and individual interests of the students. Starting from seminar-style discussions, students will develop their own briefs that address an advanced interaction design problem, select appropriate methods for addressing it, develop a working design and test its efficacy in context.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371, IXXN 201
^ Limited entry course
Intercultural Communication
ICOM 101 – Introduction to Intercultural Communication
This course introduces students to the theories and practices of Intercultural Communication. Students will develop skills that are increasingly important to communicate effectively and appropriately when engaging in intercultural interactions.Considering local and global case studies, the course places particular emphasis on the way in which linguistic and cultural differences influence the production, transmission and reception of communications in all forms.
20 pts
ICOM 201 – Approaches to Intercultural Communication
This course explores theories and practices of intercultural communication. Students will apply these theories and practices in case studies with a view to identifying effective communicative strategies in intercultural interactions. Topics covered include stereotyping and cross-cultural social media.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ANTH, ASIA, CHIN, CLAS, FHSS, FREN, GERM, GLBL, GREE, ITAL, JAPA, LANG, LATI, MAOR, NZSL, PASI, SAMO, SPAN
ICOM 202 – Intercultural Communication and Global Citizenship
This course focuses on how intercultural communication is central to global citizenship, using real and potential communication breakdowns caused by linguistic and cultural diversity. Students will develop skills and strategies to negotiate difference and address communication impasse or conflict productively.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from ANTH, ASIA, CHIN, CLAS, FHSS, FREN, GERM, GLBL, GREE, ITAL, JAPA, LANG, LATI, MAOR NZSL, PASI, SAMO, SPAN
ICOM 301 – Moving Meanings: Translation as Intercultural Communication
This course treats translation not only as it is conventionally understood (as linguistic substitution) but in its broader sense of cross-cultural communication. Analysing a range of case studies (including crowd-translation, fan-subbing, localization) students will engage with translation as interpretation and communication of linguistic and cultural diversity.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from ICOM 201-299
ICOM 302 – Topic in Intercultural Communication in Global Contexts
This course provides students with strategies for engaging in intercultural communication in international contexts. Topics may include: global citizenship and intercultural communication; intercultural communication in situations of conflict and crisis; language, culture and mobility; digital intercultural communication and localization; indigenous perspectives on intercultural communication.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedules or GLBL 201
ICOM 303 – Intercultural Communication Project
This course supports students in undertaking a research project under close supervision. Applying principles and practices covered in previous courses in the major, students will make a scholarly, civic or creative contribution to the study of intercultural communication.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from ICOM 201-299
Not offered in 2025
Interior Architecture
See also Architecture and Landscape Architecture
SARC 111 – Introduction to Design Processes / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Mahi Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce concepts and processes used in human environments. These concepts and processes are examined in relation to the physical, social and cultural contexts in which designers operate.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 112 – Design Processes / Ngā Tukanga
Studio-based projects explore how abstract concepts of formal and spatial composition can be used to create habitable places. Discipline-specific modules introduce concepts and processes which are particular to architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
SARC 121 – Introduction to Built Environment Technology / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Whare Hangahanga
An introduction to fundamental structural and constructional principles for designed environments, with particular emphasis on establishing an understanding of the mutual dependencies between design intentions, structural performance and construction materials and systems.
15 pts
SARC 122 – Introduction to Environmental Design Sciences/ He Timatanga Kōrero mō te Taiao Hoahoa
An introduction to the fundamental principles of environmentally-sensitive design, with respect to both interior and exterior designed environments (and their interactions).
15 pts
SARC 131 – Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Whakaora i Te Taiao Hangahanga
The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact and social equity.
15 pts
SARC 151 – Introduction to Design History and Theory / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho i te ao Whakarākei
Introduction to the major historical and theoretical influences shaping the contemporary built environment.
15 pts
SARC 161 – Introduction to Design Communication / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi Ngātahi i Te Ao Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce principles, media and techniques used in the representation of three-dimensional design concepts. The studio component emphasises conventions for describing formal and spatial subjects in scaled drawings, physical models, digital models and text.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 162 – Design Communication / Te Whakarākei me te Mahi Ngātahi
Studio-based projects explore principles, media and techniques used in the representation of two and three-dimensional design concepts. Students are introduced to the communication conventions of architecture, building science, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
BILD 251 – History of Building Technology / Ngā Whanaketanga a te Ao Hangahanga
The historical, social and economic development of construction methods, materials and systems. The impact, relevance and importance of the scientific, industrial and information technology revolutions. Trends in the international development of building technology, with a primary focus on New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121 or 151
BILD 262 – Building Project Management Cost Planning / Te Whakahaere me te Whakamahere ā-utu i ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare
This course examines concepts of building cost planning and its theory and application in New Zealand. An overview of the principles of estimation, the standard method of measurement, schedules of quantities, elemental analysis, IT cost estimation and financial analysis.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
INTA 211 – Interior Architecture Studio I / Te Taupuni Mahi Whakaniko ki Rō Whare I
Studio-based design projects introducing basic issues and vocabularies in designing interior places, their communication in a variety of media, and issues of body and space.
15 pts • (P) BAS Part 1
^ Limited entry course
INTA 212 – Interior Architecture Studio II / Te Taupuni Mahi Whakaniko ki Rō Whare II
This course explores the notion of 'Urban Interior' to consider how interior architects might practice in the context of the city - in critical consideration of its complex social, spatial, environmental, political and atmospheric conditions and qualities. Students will develop projects that aim to contribute to the culture, experience and quality of our cities using interior techniques, tactics and technologies.
30 pts • (P) INTA 211 (X) SARC 216
INTA 251 – History of Interior Architecture / Ngā Mahi Tuku Iho
The development of interior architecture resulting from social and cultural environments, including the historical relationship to other built environment disciplines.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
INTA 261 – Drawing and Modelling for Interior Architecture / Te Whakatinanatanga o ngā Mahi Whakaniko Whare
Studio-based course in the application of drawing and digital media to the design and representation of interior space and form. Includes freehand orthographic and perspective drawing, computer graphics and reprographic technologies and modelling.
15 pts • (P) SARC 161, 162
SARC 212 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Te Waihanga me Ngā Momo Hangarau
Studio-based survey of concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry and their creative application in the design of furniture and furnished environments.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 111 or SARC 112
SARC 214 – Seeing Architecture through Photography / Te Kitenga o te Hoahoa Whare mā te Whakaahua
This course examines architectural photography as a medium of communication within architectural discourse. Emphasising formal literacy in photographic analysis and image-making, students will explore photography as both a means of 'seeing' and as a method for analysing the fundamental elements and systems that order our experience of buildings, interiors and landscapes.
15 pts • (P) 75 points; (X) SARC 281 (2021)
SARC 216 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment I / Hanga taiao - he kākāno
Studio-based design projects focused on mātauranga Māori, including kaupapa, histories and Māori design strategies. This course will connect into the three design-focussed disciplines in Architecture – Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture - and provide students with specialist Māori knowledge and skills to augment the discipline-specific technical/skills-based learning required for the respective design discipline.
30 pts • (P) ARCI/INTA/LAND 211; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 212
SARC 221 – Building Materials and Construction / Te Waihanga me ngā Momo Rauemi
Buildings are studied as assemblages of distinct yet interrelated systems. Students explore basic materials and methods of construction, gaining insight to structural and other performance outcomes. Construction is discussed as a dimension in the overall design activity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 131
SARC 223 – Human Environmental Science / Te Āhurutanga o te Taiao
The course covers methods of achieving building environmental conditions that relate to the requirements of building users. The course covers climatic analysis and specifications of the environmental performance of buildings, together with the thermal, visual, acoustic, and aerodynamic principles of building elements; plus the services systems required to control and maintain these conditions.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122; (X) BILD 223 in 2010-2020; SARC 281 in 2014-2017
SARC 224 – Fire Safety Design / Te Tinihanga a Mahuika
Basic principles of design to ensure the safety of people in buildings during a fire. The implications for building form, layout and interiors on escape route design, statutory requirements, and alternative solutions as means of compliance.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
Not offered in 2025
SARC 232 – Sustainability in the Built Environment / Te toitūtanga i te hanganga
The philosophical, conceptual and contextual basis of sustainable and regenerative design. Content includes material on the ecological and environmental challenges to society in the present and future; resource stewardship and the effective utilisation of materials; working with nature and natural systems; well-being enhancement; green, sustainable and regenerative design.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level SARC pts; (X) BILD 232
SARC 233 – Environment and Behaviour / Ngā Huatanga o te Taiao
Study of the interaction between human behaviour and the design of the physical environment related to age, gender, culture and occupation. Content scopes across physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects and activity patterns.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
Not offered in 2025
SARC 252 – Building Heritage Conservation / Te Tiaki i ngā Whare Toitū
An introduction to building conservation with emphasis on New Zealand's architectural heritage. The course introduces systems of assessment, interpretation, management, and documentation of culturally significant buildings. Attention is given to issues raised by contemporary modification of buildings and implications on historic integrity and/or authenticity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
Not offered in 2025
SARC 261 – Communication / Ngā Kaupapa Hangarau
Studio-based course introduces and develops the representation of design concepts of projects, with a focus on drawing and modelling by means of analogue and digital media. Emphasis is placed on developing effective graphic communication techniques for design and implementation.
15 pts • (P) SARC 161 and 162
BILD 361 – Project Management / Ngā Kaupapa Whakahaere
The theory, practice and current technologies of project management from implementation through to delivery, including project constraints, cost planning and control, critical path, consultation, administration and quality control.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
BILD 364 – Building Code Compliance / Ngā Ture Whakaruruhau
Means of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code, building on technical knowledge gained in other courses. Means of compliance are: Acceptable Solutions, Verification Methods and Certification, and Performance Based Design.
15 pts • (P) one of LAND 221 or SARC 221; (X) SARC 364, SARC 464
INTA 311 – Interior Architecture Studio III / Te Taupuni Mahi Whakaniko ki Rō Whare III
Studio-based course exploring the design potential of surface, materials, colour, light, pattern and artefacts in interior space with an emphasis on human habitation.
15 pts • (P) INTA 212 or SARC 216 (X) SARC 313
INTA 312 – Interior Architecture Studio Capstone / Te Taupuni Mahi Tūtohu Whakaniko ki Rō Whare
Studio-based design projects introducing design theory and application in relation to socio-cultural systems of perceiving and understanding interior spaces.
30 pts • (P) SARC 221, 223, one of (INTA 311, SARC 313)
INTA 321 – Interior Fit-Out Technologies / Te Mahi Waihanga Rauemi
Specialised study of materials and technologies applicable to interior fit-out and fittings, including techniques, processes, fabrication, documentation and specification.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
SARC 302 – Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation / Ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare Herehere
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons. International examples will be drawn on. Particular attention will be paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) SARC 223; (X) SARC 368 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 328 in 2020; SARC 468 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 428 in 2020
SARC 311 – Exhibition Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Mahi Whakaaturanga
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the exhibition field. Students will undertake exhibition design projects.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INDN/INTA/LAND 212, BILD 232 or SARC 216, 232.
Not offered in 2025
SARC 312 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Waihanga Taputapu Whare
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points from the BAS or BDI schedules (X) SARC 412
SARC 313 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment II / Hanga taiao - he rito
Studio-based contemporary design issues focused on mātauranga Māori. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology. This course will connect the three disciplines of Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture, to provide students with the specific technical/skills-based learning required for these three disciplines.
15 pts • (P) SARC 216; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 311
SARC 315 – Critical Urbanism Aotearoa New Zealand / Tātari Kāinga Rua
This course critically explores concepts and practices which have influenced the production of space, form and meaning in Aotearoa New Zealand cities. Current urban issues and their relationship to historical and contemporary political, socio-cultural and environmental paradigms are examines alongside emerging urban practices motivated by justness.
15 pts • (P) 60 points at 200- level from the BAS or BBSc schedules or permission of Head of School
SARC 320 – Topic in Digital Computation / Tātai Hangarau
.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 321 – Construction / Te Mahi Waihanga
Medium-scale building construction with relevant building materials, key elements, construction technologies, construction sequences and building processes.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
SARC 323 – Colour, Pattern, Light / Ngā Āhuatanga o te Ata me te Pō
Study of colour, pattern and lighting concepts and technologies and their meaning, role and creative applications.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 212 or SARC 216
SARC 328 – Topic in Current Research in Architecture / Ngā Rangahau o te Wā i te Mahi Whakarākei / Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons, including film, digital and heritage representations of prisons. International examples will be drawn on, but there will be particular attention paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 331 – Sustainable and Regenerative Design / Te Whakarauoratanga o ngā Mahi Whakarākei
This course explores sustainable and regenerative design principles and applications across a range of designed and built environments. Emphasis is on operation at the leading edge of theoretical and philosophical thinking in the field and to explore and employ critical thinking and innovative solutions. The Living Building Challenge will provide a key reference point for the work in the course.
15 pts • (P) SARC (or BILD) 232 (X) BILD 331;
SARC 351 – Urban Design Theory and Practice / Te Mahi me ngā Kōrero o te Ao Kikokiko
Introduction to the history, theory and practice of urban design. Conceptual tools and practices for analyzing, designing and implementing change in the built environment of cities.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
SARC 352 – Pacific Designed Environments / Ngā Taiao o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Introduction to issues relating to designed and built environments of the Pacific region. Examination of contemporary conditions within a wider spatial and historical framework. In addition to a central focus on the settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand, course material extends to other cultures within the greater Pacific rim.
15 pts • (P) one of ARCI 251, BILD 251, INTA 251, LAND 251 or GLBL 201
SARC 353 – History of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero o Mua o Te Mahi Whakarākei
Examines paradigm shifts in architectural thinking. Course material emphasises enduring examples of great architecture which reflect the prevailing social and cultural standards of their respective periods.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
Not offered in 2025
SARC 354 – Heritage Conservation / Ngā Mahi Tiaki i ngā Whare Whakaniko
This course introduces the why, what and how of heritage conservation. Historic and contemporary approaches to heritage conservation are discussed with recent case studies (including building visits) used as vehicles for the discussion. The purpose and role of a Conservation Plan is explored. Research methods for eliciting historical information specific to a building or interior are introduced and practised. Methods of assessing heritage significance and value and of making recommendations for conservation activity are explored.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC; (X) SARC 454
SARC 362 – Introduction to Practice and Management / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi me Te Whakahaere
Management and procurement/development, examining the theories and ideas that underpin planning, organising, directing and controlling the use of resources over time. Topics include the principles of management, organisational development, basic finance, costing, development feasibility, valuation theory and quantitative analysis relevant to the construction industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
SARC 363 – Digital Representation and Documentation / Te Mahi a te Ao Hangarau
Computer applications as aids to visualisation and information management.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc, BDI schedules; (X) SARC 463
SARC 365 – Drawing / He Tuhituhi
Studio-based course covering creative and interpretive aspects of drawing with an emphasis on developing analytical and critical interrogation through manual graphic processes and across a range of subjects, media types and applied subjects. Discussed as principles and expanded upon in application, are the conventions and standards of architectural representation common to drawing practice.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 211
^ Limited entry course
SARC 371 – International Field Study / Te Mahi a te Ao Whānui
A cross-cultural design exploration of designed spaces and sites with special emphasis on understanding why and how they are uniquely formed by the historical and cultural contexts they are part of and the design inspiration that can be derived from such understanding.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC pts; (X) SARC 471
SARC 384 – Special Topic: Design Thinking Business
This course examines ways that business contributes to architecture and design enterprises. It also reviews a range of ways that creative strategic design-thinking contributes to various business enterprises. The course will look at how this is applied to architecture by looking at essential business concepts, tactics for starting practices and strategies for growing an established enterprise. In business application, it examines design-based concepts around Lean, Agile, Design Thinking and Scrum. The combined learnings will provide graduates with tools to open new business opportunities inside design and architecture, plus a broader set of transferable design-thinking skills to take into other businesses.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS and BDI schedules; (X) SARC 484
SARC 386 – Special Topic: Retail Experience Architectural Design
Investigate the future of retail design relevant to the 21st century, including research concepts underlying ethical branding, products and scripting of customer journeys. Develop a design proposal for the composition and atmosphere of retail space providing extraordinary customer experience for a brand and its products.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or BILD 251 or INTA 212 or LAND 212
SARC 387 – Independent Study / Kaupapa Rangahau Motuhake
This course is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes. Independent Study Projects are available under exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of head of school
SARC 388 – Psychology and Behaviour in the Built Environment / Te Mātai Hinengaro me te Whanonga i ngā Whare Hangahanga
Application of psychological theory, principles and research to the study of human interaction with the built environment across a range of settings. This course focuses on how to improve usability, health, well-being and work performance in relationship to space and place. The course covers human and environment interaction theory, systems theory, psychology and design research methods, consequences of poorly informed design decisions and environmental stressors.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc schedules or GLBL 201 (X) SARC 384, 484 (2017-2019)
International Business
IBUS 201 – Fundamentals of International Business
This introduction to international business covers the important issues that firms face in the global business environment, and the basic strategies that they can adopt to sustain and grow their international operations.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130 or 30 pts from the BCom or BA schedules
tut tba
IBUS 205 – Entrepreneurship in International Business
Entrepreneurship is essential for the internationalisation of small to medium- sized firms. The entrepreneurial ecosystems supporting internationalisation of SMEs, internationalisation challenges, and operational strategies for offshore market entry are covered. Emphasis is on exporting from open economies and dealing with risk.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from BCom or BA Schedules
IBUS 212 – International Management
A comprehensive understanding of management issues faced by firms in international markets is provided. Students examine the dynamic interplay of culture, organisational behaviour and human resource management in an international context.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 101 or 30 pts from the BCom, or BA or BC schedules
IBUS 303 – Contemporary Issues in International Business
This course explores the current international business issues as highlighted in business-related press, and managerial and academic publications. Students will develop critical thinking capabilities; identify and evaluate research themes that are relevant to international business managers and academics.
15 pts • (P) IBUS 201, 212 or 30 300-level BCom points; (X) IBUS 308 in 2018-2021
IBUS 305 – International Strategies for Business Growth
This course provides deeper knowledge of the various mechanisms, capabilities and structures required to facilitate business growth in international markets. Students examine strategies for gaining global competitive advantage, including global competency development; and international alliances, mergers and acquisitions.
15 pts • (P) IBUS 201 or 212 or MGMT 205
tut tba
IBUS 309 – Negotiating Across Borders
Negotiation theory and cultural value theories provide the theoretical framework in this course. Experiential learning of negotiation practices and cross-cultural adaptation are used to develop skills for international business negotiations.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level points from the BCom schedule
Not offered in 2025
IBUS 312 – Managing and Communicating Across Cultures
Working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds is a common occurrence in local and international organisations. Students will explore how cultural values influence workplace behaviours of individuals in different nations. The course focuses on managing people and diverse teams, negotiating, and communicating effectively across cultures.
15 pts • (P) IBUS 201 (or 212)
International Relations
INTP 113 – Introduction to International Relations
This course is an introduction to the principal concepts, issues and theoretical debates within the field of International Relations. Topics covered include: power, diplomacy, the United Nations, arms control, terrorism, developmental politics, civil society and international political economy. Upon completion of the course, students should have a good basic understanding of international relations and a solid foundation for taking upper-level courses on the subject.
20 pts
tut tba
INTP 115 – Introduction to Security Studies/ He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō ngā Kaupapa Haumaru Whenua
Why do countries sometimes fear for their safety or survival? Are other states or non-state actors the main problems? Are all security problems about violence? And how do policymakers analyse security issues? In posing these and other questions this course will reveal key issues and perspectives in security studies.
20 pts
POLS 111 – Introduction to Government and Politics in Aotearoa New Zealand
Who holds power in Aotearoa New Zealand? What forces influence our national politics? What role do citizens, iwi, media, politicians and other groups play in shaping political processes and outcomes? This course explores Māori and colonial influences on contemporary politics in Aotearoa, considering key institutions, electoral politics and how political actors and citizens engage in politics and policy-making. Taking advantage of our location in the capital city, you will hear from Members of Parliament, journalists and important political figures. You will also visit Parliament and the He Tohu exhibit at the National Library, engaging directly with political institutions and documents. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 112 – Introduction to Political Ideas / He Tīmatanga Kōrero i ngā Ariā Tōrangapū
Politics is the activity of answering the question ‘how should we live?’ This course offers an introduction to some of the various ways political thinkers have tried to answer this question, by (re)defining fundamental political ideals like justice, freedom, equality, inclusion, and responsibility, and proposing ways to realise these ideals in the world around us. In this class, we will therefore examine a range of perspectives regarding some of the most important questions concerning political life: What is the basis of political community? Who should hold power? How do we work together? What do we owe each other?
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 114 – Introduction to Comparative Politics / He Rohe Motuhake, he Tōrangapū Motuhake
What can we learn by comparing the politics and government of different countries? This course examines competing explanations for democratic and authoritarian regimes including economic, cultural and institutional theories of state development. These theories are then applied to several case studies.
20 pts
INTP 204 – International Relations Theory: World Order and its Critics
This course explores how world order has been understood and contested in IR, including the roots of the contemporary international system, debates about how it currently functions and critical accounts of the marginalisation and injustice it produces. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 374
Not offered in 2025
INTP 243 – International Politics of China
This course introduces the study of Chinese politics and international relations. It provides an introduction to the People’s Republic of China, its major foreign policy initiatives, key international relationships and orientation toward the rules-based international order. It asks how the world is responding to the emergence of contemporary China, including Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific, and presents tools and concepts to analyse its growing role in world affairs. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points (X) INTP 211 in 2020-2023
Not offered in 2025
INTP 244 – New Zealand Foreign Policy
This course examines how New Zealand engages the world through its foreign and defence policies. It employs different conceptual frameworks to critically analyse key factors that shape these, including relations with major powers, multilateral organizations, and priority regions. The course focuses on New Zealand’s relations with Britain, the United States, China, the Pacific, Asia, the United Nations, and its responses to pressing issues involving the Rules Based International Order, AUKUS and NATO. Where appropriate, the class will incorporate guest lectures from government ministries and different country embassies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 245 – Foreign Policy Analysis
This course introduces and explores the notion of foreign policy, which is traditionally considered one of the most important bridges between 'domestic' and 'international' politics. Here the spotlight is kept on the sources, instruments, agents, processes and implications of foreign policy. The course adopts an analytical and comparative approach, drawing on the experiences several international actors have had since the Second World War. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 247 – International Relations: Wealth and World Affairs / Hononga whenua: Te Rawa me ngā Take o te Ao
This course looks at the global, international and domestic politics of the world economy. It looks at the ways in which economic processes shape politics and the ways in which political processes shape economics. We look at international trade, finance and production (multi-national corporations) and at the regional and international institutions that regulate the global economy. We also look at some of the interactions between international and domestic politics and explore the ways in which the world economy shapes peoples' everyday lives. No technical knowledge of economics is required for this course and the course involves no equations, graphs or large numbers. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 248 – International Security
This course is an introduction to the study of conflict and security. It examines how and why conflict emerges in the international system and explores different approaches to its mitigation and resolution, using both traditional materialist theories of security and alternative critical approaches to security. Students will learn to discern varying forms of conflict and will employ theoretical and empirical perspectives on conflict analysis to analyse modern case studies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 250 – Cyber Power in International Relations
This course will focus on three areas: (1) understanding the nature and dynamics of cyberspace as a domain of international relations; (2) understanding the features of states and non-state actors acting as cyber powers; and (3) contemporary issues of cyber power in international relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points
Not offered in 2025
INTP 261 – Political Philosophy and International Relations
This course surveys the historical and philosophical development of international relations theory and political theory. It will examine foundational texts drawn from thinkers across the range of western political theory, from ancient Greece to the twentieth century. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in PHIL or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101; (X) PHIL/POLS 261
Not offered in 2025
POLS 203 – East Asian Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Āhia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to political change in modern East Asian states: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. It examines how different types of state have emerged out of the traditional East Asian political order, and how this outcome has been shaped by the dynamics of political liberalisation, modern state building, economic and social development, and international geopolitics.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level INTP or POLS or (ASIA) pts) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 203, ASIA 207
Not offered in 2025
POLS 205 – The New Europe / Ūropi i Te Ao Hou
This course introduces students to the diverse institutions that shape politics, society and economics in a number of European countries. It seeks to explain why political, social and economic diversity exists in Europe and why it matters. In doing so it identifies differences and commonalities in the organisation of politics and society in several countries, how peculiar national institutions came into existence and whether different national institutions are compatible within integrated political structures and markets. Geographically and chronologically the course focuses on postwar Britain, France and Germany, although it makes reference to other examples. This course may also be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP points) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 205.
tut tba
POLS 206 – Politics of Aotearoa New Zealand: Power, Equality, and Ideology
This course focuses on the ideologies of political parties in Aotearoa New Zealand. An applied approach outlines the principles which underpin how political parties respond to contemporary political issues such as education, health, welfare, local government politics, and Māori-Crown relations. Other topics include how political parties are funded and to what extent the implementation of MMP has reshaped party politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
tut tba
POLS 207 – American Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Amerika
An introduction to American politics, with a particular focus on the continued development of America's system of government. The course examines major political themes in US politics against the background of the relationships between different branches of government under the US Constitution. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 208 – Political Change in Southeast Asia
This course will examine constitutional issues and broader political change in a number of Southeast Asian states. Students have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of political institutions and wider political trends in countries with very diverse systems of government, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts; (X) INTP 208
Not offered in 2025
POLS 209 – Dictatorships and Revolutions / Ngā Tangata Whakatuanui, ngā Tutūnga Puehu
This course introduces students to the nature and varieties of modern dictatorship and non-democracy, the causes of their emergence, and the processes that lead to their collapse and transformation. Our focus will be on developing concepts and tools useful for the analysis of a wide variety of cases. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101
tut tba
POLS 210 – Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political, social and economic challenges and dilemmas facing the modern Middle East. Each week, we will discuss a key issue and concept, such as colonial legacies, state-society relations, the oil economy, authoritarianism, democratisation, religion and politics, gender relations, identity and politics, civil society, and the future of the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101 (X) POLS 211 (2019-2021); INTP 201 in 2023
Not offered in 2025
POLS 214 – Ideas That Shape the World
He mokopuna au, kua mōhiotia taku iti. He tīpuna au, kua mōhiotia taku nui. I am a grandchild, what I have known is little. I am an ancestor, what I have known is great. Political theory creates fundamentally new ways of seeing the world which, when they catch and spread, powerfully shape our world in material and political terms. In this course you will examine some of the most influential political ideas across history, explore how they have shaped politics across the globe today, and develop your own position about how they should shape the future.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP points (X) POLS 212 in 2020, 2021;
POLS 218 – Politics and the Media in New Zealand
This course focuses on the political roles, functions and effects of the media in New Zealand. Topics studied will include: media and elections (including voting behaviour); news management and production; the role of public relations in political lobbying and electioneering; the political uses of opinion polls and experts; the regulatory environment within which the media operates; ownership and control of the media, public service broadcasting; Maori politics and the media; and the media and political leadership. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 231 – Governing Divided Societies / Te Kāwana i ngā Whenua Wāhi Rua
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 365 in 2025
POLS 232 – Public Opinion and Elections / Te Huatau Marea me ngā Pōti
This course explores how public opinion is constructed and how it affects voting choices in combination with other factors such as socio-demographics, group identifications, institutions, media exposure, and party campaigns. Countries covered follow the international literature in its focus on established democracies including Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 211 (2012-16)
HIST 336 – The Pacific Islands after 1945/ Ngā Moutere a Kiwa whai muri i 1945
The political and social history of the Pacific Islands since 1945 has been tumultuous, with decolonisation, democratisation, urbanisation, governance and ethnic conflict playing out in various countries. We will examine developments between WWII and the attainment of independence in some Pacific Islands and consider some of the challenges faced by Pacific states and nations since independence. A key aim is to examine the ways in which the social and political changes of the immediate postwar decades have shaped the postcolonial heritage of Pacific Island states and nations. This course may be taken towards majors in POLS and PASI (see major requirements for details).
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (HIST or POLS or INTP 200-299, CLAS 207, 208); (X) INTP 336
INTP 302 – Global Politics of the Environment
This course introduces the study of global environmental politics. It addresses key themes like security, justice, production, and governance in relation to global environmental issues like climate change, energy, biodiversity, food, and garbage. In doing so, it introduces a range of theoretical perspectives coming from international relations, ecological economics, and green theory. By the end of the course, students will understand how conflict and crisis shape the governance of the global environment.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299; POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 303 – Critical Global Politics / Ngā Take Tōrangapū Matua o te Ao
This course engages key ideas from critical theorists and their forerunners, questioning status quo assumptions about global politics. During the course we read and discuss primary texts from selected philosophers. We use their thought to examine the nature of oppression, vulnerability, emancipation, and resistance. Concrete examples reflected on include cosmopolitanism, radical democracy, popular culture, post-9/11 politics, torture, and the politics of mourning.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299, POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 304 – The Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan / Ngā Tōrangapū me Ngā Kaupapa Here Tāwāhi o Hapanī
This course provides a theoretically grounded review of Japan’s post-WWII domestic politics and foreign policy. After examining Japan’s political system, we will focus on Japan’s relations with the main actors in Northeast Asia (USA, China, Russia and the two Koreas) and explore the domestic/international connections in these relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP 301 (2015, 2017-19)
Not offered in 2025
INTP 346 – International Politics of Development
This course examines the international politics of modern economic development. Why have some countries/regions developed better than others? Does their political economic model matter? Does the structure of international political economy matter? The course explores the mutual effects of the structure of international political economy, and national and regional economic development. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP/POLS 246;
Not offered in 2025
INTP 351 – Power and Policies in the European Union
This course introduces students to the institutions and evolution of the European Union. It also examines explanations of the process of European integration. It asks whether the governance institutions of the EU are comparable to those of its member states or whether they represent something sui generis. It raises the unanswered questions underlying European integration: what is 'Europe', what is 'Europe' becoming and what are the limits of 'Europe'? 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299; (X) POLS 351
Not offered in 2025
INTP 352 – US Strategy Towards Asia and the Middle East
This course compares recent American strategy towards Asia and the Middle East, both important regions. It considers US approaches to regional security issues including Asia’s territorial disputes and the Middle East peace process, and the competitive demands the two regions place on Washington's finite military and diplomatic resources.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts (X) INTP 360 (2014 – 16);
Not offered in 2025
INTP 354 – International Relations of East Asia / Ngā Hononga ā-Ao o Ahia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to the international relations of East Asia: what they are, how they work, what drives their development and examines in particular the transformations of international order in modern and contemporary East Asia. The course also trains students for effective policy analysis and research engagement on current international relations of East Asia. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299, ASIA 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 360 – Special Topic: US Foreign Policy
This course analyses the central issues in US foreign policy in contemporary world politics. The course develops the analytic tools that are useful for understanding the international environment and for an examination of how the United States pursues its foreign policy. The course combines the analysis of major theoretical issues underlying US foreign policy with an in-depth examination of current foreign policy issues for the United States.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP or POLS 200-299
INTP 363 – Human Rights / Ngā Tika o Te Tangata
This course is interested in the international human rights regime and its impact on a variety of human rights outcomes such as torture, arbitrary detention, child labour, and racial/gender discrimination. Through the use of basic quantitative data and in-depth case studies, students will learn how to evaluate the design, implementation and effectiveness of human rights policy. Topics include: what experiments teach us and about why people sometimes abuse rights; UN human rights treaties and institutions; the role of domestic institutions and non-state actors; and tensions between cultural relativism and universalism. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) PHIL/POLS 363
Not offered in 2025
INTP 365 – Special Topic: Politics of Forced Migration
This course will analyse the political causes and consequences of contemporary forced migration, as well as national, regional and international efforts to manage it. Students will study a range of causes of forced migration, including conflict, human rights abuses, land degradation, poverty and climate change. They will also examine the variety of circumstances facing forced migrants after they have left their homes, and consider the political factors that determine such circumstances. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary examples of forced migration around the world.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts 200 level INTP or POLS points
INTP 370 – Special Topic: Crisis, Power and Ideas in the World Economy
This course deepens students’ understanding of International Economy. Combining historical perspectives and quantitative data, students will examine how crisis, ideas, security, and power have shaped the global economy. Topics may include global economic governance, the link between the domestic and the international, the intersection of economics and security, and the politics of global finance. By the end of the course, students will understand how wealth and power intersect in world politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
INTP 371 – Human Security
This course examines conflict and violence in world politics. It explores the changing nature of war between and within states, giving particular emphasis to contemporary civil wars. Topics covered may include: the relationship between natural resources (e.g. diamonds and oil) and conflict; the role and regulation of mercenaries; terrorism and armed groups; aid and war; and the efforts of governments and civil society groups to reduce the harm caused to civilians (e.g. through action against landmines, small arms and cluster bombs). A wide range of cases are discussed in class including Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. 50% internal assessment, 50% examination. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 372 – International Organisations: Change and Continuity
This course examines the origins and development of international organisations together with their types and roles within the context of structural changes in the international system. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 377 – Transnational Activism and Advocacy in Global Politics
This course focuses on the role of transnational advocacy networks and social movements in world politics. In addition to taking a social scientist's perspective on how such networks and movements affect international relations, we will look at the strategic dilemmas involved in transnational activism from an embedded actor's perspective. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 379 – The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers / Te Piki me te Heke o ngā Mana Nui
This course aims to analyse great power politics and international order from theoretical and historical perspectives. The re-emergence/rise of Russia, China, Japan, and India as great powers has significant implications for the US-created/led international order. What is the relationship between the rise and fall of great powers, war, and the global economy?
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) INTP 365 in 2014, INTP 370 in 2015-2016
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 316 – Te Mana me te Rangatiratanga/Māori Politics
This online course examines a range of Māori political structures, movements, ideologies and visions. Students will also explore Māori politics in relation to Pacific and international Indigenous contexts. The themes covered in the course include Tino Rangatiratanga and Sovereignty, nationalism, Liberal democracy, Local governance, Iwi governance, Pacific and Indigenous contexts. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in KAIT, INTP or POLS.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 216 (X) POLS 316
POLS 320 – Politics and Music / Te Tōrangapū me te Puoro
Entertainment forms of political communication such as music are very often neglected in research of political communication, although music has a long and varied association with politics. It has provided the soundtrack to political protest and been the object of political censorship; politicians have courted pop stars and pop stars have acted as politicians. This course examines the various interactions between music and politics. It analyses how music can contribute to our understanding of political thought and action, but also how it can affect people's political perceptions, attitudes and behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299, MDIA 205, MUSC 220-259, POLS 200-299 (X) POLS 365 in 2020-2024
POLS 352 – Migration and Identity / He Mātai Hekenga, he Mātai Tuakiritanga
This course examines the implications of immigration and increasing diversity for political processes and outcomes in contemporary societies, with particular focus on how the politics of migration and and identity intersect. Drawing especially on examples from Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific, we examine political issues including: comparative policy-making on immigration and ‘integration’, normative and empirical debates about the politics of identity, ethnicity in the census, nationalism and state-group relations, citizenship, and political participation and representation of migrants and their descendants.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 378 (2018-2019)
POLS 353 – Contemporary Challenges and Directions for NZ Politics
Many issues that we struggle with most in Aotearoa New Zealand today can feel insurmountable. In the face of 'wicked problems' like climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and settler-colonialism, how do everyday citizens make meaningful impacts? This course focuses on how to make sense of contemporary issues like this, and then explores ten types of civic action used around the world to respond to them. You will develop frameworks for analysing and strategising regarding structural issues, have opportunities for empirical research, and develop practical skills and experiences in civic action. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299
POLS 354 – The Politics of the Pacific Islands
This course examines the politics of the Pacific Island states, covering the area from Papua New Guinea in the west to Rapa Nui in the east. Among other topics, we look at the subversion of Western-derived systems of government in the Pacific context, coups in Fiji, linguistic diversity in Papua New Guinea, intervention in the Solomon Islands and political reform in Tonga and Samoa.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 355 (2015-2018, 2021)
POLS 355 – Special Topic: The Politics of China
This course examines the contemporary Politics of the People's Republic of China. It introduces the key approaches to studying elite, military and party politics, social movements and economic development, and explores state-society relations, ideology, media, political economy and the structure of the modern Chinese state.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299
POLS 357 – African Politics / Te Tōrangapū i Āwherika
This course studies the government and politics of African nations. Students have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of government institutions and political issues on the African continent.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 382 (2017-2020)
Not offered in 2025
POLS 359 – Directed Individual Study
This is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes in Political Science and International Relations. With the assistance of the course coordinator and staff members with appropriate expertise students will pursue a project that they have personally helped to devise. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 359
Not offered in 2025
POLS 362 – A Topic in Political Philosophy: Feminist Theory
This course enables students to engage deeply with a broad range of feminist thought. We will first focus on feminist critiques of social/political institutions, then on feminist prescriptions, and finally look at the means feminists have suggested for realising these solutions. Along the way, we will engage a myriad of controversies that have created schisms within feminist thought and practice. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in INTP or PHIL. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) PHIL 362
POLS 365 – Special Topic: Governing Divided Societies
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299; (X) POLS 231; INTP 250 in 2016
POLS 378 – Special Topic: Social Movements, People Power, and Populism
This course examines political movements, organisations, and ideologies. Students will examine contemporary issues related to representation, sovereignty, citizenship, and indigenous self-determination. Case studies from a range of countries will be used to explore these themes.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299, MAOR 216
POLS 382 – Special Topic: Politics and Government in the United States
This course examines issues and themes in US government and politics against the background of the US constitution and the federal system of government. In addition to readings and lecture materials, and the opportunity to research and write a research paper about a topic in US government and politics, workshop discussions and presentations will enable students (working together) to approach issues in US politics and government from the perspective of a particular state and political party.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299
POLS 383 – Research Methods in Political Science
This course enables us to uncover evidence and to better understand how the (political) world operates. It introduces some of the basic research tools used in the study of politics. Along the way, students will learn how to pose and answer empirical research questions using appropriated evidence and arguments. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 383
Not offered in 2025
POLS 384 – The Comparative Politics of Globalisation / Ngā Kaupapa Torangapū Motuhake me te Whakatōpū Ao
This course focuses on the domestic politics of globalisation, primarily in the developed democracies. Does globalisation constrain governments to a strict neo-liberal policy agenda? Does it diminish democracy? Does it generate insecurity and inequality, or point the way to a more prosperous and peaceful future?
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 365 from 2013-2017
Not offered in 2025
International Relations and Political Science
See also Political Science and International Relations
INTP 113 – Introduction to International Relations
This course is an introduction to the principal concepts, issues and theoretical debates within the field of International Relations. Topics covered include: power, diplomacy, the United Nations, arms control, terrorism, developmental politics, civil society and international political economy. Upon completion of the course, students should have a good basic understanding of international relations and a solid foundation for taking upper-level courses on the subject.
20 pts
tut tba
INTP 115 – Introduction to Security Studies/ He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō ngā Kaupapa Haumaru Whenua
Why do countries sometimes fear for their safety or survival? Are other states or non-state actors the main problems? Are all security problems about violence? And how do policymakers analyse security issues? In posing these and other questions this course will reveal key issues and perspectives in security studies.
20 pts
POLS 111 – Introduction to Government and Politics in Aotearoa New Zealand
Who holds power in Aotearoa New Zealand? What forces influence our national politics? What role do citizens, iwi, media, politicians and other groups play in shaping political processes and outcomes? This course explores Māori and colonial influences on contemporary politics in Aotearoa, considering key institutions, electoral politics and how political actors and citizens engage in politics and policy-making. Taking advantage of our location in the capital city, you will hear from Members of Parliament, journalists and important political figures. You will also visit Parliament and the He Tohu exhibit at the National Library, engaging directly with political institutions and documents. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 112 – Introduction to Political Ideas / He Tīmatanga Kōrero i ngā Ariā Tōrangapū
Politics is the activity of answering the question ‘how should we live?’ This course offers an introduction to some of the various ways political thinkers have tried to answer this question, by (re)defining fundamental political ideals like justice, freedom, equality, inclusion, and responsibility, and proposing ways to realise these ideals in the world around us. In this class, we will therefore examine a range of perspectives regarding some of the most important questions concerning political life: What is the basis of political community? Who should hold power? How do we work together? What do we owe each other?
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 114 – Introduction to Comparative Politics / He Rohe Motuhake, he Tōrangapū Motuhake
What can we learn by comparing the politics and government of different countries? This course examines competing explanations for democratic and authoritarian regimes including economic, cultural and institutional theories of state development. These theories are then applied to several case studies.
20 pts
HIST 249 – New Zealand Political History
What are the forces that have shaped our political world? Who are the winners and losers, the dreamers and schemers? In this course, you will explore the key themes in New Zealand political history: the changing shape and nature of the New Zealand state, the growth of political parties, the development of economic and social policy, and the evolving relationship between Māori and the state. You will gain a strong background for a career in policy, advocacy or journalism. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from HIST 100-199, CLAS 106, POLS 111, 112, 114
Not offered in 2025
INTP 204 – International Relations Theory: World Order and its Critics
This course explores how world order has been understood and contested in IR, including the roots of the contemporary international system, debates about how it currently functions and critical accounts of the marginalisation and injustice it produces. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 374
Not offered in 2025
INTP 243 – International Politics of China
This course introduces the study of Chinese politics and international relations. It provides an introduction to the People’s Republic of China, its major foreign policy initiatives, key international relationships and orientation toward the rules-based international order. It asks how the world is responding to the emergence of contemporary China, including Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific, and presents tools and concepts to analyse its growing role in world affairs. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points (X) INTP 211 in 2020-2023
Not offered in 2025
INTP 244 – New Zealand Foreign Policy
This course examines how New Zealand engages the world through its foreign and defence policies. It employs different conceptual frameworks to critically analyse key factors that shape these, including relations with major powers, multilateral organizations, and priority regions. The course focuses on New Zealand’s relations with Britain, the United States, China, the Pacific, Asia, the United Nations, and its responses to pressing issues involving the Rules Based International Order, AUKUS and NATO. Where appropriate, the class will incorporate guest lectures from government ministries and different country embassies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 245 – Foreign Policy Analysis
This course introduces and explores the notion of foreign policy, which is traditionally considered one of the most important bridges between 'domestic' and 'international' politics. Here the spotlight is kept on the sources, instruments, agents, processes and implications of foreign policy. The course adopts an analytical and comparative approach, drawing on the experiences several international actors have had since the Second World War. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 247 – International Relations: Wealth and World Affairs / Hononga whenua: Te Rawa me ngā Take o te Ao
This course looks at the global, international and domestic politics of the world economy. It looks at the ways in which economic processes shape politics and the ways in which political processes shape economics. We look at international trade, finance and production (multi-national corporations) and at the regional and international institutions that regulate the global economy. We also look at some of the interactions between international and domestic politics and explore the ways in which the world economy shapes peoples' everyday lives. No technical knowledge of economics is required for this course and the course involves no equations, graphs or large numbers. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 248 – International Security
This course is an introduction to the study of conflict and security. It examines how and why conflict emerges in the international system and explores different approaches to its mitigation and resolution, using both traditional materialist theories of security and alternative critical approaches to security. Students will learn to discern varying forms of conflict and will employ theoretical and empirical perspectives on conflict analysis to analyse modern case studies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 250 – Cyber Power in International Relations
This course will focus on three areas: (1) understanding the nature and dynamics of cyberspace as a domain of international relations; (2) understanding the features of states and non-state actors acting as cyber powers; and (3) contemporary issues of cyber power in international relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points
Not offered in 2025
INTP 261 – Political Philosophy and International Relations
This course surveys the historical and philosophical development of international relations theory and political theory. It will examine foundational texts drawn from thinkers across the range of western political theory, from ancient Greece to the twentieth century. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in PHIL or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101; (X) PHIL/POLS 261
Not offered in 2025
POLS 203 – East Asian Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Āhia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to political change in modern East Asian states: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. It examines how different types of state have emerged out of the traditional East Asian political order, and how this outcome has been shaped by the dynamics of political liberalisation, modern state building, economic and social development, and international geopolitics.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level INTP or POLS or (ASIA) pts) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 203, ASIA 207
Not offered in 2025
POLS 205 – The New Europe / Ūropi i Te Ao Hou
This course introduces students to the diverse institutions that shape politics, society and economics in a number of European countries. It seeks to explain why political, social and economic diversity exists in Europe and why it matters. In doing so it identifies differences and commonalities in the organisation of politics and society in several countries, how peculiar national institutions came into existence and whether different national institutions are compatible within integrated political structures and markets. Geographically and chronologically the course focuses on postwar Britain, France and Germany, although it makes reference to other examples. This course may also be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP points) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 205.
tut tba
POLS 206 – Politics of Aotearoa New Zealand: Power, Equality, and Ideology
This course focuses on the ideologies of political parties in Aotearoa New Zealand. An applied approach outlines the principles which underpin how political parties respond to contemporary political issues such as education, health, welfare, local government politics, and Māori-Crown relations. Other topics include how political parties are funded and to what extent the implementation of MMP has reshaped party politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
tut tba
POLS 207 – American Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Amerika
An introduction to American politics, with a particular focus on the continued development of America's system of government. The course examines major political themes in US politics against the background of the relationships between different branches of government under the US Constitution. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 208 – Political Change in Southeast Asia
This course will examine constitutional issues and broader political change in a number of Southeast Asian states. Students have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of political institutions and wider political trends in countries with very diverse systems of government, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts; (X) INTP 208
Not offered in 2025
POLS 209 – Dictatorships and Revolutions / Ngā Tangata Whakatuanui, ngā Tutūnga Puehu
This course introduces students to the nature and varieties of modern dictatorship and non-democracy, the causes of their emergence, and the processes that lead to their collapse and transformation. Our focus will be on developing concepts and tools useful for the analysis of a wide variety of cases. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101
tut tba
POLS 210 – Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political, social and economic challenges and dilemmas facing the modern Middle East. Each week, we will discuss a key issue and concept, such as colonial legacies, state-society relations, the oil economy, authoritarianism, democratisation, religion and politics, gender relations, identity and politics, civil society, and the future of the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101 (X) POLS 211 (2019-2021); INTP 201 in 2023
Not offered in 2025
POLS 214 – Ideas That Shape the World
He mokopuna au, kua mōhiotia taku iti. He tīpuna au, kua mōhiotia taku nui. I am a grandchild, what I have known is little. I am an ancestor, what I have known is great. Political theory creates fundamentally new ways of seeing the world which, when they catch and spread, powerfully shape our world in material and political terms. In this course you will examine some of the most influential political ideas across history, explore how they have shaped politics across the globe today, and develop your own position about how they should shape the future.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP points (X) POLS 212 in 2020, 2021;
POLS 218 – Politics and the Media in New Zealand
This course focuses on the political roles, functions and effects of the media in New Zealand. Topics studied will include: media and elections (including voting behaviour); news management and production; the role of public relations in political lobbying and electioneering; the political uses of opinion polls and experts; the regulatory environment within which the media operates; ownership and control of the media, public service broadcasting; Maori politics and the media; and the media and political leadership. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 231 – Governing Divided Societies / Te Kāwana i ngā Whenua Wāhi Rua
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 365 in 2025
POLS 232 – Public Opinion and Elections / Te Huatau Marea me ngā Pōti
This course explores how public opinion is constructed and how it affects voting choices in combination with other factors such as socio-demographics, group identifications, institutions, media exposure, and party campaigns. Countries covered follow the international literature in its focus on established democracies including Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 211 (2012-16)
HIST 321 – The Cold War World, 1945-1991
The 'Cold War' carved up countries, built walls, fostered diplomatic paranoia and brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation. As an 'imaginary war' - one waged as much as a war of the mind as a military campaign - the Cold War had far-reaching cultural effects and shaped the world you know today. You will improve your research skills by exploring an aspect of Cold War history using the extensive primary sources that are digitally available including CIA reports, National Security Archives and published collections of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from HIST 200–299 (or 20 pts from HIST 200–299 and one of CLAS 207 or 208) or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
INTP 302 – Global Politics of the Environment
This course introduces the study of global environmental politics. It addresses key themes like security, justice, production, and governance in relation to global environmental issues like climate change, energy, biodiversity, food, and garbage. In doing so, it introduces a range of theoretical perspectives coming from international relations, ecological economics, and green theory. By the end of the course, students will understand how conflict and crisis shape the governance of the global environment.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299; POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 303 – Critical Global Politics / Ngā Take Tōrangapū Matua o te Ao
This course engages key ideas from critical theorists and their forerunners, questioning status quo assumptions about global politics. During the course we read and discuss primary texts from selected philosophers. We use their thought to examine the nature of oppression, vulnerability, emancipation, and resistance. Concrete examples reflected on include cosmopolitanism, radical democracy, popular culture, post-9/11 politics, torture, and the politics of mourning.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299, POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 304 – The Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan / Ngā Tōrangapū me Ngā Kaupapa Here Tāwāhi o Hapanī
This course provides a theoretically grounded review of Japan’s post-WWII domestic politics and foreign policy. After examining Japan’s political system, we will focus on Japan’s relations with the main actors in Northeast Asia (USA, China, Russia and the two Koreas) and explore the domestic/international connections in these relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP 301 (2015, 2017-19)
Not offered in 2025
INTP 346 – International Politics of Development
This course examines the international politics of modern economic development. Why have some countries/regions developed better than others? Does their political economic model matter? Does the structure of international political economy matter? The course explores the mutual effects of the structure of international political economy, and national and regional economic development. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP/POLS 246;
Not offered in 2025
INTP 351 – Power and Policies in the European Union
This course introduces students to the institutions and evolution of the European Union. It also examines explanations of the process of European integration. It asks whether the governance institutions of the EU are comparable to those of its member states or whether they represent something sui generis. It raises the unanswered questions underlying European integration: what is 'Europe', what is 'Europe' becoming and what are the limits of 'Europe'? 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299; (X) POLS 351
Not offered in 2025
INTP 352 – US Strategy Towards Asia and the Middle East
This course compares recent American strategy towards Asia and the Middle East, both important regions. It considers US approaches to regional security issues including Asia’s territorial disputes and the Middle East peace process, and the competitive demands the two regions place on Washington's finite military and diplomatic resources.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts (X) INTP 360 (2014 – 16);
Not offered in 2025
INTP 354 – International Relations of East Asia / Ngā Hononga ā-Ao o Ahia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to the international relations of East Asia: what they are, how they work, what drives their development and examines in particular the transformations of international order in modern and contemporary East Asia. The course also trains students for effective policy analysis and research engagement on current international relations of East Asia. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299, ASIA 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 360 – Special Topic: US Foreign Policy
This course analyses the central issues in US foreign policy in contemporary world politics. The course develops the analytic tools that are useful for understanding the international environment and for an examination of how the United States pursues its foreign policy. The course combines the analysis of major theoretical issues underlying US foreign policy with an in-depth examination of current foreign policy issues for the United States.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP or POLS 200-299
INTP 363 – Human Rights / Ngā Tika o Te Tangata
This course is interested in the international human rights regime and its impact on a variety of human rights outcomes such as torture, arbitrary detention, child labour, and racial/gender discrimination. Through the use of basic quantitative data and in-depth case studies, students will learn how to evaluate the design, implementation and effectiveness of human rights policy. Topics include: what experiments teach us and about why people sometimes abuse rights; UN human rights treaties and institutions; the role of domestic institutions and non-state actors; and tensions between cultural relativism and universalism. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) PHIL/POLS 363
Not offered in 2025
INTP 365 – Special Topic: Politics of Forced Migration
This course will analyse the political causes and consequences of contemporary forced migration, as well as national, regional and international efforts to manage it. Students will study a range of causes of forced migration, including conflict, human rights abuses, land degradation, poverty and climate change. They will also examine the variety of circumstances facing forced migrants after they have left their homes, and consider the political factors that determine such circumstances. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary examples of forced migration around the world.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts 200 level INTP or POLS points
INTP 370 – Special Topic: Crisis, Power and Ideas in the World Economy
This course deepens students’ understanding of International Economy. Combining historical perspectives and quantitative data, students will examine how crisis, ideas, security, and power have shaped the global economy. Topics may include global economic governance, the link between the domestic and the international, the intersection of economics and security, and the politics of global finance. By the end of the course, students will understand how wealth and power intersect in world politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
INTP 371 – Human Security
This course examines conflict and violence in world politics. It explores the changing nature of war between and within states, giving particular emphasis to contemporary civil wars. Topics covered may include: the relationship between natural resources (e.g. diamonds and oil) and conflict; the role and regulation of mercenaries; terrorism and armed groups; aid and war; and the efforts of governments and civil society groups to reduce the harm caused to civilians (e.g. through action against landmines, small arms and cluster bombs). A wide range of cases are discussed in class including Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. 50% internal assessment, 50% examination. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 372 – International Organisations: Change and Continuity
This course examines the origins and development of international organisations together with their types and roles within the context of structural changes in the international system. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 377 – Transnational Activism and Advocacy in Global Politics
This course focuses on the role of transnational advocacy networks and social movements in world politics. In addition to taking a social scientist's perspective on how such networks and movements affect international relations, we will look at the strategic dilemmas involved in transnational activism from an embedded actor's perspective. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 379 – The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers / Te Piki me te Heke o ngā Mana Nui
This course aims to analyse great power politics and international order from theoretical and historical perspectives. The re-emergence/rise of Russia, China, Japan, and India as great powers has significant implications for the US-created/led international order. What is the relationship between the rise and fall of great powers, war, and the global economy?
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) INTP 365 in 2014, INTP 370 in 2015-2016
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 303 – Rights, Equality and Freedom: Contemporary Political Philosophy
This course examines major positions and issues in contemporary political philosophy, including questions about rights, equality, justice, freedom, and democracy. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 points from PHIL 200-399, POLS 200-399) or GLBL 201
POLS 320 – Politics and Music / Te Tōrangapū me te Puoro
Entertainment forms of political communication such as music are very often neglected in research of political communication, although music has a long and varied association with politics. It has provided the soundtrack to political protest and been the object of political censorship; politicians have courted pop stars and pop stars have acted as politicians. This course examines the various interactions between music and politics. It analyses how music can contribute to our understanding of political thought and action, but also how it can affect people's political perceptions, attitudes and behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299, MDIA 205, MUSC 220-259, POLS 200-299 (X) POLS 365 in 2020-2024
POLS 352 – Migration and Identity / He Mātai Hekenga, he Mātai Tuakiritanga
This course examines the implications of immigration and increasing diversity for political processes and outcomes in contemporary societies, with particular focus on how the politics of migration and and identity intersect. Drawing especially on examples from Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific, we examine political issues including: comparative policy-making on immigration and ‘integration’, normative and empirical debates about the politics of identity, ethnicity in the census, nationalism and state-group relations, citizenship, and political participation and representation of migrants and their descendants.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 378 (2018-2019)
POLS 353 – Contemporary Challenges and Directions for NZ Politics
Many issues that we struggle with most in Aotearoa New Zealand today can feel insurmountable. In the face of 'wicked problems' like climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and settler-colonialism, how do everyday citizens make meaningful impacts? This course focuses on how to make sense of contemporary issues like this, and then explores ten types of civic action used around the world to respond to them. You will develop frameworks for analysing and strategising regarding structural issues, have opportunities for empirical research, and develop practical skills and experiences in civic action. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299
POLS 354 – The Politics of the Pacific Islands
This course examines the politics of the Pacific Island states, covering the area from Papua New Guinea in the west to Rapa Nui in the east. Among other topics, we look at the subversion of Western-derived systems of government in the Pacific context, coups in Fiji, linguistic diversity in Papua New Guinea, intervention in the Solomon Islands and political reform in Tonga and Samoa.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 355 (2015-2018, 2021)
POLS 355 – Special Topic: The Politics of China
This course examines the contemporary Politics of the People's Republic of China. It introduces the key approaches to studying elite, military and party politics, social movements and economic development, and explores state-society relations, ideology, media, political economy and the structure of the modern Chinese state.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299
POLS 357 – African Politics / Te Tōrangapū i Āwherika
This course studies the government and politics of African nations. Students have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of government institutions and political issues on the African continent.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 382 (2017-2020)
Not offered in 2025
POLS 359 – Directed Individual Study
This is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes in Political Science and International Relations. With the assistance of the course coordinator and staff members with appropriate expertise students will pursue a project that they have personally helped to devise. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 359
Not offered in 2025
POLS 362 – A Topic in Political Philosophy: Feminist Theory
This course enables students to engage deeply with a broad range of feminist thought. We will first focus on feminist critiques of social/political institutions, then on feminist prescriptions, and finally look at the means feminists have suggested for realising these solutions. Along the way, we will engage a myriad of controversies that have created schisms within feminist thought and practice. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in INTP or PHIL. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) PHIL 362
POLS 365 – Special Topic: Governing Divided Societies
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299; (X) POLS 231; INTP 250 in 2016
POLS 378 – Special Topic: Social Movements, People Power, and Populism
This course examines political movements, organisations, and ideologies. Students will examine contemporary issues related to representation, sovereignty, citizenship, and indigenous self-determination. Case studies from a range of countries will be used to explore these themes.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299, MAOR 216
POLS 382 – Special Topic: Politics and Government in the United States
This course examines issues and themes in US government and politics against the background of the US constitution and the federal system of government. In addition to readings and lecture materials, and the opportunity to research and write a research paper about a topic in US government and politics, workshop discussions and presentations will enable students (working together) to approach issues in US politics and government from the perspective of a particular state and political party.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299
POLS 383 – Research Methods in Political Science
This course enables us to uncover evidence and to better understand how the (political) world operates. It introduces some of the basic research tools used in the study of politics. Along the way, students will learn how to pose and answer empirical research questions using appropriated evidence and arguments. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 383
Not offered in 2025
POLS 384 – The Comparative Politics of Globalisation / Ngā Kaupapa Torangapū Motuhake me te Whakatōpū Ao
This course focuses on the domestic politics of globalisation, primarily in the developed democracies. Does globalisation constrain governments to a strict neo-liberal policy agenda? Does it diminish democracy? Does it generate insecurity and inequality, or point the way to a more prosperous and peaceful future?
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 365 from 2013-2017
Not offered in 2025
Italian
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
ITAL 101 – Introduction to Italian Language and Culture
This course for beginners provides an introduction to Italian language and culture. It provides a foundation in the basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and an introduction to contemporary Italian culture and society. Audio-visual materials and readings illustrate the contemporary Italian way of life and provide insight into Italy’s vibrant society and rich cultural heritage. This course is specifically designed for students who have little or no knowledge of the language. Students with prior knowledge of Italian may take a placement test and begin at a more advanced level.
20 pts • (X) ITAL 114
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 102 – Elementary Italian Language and Culture
This is a course for those who have completed ITAL 101 or who can demonstrate an equivalent knowledge of Italian. The course builds on the skills developed in ITAL 101, with greater emphasis on written and oral expression. Materials used in class provide further insights into Italy’s vibrant society and rich cultural reach, both in Italy and beyond.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 101 or 114 or prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Italian; (X) ITAL 115
Not offered in 2025
LANG 101 – Shaping the World: Cultural Forces in Europe and Latin America
This course introduces students to themes central to the study of the cultures of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Cultural case studies will allow students to draw out commonalities without losing sight of historical, political and socio-cultural specificities. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
ITAL 201 – Italian Language 2A
A practical course in oral and written Italian, building on ITAL 101 and 102. Students will build their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing while deepening their knowledge of Italian culture and society through authentic materials.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 102 or 115; (X) ITAL 215
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 202 – Italian Language 2B
This course builds on the knowledge acquired in ITAL 201, with greater emphasis on the use of advanced grammar and syntax in written and oral expression.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 201 or 215; (X) ITAL 216
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 207 – Italy through Film
This course presents key themes in contemporary Italian society through a study of selected films and related primary and secondary sources. It offers an overview of the history of one of the world’s greatest national cinema traditions and asks students to assess critically how Italian cinema represents Italian society and culture and contributes to definitions of "Italian-ness”. Locating the films in the context of Italy’s rich cultural heritage, it provides insights into questions of cultural identity and relates them to important aspects of Italy’s visual, narrative and poetic traditions. Films are in Italian with English subtitles. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LANG 201 – Capital Cities: Their Cultures and Stories
A course that charts the physical and cultural landscapes of some of the world’s most exciting cities and explores the changing histories of their peoples. This course is recommended for all students interested in cultural exchange. It is taught entirely in English and fulfils major requirements for students of European Languages and Cultures.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
LANG 202 – Moving the World: Artistic Movements in Context
This course introduces students to major artistic movements that represent key moments in the cultural histories of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Artefacts such as literary texts and art works will be studied in relation to historical and political contexts and prevailing intellectual currents in the source-language community. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
ITAL 301 – Italian Language 3A
An advanced course building on ITAL 202, designed to improve performance in speaking and writing, reading and oral comprehension. Students will build their proficiency in advanced syntax, idiom, vocabulary, oral skills and listening comprehension, while further developing their intercultural skills and deepening their understanding of Italian society and culture.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 202 or 216; (X) ITAL 311, 315
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 302 – Italian Language 3B
This course builds on the knowledge acquired in ITAL 301, with greater emphasis on translation skills and and the use of a variety of linguistic registers.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 301 or 315; (X) ITAL 311, 316
ITAL 306 – Dante's Inferno
This course offers an in-depth reading of Inferno, the first part of Dante's Divine Comedy and a masterpiece of world literature. The work is presented in relation to its medieval context, the politics of the time, the many references to Christianity and Classical culture, the development of Italian poetry and language. In the seminars students have the opportunity to discuss ideas of love, sin, good and evil, and how they have changed from Dante's times to the present day.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200-level from the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 308 – Contemporary Italian Literature
This course presents a selection of contemporary Italian literature. The texts (a variety of fiction, poetry, theatre and film adaptations) are presented in English translation and analysed through a variety of perspectives, which encourage students to develop their own critical approach to the reading of Italian literature. The course is taught in English and no knowledge of Italian is required; however, students with previous knowledge of Italian are encouraged to read the texts in the original language.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200-level from the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
Japanese
ASIA 111 – Introduction to Asian Histories and Cultures
Asia is significant to New Zealand’s future. But how much do you know about this incredibly vast, dynamic and diverse region? In this course we will discuss key societal aspects of Northeast, Southeast and South Asia. You will learn about the basic characteristics of the cultures including geographical locations, peoples, religions, histories and traditions. This course will allow you to understand the challenges and opportunities that lie in the region and will prepare you to continue study in many areas with an international focus, such as International Relations, International Business, Languages, Security Studies, or Global Studies. This course will suit all students who are interested in an internationally focussed degree and future career.
20 pts
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
JAPA 101 – Introduction to the Japanese Language
This course is designed for those with no knowledge of Japanese. It covers basic oral and written skills including hiragana, katakana and 58 kanji. This course is for absolute beginners. It may not be taken by students with prior knowledge of the language.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Japanese, JAPA 111
JAPA 102 – Elementary Japanese
This course increases basic proficiency in oral and written Japanese. 150 Kanji are covered.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 101 or 111 or NCEA Level 2 Japanese (or equivalent); (X) JAPA 112
JAPA 113 – Introduction to Japanese Culture and Society
This course, taught in English, is designed to introduce students to major aspects of the history, society, cultures and language of Japan. The course will provide a good all-round basic knowledge of Japan that will be of value both to students intending to major in Japanese and those interested in Asia. No knowledge of Japanese language is required. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
JAPA 201 – Japanese Language 2A
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 102 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 380 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 102 or 112 or 14 Japanese credits at NCEA Level 3; (X) JAPA 115, 204
JAPA 202 – Japanese Language 2B
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 201 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 500 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 115 or 201 or 204; (X) JAPA 116
JAPA 213 – Japanese Culture through Literature and Film
A study of key aspects of Japanese culture through analysis of selected literary texts and films in their social and historical context. No prior knowledge of Japanese language is necessary.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
JAPA 301 – Japanese Language 3A
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 202 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 730 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 202 or 205; (X) JAPA 304
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 302 – Japanese Language 3B
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 301 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 950 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 301 or 304; (X) JAPA 305
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 322 – Readings in Japanese Culture, Society and History
This course introduces students to aspects of the culture, society and history of Japan through the reading of selected texts in Japanese and English and audio-visual materials. The course is conducted in English.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 202
Not offered in 2025
Jazz
PERF 101 – Performance Principal Study 1A
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) Audition (X) PERF 120, 121, 130;
PERF 102 – Performance Principal Study 1B
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 or audition; (X) PERF 120, 121, 130
PERF 105 – Performance Skills 1A
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) P One of PERF 101, 102, 106, or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 106 – Performance Skills 1B
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) One of PERF 101, 102, 105 or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 165 – Project in Performance 1A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 166 – Project in Performance 1B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 167 – Project in Performance 1C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
10 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 168 – Project in Performance 1D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
10 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 201 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 202 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 205 – Performance Skills 2A
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 206 – Performance Skills 2B
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 207 – Performance Extended Skills 2A
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include Latin and jazz fusion ensembles.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (X) PERF 210, 223, 224;
Not offered in 2025
PERF 208 – Performance Extended Skills 2B
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include conducting, Latin and jazz fusion ensembles. In 2024, only the classical stream is offered.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (for latin/fusion); or two of MUSC 166, 167, 266 (for conducting); (X) PERF 210, 223, 224
PERF 211 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102 (X) PERF 220, 221;
PERF 212 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 220, 221
PERF 255 – Performance in Ethnomusicology: Māori Music/Gamelan
In this course you will learn about the music and culture of the Asia-Pacific region through hands-on engagement with either Māori music or Javanese Gamelan. By participating in rehearsals and performances, and researching the broader social context of the music, you will develop a holistic and experiential understanding of one of these rich and dynamic musical traditions. No audition is required to take the course. In 2024, only the Gamelan is offered.
15 pts • (P) 40 100-level points (X) PERF 151, 250, 251, 252;
PERF 265 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 266 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 267 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 268 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 301 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3A
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202 (X) PERF 330;
PERF 302 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3B
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202; (X) PERF 330
PERF 305 – Performance Skills 3A
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 306 – Performance Skills 3B
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 307 – Performance Extended Skills 3A
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101, PERF 102, PERF 105 and PERF 106, or by audition (X) PERF 324
Not offered in 2025
PERF 308 – Performance Extended Skills 3B
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212, or audition; (X) PERF 324
PERF 311 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3A
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212 (X) PERF 320;
PERF 312 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3B
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212; (X) PERF 320
PERF 365 – Advanced Project in Performance 3A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
20 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 366 – Advanced Project in Performance 3B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 367 – Advanced Project in Performance 3C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 368 – Advanced Project in Performance 3D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Jazz Performance
PERF 101 – Performance Principal Study 1A
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) Audition (X) PERF 120, 121, 130;
PERF 102 – Performance Principal Study 1B
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 or audition; (X) PERF 120, 121, 130
PERF 105 – Performance Skills 1A
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) P One of PERF 101, 102, 106, or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 106 – Performance Skills 1B
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) One of PERF 101, 102, 105 or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 165 – Project in Performance 1A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 166 – Project in Performance 1B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 167 – Project in Performance 1C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
10 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 168 – Project in Performance 1D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
10 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 201 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 202 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 205 – Performance Skills 2A
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 206 – Performance Skills 2B
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 207 – Performance Extended Skills 2A
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include Latin and jazz fusion ensembles.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (X) PERF 210, 223, 224;
Not offered in 2025
PERF 208 – Performance Extended Skills 2B
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include conducting, Latin and jazz fusion ensembles. In 2024, only the classical stream is offered.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (for latin/fusion); or two of MUSC 166, 167, 266 (for conducting); (X) PERF 210, 223, 224
PERF 211 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102 (X) PERF 220, 221;
PERF 212 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 220, 221
PERF 255 – Performance in Ethnomusicology: Māori Music/Gamelan
In this course you will learn about the music and culture of the Asia-Pacific region through hands-on engagement with either Māori music or Javanese Gamelan. By participating in rehearsals and performances, and researching the broader social context of the music, you will develop a holistic and experiential understanding of one of these rich and dynamic musical traditions. No audition is required to take the course. In 2024, only the Gamelan is offered.
15 pts • (P) 40 100-level points (X) PERF 151, 250, 251, 252;
PERF 265 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 266 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 267 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 268 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 301 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3A
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202 (X) PERF 330;
PERF 302 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3B
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202; (X) PERF 330
PERF 305 – Performance Skills 3A
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 306 – Performance Skills 3B
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 307 – Performance Extended Skills 3A
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101, PERF 102, PERF 105 and PERF 106, or by audition (X) PERF 324
Not offered in 2025
PERF 308 – Performance Extended Skills 3B
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212, or audition; (X) PERF 324
PERF 311 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3A
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212 (X) PERF 320;
PERF 312 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3B
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212; (X) PERF 320
PERF 365 – Advanced Project in Performance 3A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
20 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 366 – Advanced Project in Performance 3B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 367 – Advanced Project in Performance 3C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 368 – Advanced Project in Performance 3D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Landscape Architecture
See also Architecture and Interior Architecture
SARC 111 – Introduction to Design Processes / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Mahi Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce concepts and processes used in human environments. These concepts and processes are examined in relation to the physical, social and cultural contexts in which designers operate.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 112 – Design Processes / Ngā Tukanga
Studio-based projects explore how abstract concepts of formal and spatial composition can be used to create habitable places. Discipline-specific modules introduce concepts and processes which are particular to architecture, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
SARC 121 – Introduction to Built Environment Technology / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Whare Hangahanga
An introduction to fundamental structural and constructional principles for designed environments, with particular emphasis on establishing an understanding of the mutual dependencies between design intentions, structural performance and construction materials and systems.
15 pts
SARC 122 – Introduction to Environmental Design Sciences/ He Timatanga Kōrero mō te Taiao Hoahoa
An introduction to the fundamental principles of environmentally-sensitive design, with respect to both interior and exterior designed environments (and their interactions).
15 pts
SARC 131 – Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Whakaora i Te Taiao Hangahanga
The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact and social equity.
15 pts
SARC 151 – Introduction to Design History and Theory / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho i te ao Whakarākei
Introduction to the major historical and theoretical influences shaping the contemporary built environment.
15 pts
SARC 161 – Introduction to Design Communication / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi Ngātahi i Te Ao Whakarākei
Studio-based projects introduce principles, media and techniques used in the representation of three-dimensional design concepts. The studio component emphasises conventions for describing formal and spatial subjects in scaled drawings, physical models, digital models and text.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
SARC 162 – Design Communication / Te Whakarākei me te Mahi Ngātahi
Studio-based projects explore principles, media and techniques used in the representation of two and three-dimensional design concepts. Students are introduced to the communication conventions of architecture, building science, interior architecture and landscape architecture.
15 pts
BILD 251 – History of Building Technology / Ngā Whanaketanga a te Ao Hangahanga
The historical, social and economic development of construction methods, materials and systems. The impact, relevance and importance of the scientific, industrial and information technology revolutions. Trends in the international development of building technology, with a primary focus on New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121 or 151
BILD 262 – Building Project Management Cost Planning / Te Whakahaere me te Whakamahere ā-utu i ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare
This course examines concepts of building cost planning and its theory and application in New Zealand. An overview of the principles of estimation, the standard method of measurement, schedules of quantities, elemental analysis, IT cost estimation and financial analysis.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
LAND 211 – Landscape Architecture Design Studio I / Te Taupuni Mahi Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku I
This studio-based course explores site design and landscape response. In a series of small, people-orientated sites, students develop analytical skills and process driven design experimentation techniques leading to spatially resolved design concepts.
15 pts • (P) BAS Part 1
^ Limited entry course
LAND 212 – Landscape Architecture Design Studio II / Ngā Mahi Whakarākei me ngā Mahi Pokepoke i a Papa-tūā-nuku II
Studio-based investigation of planting design. The course will investigate how to produce effective ecological and stimulating spatial-experiential planting design. Students will engage with how to develop such a scheme from a planting concept, which responds to an analysis of natural systems, urban contexts and sites. The studio emphasises technical knowledge and appropriate plant selection, and awareness of relevant ecological, horticultural and management issues.
30 pts • (P) LAND 211; (C) LAND 222; (X) SARC 216
LAND 221 – Landscape Architecture Sites and Systems / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku
This course introduces the principles of landscape ecology and landform. Students will develop a practical understanding of ecology, geomorphology, hydrology, soils and native vegetation systems, field observations, and how to employ these understandings in design.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122
LAND 222 – Landscape Architecture Technology: Landform Manipulation and Construction / Ngā Hangarau Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku: Te Auaha
This course introduces techniques and materials used in landform and construction systems design. This will facilitate the development of landscape architectural ideas from an initial concept to detailed design and construction. Students will learn techniques and knowledge required for understanding and manipulating landforms, reading and producing grading and drainage plans, choosing materials for landscape, and producing the appropriate technical documentation.
15 pts • (P) LAND 221
LAND 251 – Landscape Architecture History and Theory / Te Tātari Kōrero i ngā Mahi Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku
This course looks at historical approaches to the design of urban landscapes including discussion of historical, contemporary, regional and international case studies with an emphasis on the development of analytical, critical and discursive skills.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
LAND 261 – Landscape Architecture Communication / Te Whakakakau i ngā Mahi Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku
This studio-based course introduces students to the fundamental forms, techniques and concerns of landscape architectural representation. Students will explore the communication of landform, materiality and landscape experience in plan, section, sketches, diagram, perspective and models and will use analogue and digital methods with an emphasis on thinking through making.
15 pts • (P) SARC 162
SARC 212 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Te Waihanga me Ngā Momo Hangarau
Studio-based survey of concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry and their creative application in the design of furniture and furnished environments.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 111 or SARC 112
SARC 214 – Seeing Architecture through Photography / Te Kitenga o te Hoahoa Whare mā te Whakaahua
This course examines architectural photography as a medium of communication within architectural discourse. Emphasising formal literacy in photographic analysis and image-making, students will explore photography as both a means of 'seeing' and as a method for analysing the fundamental elements and systems that order our experience of buildings, interiors and landscapes.
15 pts • (P) 75 points; (X) SARC 281 (2021)
SARC 216 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment I / Hanga taiao - he kākāno
Studio-based design projects focused on mātauranga Māori, including kaupapa, histories and Māori design strategies. This course will connect into the three design-focussed disciplines in Architecture – Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture - and provide students with specialist Māori knowledge and skills to augment the discipline-specific technical/skills-based learning required for the respective design discipline.
30 pts • (P) ARCI/INTA/LAND 211; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 212
SARC 221 – Building Materials and Construction / Te Waihanga me ngā Momo Rauemi
Buildings are studied as assemblages of distinct yet interrelated systems. Students explore basic materials and methods of construction, gaining insight to structural and other performance outcomes. Construction is discussed as a dimension in the overall design activity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121, 131
SARC 223 – Human Environmental Science / Te Āhurutanga o te Taiao
The course covers methods of achieving building environmental conditions that relate to the requirements of building users. The course covers climatic analysis and specifications of the environmental performance of buildings, together with the thermal, visual, acoustic, and aerodynamic principles of building elements; plus the services systems required to control and maintain these conditions.
15 pts • (P) SARC 122; (X) BILD 223 in 2010-2020; SARC 281 in 2014-2017
SARC 224 – Fire Safety Design / Te Tinihanga a Mahuika
Basic principles of design to ensure the safety of people in buildings during a fire. The implications for building form, layout and interiors on escape route design, statutory requirements, and alternative solutions as means of compliance.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
Not offered in 2025
SARC 232 – Sustainability in the Built Environment / Te toitūtanga i te hanganga
The philosophical, conceptual and contextual basis of sustainable and regenerative design. Content includes material on the ecological and environmental challenges to society in the present and future; resource stewardship and the effective utilisation of materials; working with nature and natural systems; well-being enhancement; green, sustainable and regenerative design.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level SARC pts; (X) BILD 232
SARC 233 – Environment and Behaviour / Ngā Huatanga o te Taiao
Study of the interaction between human behaviour and the design of the physical environment related to age, gender, culture and occupation. Content scopes across physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects and activity patterns.
15 pts • (P) SARC 121
Not offered in 2025
SARC 252 – Building Heritage Conservation / Te Tiaki i ngā Whare Toitū
An introduction to building conservation with emphasis on New Zealand's architectural heritage. The course introduces systems of assessment, interpretation, management, and documentation of culturally significant buildings. Attention is given to issues raised by contemporary modification of buildings and implications on historic integrity and/or authenticity.
15 pts • (P) SARC 151
Not offered in 2025
SARC 261 – Communication / Ngā Kaupapa Hangarau
Studio-based course introduces and develops the representation of design concepts of projects, with a focus on drawing and modelling by means of analogue and digital media. Emphasis is placed on developing effective graphic communication techniques for design and implementation.
15 pts • (P) SARC 161 and 162
BILD 361 – Project Management / Ngā Kaupapa Whakahaere
The theory, practice and current technologies of project management from implementation through to delivery, including project constraints, cost planning and control, critical path, consultation, administration and quality control.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
BILD 364 – Building Code Compliance / Ngā Ture Whakaruruhau
Means of compliance with the New Zealand Building Code, building on technical knowledge gained in other courses. Means of compliance are: Acceptable Solutions, Verification Methods and Certification, and Performance Based Design.
15 pts • (P) one of LAND 221 or SARC 221; (X) SARC 364, SARC 464
LAND 311 – Landscape Architecture Design Studio III / Te Taupuni Mahi Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku III
This course enables students to engage with a community in an urban or regional setting to develop a landscape design that is beneficial to that community.
15 pts • (P) LAND 212 or SARC 216; (X) SARC 313
LAND 312 – Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV / Te Taupuni Mahi Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku IV
This studio-based course encourages students to take a proactive approach to design research situating a specific design investigation within the discourse and practice of landscape architecture. Students will move confidently between scales, processes and form to create resolved design solutions. Speculative and strategic design approaches are employed towards urban development processes, urban and landscape legislation, planning and planning strategies within a landscape situation. In this way contemporary political, economic, social and environmental issues are examined.
30 pts • (P) LAND 311 or SARC 313; (C) LAND 321
LAND 321 – Landscape Architecture Technology: Structures and Assembly / Ngā Hangarau Pokepoke, Whakarākei hoki i a Papa-tūā-nuku: Te Hangahanga
A critical examination of the principles of structures, landscape materials and assembly. This course addresses core aspects of landscape construction, material characteristics and applications, the assembly process, construction detailing and documentation, and ongoing management and maintenance. It recognises and promotes the integration of technology and design.
15 pts • (P) LAND 222
SARC 302 – Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation / Ngā Mahi Waihanga Whare Herehere
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons. International examples will be drawn on. Particular attention will be paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) SARC 223; (X) SARC 368 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 328 in 2020; SARC 468 in 2016, 2017, 2019; SARC 428 in 2020
SARC 311 – Exhibition Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Mahi Whakaaturanga
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the exhibition field. Students will undertake exhibition design projects.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INDN/INTA/LAND 212, BILD 232 or SARC 216, 232.
Not offered in 2025
SARC 312 – Furniture Design, Construction and Technologies / Ngā Tikanga me ngā Tukanga Waihanga Taputapu Whare
Studio-based studies of advanced concepts, processes and materials used in the furniture industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points from the BAS or BDI schedules (X) SARC 412
SARC 313 – Mātauranga Māori and the Built and Natural Environment II / Hanga taiao - he rito
Studio-based contemporary design issues focused on mātauranga Māori. Introduction to design as a research-led activity and as a research methodology. This course will connect the three disciplines of Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Architecture, to provide students with the specific technical/skills-based learning required for these three disciplines.
15 pts • (P) SARC 216; (X) ARCI/INTA/LAND 311
SARC 315 – Critical Urbanism Aotearoa New Zealand / Tātari Kāinga Rua
This course critically explores concepts and practices which have influenced the production of space, form and meaning in Aotearoa New Zealand cities. Current urban issues and their relationship to historical and contemporary political, socio-cultural and environmental paradigms are examines alongside emerging urban practices motivated by justness.
15 pts • (P) 60 points at 200- level from the BAS or BBSc schedules or permission of Head of School
SARC 320 – Topic in Digital Computation / Tātai Hangarau
.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 321 – Construction / Te Mahi Waihanga
Medium-scale building construction with relevant building materials, key elements, construction technologies, construction sequences and building processes.
15 pts • (P) SARC 221
SARC 323 – Colour, Pattern, Light / Ngā Āhuatanga o te Ata me te Pō
Study of colour, pattern and lighting concepts and technologies and their meaning, role and creative applications.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 212 or SARC 216
SARC 328 – Topic in Current Research in Architecture / Ngā Rangahau o te Wā i te Mahi Whakarākei / Prison Architecture: Buildings, Policy and Representation
This course examines built and non-built aspects of prisons including architectural history (e.g., planning and interior environmental qualities), policy, and cultural images of prisons, including film, digital and heritage representations of prisons. International examples will be drawn on, but there will be particular attention paid to New Zealand prison architecture.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND
Not offered in 2025
SARC 331 – Sustainable and Regenerative Design / Te Whakarauoratanga o ngā Mahi Whakarākei
This course explores sustainable and regenerative design principles and applications across a range of designed and built environments. Emphasis is on operation at the leading edge of theoretical and philosophical thinking in the field and to explore and employ critical thinking and innovative solutions. The Living Building Challenge will provide a key reference point for the work in the course.
15 pts • (P) SARC (or BILD) 232 (X) BILD 331;
SARC 351 – Urban Design Theory and Practice / Te Mahi me ngā Kōrero o te Ao Kikokiko
Introduction to the history, theory and practice of urban design. Conceptual tools and practices for analyzing, designing and implementing change in the built environment of cities.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
SARC 352 – Pacific Designed Environments / Ngā Taiao o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Introduction to issues relating to designed and built environments of the Pacific region. Examination of contemporary conditions within a wider spatial and historical framework. In addition to a central focus on the settlement of Aotearoa/New Zealand, course material extends to other cultures within the greater Pacific rim.
15 pts • (P) one of ARCI 251, BILD 251, INTA 251, LAND 251 or GLBL 201
SARC 353 – History of Architecture / Ngā Kōrero o Mua o Te Mahi Whakarākei
Examines paradigm shifts in architectural thinking. Course material emphasises enduring examples of great architecture which reflect the prevailing social and cultural standards of their respective periods.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 251
Not offered in 2025
SARC 354 – Heritage Conservation / Ngā Mahi Tiaki i ngā Whare Whakaniko
This course introduces the why, what and how of heritage conservation. Historic and contemporary approaches to heritage conservation are discussed with recent case studies (including building visits) used as vehicles for the discussion. The purpose and role of a Conservation Plan is explored. Research methods for eliciting historical information specific to a building or interior are introduced and practised. Methods of assessing heritage significance and value and of making recommendations for conservation activity are explored.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC; (X) SARC 454
SARC 362 – Introduction to Practice and Management / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Mahi me Te Whakahaere
Management and procurement/development, examining the theories and ideas that underpin planning, organising, directing and controlling the use of resources over time. Topics include the principles of management, organisational development, basic finance, costing, development feasibility, valuation theory and quantitative analysis relevant to the construction industry.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts 200-level ARCI/BILD/INTA/LAND/SARC
SARC 363 – Digital Representation and Documentation / Te Mahi a te Ao Hangarau
Computer applications as aids to visualisation and information management.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc, BDI schedules; (X) SARC 463
SARC 365 – Drawing / He Tuhituhi
Studio-based course covering creative and interpretive aspects of drawing with an emphasis on developing analytical and critical interrogation through manual graphic processes and across a range of subjects, media types and applied subjects. Discussed as principles and expanded upon in application, are the conventions and standards of architectural representation common to drawing practice.
15 pts • (P) One of ARCI/INTA/LAND 211
^ Limited entry course
SARC 371 – International Field Study / Te Mahi a te Ao Whānui
A cross-cultural design exploration of designed spaces and sites with special emphasis on understanding why and how they are uniquely formed by the historical and cultural contexts they are part of and the design inspiration that can be derived from such understanding.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level ARCI/INTA/LAND/SARC pts; (X) SARC 471
SARC 384 – Special Topic: Design Thinking Business
This course examines ways that business contributes to architecture and design enterprises. It also reviews a range of ways that creative strategic design-thinking contributes to various business enterprises. The course will look at how this is applied to architecture by looking at essential business concepts, tactics for starting practices and strategies for growing an established enterprise. In business application, it examines design-based concepts around Lean, Agile, Design Thinking and Scrum. The combined learnings will provide graduates with tools to open new business opportunities inside design and architecture, plus a broader set of transferable design-thinking skills to take into other businesses.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS and BDI schedules; (X) SARC 484
SARC 386 – Special Topic: Retail Experience Architectural Design
Investigate the future of retail design relevant to the 21st century, including research concepts underlying ethical branding, products and scripting of customer journeys. Develop a design proposal for the composition and atmosphere of retail space providing extraordinary customer experience for a brand and its products.
15 pts • (P) ARCI 212 or BILD 251 or INTA 212 or LAND 212
SARC 387 – Independent Study / Kaupapa Rangahau Motuhake
This course is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes. Independent Study Projects are available under exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of head of school
SARC 388 – Psychology and Behaviour in the Built Environment / Te Mātai Hinengaro me te Whanonga i ngā Whare Hangahanga
Application of psychological theory, principles and research to the study of human interaction with the built environment across a range of settings. This course focuses on how to improve usability, health, well-being and work performance in relationship to space and place. The course covers human and environment interaction theory, systems theory, psychology and design research methods, consequences of poorly informed design decisions and environmental stressors.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts from the BAS, BBSc schedules or GLBL 201 (X) SARC 384, 484 (2017-2019)
Language and Culture Studies
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
Language Sciences
LSCI 101 – Language and Society
This course introduces students to the major roles and uses of language in human society from linguistic and applied linguistic perspectives. Students will learn to understand key connections between language, society, the mind, and education, amongst other areas. Students will also learn how professional linguists and applied linguists research language and then contribute to knowledge and society.
20 pts • (X) LING 221
LSCI 111 – Introduction to Language Sciences
Language is the 'operating system' of human beings, shaping our history, culture and technological achievements. This course introduces students to the scientific understanding of how language is designed, how it evolved, how it is learnt and cognitively processed. Students will gain core skills in analysing the sounds (phonetics), sound systems (phonology), word structures (morphology) and sentence structures (syntax) used across human languages.
20 pts • (X) LING 111
LSCI 130 – Topics in Computer and Language Science
Topics in this course are yet to be advised.
20 pts
LSCI 201 – Vocabulary and Grammar for Language Learners and Teachers
The course explores the key features and patterns of English vocabulary and grammar from the perspective of the challenges they present to learners and teachers. It examines the implications for planning teaching and assessing learning. Students will evaluate the content of courses and published teaching materials.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts; (X) TSOL 202
LSCI 220 – Introduction to Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing
This course introduces fundamental natural language processing concepts including pre-processing, text analytics, lexical annotation, and language models in order to understand how language is represented computationally. Students will learn how to use the Python programming language, with an emphasis on natural language processing libraries. No prior knowledge of programming is assumed.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts in LSCI, AIML, COGS, COMP, DATA, MATH, LING, TSOL or LALS (X) LING 226 (2021-2023), LING 229
LSCI 310 – Understanding Language Learning
This course examines the cognitive and social processes involved in the learning of first and second/additional languages, including the study of bilingualism and multilingualism, and focusing on the implications for language learners and teachers.
20 pts • (P) LSCI 111 (or LING 111) or LSCI 201 (or TSOL 202) (X) LING 201, LALS 201
LSCI 311 – Linguistic Typology: Uniformity and Variation in Language Patterns
This advanced linguistics course investigates the core of syntax, morphology, phonology, and phonetics with a typological emphasis, focusing on uniformity and variation across different language families. You will explore universal language principles and unique linguistic features, addressing the balance of uniformity and variation in human languages. Through comparative analysis, the course aims to deepen understanding of language complexity and enhance critical analysis skills in studying human communication.
20 pts • (P) LSCI 211 (or LING 227 or LING 228); (X) LING 327, 328
Latin
See also Classical Studies and Greek
LATI 101 – Introduction to Latin
An introduction to the Latin Language for beginners, with emphasis on the acquisition of basic reading skills.
20 pts • (X) LATI 103
Not offered in 2025
LATI 102 – Elementary Latin
A study of Latin, assuming basic reading skills, with emphasis on the reading of selected texts.
20 pts • (P) LATI 101 or 103 or a required standard in Latin; (X) LATI 104
Not offered in 2025
LATI 201 – Latin Literature and Language A
An integrated course of literature and language designed to enhance the ability of students to read Latin more easily and develop an appreciation of Latin Literature.
20 pts • (P) LATI 102 or 104 or a required standard in Latin; (X) LATI 213
LATI 202 – Latin Literature and Language B
An integrated course of literature and language to build on LATI 201 and further develop reading skills and literary appreciation.
20 pts • (P) LATI 201 or 213; (X) LATI 214
LATI 301 – Advanced Latin Literature
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language, and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) LATI 202 or LATI 214; (X) LATI 330
Not offered in 2025
LATI 302 – Advanced Latin Literature
Literary and/or historical texts for translation, comment on subject matter, language and literary setting.
20 pts • (P) LATI 202 or LATI 214; (X) LATI 331
Law
LAWS 111 – Introduction to Law in Aotearoa/New Zealand - Graduate Students
LAWS 111 provides the foundations to a law degree. It provides an introduction to what is law, the New Zealand legal system, and to the essential skills, including how to read and analyse cases, the techniques of statutory interpretation, and to identify how policy drives the creation and design of legislation. NB. This course is only intended for graduate students or those who have substantially completed an undergraduate degree.
30 pts • (P) NZ graduate degree or equivalent or Head of School approval (X) all three LAWS 121 (or 124), 122, 123
LAWS 121 – Introduction to New Zealand Legal System
An introduction to the New Zealand legal system and its relationship to government, Parliament and the Courts; the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in the legal system, and an introduction to the constitutional framework. An introduction to critical, theoretical and cultural perspectives on the legal system, including race and gender issues.
20 pts • (X) LAWS 111, LAWS 124
tut tba
LAWS 122 – Introduction to Case Law
An introduction to Case Law technique and the doctrine of precedent, an introduction to Case Law reasoning skills, the social context of judicial reasoning, and the interaction between Case Law and legislation.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 121 or LAWS 124; (X) LAWS 111
tut tba
LAWS 123 – Introduction to Statute Law
An introduction to the process of legislation, the techniques of statutory interpretation and legislative drafting, the interaction with Case Law interpretation, and the impact of various other issues on interpretation principles and methods.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 121 or LAWS 124; (X) LAWS 111
tut tba
LAWS 124 – Introduction to New Zealand Legal System
An introduction to the New Zealand legal system and its relationship to government, Parliament and the Courts; the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in the legal system, and an introduction to the constitutional framework. An introduction to critical, theoretical and cultural perspectives on the legal system, including race and gender issues.
20 pts • (P) Enrolled as part of a formal twinning, articulation or dual degree arrangement or Head of School approval. (X) LAWS 111, LAWS 121
LAWS 211 – The Law of Contract
The general principles of the law of contract and agency.
30 pts • (P) Either (LAWS 121 (or 124), 122, 123) or LAWS 111; (C) LAWS 297
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 212 – The Law of Torts
General principles of civil liability. The law as to the various kinds of torts.
30 pts • (P) Either (LAWS 121 (or 124), 122, 123) or LAWS 111; (C) LAWS 297
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 213 – Public Law
The principles and the working of the Constitution, the institutions of government, the exercise of public power and relations between the citizen and the state. Controls on the exercise of public power, including an introduction to judicial review.
30 pts • (P) Either (LAWS 121 (or 124), 122, 123) or LAWS 111; (C) LAWS 297
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 214 – Criminal Law
The general principles of criminal liability. The law relating to indictable and other selected offences chargeable under New Zealand law. Procedure on indictment and summary procedure (excluding evidence). A test may be scheduled during the mid-year examination period.
30 pts • (P) Either (LAWS 121 (or 124), 122, 123) or LAWS 111; (C) LAWS 297
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 297 – Introduction to Legal Skills
This course has two parts: (1) it develops skills in (i) how to prepare legal opinions and solve posed legal problems, (ii) using legal databases, (iii) how to refer to and cite legal sources; (2) it provides practice in oral argument and the preparation of written submissions. Not available to non-LLB students.
10 pts • (P) Either (LAWS 121 (or 124), 122, 123) or LAWS 111; (C) at least one course from (LAWS 211, 212, 213, 214); (X) LAWS 298, 299
LAWS 301 – Property Law
The history and principles of the law relating to real and personal property; choses in action and their assignment. A test may be scheduled during the mid-year examination period.
30 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 211, LAWS 312; (X) LAWS 314
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 302 – Advanced Torts
An in-depth study of selected topics in the law of torts.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 212; (C) as for LAWS 306
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 303 – Advanced Contract
An in-depth study of selected topics and specialised contracts.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 211; (C) as for LAWS 306
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 304 – Unjust Enrichment
The history, theory and redress of restitutionary claims. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 211-214, 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 306 – Remedies
The award and enforcement of civil remedies such as damages, specific performance, injunctions, Anton Piller orders, Mareva injunctions and rectification.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 307 – Sentencing and Penal Policy
The administration, legal framework and structure of sentences. Sentencing practices and the implementation of penal policy.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) CRIM 312
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 308 – Advanced Criminal Law
An in-depth examination of selected topics in criminal law including specific offences. This course is taught by Professor A T H Smith.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 214; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 309 – The Criminal Justice Process
Examines a range of major issues in, and major institutions of, the criminal justice process: police; prosecution practice; and the trial and conviction process. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) CRIM 215, 311
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 310 – Youth Justice
An examination of how children and young persons interact with the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on New Zealand. Topics include the theoretical foundations of youth justice, the operation of the youth justice system, and children and young persons as victims and participants in the criminal process.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level pts including LAWS 214; (C) 60 further 200-level pts, LAWS 301; (X) LAWS 396 in 2010-12
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 312 – Equity, Trusts and Succession
An introduction to succession, trusts and the principles of equity, including the relationship between law and equity and an examination of the main equitable doctrines and remedies.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301; (X) LAWS 301, 305, 319 before 2011
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 313 – Ngā Tikanga Ture Māori – Māori Law
An introduction to Maori customary law and customary concepts.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 316 – Maori Land Law
An examination of rights in Maori land both pre- and post-Treaty; the history, functions, jurisdiction and procedure of the Maori Land Court; land claims and the Waitangi Tribunal; related legal issues.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 318 – Resource Management Law
An examination of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the legal framework for the sustainable management of natural and physical resources in New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 320 – Advanced Public Law
An in-depth study of selected issues concerning public powers and their impact in society.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 321 – Administrative Law
An overview of contemporary Administrative Law examining selected aspects of the controls on administrative action including judicial review. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 322 – Judicial Review
An examination of selected aspects of the statutory and common law grounds on which judicial control may be exercised over those who wield administrative powers. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301; (X) LAWS 321 prior to 2013
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 323 – Legislation
The legislative process, lobbying, drafting, presentation of legislation, statutory interpretation, delegated and subordinate legislation, codification, and implementation of international obligations.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 324 – Welfare Law
Legal and policy issues in major social welfare programmes, including social security, the benefit system, superannuation and the accident compensation system. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 325 – Environmental Law
Selected topics in environmental law including different approaches to environmental protection and regulation, the development of key principles in environmental law, and current issues.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 212; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301 or approval of the course coordinator
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 326 – Australian Public Law
An introduction to Australian constitutional and administrative law with particular reference to the distribution of power between the Commonwealth and states, and the separation of federal judicial power, including its impacts on the states.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 328 – Law of Privacy
An in-depth look at privacy law and confidentiality in New Zealand and overseas, with a particular focus on privacy and the media. Specific topics include: New Zealand tort of breach of privacy, English breach of confidence action, Privacy Act 1993, Broadcasting Standards Authority privacy principles, and theoretical dimensions of privacy.
15 pts • (P) as for LAWS 306; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 329 – Legal History
Historical and historiographical perspectives on selected topics in the legal history of New Zealand, the Pacific and England.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 330 – Jurisprudence
An introduction to the principal traditions, objectives and issues in European and Anglo-American jurisprudence, and a comparative introduction to Maori and indigenous jurisprudence.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 331 – Bill of Rights
Theory, practice and development of the New Zealand Bill of Rights, examined through selected topics.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 333 – Law and Sexuality
A study of the law as regulator and prescriber of human sexuality. Topics include the legal position of intersexuality, the extent to which the law operates to enforce heterosexuality, and queer theory as methodology and critique. Students will be divided into two separate seminar streams for the Thursday two-hour class after the mid-trimester break. Students applying to take this course need to be available at both the morning and afternoon seminar times on Thursday. Allocation into the seminar time will occur after enrolment in the course is approved.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 213, 214; (C) LAWS 211, 212, 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 334 – Ethics and the Law
Legal practitioners' ethical responsibilities to their clients, the profession, the organs of justice and society. Formal standards for professional ethics and the development of transcultural ethics, especially in relation to Maori.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 335 – Law and Economics
Basic concepts and methods of economic reasoning as applied to selected problems in public and civil law.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) ECON 330
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 336 – Special Topic: Trade Marks & Unfair Competition
A detailed consideration of the law of trade marks (including related unfair competition law). Topics covered include the scope of protection of trade marks as registered rights, the protection of geographical indications, the doctrine of passing off, mātauranga Māori and its relationship with trade mark law, relevant challenges in the online world; the protection of famous trade marks; international trade mark obligations and remedies for infringement of rights.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level pts (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level pts; LAWS 301, 312
LAWS 339 – Migration and Refugee Law
An introduction to New Zealand law relevant to nationality/citizenship, immigration and asylum, and to international law and principles surrounding displacement, asylum and statelessness; comparisons with other jurisdictions.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level pts; (C) 60 further 200-level pts, LAWS 301; (X) LAWS 397 in 2010-2012
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 340 – International Law
The theory and practice of international law with special reference to the sources of international law, and the concepts of sovereignty, use of force, jurisdiction, immunity and state responsibility.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 213; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 341 – International Institutions
The structure, functions and practice of international institutions with particular reference to the United Nations.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 340; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 342 – International Environmental Law
International environmental law with reference to global environmental problems including ozone depletion, climate change, biodiversity, drift net fishing, Antarctica and nuclear hazards.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 343 – International Human Rights
An overview of international human rights standards and issues relating to their effective international and domestic implementation.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301, 340
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 344 – Law of the Sea
The public international law that applies to the oceans: how states establish maritime boundaries, rights and duties that exist with regard to maritime zones, the resolution of disputes, and problems with the creation and enforcement of international law in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level pts; (C) 60 further 200-level pts, LAWS 301; (X) LAWS 390 2006-2010
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 345 – Comparative Law
Techniques and advantages of comparative legal research, and a general study of selected legal systems in their historical, political and socio-economic contexts.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 347 – Pacific Legal Studies
Selected topics on the legal systems of Pacific states including their historical development, the relationship of customs to imported and enacted law, and the implications of independence.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 350 – Introduction to Commercial Law
An introduction to the concepts and principles of the law relating to dealings between merchants (including financiers) for the supply of goods and services in the way of trade.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) COML 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 351 – Maritime Law
Civil admiralty jurisdiction and practice; selected maritime law topics including the carriage of goods by sea, and maritime liability regimes.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 211; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 352 – Banking and Finance Law
Selected topics on the regulation of banks, the banker and customer relationship, bankers' securities, documentary credits, lending and payment systems. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 353 – Intellectual Property
The law and indigenous treaty protection of trademarks, copyrights, patents and other types of intellectual property.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 211, 212 and 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 354 – International Trade Law
Selected topics on the law governing international economic regulation, including the World Trade Organization and regional trade agreements.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 355 – Employment Law
The law governing the relationship between employers and employees, individually and collectively, and their collective organisations; and selected aspects of the law governing the operation of workplaces.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 211; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301; (X) COML 302
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 356 – Competition Law
The law relating to restrictive practices and business acquisitions under the Commerce Act 1986.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) COML 304
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 357 – Consumer Law
The implementation of consumer law; methods of protection including self-regulation, licensing, quality control of goods and services; consumer information; redress; examination of legislation and reform.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) COML 205
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 358 – Insurance Law
An overview of insurance law examining selected issues of contemporary relevance.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 360 – Company and Partnership Law
An introduction to company and partnership law.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301; (X) COML 204, 303
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 362 – Insolvency Law
Pre-judgment and post-judgment remedies, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidations, administration and compromises.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 363 – Financial Markets Law
This course focuses on the law that applies when businesses raise money from the public. The laws relating to disclosure advertising, regulation of market services, trading in securities, insider trading, takeover regulation, and those relating to financial advice and the prudential supervision regime of the Reserve Bank will be discussed.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points including LAWS 211; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 365 – Elements of Taxation
An introduction to the principles of tax law with an emphasis on the core elements of income tax.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 367 – Special Topic: Mergers & Acquisitions
This course will introduce students to mergers and acquisitions with a particular focus on public market transactions. The course will be focused on applying legal principles to achieve commercial objectives. Commercial and strategic perspectives will be discussed alongside legal matters.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 211-214, 301
LAWS 370 – Family Law
Legal issues concerning families and relationships, care of children and guardianship, child abuse, family property, family violence, and the jurisdiction and functions of the Family Court.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 372 – Relationship Property
The law of relationship property with emphasis on separation, divorce and widowed parties.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 375 – International Litigation and Private International Law
Selected studies in the law governing civil and commercial relations and proceedings that transcend national boundaries, and the resolution of disputes.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 211, 212, 213, 214; (C) LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 379 – Dispute Resolution
An introduction to different forms of dispute resolution, in particular negotiation and mediation. This course aims to develop both theoretical and practical understanding of the various approaches to resolving disputes.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 380 – Evidence
Issues of the admissibility of evidence in a trial situation and burdens of proof.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301;
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 381 – Civil Procedure and Advocacy
Practice and procedure in civil actions; selected topics such as jurisdiction, parties, pleadings, service, pre-trial exchange of information, interlocutory applications, trial and appellate practice.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 382 – Criminal Procedure
The conduct of investigations (identification, interrogation and confessions) and the criminal trial including indictments, pre-trial motions and the judge/jury relationship.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 383 – Climate Change and the Law
This course focuses on legal and policy approaches to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. It examines the principle findings of climate science, global climate negotiations, and the current international legal agreements. It concludes with a comparative survey of national climate laws and policies, especially those in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 385 – Data Privacy
This course aims to provide students with a conceptual framework for examining data privacy laws in New Zealand and in other key jurisdictions, with a particular focus on the European Union. It explores the concept of privacy and its application to computer data. Then, it analyses international data privacy frameworks and New Zealand data privacy laws with the special emphasis on the Privacy Act 2020. It also discusses the newest Europe European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), new challenges to the existing laws, and trends in regulatory development. This will provide participants with skills to to work in positions related to data privacy / protection.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301, (X) LAWS 328, LAWS 392 in 2019-2023
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 386 – International Dispute Resolution
A course to familiarise students with the different facets of international dispute resolution and some substantive matters that are the subject of international dispute resolution, including Special Administrative Region of the PRC (Common Law) commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation, and international 'public' dispute resolution.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points; LAWS 301, (X) LAWS 393 in 2016-2020, 2022
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 387 – The Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi in NZ Law
This course examines Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi, in light of historical and contemporary legal issues and developments. A major objective of the course is to examine Māori perspectives of Te Tiriti Waitangi, and to explore Māori expectations of the Treaty relationship.
15 pts • (P) 20 LAWS 200-level pts; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level pts, LAWS 301, (X) LAWS 394 in 2017-2023
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 388 – Law of Armed Conflict
The course examines the law governing the conduct of hostilities once the decision to resort to orce has been taken. It covers the laws governing the means and methods of warfare and those regarding "protected" groups hors de combat in times of armed conflict and occupation.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level pts; (C) 60 further 200-level pts, LAWS 301 (X) LAWS 397 in 2020-2023
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 389 – Directed Individual Research
Independent research on a topic in a student's chosen field of law. A research proposal must be submitted 4-6 weeks before the start of the trimester. See prospectus for further details.
15 pts • (P) LAWS 301, 312; (X) LAWS 394 in 2009-2011, LAWS 489
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 390 – Special Topic: Business Law for Māori Organisations
The rules and customs governing how Māori organisations operate are becoming increasingly complex. What is the proper relationship between a post-settlement governance entity and its holding company? What influence should hapū members have over Māori freehold land that they whakapapa to but do not necessarily hold shares in? Should the Crown ressurect its proposals for a unique corporate structure for Māori organisations? This course examines some of the key rules and current issues affecting Māori organisations. Students are expected to engage with these rules and issues and propose their own solutions.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level pts; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301.
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 391 – Special Topic
To be confirmed.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further 200-level points, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 392 – Special Topic: Feminist Legal Theory
To be confirmed.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301.
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 393 – Special Topic: Chinese Legal Systems
This course discusses the distinctive legal systems and aspects of laws of three Chinese societies: the People’s Republic of China ('Socialist law with Chinese characteristics'), the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC (Common Law) and Taiwan (Civil Law).
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points; LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 394 – Special Topic
To be confirmed.
15 pts • (P) 20 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301.
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 395 – Special Topic: Media Law
The course deals with many areas of media law and important topics such as defamation, privacy, contempt of court, breach of confidence, trespass, access to information under the Official Information Act, broadcasting standards and regulation (to the extent there is any) of the new media.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 396 – ST: Legal Issues in the Pacific
Pacific people and legal identity are the critical study of legal systems and issues within the Pacific region. This course provides students with the opportunity to build a comprehensive understanding and undertake research of importance to the Pacific region. It will provide students with an introduction to Pacific indigeneity and current challenges in the region.
15 pts • (P) 60 LAWS 200-level points; (C) 60 further LAWS 200-level points, LAWS 301
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 431 – ST: Indigenous Peoples Intellectual Property
This course looks at Indigenous intellectual property in the international context. Examples will be discussed from different countries. Co-taught with LAWS 531.
10 pts
Not offered in 2025
LAWS 432 – Special Topic: Law and Technology
tbc Co-taught with LAWS 532.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 433 – Special Topic: Comparative Human Rights
This course focuses on the legal protection of human rights in New Zealand, in cognate common law jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, at international law, and under regional instruments such as the European Convention on Human Rights. Co-taught with LAWS 533.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 435 – Special Topic: Restorative Justice
tbc Co-taught with LAWS 535.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 438 – Special Topic: Fraud and Corruption in an International Context
This course will illustrate, analyse, and evaluate patterns of fraud and corruption in international context. Participants will be given the opportunity by the means of case studies to develop an understanding how fraud and corruption takes place in the context of budget spending of international organisations and Governments. Students will be introduced to evaluation techniques into fraud patterns. Students will be able to determine ways of lawful evidence collection and to calculate damages deriving from fraudulent and corruptive activities. Further, participants will be able to select the appropriate follow up measure(s), such as judicial, administrative, and financial. Co-taught with LAWS 538.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 439 – Special Topic: Construction Law
The course will follow a construction project from conception through to completion. Students will gain insights into the detailed treatment of legal issues specific to construction law such as variations, quality, time and payment. The course will cover the statutory and regulatory framework for the building and construction sector, the relationships between participants in the industry, including analysis of common issues that building and construction projects face. Co-taught with LAWS 539.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 440 – Special Topic: Civil Remedies
Choice of remedy is often an overlooked part of litigation. It can raise not only difficult legal challenges, but also tactical and strategic issues. Remedies are a critical part of obtaining the outcome a party seeks. This course is designed to give students an understanding of the main remedies which are available in civil litigation and to discuss current issues with particular remedies, along with practical application of that remedy. Co-taught with LAWS 540.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 441 – Special Topic: Negotiation and Mediation
TBC. Co-taught with LAWS 541.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 442 – Special Topic: Health Law
The course looks at health issues from conception and birth through to death. It deals with the regulation of health professionals and the rights of patients. The restructuring of the health system, pandemics and legislation on therapeutic products are among recent issues. Topics may be looked at from a comparative angle and exploration of ethical issues is encouraged. Co-taught with LAWS 542.
10 pts • (X) LAWS 442/542 in 2017, LAWS 431/531 in 2021
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 446 – Special Topic: The Legal World of Small States
Small states make up the majority of UN member states. Small states are incredibly diverse, with greatly varying sizes, populations, economies, natural resources, and vulnerabilities. The unofficial category of “small states” (less than 1.5 million citizens) includes some of the most and least developed nations in the world, resource-rich and resource scarce countries, and both island and landlocked states. Given this, the priorities and perspectives of small states can be as diverse as their characteristics. However, they are united in facing the same challenges due to their size. Legal solutions have to reflect the uniqueness of small states but at the same time connect them and make them globally competitive. Co-taught with LAWS 546.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 447 – Special Topic: Financial Markets Regulation
Study of current issues in financial markets regulation in New Zealand. Co-taught with LAWS 547.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 448 – Special Topic: TBC
TBC. Co-taught with LAWS 548.
10 pts
^ Limited entry course
LAWS 489 – Research Essay
15 pts • (X) LAWS 389.
Linguistics
See also Applied Linguistics and TESOL
LING 227 – Syntax and Morphology
Every language is a system that conveys thoughts and meaning through a set of grammatical rules. Learning to break down the construction of words and sentences, you’ll discover the universal grammar behind human language. This course introduces standard tools and diagnostic tests for analysing sentence structure. We will look at data from various languages and identify universality and differences in their grammatical design.
20 pts • (P) LING 111 or 30 pts approved by Programme Director
LING 228 – Phonetics and Phonology
This course introduces important phenomena and types of analysis in phonetics and phonology, i.e. speech sounds and sound systems found in the world’s languages. Students will learn how to carry out acoustic analysis of speech using speech software, and how to use this analysis in speech research. They will learn about how our understanding of the patterns of sounds found in different languages has evolved over time and why.
20 pts • (P) LING 111
Literary and Creative Communication
LCCM 171 – The Art of Writing: Literary and Creative Communication
Even in a modern world dominated by visual and digital media, written communication remains the most essential and powerful tool not only in the university but in all social and professional contexts. This course draws on traditions of literary and creative writing to teach the skills of imaginative and persuasive written and oral communication. You will analyse and create personal, creative, critical, and multimodal texts which may include the speech, the essay, the review, poetry, transcultural writing, and performance.
20 pts
LCCM 172 – Reading and Writing Poetry
The course teaches skills in both critical and creative reading and writing, through engagement with a wide range of poetry. You will explore the effects of concision, ornament, sentence structure, repetition, metre and form.
20 pts • (X) ENGL 172, FHSS 101 (2016–2018)
LCCM 271 – Literature and Journalism
This course explores the relationship between English literature and journalism from the 18th to the 21st century. It considers questions of fact and fiction, objectivity, and style, across a range of genres. Students have the opportunity to produce creative work as part of the assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA points; (X) ENGL 248 2017- 2018
LCCM 272 – The Art of the Essay: Critical, Public, Personal
Not merely a tool of academic assessment, the essay is an art form with a long and rich history in English and other literatures. This course analyses classic essays from the Renaissance to the 21st century, and uses these as models for students' own writing practice in both critical and personal essays in both traditional print and digital media.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA points
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 273 – Digital Oceania: Writing the Pacific
The proliferation of digital media is pushing the boundaries of literary and creative communication in Oceania. This course is grounded in the digital and environmental humanities as it asks students to navigate Indigenous transformations of writing in Oceania. You will engage with digital modes of publication, including the phenomena of digital poetry, podcasts, virtual worlds, online communities, and online activism. You will hear from digital storytelling and archival experts, collaborate using digital tools, and develop your own creative and critical approaches to these literatures.
20 pts • (P) 40 BC or BA pts
LCCM 310 – Special Topic:To be confirmed
This course will be a workshop-based seminar that explores how different forms of creative nonfiction and personal writing respond to contemporary issues, likely with a focus on the environment. Students will read a range of model forms and be supported to develop their own writing practice.
20 pts
LCCM 371 – Public Writing
In this course you will connect your literary and creative communication skills to writing that addresses the public sphere(s). You will look at classic and contemporary examples of public and political writing, from Wollstonecraft and Orwell to Te Punga Somerville and Teaiwa. You will also create your own advocacy projects, as you explore literary forms, rhetorical strategies, and linguistic devices frequently used when engaging with public audiences.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 372 – Forms of Creative Communication: The Essay at Large
Developing the themes of LCCM 272 The Art of the Essay, this course offers advanced critical analysis and creative practice of more specialised forms of non-fictional written communication. Topics include digital writing (from the tweet to the multi-part serial essay literary journalism (profiles, opinion pieces, arts and media reviewing), travel writing, popular science writing, and (auto)biography. The course will include guest contributions from creative professionals and public intellectuals from outside the university.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from the BC or BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
LCCM 373 – Te Mata o te Pene: Māori Writing in English
Māori writers, leaders, and intellectuals have engaged with and in English for over two centuries. In this course, you will explore the interweaving of Māori literary concepts and the English language across fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. This course centres Māori critical and theoretical perspectives on writing in English and literature's role in Māori creative arts.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from the BC or BA (A) schedule
Management
MGMT 101 – Introduction to Management
This introductory course in management offers a broad perspective on modern management in the business, public and voluntary sectors, and examines key issues likely to face managers in the near future.
15 pts
tut tba
FCOM 204 – Sustainability, Business, Society
This course examines the concept of sustainability in the context of societal and business value shifts. Problem-based learning approaches are utilised to explore interplays among sustainability dimensions - economic, socio-cultural and environmental – and operationalisations from perspectives such as information systems, marketing and public policy.
15 pts • (P) 30 points (X) FCOM 201 in 2020-2021
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 202 – Organisational Behaviour
An exploration of a knowledge base to enable students to better understand, work with and manage people in organisational settings, comprising insights into facets of human behaviour in organisations.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 101
tut tba
MGMT 205 – Strategic Management
This course provides participants with a working understanding of classic frameworks in strategic management and introduces a selection of new thinking in this area.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 101
tut tba
MGMT 206 – Systems Thinking and Decision Making
An examination of various approaches to understanding and improving managerial decision making, challenging students to think systemically about complex issues that confront managers when managing change, resources or processes, and in general, managing situations where events unfold over time.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts
tut tba
MGMT 208 – Operations Management
The course introduces students to the processes, supply chains and operational systems that determine the value added by an organisation’s primary products and services. It prepares future managers across every sector of the economy for leading, organising, planning and controlling operations and services resources, planning and controlling operations and services resources,
15 pts • (P) MGMT 101, QUAN 102; (X) MGMT 314
MGMT 210 – Ethical Leadership
An introduction to the theories and practices of ethical leadership with a focus on organisations. Drawing on New Zealand case studies, students will learn about the meaning and importance of ethical leadership for organisations, recognise the role of ethics in organisational decision-making and analyse the actions of leaders from an ethical perspective. Recognised leaders in NZ will share insights about ethical leadership in practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts (X) MGMT 250 in 2019-2021
MGMT 211 – Sustainability and the SDGs in Business
The concept of sustainability will be critically examined with reference to different business sectors to establish its role as a foundation for sustainable business development. The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be unpacked and critiqued as a framework for a more sustainable future. Throughout the course a range of perspectives on sustainability and the SDGs will be explored including tangata whenua, business, government and third sector.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts
MGMT 302 – Consultancy Project
Put your management knowledge into practice by partnering with a business or organisation to tackle a real-life business challenge. Guided by a problem-based learning approach, you’ll collaborate as consultants to investigate an applied problem, develop solutions, and recommend further action. The course includes workshops to develop your consultancy, teamwork, presentation, and report writing skills, and with opportunities for reflection and feedback, you’ll enhance your career opportunities.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points (X) TOUR 302
MGMT 303 – Event Management
Events offer economic, social, and environmental opportunities and challenges for the organisations and communities that host and manage them. You will explore sustainability and green events, how to influence the behaviour of event attendees, and why it’s important to create lasting legacies from hosting mega events. Examples include international music festivals, sporting world cups, and cultural events like Te Matatini and the Pasifika Festival. The course includes collaboration with an event on real-world management challenges like recruiting sponsors and volunteers, and and you’ll get insight into working in the events sector.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points; (X) TOUR 303
MGMT 305 – Experience Design
This course provides a theoretical and practical understanding of experiences within areas such as commerce, businesses, and tourism. Drawing upon design thinking, customer journey mapping, and experiences' embeddedness within social and cultural fabrics, operational and managerial implications for designing experience are also learnt.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 307 – Entrepreneurship in Practice
The course will focus on how to help people and communities generate value by seizing opportunities to solve commercial, social, environmental, or civic problems. It provides an introduction to the concepts and capabilities necessary to develop new ideas into products and services and will emphasise business model development, validation processes and techniques, and design and execution. During the course, student learning is reinforced by students testing out their own new venture ideas.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts
MGMT 308 – Supply Chain and Logistics Management
Supply chain logistics management is positioned as a value-adding process that achieves time and place synchronisation of demand stimulation, order fulfilment and plays a critical role in developing and implementing a firm’s effective supply chain strategy. This course will examine the key concepts and emerging research techniques utilised in addressing integrative managerial issues and challenges related to logistics operations and the impact on global supply chains. Emphasis will be placed on real challenges in providing a supply chain facility network design, risk management, integrated performance management for various dynamic operations in procurement, manufacturing and market distribution.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 208; (X) MGMT 314
MGMT 310 – Competitive Advantage
Why are some companies consistently profitable while others aren’t? How can other firms catch up? This course examines strategies and sources of competitive and cooperative advantage, including their values and resources, business models, coopetition, multi-point competition, and the sustainability of advantages. Also considered is the evolution of competitive capabilities over time, particularly in the Aotearoa New Zealand context, and implications for stakeholder relationships.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 205 or IBUS 205 or IBUS 212
MGMT 311 – Knowledge Management
An examination of major themes in the strategic management of knowledge including building and acquiring knowledge as well as transferring and transforming knowledge to enhance the organisation's competitiveness. Issues related to different types of knowledge, where knowledge resides in an organisation and how it can be managed are addressed. Relationships between knowledge management and learning and innovation are also considered.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from MGMT 200-299
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 312 – Sustainable Operations
The course addresses sustainable operations management as the pursuit of social, economic and environmental objectives, the triple bottom line, within operations of a specific firm and operational linkages that extend beyond the firm to include the supply chain and communities. The course further examines why global business have adopted key strategies and operational tactics for continuously improving the quality and managing the social, environmental, and economic impact and how they operationalise them to achieve long-term sustainability.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 208 or (QUAN 102 and one of MGMT 205, 206, 211)
tut tba
MGMT 313 – Operations Strategy
The nature of operations and supply chain strategy in an interconnected, globalised world. The application of concepts and frameworks to describe the strategy of selected organisations. especially as regards their use of process technology. The use of a 'strategy matrix' (market requirements vs resource capabilities) to analyse exemplary organisations.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 205 or 206 or 208
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 314 – Operations and Supply Chain Management
The course examines and analyses the processes, supply chains and operational systems that determine the value added by a firm’s primary products and services. It prepares future managers across every sector of the economy to lead, organise, plan and control a set of resources, in pursuit of identified goals.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 206
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 315 – Business Dynamics
An exploration of ways of using systems thinking and modelling approaches to understand and improve complex organisational and managed systems; an examination of the dynamic behaviour of systems and the development of policies and strategies emphasising the use of state of the art systems modelling software.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 208 or (MGMT 206, QUAN 102)
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 316 – Decision Modelling for Managers
An examination of selected managerial problem structuring methodologies and analytic approaches to decision-making, emphasising an applied computer-oriented approach, and the development of decision-making, problem-solving and judgmental skills, particularly for situations involving risk and uncertainty. The course involves the development of algorithms and building of computer models.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 208 or (MGMT 206, QUAN 102)
tut tba
MGMT 317 – Leading Innovation
This course adopts a project-based approach to understanding processes for innovation and change, emphasising organisational dimensions and exploring features of new venture and new product development, intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, and organisational development and change.
15 pts • (P) 15 200-level MGMT pts
tut tba
MGMT 318 – Organisational Analysis and Design
A macro-level perspective on organisational behaviour focusing primarily on issues such as organisational structure and design, organisational culture and power. This course adopts a multi-perspective, multi-paradigm approach to understanding and managing organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 202
Not offered in 2025
MGMT 319 – Sport Management
An examination of the structure, administration, planning and promotion of sport at the international, national, regional and local levels with special reference to the management of sporting clubs and associations.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts
tut tba
MGMT 321 – Organisations and Ethics
Organisations, leaders, and employees can face complex ethical decisions in the workplace. This course critically examines the role of ethics in developing successful organisations (and successful individuals). We explore how to identify ethical dilemmas, different approaches for resolving them, and debate competing ethical perspectives using real world case studies. Students will come away with a deeper understanding of the complexity and and causes of ethical dilemmas, unethical behaviour, and and tools for guiding their own and others' ethical behaviour at work.
15 pts • (P) MGMT 202 or 210
MGMT 322 – Organisational Communication, People Analytics and Digital Innovation
Digital technologies have brought technology and communication theory together to improve how organisations understand their people. These include software and devices that track where people go, who they interact with and their levels of engagement. In this course we will investigate organisational communication theory, the digital solutions that draw upon this theory and the ethical implications of adopting these solutions. We will then apply our learning to a case-study provided by a workplace partner.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts; (X) MGMT 350 in 2019-2021
Maori Studies
MAOR 101 – Te Tīmatanga/Introduction to Māori Language
This course is an introduction to the Māori language for those who have little or no previous experience of the Māori language or culture. In MAOR 101 students work to develop a foundation of basic Māori language speaking, reading and writing skills, approximately equivalent to NCEA Level 1. The course covers the fundamentals of Māori pronunciation, learning vocabulary and basic sentence structures, karakia, waiata, and mihimihi.
20 pts
tut tba
MAOR 102 – Te Arumanga/Elementary Māori Language
This course is designed for students with some basic Māori language experience, and extends upon the foundations laid in MAOR 101. In MAOR 102, students work to improve their oral and written Māori language competence, reaching a level approximately equivalent to NCEA Level 3. Students are introduced to new vocabulary and extend their knowledge of the structures of te reo Māori, and begin to engage in basic conversations on everyday topics.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 101 or passed NCEA Level 2 Māori or equivalent to allow for sufficient Māori language training
tut tba
MAOR 103 – Whakakokoi Mātauranga / Academic Skills A
MAOR 103 is a course tailored to the Tohu Māoritanga programme for Tohu students who are enrolled in a 20-point degree related course. It introduces students to competencies needed for University such as critical thinking, academic writing, independent learning, personal management, note making, goal setting, presentations and library skills. Students will also learn to read academic texts, and follow ethical study practices. Essential computing skills are also covered and students will develop and refine their own study strategies. Co-taught with MAOR 104.
20 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School; (X) MAOR 003, 104
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 104 – Whakakokoi Mātauranga / Academic Skills B
MAOR 104 is a course tailored to the Tohu Māoritanga programme for Tohu students who are enrolled in a 15-point degree related course. It introduces students to competencies needed for University such as critical thinking, academic writing, independent learning, personal management, note making, goal setting, presentations and library skills. Students will also learn to read academic texts, and follow ethical study practices. Essential computing skills are also covered and students will develop and refine their own study strategies. Co-taught with MAOR 103.
25 pts • (P) permission of Head of School; (X) MAOR 003, 103
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 111 – Wana te Wanawana/Māori Language 1A
This course focuses upon developing a foundation of tertiary level Māori language learning and academic skills. Throughout MAOR 111 students will work to develop oral and aural confidence in te reo Māori. They will also encounter a range of Māori language literature, and will work to expand their vocabulary and develop accuracy in reading and writing in te reo Māori. Students with NCEA Level 2, Sixth Form Certificate, NCEA Level 3, University Entrance Māori or an equivalent should begin with this course. This course includes a noho marae component.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 102 preferred, or equivalent elementary knowledge
MAOR 112 – Wanawana te Tū / Māori Language 1B
This course focuses upon further developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in te reo Māori. There is a focus upon oral performance. Students will further develop their language proficiency by beginning to evaluate, edit, and critically analyse their use of te reo Māori. They will begin to develop awareness of register and formality in te reo Māori.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 111
MAOR 123 – Te Iwi Māori me āna Tikanga/Māori Society and Culture
This course introduces students to a broad range of Māori beliefs, concepts and structures that are important to the foundations and development of Māori society and culture. The course will cover aspects of pre-European Māori society, cultural change, present-day developments as well as visions for the future.
20 pts
tut tba
MAOR 126 – He Herenga Tāngata / Engaging with Māori in Professional Practice
This course prepares students to deal with the opportunities and nuances of engaging with the Māori world and Māori communities in professional practice. It provides a broad introduction to te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a focus on decolonisation, partnership between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti, and implications for professional practice in Aotearoa.
20 pts
MAOR 202 – Te Pūtaiao Māori/Māori Science
Māori have always been scientists and this science enabled them to adapt to, survive and thrive in the landscape of Aotearoa. This course examines how, by looking at mātauranga and pūtaiao Māori (Māori knowledge and science) in both traditional and contemporary contexts. It examines the differences and similarities similarities between Western and Māori ways of knowing. Workshops and field trips on topics such as hangarau (technology) and rongoa (medicine) allow students to engage with mātauranga and pūtaiao in practical ways.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts; (X) MAOR124
MAOR 203 – Te Taunaha Whenua/Mapping Whenua
How do Māori view and map whenua and how has this changed over time? In this course you will learn how different mapping traditions in Aotearoa New Zealand have influenced and impacted on Māori relationships with lands, waterways and seas. Through practical exercises in workshops and in field, you will learn about places of significance to Māori, and gain technical skills to map these, highlighting tangata whenua interests in land.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts; (X) MAOR 210 2011–2014
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 204 – He Pā Mataora / A Living Pā
Māori communities are balancing cultural and environmental responsibilities to look after Papatūānuku, adapt to climate change, and live and prosper more sustainably. Drawing on mātauranga Māori and learnings from the Living Pā building process, He Pā Mataora is about finding practical ways to truly live by Māori principles and Tiriti obligations, learn from the past, understand how tupuna Māori lived through previous environmental challenges, and work towards a pae tawhiti (future) of living lightly. This course is first offered in 2026.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 211 – Tū Te Wana Wana/Māori Language 2A
This Māori language course extends oral, aural, reading and writing skills, with a particular focus on the relationship between language and Māori worldviews. It develops these language skills by drawing on literature from a range of time periods and genres, including narratives contained within Te Tumu Herenga Waka. Kīwaha (colloquialisms), whakataukī/whakatauākī (aphorisms) and mita (dialect) are examined in developing creative writing abilities.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 112
tut tba
MAOR 213 – Te Kawa o te Marae/Marae Etiquette and Protocols
This course examines the Maori rituals and customs that govern the processes and functions of the marae. It examines the theoretical and practical application of kawa (protocols) of the marae, in both a traditional and contemporary context. Attendance is required at a noho marae (approximate cost $15.00).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 111, 112, 123; (X) MAOR 001, 801
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 216 – Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi
This course examines Te Tiriti o Waitangi/ The Treaty of Waitangi, developing an understanding of its impact on the people of Aotearoa from its conception to the current day and beyond.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts
tut tba
MAOR 217 – Te Pūwhenuatanga o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa / The Peopling of Polynesia
This course focuses on Polynesian origins in the Pacific with special emphasis on the settlement of New Zealand and the development of Māori culture. It draws on archaeological, linguistic, traditional and other forms of evidence. There is an optional field trip (cost to be advised).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 123 or HIST 112 or PASI 101 or GLBL 101 (X) MAOR 122
MAOR 218 – Tirohanga Ahumahi / Sustainable Māori Economies
This course applies a tikanga lens to explore sustainable aspects of the Māori economy, business and investment. Students will consider practical examples of how tikanga works in theory and practice, the impact on whānau, hapū and iwi, and the implications for Aotearoa New Zealand. They will also investigate the structures and entities that Māori businesses use, learn how decisions are made, and consider other indigenous approaches.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts
MAOR 221 – Tū Tū Te Wana/Māori Language 2B
This Māori language course further extends oral, aural, reading and writing skills, with a particular focus on modern language contexts. It draws on a number of literary genres and situations that develop an understanding of language acquisition and use in modern contexts. Kīwaha (colloquialisms), whakataukī/whakatauākī (aphorisms) and mita (dialect) are further extended for modern use. Translation theories are also examined in the development of modern language corpora.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
tut tba
MAOR 222 – Te Aukorimiha, Te Auripomiha o te Reo/The Social and Political Development of the Māori Language
MAOR 222 explores the socio-linguistic landscapes related to language revitalisation, planning and policy. The course also probes the current climate of Māori language revitalisation and the impact different initiatives have made on the social and political development of the language.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts
tut tba
MAOR 301 – He Mana Taiao, He Ritenga Tangata/ Māori Resource Management
This course starts by looking at Māori ownership and mana over environmental resources and some of the challenges presented by the Crown to that mana. It moves to examine the current laws which govern Māori land and resources such as the Resource Management Act and the Local Government Act. The course then explores how iwi are balancing economic development and environmental concerns in the development of specific resources such as oil, freshwater and fisheries and how this is unique in a post- settlement context. It also looks to the international context and asks what Māori resource management has in common with the management practices of other indigenous peoples.
20 pts • (P) 20 points in a MAOR 200-level course or GLBL 201 (X) MAOR 215
MAOR 302 – Te Pūmoto o te Tangata Whenua, o te Taiao/ Indigenous Knowledge and Science
What can Māori learn from other Indigenous peoples? In this course, students explore how Indigenous knowledge and ‘Western’ science work against, with or independent of each other and look at examples of how science contributes to Indigenous development. This international approach fosters cross-cultural communication skills, sharing of theory and practice, and comparative analysis of the situations of Indigenous peoples in global contexts.
20 pts • (P) 20 MAOR 200-level pts, or MAOR 124 or GLBL 201
MAOR 308 – Māori Media
This course examines the idea of Māori media from a range of perspectives. Broadly defined, Māori media includes the creative works of Māori media practitioners; however, the course also examines representations of te ao Māori more generally. Drawing from resources and methodologies from the fields of Māori Studies and Media Studies, this course considers how Māori media poses a challenge to current thinking about media practices and processes.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from GLBL 201, MDIA 200-299 or MAOR 212-299 (D) MDIA 308
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 311 – Tiri Te Wana Wana/Māori Language 3
In this course students test their advanced Māori language oral, aural, reading and writing skills, through engaging in a variety of advanced level Māori language tasks. This includes delving into the use of figurative language (kōrero whakaniko) and colloquialisms (kīwaha) and discussing and analysing examples of literature rich in these language features. Students are also challenged to demonstrate their competence in te reo Māori through debating current issues related to te reo and te ao Māori, and crafting quality translations with sensitivity to key translation principles and language features such as subtlety, formality, and grammatical accuracy.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
MAOR 313 – Ngā Tikanga Tuku Iho/Māori Customary Concepts
This course aims to develop student insight and understanding of the nature of both traditional and contemporary Māori culture, society and politics through critical analysis of concepts such as utu, muru, raupatu, rahui and tapu.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MAOR 213-217 or GLBL 201
MAOR 316 – Te Mana me te Rangatiratanga/Māori Politics
This online course examines a range of Māori political structures, movements, ideologies and visions. Students will also explore Māori politics in relation to Pacific and international Indigenous contexts. The themes covered in the course include Tino Rangatiratanga and Sovereignty, nationalism, Liberal democracy, Local governance, Iwi governance, Pacific and Indigenous contexts. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in KAIT, INTP or POLS.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 216 (X) POLS 316
MAOR 321 – Te Reo Karanga, Te Reo Whaikōrero/The Language of Karanga and Whaikōrero
This course examines the classical language of the Māori with an emphasis on the composition of original narrative and lyrical material. Attendance is required at a noho marae (approximate cost $15.00).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 311
MAOR 322 – Te Tāhū o te Reo/Topics in the Structure of Māori Language
This course provides an introduction to linguistic themes and the linguistic description of the Māori language, through the medium of te reo Māori, for competent Māori speakers. It concentrates on the analysis of the structure of Māori sentences and the critical analysis of elements of grammar fundamental to the fabric of the Māori language. MAOR 322 focuses on aspects of linguistic themes and concepts particularly relevant to speakers of Māori, including language change.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
Not offered in 2025
Marketing
MARK 101 – Principles of Marketing
This is an introduction to marketing with a strategic customer/client focus in commercial, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. You will be equipped to create a marketing plan based on competitive market analysis, consumer insights, innovative product development, and communication. Summer CRN 19872 is offered by distance mode.
15 pts
tut tba
MARK 201 – Digital Marketing Management
Digital marketing is central to business, governance and communication. We’ll apply theory to real companies to strategise, manage and optimise media (for example, web pages, search engine marketing, advertising), social media, analytics, content management, and mobile marketing.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101
MARK 202 – Consumer Behaviour
Consumers are at the heart of marketing activity and understanding them is paramount. In this course we examine how consumers make decisions and consume across contexts from media to products, services, ideas and experiences. You will learn the psychology of consumer behaviour and how social groups influence consumer choice.
15 pts • (P) MARK101
tut tba
MARK 203 – Market Research
Data-informed decisions are essential elements in marketing strategy formulation. Market research is one of the most effective ways to provide such insights and knowledge. This course provides a hands-on approach to experience both qualitative and quantitative market research. Course topics will cover the key role of formulating research problems as well as collecting, analysing and interpreting information to support marketing decision making.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101, QUAN 102 (or MATH 177 or STAT 193)
tut tba
MARK 211 – Crisis Communication
Companies and organisations face crises that can cause harm to stakeholders and damage their reputation. This course explores theories and research related to communication before, during, and after a crisis. Course topics will cover a wide range of crises including organisational crises, product harm crises, natural disasters, and pandemics.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101
Not offered in 2025
MARK 212 – Marketing for Health
Consumer interest in health and wellness continues to grow providing significant marketing opportunities for companies to meet consumer needs. This course introduces students to the marketing of health and wellness services and products. It explores emerging issues in marketing for health, communicating for health literacy, healthcare servicescapes and brand communication. Students apply current theory and creativity to develop a marketing plan for health and wellness.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101 or 30 HLWB points (X) MARK 215 in 2018, 2019, 2021
MARK 213 – Strategic Public Relations
In an era of mis-/disinformation and social media, effective public relations have never been more critical for organisations worldwide. This course provides a sound understanding of the core concepts and theories pertaining to public relations. It examines the various stakeholder groups and explores how public relations can be successfully applied to risk, crisis, reputation, and brand management. Students will get the opportunity to explore the world of public relations practice and work on real cases.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101
MARK 301 – Marketing Communications
Every day consumers are exposed to a myriad of marketing messages. Students will apply the latest theory to traditional and digital techniques to connect businesses with consumers, and enable social or political change. Students will deliver marketing communications solutions for a real company that builds value for the brand.
15 pts • (P) MARK 201; 30 pts from MARK 202, 203, 211-213, IBUS 212
MARK 302 – International Marketing
Companies and organisations face challenges to effectively market their products and services overseas. course applies marketing concepts to the international arena and examines some of the major issues and decisions faced by New Zealand companies and organisations in marketing their goods and services abroad.
15 pts • (P) (MARK 201, 202, 203) or (IBUS 201, pass or concurrent enrolment in 15 IBUS 300-level pts)
tut tba
MARK 303 – Strategic Marketing Management
This capstone course is the consolidation of marketing knowledge and experience. Students will develop a marketing strategy and implementation plan using a strategic framework that places customers at the centre of enterprise activity. Students wil work with a real company to develop a longer-term marketing strategy.
15 pts • (P) MARK 301; MARK 202, 203; 15 further 300-level MARK pts
MARK 304 – Tourism Marketing
Tourism is a unique, experience-based, intangible context for marketing. In this course students learn to develop and implement a creative, research-informed tourism marketing plan to solve key problems for tourist destinations, packages, and services.
15 pts • (P) MARK 201 or TOUR 201 (X) MARK 214
MARK 315 – Services Marketing
Service organisations and their brands are a major part of everyday life. Services marketing makes a key unique contribution to building productivity and resilience in the rapidly growing service sector. Students will examine core principles, concepts and marketing strategies specific to services. They will also explore the important role of the customer in determining service outcomes through engagement and value creation.
15 pts • (P) MARK 202
Not offered in 2025
MARK 316 – Marketing for Social Good
Using marketing concepts and techniques, social marketing implements programmes to bring about individual and social change for good. This course introduces students to principles, frameworks and challenges in social marketing including the social marketing toolkit, competitive analysis, and ethical challenges.
15 pts • (P) MARK 202 and 15 further 200-level MARK pts
MARK 319 – Special Topic: Marketing for Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) play a vital role in providing a a framework for meeting the needs of people and the planet. This course explores how marketing and marketplace exchanges can align with the UNSDGs to contribute to meeting the societal needs in a changing environment. It applies a marketing mindset to the UNSDGs including how marketing can manage resources for all humans through marketing of goods and services in a fair and sustainable manner.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from MARK 202, MARK 212, MARK 213 or as approved by the course coordinator
MARK 321 – Retail Marketing
Students will examine the nature and scope of marketing in the retail environment, both online and offline. Topics include e-tailing, branding, omnichannel retailing, digital marketing, concept stores, retail disruption, and consumer trends.
15 pts • (P) MARK 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
MARK 323 – Brand Management
Every day consumers are surrounded by thousands of products and services. Branding helps them make risk-reduced purchasing decisions. This course adopts a strategic emphasis in building, measuring and managing brand equity, along with the evaluation of brands and their lifecycles.
15 pts • (P) MARK 201 (X) MARK 319 in 2018 - 2021
Marketing Communication
MARK 211 – Crisis Communication
Companies and organisations face crises that can cause harm to stakeholders and damage their reputation. This course explores theories and research related to communication before, during, and after a crisis. Course topics will cover a wide range of crises including organisational crises, product harm crises, natural disasters, and pandemics.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101
Not offered in 2025
MARK 212 – Marketing for Health
Consumer interest in health and wellness continues to grow providing significant marketing opportunities for companies to meet consumer needs. This course introduces students to the marketing of health and wellness services and products. It explores emerging issues in marketing for health, communicating for health literacy, healthcare servicescapes and brand communication. Students apply current theory and creativity to develop a marketing plan for health and wellness.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101 or 30 HLWB points (X) MARK 215 in 2018, 2019, 2021
MARK 213 – Strategic Public Relations
In an era of mis-/disinformation and social media, effective public relations have never been more critical for organisations worldwide. This course provides a sound understanding of the core concepts and theories pertaining to public relations. It examines the various stakeholder groups and explores how public relations can be successfully applied to risk, crisis, reputation, and brand management. Students will get the opportunity to explore the world of public relations practice and work on real cases.
15 pts • (P) MARK 101
IBUS 303 – Contemporary Issues in International Business
This course explores the current international business issues as highlighted in business-related press, and managerial and academic publications. Students will develop critical thinking capabilities; identify and evaluate research themes that are relevant to international business managers and academics.
15 pts • (P) IBUS 201, 212 or 30 300-level BCom points; (X) IBUS 308 in 2018-2021
MARK 323 – Brand Management
Every day consumers are surrounded by thousands of products and services. Branding helps them make risk-reduced purchasing decisions. This course adopts a strategic emphasis in building, measuring and managing brand equity, along with the evaluation of brands and their lifecycles.
15 pts • (P) MARK 201 (X) MARK 319 in 2018 - 2021
Mathematics
See also Logic and Computation
DATA 101 – Introduction to Data Science
We live in an increasingly data-driven world with the volume of data generated annually following a roughly exponential trend. Data scientists find themselves in high demand because of their skills to derive valuable insights from data. But what exactly do they do? This course provides an overview of data science. You will gain an understanding of the skill set that data scientists possess. This includes understanding data sources and types, data wrangling, data visualisation, modelling, and communicating results. Aspects of privacy law and Māori data sovereignty relevant to data science are also introduced.
15 pts
ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 123 – Engineering Mathematics with Logic and Statistics
Mathematical techniques employed by cybersecurity and software engineers, including combinatorics, logic, probability distributions, model fitting and estimation. The course emphasises engineering applications.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121; (X) the pair MATH 161, (MATH 177, QUAN 102 or STAT 193)
MATH 132 – Introduction to Mathematical Thinking
This course provides an introduction to, or review of, fundamental skills and ideas in mathematics. The course is designed for students who require some mathematics in their degree, but who may not have a lot of mathematical experience. Topics include elementary arithmetic, algebra, coordinate geometry, and functions. There is an emphasis on mathematical ideas and how they have evolved: the goal is not only to apply mathematical tools correctly, but to understand them.
15 pts • (X) ENGR 121-123, MATH 100-199, QUAN 111
MATH 132 – Introduction to Mathematical Thinking
This course provides an introduction to, or review of, fundamental skills and ideas in mathematics. The course is designed for students who require some mathematics in their degree, but who may not have a lot of mathematical experience. Topics include elementary arithmetic, algebra, coordinate geometry, and functions. There is an emphasis on mathematical ideas and how they have evolved: the goal is not only to apply mathematical tools correctly, but to understand them.
15 pts • (X) ENGR 121-123, MATH 100-199, QUAN 111
MATH 141 – Calculus 1A
Determining the rate of change of a function as its dependent variable changes is a key question in many sciences. It is also the basis for differential calculus, which is the first part of mathematical analysis. This course provides a thorough development of differential calculus. It builds on the ideas of functions and limits to define derivatives, and derives rules for computing them. These rules are demonstrated in scientific applications.
15 pts • (P) 16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) ENGR 122, MATH 142, QUAN 111
MATH 142 – Calculus 1B
Integration looks at summing continuous variables, providing a way to define and compute areas and volumes, which are essential for many applications. This course develops integral calculus, including the view of integration as anti-differentiation, leading to the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Sequences and series are introduced, and functions are approximated using their Taylor polynomials. Techniques of integration are developed, including substitution and integration by parts. Differential equations are introduced, many of which arise from physical systems, and the course also introduces basic methods for solving them.
15 pts • (P) MATH 141 or QUAN 111 or PHYS 101 or approved level of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Calculus or an equivalent background in mathematics.
MATH 151 – Algebra
Linear algebra is central to mathematics, and essential in science and engineering. This course introduces linear algebra, motivated by some of these applications, and maintaining a practical approach using fundamental mathematical objects such as matrices and vectors. Methods to solve systems of linear equations using matrices are introduced, as are eigenvectors, which can be used to characterise matrices amongst many other applications. The concept of an algebraic structure is introduced, as are complex numbers, which allow the solution of many equations that did not previously have solutions.
15 pts • (P) 16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132
MATH 161 – Discrete Mathematics and Logic
Logic underlies all of mathematics. This course introduces the basic notions of logic and discusses what makes some arguments good or valid, and others invalid. This leads to a definition of a mathematical proof, whereby the truth of mathematical statements is guaranteed. Other topics include sets, relations, functions, elementary counting principles, and an introduction to number theory. The second half of the course introduces the fundamental concepts of graph theory, which is the study of networks, which have applications from computing to disease transmission.
15 pts • (P) Approval of Head of School or (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132.
MATH 177 – Probability and Decision Modelling
Heads or tails? That's fair, right? Is the coin fair though - and how could you check? How might you choose in a more complicated situation? This course gives you an introduction to probability models in Statistics and their use in good decision making. Concepts you will study include probability, random variables and their distributions, decision theory, model estimation using sampled data, and tests for checking fitted models. Bad decisions follow from badly-fitting models. This course is needed for a mathematical pathway in Statistics, and for Actuarial Science. To make good decisions using probability, choose this course!
15 pts • (P) Approved level of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Calculus or one of (ENGR 121, MATH 141, QUAN 111) or equivalent background in mathematics.
DATA 201 – Techniques of Data Science
Discover the essential computational techniques at the heart of data science, encompassing the realms of data integration and encryption. Dive into the mathematical concepts and techniques that underpin the entire data lifecycle, from generation and representation to transformation.
15 pts • (P) (DATA 101 or SPCE 201), one of (COMP 102, 112, 132, INFO 102, 151), one of (ENGR 123, MATH 177, PHYS 245, QUAN 102, SPCE 245, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
DATA 202 – Data Management and Programming
Explore the practical side of data management in this course designed for those working with data sources. You will get hands-on experience in programming and data management using a high-level language and SQL. You will build confidence in skills such as web scraping, data transformation, data cleaning, and the creation of data summaries and visualisations.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 102, 112, 132, INFO 102)
MATH 212 – Introduction to Real Analysis
The theoretical underpinnings of calculus took many years to develop rigorously. This course provides insight into the basic techniques of real analysis in the familiar context of single-variable differential calculus. There is a focus on the proof techniques that have been developed to analyse classical analytic functions.
15 pts • (P) MATH 142
MATH 243 – Multivariable Calculus
In order to apply calculus to many physical systems, its concepts have to be extended to higher dimensions. The course introduces vector-valued functions of one variable (curves in the plane and in space), real-valued functions of several variables, and vector fields, which are vector-valued functions of two or three variables. Integration over lines and surfaces, together with double and triple integrals, are defined, together with methods to solve them. Applications are used to motivate and demonstrate these methods.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122
MATH 244 – Ordinary Differential Equations
Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) have motivated a lot of mathematics, both for themselves and for their applications, particularly in the wider sciences. This course introduces ODEs, covering their classification, and various solution methods for both linear and nonlinear equations. Systems of ODEs are introduced, together with the linear algebra needed to solve them. The course also presents the Laplace transform and its use in solving ODEs.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or (ENGR 121, 122)
MATH 245 – Computational Mathematics
Combining mathematics with computational techniques allows us to study a wide variety of applications in science, for example, solving physics problems by approximating integrals and derivatives, and compressing digital images using singular-value decomposition. This course develops mathematical, numerical, and computational techniques for practical problems that utilise optimisation, simulation, interpolation, and approximation. Some previous experience in programming is highly desirable.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 122 or ENGR 123 or (MATH 151 and (141 or 142))
MATH 251 – Linear Algebra
Linear algebra is a fundamental part of mathematics. This is a second course in linear algebra, focusing on more abstract representations and giving an axiomatic treatment of vector spaces. The course introduces the underlying concepts of linear algebra, including linear transformations, subspaces, isomorphisms, dimensions, eigenvectors, inner products, and diagonalisation. Applications are used to motivate and demonstrate these concepts.
15 pts • (P) MATH 151
MATH 261 – Groups and Graphs
This course explores two fundamental mathematical structures: groups and graphs. Both have wide applications in mathematics, as well as in fields such as computer science, cryptography, physics, and chemistry. The course starts with basic group theory and explores permutations, matrices, and symmetries. The graph section uses an algorithmic lens to investigate graph complexity, study network flows, construct shortest paths, and find matchings in graphs.
15 pts • (P) MATH 161 or B+ or better in ENGR 123
MATH 277 – Mathematical Statistics
Topics covered: a review of basic probability theory; discrete and continuous random variables; joint distributions of random variables; expectation, variance, covariance and moment generating functions; correlation and linear combinations of random variables; central limit theorem; maximum likelihood estimation; confidence intervals; hypothesis testing; linear regression; one-way analysis of variance. The statistical software R will be used.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 177) or B+ or better in both (ENGR 122, 123)
DATA 301 – Data Science in Practice
Take your data science skills to the next level with our capstone course. Dive into interactive displays, infographics, and dashboards equipped with mathematical modelling tools and coding skills. Sharpen your communication and reporting abilities through visualisation. Explore the social and ethical aspects of data science.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, DATA 201); DATA 202, 303
DATA 302 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
This course introduces a range of machine learning techniques of importance in Data Science, and gives students experience in using modern software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. Topics will include machine learning techniques for both supervised and unsupervised learning, including neural networks, and the design of machine learning pipelines.
15 pts • (P) DATA 201, DATA 202 (X) AIML 231, COMP 309
Not offered in 2025
DATA 303 – Statistics for Data Science
In this course we uncover the role that Statistics plays in Data Science. With a focus on understanding relevant statistical methods and their practical applications, this course will help you consolidate key data science skills. Topics covered include generalised linear models, polynomial regression, generalised additive models, shrinkage methods and supervised learning methods. The topics are covered in the context of inference and prediction for continuous, count and binary outcomes.
15 pts • (P) DATA 202 or STAT 293; one of (MATH 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292)
DATA 304 – Simulation and Stochastic Models
Simulation and modelling of stochastic systems, covering examples from Operations Research and Computer Science, including queues, networks and computer systems. Design, analysis and validation of simulation experiments. Previous experience with computer programming is required before starting this course. Co-taught with COMP 312.
15 pts • (P) one course from (COMP 102, 112, 132, DATA 202); one course from (ENGR 123, MATH 177, 277, STAT 292); 15 further 200-level COMP, DATA, MATH, NWEN, STAT or SWEN pts; (D) COMP 312
Not offered in 2025
DATA 305 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
Data Science uses machine learning methods to fit data and make predictions. In this course you will learn how to explore data in order to identify the appropriate ethical and cultural considerations and select the appropriate tools to analyse the data, develop the theory that underlines those tools, and see a variety of modern machine learning algorithms (such as Large Language Models) that make modern machine learning such a fascinating topic.
15 pts • (P) AIML 231, DATA 202 (X) DATA 302
DATA 351 – Data Science Internship
Students will complete an approved and supervised project in a public, private or non-profit organisation with established data science work stream. This project will enable students to gain professional work experience in the application of data science and to develop teamwork and communication skills in a relevant organisation.
15 pts • (P) AIML 231 or DATA 201; DATA 202; one of (MATH 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292), 15 further 200-level pts all with B+ average
^ Limited entry course
MATH 301 – Partial Differential Equations
This course is an introduction to Partial Differential Equations (PDEs), including those of importance for the natural sciences. The course covers solution methods for linear PDEs, including the use of boundary values and initial values. The course develops Fourier series and Fourier transforms and discusses their use in solving PDEs, and also develops Green’s functions.
15 pts • (P) MATH 243, 244
tut tba
MATH 304 – Complex Analysis
Complex analysis extends real analysis to functions of complex variables. This course covers the fundamentals of complex analysis, including the Cauchy-Riemann equations, holomorphic functions, harmonic functions, the Cauchy integral formula, power series, and the residue theorem. Applications include evaluating real integrals, a proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra, and solving 2D problems relating to steady temperature distribution, inviscid fluid flow and electrostatics.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 212 or MATH 243), 15 further 200 level MATH pts; (X) MATH 381 in 2024
MATH 309 – Mathematical Logic
This course examines symbolic languages, which are a foundational pillar of mathematics as well as the basis of computer science. Their semantics and proof theory are studied, explaining the role of logic in describing mathematical structures and formalising reasoning about them. Topics covered include propositional logic, first-order logic of quantifiers and predicates, and the beginnings of model theory, including completeness and compactness theorems. Some computability theory is covered, culminating in Gödel's incompleteness theorem.
15 pts • (P) MATH 161, and 30 pts from 200-level MATH
tut tba
MATH 311 – Algebra
The abstraction of algebra to sets with extra structure has led to many important mathematical developments. The basic algebraic structures, groups, rings and fields, are the focus of this course, together with some of their applications, such as solving systems of polynomial equations. There is an emphasis on general concepts, such as subgroups, homomorphisms, and factorization. Some familiarity with groups is expected.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 251 or MATH 261) and 15 further 200 level MATH pts
MATH 317 – Metric Spaces
This course is an introduction to spaces with a generalised length function called a metric. Metric spaces are fundamental objects in modern analysis, featuring notions of convergence of sequences and continuity of functions in a very general framework.
15 pts • (P) MATH 211 or 212 (X) MATH 312
Not offered in 2025
MATH 318 – Hilbert Spaces
This course extends the techniques of linear algebra and real analysis so that problems of an intrinsically infinite-dimensional nature can be studied. A Hilbert space is an inner product space with the analytic structure suitable for studying such problems. Hilbert spaces, and linear maps on them, are of interest to both mathematicians and physicists.
15 pts • (P) MATH 212 and MATH 251
MATH 321 – Introduction to Applied Mathematics
Many practical problems can be modelled and analysed using differential equations. This course introduces some fundamental methods for such modelling and analysis. The course begins by developing techniques such as dimensional analysis and perturbation methods, and then applies them to solve problems including reaction kinetics, diffusion, and traffic flow.
15 pts • (P) MATH 243 and MATH 244
MATH 322 – Applied Mathematics II
Two topics in applied mathematics, not including any taken by the same candidate in MATH 321 or MATH 323. Topics may include: Cartesian tensors and applications, seismology, classical mechanics, fluid mechanics, meteorology, fractals, quantum mechanics, special relativity.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level MATH pts (not including MATH 261), or ENGR 222
Not offered in 2025
MATH 323 – Mathematics for Earth Sciences
Two topics in applied mathematics, chosen from the following, and not including any taken by the same candidate in MATH 321 or MATH 322: fluid mechanics, Cartesian tensors and applications, differential equations for earth sciences, meteorology project, meteorology coursework, fractals, classical mechanics.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level MATH pts (not including MATH 261), or ENGR 222
Not offered in 2025
MATH 324 – Coding and Cryptography
Encoding messages so that they can be transmitted robustly and efficiently, while being safe from eavesdroppers, is an important part of modern communication. This course starts with modern coding theory, introducing linear codes, coding bounds, perfect codes, and cyclic codes to develop codes that can deal with communication over a noisy channel. Moving on to cryptography, the course covers topics such as classical ciphers, one-way pads, Shannon’s Theorem, public key cryptography, one-way functions, the RSA cryptosystem, key distribution and digital signatures.
15 pts • (P) MATH 251
MATH 335 – Computability and Complexity
The basic theory of the algorithmic content of mathematics: models of computation and their equivalence, including register machines, Turing machines, and partial recursive functions; computably enumerable sets and the fixed point theorem; basic notions of complexity theory, nondeterministic computation, and NP-completeness.
15 pts • (P) MATH 161, 15 pts from (MATH 211, 212, 251, 261); 15 further 200-level MATH pts or COMP 261
Not offered in 2025
MATH 353 – Optimisation
A course in the theory, algorithms and applications of optimisation. Topics include linear programming, integer programming, and non-linear optimisation.
15 pts • (P) MATH 142, 151; 15 pts from (MATH 243, 244, 251, 261); 15 further 200-level MATH pts
Not offered in 2025
MATH 361 – Graph Theory
Graphs provide an abstraction that enables many different systems to be modelled and analysed, from computer networks to disease spread. This course introduces graphs as mathematical objects and covers topics including: connectivity and Menger’s Theorem; colourings and Brooks’ Theorem; topological graph theory and Kuratowski’s Theorem; and Ramsey Theory.
15 pts • (P) MATH 161, 30 200 level MATH pts
MATH 377 – Probability and Random Processes
The course provides a firmer foundation in probability theory and an introduction to random processes. The topics include continuity of probability measures; Stieltjes integrals; almost sure convergence; conditional distributions and effects of conditioning; martingales in discrete time; Poisson point processes; compound Poisson processes; birth and death processes; renewal processes.
15 pts • (P) MATH 243; MATH 277 or STAT 232
MATH 381 – Special Topic: Complex Analysis
Complex analysis extends real analysis to functions of complex variables. This course covers the fundamentals of complex analysis, including the Cauchy-Riemann equations, holomorphic functions, harmonic functions, the Cauchy integral formula, power series, and the residue theorem. Applications include evaluating real integrals, a proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra, and solving 2D problems relating to steady temperature distribution, inviscid fluid flow and electrostatics.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 212 or MATH 243), 15 further 200 level MATH pts
Media Design
See also Culture+Context and Industrial Design
DSDN 101 – Design Visualisation / Pohewatanga ā-Hoahoa
This course will use a range of visualisation methods to represent design concepts and elements. Methods used include hand drawing, photography, motion graphics, animation and video.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 102 – Game, Animation and Motion Design / Hoahoa ā-Kēmu, ā-Pakiwaituhi, ā-Ranga
This course will introduce students to basic principles of game design, animation and motion design. Fundamental game design concepts, such as mechanics and loops, will be explored and analysed to enable students to conceptualise and develop playable games. Alongside game design this course also introduces introductory motion principles, visual design for motion, storyboarding/sequential imagery and graphic animation.
15 pts
DSDN 103 – Critical Approaches to Design Communication/ Tukanga Arohaehae Kōrero ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to the role of visual and written communication in contemporary design practice. A range of techniques will be taught to help students communicate design concepts, critical thinking, and design processes to develop and clearly articulate their creative ideas and observations.
15 pts
DSDN 104 – Digital Fabrication / Waihanga Matihiko
In this course students engage with emerging technologies to visualise and create 3D forms, bodies and spaces. Students address the distinctive features of creating form and making digitally fabricated artefacts.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 111 – Design Composition / Hanganga ā-Hoahoa
This course introduces students to, and develops their fluency in, design vocabularies and composition specific to the configuration of design elements. Analogue and digital techniques are used to explore body, space, form and movement.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 132 – Design Narratives and Visual Storytelling / Paki ā-Hoahoa me te Pakiwaitara ā-Ataata
This course introduces students to narratives and storytelling in the context of visual design. Students will be exposed to a range of traditional and contemporary examples including Māori storytelling practice and examples from film, animation, digital and physical games and comics. Students will explore and apply the principles, structures and techniques introduced in class through linear and non-linear storytelling exercises.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 141 – Design Mediums and Processes / Ngā Huarahi me Ngā Tukanga ā-Hoahoa
This course focuses on creative exploration of materials and processes. Students will learn various manual and digital techniques and apply these to the exploration and production of expressive forms.
15 pts
DSDN 142 – Creative Coding and AI I / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga I
This course introduces students to the concepts and fundamentals of interactive visual perception through creative coding and AI for interactive interfaces. Students will develop their own visual, animated, multimedia and interactive design solutions to address an array of design problems.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 151 – Graphic Design and Photography / Hoahoa Whakanikoniko me te Whakaahuatanga
This course explores the basics of graphic design and photography through hands-on projects. Students are introduced to professional design practice through the use of a brief, design processes, and critique. Using design software, as well as sketching and photography, students will produce a variety of visual works that express visual identity and voice.
15 pts
DSDN 153 – Wearable Design / Hoahoa Kākahu
In this introductory course students will learn the principles of wearable design by researching material properties and developing design models that lead to the production of forms that relate to a human body. Emphasis is placed on pattern design methods, covering a range of approaches. Historical and cultural theories related to fashion, including Mātauranga Māori, will be presented and discussed, providing students a context for understanding how cultures react to and affect the appearance-based narratives of an individual.
15 pts • (X) FADN 101
^ Limited entry course
DSDN 171 – Design in a Global Context / Hoahoa i te Horopaki o te Ao Whānui
By observing and analysing historical approaches and responses in and between cultures and design, students will explore design from a place-based perspective.
15 pts
DSDN 172 – Whakapapa Design I
This course is deeply rooted in Māori culture. Whakapapa Design emphasises ethical behaviour and the consequences of our actions as designers. Whakapapa Design highlights interconnections between people, place, and all living entities and offers a path to restore the health and well-being of both people and the planet through narrative, making, language, and shared values. Whakapapa Design is guided by the Māori tikanga; whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
15 pts
DSDN 271 – Pathways to Research / Ngā Ara Rangahau
This course introduces a variety of design research methods and discusses how, when and where these approaches may be utilised in the design process. Topics for discussion and research will include social and cultural bias, human behaviour, and the relationship between analogue and digital technologies. This course engages Whakawhanaungatanga (to generate meaningful connections) between design disciplines. It encourages students to develop a critical appreciation of research within design and discusses designing for and with others.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 171
Not offered in 2025
INDN 204 – Materialised Codes / Ngā Waehere i Puta
This course will explore a variety of approaches to material simulation and coded design processes. Topics covered will include advanced rendering, rapid digital iteration, and the translating of digital form to physical artefact. Students will look outside of traditional CAD software and expand their skills in the areas of polygon modelling and simulated materials to discover intuitive design and iteration processes. Students will represent the outcomes of these digital design processes as highly refined rendered images.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 201 – Digital Society and Social Media Design/ Porihanga Matihiko me te Arapāho ā-Pāpori
In this course students will learn to design for digitally networked infrastructures such as the Internet, and the various protocols and frameworks that belong to this ever-expanding realm. Topics will include networking basics, Internet cultures and the privacy paradox, with a particular emphasis on designing for Social Media and critical analysis of the complex media environments that this creates.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 211 – Digital Video Creation / Auaha Ata Matihiko
In this course students will conceive, shoot, edit, and remix video-based projects. Students will learn video editing techniques, shooting video using DSLR cameras, elementary lighting, codecs, compositing, cinematography, and working with audio alongside building video content.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including 30 points from BDI or BAS Schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 222 – Virtual Reality Design / Taupuni Ao Hoahoa
Students are introduced to the histories and technical development of Virtual Reality both as a field of inquiry and as a creative platform for novel and engaging multimedia experiences. Topics include examples of VR from a variety of fields such as science, cinematography and new media arts. Students will critically evaluate contemporary VR environments using state of the art technology including a variety of hardware platforms.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 231 – Physical Computing / Rorohiko ā-Ōkiko
Introduction to electronics, circuit design, and programming as design tools for creative electronic solutions. This course is for students wishing to explore physical computing and interaction design (including IoT). Thinking beyond the mouse/keyboard/screen paradigm, simple techniques using microcontrollers and sensors will be taught to build smart objects and systems.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 or COMP 102 and 60 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules; (X) MDDN 251
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 242 – Creative Coding and AI II / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga II
This course focuses on working with simple algorithms to generate visuals, as well as compositing different media, such as photography. Inspired by real world phenomena, this course uses parameterised design and generative modelling to produce creative coded design solutions. AI tools will be used in this course to support both design workflows and code reviews.
15 pts • (P) 75 pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules and including one of (DSDN 142, COMP 102, 112)
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 244 – Photographics / Ngā Whakaahuatanga
Photography is explored as both a creative process and a design research tool. Students engage in both photographic practice and theoretical exploration, articulating their response to the photographic medium and developing their theoretical tool kit for analysing new image forms in relation to multiple types of design.
15 pts • (P) 75 points including DSDN 144 or 151
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 314 – Audio-Visual Space / Whaitua Ataata-Rongo
Students will investigate processes and strategies involved in the production of time-based media, including audio recording, editing and manipulation techniques. Revolving around the topic of audio-visual space, course projects will allow students to explore the psychology of perception and concepts of spatiality within audio and video design.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules
^ Limited entry course
MDDN 333 – Data Driven Design / Hoahoa Ānga ā-Raraunga
This course focuses on the interpretation and presentation of data. Datasets are combined with programming and scripting tools to provide context to our digitized information systems and databases. Students will work with data sources from science, the humanities and commerce to design solutions to real-world problems using data.
15 pts • (P) DSDN 142 and 60 200-level pts including 30 pts from the BDI or BAS schedules or from DATA/COMP courses
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 342 – Creative Coding and AI III / Waehere ā-Auaha me te Atamai Hangahanga III
Creative Coding III builds on the content taught in Creative Coding I and II and extends the use of procedural and parameterised design strategies and AI tools. Students will be taught advanced computer graphics and data mapping techniques in order to create dynamic visuals and assets for use in screen-based media. AI tools use and prompt engineering will also be deployed to advance code design workflows.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points including MDDN 242
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 345 – Photographics III / Ngā Whakaahuatanga III
Photography is explored to an advanced level as a creative process and design research tool. Building on previous technical and creative skills, students engage with multiple photographic genres and practices. An ongoing technical tool kit and theoretical understanding of photography is developed for use across multiple fields of design and research.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts including MDDN 244 or DSDN 244
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 346 – Blockchains and Web3
'Blockchains and Web3' is a 6-week intensive course covering topics surrounding Blockchain technologies such as Smart Contracts, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and Distributed Autonomous Organisations (DAO). The course focuses on understanding design paradigms and delivering technical tuition in relation to fundamental theories of Blockchain, and its current and upcoming impact on our society.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts or permission of head of school
Not offered in 2025
MDDN 383 – Special Topic: Immersive Media Experiences
This course examines interactive and immersive media for public display, encouraging exploration beyond traditional screens. Students will learn special effects, algorithmic media treatment, data visualization, and interactive design techniques.
15 pts
MDDN 390 – Media Design Capstone / Whakatinana ā-Wheako Hoahoa Arapāho
Under expert guidance, students will develop their own project briefs that address complex media design challenges. Student projects will showcase their individual aptitudes and interests while producing industry-standard works for their portfolios. The course will also delve into the evolution of media art and design, exploring both historical events and current debates.
30 pts • (P) DSDN 371 and 75 200-level pts including 30 pts from MDDN 200-299, INDN 204, DSDN 244
Media Studies
MDIA 101 – Making Sense of Media
Media are increasingly intertwined in our lives. Digital technologies mean we can access media at any time and in any place – from television programmes to radio shows, news, podcasts, popular music, social media and advertising. This course is an introduction to how media studies as a discipline makes sense of media texts and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed. We will apply key concepts in media studies to a range of case studies and examples. Through this, students will learn to critically analyse what role media play in communities, societies and cultures.
20 pts
tut tba
MDIA 102 – Media, Society and Politics
This course examines relationships between media, society and politics in an era of technological change. Topics include the evolution of mass-media, the concentration of media ownership, the role of public media, digital media industries, news media and politics, and media effects.
20 pts
tut tba
MDIA 103 – Popular Media Culture
This course is an introduction to the study of popular media culture, with reference to the relationship between cultural theory and selected popular media forms. The course centres on critically examining the production and consumption of popular media culture. Particular attention is paid to issues relating to the social function and value of popular media culture.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 104 – Social and Interactive Media
This fully online course analyses the profound impact of the rise of social media platforms on the media landscape, human communication and our understanding of the world. The course examines how social and interactive media have influenced different domains in society, from identity and privacy, news and politics, self- presentation and celebrity, relationships and wellbeing to social movements and communities. Students will learn to use a range of concepts to evaluate the benefits and limitations of different forms of social and interactive media.
20 pts
MDIA 201 – Media in Aotearoa New Zealand
The course explores the media industries in Aotearoa New Zealand through a series of case studies, including television, radio, newspapers, telecommunications, and film. These are discussed in terms of how ownership, regulation, funding/revenue, cultural norms and technological convergence affect media practices. The course will include consideration of how the NZ media sector is influenced by global media markets, how media value chains are changing in response to new media and evolving audience demands, and the public policy issues these raise (e.g. cultural identity, democratic engagement and Māori representation). The course will include input from industry experts where relevant.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts
tut tba
MDIA 202 – Multiplatform Television
This course examines TV industries and genres in today's digital and transnational contexts. Through the analysis of indicative platforms, providers, and programmes - examples drawn mainly from the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand - MDIA 202 examines the key characteristics of television in the multiplatform era. Our topics include subscription-funded, advertiser-funded and public service TV; the evolution of TV genre; changes in TV-related technology, ownership, delivery, and consumption; along with transnational strategies in TV creation.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts
tut tba
MDIA 203 – Visual Culture
This course is concerned both with visual artifacts and with vision as a social and cultural process. Thus, it considers the relationship between different visual regimes, or ways of seeing, and visual technologies, texts, and genres. It is also concerned with the historically specific understandings of what it means to see and be seen that make the visual world and our experiences in it intelligible.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 204 – Place, Race, Media
This course examines how media contribute to understandings of place for individuals, groups and nations and how these mediated places are informed by discourses of race, ethnicity and the dynamics of cross-cultural encounters. Case studies include historical and contemporary media from Aotearoa, Australia, Asia, the Pacific and the U.S.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts or EHUM 101, or GLBL 101; (X) MDIA 221 2016-2020
MDIA 205 – Popular Music Studies
A critical introduction to the study of popular music. Topics covered include: music audiences, subcultures and scenes; histories of technologies; genres and styles; race and ethnicity; gender and sexuality; international and New Zealand music industries and institutions; and the impact of new media platforms.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from (MDIA 100-109, MUSC 105-150)
tut tba
MDIA 206 – Media and Digital Cultures
This course examines the relationship between humans and digital technologies by providing an overview of how humanities and social science scholars define, study and make sense of digital cultures. We will unpack some key concepts, debates and methods for researching how engagement with digital media can shape identities, bodies, social relations, the environment, artistic/cultural practices and other aspects of everyday life.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 207 – Understanding News Content
This course provides students the opportunity to develop an understanding of how news content is shaped by politics, society, economics and culture. Rejecting the naive assumption that the news is an accurate and objective reflection of reality, the ways in which the news presents a distorted but consistent view of the world are systematically examined, with an emphasis on how and why these distortions exist and persist.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts; (X) MDIA 322 in 2020
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 208 – Media Audiences and Identity
In this course we address the most important theories and debates about media audiences. We focus on the cultural studies paradigm, which analyses media use in the context of everyday life and sees audience members as active interpreters of the media they consume. We will look at existing research into 'actual audiences' which analyses how particular identities (gender, race, age, sexuality) play a role in media consumption. We will introduce a diverse set of audience research methods.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA pts
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 209 – Critical Approaches to Advertising and Consumer Culture
This course is designed to develop the analytical techniques required to make sense of the ways in which advertising and consumer culture affect us. The course will cover the history of advertising and consumer culture but will also focus on how they have recently been analysed, theorised and critiqued.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA points
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 220 – Special Topic: Media, Environment, and Sustainability
In this course you will examine the ways media and environment are intertwined. You will learn how we can all contribute to building sustainable media practices in an age of ecological crises and why that is important. The course covers media theories, practices, and objects (topics include people’s engagement with environmental issues in film or digital media; environmental policy; the exploitation of natural resources in media production; cell phone towers; data and server farms).
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MDIA points
MDIA 301 – Media Theory and Cultural Production
This course focuses on the relationship between critical social theory and the impact of the media on the production of culture.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200-299
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 302 – Television Narrative
This course examines narrative strategies and tendencies in contemporary primetime television programming, both fictional and factual. Applying screen narrative theory and using textual analysis, we will examine what kinds of stories TV tells us and the narrative strategies it uses. Narrative forms to be studied include: series and serial drama, continuing soap opera, scripted (series) comedy, 'reality' game-doc and 'reality' docusoap.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299
tut tba
MDIA 303 – Media, Politics and Crises
This course examines the theories and concepts around the communication processes that are employed in and through the media to understand the social, political and policy efforts in responding to disasters and crises. Students will be encouraged to use the course material to explore specific types or crises or disasters that are of personal interest.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200-299; (X) MDIA 321 2016-2019;
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 304 – News and Journalism in the Digital Age
This course initially introduces students to the history, theories, genres, and culture of news media; thereafter, it considers contemporary news texts and practices in terms of the contexts of globalisation, changes to the cultural field of journalism/media, and the advent of digital technologies.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 305 – A Social History of Popular Music
A social history of popular music, from the appearance of the gramophone in the nineteenth century to the laptop in the twenty-first. Topics will include changes in technology, historical dimensions of the production, distribution and consumption of popular music, as well as considerations of the emergence of new musical genres and related cultural politics including race, gender and sexuality. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (MDIA 200–299, MUSC 229-259)
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 306 – Media, Gender and Sexuality
This course examines the representations, contexts, and politics of gender, sexuality and the media. By interrogating the discourses of gender and sexuality as they are 'mediated' in a variety of forms (including television, film, popular music, social media, advertising), we will examine the construction and disruption of categories of gender and sexual identity, and their intersection with other identity frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299 (or SACS 202)
tut tba
MDIA 308 – Māori Media
This course examines the idea of Māori media from a range of perspectives. Broadly defined, Māori media includes the creative works of Māori media practitioners; however, the course also examines representations of te ao Māori more generally. Drawing from resources and methodologies from the fields of Māori Studies and Media Studies, this course considers how Māori media poses a challenge to current thinking about media practices and processes.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from MDIA 200-299 or MAOR 212-299) or GLBL 201 (D) MAOR 308
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 309 – Mobile and Ubiquitous Media
This course examines the definition, development, and normalisation of ubiquitous media. Students will trace the genealogy of ubiquitous media by examining the emergence of the network society, the development of social media, mobile media and apps, and the pervasiveness of big data and algorithms. They will then critically examine the relationship between ubiquitous media and a range of sociocultural issues including identity, space/place, digital labour, and commercialisation.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 310 – Cultural Identity and the Media
This course examines how media technologies, texts, institutions and audiences engage with, help shape and regulate cultural and ethnic identities. We draw on a range of media genres to explore the different ways in which discourses of cultural and ethnic identities are 'mediated'. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299 or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 312 – Media, Money and Power
The course examines the interplay between the media, government, and markets from different political economic perspectives. Topics here include government and advertiser influence, tensions between public service and commercial goals, and the impact of digital platforms on media business models. The course also examines the role of media in politics and markets, including questions about the public sphere, democratic participation, political image management and also communication/information processes in the global economy and financial markets. The course encourages students to develop topics of personal interest within the assignment frameworks and includes input from expert practitioners in industry and/or politics. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 313 – Media, Technologies and Surveillance
This course examines surveillance culture in an age of technological expansion and ubiquitous media. Photography, CCTV, reality TV, social media, mobile phones and other media/technologies are considered in relation to their impact on a range of socio-cultural and political economic issues including security, democracy, privacy, exploitation and social control.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from MDIA 200-299; (X) MDIA 322 2012-14
Not offered in 2025
MDIA 322 – Special Topic: Media Policy, Power and Praxis
The course critically examines contemporary issues surrounding media policy, primarily focusing on Aotearoa New Zealand. Different regulatory frameworks/mechanisms relating to broadcasting/streaming services, online/social media platforms and news media are analysed. The relative influence of commercial and public service principles and the role of academic research praxis in influencing policy is also considered in relation to debates over funding, misinformation, censorship, competition and equitable access.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from MDIA 200–299
Midwifery
See also Health and Nursing
MIDW 101 – Midwifery Practice 1: Becoming a Midwife
Introduces students to the role of the midwife, including history of midwifery, midwifery philosophy, the scope of practice and regulation of midwifery in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
15 pts
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 102 – Midwifery Practice 2: Preparation for Practice
Students are prepared for their practice role by learning physical assessment skills including observations, palpation, percussion, auscultation and psychosocial assessment. Skills are taught in the simulation lab and skills are then applied in the clinical practice setting under supervision of registered midwives.
15 pts • (P) BIOL 114, MIDW 101
^ Limited entry course
SCIE 105 – The Molecular Science of Life
Explore the molecular basis of human health and everyday life. You will learn about atomic and molecular structure and how this relates to the function of blood. Topics include electrolytes and osmolarity, blood group determinants, gas transport, blood pH, the molecules and chemistry of blood tests, and metabolic imbalances that lead to diseases that are commonly screened for using blood. This course is designed to support students from a range of backgrounds, including the health sciences. No previous chemistry experience needed. This course can be taken fully online, although in-person workshop sessions will be provided to assist with student learning.
15 pts • (X) SCIE 103 in 2022
BIOL 253 – Physiology and Pathology for Health
The functioning and roles of the peripheral nervous system and endocrine/neuroendocrine systems in the control of activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney and reproductive systems. The emphasis is on human physiology. For these systems, mechanisms of disease (pathological processes) will be presented alongside normal and abnormal physiology.
15 pts • (P) BIOL 111, 114; one of CHEM 113-121 (C) 60 MIDW points (X) BIOL 243
Not offered in 2025
MIDW 201 – Anatomy and Physiology: Pregnancy and Childbirth
Study of human anatomy and physiology with particular emphasis on pregnancy, labour and birth, puerperium and the fetus and neonate. Content will cover physiology of conception and embryology, genetics, fetal anatomy and physiology and adaptation to extra-uterine life.
15 pts • (P) BIOL 114
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 202 – Midwifery Practice 3: Care of the Newborn
Students develop an understanding of normal newborn development, behaviour, transition to extra-uterine life, including deviations from normal in the clinical setting. Students will learn newborn resuscitation in a simulation setting, physical examination of the newborn, establishment of breastfeeding, identification of the unwell baby/pēpē.
30 pts • (P) BIOL 114, EDUC 141
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 204 – Professional Frameworks for Midwifery Practice
Students will develop knowledge of a range of overarching frameworks governing midwifery practice including; Midwifery Council of New Zealand Competencies for Entry to the Register, Code of Conduct and Statement on Cultural Competence, Treaty of Waitangi, The Medicines Act, Health and Disability Commission Code of Rights, World Health Organisation, New Zealand College of Midwives Standards for Practice.
20 pts • (P) MIDW 101, 102
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 205 – Midwifery Practice 4: Supporting Women
Students learn to work with women/wāhine, through antenatal, labour/birth and postnatal care. The focus is on partnership with women and the process of information sharing for informed choice and consent, including working effectively with diversity. Techniques for supporting women in labour and post-partum, with a focus on physiological birth are also studied.
20 pts • (P) MIDW 101, 102
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 206 – Transition to Parenthood
Students will explore the process of becoming a mother from a physiological and social perspective. Course content will address normal puerperium, onset of lactation and establishment of breastfeeding, coping with role and maternal mental health. The emphasis is on understanding the normal puerperium and locating the mother/baby unit within the family and within society. Hauora Māori approaches to becoming a mother are explored. Unanticipated outcomes for new parents such as preterm birth, parenting of a sick neonate and perinatal loss will also be addressed.
30 pts • (P) EDUC 141, HLWB 105
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 301 – Midwifery Practice 5: Art and Science of Midwifery
This practice-based course focuses on the fundamental role of the midwife in supporting normal physiological birth and breastfeeding. Students learn to employ a range of skills to support women in normal labour, birth and the puerperium. The focus is on translating research into practice and developing an understanding of the need for a judicious approach to interventions in peripartum care.
30 pts • (P) MIDW 204, 205
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 302 – Midwifery as a Public Health Strategy
The importance of the perinatal period in relation to population health and wellbeing will be explored. Content includes epidemiological concepts and public health, including health impacts of poverty, racism and discrimination. Students will discuss methods for working with diversity in fostering improved public health as part of demonstrating cultural competence. Students will have the opportunity to explore their own self-care and what wellness means to them.
15 pts • (P) BMSC 117, EDUC 141, HLWB 105 (C) MIDW 201
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 303 – Women’s Health
This course focuses on infertility, assisted fertility, early pregnancy loss, contraception and gynaecological and medical conditions affecting childbearing women/wāhine. Social, cultural and political aspects of women’s health are also explored.
15 pts • (C) MIDW 204
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 304 – Research and Enquiry in Midwifery
Included in this course is study of evidence-based practice including gaining an understanding of some of the key qualitative and quantitative research methodologies used in generating midwifery knowledge. Students learn about critical evaluation of research and the process of meta-analysis, and evidence-based guideline development. The role of the midwife in relation to research is also examined, including ethics, women-centred language, conducting and participating in research, and translating research into practice.
15 pts • (P) BMSC 117, MIDW 201 (C) MIDW 305
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 305 – Complexities in Pregnancy and Childbirth
This course focusses on complex labour, birth and the early post-partum period. Students explore a range of complications that occur around the time of birth, including best-practice management and the role of the midwife in identifying deviations from normal, supporting women and families, communication skills and practical management of obstetric emergencies.
15 pts • (P) BMSC 117, MIDW 204
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 306 – Midwifery Practice 6: Women with Complex Pregnancies
Explores the experience of women/wāhine with complex pregnancy conditions and considers the role of the midwife in providing care when pregnancy is complex. Students develop clinical enquiry skills including accessing information about medical conditions, critical evaluation of information sources, translation into lay language.
30 pts • (P) MIDW 204, 205
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 307 – Applied Pharmacology and Physiology for Midwives
Application of pharmacology and physiology to interpretation of laboratory results and safe medicine management in maternity care. Covers the legislation governing midwifery prescribing, accessing resources for medication information, dispensing, administering and safe-handling of medications including opiates, antibiotics, contraceptives and vaccines and immunoglobulins. Also addresses ordering and interpretation of common laboratory tests in maternity care.
15 pts • (P) MIDW 201, 305
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 308 – Being a Midwife
This course prepares students for practical aspects of commencing in midwifery practice including introduction to small-business skills, contracting, financial literacy, professional conduct, advancing midwifery through midwifery organisations, inter-professional communication, maintaining competence to practice, and self-care for employed and self-employed midwives.
15 pts • (P) MIDW 201, 302, 306
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 309 – Midwifery Practice 7: Complex Labour and Birth
This practice-based course provides opportunity for students to focus on midwifery skills and knowledge when providing care for women experiencing complex labour and birth.
30 pts • (P) MIDW 301, 305
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 310 – Midwifery Practice 8: Transition to Practice
In this practice-based course students take a lead in providing midwifery care, with support and oversight from registered midwives. Students demonstrate the ability to apply midwifery knowledge and skills in practice and reflect on care provided.
30 pts • (P) MIDW 309
^ Limited entry course
MIDW 311 – Midwifery Practice 9: Practice Project
In this practice-based course students consolidate practice in a clinical setting of their own choosing.
30 pts • (P) MIDW 309
^ Limited entry course
Migration Studies
POLS 416 – Borders, Migrants and States / Ngā Rohenga, Ngā Tangata heke me ngā Whenua
This course will investigate the causes and consequences of contemporary human mobility from a political perspective. Topics will include: different modes of contemporary transnational migration, including refugee flows, temporary foreign workers, and highly skilled migrants; the regulation of citizenship; challenges of migrant incorporation; Islam in the West; the securitisation of migration; and state-diaspora relations.
30 pts
Modern Language Studies
CHIN 101 – Chinese Language 1A
This is a beginners Chinese (Mandarin) course developing basics in reading, writing, speaking and listening in Modern Standard Chinese, using pinyin and simplified characters. Various aspects of Chinese culture will also be introduced. This course is designed for students with no previous knowledge of the language.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Chinese
CHIN 102 – Chinese Language 1B
This course is a continuation of CHIN 101, further developing students' Chinese (Mandarin) language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening at an elementary level. Various aspects of Chinese culture will also be introduced.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 101
CHIN 112 – Introduction to Chinese Civilisation
This is a survey course introducing some of the salient features of Chinese civilisation from prehistoric times to the present century. Topics include literature, thought and scholarship, religious beliefs, art, and the cultural and social achievements of the main dynasties.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
FREN 101 – French Language 1A
An intensive course designed for beginners and those with little prior knowledge of French, covering all four skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. On completing this course, students will have gained knowledge of basic French grammar and vocabulary equivalent to proficiency level A1 in the Common European Framework, or to NCEA level 1.
20 pts • (X) at least 14 credits at NCEA Level 2 French, or equivalent, as determined by the academic teaching staff in French
FREN 102 – French Language 1B
An intensive course that continues the work begun in FREN 101 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. On completing this course, students will have knowledge of basic French grammar and understand a range of vocabulary approximately equivalent to level A2 in the Common European Framework, or to NCEA level 2; or NCEA Level 3 credits (with merit or excellence).
20 pts • (P) FREN 101 or at least 14 credits at NCEA Level 2; or NCEA level 3 French, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French;
FREN 104 – French Society and Culture
This is a French civilisation course which aims to provide students with a general knowledge of French geography, history, past and present culture and social and political issues. No knowledge of French is required. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
GERM 101 – Introduction to the German Language
This course is designed as an introduction to German language and culture specifically for beginners. In the course, you will cover the basics of the German language in speaking, listening, writing and reading through a communicative, intercultural approach. Through audio-visual materials and readings, you will gain insight into the contemporary German way of life and Germany’s vibrant culture. This course is perfect for you if you are an absolute beginner. If you already have prior knowledge of German, you may take a placement test and begin at a more advanced level.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by academic staff in German, GERM 103
GERM 102 – Elementary German
This course is designed to advance your written and oral use of German from a complete beginner to an advanced beginner level (CERF proficiency level A1 to A2). You will cover the German language in speaking, listening, writing and reading through a communicative, intercultural approach. Audio-visual materials and readings provide insight into the vibrant cultures of the three main German-speaking countries Germany, Austria and Switzerland. To be eligible for this course, you should have passed GERM 101, have passed GERM 101, have at least 16 credits in NCEA Level 2 German, or approval from the GERM 102 course coordinator.
20 pts • (P) GERM 101 or 103 or equivalent; (X) GERM 104
GERM 114 – Topics in German Culture 1
This course introduces students to the study of German culture by examining themes of importance for understanding the German-speaking world and how these are represented, whether historically or in the present day, in a selection of novels and films. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 101 – Introduction to Italian Language and Culture
This course for beginners provides an introduction to Italian language and culture. It provides a foundation in the basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and an introduction to contemporary Italian culture and society. Audio-visual materials and readings illustrate the contemporary Italian way of life and provide insight into Italy’s vibrant society and rich cultural heritage. This course is specifically designed for students who have little or no knowledge of the language. Students with prior knowledge of Italian may take a placement test and begin at a more advanced level.
20 pts • (X) ITAL 114
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 102 – Elementary Italian Language and Culture
This is a course for those who have completed ITAL 101 or who can demonstrate an equivalent knowledge of Italian. The course builds on the skills developed in ITAL 101, with greater emphasis on written and oral expression. Materials used in class provide further insights into Italy’s vibrant society and rich cultural reach, both in Italy and beyond.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 101 or 114 or prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Italian; (X) ITAL 115
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 101 – Introduction to the Japanese Language
This course is designed for those with no knowledge of Japanese. It covers basic oral and written skills including hiragana, katakana and 58 kanji. This course is for absolute beginners. It may not be taken by students with prior knowledge of the language.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Japanese, JAPA 111
JAPA 102 – Elementary Japanese
This course increases basic proficiency in oral and written Japanese. 150 Kanji are covered.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 101 or 111 or NCEA Level 2 Japanese (or equivalent); (X) JAPA 112
JAPA 113 – Introduction to Japanese Culture and Society
This course, taught in English, is designed to introduce students to major aspects of the history, society, cultures and language of Japan. The course will provide a good all-round basic knowledge of Japan that will be of value both to students intending to major in Japanese and those interested in Asia. No knowledge of Japanese language is required. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
LANG 101 – Shaping the World: Cultural Forces in Europe and Latin America
This course introduces students to themes central to the study of the cultures of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Cultural case studies will allow students to draw out commonalities without losing sight of historical, political and socio-cultural specificities. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 101 – Te Tīmatanga/Introduction to Māori Language
This course is an introduction to the Māori language for those who have little or no previous experience of the Māori language or culture. In MAOR 101 students work to develop a foundation of basic Māori language speaking, reading and writing skills, approximately equivalent to NCEA Level 1. The course covers the fundamentals of Māori pronunciation, learning vocabulary and basic sentence structures, karakia, waiata, and mihimihi.
20 pts
tut tba
MAOR 102 – Te Arumanga/Elementary Māori Language
This course is designed for students with some basic Māori language experience, and extends upon the foundations laid in MAOR 101. In MAOR 102, students work to improve their oral and written Māori language competence, reaching a level approximately equivalent to NCEA Level 3. Students are introduced to new vocabulary and extend their knowledge of the structures of te reo Māori, and begin to engage in basic conversations on everyday topics.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 101 or passed NCEA Level 2 Māori or equivalent to allow for sufficient Māori language training
tut tba
MAOR 103 – Whakakokoi Mātauranga / Academic Skills A
MAOR 103 is a course tailored to the Tohu Māoritanga programme for Tohu students who are enrolled in a 20-point degree related course. It introduces students to competencies needed for University such as critical thinking, academic writing, independent learning, personal management, note making, goal setting, presentations and library skills. Students will also learn to read academic texts, and follow ethical study practices. Essential computing skills are also covered and students will develop and refine their own study strategies. Co-taught with MAOR 104.
20 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School; (X) MAOR 003, 104
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 104 – Whakakokoi Mātauranga / Academic Skills B
MAOR 104 is a course tailored to the Tohu Māoritanga programme for Tohu students who are enrolled in a 15-point degree related course. It introduces students to competencies needed for University such as critical thinking, academic writing, independent learning, personal management, note making, goal setting, presentations and library skills. Students will also learn to read academic texts, and follow ethical study practices. Essential computing skills are also covered and students will develop and refine their own study strategies. Co-taught with MAOR 103.
25 pts • (P) permission of Head of School; (X) MAOR 003, 103
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 111 – Wana te Wanawana/Māori Language 1A
This course focuses upon developing a foundation of tertiary level Māori language learning and academic skills. Throughout MAOR 111 students will work to develop oral and aural confidence in te reo Māori. They will also encounter a range of Māori language literature, and will work to expand their vocabulary and develop accuracy in reading and writing in te reo Māori. Students with NCEA Level 2, Sixth Form Certificate, NCEA Level 3, University Entrance Māori or an equivalent should begin with this course. This course includes a noho marae component.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 102 preferred, or equivalent elementary knowledge
MAOR 112 – Wanawana te Tū / Māori Language 1B
This course focuses upon further developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in te reo Māori. There is a focus upon oral performance. Students will further develop their language proficiency by beginning to evaluate, edit, and critically analyse their use of te reo Māori. They will begin to develop awareness of register and formality in te reo Māori.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 111
MAOR 123 – Te Iwi Māori me āna Tikanga/Māori Society and Culture
This course introduces students to a broad range of Māori beliefs, concepts and structures that are important to the foundations and development of Māori society and culture. The course will cover aspects of pre-European Māori society, cultural change, present-day developments as well as visions for the future.
20 pts
tut tba
MAOR 126 – He Herenga Tāngata / Engaging with Māori in Professional Practice
This course prepares students to deal with the opportunities and nuances of engaging with the Māori world and Māori communities in professional practice. It provides a broad introduction to te reo Māori, tikanga Māori and te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a focus on decolonisation, partnership between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti, and implications for professional practice in Aotearoa.
20 pts
SAMO 101 – Introduction to Samoan Language
An introduction to speaking, understanding, reading and writing Samoan with emphasis on spoken language skills.
20 pts
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 102 – Conversational Samoan
A course aimed at developing oral skills and confidence in pronunciation of Samoan vocabulary, speaking and understanding conversational Samoan. There are no prerequisites for entry.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
SAMO 111 – Samoan Society and Culture
An introduction to Samoan culture and society with a focus on key Samoan concepts, values, practices, and socio-political institutions.
20 pts
tut tba
SPAN 101 – Introduction to the Spanish Language
This course teaches the basics of the Spanish language through practice in speaking, listening, reading and writing. As it is designed for absolute beginners, it may not be taken by students with prior knowledge of the language. This course is offered through different CRNs for face-to-face delivery on Kelburn Campus (CRN 31115) versus a blended or mixed-mode offering (CRN 31116). The blended or mixed-mode offering is for students who would not otherwise be able to enrol in the course. The three hours of traditional face-to-face lectures are replaced by web-based online material. Students who enrol for this option must attend a special face-to-face tutorial, either in person or via zoom, and complete self-access activities. This option is not intended for students who can attend most of the regular lecture times.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Spanish, and SPAN 111
SPAN 102 – Elementary Spanish
This course builds on SPAN 101, consolidating and increasing students' knowledge of and proficiency in both written and oral Spanish.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 101 or 111 or NCEA Level 2 in Spanish; (X) SPAN 112
SPAN 113 – Histories and Cultures of Spain and Latin America
This course, taught entirely in English, introduces students to the cultures and histories of Spain and the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, with a particular emphasis on how these impact on today's Hispanic societies and cultures. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (X) SPAN 212
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 201 – Chinese Language 2A
This course builds on the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills acquired in CHIN 102. Special attention is placed on developing students’ ability to communicate in Chinese in basic social interactions and in further understanding Chinese society and culture through discussions on selected topics.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 102; (X) CHIN 211
CHIN 202 – Chinese Language 2B
As for CHIN 201, with further development of students' Chinese communication skills and their understanding of Chinese language and culture.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 201 or 211; (X) CHIN 212
CHIN 213 – Chinese Culture Through Literature and Film
A study of key aspects of Chinese culture through analysis of selected literary texts and films in their social and historical context. No prior knowledge of Chinese language is necessary.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
FREN 201 – French Language 2A
This course builds on work done in FREN 102 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. By the end of the course, students will have acquired a sound knowledge of French syntax and vocabulary approximately equivalent to level A2-B1 in the Common European Framework or to more than 20 credits at NCEA level 3 with merit or excellence.
20 pts • (P) FREN 102 or 14 credits at NCEA Level 3 French with merit or excellence, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
FREN 202 – French Language 2B
This course develops skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking to an intermediate level while preparing students for more advanced language learning. By the end of this course, students will acquire knowledge of French syntax and vocabulary approximately equivalent to level B1 in the Common European Framework.
20 pts • (P) FREN 201 or 20 credits at NCEA level 3 French with merit or excellence, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
FREN 221 – French Literary Studies
Selected 20th- and 21st-century texts studied in their social and historical context. The course will develop students' ability to write about these texts in a critical, informed and persuasive manner. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) FREN 102, or 14 credits at NCEA Level 3 French with merit or excellence, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
GERM 201 – German Language 2A
Revision of basic German grammar. Practice of reading and listening to authentic German at an advanced level, building of German vocabulary knowledge pertaining to a number of different word fields.
20 pts • (P) GERM 102 or 104 or NCEA Level 3 German or equivalent; (X) GERM 217
GERM 202 – German Language 2B
A development of the skills taught in GERM 201, and an advanced study of the subjunctive mode. Special emphasis will be given to the active use of German in both written and spoken form.
20 pts • (P) GERM 201 or 217; (X) GERM 218
GERM 214 – Topics in German Culture 2
This course expands students’ familiarity with German culture by examining themes of importance for understanding the German-speaking world and how these are represented and/or evoked in a selection of poems and short prose works. Course material is studied in German. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) GERM 102 or 104, GERM 114; (C) GERM 201
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 201 – Italian Language 2A
A practical course in oral and written Italian, building on ITAL 101 and 102. Students will build their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing while deepening their knowledge of Italian culture and society through authentic materials.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 102 or 115; (X) ITAL 215
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 202 – Italian Language 2B
This course builds on the knowledge acquired in ITAL 201, with greater emphasis on the use of advanced grammar and syntax in written and oral expression.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 201 or 215; (X) ITAL 216
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 207 – Italy through Film
This course presents key themes in contemporary Italian society through a study of selected films and related primary and secondary sources. It offers an overview of the history of one of the world’s greatest national cinema traditions and asks students to assess critically how Italian cinema represents Italian society and culture and contributes to definitions of "Italian-ness”. Locating the films in the context of Italy’s rich cultural heritage, it provides insights into questions of cultural identity and relates them to important aspects of Italy’s visual, narrative and poetic traditions. Films are in Italian with English subtitles. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 201 – Japanese Language 2A
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 102 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 380 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 102 or 112 or 14 Japanese credits at NCEA Level 3; (X) JAPA 115, 204
JAPA 202 – Japanese Language 2B
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 201 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 500 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 115 or 201 or 204; (X) JAPA 116
JAPA 213 – Japanese Culture through Literature and Film
A study of key aspects of Japanese culture through analysis of selected literary texts and films in their social and historical context. No prior knowledge of Japanese language is necessary.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
LANG 201 – Capital Cities: Their Cultures and Stories
A course that charts the physical and cultural landscapes of some of the world’s most exciting cities and explores the changing histories of their peoples. This course is recommended for all students interested in cultural exchange. It is taught entirely in English and fulfils major requirements for students of European Languages and Cultures.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
LANG 202 – Moving the World: Artistic Movements in Context
This course introduces students to major artistic movements that represent key moments in the cultural histories of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Artefacts such as literary texts and art works will be studied in relation to historical and political contexts and prevailing intellectual currents in the source-language community. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
LING 227 – Syntax and Morphology
Every language is a system that conveys thoughts and meaning through a set of grammatical rules. Learning to break down the construction of words and sentences, you’ll discover the universal grammar behind human language. This course introduces standard tools and diagnostic tests for analysing sentence structure. We will look at data from various languages and identify universality and differences in their grammatical design.
20 pts • (P) LING 111 or 30 pts approved by Programme Director
LING 228 – Phonetics and Phonology
This course introduces important phenomena and types of analysis in phonetics and phonology, i.e. speech sounds and sound systems found in the world’s languages. Students will learn how to carry out acoustic analysis of speech using speech software, and how to use this analysis in speech research. They will learn about how our understanding of the patterns of sounds found in different languages has evolved over time and why.
20 pts • (P) LING 111
MAOR 202 – Te Pūtaiao Māori/Māori Science
Māori have always been scientists and this science enabled them to adapt to, survive and thrive in the landscape of Aotearoa. This course examines how, by looking at mātauranga and pūtaiao Māori (Māori knowledge and science) in both traditional and contemporary contexts. It examines the differences and similarities similarities between Western and Māori ways of knowing. Workshops and field trips on topics such as hangarau (technology) and rongoa (medicine) allow students to engage with mātauranga and pūtaiao in practical ways.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts; (X) MAOR124
MAOR 203 – Te Taunaha Whenua/Mapping Whenua
How do Māori view and map whenua and how has this changed over time? In this course you will learn how different mapping traditions in Aotearoa New Zealand have influenced and impacted on Māori relationships with lands, waterways and seas. Through practical exercises in workshops and in field, you will learn about places of significance to Māori, and gain technical skills to map these, highlighting tangata whenua interests in land.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts; (X) MAOR 210 2011–2014
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 204 – He Pā Mataora / A Living Pā
Māori communities are balancing cultural and environmental responsibilities to look after Papatūānuku, adapt to climate change, and live and prosper more sustainably. Drawing on mātauranga Māori and learnings from the Living Pā building process, He Pā Mataora is about finding practical ways to truly live by Māori principles and Tiriti obligations, learn from the past, understand how tupuna Māori lived through previous environmental challenges, and work towards a pae tawhiti (future) of living lightly. This course is first offered in 2026.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 211 – Tū Te Wana Wana/Māori Language 2A
This Māori language course extends oral, aural, reading and writing skills, with a particular focus on the relationship between language and Māori worldviews. It develops these language skills by drawing on literature from a range of time periods and genres, including narratives contained within Te Tumu Herenga Waka. Kīwaha (colloquialisms), whakataukī/whakatauākī (aphorisms) and mita (dialect) are examined in developing creative writing abilities.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 112
tut tba
MAOR 213 – Te Kawa o te Marae/Marae Etiquette and Protocols
This course examines the Maori rituals and customs that govern the processes and functions of the marae. It examines the theoretical and practical application of kawa (protocols) of the marae, in both a traditional and contemporary context. Attendance is required at a noho marae (approximate cost $15.00).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 111, 112, 123; (X) MAOR 001, 801
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 216 – Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi
This course examines Te Tiriti o Waitangi/ The Treaty of Waitangi, developing an understanding of its impact on the people of Aotearoa from its conception to the current day and beyond.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts
tut tba
MAOR 217 – Te Pūwhenuatanga o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa / The Peopling of Polynesia
This course focuses on Polynesian origins in the Pacific with special emphasis on the settlement of New Zealand and the development of Māori culture. It draws on archaeological, linguistic, traditional and other forms of evidence. There is an optional field trip (cost to be advised).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 123 or HIST 112 or PASI 101 or GLBL 101 (X) MAOR 122
MAOR 218 – Tirohanga Ahumahi / Sustainable Māori Economies
This course applies a tikanga lens to explore sustainable aspects of the Māori economy, business and investment. Students will consider practical examples of how tikanga works in theory and practice, the impact on whānau, hapū and iwi, and the implications for Aotearoa New Zealand. They will also investigate the structures and entities that Māori businesses use, learn how decisions are made, and consider other indigenous approaches.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level MAOR pts
MAOR 221 – Tū Tū Te Wana/Māori Language 2B
This Māori language course further extends oral, aural, reading and writing skills, with a particular focus on modern language contexts. It draws on a number of literary genres and situations that develop an understanding of language acquisition and use in modern contexts. Kīwaha (colloquialisms), whakataukī/whakatauākī (aphorisms) and mita (dialect) are further extended for modern use. Translation theories are also examined in the development of modern language corpora.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
tut tba
MAOR 222 – Te Aukorimiha, Te Auripomiha o te Reo/The Social and Political Development of the Māori Language
MAOR 222 explores the socio-linguistic landscapes related to language revitalisation, planning and policy. The course also probes the current climate of Māori language revitalisation and the impact different initiatives have made on the social and political development of the language.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts
tut tba
SAMO 201 – Samoan Language and Customs
A course that concentrates on developing oral and written skills in the Samoan language. Oral skills refers to exposing the students to and building their knowledge of vocabulary, phrases and customary concepts.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 101 or equivalent.
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 202 – Faasinomaga ma Tusitusiga Samoa/Samoan Literature
A further development and extension of Samoan language and scholastic understanding in reading, writing, listening and speaking skills about Samoan literature.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 101 or 102 or equivalent.
a/v class, tut tba
SPAN 201 – Spanish Language 2A
An intermediate level course, SPAN 201 builds on the skills developed in SPAN 102 or NCEA Level 3 in Spanish to enable students to achieve greater oral and written accuracy in the Spanish language. The teaching of the language is reinforced through written exercises, reading comprehension activities, set assignments and audio-visual work.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 102 or 112 or NCEA Level 3 in Spanish; (X) SPAN 211 and 215
SPAN 202 – Spanish Language 2B
SPAN 202 further develops the language skills taught in SPAN 201. The teaching of the language is reinforced through written exercises, reading comprehension activities, set assignments and audio-visual work.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 201 or 215; (X) SPAN 211 and 216
SPAN 214 – Topic In Hispanic Studies: Memory, Modernity and Popular Culture in Spain and Latin America
This course focuses on forms of popular culture in Spain and Latin America emphasising their connections to historical memory and modernity. It develops students’ critical engagement with the politics of memory in post-dictatorial societies, as well as on expressions of national identity and alternative gender imaginaries in contemporary cultural products.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts from Part A of the BA schedule or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 301 – Chinese Language 3A
This course builds on the language skills acquired at 200 level. Cultural topics reinforce understanding of the language and people.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 202 or 212; (X) CHIN 311
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 302 – Chinese Language 3B
The further study of language skills with translation both from and into Chinese, and communication in Chinese.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 301 or 311; (X) CHIN 312
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 313 – Classical Chinese Language and Literature
An introductory course in the classical language, employing selected historical and philosophical texts from the pre-Qin and Han periods. Students are also instructed in the use of a range of sinological reference materials.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 202 or 212
Not offered in 2025
CHIN 314 – Advanced Chinese Composition and Translation
A course for native speakers and advanced learners of Chinese that gives emphasis to written Chinese composition, both formal and informal, along with practical translation both to and from Chinese.
20 pts • (P) CHIN 302 or 312
Not offered in 2025
FREN 301 – French Language 3A
This course extends work done in FREN 202 in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will have acquired a sound knowledge of French grammar, syntax and vocabulary approximately equivalent to level B2 (part 1) in the Common European Framework.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202
Not offered in 2025
FREN 302 – French Language 3B
This course extends work done in FREN 301 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will have attained an advanced level of skill in applying their knowledge of French grammar and vocabulary at a level approximately equivalent to level B2 (part 2) in the Common European Framework.
20 pts • (P) FREN 301
Not offered in 2025
FREN 331 – 19th & 20th-Century French Literature
This course aims to encourage critical reading and understanding of the prescribed texts with an emphasis on various critical approaches, and to develop students' ability to write about those texts in a critical, informed and persuasive manner.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
FREN 332 – 20th-Century French World Literature
This course aims to foster your critical reading, comprehensive understanding, and effective communication skills, encompassing both written and verbal expression. You will engage deeply with selected cultural sources, enhancing your ability to analyse and discuss these works in a critical, informed and persuasive manner. The curriculum will highlight the intricate relationship between language and culture, providing insights into the lived experiences of people in Francophone societies around the globe. Through this approach, you will gain a broader appreciation of the cultural contexts and communicative practices that shape the French-speaking world.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
FREN 333 – 17th and 18th-Century French Literature
Selected 17th and 18th century texts studied in their social and historical context.
20 pts • (P) FREN 202, or equivalent, as determined by the academic staff teaching French
Not offered in 2025
GERM 301 – German Language 3A
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studied is based on the topics 'languages' and 'love'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 315
Not offered in 2025
GERM 302 – German Language 3B
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studied is based on the topics 'places' and 'media'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 316
Not offered in 2025
GERM 303 – German Language 3C
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studies is based on the topics 'consumerism' and 'health'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 320
Not offered in 2025
GERM 304 – German Language 3D
German language at an advanced level: guided and extensive practice of all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in language tutorials and in the Language Learning Centre. Language studied is based on the topics 'the future' and 'mobility'.
20 pts • (P) GERM 202 or 218; (X) GERM 321
Not offered in 2025
GERM 314 – Topics in German Culture
This course expands and deepens students’ familiarity with German culture by examining themes of importance for understanding the German-speaking world and how these are represented and/or evoked in a selection of literary texts and films. Course material is studied in German.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from GERM 200-299
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 301 – Italian Language 3A
An advanced course building on ITAL 202, designed to improve performance in speaking and writing, reading and oral comprehension. Students will build their proficiency in advanced syntax, idiom, vocabulary, oral skills and listening comprehension, while further developing their intercultural skills and deepening their understanding of Italian society and culture.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 202 or 216; (X) ITAL 311, 315
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 302 – Italian Language 3B
This course builds on the knowledge acquired in ITAL 301, with greater emphasis on translation skills and and the use of a variety of linguistic registers.
20 pts • (P) ITAL 301 or 315; (X) ITAL 311, 316
ITAL 306 – Dante's Inferno
This course offers an in-depth reading of Inferno, the first part of Dante's Divine Comedy and a masterpiece of world literature. The work is presented in relation to its medieval context, the politics of the time, the many references to Christianity and Classical culture, the development of Italian poetry and language. In the seminars students have the opportunity to discuss ideas of love, sin, good and evil, and how they have changed from Dante's times to the present day.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200-level from the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
ITAL 308 – Contemporary Italian Literature
This course presents a selection of contemporary Italian literature. The texts (a variety of fiction, poetry, theatre and film adaptations) are presented in English translation and analysed through a variety of perspectives, which encourage students to develop their own critical approach to the reading of Italian literature. The course is taught in English and no knowledge of Italian is required; however, students with previous knowledge of Italian are encouraged to read the texts in the original language.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 200-level from the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 301 – Japanese Language 3A
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 202 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 730 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 202 or 205; (X) JAPA 304
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 302 – Japanese Language 3B
This course is a continuation of the work done in JAPA 301 in all four language skills; reading, writing, listening and speaking. By the end of this course, students will acquire the knowledge of basic Japanese grammar and will understand approximately 950 kanji.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 301 or 304; (X) JAPA 305
Not offered in 2025
JAPA 322 – Readings in Japanese Culture, Society and History
This course introduces students to aspects of the culture, society and history of Japan through the reading of selected texts in Japanese and English and audio-visual materials. The course is conducted in English.
20 pts • (P) JAPA 202
Not offered in 2025
LANG 301 – Languages and Cultures for Global Communication
This course covers all 300-level Asian and European languages, offering language instruction in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish along with a rich exploration of cultural and intercultural topics. You will enhance your language proficiency and language-learning skills at an advanced level. You will also join fellow students and staff across the languages in fortnightly seminars to discuss themes like Language and Gender, Language and Identity, Languages of Diplomacy, and Languages and Colonisation. This integrated approach will help you develop global communication skills to thrive in diverse, multicultural environments.
20 pts
LANG 303 – Directed Individual Study
Students will undertake an approved, supervised course of study relating to Modern Languages.
20 pts • (P) permission of head of school
^ Limited entry course
MAOR 301 – He Mana Taiao, He Ritenga Tangata/ Māori Resource Management
This course starts by looking at Māori ownership and mana over environmental resources and some of the challenges presented by the Crown to that mana. It moves to examine the current laws which govern Māori land and resources such as the Resource Management Act and the Local Government Act. The course then explores how iwi are balancing economic development and environmental concerns in the development of specific resources such as oil, freshwater and fisheries and how this is unique in a post- settlement context. It also looks to the international context and asks what Māori resource management has in common with the management practices of other indigenous peoples.
20 pts • (P) 20 points in a MAOR 200-level course or GLBL 201 (X) MAOR 215
MAOR 302 – Te Pūmoto o te Tangata Whenua, o te Taiao/ Indigenous Knowledge and Science
What can Māori learn from other Indigenous peoples? In this course, students explore how Indigenous knowledge and ‘Western’ science work against, with or independent of each other and look at examples of how science contributes to Indigenous development. This international approach fosters cross-cultural communication skills, sharing of theory and practice, and comparative analysis of the situations of Indigenous peoples in global contexts.
20 pts • (P) 20 MAOR 200-level pts, or MAOR 124 or GLBL 201
MAOR 308 – Māori Media
This course examines the idea of Māori media from a range of perspectives. Broadly defined, Māori media includes the creative works of Māori media practitioners; however, the course also examines representations of te ao Māori more generally. Drawing from resources and methodologies from the fields of Māori Studies and Media Studies, this course considers how Māori media poses a challenge to current thinking about media practices and processes.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from GLBL 201, MDIA 200-299 or MAOR 212-299 (D) MDIA 308
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 311 – Tiri Te Wana Wana/Māori Language 3
In this course students test their advanced Māori language oral, aural, reading and writing skills, through engaging in a variety of advanced level Māori language tasks. This includes delving into the use of figurative language (kōrero whakaniko) and colloquialisms (kīwaha) and discussing and analysing examples of literature rich in these language features. Students are also challenged to demonstrate their competence in te reo Māori through debating current issues related to te reo and te ao Māori, and crafting quality translations with sensitivity to key translation principles and language features such as subtlety, formality, and grammatical accuracy.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
MAOR 313 – Ngā Tikanga Tuku Iho/Māori Customary Concepts
This course aims to develop student insight and understanding of the nature of both traditional and contemporary Māori culture, society and politics through critical analysis of concepts such as utu, muru, raupatu, rahui and tapu.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MAOR 213-217 or GLBL 201
MAOR 316 – Te Mana me te Rangatiratanga/Māori Politics
This online course examines a range of Māori political structures, movements, ideologies and visions. Students will also explore Māori politics in relation to Pacific and international Indigenous contexts. The themes covered in the course include Tino Rangatiratanga and Sovereignty, nationalism, Liberal democracy, Local governance, Iwi governance, Pacific and Indigenous contexts. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in KAIT, INTP or POLS.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 216 (X) POLS 316
MAOR 321 – Te Reo Karanga, Te Reo Whaikōrero/The Language of Karanga and Whaikōrero
This course examines the classical language of the Māori with an emphasis on the composition of original narrative and lyrical material. Attendance is required at a noho marae (approximate cost $15.00).
20 pts • (P) MAOR 311
MAOR 322 – Te Tāhū o te Reo/Topics in the Structure of Māori Language
This course provides an introduction to linguistic themes and the linguistic description of the Māori language, through the medium of te reo Māori, for competent Māori speakers. It concentrates on the analysis of the structure of Māori sentences and the critical analysis of elements of grammar fundamental to the fabric of the Māori language. MAOR 322 focuses on aspects of linguistic themes and concepts particularly relevant to speakers of Māori, including language change.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 211
Not offered in 2025
SAMO 301 – Samoan Language and Customs
An advanced course which will further develop oral, written, and reading skills in the Samoan language (particularly in Samoan history, customs and oral history) and with continuing attention given to speaking the language.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 201 or equivalent.
SAMO 302 – Faauigaga ma Faaliliuga / Interpreting and Translation
Interpreting and translating English to Samoan and Samoan to English concepts, theories and models with particular emphasis on exploring social, cultural and methodological contexts.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 202 or other evidence of advanced Samoan; evidence of advanced English Proficiency
SPAN 301 – Spanish Language 3A
SPAN 301 is an advanced level Spanish language course, which aims to develop students' competence in both spoken and written Spanish, building on work done in 200-level language courses. The course will include written exercises, reading and listening comprehension activities and oral practice.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 202 or 216; (X) SPAN 315
Not offered in 2025
SPAN 302 – Spanish Language 3B
SPAN 302 aims to further develop the skills acquired in SPAN 301, making particular use of authentic materials from Spanish-speaking countries in both aural and printed form. Additional emphasis will be placed on the active use of both spoken and written Spanish.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 301 or 315; (X) SPAN 316
Not offered in 2025
SPAN 314 – Topic in Hispanic Studies: National Identities and Cultures in the Hispanic World
This course explores national identities and cultures in the Hispanic world through a range of cultural works produced in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It is recommended for all students interested in exploring the Hispanic world. This course is taught in English and fulfils major requirements for students of Spanish.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
Music
CMPO 101 – Introduction to Composition, Digital Music and Film Scoring
An introduction to key techniques and concepts in instrumental/vocal composition, digital music and film scoring. You will apply and learn these skills through a series of short compositions, sound-based works and scoring a short film. Students are expected to possess a basic knowledge of musical notation and music theory, to about a Grade 5 level. In addition, familiarity with Digital Audio Workstation software and music notation software would be helpful but is not essential.
15 pts
CMPO 103 – Songwriting
In this hands-on creative course, you will learn the core skills, techniques and methods essential to the art and craft of songwriting, as well as develop and enhance your songwriting persona. You will complete a focused portfolio of original songs, and present these to your peers in a supportive and encouraging creative environment.
15 pts • (P) Portfolio of 2 original songs
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 130 – Introduction to Writing for Orchestral Instruments
An introduction to fundamental knowledge of the instruments found in a standard symphony orchestra. Students will learn a brief history of each instrument, as well as its range characteristics, timbre variations, technical considerations and their potential roles within the overall ensemble. Students are expected to possess a basic knowledge of musical notation and music theory, to about a Grade 5 level.
15 pts
CMPO 185 – Digital Music Foundations
An introduction to cutting-edge digital music production techniques: computer music programming, sound synthesis, and audio effects. Gain core skills required for generating and processing sound in digital media. Skills developed in this course will empower you to engage in electronic music production, digital art, creative coding, and other creative disciplines at the intersection of art and technology. No programming experience is required.
15 pts
CMPO 186 – Audio Production and Music Technology Foundations
An introduction to the fundamentals of music production, sound engineering, recording, and synthesis. You will learn a range of core music technology skills that are central to the disciplines of audio engineering and post-production, electronic music production, sound synthesis, as well as sound design and editing for film and audiovisual media. No prior experience required.
15 pts
MUSC 105 – Music Now: Understanding Music Through the Lens of the 20th-21st Centuries
A study of the range of musical experiences that define contemporary musical consciousness, from development in art, popular, and world musics across the 20th and 21st centuries, to the changing role of performers and performance. Historical, critical and ethnographic approaches will be introduced.
20 pts • (X) MUSC 106
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 106 – Music, Culture, Experience
An introductory study of musical experiences from a range of cultural perspectives. Trimester 3: Withdrawal with refund by 24/11/2017; withdrawal without refund by 13/12/2017, after which date the permission of the Associate Dean (Students) will be required to withdraw.
20 pts • (X) MUSC 105
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 120 – Popular Music: An Introduction
An introduction to the study of twentieth- and twenty-first-century popular music, integrating case studies of various global popular musics and interdisciplinary discussion of a range of ideas and issues that emerge from their study.
20 pts
MUSC 125 – Introduction to Jazz: Histories and Cultures of a Black American Music
Introductory study of the cultural roots of jazz and other Black American musics, the political and social contexts in which these musics have flourished, and the ongoing musical practices related to jazz in the twenty-first century.
20 pts
MUSC 130 – Hildegard to Avant Garde: Introduction to Western Art Music
In this chronological survey of Western art music, students study some of the most famous musical works ever written, and are introduced to the key historical, cultural, social, and stylistic developments in the Western art music tradition. Students also learn to think critically about how music reflects, shapes, and fits into the major philosophical, religious, political, and aesthetic movements and values of its time. No previous training in or knowledge of music is required.
20 pts
MUSC 150 – Music in Global Contexts
An introduction to music in world cultures. A survey of examples from the Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Americas that examines music within its cultural context, and an introduction to the study of ethnomusicology.
20 pts
MUSC 160 – Introduction to Music Theory and Musicianship
An introduction to fundamental written skills in music and to basic forms used in Western music, including practise in aural perception.
20 pts • (X) MUSC 164, 166
MUSC 164 – Jazz Theory/ Musicianship 1
Development of theoretical knowledge and skills for improvisation, composition, transcription, transposition and analysis.
20 pts • (P) Approved theory qualification, or entrance test, or B or better in MUSC 160
MUSC 165 – Jazz Theory/Musicianship 2
Study of the basic elements and procedures of jazz, including training in the fundamental skills of harmony, rhythm and keyboard.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 164
MUSC 166 – Classical Theory/Musicianship 1
Study of the basic elements and procedures of common practice tonal music, including basic training in harmony and counterpoint, aural perception, and keyboard skills.
20 pts • (P) Approved theory qualification, or entrance test, or B or better in MUSC 160;
MUSC 167 – Classical Theory/Musicianship 2
Study of chromatic tonal harmony, including training in analysis, voice-leading procedures, model composition, melodic and rhythmic dictation, aural skills and keyboard skills.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 166
PERF 101 – Performance Principal Study 1A
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) Audition (X) PERF 120, 121, 130;
PERF 102 – Performance Principal Study 1B
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 or audition; (X) PERF 120, 121, 130
PERF 105 – Performance Skills 1A
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) P One of PERF 101, 102, 106, or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 106 – Performance Skills 1B
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) One of PERF 101, 102, 105 or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 165 – Project in Performance 1A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 166 – Project in Performance 1B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 167 – Project in Performance 1C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
10 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 168 – Project in Performance 1D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
10 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 201 – Projects in Composition (Classical/Jazz)
Creative application of intermediate concepts in instrumental/vocal composition and/or hybrid composition, particularly as they apply to aesthetic and technical concepts of form/shape, compositional process, and advanced materials. This course is open to composers working in any idiom, including film scoring, commercial music and jazz.
15 pts • (P) Either (MUSC 164 and 165) or (CMPO 101 and 130) (X) CMPO 220
CMPO 202 – Projects in Small Ensemble Composition and Orchestration
Creative application of intermediate abilities in instrumental/vocal techniques and concepts resulting in the creation of both original works and orchestrations for a number of small instrumental ensembles. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) B or better in CMPO 130, B or better in MUSC 167 and B or better in CMPO 101; or application by portfolio submission; (X) CMPO 230, 231
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 203 – Songwriting as Composition
In this hands-on creative course, you will expand your abilities in the art and craft of songwriting to include aspects of arranging, production and ensemble performance. Alongside this, you will continue to deepen your creative identity and will complete a small portfolio of original songs, which you will present publicly in a supportive and encouraging creative environment.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 103
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 210 – Electronic Music and Sound Design
Explore key creative concepts and techniques in electronic music, alongside developing audio production and sound design skills, while completing your own pieces of electronic music. Critically and historically informed approaches to electronic music creation are also fostered. Music notation ability not required.
15 pts • (P) One of CMPO 101, 186, or entry by portfolio
CMPO 220 – Jazz Composition Principal Study 1
Introduction to knowledge and skills in jazz arranging and composition to an intermediate level through workshops and lessons.
15 pts • (P) B- or better in MUSC 164 and application by portfolio submission.
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 232 – Composing/Arranging for Small Ensembles (Classical/Jazz)
An introduction to the discipline of composing and/or arranging, for ensembles of 4–10 instruments. Students can elect to compose/arrange for either classical or jazz ensembles.
15 pts • (P) CMPO 130 or MUSC 164 (X) CMPO 230, 235;
CMPO 285 – Digital Music and Interaction
In this course, you will learn creative use of computer programming for interactive digital music applications. You will gain skills to build your own custom-designed interactive instruments, synthesisers, samplers, sequencers. What you will learn in this course will enable you to engage in a range of creative disciplines such as electronic composition, generative music, audiovisual and interactive media design, art installations, software development, and digital instrument design.
15 pts • (P) CMPO 185
CMPO 286 – Audio Production and Recording
In this course you will develop your skills in audio production, recording and mixing. You will also explore critical perspectives on music technology which will inform and enhance your technical abilities.
15 pts • (P) CMPO 186
MUSC 229 – Perspectives on Jazz: Race, Gender, and the Nation-State
Study of a range of historical, analytical and critical perspectives on jazz as a global music, focusing on on issues of race and gender, as well as the relationship between musics labelled as "jazz" and the nation-state. The course will explore a variety of music across a number of geographical settings and historical periods. It will consider current jazz practices around the world and interrogate the significance of jazz as a sonic and social practice for performers, audiences, nation-states and institutions in various times and places.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150; (X) MUSC 329
MUSC 230 – Topic in Music History
Advanced study of selected instrumental music, considered from a range of historical, analytic and critical perspectives. Current offering: This course explores the development of the nineteenth-century symphony. It follows a roughly chronological journey, analysing and contextualising symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Berlioz, Farrenc, Liszt, Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Bruckner, and Mahler. Through exploring these composers' different approaches, we examine how the symphony can represent, comment on, and be shaped by philosophies, ideologies, societies, and individuals- and how our perspectives of these relationships can change over time.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150; (X) MUSC 331 in 2024
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 231 – Perspectives on Vocal Music
Study of a range of perspectives on vocal music considered historically, analytically or critically.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 235 – Western Art Music 1600–1750: The Baroque Era
A study of select musical genres, composers and centres of composing and performing activity in the early modern period, from the birth of opera with Monteverdi to J.S. Bach and Handel.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 236 – Western Art Music 1750–1800: Enlightenment and Revolution.
A study of the major musical genres and centres of musical production throughout the eighteenth century in their intellectual and social context.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 237 – Western Art Music 1800–1900: Romanticism and Beyond
An historical and analytical study of nineteenth-century European music.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 245 – Western Art Music 1900–2000: New Sound Worlds
An historical study of selected developments in Western art music after 1900.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
MUSC 247 – Film Music
An introduction to the practice and criticism of music in sound cinema from 1927 to the end of the twentieth century. Current offering: This course will explore the music's interaction with the visual, narrative, dramatic complexity of and other sonic aspects of twentieth-century sound cinema. These explorations will move from the consideration of particular moments and scenes to a broader consideration of how music may help constitute cinematic meaning across entire films. The issues considered may encompass both technical and critical aspects such as: music and the development of character and subjectivity; music and voice; music and representations of gender and body; popular music and representations of ethnicity, class and youth; music as ironic commentary; and music and audience manipulation.
20 pts • (P) 40 points;
MUSC 248 – Popular Music Perspectives
A critical study of select popular music traditions, integrating topical case studies and interdisciplinary discussion of related scholarly issues.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
MUSC 249 – Sound and Music in Aotearoa
How have tangata whenua, pākehā, and tauiwi engaged with sound and music in the past and present of Aotearoa? What meanings does music hold for individuals and communities across the motu? In this course we will explore a wide range of human, animal, and technologically made music and sounds that have contributed to the soundscapes of Aotearoa.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 250 – Music in Everyday Life
Introduction to the ethnography of music and performance in social and cultural contexts.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 251 – Perspectives on Music of Oceania
Study of a range of perspectives on select music cultures of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia considered in social and cultural contexts. 70% internal assessment, 30% final examination. Co-taught with MUSC 351.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 254 – Topic in Ethnomusicology: Music and Nation
Study of a selected topic in Ethnomusicology. 70% internal assessment, 30% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 264 – Jazz Theory/ Musicianship 3
Development of theoretical knowledge and skills for improvisation, composition, transcription, transposition and analysis to an advanced standard.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 165
MUSC 266 – Classical Theory/Musicianship 3
Study of advanced chromatic harmony and voice leading procedures, including advanced training in melodic and rhythmic dictation, aural perception, and keyboard skills.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 167
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 267 – Methods of Music Analysis
Development of extended understanding of the procedures of tonal music common to composers of the 18th to early 20th centuries.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 167, 266
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 268 – Harmony in late-Romantic Music and Western Film Scores
This hands-on course will familiarise students with the main stylistic features shared by music of the late-Romantic period and many contemporary Hollywood film scores. The course draws on key triadic post-tonal theories (especially Neo-Riemannian theory), and examines the manipulation of the scales, cadences, progressions and melodic tropes of the repertoire.
20 pts • (P) One of MUSC 167, 264, 266
MUSC 269 – Encountering Sound: Analysis, Critique and Theories of Aural Experience
Sound is the medium in which we experience the audible world, including music, but what does it mean to encounter sound? What defines sound and sonic experience? How does sound interact with our bodies, with the environment, or with vision? Who are the artists and thinkers contributing to our understanding of sound as material for creativity? What’s the relationship between sound and music? These are the kinds of questions which this course addresses, through listening, reflection, and analysis.
20 pts • (P) At least 15 100-level pts
Not offered in 2025
PERF 201 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 202 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 205 – Performance Skills 2A
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 206 – Performance Skills 2B
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 207 – Performance Extended Skills 2A
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include Latin and jazz fusion ensembles.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (X) PERF 210, 223, 224;
Not offered in 2025
PERF 208 – Performance Extended Skills 2B
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include conducting, Latin and jazz fusion ensembles. In 2024, only the classical stream is offered.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (for latin/fusion); or two of MUSC 166, 167, 266 (for conducting); (X) PERF 210, 223, 224
PERF 211 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102 (X) PERF 220, 221;
PERF 212 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 220, 221
PERF 255 – Performance in Ethnomusicology: Māori Music/Gamelan
In this course you will learn about the music and culture of the Asia-Pacific region through hands-on engagement with either Māori music or Javanese Gamelan. By participating in rehearsals and performances, and researching the broader social context of the music, you will develop a holistic and experiential understanding of one of these rich and dynamic musical traditions. No audition is required to take the course. In 2024, only the Gamelan is offered.
15 pts • (P) 40 100-level points (X) PERF 151, 250, 251, 252;
PERF 255 – Performance in Ethnomusicology: Māori Music/Gamelan
In this course you will learn about the music and culture of the Asia-Pacific region through hands-on engagement with either Māori music or Javanese Gamelan. By participating in rehearsals and performances, and researching the broader social context of the music, you will develop a holistic and experiential understanding of one of these rich and dynamic musical traditions. No audition is required to take the course. In 2024, only the Gamelan is offered.
15 pts • (P) 40 100-level points (X) PERF 151, 250, 251, 252;
PERF 265 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 266 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 267 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 268 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 301 – Advanced Projects in Composition (Classical/Jazz)
Creative application of advanced abilities in instrumental/vocal techniques and concepts resulting in the creation of independently conceived original works.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 201 and one of CMPO 230-235
CMPO 302 – Advanced Projects in Composition
Creative application of advanced abilities in instrumental/vocal techniques and concepts resulting in the creation of independently conceived original works.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 202, MUSC 266; (X) NZSM 301
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 303 – Songwriting Projects
In this hands-on creative course, you will propose, plan, develop, and present an EP-length portfolio of original songs, which you will present publicly in a supportive and encouraging creative environment.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 203
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 305 – Topic in Composition/Sonic Arts: Digital Composition for Film
What are the skills needed to work as a composer in film and television today? In CMPO 305 you’ll learn how to use sampled audio and sound libraries to create engaging scores, including elements such as simulated orchestral textures, virtual percussion ensembles, and original electronic tracks. You’ll gain essential understanding of how to make score and picture work effectively together, while developing the technical and creative skills needed to integrate digital and physical instruments into soundtracks, using the latest digital audio production tools. The course is open to students from both Instrumental/Vocal Composition and Sonic Arts.
20 pts • (P) Two courses from CMPO 201-289
CMPO 306 – Topic in Composition/Sonic Arts: Film Music Composition and Orchestration
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music academic staff member.
20 pts • (P) Two of CMPO 201, 202, 210, 211 (X) CMPO 331, NZSM 408
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 310 – Electronic Music Projects
Through creative work in electronic music, students in this course will learn to use leading-edge audio technology and production techniques, including advanced approaches to sound design and spatial audio. The final assignment is to conceive and realise an original project- which might be a performance, a surround sound composition, or an installation – for presentation in a group concert or exhibition.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 210
CMPO 320 – Advanced Jazz Composition 1
Further development of knowledge and application of skills in arranging and composition for jazz ensembles of varying sizes to an advanced level with emphasis on style and creativity through lessons and self-directed study.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 220, MUSC 264
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 332 – Composing/Arranging for Large Ensembles (Classical/Jazz)
An introduction to the advanced practice of composing and arranging for large ensembles. Students can elect to compose/arrange compose/arrange for either classical or jazz ensembles. for either classical ensembles (e.g. symphony orchestra) or jazz ensembles (e.g. jazz orchestra).
20 pts • (P) One of CMPO 230-235 (X) CMPO 330, 335;
CMPO 385 – Digital Music and Interfaces
Hone your skills as a builder of digital musical instruments and learn to build the tools that you'll use to produce and perform electronic music. This course offers an exploration of cutting-edge and industry-standard approaches to audio programming, musical and multimedia interface design, and audiovisual software development.
20 pts • (P) One of CMPO 285, SWEN 200-299, COMP 200-299
CMPO 386 – Audio Production and Recording for Film
Development of advanced recording and production skills, with a focus on large ensemble/concert hall recording, and audio mixing and sound for film. The course also develops critical perspectives on the practice, process and experience of advanced sound production.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 286 or by portfolio
CMPO 387 – Advanced Audio Production
Through a series of student-led projects, students will develop advanced skills in stereo audio production, with a focus on student content and production, closely informed by industry standards in mixing and mastering. Students will also explore critical and scholarly perspectives on stereo sound production.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 286
MUSC 308 – Topic in Musicology
Advanced study of a selected topic in Musicology. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 327 – Topic in Jazz Studies: Critical Improvisation Studies
Advanced study of a selected topic within jazz studies. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 329 – Studies in Jazz
Advanced study of select jazz repertoires from a range of historical, ethnographic, or critical frameworks. Current offering: Global Jazz. A critical exploration of a variety of musics labelled as “jazz” across a number of geographical settings and historical periods. Study will also include current jazz practices around the world and interrogate the significance of jazz as a sonic and social practice for performers, audiences, nation-states, and institutions in various times and places.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259; (X) MUSC 229
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 330 – Topic in Music History
Advanced study of a selected topic in music history. 70% internal assessment, 30% examination.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 331 – Topics in Instrumental Music
Advanced study of selected instrumental music, considered from a range of historical, analytic and critical perspectives. Current offering: This course explores the development of the nineteenth-century symphony. It follows a roughly chronological journey, analysing and contextualising symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Berlioz, Farrenc, Liszt, Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Bruckner, and Mahler. Through exploring these composers' different approaches, we examine how the symphony can represent, comment on, and be shaped by philosophies, ideologies, societies, and individuals- and how our perspectives of these relationships can change over time.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259; (X) MUSC 230 in 2024
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 332 – Studies in Vocal Music: Experiencing Opera
This course examines the various factors that shape the experience of opera, both by audiences and by singers, and how music criticism has interacted with those experiences. We will investigate how the terms of operatic communication - music and text, in collaboration with voice, body, staging - function in representative operas. We will also consider how the experience of opera is translated according to the medium- how the live experience of opera is reconfigured, via different filmic approaches, for audiences today.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 336 – Studies in 18th Century Music
Advanced study of selected music of the 17th and 18th centuries, considered from a range of historical, analytic and critical perspectives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 337 – Studies in 19th Century Music
Advanced study of selected music of the 19th century, considered from a range of historical, analytical, and critical perspectives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 167 and one of MUSC 230-239 (C) MUSC 266; (X) MUSC
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 339 – Topic in Performance Practice: Music and/as Performance
Study of selected topics in performance practice, with a scholarly research focus. Current offering: How does performance define meaning in the Western art music tradition? Study will include consideration of ideals such as the concept of the work, and fidelity to the composer, both in terms of their historical basis and their aesthetic implications for a wide range of classical performance traditions.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 340 – Historical Performance Practice
An academic study of the resources, instruments, techniques and stylistic conventions relevant to the performance of music from Renaissance to modern times, with an emphasis on works of the 17th and 18th centuries.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 341 – Topic in New Musical Concepts: Green Sound: Music, Creativity and the Ecological Future
An examination, expressed through critical and potentially creative work, of new conceptual approaches to sonic art and/or instrumental/vocal composition. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 342 – Editing as Interpretation
Practical studies in early music notation and the critical editing of music.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 266, 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 343 – Topic in Popular Music Studies: Hip-Hop Music and Culture
Study of a selected interdisciplinary topic within Popular Music Studies considered from a range of historical, cultural, or critical perspectives. 2025 offering: Hip Hop Matters: Hip hop has grown from its roots as live party music in New York City in the 1970s to become a global music phenomenon. In this course, we will explore the deep roots of hip hop to understand how this music has spread and come to be one of the most popular forms of music around the world. We will also discuss how hip hop relates to other styles of music including Jamaican reggae and dancehall, rock, country, metal, EDM, and traditional musics of the world. Issues of race, gender, and sexuality will also be discussed throughout the course.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from (MUSC 220-259, MDIA 205); X MUSC 349 in 2019-2023
MUSC 344 – Approaches to the Study of Music
Advanced study in historical and recent developments in musicology and ethnomusicology, considering a variety of methodologies and approaches that may be applied to advanced study in music. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 345 – Studies in 20th - 21st Century Music
Advanced study of selected music after 1900, considered from a range of historical, analytical, and critical perspectives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
MUSC 346 – Critical Approaches to Music in Film
An in-depth study of current issues in film music criticism.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 347 – Topic in New Zealand Music: Western Art Music in New Zealand, 1841–1947
Study of selected topics in New Zealand music considered from a range of historical, cultural, or critical perspectives. Current offering: This course examines Western art music in Aotearoa New Zealand during the Colonial (1841–1907) and Dominion eras (1907–47). Through close consideration of specific compositions and types of performance, the following topics will be explored: music and society, foreign influence and national identity, tradition and transculturation.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 349 – Approaches to Popular Music
Advanced study of select popular music traditions, integrating topical case studies and interdisciplinary discussion of related scholarly issues. Hip hop has grown from its roots as live party music in New York City in the 1970s to become a global music phenomenon. In this course, we will explore the deep roots of hip hop to understand how this music has spread and come to be one of the most popular forms of music around the world. We will also discuss how hip hop relates to other styles of music including Jamaican reggae and dancehall, rock, country, metal, EDM, and traditional musics of the world. Issues of race, gender, and sexuality will also be discussed throughout the course.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from (MUSC 220-259, MDIA 205)
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 350 – Research in Music, Society, and Culture
Study of ethnomusicology and musicology theory and methods, and their application for advanced research into music. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 351 – Studies in Music and Dance of Oceania
Study of select cultures from Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia and in-depth consideration of music and dance practices from a range of historical, ethnographic, or critical frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points or GLBL 201
MUSC 352 – Studies in Music of Asia
Study of select music cultures of Asia and in-depth consideration of musical practices from a range of historical, ethnographic, or critical frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from MUSC or ASIA
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 353 – Topic in Music of the Pacific Islands: Musical Instruments and Sound Culture in the Pacific
Study of a selected topic related to Pacific Islands music, focused on particular cultural areas and considered from a range of historical, cultural, or critical perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 355 – Topic in Ethnomusicology: Music and Nation
Advanced study of a selected topic in ethnomusicology.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 356 – Topic in Ethnomusicology
Advanced study of a selected topic in Ethnomusicology. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 361 – Materials of 20th- and 21st-Century Music
Advanced materials and analytical techniques relating to selected Western art music repertoire after 1900.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 264 or 266
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 372 – Music Pedagogy
This course introduces and explores concepts of teaching and learning music, and provides an opportunity for students to gain practical experience of planning, delivering and evaluating musical learning within an educational context. This course will be of value to musicians with an interest in education, as well as those whose aspiration is to become a career music educator. Note: MUSC 372 is an elective course and does not count towards the major requirements for the PERF and CMPO majors in the BMus.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259 (X) MUSC 309 in 2020-2022
PERF 301 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3A
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202 (X) PERF 330;
PERF 302 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3B
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202; (X) PERF 330
PERF 305 – Performance Skills 3A
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 306 – Performance Skills 3B
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 307 – Performance Extended Skills 3A
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101, PERF 102, PERF 105 and PERF 106, or by audition (X) PERF 324
Not offered in 2025
PERF 308 – Performance Extended Skills 3B
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212, or audition; (X) PERF 324
PERF 311 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3A
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212 (X) PERF 320;
PERF 312 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3B
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212; (X) PERF 320
PERF 365 – Advanced Project in Performance 3A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
20 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 366 – Advanced Project in Performance 3B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 367 – Advanced Project in Performance 3C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 368 – Advanced Project in Performance 3D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Music Studies
MUSC 105 – Music Now: Understanding Music Through the Lens of the 20th-21st Centuries
A study of the range of musical experiences that define contemporary musical consciousness, from development in art, popular, and world musics across the 20th and 21st centuries, to the changing role of performers and performance. Historical, critical and ethnographic approaches will be introduced.
20 pts • (X) MUSC 106
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 106 – Music, Culture, Experience
An introductory study of musical experiences from a range of cultural perspectives. Trimester 3: Withdrawal with refund by 24/11/2017; withdrawal without refund by 13/12/2017, after which date the permission of the Associate Dean (Students) will be required to withdraw.
20 pts • (X) MUSC 105
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 120 – Popular Music: An Introduction
An introduction to the study of twentieth- and twenty-first-century popular music, integrating case studies of various global popular musics and interdisciplinary discussion of a range of ideas and issues that emerge from their study.
20 pts
MUSC 125 – Introduction to Jazz: Histories and Cultures of a Black American Music
Introductory study of the cultural roots of jazz and other Black American musics, the political and social contexts in which these musics have flourished, and the ongoing musical practices related to jazz in the twenty-first century.
20 pts
MUSC 130 – Hildegard to Avant Garde: Introduction to Western Art Music
In this chronological survey of Western art music, students study some of the most famous musical works ever written, and are introduced to the key historical, cultural, social, and stylistic developments in the Western art music tradition. Students also learn to think critically about how music reflects, shapes, and fits into the major philosophical, religious, political, and aesthetic movements and values of its time. No previous training in or knowledge of music is required.
20 pts
MUSC 150 – Music in Global Contexts
An introduction to music in world cultures. A survey of examples from the Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Americas that examines music within its cultural context, and an introduction to the study of ethnomusicology.
20 pts
MUSC 160 – Introduction to Music Theory and Musicianship
An introduction to fundamental written skills in music and to basic forms used in Western music, including practise in aural perception.
20 pts • (X) MUSC 164, 166
MUSC 164 – Jazz Theory/ Musicianship 1
Development of theoretical knowledge and skills for improvisation, composition, transcription, transposition and analysis.
20 pts • (P) Approved theory qualification, or entrance test, or B or better in MUSC 160
MUSC 165 – Jazz Theory/Musicianship 2
Study of the basic elements and procedures of jazz, including training in the fundamental skills of harmony, rhythm and keyboard.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 164
MUSC 166 – Classical Theory/Musicianship 1
Study of the basic elements and procedures of common practice tonal music, including basic training in harmony and counterpoint, aural perception, and keyboard skills.
20 pts • (P) Approved theory qualification, or entrance test, or B or better in MUSC 160;
MUSC 167 – Classical Theory/Musicianship 2
Study of chromatic tonal harmony, including training in analysis, voice-leading procedures, model composition, melodic and rhythmic dictation, aural skills and keyboard skills.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 166
POPM 101 – Popular Music: Creativity, Identity, Innovation
Popular music is driven by the innovative creativity of artists, bands, producers, journalists, promoters and many others. This course explores the many modes of creativity, not least of all musical creativity, that drive innovation and the development of artistic identity in popular music. Through a student-defined mix of creative and critical work, you will deepen your understanding of creativity, artistic distinctiveness, and processes of innovation, while also gaining critical insight into popular music in cultural and commercial contexts.
20 pts
MUSC 229 – Perspectives on Jazz: Race, Gender, and the Nation-State
Study of a range of historical, analytical and critical perspectives on jazz as a global music, focusing on on issues of race and gender, as well as the relationship between musics labelled as "jazz" and the nation-state. The course will explore a variety of music across a number of geographical settings and historical periods. It will consider current jazz practices around the world and interrogate the significance of jazz as a sonic and social practice for performers, audiences, nation-states and institutions in various times and places.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150; (X) MUSC 329
MUSC 230 – Topic in Music History
Advanced study of selected instrumental music, considered from a range of historical, analytic and critical perspectives. Current offering: This course explores the development of the nineteenth-century symphony. It follows a roughly chronological journey, analysing and contextualising symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Berlioz, Farrenc, Liszt, Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Bruckner, and Mahler. Through exploring these composers' different approaches, we examine how the symphony can represent, comment on, and be shaped by philosophies, ideologies, societies, and individuals- and how our perspectives of these relationships can change over time.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150; (X) MUSC 331 in 2024
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 231 – Perspectives on Vocal Music
Study of a range of perspectives on vocal music considered historically, analytically or critically.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 235 – Western Art Music 1600–1750: The Baroque Era
A study of select musical genres, composers and centres of composing and performing activity in the early modern period, from the birth of opera with Monteverdi to J.S. Bach and Handel.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 236 – Western Art Music 1750–1800: Enlightenment and Revolution.
A study of the major musical genres and centres of musical production throughout the eighteenth century in their intellectual and social context.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 237 – Western Art Music 1800–1900: Romanticism and Beyond
An historical and analytical study of nineteenth-century European music.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 245 – Western Art Music 1900–2000: New Sound Worlds
An historical study of selected developments in Western art music after 1900.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 105-150
MUSC 247 – Film Music
An introduction to the practice and criticism of music in sound cinema from 1927 to the end of the twentieth century. Current offering: This course will explore the music's interaction with the visual, narrative, dramatic complexity of and other sonic aspects of twentieth-century sound cinema. These explorations will move from the consideration of particular moments and scenes to a broader consideration of how music may help constitute cinematic meaning across entire films. The issues considered may encompass both technical and critical aspects such as: music and the development of character and subjectivity; music and voice; music and representations of gender and body; popular music and representations of ethnicity, class and youth; music as ironic commentary; and music and audience manipulation.
20 pts • (P) 40 points;
MUSC 248 – Popular Music Perspectives
A critical study of select popular music traditions, integrating topical case studies and interdisciplinary discussion of related scholarly issues.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
MUSC 249 – Sound and Music in Aotearoa
How have tangata whenua, pākehā, and tauiwi engaged with sound and music in the past and present of Aotearoa? What meanings does music hold for individuals and communities across the motu? In this course we will explore a wide range of human, animal, and technologically made music and sounds that have contributed to the soundscapes of Aotearoa.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 250 – Music in Everyday Life
Introduction to the ethnography of music and performance in social and cultural contexts.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 251 – Perspectives on Music of Oceania
Study of a range of perspectives on select music cultures of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia considered in social and cultural contexts. 70% internal assessment, 30% final examination. Co-taught with MUSC 351.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 254 – Topic in Ethnomusicology: Music and Nation
Study of a selected topic in Ethnomusicology. 70% internal assessment, 30% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 264 – Jazz Theory/ Musicianship 3
Development of theoretical knowledge and skills for improvisation, composition, transcription, transposition and analysis to an advanced standard.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 165
MUSC 266 – Classical Theory/Musicianship 3
Study of advanced chromatic harmony and voice leading procedures, including advanced training in melodic and rhythmic dictation, aural perception, and keyboard skills.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 167
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 267 – Methods of Music Analysis
Development of extended understanding of the procedures of tonal music common to composers of the 18th to early 20th centuries.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 167, 266
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 268 – Harmony in late-Romantic Music and Western Film Scores
This hands-on course will familiarise students with the main stylistic features shared by music of the late-Romantic period and many contemporary Hollywood film scores. The course draws on key triadic post-tonal theories (especially Neo-Riemannian theory), and examines the manipulation of the scales, cadences, progressions and melodic tropes of the repertoire.
20 pts • (P) One of MUSC 167, 264, 266
MUSC 269 – Encountering Sound: Analysis, Critique and Theories of Aural Experience
Sound is the medium in which we experience the audible world, including music, but what does it mean to encounter sound? What defines sound and sonic experience? How does sound interact with our bodies, with the environment, or with vision? Who are the artists and thinkers contributing to our understanding of sound as material for creativity? What’s the relationship between sound and music? These are the kinds of questions which this course addresses, through listening, reflection, and analysis.
20 pts • (P) At least 15 100-level pts
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 308 – Topic in Musicology
Advanced study of a selected topic in Musicology. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 327 – Topic in Jazz Studies: Critical Improvisation Studies
Advanced study of a selected topic within jazz studies. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 329 – Studies in Jazz
Advanced study of select jazz repertoires from a range of historical, ethnographic, or critical frameworks. Current offering: Global Jazz. A critical exploration of a variety of musics labelled as “jazz” across a number of geographical settings and historical periods. Study will also include current jazz practices around the world and interrogate the significance of jazz as a sonic and social practice for performers, audiences, nation-states, and institutions in various times and places.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259; (X) MUSC 229
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 330 – Topic in Music History
Advanced study of a selected topic in music history. 70% internal assessment, 30% examination.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 331 – Topics in Instrumental Music
Advanced study of selected instrumental music, considered from a range of historical, analytic and critical perspectives. Current offering: This course explores the development of the nineteenth-century symphony. It follows a roughly chronological journey, analysing and contextualising symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Berlioz, Farrenc, Liszt, Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Bruckner, and Mahler. Through exploring these composers' different approaches, we examine how the symphony can represent, comment on, and be shaped by philosophies, ideologies, societies, and individuals- and how our perspectives of these relationships can change over time.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259; (X) MUSC 230 in 2024
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 332 – Studies in Vocal Music: Experiencing Opera
This course examines the various factors that shape the experience of opera, both by audiences and by singers, and how music criticism has interacted with those experiences. We will investigate how the terms of operatic communication - music and text, in collaboration with voice, body, staging - function in representative operas. We will also consider how the experience of opera is translated according to the medium- how the live experience of opera is reconfigured, via different filmic approaches, for audiences today.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 336 – Studies in 18th Century Music
Advanced study of selected music of the 17th and 18th centuries, considered from a range of historical, analytic and critical perspectives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 337 – Studies in 19th Century Music
Advanced study of selected music of the 19th century, considered from a range of historical, analytical, and critical perspectives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 167 and one of MUSC 230-239 (C) MUSC 266; (X) MUSC
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 339 – Topic in Performance Practice: Music and/as Performance
Study of selected topics in performance practice, with a scholarly research focus. Current offering: How does performance define meaning in the Western art music tradition? Study will include consideration of ideals such as the concept of the work, and fidelity to the composer, both in terms of their historical basis and their aesthetic implications for a wide range of classical performance traditions.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 340 – Historical Performance Practice
An academic study of the resources, instruments, techniques and stylistic conventions relevant to the performance of music from Renaissance to modern times, with an emphasis on works of the 17th and 18th centuries.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 341 – Topic in New Musical Concepts: Green Sound: Music, Creativity and the Ecological Future
An examination, expressed through critical and potentially creative work, of new conceptual approaches to sonic art and/or instrumental/vocal composition. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 342 – Editing as Interpretation
Practical studies in early music notation and the critical editing of music.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 266, 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 343 – Topic in Popular Music Studies: Hip-Hop Music and Culture
Study of a selected interdisciplinary topic within Popular Music Studies considered from a range of historical, cultural, or critical perspectives. 2025 offering: Hip Hop Matters: Hip hop has grown from its roots as live party music in New York City in the 1970s to become a global music phenomenon. In this course, we will explore the deep roots of hip hop to understand how this music has spread and come to be one of the most popular forms of music around the world. We will also discuss how hip hop relates to other styles of music including Jamaican reggae and dancehall, rock, country, metal, EDM, and traditional musics of the world. Issues of race, gender, and sexuality will also be discussed throughout the course.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from (MUSC 220-259, MDIA 205); X MUSC 349 in 2019-2023
MUSC 344 – Approaches to the Study of Music
Advanced study in historical and recent developments in musicology and ethnomusicology, considering a variety of methodologies and approaches that may be applied to advanced study in music. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 345 – Studies in 20th - 21st Century Music
Advanced study of selected music after 1900, considered from a range of historical, analytical, and critical perspectives. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from MUSC 220-259
MUSC 346 – Critical Approaches to Music in Film
An in-depth study of current issues in film music criticism.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 347 – Topic in New Zealand Music: Western Art Music in New Zealand, 1841–1947
Study of selected topics in New Zealand music considered from a range of historical, cultural, or critical perspectives. Current offering: This course examines Western art music in Aotearoa New Zealand during the Colonial (1841–1907) and Dominion eras (1907–47). Through close consideration of specific compositions and types of performance, the following topics will be explored: music and society, foreign influence and national identity, tradition and transculturation.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 349 – Approaches to Popular Music
Advanced study of select popular music traditions, integrating topical case studies and interdisciplinary discussion of related scholarly issues. Hip hop has grown from its roots as live party music in New York City in the 1970s to become a global music phenomenon. In this course, we will explore the deep roots of hip hop to understand how this music has spread and come to be one of the most popular forms of music around the world. We will also discuss how hip hop relates to other styles of music including Jamaican reggae and dancehall, rock, country, metal, EDM, and traditional musics of the world. Issues of race, gender, and sexuality will also be discussed throughout the course.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from (MUSC 220-259, MDIA 205)
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 350 – Research in Music, Society, and Culture
Study of ethnomusicology and musicology theory and methods, and their application for advanced research into music. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 351 – Studies in Music and Dance of Oceania
Study of select cultures from Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia and in-depth consideration of music and dance practices from a range of historical, ethnographic, or critical frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points or GLBL 201
MUSC 352 – Studies in Music of Asia
Study of select music cultures of Asia and in-depth consideration of musical practices from a range of historical, ethnographic, or critical frameworks.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from MUSC or ASIA
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 353 – Topic in Music of the Pacific Islands: Musical Instruments and Sound Culture in the Pacific
Study of a selected topic related to Pacific Islands music, focused on particular cultural areas and considered from a range of historical, cultural, or critical perspectives.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 355 – Topic in Ethnomusicology: Music and Nation
Advanced study of a selected topic in ethnomusicology.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 356 – Topic in Ethnomusicology
Advanced study of a selected topic in Ethnomusicology. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 361 – Materials of 20th- and 21st-Century Music
Advanced materials and analytical techniques relating to selected Western art music repertoire after 1900.
20 pts • (P) MUSC 264 or 266
Not offered in 2025
MUSC 372 – Music Pedagogy
This course introduces and explores concepts of teaching and learning music, and provides an opportunity for students to gain practical experience of planning, delivering and evaluating musical learning within an educational context. This course will be of value to musicians with an interest in education, as well as those whose aspiration is to become a career music educator. Note: MUSC 372 is an elective course and does not count towards the major requirements for the PERF and CMPO majors in the BMus.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from MUSC 220-259 (X) MUSC 309 in 2020-2022
POPM 301 – Popular Music Projects
You will conceive, propose, develop, and present or perform an individual or collaborative project in a form that closely reflects your critical and/or creative interests. You will be supervised throughout the realisation of the project, and projects will require approval of your supervisor and the POPM 301 course coordinator. The medium of the project may be musical/sonic, audio-visual, written or a combination of these.
20 pts • (P) Two of (CMPO 203, 210, 285, 286) or two of (MUSC 229, 247, 248, 249, 269)
Not offered in 2025
Music: Composition
See also Music
CMPO 101 – Introduction to Composition, Digital Music and Film Scoring
An introduction to key techniques and concepts in instrumental/vocal composition, digital music and film scoring. You will apply and learn these skills through a series of short compositions, sound-based works and scoring a short film. Students are expected to possess a basic knowledge of musical notation and music theory, to about a Grade 5 level. In addition, familiarity with Digital Audio Workstation software and music notation software would be helpful but is not essential.
15 pts
CMPO 103 – Songwriting
In this hands-on creative course, you will learn the core skills, techniques and methods essential to the art and craft of songwriting, as well as develop and enhance your songwriting persona. You will complete a focused portfolio of original songs, and present these to your peers in a supportive and encouraging creative environment.
15 pts • (P) Portfolio of 2 original songs
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 130 – Introduction to Writing for Orchestral Instruments
An introduction to fundamental knowledge of the instruments found in a standard symphony orchestra. Students will learn a brief history of each instrument, as well as its range characteristics, timbre variations, technical considerations and their potential roles within the overall ensemble. Students are expected to possess a basic knowledge of musical notation and music theory, to about a Grade 5 level.
15 pts
CMPO 185 – Digital Music Foundations
An introduction to cutting-edge digital music production techniques: computer music programming, sound synthesis, and audio effects. Gain core skills required for generating and processing sound in digital media. Skills developed in this course will empower you to engage in electronic music production, digital art, creative coding, and other creative disciplines at the intersection of art and technology. No programming experience is required.
15 pts
CMPO 186 – Audio Production and Music Technology Foundations
An introduction to the fundamentals of music production, sound engineering, recording, and synthesis. You will learn a range of core music technology skills that are central to the disciplines of audio engineering and post-production, electronic music production, sound synthesis, as well as sound design and editing for film and audiovisual media. No prior experience required.
15 pts
CMPO 201 – Projects in Composition (Classical/Jazz)
Creative application of intermediate concepts in instrumental/vocal composition and/or hybrid composition, particularly as they apply to aesthetic and technical concepts of form/shape, compositional process, and advanced materials. This course is open to composers working in any idiom, including film scoring, commercial music and jazz.
15 pts • (P) Either (MUSC 164 and 165) or (CMPO 101 and 130) (X) CMPO 220
CMPO 202 – Projects in Small Ensemble Composition and Orchestration
Creative application of intermediate abilities in instrumental/vocal techniques and concepts resulting in the creation of both original works and orchestrations for a number of small instrumental ensembles. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) B or better in CMPO 130, B or better in MUSC 167 and B or better in CMPO 101; or application by portfolio submission; (X) CMPO 230, 231
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 203 – Songwriting as Composition
In this hands-on creative course, you will expand your abilities in the art and craft of songwriting to include aspects of arranging, production and ensemble performance. Alongside this, you will continue to deepen your creative identity and will complete a small portfolio of original songs, which you will present publicly in a supportive and encouraging creative environment.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 103
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 210 – Electronic Music and Sound Design
Explore key creative concepts and techniques in electronic music, alongside developing audio production and sound design skills, while completing your own pieces of electronic music. Critically and historically informed approaches to electronic music creation are also fostered. Music notation ability not required.
15 pts • (P) One of CMPO 101, 186, or entry by portfolio
CMPO 220 – Jazz Composition Principal Study 1
Introduction to knowledge and skills in jazz arranging and composition to an intermediate level through workshops and lessons.
15 pts • (P) B- or better in MUSC 164 and application by portfolio submission.
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 232 – Composing/Arranging for Small Ensembles (Classical/Jazz)
An introduction to the discipline of composing and/or arranging, for ensembles of 4–10 instruments. Students can elect to compose/arrange for either classical or jazz ensembles.
15 pts • (P) CMPO 130 or MUSC 164 (X) CMPO 230, 235;
CMPO 285 – Digital Music and Interaction
In this course, you will learn creative use of computer programming for interactive digital music applications. You will gain skills to build your own custom-designed interactive instruments, synthesisers, samplers, sequencers. What you will learn in this course will enable you to engage in a range of creative disciplines such as electronic composition, generative music, audiovisual and interactive media design, art installations, software development, and digital instrument design.
15 pts • (P) CMPO 185
CMPO 286 – Audio Production and Recording
In this course you will develop your skills in audio production, recording and mixing. You will also explore critical perspectives on music technology which will inform and enhance your technical abilities.
15 pts • (P) CMPO 186
CMPO 301 – Advanced Projects in Composition (Classical/Jazz)
Creative application of advanced abilities in instrumental/vocal techniques and concepts resulting in the creation of independently conceived original works.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 201 and one of CMPO 230-235
CMPO 302 – Advanced Projects in Composition
Creative application of advanced abilities in instrumental/vocal techniques and concepts resulting in the creation of independently conceived original works.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 202, MUSC 266; (X) NZSM 301
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 303 – Songwriting Projects
In this hands-on creative course, you will propose, plan, develop, and present an EP-length portfolio of original songs, which you will present publicly in a supportive and encouraging creative environment.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 203
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 305 – Topic in Composition/Sonic Arts: Digital Composition for Film
What are the skills needed to work as a composer in film and television today? In CMPO 305 you’ll learn how to use sampled audio and sound libraries to create engaging scores, including elements such as simulated orchestral textures, virtual percussion ensembles, and original electronic tracks. You’ll gain essential understanding of how to make score and picture work effectively together, while developing the technical and creative skills needed to integrate digital and physical instruments into soundtracks, using the latest digital audio production tools. The course is open to students from both Instrumental/Vocal Composition and Sonic Arts.
20 pts • (P) Two courses from CMPO 201-289
CMPO 306 – Topic in Composition/Sonic Arts: Film Music Composition and Orchestration
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music academic staff member.
20 pts • (P) Two of CMPO 201, 202, 210, 211 (X) CMPO 331, NZSM 408
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 310 – Electronic Music Projects
Through creative work in electronic music, students in this course will learn to use leading-edge audio technology and production techniques, including advanced approaches to sound design and spatial audio. The final assignment is to conceive and realise an original project- which might be a performance, a surround sound composition, or an installation – for presentation in a group concert or exhibition.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 210
CMPO 320 – Advanced Jazz Composition 1
Further development of knowledge and application of skills in arranging and composition for jazz ensembles of varying sizes to an advanced level with emphasis on style and creativity through lessons and self-directed study.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 220, MUSC 264
Not offered in 2025
CMPO 332 – Composing/Arranging for Large Ensembles (Classical/Jazz)
An introduction to the advanced practice of composing and arranging for large ensembles. Students can elect to compose/arrange compose/arrange for either classical or jazz ensembles. for either classical ensembles (e.g. symphony orchestra) or jazz ensembles (e.g. jazz orchestra).
20 pts • (P) One of CMPO 230-235 (X) CMPO 330, 335;
CMPO 385 – Digital Music and Interfaces
Hone your skills as a builder of digital musical instruments and learn to build the tools that you'll use to produce and perform electronic music. This course offers an exploration of cutting-edge and industry-standard approaches to audio programming, musical and multimedia interface design, and audiovisual software development.
20 pts • (P) One of CMPO 285, SWEN 200-299, COMP 200-299
CMPO 386 – Audio Production and Recording for Film
Development of advanced recording and production skills, with a focus on large ensemble/concert hall recording, and audio mixing and sound for film. The course also develops critical perspectives on the practice, process and experience of advanced sound production.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 286 or by portfolio
CMPO 387 – Advanced Audio Production
Through a series of student-led projects, students will develop advanced skills in stereo audio production, with a focus on student content and production, closely informed by industry standards in mixing and mastering. Students will also explore critical and scholarly perspectives on stereo sound production.
20 pts • (P) CMPO 286
Music: Performance
See also Music
PERF 101 – Performance Principal Study 1A
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) Audition (X) PERF 120, 121, 130;
PERF 102 – Performance Principal Study 1B
Development of technical and musical competency on the student’s chosen instrument or voice. This course is open to students studying either Classical or Jazz Performance.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 or audition; (X) PERF 120, 121, 130
PERF 105 – Performance Skills 1A
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) P One of PERF 101, 102, 106, or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 106 – Performance Skills 1B
Development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in two approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
10 pts • (P) One of PERF 101, 102, 105 or audition; (X) PERF 122, 132, 133, 134, 136
PERF 165 – Project in Performance 1A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 166 – Project in Performance 1B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 167 – Project in Performance 1C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
10 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 168 – Project in Performance 1D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
10 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 201 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 202 – Classical Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development of technical and musical competency, as well as artistic and stylistic insight, to perform at an intermediate level on the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 230
PERF 205 – Performance Skills 2A
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 206 – Performance Skills 2B
Further development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependent on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 105 & 106, or audition; (X) PERF 222, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236
PERF 207 – Performance Extended Skills 2A
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include Latin and jazz fusion ensembles.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (X) PERF 210, 223, 224;
Not offered in 2025
PERF 208 – Performance Extended Skills 2B
Development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Approved streams include conducting, Latin and jazz fusion ensembles. In 2024, only the classical stream is offered.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102, or audition (for latin/fusion); or two of MUSC 166, 167, 266 (for conducting); (X) PERF 210, 223, 224
PERF 211 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2A
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102 (X) PERF 220, 221;
PERF 212 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 2B
Further development, through individual lessons, workshops and self-directed learning of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice, along with greater artistic and stylistic insight.
20 pts • (P) PERF 101 & 102; (X) PERF 220, 221
PERF 255 – Performance in Ethnomusicology: Māori Music/Gamelan
In this course you will learn about the music and culture of the Asia-Pacific region through hands-on engagement with either Māori music or Javanese Gamelan. By participating in rehearsals and performances, and researching the broader social context of the music, you will develop a holistic and experiential understanding of one of these rich and dynamic musical traditions. No audition is required to take the course. In 2024, only the Gamelan is offered.
15 pts • (P) 40 100-level points (X) PERF 151, 250, 251, 252;
PERF 265 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 266 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 267 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 268 – Intermediate Project in Performance 2D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 301 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3A
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202 (X) PERF 330;
PERF 302 – Classical Performance Principal Study 3B
Further development of technical and musical competency and artistic and stylistic insight to perform an expanded range of repertoire of the student’s chosen instrument or voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 201 & 202; (X) PERF 330
PERF 305 – Performance Skills 3A
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 306 – Performance Skills 3B
Advanced development of practical performance skills that support and enhance students’ principal study. Students participate in three approved areas of study, dependant on the student’s instrument/voice.
15 pts • (P) PERF 205 & 206, or audition; (X) PERF 322, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336
PERF 307 – Performance Extended Skills 3A
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 101, PERF 102, PERF 105 and PERF 106, or by audition (X) PERF 324
Not offered in 2025
PERF 308 – Performance Extended Skills 3B
Advanced development of technical and musical skills in an ancillary performance competency. Students choose from a Latin ensemble or jazz fusion ensemble.
10 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212, or audition; (X) PERF 324
PERF 311 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3A
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212 (X) PERF 320;
PERF 312 – Jazz Performance Principal Study 3B
Development to an advanced level of technical and musical competency on the student’s primary instrument/voice.
20 pts • (P) PERF 211 & 212; (X) PERF 320
PERF 365 – Advanced Project in Performance 3A
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
20 pts • (P) Audition
Not offered in 2025
PERF 366 – Advanced Project in Performance 3B
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 367 – Advanced Project in Performance 3C
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
PERF 368 – Advanced Project in Performance 3D
Exploration of an area of learning specific to the research interests and activity of a music staff member. A proposal outlining the intended work for this course must be approved by the Director of the NZSM prior to the enrolment deadline.
15 pts • (P) Audition
Network Engineering
See also Engineering, Computer System Engineering, Electronic Engineering, and Software Engineering
COMP 112 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course introduces a range of important concepts and topics across Computer Science, Software Engineering and Network Engineering. Students will also gain a solid foundation of programming skills in object oriented programming. The course is an entry point to the BE(Hons) and BSc in Computer Science for students who already have basic programming skills.
15 pts • (P) 14 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Digital Technology including 6 credits in Computer Programming, or COMP 132, or equivalent programming experience; (X) COMP 102
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 101 – Engineering Technology
This course provides a general introduction to the fundamental technical concepts needed to understand the design and engineering of electronic, mechatronic, networked and software systems. Experience is gained in basic engineering practice, with assembly and testing of basic hardware, software and networked systems, and construction of a personal computer.
15 pts • (P) enrolment in BE(Hons)
lab tba
ENGR 110 – Engineering Design
This course addresses the engineering design process through a collection of engineering projects that require a range of technologies and design techniques. Sustainability will be an important component of the course, with some of the projects addressing technology and design for sustainable engineering.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112, ENGR 101 (X) ENGR 111
ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 123 – Engineering Mathematics with Logic and Statistics
Mathematical techniques employed by cybersecurity and software engineers, including combinatorics, logic, probability distributions, model fitting and estimation. The course emphasises engineering applications.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121; (X) the pair MATH 161, (MATH 177, QUAN 102 or STAT 193)
ENGR 141 – Engineering Science
ENGR 141 deals with scientific topics relevant to Engineering. Topics will include forms and use of energy, Newton’s laws of motion, gravity, waves, thermodynamics and required math concepts (limits, derivatives, functions). Students will obtain an appreciation for quantitative scientific reasoning and the role of fundamental physical laws in governing human energy use.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 101, PHYS 114, PHYS 115
ENGR 142 – Engineering Physics for Electronics and Computer Systems
Physics theory and practice relevant to electronics and computer systems engineering. Topics covered will include electrostatics (charge, force, field, potential), magnetic field and force, DC and AC circuits, electromagnetic induction and other selected topics. Lectures, assignments and laboratory work will all focus on the application of physics to engineering situations.
15 pts • (P) either ENGR 141 and (ENGR 121 or MATH 141) or approved levels of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Calculus or equivalent (X) PHYS 115, 142
ENGR 201 – Engineering in Context
This course addresses the research, analysis, critical and creative thinking skills embodied in written and oral communication which professional engineers are expected to display in the workplace. While addressing these aspects, the course at the same time develops the personal and interpersonal skills required to work effectively as part of a team in an engineering context.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 101, 110 and 45 further points from Part 1 of the BE(Hons) schedule
ENGR 222 – Computational Algebra and Calculus
This course covers fundamental concepts in linear algebra and multivariable calculus, with an emphasis on their applications to physical and engineering problems. Topics covered include linear transformations, matrix decomposition including the singular value decomposition, Taylor series, calculus of vector-valued functions, multivariate functions and vector fields. Mathematical software will be used extensively.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121, 122) or (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 240 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 241 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 241 – Systems Programming
This course considers the issues raised when programming at a low-level, for example in embedded systems, OS system level, or network protocol stacks. It includes an introduction to C language programming and motivating examples related to a wide variety of applications of system programming.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
NWEN 243 – Clouds and Networking
The course provides a broad introduction to computer networks and a basic understanding of network application programming, with an emphasis on the working principles and application of computer networks. It covers a range of introductory topics including the essentials of data communication, computer network concepts, protocols, network applications and cloud computing. The course features an interactive laboratory component with projects starting from basic networking technologies leading into cloud application development.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
ENGR 301 – Engineering Project Management 1
The course takes a practice-based approach to teaching engineering project management, including aspects of project life cycle, requirements analysis, principles of design, project tasks and deliverables, contracts, cost estimation, project scheduling, risk management, quality assurance, managing project resources, testing and delivery, interpersonal communication, teamwork and project leadership. Students will work on a technical group project which will provide opportunities to practice the project management techniques learned in class.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201 and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN)
ENGR 302 – Engineering Project Management 2
The course uses a large collaborative group project to teach engineering project management. Through the project, the students will experience the full lifecycle of a project, from requirements analysis through design and implementation to closing the project.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301
ENGR 338 – ST: EEEN Project Management
The course presents material on systems engineering and project management of relevance to engineering projects involving physical hardware. Topics covered will include techniques for supporting successful group work, approaches to project management and systems engineering principles including sustainability, reliability and safety.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN); enrolment in the EEEN major; (X) ENGR 301
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 339 – ST: EEEN Group Project
Students will work in teams to design, prototype and test a working electromechanical device according to user requirements. Aspects of professional engineering practice such as sustainability, reliability, safety and ethics will be considered as appropriate.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 338 in 2024; (X) ENGR 302
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 340 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 341 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 301 – Operating Systems Design
This course addresses the design and implementation of operating sytems and examines fundamental concepts such as resource management, concurrency, protection and security. Examples drawn from a range of modern operating systems illustrate these concepts and project work provides practical experience in the design and implementation of operating systems.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 302 – Computer Network Design
This course addresses the principles, architectures and protocols that have shaped the development of the Internet and modern networked applications. It examines network design principles, underlying protocols, technologies and architectures of the TCP/IP protocol stack. Topics include the design of transport protocols, routing protocols, logical link control, medium access control and physical media.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241, 243; ENGR 123 or (MATH 161 and one of (MATH 177 or QUAN 102 or STAT 193))
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 303 – Concurrent Programming
This course examines a range of techniques for programming multi-threaded and distributed applications. Topics include synchronisation mechanisms used for programs that communicate via shared memory and message passing techniques for programs that communicate across a network. Practical work involves implementing programs using these techniques in a modern concurrent language, such as Java.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 123 or MATH 161; SWEN 221; 15 points from (COMP 261, CYBR 271, NWEN 241, 243)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 304 – Advanced Network Applications
This course introduces technologies, algorithms and systems for developing secure, scalable and reliable web server applications. Specific emphasis will be placed on application development middleware, computer security, network protocols and distributed systems. Particularly a variety of topics ranging from fundamental to advanced technologies for developing RESTful web applications, including MVC, distributed authentication and authorization, secure data communication, web caching and content replication, will be covered in lectures.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 123 or MATH 161, NWEN 243; COMP 261 or NWEN 241 or SWEN 221
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 401 – Professional Practice
This course will prepare student's expectations for many of the events and situations they are likely to meet in the professional working world. This includes: codes of conduct, as determined by professional bodies and company practices; ethical behaviour, as found in the workplace and dictated by company practices; critical thinking and people issues, as relevant in the workplace and in company practice.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) Schedule
ENGR 440 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 441 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 489 – Engineering Project
Students will work on an individual project of a complex nature in order to develop a solution to an engineering problem. In addition to the technical engineering development work, the project may require consideration of issues such as customer specifications, cost analysis, IP and product testing and delivery. Students will be required to give an oral and a poster presentation as well as a final report on their project.
30 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) schedule
NWEN 401 – Distributed Systems Design
Distributed system concepts and techniques underlie much of modern computer technology; client-server systems based on high-bandwidth networks support applications ranging from business data processing to multimedia information systems. This course teaches the concepts and principles employed in the design and implementation of distributed systems, with practical examples, providing a suitable knowledge base for those aiming for careers in advanced system and application development, or in research.
15 pts • (P) two courses from (NWEN 301, 302, 303)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 402 – Internet Engineering
This course addresses the use of important technologies in the design and engineering of modern high performance Internet applications and infrastructure. Course coverage includes views on the impact of economic, political and technical issues on internet engineering which are explored through case studies and recent professional and research literature. These aspects are explored through practical group work in distributed systems/Internet technology plus lectures and seminars.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 302, 304; 15 further 300-level COMP, ECEN, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 403 – Advanced Network Engineering
This course extends the data communications and telecommunication taught in Computer Network Design, concentrating on new developments and network case studies. The course is designed for those aiming for careers that involve networking or network research and enhances the understanding of distributed systems through the applications of distributed systems in network management and Internet infrastructure.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 302, 30 further 300-level pts from (COMP, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 404 – Mobile Computing
The course introduces the fundamental topics of Mobile Computing. In particular, the course will emphasise the network and transport layers of wireless communication protocols and network infrastructure suitable for mobile personal systems (e.g. GSM, 3G, Mobile IP, etc). Key issues of mobility and disconnected operation with respect to mobile computing systems and quality of service issues in mobile personal systems will be covered and how applications handle node mobility and wireless communications will be explored.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 302 and 30 further 300-level pts from (COMP, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 405 – Security Engineering
The Internet's role as a large, public, distributed system has raised security to an issue of critical importance. This course examines security mechanisms, security policies, security evaluation and risk management, security issues in networks and operating systems, and case studies that show how these security techniques can be used to solve real- world problems such as conducting trustworthy auctions and secret ballots.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 304, 30 further 300-level pts from (COMP, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
NWEN 406 – Distributed Computing in Grids and Clouds
The course focuses on the design and use of distributed systems for high end computing. In particular we look at the aggregation of geographically distributed computing resources to form massive distributed computing platforms. These platforms can then be applied to solve large problems in science and industry - protein docking, seismology medicine, astronomy, particle physics, climate prediction etc. Topics in this course typically include: e-Science, clusters, grids and clouds, service oriented architectures, workflow management, utility computing and grid economies.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 301; NWEN 302 or 303
Not offered in 2025
New Zealand Sign Language
NZSL 101 – Introduction to New Zealand Sign Language
A beginners' course in NZSL, emphasising acquisition of basic receptive and expressive skills in sign language for everyday conversations. The course also includes information about aspects of grammatical structure and Deaf community and culture.
20 pts
^ Limited entry course
NZSL 102 – Elementary New Zealand Sign Language
This course further develops beginners' skills in understanding and using NZSL, and extends students' understanding of the Deaf community and culture in New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) NZSL 101 (DEAF 101) or equivalent proficiency in NZSL (X) DEAF 102
^ Limited entry course
NZSL 201 – Intermediate New Zealand Sign Language A
The course will extend the receptive and expressive skills of students who have a foundation in NZSL, and will examine cultural perspectives and issues relevant to the Deaf community. Teaching will focus on increasing students' vocabulary, expressive fluency, knowledge and use of grammatical structures in NZSL.
20 pts • (P) NZSL 102 (or DEAF 102) or equivalent proficiency in NZSL (X) DEAF 201
^ Limited entry course
NZSL 202 – Intermediate New Zealand Sign Language B
This course will develop intermediate signers’ receptive and expressive proficiency in NZSL for everyday communication purposes. Learners will extend their repertoire of NZSL grammar structures and appreciation of the social-cultural context of NZSL use in Deaf community.
20 pts • (P) NZSL 201 (or DEAF 201) or equivalent proficiency in NZSL (X) DEAF 202
^ Limited entry course
NZSL 311 – Structure and Use of New Zealand Sign Language
This course surveys how concepts in linguistic structure are applied to the analysis of sign language, at the levels of phonology, morphology, lexicon and syntax. Sociolinguistic issues in the use of sign language use will be explored, including variation and language contact, and the status of NZSL in society.
20 pts • (P) 40 DEAF, NZSL, or LING pts; (X) LING 226 in 2014 and LING 326 in 2015.
Pacific Studies
See also Samoan Studies/Fa'asamoa
PASI 101 – The Pacific Heritage
This is a survey course on a range of Pacific nations, covering socio-cultural, geographical, economic, and historical issues including indigenous perspectives.
20 pts
tut tba
PASI 201 – Comparative History in Polynesia
This course compares and contrasts pre-colonial, colonial and 'post-colonial' experiences of eastern and western Polynesian societies. Students are introduced to a range of sources for historical research, including indigenous sources.
20 pts • (P) (PASI 101, 20 approved pts from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
tut tba
PASI 202 – Globalisation and Popular Culture in the Pacific
Why do popular cultures matter? How might they be important for learning about Pacific places and peoples in an era of globalisation? In this course, students examine popular cultures as dynamic sites for Pacific engagements with processes of globalisation.
20 pts • (P) (PASI 101, 20 points from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL101
tut tba
PASI 301 – Framing the Pacific: Theorising Culture and Society
This course examines a number of critical issues in the contemporary Pacific through a detailed consideration of the work, ideas, and writings of Pacific writers, artists, film makers, activists and scholars. It also encourages critiques of established historical and narrative accounts.
20 pts • (P) (PASI 201, 20 pts in Maori, French or Samoan language) or GLBL 201
PASI 303 – Migration, Diaspora and Identity in the Pacific
This course explores the concept of diaspora alongside indigenous Pacific ways of conceptualising migration, movement, socio-spatial relationship, and attachments to place. Throughout the course, we use these conceptual tools to engage with specific examples of culture and identity in a variety of Pacific contexts, developing students' abilities to discuss issues of population movement, cultural change, and identity formation with nuance and intellectual rigour.
20 pts • (P) (PASI 201 or 202 or 40 pts from ANTH, ARTH, ENGL, GEOG, HIST, INTP, KURA, MAOR, MDIA, MUSC, POLS, SAMO, SOSC 100-299) or GLBL 201
Philosophy
See also Logic and Computation
FHSS 103 – Great Ideas / Whakaaro Hirahira
Great Ideas is a course reflecting on some of the most exciting, important and revolutionary ideas that have shaped society and culture as it is today. It also considers how those ideas have an ongoing influence. It’s an interdisciplinary course looking at topics across the humanities, arts and social sciences.
20 pts
PHIL 104 – Minds, Brains and Persons / Te Hinengaro me Te Ira Tangata
We humans like to think that we’re special -- that we're different from each other, and from rocks, nonhuman animals, and computers. But are we really so special and different? The answers depend on deep philosophical questions about human minds and brains, which we explore in this course. Perhaps it’s that we have souls, free will, rational thought, or that we are conscious. Perhaps our individuality comes from our differences in character, values, gender, or race. This course is designed for all students and does not assume any background in philosophy.
20 pts
tut tba
PHIL 105 – The Big Questions
Sometimes, in a reflective mood, you might sit back and wonder about really “big questions.” What is the meaning of life? Does anything really matter? Can I know anything with 100% certainty? Would it be good to live forever? What is happiness? Does God exist? Is time travel possible? In this course we take a number of these kinds of weighty question and subject them to careful philosophical examination. You might not walk away knowing definite answers, but you will understand the questions a lot better. This course is designed for all students and does not assume any background in philosophy.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 106 – Contemporary Ethical Issues / Ngā Take Matatika o Nāianei
What kind of life should I live? What kind of person should I be? Which actions are right and which are wrong? Answering questions of this sort is the task of ethics, and this course is an introduction to the subject. We will discuss and critically assess major theories of moral philosophy such as utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. We will then apply these theories to contemporary ethical issues such as euthanasia, animal welfare, free speech, punishment, climate change, and the morality of war. This course is designed for all students and does not presuppose any background in philosophy.
20 pts
tut tba
PHIL 107 – Philosophy of Art
We’re surrounded by art – not just in art galleries, but in the movies and TV shows that we watch, the videogames we play, the photos we post, and the bands we listen to. Why do we love art so much? In this course we’ll look at the ways that art influences our thinking: how it gives us pleasure and wisdom, shapes our judgements, and challenges our political views. You’ll learn how to think critically about the visual culture that pervades our everyday world. This course is designed for all students and does not assume any background in philosophy or in art.
20 pts
tut tba
PHIL 123 – Critical Thinking
Life is full of difficult decisions. Should I buy a car or rely on public transport? Should I study locally or move cities? What can we do about climate change? When facing such hard practical problems, it always helps to have good critical thinking skills. In this course you will develop those skills and learn about the basics of rational choice theory, game theory, and social choice theory. This course is designed for all students and doesn’t assume any background in philosophy.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
INTP 261 – Political Philosophy and International Relations
This course surveys the historical and philosophical development of international relations theory and political theory. It will examine foundational texts drawn from thinkers across the range of western political theory, from ancient Greece to the twentieth century. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in PHIL or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101; (X) PHIL/POLS 261
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 201 – Knowledge and Reality / Te Māramatanga
How can we know the difference between what is real and what is not real? In this course we explore this most fundamental question, which is at the heart of the branch of philosophy known as epistemology. What is knowledge? How are beliefs justified? Can we trust that perception gives an accurate image of reality? Can we rely on what other people tell us or what we read? You will develop key critical thinking skills, since understanding the means by which the human mind has access to reality is crucial not only for philosophy, but for the sciences, and for all other forms of enquiry into the world.
20 pts • (P) 20 PHIL pts
PHIL 202 – Ethics / Tikanga Matatika
We often disagree about what is right and wrong, good and bad. But can there be a theory that settles these disagreements? This course is an examination of some major types of moral theory, exploring their structure and evaluating their plausibility. The focus will be on contemporary consequentialist theories and rights-based theories. Some of the course will approach these questions via an examination of concrete practical problems, such as whether citizens have the right to own a gun, and whether we should devote ourselves to reducing the risks of artificial intelligence.
20 pts • (P) 20 PHIL pts
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 204 – Asian Philosophy
This course is an introduction to classical Asian philosophy, with a focus on views about ethics, political philosophy, education, and human nature.
20 pts • (P) 20 points from PHIL 100-199 or ASIA 100-199; (X) PHIL 209 in 2012-2013, 2016-2019; PHIL 309 in 2012-2019
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 209 – Special Topic: Metaphysics
What is time? What is causation? What is it for an object to have a property? Do abstract entities exist? Do humans have free will? Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that for answers to such fundamental questions, exploring some of the deepest and most challenging puzzles about the nature of reality. In this course you will investigate such topics carefully, drawing on both historical and contemporary sources.
20 pts • (P) 20 PHIL points; (X) PHIL325
PHIL 210 – Special Topic: Ethical Theory
We’re all familiar with moral judgements like “You should keep your promises” or “Violence is wrong.” But what exactly are we doing when making such moral judgements? What’s distinctive about moral language? Can moral judgements be true or false (like factual judgements)? What kind of property might moral wrongness be? Are the moral facts the same for everyone? Does moral knowledge exist? This is a course on meta-ethics, the branch of moral philosophy that investigates the deepest questions about ethics. You’ll learn about a range of meta- ethical theories such as noncognitivism, error theory, fictionalism, constructivism, and moral realism.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL pts; (X) PHIL 302
PHIL 211 – Introduction to Logic / He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō Te Tika
Logic is the branch of philosophy that studies and analyses arguments in general symbolic form. This course is an introduction to the field, requiring no prior background in studying philosophy or logic. You will be introduced to the use of techniques such as truth tables, truth trees, and natural deduction to test arguments for validity.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from PHIL, ENGR, LING, MATH or STAT
PHIL 264 – Ethics and International Affairs / Ngā Matatika i ngā hononga ā-Ao
Is waging war ever morally justified, and, if so, when? Do affluent states and individuals harm the global poor? How should New Zealand deal with historic injustice and the legacy of colonialism? What is the fairest and most effective way of addressing climate change? In this course you will investigate these questions and others that lie at the intersection of international relations and moral philosophy. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from PHIL, EHUM, GLBL, INTP or POLS
PHIL 264 – Ethics and International Affairs / Ngā Matatika i ngā hononga ā-Ao
Is waging war ever morally justified, and, if so, when? Do affluent states and individuals harm the global poor? How should New Zealand deal with historic injustice and the legacy of colonialism? What is the fairest and most effective way of addressing climate change? In this course you will investigate these questions and others that lie at the intersection of international relations and moral philosophy. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from PHIL, EHUM, GLBL, INTP or POLS
PHIL 265 – Mind and Cognition / Te Hiringa i te Mahara
Where is your mind? What is your mind? Do other people have minds like yours? What about other types of entities? In this course you will explore complex questions like these concerning the nature of minds and how they work. You’ll consider the relationship between minds and brains, asking whether something without a brain might nonetheless think, perceive, or be conscious. You’ll learn about what sources of evidence might, or might not, serve to inform these fundamental questions. Topics that may be discussed include the relationship between mind and body, types of consciousness, perception, belief, intentionality, and mental content.
20 pts • (P) 15 PHIL, COGS or PSYC points
PHIL 267 – Great Philosophers
This course covers western philosophy from the presocratic thinkers, through Plato and Aristotle, and then passing to the modern period to cover Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Reid.
20 pts • (P) 20 PHIL or HIST pts
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 268 – Philosophy of Popular Culture / Te Ariā Ahurea o Nāianei
Popular culture is often controversial, and sometimes it is hard to know how to respond to popular art. Is it okay to sing along to music with discriminatory lyrics? Is it immoral to play violent video games? What exactly is wrong with cultural appropriation? Popular culture raises important aesthetic, moral, political, and social questions. In this course, we will approach how to appreciate pop culture through a distinctively philosophical lens. You’ll never think about popular art in the same way again.
20 pts • (P) 20 PHIL pts;
PHIL 269 – Data Ethics / Te Matatika i Te Raraunga
Data ethics is a new branch of ethics. Students who enrol in this course will study new and emerging ethical problems related to data (including generation, recording, curation, processing, dissemination, sharing and use), algorithms (including artificial intelligence, artificial agents, machine learning and robots) and the use of such data and algorithms (including responsible innovation, programming, hacking and professional codes).
20 pts • (P) 60 points; (X) PHIL 309 in 2020-2021
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 302 – Ethical Theory / Te Ariā i Te Tikanga Matatika
We’re all familiar with moral judgements like “You should keep your promises” or “Violence is wrong.” But what exactly are we doing when making such moral judgements? What’s distinctive about moral language? Can moral judgements be true or false (like factual judgements)? What kind of property might moral wrongness be? Are the moral facts the same for everyone? Does moral knowledge exist? This is a course on meta-ethics, the branch of moral philosophy that investigates the deepest questions about ethics. You’ll learn about a range of meta-ethical theories such as noncognitivism, error theory, fictionalism, constructivism, and moral realism.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL pts, including 20 from PHIL 200-399; (X) PHIL 210 in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
PHIL 303 – Rights, Equality and Freedom: Contemporary Political Philosophy
This course examines major positions and issues in contemporary political philosophy, including questions about rights, equality, justice, freedom, and democracy. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 points from PHIL 200-399, POLS 200-399) or GLBL 201
PHIL 313 – Philosophy, Beauty, and Art
If you’ve ever been in an art gallery and found yourself wondering “Why is that art?!” then this course is for you. We’ll explore some of the big questions raised by great art. Are there objective standards of beauty or must we “agree to disagree”? What exactly is wrong with a fake or forgery, and is it worse than the original? When do artworks start and finish? Are there correct interpretations of interpretation of artworks or does “anything go”? You will be encouraged to think philosophically about art – about the ontological, epistemological, social, moral, and political nature of art.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL points, including 20 pts from PHIL 200–299
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 318 – Philosophy of Science
This course surveys the issues and positions in modern philosophy of science, beginning with a discussion of the history of philosophy of science from Logical Positivism to the present. We then discuss particular problems such as the problem of induction, the problem of scientific explanation, the debate between realists and anti-realists, and the relationship between the various natural and social sciences. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL points, including 20 pts from PHIL 200–299
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 325 – Metaphysics
What is time? What is causation? What is it for an object to have a property? Do abstract entities exist? Do humans have free will? Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that searches for answers to such fundamental questions, exploring some of the deepest and most challenging puzzles about the nature of reality. In this course you will investigate such topics carefully, drawing on both historical and contemporary sources.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL points, including 20 pts from PHIL 200–299 (X) PHIL 209 in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
PHIL 331 – Language and the World / Te Reo me te Ao
There are many philosophical puzzles about the nature of language and its relation to reality. How does a word come to refer to a thing? What does it mean for someone to understand a word? Does our language determine the way that we see the world? How does context affect our understanding of what others say? What is the relationship between metaphor and literal discourse? In this course you will develop critical thinking skills while exploring such complex philosophical questions concerning language.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PHIL, LING, LSCI, or COGS, including 20 pts from PHIL, LING, LSCI, or COGS 200-299
PHIL 335 – Logic
This course covers central systems of extra-classical and non-classical (or 'deviant') logic. A selection of the following logics will be studied in this course: temporal logic, modal logic, intuitionist logic, relevant logic and many-valued logic.
20 pts • (P) PHIL 211
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 361 – Bioethics
This course will introduce students to some central questions in bioethics. Topics covered may include the ethical issues associated with assisted reproduction, severely disabled newborns, euthanasia, informed consent, human cloning, stem cell therapy, radical life extension, and intellectual enhancement.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL points, including 20 from PHIL 200–299, or 40 pts from 200- or 300-level courses on the BSc schedule;
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 371 – Paradoxes / Ngā Taupatupatu
Revealing that a theory has paradoxical implications is assumed to spell trouble for that theory, and yet it is often difficult to identify where our reasoning has gone wrong. In this course you will study a variety of paradoxes and critically evaluate contemporary philosophical responses to them. Paradoxes to be discussed may include: Zeno’s paradoxes, the sorites paradox, Newcomb’s paradox, the prisoner's dilemma, the surprise examination paradox, the liar paradox, and the paradox of fiction.
20 pts • (P) 40 PHIL points, including 20 pts from PHIL 200–299
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 373 – Experimental Philosophy / Ngā Ariā Hou
Philosophers have argued for a dizzying array of claims about the world and our place in it. But what justifies these claims, and what serves as evidence for the assumptions that they make? The emerging field of experimental philosophy (or “x-phi”) examines these questions, calling on methods from the social sciences to illuminate philosophical issues. In doing so, experimental philosophers have challenged many of the basic assumptions and methods that philosophers have traditionally relied on. In this course you’ll learn about x-phi, building your critical thinking skills through evaluating some of the ways that scientific methods have been brought to bear on philosophical questions.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PHIL, COGS, or courses on the BSc schedule, including at least 20 pts at 200- or 300-level
PHIL 375 – Philosophy of Law
This course is a comprehensive examination of jurisprudence and the philosophy of law. Questions that may be discussed are: What is a law? From where do laws derive their authority? What is the relationship between the law, ethics and morality? 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 30 pts from PHIL 200-399, LAWS 200-399
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 389 – Pre-honours Seminar
This course will (1) introduce students to theoretical questions about the nature of philosophy and the sub-discipline known as metaphilosophy, (2) teach students practical skills to enhance their ability to do research in philosophy, and (3) support students as they complete their first independent research essays in philosophy. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) Permission of instructor
Not offered in 2025
POLS 362 – A Topic in Political Philosophy: Feminist Theory
This course enables students to engage deeply with a broad range of feminist thought. We will first focus on feminist critiques of social/political institutions, then on feminist prescriptions, and finally look at the means feminists have suggested for realising these solutions. Along the way, we will engage a myriad of controversies that have created schisms within feminist thought and practice. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in INTP or PHIL. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) PHIL 362
Physical Activity and Wellbeing
PAAH 101 – He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō te Kori Tinana me te Hauora / Introduction to Physical Activity and Wellbeing
This course provides students with an understanding of the inter-relationships between physical activity, exercise, fitness and sport in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally. The course introduces the current physical activity guidelines and how participation varies across population groups. Students will develop skills in applying both mātauranga Māori and non-Indigenous methods to assessing physical activity and its association with hauora and wellbeing.
15 pts
PAAH 201 – Te Mārohitanga o te Kori Tinana / Equity and the Determinants of Physical Activity
This course provides students with an understanding of the factors that enable equity in physical activity participation in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally. The course explores strengths-based approaches to the inclusive promotion of physical activity across all population groups. Students will develop skills in equity assessment methods and analysing the evidence for the relationship between physical activity, hauora and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB, PAAH or permission of the course coordinator
PAAH 202 – Kori Tinana me te Taiao / Physical Activity and the Physical Environment
This course provides students with an understanding of the perceived and actual factors within the physical environment that influence physical activity behaviours in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally. The course explores facilitators and barriers to physical activity participation within both the built and natural environments that embrace indigenous knowledge approaches. Students will develop skills in assessing the physical environment including applying mātauranga Māori and using this to identify opportunities to improve physical activity participation.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB, PAAH or permission of the course coordinator
Physics
PHYS 101 – Introduction to Physics
PHYS 101 is designed for students who want a university level introduction to physics. It will serve students majoring in physics without requiring prior knowledge in physics. The course will also serve any (science or otherwise) student, interested in general ideas of physics as a way of understanding the (physical) world around us. The course introduces basic concepts as well as worked examples. Exercises and assignments will reinforce key concepts. Topics covered are: - mechanics (energy, Newton’s laws, gravity) – waves – thermodynamics and required math concepts (limits, derivatives, functions).
15 pts • (P) 16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 114, PHYS 115, ENGR 141 (D) ENGR 141
PHYS 131 – Energy and Environmental Physics
This course uses basic physical concepts to study energy, Earth's energy resources and the physical environment. The advantages, disadvantages and environmental impact of various renewable and non-renewable energy resources are investigated, with particular emphasis on the New Zealand situation. Other environmental topics covered include thermal radiation, the greenhouse effect and global warming, atmospheric circulation and climate patterns, properties of the ozone layer, noise pollution, the physics of earthquake and extreme weather hazards, radiation ... and more.
15 pts
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 142 – Calculus-based physics
PHYS 142 covers topics in electrostatics and will also cover mechanics (circular and harmonic motion) and required math concepts (differential equations and integration).
15 pts • (P) PHYS 101 or ((MATH 141 or approved level of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Calculus1) and (PHYS 131 or physics standard AS 91524 “mechanical systems” with excellence)) (X) PHYS 114, PHYS 115, ENGR 142
PHYS 145 – Practical Skills for Scientists: Applications in Physics
PHYS 145 is designed to teach basic computing, data analysis, physics, and mathematics transferrable skills and their applications to practical physics problems. It will serve students majoring in physics and is also open to any (science or otherwise) student, interested in a hands-on experience of physics. The course will introduce skills required for experimental physics in laboratory environments and use them to explore physics phenomena in optics, mechanics, modern physics and thermodynamics.
15 pts • (P) 16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 114, PHYS 115
PHYS 209 – Physics of the Earth and Planets
An introduction to the physical properties of the Solar System, including planetary dynamics, the effects of differential gravitational forces, planetary atmospheres, surfaces and the internal structures of planetary bodies. The internal structure of Earth is studied in some detail, combining information from geodesy, seismology, geomagnetism and heat flow. The course provides a comprehensive background in planetary physics and geophysics for students interested in or intending to pursue astrophysics, astronomy, geophysics or geology.
15 pts • (P) MATH 142, PHYS 114
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 217 – Applied Physics
This course introduces students to a number of topics in applied physics, including the acquisition of experimental data, data analysis techniques and the oral and written presentation of research results
15 pts • (P) PHYS 115 or ENGR 142 and one of (PHYS 114, 122, 131) (X) CSEN 201 in 2007-10, ECEN 201 in 2010-13
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 221 – Relativity and Quantum Physics
PHYS 221 will provide students with a knowledge and understanding of the theory of special relativity, the foundations of quantum mechanics and its application to atoms, nuclear physics and an introduction to the key concepts of elementary particles, general relativity and astrophysics.
15 pts • (P) MATH 142, 151, PHYS 114 (X) PHYS 214
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 222 – Electrons and Photons
PHYS 222 deals with a variety of topics related to electronic and optical properties of materials. These include ac and LRC circuit theory, electronic devices, geometrical and physical optics, optical spectra and lasers.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or (ENGR 121, 122); (PHYS 114, 115) or (ENGR 141, 142)
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 223 – Classical Physics
An introduction to classical physics at an intermediate level, in particular classical mechanics and thermodynamics. The examination and test will assess analytical ability whilst the laboratory reports will be used to assess experimental skills.
15 pts • (P) MATH 142, 151, PHYS 114, 115 (X) PHYS 215
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 241 – Quantum Mechanics and Kinetic Theory
PHYS 241 will provide students with an introductory-level understanding of quantum mechanics and its applications. The course will also introduce students to the microscopic description of temperature, pressure and other properties of matter based on kinetic theory.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; PHYS 142 or 114, PHYS 115 (X) PHYS 221, 223; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 242 – Electromagnetism I
PHYS 242 will provide a comprehensive foundation in electromagnetic theory using vector calculus, from the laws of electrostatics and magnetostatics to the time-varying Maxwell equations. The course will also introduce applications of these concepts to electrical circuits, as well as electromagnetic waves, interference and diffraction.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; (PHYS 142, 145) or (PHYS 114, 115) or (ENGR 141, 142) (X) PHYS 222; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 243 – Classical Mechanics and Relativity
An introduction to classical mechanics and relativity at an intermediate level, including Lagrangian mechanics, Hamiltonian mechanics, special relativity and a conceptual introduction to general relativity.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; one of (PHYS 101, 114, 142, ENGR 141) (X) PHYS 221, 223; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 245 – Methods of Experimental Physics
PHYS 245 will focus on skills required for experimental physics in laboratory environments. This will include planning of experimental designs and the processing, interpretation, documentation and presentation of experimental results. The course will also introduce basic concepts of programming and numerical physics.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142 (or B+ or better in MATH 141), MATH 151) or B+ or better in ENGR 122; (PHYS 114, 115) or (PHYS 145) or (ENGR 141, 142); (X) PHYS 217; either of PHYS 260, 261 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 260 – Topics in Physics 1
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School for students not majoring in physics.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School (X) any of PHYS 209-245 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 261 – Topics in Physics 2
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School for students not majoring in physics.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School (X) any of PHYS 209-245 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 304 – Electromagnetism and Wave Optics
The course presents Maxwell’s theory of classical electromagnetism, with full use of vector calculus in cartesian, cylindrical and spherical coordinates. The course builds upon electric and magnetic phenomena introduced in PHYS 115 and PHYS 242, and includes the response of materials to static and time-varying electromagnetic fields. The derivation of electromagnetic waves and their polarisation properties is followed by modern applications such as waveguides and multilayer optics.
15 pts • (P) PHYS 242 (or 222 and 223); one of (MATH 200-299, NWEN 241, STAT 292, COMP 261) (X) either of PHYS 360, 361 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 305 – Thermal and Statistical Physics
A development of statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and heat propagation. The Fermi-Dirac, Bose-Einstein, and classical distributions are derived and illustrated with examples taken from thermal radiation, heat engines, solid state physics, astrophysics, and chemical physics. Concepts of nuclear decays as probabilistic processes will be developed and applied to the early universe and thermonuclear reactions.
15 pts • (P) PHYS 241 (or 223); one of (MATH 200-299, NWEN 241, STAT 292, COMP 261) (X) either of PHYS 360, 361 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 307 – Quantum Physics
An advanced course on quantum mechanics based on Dirac bra-ket notation, covering the fundamentals as well as current applications.
15 pts • (P) (PHYS 241 and 242) or (PHYS 221 and 222); one of (MATH 200-299, NWEN 241, STAT 292, COMP 261) (X) either of PHYS 360, 361 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 343 – Topics in Applied Physics
Students will study four topics in applied physics. Topics may include: heat and the global greenhouse, fluids, percolation and pollution management, medical imaging techniques, solar technology, wind and wave energy resources, weather systems and climate change, applications of opto-electronic devices and applications of nuclear physics.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level PHYS points
Not offered in 2025
PHYS 345 – Advanced Methods of Experimental Physics
PHYS 345 will extend the skills and knowledge acquired at 200 level and explore experimental and numerical methods relevant to modern physics and data acquisition/analysis. Common physics laboratory equipment and computational methods (for example vacuum systems, spectrometers or software tools) will be used for more complex experimental set ups data processing. The course will extend guidance for good laboratory practice including the planning of experimental designs, data processing, interpretation, documentation and presentation of experimental results.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from (PHYS 114, 115, 142, ENGR 142) and 15 pts from (PHYS 245, CHEM 205-206, EEEN 201-204) or (MATH 243 and one of PHYS 221-223) (X) either of PHYS 360, 361 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 360 – Topics in Advanced Physics 1
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School for students not majoring in physics.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School (X) Any of PHYS 300-349 as determined by the Head of School
PHYS 361 – Topics in Advanced Physics 2
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School for students not majoring in physics.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School (X) Any of PHYS 300-349 as determined by the Head of School
Political Communication
PCOM 201 – Introduction to Political Communication
This course is a broad introduction to the field of political communication. It introduces key political actors and institutions and their use of communication, including political parties, governments, campaign groups, voter-citizens and other organised interests in civil society. The course also covers the production and dissemination of political news and information, in both traditional legacy media and across alternative online platforms. Key political communication events, such as general elections, interest group campaigns and policy case areas are explored. In addition, the course engages with wider theory and research on public sphere theory, comparative political communication and voter perceptions and behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS 100-199 or INTP 100-199
PCOM 202 – Public Relations, Communication Power and Democracy
This course looks at the rise of the public relations and associated promotional professions and their impact on communication power and democracy. The first half of the course sets out a number of theoretical perspectives, including those from: industry, critical media and cultural studies, audiences/consumption, technological and symbolic/emotional. The second half looks at governments, corporations and interest groups, and their use of public relations and promotion to influence politics, economics and wider society. The course ends with a series of case studies such as war and conflict, science and the environment, economics and markets, welfare and housing.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS 100-199 or INTP 100-199
PCOM 301 – International Communication and Politics
The course examines the connections between international communication systems, flows of information, capital and media content and the international political system. Themes include communication and ‘empire’, the impact of informational capitalism and global finance for the state and national/economic sovereignty, the potential for communications technology to enhance national socio-economic development, and the impact of global news media reporting on international diplomatic relations and conflict. This course first runs in 2022.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299 or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
PCOM 302 – Political Speech Writing
This course examines the theory and practice of political speechwriting. In the first half of the class students will analyse a number of important historical and contemporary political speeches, identifying the rhetorical and stylistic devices employed. Theoretical literature concerning the relationship between persuasive rhetoric and political behaviour will also be explored. In the second half of the course students will develop their own political speechwriting skills with guidance from practitioner guest lecturers. This course first runs in 2022.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299
Not offered in 2025
PCOM 303 – Special Topic: Campaign Skills
This course introduces students to a range of campaign skills to help equip them for future employment in political communication, including work for political parties, interest groups and think tanks. Part of the course will cover formulating and implementing election and civil society campaigns, including such elements as lobbying and advocacy, mobilising public opinion, media and social media strategies, and political marketing. The other part of the course will introduce students to basic research methods used in campaigns. Topics include basic surveys, interviews and focus groups, and quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Case studies and guest speakers will also feature.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from PCOM 200-299
PCOM 304 – Special Topic: Tweeting to Power: Social Media Politics
This course examines the intersection between social media, politics and society, analysing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram to understand their role in our lives, in our political discourse and in shaping our culture. We examine the positives of social media including social activism, the democratisation of news, and heightened capacities for community, communication and connectivity. We also delve into the darker side of these platforms, exploring the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, terrorist networks and gendered issues including trolling and cyber-harassment.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from PCOM 200-299
PCOM 305 – Social Media Politics
This course examines the intersection between social media, politics and society, analysing platforms like Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram to understand their role in our lives, in our political discourse and in shaping our culture. We examine the positives of social media including social activism, the democratisation of news, and eightened capacities for community, communication and connectivity. We also delve into the darker side of these platforms, exploring the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, terrorist networks and gendered issues including trolling and cyber-harassment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299; (X) PCOM 304 in 2022- 2024
Not offered in 2025
Political Science
INTP 113 – Introduction to International Relations
This course is an introduction to the principal concepts, issues and theoretical debates within the field of International Relations. Topics covered include: power, diplomacy, the United Nations, arms control, terrorism, developmental politics, civil society and international political economy. Upon completion of the course, students should have a good basic understanding of international relations and a solid foundation for taking upper-level courses on the subject.
20 pts
tut tba
INTP 113 – Introduction to International Relations
This course is an introduction to the principal concepts, issues and theoretical debates within the field of International Relations. Topics covered include: power, diplomacy, the United Nations, arms control, terrorism, developmental politics, civil society and international political economy. Upon completion of the course, students should have a good basic understanding of international relations and a solid foundation for taking upper-level courses on the subject.
20 pts
tut tba
INTP 115 – Introduction to Security Studies/ He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō ngā Kaupapa Haumaru Whenua
Why do countries sometimes fear for their safety or survival? Are other states or non-state actors the main problems? Are all security problems about violence? And how do policymakers analyse security issues? In posing these and other questions this course will reveal key issues and perspectives in security studies.
20 pts
INTP 115 – Introduction to Security Studies/ He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō ngā Kaupapa Haumaru Whenua
Why do countries sometimes fear for their safety or survival? Are other states or non-state actors the main problems? Are all security problems about violence? And how do policymakers analyse security issues? In posing these and other questions this course will reveal key issues and perspectives in security studies.
20 pts
POLS 111 – Introduction to Government and Politics in Aotearoa New Zealand
Who holds power in Aotearoa New Zealand? What forces influence our national politics? What role do citizens, iwi, media, politicians and other groups play in shaping political processes and outcomes? This course explores Māori and colonial influences on contemporary politics in Aotearoa, considering key institutions, electoral politics and how political actors and citizens engage in politics and policy-making. Taking advantage of our location in the capital city, you will hear from Members of Parliament, journalists and important political figures. You will also visit Parliament and the He Tohu exhibit at the National Library, engaging directly with political institutions and documents. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 112 – Introduction to Political Ideas / He Tīmatanga Kōrero i ngā Ariā Tōrangapū
Politics is the activity of answering the question ‘how should we live?’ This course offers an introduction to some of the various ways political thinkers have tried to answer this question, by (re)defining fundamental political ideals like justice, freedom, equality, inclusion, and responsibility, and proposing ways to realise these ideals in the world around us. In this class, we will therefore examine a range of perspectives regarding some of the most important questions concerning political life: What is the basis of political community? Who should hold power? How do we work together? What do we owe each other?
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 114 – Introduction to Comparative Politics / He Rohe Motuhake, he Tōrangapū Motuhake
What can we learn by comparing the politics and government of different countries? This course examines competing explanations for democratic and authoritarian regimes including economic, cultural and institutional theories of state development. These theories are then applied to several case studies.
20 pts
INTP 204 – International Relations Theory: World Order and its Critics
This course explores how world order has been understood and contested in IR, including the roots of the contemporary international system, debates about how it currently functions and critical accounts of the marginalisation and injustice it produces. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 374
Not offered in 2025
INTP 204 – International Relations Theory: World Order and its Critics
This course explores how world order has been understood and contested in IR, including the roots of the contemporary international system, debates about how it currently functions and critical accounts of the marginalisation and injustice it produces. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 374
Not offered in 2025
INTP 243 – International Politics of China
This course introduces the study of Chinese politics and international relations. It provides an introduction to the People’s Republic of China, its major foreign policy initiatives, key international relationships and orientation toward the rules-based international order. It asks how the world is responding to the emergence of contemporary China, including Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific, and presents tools and concepts to analyse its growing role in world affairs. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points (X) INTP 211 in 2020-2023
Not offered in 2025
INTP 243 – International Politics of China
This course introduces the study of Chinese politics and international relations. It provides an introduction to the People’s Republic of China, its major foreign policy initiatives, key international relationships and orientation toward the rules-based international order. It asks how the world is responding to the emergence of contemporary China, including Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific, and presents tools and concepts to analyse its growing role in world affairs. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points (X) INTP 211 in 2020-2023
Not offered in 2025
INTP 244 – New Zealand Foreign Policy
This course examines how New Zealand engages the world through its foreign and defence policies. It employs different conceptual frameworks to critically analyse key factors that shape these, including relations with major powers, multilateral organizations, and priority regions. The course focuses on New Zealand’s relations with Britain, the United States, China, the Pacific, Asia, the United Nations, and its responses to pressing issues involving the Rules Based International Order, AUKUS and NATO. Where appropriate, the class will incorporate guest lectures from government ministries and different country embassies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 244 – New Zealand Foreign Policy
This course examines how New Zealand engages the world through its foreign and defence policies. It employs different conceptual frameworks to critically analyse key factors that shape these, including relations with major powers, multilateral organizations, and priority regions. The course focuses on New Zealand’s relations with Britain, the United States, China, the Pacific, Asia, the United Nations, and its responses to pressing issues involving the Rules Based International Order, AUKUS and NATO. Where appropriate, the class will incorporate guest lectures from government ministries and different country embassies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 245 – Foreign Policy Analysis
This course introduces and explores the notion of foreign policy, which is traditionally considered one of the most important bridges between 'domestic' and 'international' politics. Here the spotlight is kept on the sources, instruments, agents, processes and implications of foreign policy. The course adopts an analytical and comparative approach, drawing on the experiences several international actors have had since the Second World War. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 245 – Foreign Policy Analysis
This course introduces and explores the notion of foreign policy, which is traditionally considered one of the most important bridges between 'domestic' and 'international' politics. Here the spotlight is kept on the sources, instruments, agents, processes and implications of foreign policy. The course adopts an analytical and comparative approach, drawing on the experiences several international actors have had since the Second World War. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 247 – International Relations: Wealth and World Affairs / Hononga whenua: Te Rawa me ngā Take o te Ao
This course looks at the global, international and domestic politics of the world economy. It looks at the ways in which economic processes shape politics and the ways in which political processes shape economics. We look at international trade, finance and production (multi-national corporations) and at the regional and international institutions that regulate the global economy. We also look at some of the interactions between international and domestic politics and explore the ways in which the world economy shapes peoples' everyday lives. No technical knowledge of economics is required for this course and the course involves no equations, graphs or large numbers. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 247 – International Relations: Wealth and World Affairs / Hononga whenua: Te Rawa me ngā Take o te Ao
This course looks at the global, international and domestic politics of the world economy. It looks at the ways in which economic processes shape politics and the ways in which political processes shape economics. We look at international trade, finance and production (multi-national corporations) and at the regional and international institutions that regulate the global economy. We also look at some of the interactions between international and domestic politics and explore the ways in which the world economy shapes peoples' everyday lives. No technical knowledge of economics is required for this course and the course involves no equations, graphs or large numbers. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 248 – International Security
This course is an introduction to the study of conflict and security. It examines how and why conflict emerges in the international system and explores different approaches to its mitigation and resolution, using both traditional materialist theories of security and alternative critical approaches to security. Students will learn to discern varying forms of conflict and will employ theoretical and empirical perspectives on conflict analysis to analyse modern case studies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 248 – International Security
This course is an introduction to the study of conflict and security. It examines how and why conflict emerges in the international system and explores different approaches to its mitigation and resolution, using both traditional materialist theories of security and alternative critical approaches to security. Students will learn to discern varying forms of conflict and will employ theoretical and empirical perspectives on conflict analysis to analyse modern case studies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 250 – Cyber Power in International Relations
This course will focus on three areas: (1) understanding the nature and dynamics of cyberspace as a domain of international relations; (2) understanding the features of states and non-state actors acting as cyber powers; and (3) contemporary issues of cyber power in international relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points
Not offered in 2025
INTP 250 – Cyber Power in International Relations
This course will focus on three areas: (1) understanding the nature and dynamics of cyberspace as a domain of international relations; (2) understanding the features of states and non-state actors acting as cyber powers; and (3) contemporary issues of cyber power in international relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points
Not offered in 2025
INTP 261 – Political Philosophy and International Relations
This course surveys the historical and philosophical development of international relations theory and political theory. It will examine foundational texts drawn from thinkers across the range of western political theory, from ancient Greece to the twentieth century. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in PHIL or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101; (X) PHIL/POLS 261
Not offered in 2025
INTP 261 – Political Philosophy and International Relations
This course surveys the historical and philosophical development of international relations theory and political theory. It will examine foundational texts drawn from thinkers across the range of western political theory, from ancient Greece to the twentieth century. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in PHIL or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101; (X) PHIL/POLS 261
Not offered in 2025
POLS 203 – East Asian Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Āhia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to political change in modern East Asian states: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. It examines how different types of state have emerged out of the traditional East Asian political order, and how this outcome has been shaped by the dynamics of political liberalisation, modern state building, economic and social development, and international geopolitics.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level INTP or POLS or (ASIA) pts) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 203, ASIA 207
Not offered in 2025
POLS 205 – The New Europe / Ūropi i Te Ao Hou
This course introduces students to the diverse institutions that shape politics, society and economics in a number of European countries. It seeks to explain why political, social and economic diversity exists in Europe and why it matters. In doing so it identifies differences and commonalities in the organisation of politics and society in several countries, how peculiar national institutions came into existence and whether different national institutions are compatible within integrated political structures and markets. Geographically and chronologically the course focuses on postwar Britain, France and Germany, although it makes reference to other examples. This course may also be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP points) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 205.
tut tba
POLS 206 – Politics of Aotearoa New Zealand: Power, Equality, and Ideology
This course focuses on the ideologies of political parties in Aotearoa New Zealand. An applied approach outlines the principles which underpin how political parties respond to contemporary political issues such as education, health, welfare, local government politics, and Māori-Crown relations. Other topics include how political parties are funded and to what extent the implementation of MMP has reshaped party politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
tut tba
POLS 207 – American Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Amerika
An introduction to American politics, with a particular focus on the continued development of America's system of government. The course examines major political themes in US politics against the background of the relationships between different branches of government under the US Constitution. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 208 – Political Change in Southeast Asia
This course will examine constitutional issues and broader political change in a number of Southeast Asian states. Students have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of political institutions and wider political trends in countries with very diverse systems of government, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts; (X) INTP 208
Not offered in 2025
POLS 209 – Dictatorships and Revolutions / Ngā Tangata Whakatuanui, ngā Tutūnga Puehu
This course introduces students to the nature and varieties of modern dictatorship and non-democracy, the causes of their emergence, and the processes that lead to their collapse and transformation. Our focus will be on developing concepts and tools useful for the analysis of a wide variety of cases. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101
tut tba
POLS 210 – Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political, social and economic challenges and dilemmas facing the modern Middle East. Each week, we will discuss a key issue and concept, such as colonial legacies, state-society relations, the oil economy, authoritarianism, democratisation, religion and politics, gender relations, identity and politics, civil society, and the future of the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101 (X) POLS 211 (2019-2021); INTP 201 in 2023
Not offered in 2025
POLS 214 – Ideas That Shape the World
He mokopuna au, kua mōhiotia taku iti. He tīpuna au, kua mōhiotia taku nui. I am a grandchild, what I have known is little. I am an ancestor, what I have known is great. Political theory creates fundamentally new ways of seeing the world which, when they catch and spread, powerfully shape our world in material and political terms. In this course you will examine some of the most influential political ideas across history, explore how they have shaped politics across the globe today, and develop your own position about how they should shape the future.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP points (X) POLS 212 in 2020, 2021;
POLS 218 – Politics and the Media in New Zealand
This course focuses on the political roles, functions and effects of the media in New Zealand. Topics studied will include: media and elections (including voting behaviour); news management and production; the role of public relations in political lobbying and electioneering; the political uses of opinion polls and experts; the regulatory environment within which the media operates; ownership and control of the media, public service broadcasting; Maori politics and the media; and the media and political leadership. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 231 – Governing Divided Societies / Te Kāwana i ngā Whenua Wāhi Rua
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 365 in 2025
POLS 232 – Public Opinion and Elections / Te Huatau Marea me ngā Pōti
This course explores how public opinion is constructed and how it affects voting choices in combination with other factors such as socio-demographics, group identifications, institutions, media exposure, and party campaigns. Countries covered follow the international literature in its focus on established democracies including Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 211 (2012-16)
HIST 336 – The Pacific Islands after 1945/ Ngā Moutere a Kiwa whai muri i 1945
The political and social history of the Pacific Islands since 1945 has been tumultuous, with decolonisation, democratisation, urbanisation, governance and ethnic conflict playing out in various countries. We will examine developments between WWII and the attainment of independence in some Pacific Islands and consider some of the challenges faced by Pacific states and nations since independence. A key aim is to examine the ways in which the social and political changes of the immediate postwar decades have shaped the postcolonial heritage of Pacific Island states and nations. This course may be taken towards majors in POLS and PASI (see major requirements for details).
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (HIST or POLS or INTP 200-299, CLAS 207, 208); (X) INTP 336
INTP 302 – Global Politics of the Environment
This course introduces the study of global environmental politics. It addresses key themes like security, justice, production, and governance in relation to global environmental issues like climate change, energy, biodiversity, food, and garbage. In doing so, it introduces a range of theoretical perspectives coming from international relations, ecological economics, and green theory. By the end of the course, students will understand how conflict and crisis shape the governance of the global environment.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299; POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 302 – Global Politics of the Environment
This course introduces the study of global environmental politics. It addresses key themes like security, justice, production, and governance in relation to global environmental issues like climate change, energy, biodiversity, food, and garbage. In doing so, it introduces a range of theoretical perspectives coming from international relations, ecological economics, and green theory. By the end of the course, students will understand how conflict and crisis shape the governance of the global environment.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299; POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 303 – Critical Global Politics / Ngā Take Tōrangapū Matua o te Ao
This course engages key ideas from critical theorists and their forerunners, questioning status quo assumptions about global politics. During the course we read and discuss primary texts from selected philosophers. We use their thought to examine the nature of oppression, vulnerability, emancipation, and resistance. Concrete examples reflected on include cosmopolitanism, radical democracy, popular culture, post-9/11 politics, torture, and the politics of mourning.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299, POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 303 – Critical Global Politics / Ngā Take Tōrangapū Matua o te Ao
This course engages key ideas from critical theorists and their forerunners, questioning status quo assumptions about global politics. During the course we read and discuss primary texts from selected philosophers. We use their thought to examine the nature of oppression, vulnerability, emancipation, and resistance. Concrete examples reflected on include cosmopolitanism, radical democracy, popular culture, post-9/11 politics, torture, and the politics of mourning.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299, POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 304 – The Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan / Ngā Tōrangapū me Ngā Kaupapa Here Tāwāhi o Hapanī
This course provides a theoretically grounded review of Japan’s post-WWII domestic politics and foreign policy. After examining Japan’s political system, we will focus on Japan’s relations with the main actors in Northeast Asia (USA, China, Russia and the two Koreas) and explore the domestic/international connections in these relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP 301 (2015, 2017-19)
Not offered in 2025
INTP 304 – The Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan / Ngā Tōrangapū me Ngā Kaupapa Here Tāwāhi o Hapanī
This course provides a theoretically grounded review of Japan’s post-WWII domestic politics and foreign policy. After examining Japan’s political system, we will focus on Japan’s relations with the main actors in Northeast Asia (USA, China, Russia and the two Koreas) and explore the domestic/international connections in these relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP 301 (2015, 2017-19)
Not offered in 2025
INTP 346 – International Politics of Development
This course examines the international politics of modern economic development. Why have some countries/regions developed better than others? Does their political economic model matter? Does the structure of international political economy matter? The course explores the mutual effects of the structure of international political economy, and national and regional economic development. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP/POLS 246;
Not offered in 2025
INTP 346 – International Politics of Development
This course examines the international politics of modern economic development. Why have some countries/regions developed better than others? Does their political economic model matter? Does the structure of international political economy matter? The course explores the mutual effects of the structure of international political economy, and national and regional economic development. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP/POLS 246;
Not offered in 2025
INTP 351 – Power and Policies in the European Union
This course introduces students to the institutions and evolution of the European Union. It also examines explanations of the process of European integration. It asks whether the governance institutions of the EU are comparable to those of its member states or whether they represent something sui generis. It raises the unanswered questions underlying European integration: what is 'Europe', what is 'Europe' becoming and what are the limits of 'Europe'? 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299; (X) POLS 351
Not offered in 2025
INTP 351 – Power and Policies in the European Union
This course introduces students to the institutions and evolution of the European Union. It also examines explanations of the process of European integration. It asks whether the governance institutions of the EU are comparable to those of its member states or whether they represent something sui generis. It raises the unanswered questions underlying European integration: what is 'Europe', what is 'Europe' becoming and what are the limits of 'Europe'? 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299; (X) POLS 351
Not offered in 2025
INTP 352 – US Strategy Towards Asia and the Middle East
This course compares recent American strategy towards Asia and the Middle East, both important regions. It considers US approaches to regional security issues including Asia’s territorial disputes and the Middle East peace process, and the competitive demands the two regions place on Washington's finite military and diplomatic resources.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts (X) INTP 360 (2014 – 16);
Not offered in 2025
INTP 352 – US Strategy Towards Asia and the Middle East
This course compares recent American strategy towards Asia and the Middle East, both important regions. It considers US approaches to regional security issues including Asia’s territorial disputes and the Middle East peace process, and the competitive demands the two regions place on Washington's finite military and diplomatic resources.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts (X) INTP 360 (2014 – 16);
Not offered in 2025
INTP 354 – International Relations of East Asia / Ngā Hononga ā-Ao o Ahia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to the international relations of East Asia: what they are, how they work, what drives their development and examines in particular the transformations of international order in modern and contemporary East Asia. The course also trains students for effective policy analysis and research engagement on current international relations of East Asia. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299, ASIA 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 354 – International Relations of East Asia / Ngā Hononga ā-Ao o Ahia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to the international relations of East Asia: what they are, how they work, what drives their development and examines in particular the transformations of international order in modern and contemporary East Asia. The course also trains students for effective policy analysis and research engagement on current international relations of East Asia. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299, ASIA 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 360 – Special Topic: US Foreign Policy
This course analyses the central issues in US foreign policy in contemporary world politics. The course develops the analytic tools that are useful for understanding the international environment and for an examination of how the United States pursues its foreign policy. The course combines the analysis of major theoretical issues underlying US foreign policy with an in-depth examination of current foreign policy issues for the United States.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP or POLS 200-299
INTP 360 – Special Topic: US Foreign Policy
This course analyses the central issues in US foreign policy in contemporary world politics. The course develops the analytic tools that are useful for understanding the international environment and for an examination of how the United States pursues its foreign policy. The course combines the analysis of major theoretical issues underlying US foreign policy with an in-depth examination of current foreign policy issues for the United States.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP or POLS 200-299
INTP 363 – Human Rights / Ngā Tika o Te Tangata
This course is interested in the international human rights regime and its impact on a variety of human rights outcomes such as torture, arbitrary detention, child labour, and racial/gender discrimination. Through the use of basic quantitative data and in-depth case studies, students will learn how to evaluate the design, implementation and effectiveness of human rights policy. Topics include: what experiments teach us and about why people sometimes abuse rights; UN human rights treaties and institutions; the role of domestic institutions and non-state actors; and tensions between cultural relativism and universalism. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) PHIL/POLS 363
Not offered in 2025
INTP 363 – Human Rights / Ngā Tika o Te Tangata
This course is interested in the international human rights regime and its impact on a variety of human rights outcomes such as torture, arbitrary detention, child labour, and racial/gender discrimination. Through the use of basic quantitative data and in-depth case studies, students will learn how to evaluate the design, implementation and effectiveness of human rights policy. Topics include: what experiments teach us and about why people sometimes abuse rights; UN human rights treaties and institutions; the role of domestic institutions and non-state actors; and tensions between cultural relativism and universalism. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) PHIL/POLS 363
Not offered in 2025
INTP 365 – Special Topic: Politics of Forced Migration
This course will analyse the political causes and consequences of contemporary forced migration, as well as national, regional and international efforts to manage it. Students will study a range of causes of forced migration, including conflict, human rights abuses, land degradation, poverty and climate change. They will also examine the variety of circumstances facing forced migrants after they have left their homes, and consider the political factors that determine such circumstances. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary examples of forced migration around the world.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts 200 level INTP or POLS points
INTP 365 – Special Topic: Politics of Forced Migration
This course will analyse the political causes and consequences of contemporary forced migration, as well as national, regional and international efforts to manage it. Students will study a range of causes of forced migration, including conflict, human rights abuses, land degradation, poverty and climate change. They will also examine the variety of circumstances facing forced migrants after they have left their homes, and consider the political factors that determine such circumstances. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary examples of forced migration around the world.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts 200 level INTP or POLS points
INTP 370 – Special Topic: Crisis, Power and Ideas in the World Economy
This course deepens students’ understanding of International Economy. Combining historical perspectives and quantitative data, students will examine how crisis, ideas, security, and power have shaped the global economy. Topics may include global economic governance, the link between the domestic and the international, the intersection of economics and security, and the politics of global finance. By the end of the course, students will understand how wealth and power intersect in world politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
INTP 370 – Special Topic: Crisis, Power and Ideas in the World Economy
This course deepens students’ understanding of International Economy. Combining historical perspectives and quantitative data, students will examine how crisis, ideas, security, and power have shaped the global economy. Topics may include global economic governance, the link between the domestic and the international, the intersection of economics and security, and the politics of global finance. By the end of the course, students will understand how wealth and power intersect in world politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
INTP 371 – Human Security
This course examines conflict and violence in world politics. It explores the changing nature of war between and within states, giving particular emphasis to contemporary civil wars. Topics covered may include: the relationship between natural resources (e.g. diamonds and oil) and conflict; the role and regulation of mercenaries; terrorism and armed groups; aid and war; and the efforts of governments and civil society groups to reduce the harm caused to civilians (e.g. through action against landmines, small arms and cluster bombs). A wide range of cases are discussed in class including Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. 50% internal assessment, 50% examination. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 371 – Human Security
This course examines conflict and violence in world politics. It explores the changing nature of war between and within states, giving particular emphasis to contemporary civil wars. Topics covered may include: the relationship between natural resources (e.g. diamonds and oil) and conflict; the role and regulation of mercenaries; terrorism and armed groups; aid and war; and the efforts of governments and civil society groups to reduce the harm caused to civilians (e.g. through action against landmines, small arms and cluster bombs). A wide range of cases are discussed in class including Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. 50% internal assessment, 50% examination. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 372 – International Organisations: Change and Continuity
This course examines the origins and development of international organisations together with their types and roles within the context of structural changes in the international system. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 372 – International Organisations: Change and Continuity
This course examines the origins and development of international organisations together with their types and roles within the context of structural changes in the international system. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 377 – Transnational Activism and Advocacy in Global Politics
This course focuses on the role of transnational advocacy networks and social movements in world politics. In addition to taking a social scientist's perspective on how such networks and movements affect international relations, we will look at the strategic dilemmas involved in transnational activism from an embedded actor's perspective. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 377 – Transnational Activism and Advocacy in Global Politics
This course focuses on the role of transnational advocacy networks and social movements in world politics. In addition to taking a social scientist's perspective on how such networks and movements affect international relations, we will look at the strategic dilemmas involved in transnational activism from an embedded actor's perspective. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 379 – The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers / Te Piki me te Heke o ngā Mana Nui
This course aims to analyse great power politics and international order from theoretical and historical perspectives. The re-emergence/rise of Russia, China, Japan, and India as great powers has significant implications for the US-created/led international order. What is the relationship between the rise and fall of great powers, war, and the global economy?
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) INTP 365 in 2014, INTP 370 in 2015-2016
Not offered in 2025
INTP 379 – The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers / Te Piki me te Heke o ngā Mana Nui
This course aims to analyse great power politics and international order from theoretical and historical perspectives. The re-emergence/rise of Russia, China, Japan, and India as great powers has significant implications for the US-created/led international order. What is the relationship between the rise and fall of great powers, war, and the global economy?
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) INTP 365 in 2014, INTP 370 in 2015-2016
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 316 – Te Mana me te Rangatiratanga/Māori Politics
This online course examines a range of Māori political structures, movements, ideologies and visions. Students will also explore Māori politics in relation to Pacific and international Indigenous contexts. The themes covered in the course include Tino Rangatiratanga and Sovereignty, nationalism, Liberal democracy, Local governance, Iwi governance, Pacific and Indigenous contexts. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in KAIT, INTP or POLS.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 216 (X) POLS 316
PCOM 301 – International Communication and Politics
The course examines the connections between international communication systems, flows of information, capital and media content and the international political system. Themes include communication and ‘empire’, the impact of informational capitalism and global finance for the state and national/economic sovereignty, the potential for communications technology to enhance national socio-economic development, and the impact of global news media reporting on international diplomatic relations and conflict. This course first runs in 2022.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299 or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
PCOM 302 – Political Speech Writing
This course examines the theory and practice of political speechwriting. In the first half of the class students will analyse a number of important historical and contemporary political speeches, identifying the rhetorical and stylistic devices employed. Theoretical literature concerning the relationship between persuasive rhetoric and political behaviour will also be explored. In the second half of the course students will develop their own political speechwriting skills with guidance from practitioner guest lecturers. This course first runs in 2022.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299
Not offered in 2025
PCOM 303 – Special Topic: Campaign Skills
This course introduces students to a range of campaign skills to help equip them for future employment in political communication, including work for political parties, interest groups and think tanks. Part of the course will cover formulating and implementing election and civil society campaigns, including such elements as lobbying and advocacy, mobilising public opinion, media and social media strategies, and political marketing. The other part of the course will introduce students to basic research methods used in campaigns. Topics include basic surveys, interviews and focus groups, and quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Case studies and guest speakers will also feature.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from PCOM 200-299
PCOM 304 – Special Topic: Tweeting to Power: Social Media Politics
This course examines the intersection between social media, politics and society, analysing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram to understand their role in our lives, in our political discourse and in shaping our culture. We examine the positives of social media including social activism, the democratisation of news, and heightened capacities for community, communication and connectivity. We also delve into the darker side of these platforms, exploring the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, terrorist networks and gendered issues including trolling and cyber-harassment.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from PCOM 200-299
PCOM 305 – Social Media Politics
This course examines the intersection between social media, politics and society, analysing platforms like Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram to understand their role in our lives, in our political discourse and in shaping our culture. We examine the positives of social media including social activism, the democratisation of news, and eightened capacities for community, communication and connectivity. We also delve into the darker side of these platforms, exploring the proliferation of fake news, hate speech, terrorist networks and gendered issues including trolling and cyber-harassment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PCOM 200-299; (X) PCOM 304 in 2022- 2024
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 303 – Rights, Equality and Freedom: Contemporary Political Philosophy
This course examines major positions and issues in contemporary political philosophy, including questions about rights, equality, justice, freedom, and democracy. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 points from PHIL 200-399, POLS 200-399) or GLBL 201
POLS 320 – Politics and Music / Te Tōrangapū me te Puoro
Entertainment forms of political communication such as music are very often neglected in research of political communication, although music has a long and varied association with politics. It has provided the soundtrack to political protest and been the object of political censorship; politicians have courted pop stars and pop stars have acted as politicians. This course examines the various interactions between music and politics. It analyses how music can contribute to our understanding of political thought and action, but also how it can affect people's political perceptions, attitudes and behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299, MDIA 205, MUSC 220-259, POLS 200-299 (X) POLS 365 in 2020-2024
POLS 352 – Migration and Identity / He Mātai Hekenga, he Mātai Tuakiritanga
This course examines the implications of immigration and increasing diversity for political processes and outcomes in contemporary societies, with particular focus on how the politics of migration and and identity intersect. Drawing especially on examples from Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific, we examine political issues including: comparative policy-making on immigration and ‘integration’, normative and empirical debates about the politics of identity, ethnicity in the census, nationalism and state-group relations, citizenship, and political participation and representation of migrants and their descendants.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 378 (2018-2019)
POLS 353 – Contemporary Challenges and Directions for NZ Politics
Many issues that we struggle with most in Aotearoa New Zealand today can feel insurmountable. In the face of 'wicked problems' like climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and settler-colonialism, how do everyday citizens make meaningful impacts? This course focuses on how to make sense of contemporary issues like this, and then explores ten types of civic action used around the world to respond to them. You will develop frameworks for analysing and strategising regarding structural issues, have opportunities for empirical research, and develop practical skills and experiences in civic action. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299
POLS 354 – The Politics of the Pacific Islands
This course examines the politics of the Pacific Island states, covering the area from Papua New Guinea in the west to Rapa Nui in the east. Among other topics, we look at the subversion of Western-derived systems of government in the Pacific context, coups in Fiji, linguistic diversity in Papua New Guinea, intervention in the Solomon Islands and political reform in Tonga and Samoa.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 355 (2015-2018, 2021)
POLS 355 – Special Topic: The Politics of China
This course examines the contemporary Politics of the People's Republic of China. It introduces the key approaches to studying elite, military and party politics, social movements and economic development, and explores state-society relations, ideology, media, political economy and the structure of the modern Chinese state.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299
POLS 357 – African Politics / Te Tōrangapū i Āwherika
This course studies the government and politics of African nations. Students have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of government institutions and political issues on the African continent.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 382 (2017-2020)
Not offered in 2025
POLS 359 – Directed Individual Study
This is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes in Political Science and International Relations. With the assistance of the course coordinator and staff members with appropriate expertise students will pursue a project that they have personally helped to devise. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 359
Not offered in 2025
POLS 362 – A Topic in Political Philosophy: Feminist Theory
This course enables students to engage deeply with a broad range of feminist thought. We will first focus on feminist critiques of social/political institutions, then on feminist prescriptions, and finally look at the means feminists have suggested for realising these solutions. Along the way, we will engage a myriad of controversies that have created schisms within feminist thought and practice. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in INTP or PHIL. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) PHIL 362
POLS 365 – Special Topic: Governing Divided Societies
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299; (X) POLS 231; INTP 250 in 2016
POLS 378 – Special Topic: Social Movements, People Power, and Populism
This course examines political movements, organisations, and ideologies. Students will examine contemporary issues related to representation, sovereignty, citizenship, and indigenous self-determination. Case studies from a range of countries will be used to explore these themes.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299, MAOR 216
POLS 382 – Special Topic: Politics and Government in the United States
This course examines issues and themes in US government and politics against the background of the US constitution and the federal system of government. In addition to readings and lecture materials, and the opportunity to research and write a research paper about a topic in US government and politics, workshop discussions and presentations will enable students (working together) to approach issues in US politics and government from the perspective of a particular state and political party.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299
POLS 383 – Research Methods in Political Science
This course enables us to uncover evidence and to better understand how the (political) world operates. It introduces some of the basic research tools used in the study of politics. Along the way, students will learn how to pose and answer empirical research questions using appropriated evidence and arguments. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 383
Not offered in 2025
POLS 384 – The Comparative Politics of Globalisation / Ngā Kaupapa Torangapū Motuhake me te Whakatōpū Ao
This course focuses on the domestic politics of globalisation, primarily in the developed democracies. Does globalisation constrain governments to a strict neo-liberal policy agenda? Does it diminish democracy? Does it generate insecurity and inequality, or point the way to a more prosperous and peaceful future?
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 365 from 2013-2017
Not offered in 2025
Political Science and International Relations
INTP 113 – Introduction to International Relations
This course is an introduction to the principal concepts, issues and theoretical debates within the field of International Relations. Topics covered include: power, diplomacy, the United Nations, arms control, terrorism, developmental politics, civil society and international political economy. Upon completion of the course, students should have a good basic understanding of international relations and a solid foundation for taking upper-level courses on the subject.
20 pts
tut tba
INTP 115 – Introduction to Security Studies/ He Tīmatanga Kōrero mō ngā Kaupapa Haumaru Whenua
Why do countries sometimes fear for their safety or survival? Are other states or non-state actors the main problems? Are all security problems about violence? And how do policymakers analyse security issues? In posing these and other questions this course will reveal key issues and perspectives in security studies.
20 pts
POLS 111 – Introduction to Government and Politics in Aotearoa New Zealand
Who holds power in Aotearoa New Zealand? What forces influence our national politics? What role do citizens, iwi, media, politicians and other groups play in shaping political processes and outcomes? This course explores Māori and colonial influences on contemporary politics in Aotearoa, considering key institutions, electoral politics and how political actors and citizens engage in politics and policy-making. Taking advantage of our location in the capital city, you will hear from Members of Parliament, journalists and important political figures. You will also visit Parliament and the He Tohu exhibit at the National Library, engaging directly with political institutions and documents. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 112 – Introduction to Political Ideas / He Tīmatanga Kōrero i ngā Ariā Tōrangapū
Politics is the activity of answering the question ‘how should we live?’ This course offers an introduction to some of the various ways political thinkers have tried to answer this question, by (re)defining fundamental political ideals like justice, freedom, equality, inclusion, and responsibility, and proposing ways to realise these ideals in the world around us. In this class, we will therefore examine a range of perspectives regarding some of the most important questions concerning political life: What is the basis of political community? Who should hold power? How do we work together? What do we owe each other?
20 pts
tut tba
POLS 114 – Introduction to Comparative Politics / He Rohe Motuhake, he Tōrangapū Motuhake
What can we learn by comparing the politics and government of different countries? This course examines competing explanations for democratic and authoritarian regimes including economic, cultural and institutional theories of state development. These theories are then applied to several case studies.
20 pts
INTP 204 – International Relations Theory: World Order and its Critics
This course explores how world order has been understood and contested in IR, including the roots of the contemporary international system, debates about how it currently functions and critical accounts of the marginalisation and injustice it produces. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 374
Not offered in 2025
INTP 243 – International Politics of China
This course introduces the study of Chinese politics and international relations. It provides an introduction to the People’s Republic of China, its major foreign policy initiatives, key international relationships and orientation toward the rules-based international order. It asks how the world is responding to the emergence of contemporary China, including Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific, and presents tools and concepts to analyse its growing role in world affairs. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points (X) INTP 211 in 2020-2023
Not offered in 2025
INTP 244 – New Zealand Foreign Policy
This course examines how New Zealand engages the world through its foreign and defence policies. It employs different conceptual frameworks to critically analyse key factors that shape these, including relations with major powers, multilateral organizations, and priority regions. The course focuses on New Zealand’s relations with Britain, the United States, China, the Pacific, Asia, the United Nations, and its responses to pressing issues involving the Rules Based International Order, AUKUS and NATO. Where appropriate, the class will incorporate guest lectures from government ministries and different country embassies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 245 – Foreign Policy Analysis
This course introduces and explores the notion of foreign policy, which is traditionally considered one of the most important bridges between 'domestic' and 'international' politics. Here the spotlight is kept on the sources, instruments, agents, processes and implications of foreign policy. The course adopts an analytical and comparative approach, drawing on the experiences several international actors have had since the Second World War. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 247 – International Relations: Wealth and World Affairs / Hononga whenua: Te Rawa me ngā Take o te Ao
This course looks at the global, international and domestic politics of the world economy. It looks at the ways in which economic processes shape politics and the ways in which political processes shape economics. We look at international trade, finance and production (multi-national corporations) and at the regional and international institutions that regulate the global economy. We also look at some of the interactions between international and domestic politics and explore the ways in which the world economy shapes peoples' everyday lives. No technical knowledge of economics is required for this course and the course involves no equations, graphs or large numbers. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101
tut tba
INTP 248 – International Security
This course is an introduction to the study of conflict and security. It examines how and why conflict emerges in the international system and explores different approaches to its mitigation and resolution, using both traditional materialist theories of security and alternative critical approaches to security. Students will learn to discern varying forms of conflict and will employ theoretical and empirical perspectives on conflict analysis to analyse modern case studies. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts
tut tba
INTP 250 – Cyber Power in International Relations
This course will focus on three areas: (1) understanding the nature and dynamics of cyberspace as a domain of international relations; (2) understanding the features of states and non-state actors acting as cyber powers; and (3) contemporary issues of cyber power in international relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS points
Not offered in 2025
INTP 261 – Political Philosophy and International Relations
This course surveys the historical and philosophical development of international relations theory and political theory. It will examine foundational texts drawn from thinkers across the range of western political theory, from ancient Greece to the twentieth century. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in PHIL or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts or GLBL 101; (X) PHIL/POLS 261
Not offered in 2025
PHIL 264 – Ethics and International Affairs / Ngā Matatika i ngā hononga ā-Ao
Is waging war ever morally justified, and, if so, when? Do affluent states and individuals harm the global poor? How should New Zealand deal with historic injustice and the legacy of colonialism? What is the fairest and most effective way of addressing climate change? In this course you will investigate these questions and others that lie at the intersection of international relations and moral philosophy. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from PHIL, EHUM, GLBL, INTP or POLS
PHIL 264 – Ethics and International Affairs / Ngā Matatika i ngā hononga ā-Ao
Is waging war ever morally justified, and, if so, when? Do affluent states and individuals harm the global poor? How should New Zealand deal with historic injustice and the legacy of colonialism? What is the fairest and most effective way of addressing climate change? In this course you will investigate these questions and others that lie at the intersection of international relations and moral philosophy. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in INTP or POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from PHIL, EHUM, GLBL, INTP or POLS
POLS 203 – East Asian Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Āhia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to political change in modern East Asian states: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. It examines how different types of state have emerged out of the traditional East Asian political order, and how this outcome has been shaped by the dynamics of political liberalisation, modern state building, economic and social development, and international geopolitics.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level INTP or POLS or (ASIA) pts) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 203, ASIA 207
Not offered in 2025
POLS 205 – The New Europe / Ūropi i Te Ao Hou
This course introduces students to the diverse institutions that shape politics, society and economics in a number of European countries. It seeks to explain why political, social and economic diversity exists in Europe and why it matters. In doing so it identifies differences and commonalities in the organisation of politics and society in several countries, how peculiar national institutions came into existence and whether different national institutions are compatible within integrated political structures and markets. Geographically and chronologically the course focuses on postwar Britain, France and Germany, although it makes reference to other examples. This course may also be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP points) or GLBL 101 (X) INTP 205.
tut tba
POLS 206 – Politics of Aotearoa New Zealand: Power, Equality, and Ideology
This course focuses on the ideologies of political parties in Aotearoa New Zealand. An applied approach outlines the principles which underpin how political parties respond to contemporary political issues such as education, health, welfare, local government politics, and Māori-Crown relations. Other topics include how political parties are funded and to what extent the implementation of MMP has reshaped party politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
tut tba
POLS 207 – American Politics / Ngā Tōrangapū o Amerika
An introduction to American politics, with a particular focus on the continued development of America's system of government. The course examines major political themes in US politics against the background of the relationships between different branches of government under the US Constitution. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 208 – Political Change in Southeast Asia
This course will examine constitutional issues and broader political change in a number of Southeast Asian states. Students have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of political institutions and wider political trends in countries with very diverse systems of government, including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts; (X) INTP 208
Not offered in 2025
POLS 209 – Dictatorships and Revolutions / Ngā Tangata Whakatuanui, ngā Tutūnga Puehu
This course introduces students to the nature and varieties of modern dictatorship and non-democracy, the causes of their emergence, and the processes that lead to their collapse and transformation. Our focus will be on developing concepts and tools useful for the analysis of a wide variety of cases. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101
tut tba
POLS 210 – Contemporary Politics of the Middle East
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major political, social and economic challenges and dilemmas facing the modern Middle East. Each week, we will discuss a key issue and concept, such as colonial legacies, state-society relations, the oil economy, authoritarianism, democratisation, religion and politics, gender relations, identity and politics, civil society, and the future of the Middle East in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
20 pts • (P) (40 100-level POLS or INTP pts) or GLBL 101 (X) POLS 211 (2019-2021); INTP 201 in 2023
Not offered in 2025
POLS 214 – Ideas That Shape the World
He mokopuna au, kua mōhiotia taku iti. He tīpuna au, kua mōhiotia taku nui. I am a grandchild, what I have known is little. I am an ancestor, what I have known is great. Political theory creates fundamentally new ways of seeing the world which, when they catch and spread, powerfully shape our world in material and political terms. In this course you will examine some of the most influential political ideas across history, explore how they have shaped politics across the globe today, and develop your own position about how they should shape the future.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP points (X) POLS 212 in 2020, 2021;
POLS 218 – Politics and the Media in New Zealand
This course focuses on the political roles, functions and effects of the media in New Zealand. Topics studied will include: media and elections (including voting behaviour); news management and production; the role of public relations in political lobbying and electioneering; the political uses of opinion polls and experts; the regulatory environment within which the media operates; ownership and control of the media, public service broadcasting; Maori politics and the media; and the media and political leadership. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level POLS or INTP pts
Not offered in 2025
POLS 231 – Governing Divided Societies / Te Kāwana i ngā Whenua Wāhi Rua
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 365 in 2025
POLS 232 – Public Opinion and Elections / Te Huatau Marea me ngā Pōti
This course explores how public opinion is constructed and how it affects voting choices in combination with other factors such as socio-demographics, group identifications, institutions, media exposure, and party campaigns. Countries covered follow the international literature in its focus on established democracies including Aotearoa New Zealand.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) POLS 211 (2012-16)
HIST 336 – The Pacific Islands after 1945/ Ngā Moutere a Kiwa whai muri i 1945
The political and social history of the Pacific Islands since 1945 has been tumultuous, with decolonisation, democratisation, urbanisation, governance and ethnic conflict playing out in various countries. We will examine developments between WWII and the attainment of independence in some Pacific Islands and consider some of the challenges faced by Pacific states and nations since independence. A key aim is to examine the ways in which the social and political changes of the immediate postwar decades have shaped the postcolonial heritage of Pacific Island states and nations. This course may be taken towards majors in POLS and PASI (see major requirements for details).
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from (HIST or POLS or INTP 200-299, CLAS 207, 208); (X) INTP 336
INTP 302 – Global Politics of the Environment
This course introduces the study of global environmental politics. It addresses key themes like security, justice, production, and governance in relation to global environmental issues like climate change, energy, biodiversity, food, and garbage. In doing so, it introduces a range of theoretical perspectives coming from international relations, ecological economics, and green theory. By the end of the course, students will understand how conflict and crisis shape the governance of the global environment.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299; POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 303 – Critical Global Politics / Ngā Take Tōrangapū Matua o te Ao
This course engages key ideas from critical theorists and their forerunners, questioning status quo assumptions about global politics. During the course we read and discuss primary texts from selected philosophers. We use their thought to examine the nature of oppression, vulnerability, emancipation, and resistance. Concrete examples reflected on include cosmopolitanism, radical democracy, popular culture, post-9/11 politics, torture, and the politics of mourning.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299, POLS 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 304 – The Politics and Foreign Policy of Japan / Ngā Tōrangapū me Ngā Kaupapa Here Tāwāhi o Hapanī
This course provides a theoretically grounded review of Japan’s post-WWII domestic politics and foreign policy. After examining Japan’s political system, we will focus on Japan’s relations with the main actors in Northeast Asia (USA, China, Russia and the two Koreas) and explore the domestic/international connections in these relations.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP 301 (2015, 2017-19)
Not offered in 2025
INTP 346 – International Politics of Development
This course examines the international politics of modern economic development. Why have some countries/regions developed better than others? Does their political economic model matter? Does the structure of international political economy matter? The course explores the mutual effects of the structure of international political economy, and national and regional economic development. 60% internal assessment, 40% examination.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299 (X) INTP/POLS 246;
Not offered in 2025
INTP 351 – Power and Policies in the European Union
This course introduces students to the institutions and evolution of the European Union. It also examines explanations of the process of European integration. It asks whether the governance institutions of the EU are comparable to those of its member states or whether they represent something sui generis. It raises the unanswered questions underlying European integration: what is 'Europe', what is 'Europe' becoming and what are the limits of 'Europe'? 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299; (X) POLS 351
Not offered in 2025
INTP 352 – US Strategy Towards Asia and the Middle East
This course compares recent American strategy towards Asia and the Middle East, both important regions. It considers US approaches to regional security issues including Asia’s territorial disputes and the Middle East peace process, and the competitive demands the two regions place on Washington's finite military and diplomatic resources.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts (X) INTP 360 (2014 – 16);
Not offered in 2025
INTP 354 – International Relations of East Asia / Ngā Hononga ā-Ao o Ahia ki te Rāwhiti
This course introduces students to the international relations of East Asia: what they are, how they work, what drives their development and examines in particular the transformations of international order in modern and contemporary East Asia. The course also trains students for effective policy analysis and research engagement on current international relations of East Asia. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200-299 or POLS 200-299, ASIA 200-299) or GLBL 201
INTP 360 – Special Topic: US Foreign Policy
This course analyses the central issues in US foreign policy in contemporary world politics. The course develops the analytic tools that are useful for understanding the international environment and for an examination of how the United States pursues its foreign policy. The course combines the analysis of major theoretical issues underlying US foreign policy with an in-depth examination of current foreign policy issues for the United States.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP or POLS 200-299
INTP 363 – Human Rights / Ngā Tika o Te Tangata
This course is interested in the international human rights regime and its impact on a variety of human rights outcomes such as torture, arbitrary detention, child labour, and racial/gender discrimination. Through the use of basic quantitative data and in-depth case studies, students will learn how to evaluate the design, implementation and effectiveness of human rights policy. Topics include: what experiments teach us and about why people sometimes abuse rights; UN human rights treaties and institutions; the role of domestic institutions and non-state actors; and tensions between cultural relativism and universalism. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) PHIL/POLS 363
Not offered in 2025
INTP 365 – Special Topic: Politics of Forced Migration
This course will analyse the political causes and consequences of contemporary forced migration, as well as national, regional and international efforts to manage it. Students will study a range of causes of forced migration, including conflict, human rights abuses, land degradation, poverty and climate change. They will also examine the variety of circumstances facing forced migrants after they have left their homes, and consider the political factors that determine such circumstances. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary examples of forced migration around the world.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts 200 level INTP or POLS points
INTP 370 – Special Topic: Crisis, Power and Ideas in the World Economy
This course deepens students’ understanding of International Economy. Combining historical perspectives and quantitative data, students will examine how crisis, ideas, security, and power have shaped the global economy. Topics may include global economic governance, the link between the domestic and the international, the intersection of economics and security, and the politics of global finance. By the end of the course, students will understand how wealth and power intersect in world politics. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
INTP 371 – Human Security
This course examines conflict and violence in world politics. It explores the changing nature of war between and within states, giving particular emphasis to contemporary civil wars. Topics covered may include: the relationship between natural resources (e.g. diamonds and oil) and conflict; the role and regulation of mercenaries; terrorism and armed groups; aid and war; and the efforts of governments and civil society groups to reduce the harm caused to civilians (e.g. through action against landmines, small arms and cluster bombs). A wide range of cases are discussed in class including Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. 50% internal assessment, 50% examination. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 372 – International Organisations: Change and Continuity
This course examines the origins and development of international organisations together with their types and roles within the context of structural changes in the international system. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 377 – Transnational Activism and Advocacy in Global Politics
This course focuses on the role of transnational advocacy networks and social movements in world politics. In addition to taking a social scientist's perspective on how such networks and movements affect international relations, we will look at the strategic dilemmas involved in transnational activism from an embedded actor's perspective. 100% internal assessment. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200–299 or POLS 200–299
Not offered in 2025
INTP 379 – The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers / Te Piki me te Heke o ngā Mana Nui
This course aims to analyse great power politics and international order from theoretical and historical perspectives. The re-emergence/rise of Russia, China, Japan, and India as great powers has significant implications for the US-created/led international order. What is the relationship between the rise and fall of great powers, war, and the global economy?
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level INTP or POLS pts; (X) INTP 365 in 2014, INTP 370 in 2015-2016
Not offered in 2025
MAOR 316 – Te Mana me te Rangatiratanga/Māori Politics
This online course examines a range of Māori political structures, movements, ideologies and visions. Students will also explore Māori politics in relation to Pacific and international Indigenous contexts. The themes covered in the course include Tino Rangatiratanga and Sovereignty, nationalism, Liberal democracy, Local governance, Iwi governance, Pacific and Indigenous contexts. This course is also able to be taken towards majors in KAIT, INTP or POLS.
20 pts • (P) MAOR 216 (X) POLS 316
PHIL 303 – Rights, Equality and Freedom: Contemporary Political Philosophy
This course examines major positions and issues in contemporary political philosophy, including questions about rights, equality, justice, freedom, and democracy. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in POLS. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) (40 points from PHIL 200-399, POLS 200-399) or GLBL 201
POLS 320 – Politics and Music / Te Tōrangapū me te Puoro
Entertainment forms of political communication such as music are very often neglected in research of political communication, although music has a long and varied association with politics. It has provided the soundtrack to political protest and been the object of political censorship; politicians have courted pop stars and pop stars have acted as politicians. This course examines the various interactions between music and politics. It analyses how music can contribute to our understanding of political thought and action, but also how it can affect people's political perceptions, attitudes and behaviour.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP 200-299, MDIA 205, MUSC 220-259, POLS 200-299 (X) POLS 365 in 2020-2024
POLS 352 – Migration and Identity / He Mātai Hekenga, he Mātai Tuakiritanga
This course examines the implications of immigration and increasing diversity for political processes and outcomes in contemporary societies, with particular focus on how the politics of migration and and identity intersect. Drawing especially on examples from Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific, we examine political issues including: comparative policy-making on immigration and ‘integration’, normative and empirical debates about the politics of identity, ethnicity in the census, nationalism and state-group relations, citizenship, and political participation and representation of migrants and their descendants.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 378 (2018-2019)
POLS 353 – Contemporary Challenges and Directions for NZ Politics
Many issues that we struggle with most in Aotearoa New Zealand today can feel insurmountable. In the face of 'wicked problems' like climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and settler-colonialism, how do everyday citizens make meaningful impacts? This course focuses on how to make sense of contemporary issues like this, and then explores ten types of civic action used around the world to respond to them. You will develop frameworks for analysing and strategising regarding structural issues, have opportunities for empirical research, and develop practical skills and experiences in civic action. This course may also be able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299
POLS 354 – The Politics of the Pacific Islands
This course examines the politics of the Pacific Island states, covering the area from Papua New Guinea in the west to Rapa Nui in the east. Among other topics, we look at the subversion of Western-derived systems of government in the Pacific context, coups in Fiji, linguistic diversity in Papua New Guinea, intervention in the Solomon Islands and political reform in Tonga and Samoa.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 355 (2015-2018, 2021)
POLS 355 – Special Topic: The Politics of China
This course examines the contemporary Politics of the People's Republic of China. It introduces the key approaches to studying elite, military and party politics, social movements and economic development, and explores state-society relations, ideology, media, political economy and the structure of the modern Chinese state.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299
POLS 357 – African Politics / Te Tōrangapū i Āwherika
This course studies the government and politics of African nations. Students have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of government institutions and political issues on the African continent.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 382 (2017-2020)
Not offered in 2025
POLS 359 – Directed Individual Study
This is a supervised programme of research and study on selected themes in Political Science and International Relations. With the assistance of the course coordinator and staff members with appropriate expertise students will pursue a project that they have personally helped to devise. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 359
Not offered in 2025
POLS 362 – A Topic in Political Philosophy: Feminist Theory
This course enables students to engage deeply with a broad range of feminist thought. We will first focus on feminist critiques of social/political institutions, then on feminist prescriptions, and finally look at the means feminists have suggested for realising these solutions. Along the way, we will engage a myriad of controversies that have created schisms within feminist thought and practice. This course may also be able to be taken towards majors in INTP or PHIL. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) PHIL 362
POLS 365 – Special Topic: Governing Divided Societies
This course examines methods of governing societies divided by deep ethnic, religious, or linguistic cleavages. Drawing on cases including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malaysia and Fiji, we analyse forms of power sharing, institutional choices (e.g. electoral system, presidentialism and federalism), and the role of international actors.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200-299; (X) POLS 231; INTP 250 in 2016
POLS 378 – Special Topic: Social Movements, People Power, and Populism
This course examines political movements, organisations, and ideologies. Students will examine contemporary issues related to representation, sovereignty, citizenship, and indigenous self-determination. Case studies from a range of countries will be used to explore these themes.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299, MAOR 216
POLS 382 – Special Topic: Politics and Government in the United States
This course examines issues and themes in US government and politics against the background of the US constitution and the federal system of government. In addition to readings and lecture materials, and the opportunity to research and write a research paper about a topic in US government and politics, workshop discussions and presentations will enable students (working together) to approach issues in US politics and government from the perspective of a particular state and political party.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from INTP/POLS 200-299
POLS 383 – Research Methods in Political Science
This course enables us to uncover evidence and to better understand how the (political) world operates. It introduces some of the basic research tools used in the study of politics. Along the way, students will learn how to pose and answer empirical research questions using appropriated evidence and arguments. 100% internal assessment. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in INTP. See major requirements for details.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299; (X) INTP 383
Not offered in 2025
POLS 384 – The Comparative Politics of Globalisation / Ngā Kaupapa Torangapū Motuhake me te Whakatōpū Ao
This course focuses on the domestic politics of globalisation, primarily in the developed democracies. Does globalisation constrain governments to a strict neo-liberal policy agenda? Does it diminish democracy? Does it generate insecurity and inequality, or point the way to a more prosperous and peaceful future?
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from POLS or INTP 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) POLS 365 from 2013-2017
Not offered in 2025
Popular Music
POPM 101 – Popular Music: Creativity, Identity, Innovation
Popular music is driven by the innovative creativity of artists, bands, producers, journalists, promoters and many others. This course explores the many modes of creativity, not least of all musical creativity, that drive innovation and the development of artistic identity in popular music. Through a student-defined mix of creative and critical work, you will deepen your understanding of creativity, artistic distinctiveness, and processes of innovation, while also gaining critical insight into popular music in cultural and commercial contexts.
20 pts
POPM 301 – Popular Music Projects
You will conceive, propose, develop, and present or perform an individual or collaborative project in a form that closely reflects your critical and/or creative interests. You will be supervised throughout the realisation of the project, and projects will require approval of your supervisor and the POPM 301 course coordinator. The medium of the project may be musical/sonic, audio-visual, written or a combination of these.
20 pts • (P) Two of (CMPO 203, 210, 285, 286) or two of (MUSC 229, 247, 248, 249, 269)
Not offered in 2025
Population Health, Policy and Service Delivery
HLWB 101 – Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding health and wellbeing in the individual. It will focus on cultural, political and creative factors which shape the maintenance of, or alternatively, the threats to, health and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 102 – Hauora - Population and Community Approaches to Health and Wellbeing
This course will introduce students to core concepts and determinants of hauora, health and wellbeing in populations and community. It will explore how equity, human rights and diversity affect hauora at the intersection of race, gender and class. Grounded in Aotearoa New Zealand, students will develop an understanding of how to approach hauora, health and wellbeing from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi perspective.
15 pts
HLWB 103 – Human Biology for Health
This course reveals the wonders of the human body, exploring health from a biological perspective. You will learn to utilise key concepts in human biology, including anatomy and physiology, study core systems (cardiovascular, immune, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine) and discover the intricate balance between these systems crucial for human health. Investigate how the body responds to stress, injury, environment, and disease, affecting human homeostasis and deepen your understanding of your body and health at an entry-level.
15 pts
HLWB 104 – Evidence, Politics and Power - Introducing Health Policy
This course introduces Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system and the challenges we face in seeking to meet population health needs equitably, efficiently, and sustainably, both now and into the future. The role of health policy in shaping the health system is explored through case studies of contemporary health challenges and the experience of past health reforms. By gaining an understanding of health policy processes and the politics of health system governance and service delivery, students are equipped to be a change-maker in the dynamic world of healthcare.
15 pts
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
PUBL 113 – Social and Public Policy: Values and Change
This course focuses on the values and ideologies that underpin social policy and public policy in New Zealand. The course will examine the economic, political, and institutional arrangements within New Zealand which impact upon policy development and implementation. Also taught as SPOL 113
20 pts • (X) SPOL 111, 112, 113
tut tba
QUAN 102 – Introductory Applied Statistics for Business
An introduction to applied statistics in a business, government and social context. Topics include data management, sampling, graphing, one- and two-variable summary statistics, linear regression, basic probability theory and applications to the binomial and normal distributions, confidence interval estimation and hypothesis testing in a range of scenarios. Microsoft Excel and iNZight will be the primary tools throughout the course.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, STAT 193
tut tba
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
HLWB 201 – Global Health and Wellbeing
This course advances students’ understanding of health and wellbeing with an emphasis on communicable and non-communicable diseases including long-term conditions, health literacy and health promotion.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 202 – Health and Wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand
This course advances students’ understanding of a rights-based approach to diversity, cultural safety and health equity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through this course students will be able to describe how social determinants can shape health and wellbeing for children, their families and/or whānau. Students will learn to recognise that differing epistemological foundations underpin health and wellbeing interventions, systems and structures in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will be able to critically examine these in order to support health equity and health improvements among diverse populations.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
HLWB 203 – Health Evaluation and Epidemiology
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the role of evaluation and epidemiology in health. The course introduces key evaluation and epidemiology principles and explores the relevance of these across various health issues and settings. Students will develop skills in applying, analysing and critiquing various evaluation and epidemiology methods that are used to inform health policy and practice.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; STAT 193 or QUAN 102
HLWB 204 – Systems Thinking in Health Policy and Innovation
This course introduces students to systems thinking and how it can be used to understand health systems and approaches to change and improvement. Students will learn about the Aotearoa New Zealand health system and how it has changed over time. The relationships between government policy, health system goals (such as equity, efficiency and sustainability), evidence, health services, and the wider determinants of health will be examined. This course extends students’ knowledge of health policy and systems and explores how health systems can become more people and community centred. Innovative approaches to improving systems and services are introduced and applied to specific health areas including Māori health, Pacific health, maternity care, mental health and primary care.
15 pts • (P) 15 pts from HLWB 101-110 or PUBL 113
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
HLWB 206 – Foundations of Health Promotion
This course delves into the core principles and theories underpinning health promotion, emphasising their practical application. Students will grasp the fundamental values, ethics, and theories crucial in promoting health effectively and analyse evidence-based strategies across various levels, with a particular focus on the role of place for health. Students will explore key sites of settings-based health promotion, such as schools and workplaces. With a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand's cultural diversity and the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, students will learn about culturally safe health promotion practices. Furthermore, the course develops critical reflexivity, creative communication and collaboration skills.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from 100-level courses, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 207 – Managing Workplace Risk, Health and Safety: Decision-making Amidst Ambiguity
This course provides an introduction to the research and knowledge base for workplace health and safety. Students will be encouraged to critically evaluate the impact work has on health, and health has on work, through the principles of workplace health and safety, empirical evidence, methods of risk assessment, and the application of occupational health and safety principles in the workplace.
15 pts
HLWB 208 – Disability and Ageing
This course examines the processes of ageing, including theoretical and practical issues as they relate to individuals living with disability. It explores the principles of a life-course approach to healthy ageing and cultural diversity. It additionally examines the nexus between age-related disabilities and disabilities which may have been lifelong experiences for an individual.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 209 – Special Topic: Health Technologies and Innovation
Health technologies will massively increase the ability of health care systems to solve health problems and can improve health and wellbeing in communities. At the same time, they offer major challenges and complexities. This course will introduce health technologies that are and will have a major impact in New Zealand and globally. Students do not need to have prior health technology knowledge.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 101-110; or INFO 101, 151; or COMP 102, 103
HLWB 219 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts
HLWB 220 – Nutrition Literacy for the 21st Century
This course introduces students to the fundamentals in human nutrition and nutrition literacy in the 21st century. Students will critically evaluate determinants of sustainable diets thereby generating students’ consciousness as global citizens in a challenging ‘food’ future.
15 pts • (P) 30 points at 100-level (X) HLWB211 from 2019-2022
PUBL 201 – Introduction to Public Policy
An introduction to the study of public policy and policy analysis, models of policymaking and the policy process and the contribution of economics and politics to the study of public policy.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 113 or POLS 111 (or FCOM 111)
tut tba
HLWB 301 – Research and Enquiry in Health
This course examines the role of research in health, exploring different approaches to research design, and the range of data collection methods used in health. Students will undertake a literature review on a chosen topic, develop a research proposal for a potential project in an area of interest, selected from a list provided by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; HLWB 203 or PSYC 232
HLWB 302 – Health Internship
Approved and supervised work placement of the student in a public sector agency, private sector establishment, or non-governmental organisation with a focus on health and wellbeing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; Grade B or higher at 200-level, permission of School of Health Selection Committee; places will be limited.
^ Limited entry course
HLWB 303 – Advanced Health Statistics and Epidemiology
This course further develops students’ skills in health statistics and epidemiology.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 203
HLWB 304 – Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Services
This course investigates new and emerging challenges and opportunities in health and social services, and immerses students in areas of innovation and change including partnerships with services users, responding to increasing demand in mental health services and opportunities afforded by digital health and emerging technologies.
15 pts • (P) 30 pts from HLWB 201–220, or by permission of the course coordinator
HLWB 305 – Health Psychology in Action
This course introduces the theory, ethics and politics of health psychology including key approaches, applications and interventions for enhancing health and wellbeing. As part of the course, students will theorise and develop a proposal to address a health and wellbeing issue of their choosing.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 205, 30 pts of 200 level PSYC
HLWB 306 – Health Promotion Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand
Health promotion can lead to successful health and health-related outcomes; however success is often dependent on appropriate strategies or promotion activities being employed in an appropriate manner for the diverse contexts in which they occur. This course extends and builds on the 200-level health promotion course, facilitating improved knowledge of health promotion initiatives across a variety of contexts, and developing the ability to critically evaluate health promotion initiatives. Students will explore, apply and evaluate culturally appropriate approaches to health promotion in different contexts and settings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202, 206
HLWB 307 – Occupational Health Strategy
This course explores the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety strategies in a variety of working environments.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 207
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 308 – Health, Illness and Disease
This course develops critical understandings of how social, cultural and political forces influence views of health and illness; how such views are represented; and how they impact health communication and interventions.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202; (X) HLTH 516
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 309 – Health Management and Leadership
This course introduces students to theories of health management and leadership.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 201, 202
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 310 – Hauora Māori - Māori Health Development
This course develops detailed understanding of Māori health and wellbeing, and considers the design of effective services to enhance and promote Māori health and wellbeing, strategies for supporting Māori participation at all levels of the health sector, and how these relate to the health and wellbeing of whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, MAOR, PSYC, PUBL, or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 311 – Pacific Health within the Aotearoa New Zealand context
This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of Pacific health and wellbeing, Students will examine the influence of Pacific people’s cultural values and beliefs on their health and wellbeing. The course will consider the development process for Pacific health policies, strategies and frameworks and critique models of Pacific health.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level pts from EDUC, HLWB, PASI, PSYC, PUBL, SAMO or SOSC, or by permission of the course coordinator.
HLWB 312 – Innovation in Integrated Care
This course examines different designs for health services in Aotearoa New Zealand. We draw on the integrated care and health improvement literature to learn about new ways to deliver health and community services. By analysing successful health service innovations and the the strategies behind their implementation, students are equipped to contribute to improving health service delivery.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 104 or 204
Not offered in 2025
HLWB 319 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study agreed between a student and supervisor and approved by Programme Director/Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of Programme Director
Psychological Science
COGS 101 – Kinds of Minds
What is a mind? And who has one? In this course, we will use a multidisciplinary approach to understanding human, animal, and artificial minds. Drawing on research and methodologies in the cognitive sciences of psychology, biology, and computer science, we will explore the many varieties of minds in the natural and virtual world, seeking to determine what minds actually are.
15 pts
PSYC 101 – Popular Psychology
In this course, students will be introduced to a broad range of topics in psychology such as the way people cope with crisis, how we regulate our emotions, and the basic understanding of how the brain works. The course is taught entirely online.
15 pts • (X) PSYC 232 or 242.
PSYC 121 – Foundations in Psychology 1
PSYC 121 introduces core concepts in psychology with a focus on research methods, social psychology, social development, and mental health. Students will consider how psychology can be used in applied contexts and the importance of bicultural and cross-cultural perspectives in our understanding of human behaviour. In lectures, students will learn about Māori models of mental health and in lectures and labs they will have the opportunity to reflect upon the principles that underpin Kaupapa Māori research. Students will develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
PSYC 122 – Foundations in Psychology 2
PSYC 122 introduces students to theory and research in the biological basis of behaviour, learning and memory, cognition and perception, and applied psychology in the context of Aotearoa. In the lab programme, students develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
COGS 201 – Foundations of Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science is the interdisciplinary study of mind. In this course, we cover foundational topics in cognitive science from the perspectives of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, and computation. Topics may include how minds are defined, how they represent the world, how they communicate, and how they behave adaptively.
15 pts • (P) AIML 131, COGS 101; one of (COMP 102, 112, 132), PSYC 122; one of (STAT 193, QUAN 102)
PSYC 201 – Brain, Behaviour and Cognition
This course explores the relationships between human thought, behaviour and the brain. Students will learn about the different methods that can be used to study brain-behaviour relationships, and how brain measures can be used to gain insights into human mental processes. Topics covered include perception, motivation, emotion, attention, learning and memory, language, abstract thinking, decision-making and consciousness.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102); (X) PSYC 231, 233
PSYC 202 – Culture in Psychology
The course broadly examines human behaviour and experience and its interdependence with cultural factors. Both comparative and indigenous approaches are applied to a range of psychological topics. The application of cultural theory and research, particularly in relation to topics important in Aotearoa, is highlighted.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121, 232; MAOR 123 or 126 (X) PSYC 338
PSYC 212 – Body, Mind and Well-being
This course explores research into the concept of well-being, its neural, cognitive and personality correlates, and how it is influenced by social relationships. Rather than taking a disease-oriented approach, the course focuses on adopting positive lifestyle choices that can enhance brain health and well-being, including exercise, diet, sleep and contemplative practices mindfulness and meditation. The course will consider a range of perspectives and approaches to promoting psychological well-being, including mātauranga Māori perspectives.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
^ Limited entry course
PSYC 213 – Te Kura Mātai Hinengaro and Western Psychology
This course introduces students to concepts of Mātauranga Māori by examining ancestral epistemological understandings and contemporary instances of Māori innovation in Psychology. Māori psychological frameworks are then introduced which allow students to redefine and re-describe Western theories of understandings within indigenous methodologies such as the relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi and potential frameworks of Mātauranga Māori as the origins and framework of futures of thinking within a psychological context. This course will introduce students to Te Kura Mātai Hinengaro – an indigenous psychological design process as an example of applying Mātauranga Māori to contemporary applications.
15 pts • (P) MAOR 123 or 126
PSYC 214 – Psychology and Law
This course provides a grounding in the application of psychology to the area of criminal justice. The course will cover topics such as exploring psychological theories about the development of and desistance from criminal behaviour, principles of risk assessment. It will cover approaches to assessment and intervention with those who engage in antisocial behaviour, and place these in the context of Aotearoa.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
PSYC 221 – Social and Personality Psychology
This course examines how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions depend on their social contexts and personalities. The course provides students a broad overview of contemporary and historic topics and establishes the background for various theoretical, conceptual, practical and empirical issues in social and personality psychology.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121
PSYC 232 – Survey and Naturalistic Research Methods
Psychology researchers need to be able to collect and analyse data about people’s behaviours and beliefs in everyday life. In this course, students will learn how to design surveys and apply observational and qualitative methods to collect data. Students will learn how to develop research questions, design a questionnaire, conduct appropriate statistical analyses, and communicate findings in a scientific research report.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102); (X) PSYC 325
PSYC 242 – Experimental Research Methods
Experiments in psychology allow researchers to discover the causes of behaviour. In this course, students will learn how to design and conduct psychology experiments, to analyse data collected using common experimental designs, and to report the results using the conventions of scientific writing.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
PSYC 321 – Clinical Applications of Psychology
This course provides an overview of the scientific study of commonly experienced clinical psychological issues. The course considers current theoretical explanations of these issues and reviews the evidence concerning their characteristics and potential treatments. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the theoretical explanations that have been offered for different issues and to evaluate these in the light of empirical evidence and from different developmental and cultural perspectives.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232 or 242; 15 points from (PSYC 201, 202, 221, 231, 233, 248) (X) PSYC 235
PSYC 322 – Memory
This advanced course covers important methods, empirical findings, and theories for different types of memory. The course builds upon knowledge about memory gained from Cognitive Psychology (PSYC 231) to provide more breadth and depth on the topic.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); 15 pts from (PSYC 201, PSYC 231 or EDUC 243)
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 324 – Child Cognition and Development
This course presents a theoretical account of human cognition and development from infancy onwards. The topics are chosen to represent major areas of current theory and research in developmental psychology.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 248; PSYC 231 or EDUC 243
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 326 – Discourse and Social Psychology
This course introduces students to the field of Discursive Psychology, a qualitative approach that considers language as constituting and ordering social life. The course covers one of the major frameworks used in discursive psychology - conversation analysis, which examines how social interactions are organised at a very detailed level. Content includes how taking turns of talk is co-ordinated; how actions such as asking for help or refusing invitations are done and how troubles in speaking or hearing are resolved. A focus will be on clinical settings such as psychotherapy and doctor-patient interactions. Throughout the class recordings of social interactions in situ will be used as examples.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); 30 further 200-level PSYC points
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 327 – Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience
The first part of this advanced course explores topics in general and behavioural neuroscience, neuroscience, including neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, methods and disorders involving specific neurotransmitter systems. The second part of the course examines the neural basis of higher level cognitive functions, drawing on evidence from brain-damaged individuals and neuro-imaging studies.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 233
PSYC 331 – Perception and Attention
This advanced course takes a cognitive neuroscience approach to the study of perception and attention, with a particular focus on vision. Topics may include: anatomy of visual system, psychophysics, colour vision, motion perception, depth perception, shape perception, face and object recognition, visual attention, eye movement, auditory processing, speech perception, and multisensory integration.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 231 (or 233 or EDUC 243)
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 332 – Behaviour Analysis
Based on human and animal research this course examines the acquisition and maintenance of behaviour. Topics covered include advanced theory and application of operant and Pavlovian conditioning.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 231 or 233 (or EDUC 243)
PSYC 333 – Applied Social Psychology
The course examines how social psychology applies to several domains, including clinical psychology, health, wellbeing and happiness, inter-cultural and inter-group issues, work and sport. We also cover the psychology of risk and hazards and links to environmental psychology, with regard to protecting our quality of life and the living environment.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232 or 242; 15 further 200-level PSYC points
PSYC 334 – Industrial and Organisational Psychology
This course aims to develop your knowledge in Industrial and Organisational Psychology - how psychology can be used to select and train the best people for a job, how to motivate individuals, overcome workplace inequalities , understand and change cultural dynamics in groups and organisations etc.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 221; PSYC 232 or 242
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 335 – Psychology, Crime and Law
This course covers theoretical and research approaches to crime, criminal behaviour and the legal and criminal justice system. Topics may include: psychological theories of crime; violent, sexual and property offending; juvenile delinquency; psychopathy; mentally disordered offenders; the insanity defence and competency to stand trial; alcohol, drugs and crime; eyewitness identification; detection of deception in suspects; criminal investigative analysis; and offender rehabilitation.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232; 15 points from (PSYC 221, 231, 233, 242)
PSYC 338 – Culture in Psychology
The course broadly examines human behaviour and experience and its interdependence with cultural factors. Both comparative and indigenous approaches are applied to a range of psychological topics. The application of cultural theory and research, particularly in relation to topics important in Aotearoa, is highlighted.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232 or 242; PSYC 221 or 248 (X) PSYC 202
PSYC 340 – Special Topic: Advanced Cognition
This course covers advanced topics from areas such as sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, language, and decision making. The topics focus on behavioural or neuroscience methods and results, and critical thought is given to theories that explain important empirical results.
15 pts • (P) STAT 193, PSYC 231, one of (PSYC 232, 242) (X) PSYC 331, 322.
Psychology
COGS 101 – Kinds of Minds
What is a mind? And who has one? In this course, we will use a multidisciplinary approach to understanding human, animal, and artificial minds. Drawing on research and methodologies in the cognitive sciences of psychology, biology, and computer science, we will explore the many varieties of minds in the natural and virtual world, seeking to determine what minds actually are.
15 pts
PSYC 101 – Popular Psychology
In this course, students will be introduced to a broad range of topics in psychology such as the way people cope with crisis, how we regulate our emotions, and the basic understanding of how the brain works. The course is taught entirely online.
15 pts • (X) PSYC 232 or 242.
PSYC 121 – Foundations in Psychology 1
PSYC 121 introduces core concepts in psychology with a focus on research methods, social psychology, social development, and mental health. Students will consider how psychology can be used in applied contexts and the importance of bicultural and cross-cultural perspectives in our understanding of human behaviour. In lectures, students will learn about Māori models of mental health and in lectures and labs they will have the opportunity to reflect upon the principles that underpin Kaupapa Māori research. Students will develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
PSYC 122 – Foundations in Psychology 2
PSYC 122 introduces students to theory and research in the biological basis of behaviour, learning and memory, cognition and perception, and applied psychology in the context of Aotearoa. In the lab programme, students develop skills that form the foundation for subsequent psychology courses, such as analysing data, learning how to read journal articles and developing an understanding of how psychological researchers convey research findings through writing laboratory reports.
15 pts
COGS 201 – Foundations of Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science is the interdisciplinary study of mind. In this course, we cover foundational topics in cognitive science from the perspectives of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, and computation. Topics may include how minds are defined, how they represent the world, how they communicate, and how they behave adaptively.
15 pts • (P) AIML 131, COGS 101; one of (COMP 102, 112, 132), PSYC 122; one of (STAT 193, QUAN 102)
PSYC 201 – Brain, Behaviour and Cognition
This course explores the relationships between human thought, behaviour and the brain. Students will learn about the different methods that can be used to study brain-behaviour relationships, and how brain measures can be used to gain insights into human mental processes. Topics covered include perception, motivation, emotion, attention, learning and memory, language, abstract thinking, decision-making and consciousness.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102); (X) PSYC 231, 233
PSYC 202 – Culture in Psychology
The course broadly examines human behaviour and experience and its interdependence with cultural factors. Both comparative and indigenous approaches are applied to a range of psychological topics. The application of cultural theory and research, particularly in relation to topics important in Aotearoa, is highlighted.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121, 232; MAOR 123 or 126 (X) PSYC 338
PSYC 212 – Body, Mind and Well-being
This course explores research into the concept of well-being, its neural, cognitive and personality correlates, and how it is influenced by social relationships. Rather than taking a disease-oriented approach, the course focuses on adopting positive lifestyle choices that can enhance brain health and well-being, including exercise, diet, sleep and contemplative practices mindfulness and meditation. The course will consider a range of perspectives and approaches to promoting psychological well-being, including mātauranga Māori perspectives.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
^ Limited entry course
PSYC 213 – Te Kura Mātai Hinengaro and Western Psychology
This course introduces students to concepts of Mātauranga Māori by examining ancestral epistemological understandings and contemporary instances of Māori innovation in Psychology. Māori psychological frameworks are then introduced which allow students to redefine and re-describe Western theories of understandings within indigenous methodologies such as the relevance of the Treaty of Waitangi and potential frameworks of Mātauranga Māori as the origins and framework of futures of thinking within a psychological context. This course will introduce students to Te Kura Mātai Hinengaro – an indigenous psychological design process as an example of applying Mātauranga Māori to contemporary applications.
15 pts • (P) MAOR 123 or 126
PSYC 214 – Psychology and Law
This course provides a grounding in the application of psychology to the area of criminal justice. The course will cover topics such as exploring psychological theories about the development of and desistance from criminal behaviour, principles of risk assessment. It will cover approaches to assessment and intervention with those who engage in antisocial behaviour, and place these in the context of Aotearoa.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
PSYC 221 – Social and Personality Psychology
This course examines how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions depend on their social contexts and personalities. The course provides students a broad overview of contemporary and historic topics and establishes the background for various theoretical, conceptual, practical and empirical issues in social and personality psychology.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121
PSYC 232 – Survey and Naturalistic Research Methods
Psychology researchers need to be able to collect and analyse data about people’s behaviours and beliefs in everyday life. In this course, students will learn how to design surveys and apply observational and qualitative methods to collect data. Students will learn how to develop research questions, design a questionnaire, conduct appropriate statistical analyses, and communicate findings in a scientific research report.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102); (X) PSYC 325
PSYC 242 – Experimental Research Methods
Experiments in psychology allow researchers to discover the causes of behaviour. In this course, students will learn how to design and conduct psychology experiments, to analyse data collected using common experimental designs, and to report the results using the conventions of scientific writing.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 121 or 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
PSYC 321 – Clinical Applications of Psychology
This course provides an overview of the scientific study of commonly experienced clinical psychological issues. The course considers current theoretical explanations of these issues and reviews the evidence concerning their characteristics and potential treatments. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the theoretical explanations that have been offered for different issues and to evaluate these in the light of empirical evidence and from different developmental and cultural perspectives.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232 or 242; 15 points from (PSYC 201, 202, 221, 231, 233, 248) (X) PSYC 235
PSYC 322 – Memory
This advanced course covers important methods, empirical findings, and theories for different types of memory. The course builds upon knowledge about memory gained from Cognitive Psychology (PSYC 231) to provide more breadth and depth on the topic.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); 15 pts from (PSYC 201, PSYC 231 or EDUC 243)
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 324 – Child Cognition and Development
This course presents a theoretical account of human cognition and development from infancy onwards. The topics are chosen to represent major areas of current theory and research in developmental psychology.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 248; PSYC 231 or EDUC 243
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 326 – Discourse and Social Psychology
This course introduces students to the field of Discursive Psychology, a qualitative approach that considers language as constituting and ordering social life. The course covers one of the major frameworks used in discursive psychology - conversation analysis, which examines how social interactions are organised at a very detailed level. Content includes how taking turns of talk is co-ordinated; how actions such as asking for help or refusing invitations are done and how troubles in speaking or hearing are resolved. A focus will be on clinical settings such as psychotherapy and doctor-patient interactions. Throughout the class recordings of social interactions in situ will be used as examples.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); 30 further 200-level PSYC points
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 327 – Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience
The first part of this advanced course explores topics in general and behavioural neuroscience, neuroscience, including neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, methods and disorders involving specific neurotransmitter systems. The second part of the course examines the neural basis of higher level cognitive functions, drawing on evidence from brain-damaged individuals and neuro-imaging studies.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 233
PSYC 331 – Perception and Attention
This advanced course takes a cognitive neuroscience approach to the study of perception and attention, with a particular focus on vision. Topics may include: anatomy of visual system, psychophysics, colour vision, motion perception, depth perception, shape perception, face and object recognition, visual attention, eye movement, auditory processing, speech perception, and multisensory integration.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 231 (or 233 or EDUC 243)
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 332 – Behaviour Analysis
Based on human and animal research this course examines the acquisition and maintenance of behaviour. Topics covered include advanced theory and application of operant and Pavlovian conditioning.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 242 (or 325); PSYC 231 or 233 (or EDUC 243)
PSYC 333 – Applied Social Psychology
The course examines how social psychology applies to several domains, including clinical psychology, health, wellbeing and happiness, inter-cultural and inter-group issues, work and sport. We also cover the psychology of risk and hazards and links to environmental psychology, with regard to protecting our quality of life and the living environment.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232 or 242; 15 further 200-level PSYC points
PSYC 334 – Industrial and Organisational Psychology
This course aims to develop your knowledge in Industrial and Organisational Psychology - how psychology can be used to select and train the best people for a job, how to motivate individuals, overcome workplace inequalities , understand and change cultural dynamics in groups and organisations etc.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 221; PSYC 232 or 242
Not offered in 2025
PSYC 335 – Psychology, Crime and Law
This course covers theoretical and research approaches to crime, criminal behaviour and the legal and criminal justice system. Topics may include: psychological theories of crime; violent, sexual and property offending; juvenile delinquency; psychopathy; mentally disordered offenders; the insanity defence and competency to stand trial; alcohol, drugs and crime; eyewitness identification; detection of deception in suspects; criminal investigative analysis; and offender rehabilitation.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232; 15 points from (PSYC 221, 231, 233, 242)
PSYC 338 – Culture in Psychology
The course broadly examines human behaviour and experience and its interdependence with cultural factors. Both comparative and indigenous approaches are applied to a range of psychological topics. The application of cultural theory and research, particularly in relation to topics important in Aotearoa, is highlighted.
15 pts • (P) PSYC 232 or 242; PSYC 221 or 248 (X) PSYC 202
PSYC 340 – Special Topic: Advanced Cognition
This course covers advanced topics from areas such as sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, language, and decision making. The topics focus on behavioural or neuroscience methods and results, and critical thought is given to theories that explain important empirical results.
15 pts • (P) STAT 193, PSYC 231, one of (PSYC 232, 242) (X) PSYC 331, 322.
Psychology (for BHealth)
HLWB 105 – Introduction to Health Psychology
An introduction to the study of health psychology, with a focus on the key theories, research and approaches that have been used to understand and influence people's health, illness and wellbeing.
15 pts
HLWB 205 – Exploring and Applying Methods in Health Psychology
This course will introduce students to some of the key theories and approaches used to understand and influence health and wellbeing. Consideration will be given to the types of questions that are asked by health psychology researchers, and the different methods and tools used to deepen understandings of health and illness in the social world.
15 pts • (P) HLWB 105, PSYC 121 or 122
Public Policy
See also Public Management
PUBL 113 – Social and Public Policy: Values and Change
This course focuses on the values and ideologies that underpin social policy and public policy in New Zealand. The course will examine the economic, political, and institutional arrangements within New Zealand which impact upon policy development and implementation. Also taught as SPOL 113
20 pts • (X) SPOL 111, 112, 113
tut tba
PUBL 201 – Introduction to Public Policy
An introduction to the study of public policy and policy analysis, models of policymaking and the policy process and the contribution of economics and politics to the study of public policy.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 113 or POLS 111 (or FCOM 111)
tut tba
PUBL 203 – Introduction to Public Economics
Analysis of the roles of government in a modern economy. Topics include contemporary market failures including imperfect competition, externalities, missing information, destructive strategic behaviour, and inefficient saving; decision-making in the public sector; taxation, income distribution and labour market incentives.
20 pts • (P) ECON 130 or PUBL 113; (X) PUBL 209
tut tba
PUBL 205 – Development Policy and Management
An introduction to the concepts, methods and theories of development policy. The course focuses upon the problems facing third world countries today arising from external influences, including globalisation. Consideration is given to the design and implementation of policies aimed at raising living standards, improving social equity and maintaining environmental sustainability.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 201 or 210 or at least 60 pts from the BCom or BA schedules
Not offered in 2025
PUBL 209 – Introduction to Public Economics
This course explores the roles of government, community and the private sector in achieving economic, social and environmental well-being. Incentives, behaviour and the design of policies are analysed for selected topics, including taxation, public expenditure, and social and environmental issues. Also co-taught with PUBL 203.
15 pts • (P) ECON 130 or PUBL 113; (X) PUBL 203.
PUBL 210 – Policy Analysis Methods and Practice
An introduction to key policy theories and methods underpinning problem formulation and policy design. Policy examples from New Zealand and overseas help students develop crucial skills for engaging with contemporary policy issues. The focus is on gathering and analysing evidence, investigating public values and stakeholder interests, assessing options, and presenting policy advice effectively.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 201; (X) PUBL 306 in 2015 or earlier
PUBL 211 – Public Management
Public management is concerned with implementation of public sector programmes and policies. It is distinct from public policy. This course will develop fundamental skills of relevance for managing departments, programmes and interfaces with politics, citizens and organised groups. The course blends theoretical insights pertaining to performance, accountability, delivery, and leadership, with professional practice examples from from Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 201 or at least 30 ECON, ENVI, GEOG, HRER, IBUS, LAWS, MGMT, POLS or SPOL pts
PUBL 303 – Economic Policy
Economic policy addresses a broad range of factors: the role of the state; the interplay of market failure and government failure; and how policy instruments are used to affect outcomes. The course covers all of these and has a specific focus on taxation, social security, and education, with examples from Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad.
20 pts • (P) ECON 201 (or ECON 130 and one of PUBL 203/209); (X) ECON 307
Not offered in 2025
PUBL 304 – Cabinet Government / Te Rūnanga o Te Kāwanatanga
Cabinet government is where politics, policy and public management intersect. While there is a clear theoretical dividing line between these activities, the reality is more complex. This course examines Aotearoa New Zealand’s Westminster system of government in a comparative context. Particular attention is given to the process of government formation, the selection of ministers, the role of the cabinet in policymaking, constitutional conventions such as individual and collective responsibility, the leadership role and responsibilities of Prime Ministers, the relationship between ministers and their senior departmental advisers, and the role of political advisers. Comparisons are made, where relevant, with cabinet arrangements in other parliamentary systems.
20 pts • (P) at least 20 200-level PUBL or POLS pts; (X) POLS 381
tut tba
PUBL 304 – Cabinet Government / Te Rūnanga o Te Kāwanatanga
Cabinet government is where politics, policy and public management intersect. While there is a clear theoretical dividing line between these activities, the reality is more complex. This course examines Aotearoa New Zealand’s Westminster system of government in a comparative context. Particular attention is given to the process of government formation, the selection of ministers, the role of the cabinet in policymaking, constitutional conventions such as individual and collective responsibility, the leadership role and responsibilities of Prime Ministers, the relationship between ministers and their senior departmental advisers, and the role of political advisers. Comparisons are made, where relevant, with cabinet arrangements in other parliamentary systems.
20 pts • (P) at least 20 200-level PUBL or POLS pts; (X) POLS 381
tut tba
PUBL 307 – Environmental Policy and Governance
This course examines a wide range of environmental, biodiversity and sustainability challenges from policy and governance perspectives, with illustrations from New Zealand and overseas.
20 pts • (P) 15 pts from PUBL 201, 205, 210, 211, BIOL 222, ENVI 214, GEOG 214, 222, LAWS 318, 325, MGMT 206, 211, SARC 233, TOUR 203 (X) PUBL 207 prior to 2016
PUBL 310 – Complexity and Collaboration in Public Policy
Public policy is not created in a vacuum: it needs to be proactive and reactive to cope with the complex environment in which it operates. This course explores governance can address complexity. Students extend their policy skills by learning how to examine the relationships between policy design, participatory policy processes, and institutions. Best practices worldwide are illustrated for complex policy challenges facing 21st century societies.
20 pts • (P) PUBL 201; PUBL 210 or at least 30 200-level ECON, ENVI, GEOG, HRER, IBUS, LAWS, MGMT, POLS or SPOL points
PUBL 311 – Critical Thinking in Policy and Management
Policy makers and public managers must exercise critical thinking and good judgment every day. This course explains what critical thinking skills are, how they can be improved, and how to apply them to policy and management in both theory and practice. It addresses key ethical issues and the very latest theoretical developments in public policy, public leadership and and strategic management.
20 pts • (P) one of PUBL 201, 210, 211 or at least 30 200-level ECON, ENVI, GEOG, HRER, IBUS, LAWS, MGMT, POLS or SPOL pts
Religious Studies
RELI 108 – The World's Religions
The world’s religions are rich and constantly evolving. In this course we will introduce the stories, rituals, beliefs, and spiritualities that shape diverse traditions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. We will also consider fascinating and less prominent traditions – from Vodou and Indigenous spiritualities to modern “cults” and UFO religions – that help us understand the landscape of religion today.
20 pts
tut tba
RELI 113 – How to Think About Religion
The study of religion is a vibrant and challenging field. In this course you will learn to approach religion with an analytical mind by thinking critically and creatively. We will explore themes such as ritual and materiality, ethics and politics, gender and embodiment, and mystical experience. We will investigate diverse religious traditions and communities to better understand how religion shapes our contemporary world, including here in Aotearoa.
20 pts
RELI 114 – Religious Troublemakers
From Gandhi to Starhawk to Martin Luther King, radical leaders have been inspired by their faith to challenge social and ethical norms. In doing so, spiritual leaders, activists, and innovators have sparked controversy and ignited movements, at times with extraordinary results. In this course we will explore influential figures whose charisma, teaching, and imagination have changed the world.
20 pts
RELI 210 – Special Topic: Cults and Conversions
What is the difference between a "cult" and a “religion”? Are those who join cults brainwashed? This course explores the dynamics behind the formation, and social impact of unconventional religions such as Satanism, Witchcraft, and new religions from around the globe. We analyse how societal norms shape perceptions of acceptable religion and investigate the enduring allure, fascination, and fear evoked by these groups. We study the complex and fraught process of leaving high-demand communities.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule
tut tba
RELI 221 – Politics, Law and Religion
Religion has forcefully re-emerged as a vital actor in global politics. Focusing on current debates, we examine different religions’ engagements with politics and law, and crucial frameworks for understanding the roles of religion within today’s dynamic political landscape. Topics include religious nationalism, secularism, regulation of religion, international development, and protest movements. With broad horizons and contemporary relevance, this course will help you critically analyse the contested roles religion plays in public life.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
RELI 226 – Psychology of Religion
This course provides an introduction to the psychology of religion. Many people identify with religious groups or traditions and claim to have religious or spiritual experiences. This course explores how contemporary psychology research sheds light on human religiosity. Topics include: the development of religion in children, the relationship between religion and morality, rituals, altered states of consciousness, and religion and identity.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or 30 PSYC pts; (X) RELI 312; RELI 310 in 2022-2024
tut tba
RELI 227 – Special Topic: Zen, Meditation, and Mindfulness
In this course you will learn about meditation theory and practice through the lens of Zen, a school of Buddhism centred on applying meditation to every aspect of daily life. We cover the historical, doctrinal, and sociological dimensions of Buddhist meditation in premodern India, China, and Japan, as well as the global allure of meditation today, especially in medicine, psychology, and popular culture. This course includes an optional practical component through which you can gain personal experience with nine different styles of Buddhist meditation via guided instruction.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule
tut tba
RELI 228 – Evil and Salvation
All human communities have accounts of being saved (salvation) from the state or circumstances that destroy the value of human existence (evil). This course systematically and comparatively explores evil and salvation in a number of religious traditions. Topics include: sin; guilt; devils and the demonic; heaven and hells; paths to salvation (repentance, asceticism, grace, will); redemption; soteriology; eschatology; release; Nirvana; and contemporary “secular” deliberations on evil and salvation.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 229 – Confronting Death
In this course we will explore death and dying across a range of religious traditions, and from various disciplinary perspectives – from religious studies and anthropology to sociology and psychology. We will examine how different religious and cultural systems make sense of death by exploring their mythologies, beliefs in afterlife, rituals, and institutions. Topics include: near death experiences, euthanasia, suicide, death “cults,” death industries, death in Aotearoa New Zealand, and representations of death in popular culture.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI points or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) RELI 305
RELI 230 – Reimagining Life in a More-than-Human World
We live in a time of radical environmental transformation. In this course, we challenge the primacy of human-centred ways of living and knowing to explore how insights from diverse religions- especially Asian and Indigenous traditions- can offer radical ways to reimagine our relationship to the larger living world. Themes include the nature and boundaries of sentience, intelligence and non-human personhood, cosmologies of interconnection, and cultivating the imagination as a tool for ethical transformation and resilience.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI points or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) RELI 328
Not offered in 2025
RELI 232 – Violence and Peacemaking
This course explores the role of religion in promoting conflict and terror, and of the power and potential of religion for transforming conflict and building peace. We consider what historical, theological, symbolic and practical resources religious communities offer to the task of peacemaking in a violent world.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI points or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) RELI 331
Not offered in 2025
RELI 234 – Transforming the World
This course examines religious efforts to transform people’s lives and the societies we live in. We examine the ideas and visions that have inspired diverse religious traditions to reshape the world, and the technologies and practices they employ. Topics include religious activism, philanthropy, humanitarianism, development, and various movements for personal, societal, and political change.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 235 – Asian Spiritualities
Asian adepts have searched for enlightenment, bliss and immortality for millennia. We examine the techniques and philosophies they developed to achieve harmony with the world and transcendence of it. Topics including meditation, yoga, monasticism and pilgrimage highlight ways that Asian traditions have tested the limits of human bodies, minds and beliefs.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
RELI 253 – Special Topic: Desire and Depravity: Sex and the Body
This class examines extraordinary religious practices of bodily desire and deprivation, including celibacy, sexual virtuosity, self-mortification, and the quest for physical perfection. We explore the ambivalence of the body as both an obstacle and a gateway to self-realisation. With special focus on Asian religions, we consider how notions of gender, morality, and social belonging are constructed and expressed through the body and connect these insights to our own contemporary contexts and lived experiences.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) RELI 345 in 2025
RELI 309 – Directed Individual Study
Students will undertake an approved, supervised programme of research and study on a selected theme/topic in Religious Studies.
20 pts • (P) Permission of Programme Director
Not offered in 2025
RELI 335 – Arguing About Religion
Religion remains one of the great topics of debate in pubs, in courts of law, in media, and across the globe. This course focuses on contentious public debates and state-of-the-art scholarship that is reshaping contemporary research. We cultivate a space for lively engagement with these debates, where you learn how to think, argue, and write about religion in a critical, creative, and theoretically informed manner.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
RELI 336 – Islam in the Contemporary World
This course examines various expressions of Islam through a focus on contemporary issues. Students encounter Islam operating in a range of domains- political (the Arab Spring and radical Islamist movements), economic (the Halal industry) and social (Muslims in the diaspora). We explore questions of gender and expressions of Muslim popular culture in an increasingly globalised world.
20 pts • (P) 40 200 level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 341 – Global Christianity: Struggle and Liberation
The largest religion in the world, and staggeringly diverse, Christianity has played a major role in shaping political, economic, and cultural life. It is now also the focus of vibrant scholarship and debate. We examine the many different forms of Christianity, exploring particularly movements of reform, dissent and transformation and their complex legacies.
20 pts • (P) as for RELI 335 (X) RELI 213;
Not offered in 2025
RELI 342 – Religions in Practice
This is a field-based course. It focuses on development of critical research skills through encounters with diverse religious traditions. Through seminars and field trips we examine the ways local communities practice their faiths today, and we consider how understanding them sheds light on urgent questions about the contemporary experience of religious communities.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 343 – God, Gods, Godlessness
Belief in gods is contentious yet widespread across cultures and traditions. This course examines diverse conceptions, considering what it means to believe or disbelieve in a god, and what if any effects such beliefs have. We address key arguments, debates and theories through close readings of selected texts.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 201
RELI 344 – Renunciation
From fasting and self-mortification to monasticism and voluntary poverty, practices of renunciation challenge bodies and spirits. This course examines mundane and spectacular expressions of self-denial in diverse religious traditions. We consider the purpose and effects of renunciant practice, and explore its significance in a contemporary world of consumption.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 345 – Special Topic: Desire and Depravity: Sex and the Body
This class examines extraordinary religious practices of bodily desire and deprivation, including celibacy, sexual virtuosity, self-mortification, and the quest for physical perfection. We explore the ambivalence of the body as both an obstacle and a gateway to self-realisation. With special focus on Asian religions, we consider how notions of gender, morality, and social belonging are constructed and expressed through the body and connect these insights to our own contemporary contexts and lived experiences.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) RELI 253 in 2025
Renewable Energy Systems
RESE 111 – Introduction to Renewable Energy Systems
This course provides an overview of the role of energy systems in sustainability, and the development trends, past and future, of different technologies. The ways in which the technologies influence industry, government, and society are examined from a range of different perspectives. Students will gain practical skills in energy generation and utilisation through a range of experiments, as well as skills in modelling renewable energy systems for different contexts. Mathematics and physics at NCEA level 3 are recommended, but not essential to take this course.
15 pts • (X) ENGR 111, ENGR 110 in 2019-2020
Not offered in 2025
RESE 211 – Renewable Energy Generation Systems
This course will expose the students to the different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each system, the theoretical underpinning will be examined; for example, optical physics to harness solar radiation in a concentrating solar technology. The life cycle (sustainability) implications of the different systems will also be explored, including manufacturing.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 110 or RESE 111; ENGR 121 (or MATH 141 and 151); ENGR 141 ((or PHYS 114 or 101) and (CHEM 114 or 122))
Not offered in 2025
RESE 212 – Renewable Energy Conversion and Storage
This course will provide the students with insight into technologies to convert generated energy into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will specifically focus on bioenergy conversion processes, such as gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction; chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries); and pumped and mechanical storage. For each technology platform the underlying physics and chemistry will be examined, with related practical experiments in the laboratory. The life cycle (sustainability) implications of the different,= technologies will also be explored, including manufacturing.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 110 or RESE 111; ENGR 121 (or MATH 141 and 151); ENGR 141 (or (PHYS 114 or 101) and (CHEM 114 or 122))
Not offered in 2025
RESE 311 – Energy Economic Analyses
This course introduces principles of economics, and how they relate to energy systems, specifically reflecting on the energy-economic nexus. It explores practical techniques to analyse the micro- and macro-economic implications of transitions in the energy system along with relevant business and financial analysis techniques. It presents an overview of the Resource Management Act and related aspects for engineering projects, such as Environmental Impact Assessments.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212; one of (STAT 193, QUAN 102, ECEN 321)
Not offered in 2025
RESE 312 – Sustainability Modelling Techniques
This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, life cycle analysis, and simulation modelling techniques, with a focus on system dynamics modelling. Practical work explores simulation using an industry- standard software package and a project to model and investigate the sustainability implications of an implemented renewable energy technology in a specific context; for example, a bioenergy system in an island community.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 321 – Renewable Energy Generation Engineering
This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (at different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each technology, the theoretical underpinning is examined – for example, optical physics to harness solar radiation in concentrating solar systems – and the engineering approaches to identify and design efficiency improvements for such systems are established.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, 204 (X) RESE 211
RESE 322 – Renewable Energy Storage Engineering
This course provides insights into technologies that convert renewable energy generation into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will include bioenergy conversion processes, such as gasification, pyrolysis and torrefaction; chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries); thermal storage; and pumped and mechanical storage. It examines the underlying physics and chemistry for each technology platform, with related practical experiments in the laboratory. The engineering approaches to identify and design efficiency improvements for such systems are established.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, 204; (X) RESE 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 323 – Renewable Energy Policy
This course provides an overview of the policy context of renewable energy, consisting of the regulatory, institutional, and market setting for renewable energy technologies. It explores the sustainability of the technologies from the perspectives of policy-makers and other stakeholders. The course equips students with the means to assess, identify, and prioritise renewable energy technologies from the perspectives of various stakeholders, as well as decision-making tools to promote appropriate and sustainable renewable energy technologies from a policy perspective.
15 pts • (P) RESE 211, 212
Not offered in 2025
RESE 411 – Power Systems Analysis
This course introduces the electricity industry and its components along with techniques for modern electric power system modelling and analysis. Topics include transmission line models, transformers and per unit systems, generator models, network matrices, power flow analysis and computation, real and reactive power control, voltage control, and protection. The course incorporates lab and simulation based exercises, an industrial tour, and an industrial project.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 313 or (C) RESE 413
RESE 412 – Advanced Development of RE Systems
This course presents techniques used to design advanced, integrated renewable energy solutions for given situations. The hardware and control enabling renewable energy systems to interact with a wider grid are presented along with topologies such as nano- and micro-grids. To supplement the technical content, this course presents the concepts of systems engineering, which introduces systems thinking principles.
15 pts • (P) (EEEN 313, 315) or (C) (one of RESE 421, 431)
RESE 413 – Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
This course covers the theory, design and and application of electrical machines, power electronic circuits, electric drives, and the transformation and control of electrical energy. The course introduces the fundamentals of power electronics and electrical machines, and discusses the design issues related to electrical drives and small-scale power generation. Practical work will involve the design, development, and implementation of solutions to drive motors, convert renewable power, and switch mode power amplifiers.
15 pts • (P) EEEN 203, EEEN 204 (X) EEEN 313, EEEN 405, ECEN 405
RESE 421 – Energy Economic Analyses
This course introduces principles of economics, and how they relate to energy systems, specifically reflecting on the energy-economic nexus. It explores practical techniques to analyse the micro- and macro-economic implications of transitions in the energy system, along with relevant business and financial analysis techniques. It applies the principles and techniques to analyse a real-world topic to inform decision- or policy-making with appropriate conclusions and recommendations.
15 pts • (C) (one of RESE 423, 431, 412) (X) RESE 311
RESE 422 – Sustainability Modelling Techniques
This course introduces various approaches to analyse the sustainability of systems, such as cost-benefit analysis, and simulation modelling techniques. It then focuses more deeply on system dynamics modelling and life cycle analysis. Practical work explores simulations using industry-standard software packages and a project to model and investigate the sustainability implications of a renewable energy intervention in the economy – to develop a policy brief.
15 pts • (P) One of (RESE 423, 431, 412) (X) RESE 312
RESE 423 – Case studies of RE Systems
This course provides an overview of the role of energy systems in sustainability, and the development trends, past and future, of different technologies. The ways in which the technologies influence industry, government, and society are examined from a range of different perspectives, by focussing on specific, real-world case studies. Students will also gain practical skills in modelling renewable energy systems for different contexts, by utilising standard industry software packages.
15 pts • (C) One of (RESE 431, RESE 421)
Not offered in 2025
RESE 431 – RE Systems Generation
This course introduces a range of different energy generation systems, and especially those that utilise renewable resources: wind energy (pumping and power), geothermal, hydro (different scales), solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, and bioenergy. For each technology, the theoretical underpinning is examined with related practical experiments in the laboratory. Approaches to identify and conceptualise efficiency improvements for such systems are established. A practical project is undertaken to conceptualise and demonstrate an improved energy generation system for a real-world context.
15 pts • (X) RESE 321
RESE 432 – RE Storage and Conversion
This course provides insights into technologies that convert renewable energy generation into useful fuels or power in the economy and society. It will include bioenergy conversion processes, chemical storage (solid-state and liquid batteries), thermal storage, and pumped and mechanical storage. It examines the underlying physics and chemistry for each technology platform with related practical experiments in the laboratory. Approaches to identify and conceptualise efficiency improvements for such systems are established. A practical project is undertaken to conceptualise and demonstrate an improved energy storage system for a real-world context.
15 pts • (X) RESE 322
Not offered in 2025
RESE 451 – Research methods for RE systems (theory)
This course covers the theory and practice of undertaking research. The nature and process of quantitative and qualitative research approaches are explored to enable students to formulate and conduct a research effort to find answers to specific problems related to renewable energy. Topics that will be covered include: the aims of research; the research topic, project title, and research problem; literature review types; population and sampling types; types of quantitative and qualitative research designs; data-collecting methods and measuring instruments in quantitative and qualitative research; data analysis and interpretation of results; and validity of conclusions.
15 pts • (C) one of (RESE 421, 431, 412)
RESE 452 – Research methods for RE systems (project)
This course applies the research theory – from RESE 451 – to a specific renewable energy related, real-world problem that is identified. It explores and applies practical methods to undertake in-depth, critical analyses of the literature to derive the research rationale, objectives/questions, and strategy, as well as grounding the theory and engineering or analytical methods, and the related gaps in knowledge, that are applicable to the identified research problem. Practical workshops are undertaken to instil academic writing techniques that are applied to writing a research proposal and a supporting research article.
15 pts • (P) RESE 451
RESE 487 – Research Project
This course gives students the opportunity to pursue an individual research project relating to an aspect of renewable energy – for the Bachelor of Science with Honours in Renewable Energy. Students will be given guidance and support from a supervisor.
30 pts • (C) RESE 452
Restorative Justice
ACCY 302 – Accounting for Strategy, Performance, and Value
Learn how to use an organisation's strategic environmental and internal information to add customer, supplier and organisational value for a sustainable future. Find out how to account for strategy using value chain analysis, and to account for sustainability and lean management. Discover how to analyse data to guide capital investment and other decision-making and how to use it for strategic performance measurement, evaluation and management.
15 pts • (P) ACCY 223
tut tba
Samoan St/Mata'upu tau Samoa
SAMO 101 – Introduction to Samoan Language
An introduction to speaking, understanding, reading and writing Samoan with emphasis on spoken language skills.
20 pts
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 102 – Conversational Samoan
A course aimed at developing oral skills and confidence in pronunciation of Samoan vocabulary, speaking and understanding conversational Samoan. There are no prerequisites for entry.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
SAMO 111 – Samoan Society and Culture
An introduction to Samoan culture and society with a focus on key Samoan concepts, values, practices, and socio-political institutions.
20 pts
tut tba
SAMO 201 – Samoan Language and Customs
A course that concentrates on developing oral and written skills in the Samoan language. Oral skills refers to exposing the students to and building their knowledge of vocabulary, phrases and customary concepts.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 101 or equivalent.
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 202 – Faasinomaga ma Tusitusiga Samoa/Samoan Literature
A further development and extension of Samoan language and scholastic understanding in reading, writing, listening and speaking skills about Samoan literature.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 101 or 102 or equivalent.
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 301 – Samoan Language and Customs
An advanced course which will further develop oral, written, and reading skills in the Samoan language (particularly in Samoan history, customs and oral history) and with continuing attention given to speaking the language.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 201 or equivalent.
SAMO 302 – Faauigaga ma Faaliliuga / Interpreting and Translation
Interpreting and translating English to Samoan and Samoan to English concepts, theories and models with particular emphasis on exploring social, cultural and methodological contexts.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 202 or other evidence of advanced Samoan; evidence of advanced English Proficiency
Samoan Studies/Fa'asamoa
See also Pacific Studies
SAMO 101 – Introduction to Samoan Language
An introduction to speaking, understanding, reading and writing Samoan with emphasis on spoken language skills.
20 pts
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 102 – Conversational Samoan
A course aimed at developing oral skills and confidence in pronunciation of Samoan vocabulary, speaking and understanding conversational Samoan. There are no prerequisites for entry.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
SAMO 111 – Samoan Society and Culture
An introduction to Samoan culture and society with a focus on key Samoan concepts, values, practices, and socio-political institutions.
20 pts
tut tba
SAMO 201 – Samoan Language and Customs
A course that concentrates on developing oral and written skills in the Samoan language. Oral skills refers to exposing the students to and building their knowledge of vocabulary, phrases and customary concepts.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 101 or equivalent.
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 202 – Faasinomaga ma Tusitusiga Samoa/Samoan Literature
A further development and extension of Samoan language and scholastic understanding in reading, writing, listening and speaking skills about Samoan literature.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 101 or 102 or equivalent.
a/v class, tut tba
SAMO 301 – Samoan Language and Customs
An advanced course which will further develop oral, written, and reading skills in the Samoan language (particularly in Samoan history, customs and oral history) and with continuing attention given to speaking the language.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 201 or equivalent.
SAMO 302 – Faauigaga ma Faaliliuga / Interpreting and Translation
Interpreting and translating English to Samoan and Samoan to English concepts, theories and models with particular emphasis on exploring social, cultural and methodological contexts.
20 pts • (P) SAMO 202 or other evidence of advanced Samoan; evidence of advanced English Proficiency
Science
SCIE 105 – The Molecular Science of Life
Explore the molecular basis of human health and everyday life. You will learn about atomic and molecular structure and how this relates to the function of blood. Topics include electrolytes and osmolarity, blood group determinants, gas transport, blood pH, the molecules and chemistry of blood tests, and metabolic imbalances that lead to diseases that are commonly screened for using blood. This course is designed to support students from a range of backgrounds, including the health sciences. No previous chemistry experience needed. This course can be taken fully online, although in-person workshop sessions will be provided to assist with student learning.
15 pts • (X) SCIE 103 in 2022
SCIE 107 – The Molecular Brain
In this course you will explore the molecular basis of the brain. You will learn about atomic, molecular, and cellular structures, and how all three components are critical to understanding how the human brain "thinks". You will learn about how the body makes molecules, and how drugs and neurotransmitters interact with receptors to affect neurological processes. Brain imaging and the molecular basis of diseases of the brain will also be discussed. This course is designed to support students from a range of backgrounds. No previous experience in chemistry or biology is needed.
15 pts
SCIE 203 – Directed Individual Study
To be confirmed.
15 pts
SCIE 212 – To be confirmed
15 pts
Not offered in 2025
SCIE 301 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the appropriate Head of School.
20 pts • (P) Permission of relevant Head of School
SCIE 306 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) permission of relevant head of school
SCIE 308 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
30 pts • (P) as for SCIE 101
SCIE 310 – Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Science
The course covers the generic processes in the development of a technology or technological products with selected aspects such as economic analysis, entrepreneurship, project management, marketing and an introduction to tools for business planning.
20 pts • (P) 60 200-level BSc or BBmedSc pts
Not offered in 2025
SCIE 311 – To be confirmed
Details of this course are to be confirmed.
15 pts • (X) SCIS 311
Not offered in 2025
Science in Society
SCIS 101 – Your Body, Your Data, Your World: Science in Everyday Life
How does science materialise in our day to day lives? How does it interact with culture, political context, and economies? In this fully online course, you will learn from a range of experts about the science and technology that shape our everyday lives. We cover topics such as pain, big data and weather. We explore how these issues are represented in the media, and how the scientific is always also social.
15 pts
SCIS 201 – Special Topic: Challenging Cultures of Medical Science and Technology
Changes in medical science and technology present profound challenges and opportunities. This paper explores the cultures of medical science and technology, and ‘challenges’ these using an interdisciplinary framework. Paying attention to colonialism, sexism, racism, class, ethics, and policies, we critically evaluate medical legacies and imagine better medical and scientific spaces.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts at 100 level
SCIS 211 – Contemporary Issues in Science, Environment and Technology
Explore some of the most topical scientific, environmental and technological issues in society. You will learn about the science underpinning each issue, and consider the societal context, implications, and controversies. This online course encourages the development of scientific literacy, understanding of the complexities of science engagement and communication, and consideration of science within a wider societal context.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level pts
SCIS 212 – Energy, Society and the Future
This course overviews different energy sources, past, present (including thermal, gravity and fluid, and solar) and future, and examines associated scientific, environmental, economic and social issues including issues specific to New Zealand and Māori. On completion, students will be able to assess energy-related issues and arguments with reference to sound scientific and historical information.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level pts
Not offered in 2025
SCIS 213 – Principles of Science and Science Communication
What is science, how is it conducted and communicated, and how does it sit alongside other knowledge systems? Explore the fundamentals of Western science, including scientific theory, methodology, culture and practice and consider how this worldview compares with Mātauranga Māori and other societal perspectives. You’ll be introduced to science communication theory and practice, learn some of the ways science is communicated to public audiences, and build your scientific literacy and understanding of the role of science in society.
15 pts • (P) 60 100-level points
SCIS 301 – Special Topic: Mātauranga in Society: Engaging with Te Ao Māori for Science, Conservation and Environmental Management
This fully online course will consider the role of Māori concepts of mātauranga (knowledge) and pūtaiao (science) in Aotearoa New Zealand in promoting effective practice of science, conservation and environmental management programmes and partnerships. You will be able to apply what you learn about mātauranga and pūtaiao to a broader scientific context. You will better understand these key concepts with a particular focus on how engaging with Te Ao Māori can lead to improved environmental and conservation outcomes.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts (or MAOR 202 or 40 200-level MAOR pts)
^ Limited entry course
SCIS 311 – Science Communication
Build your science communication knowledge and skills through exploration of science communication theory and practice. You will hear from science communication practitioners and learn to communicate science to non-science audiences through hands-on experience creating science communication outputs for different audiences, including opportunity to explore creative mediums from science writing and visual design to videos and podcasts.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts
SCIS 312 – Revolutions in Science
This course reviews major theories in science history, from classical Greek science to the European enlightenment to 20th century revolutions in physics, biology, psychology and earth sciences including New Zealand science history and matauranga Maori. On completion, students will be able to put current scientific events, and their own academic or professional field, in historical context.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points; (X) SCIE 302 in 2013-2014 or SCIE 312 in 2015-2017
Not offered in 2025
SCIS 313 – Beyond the Ice: A Journey into Antarctic Science and Culture
Take a virtual field trip to Antarctica, as we go on location to explore the geology, biology, history, governance and art of the coldest, driest, windiest continent on earth. This fully online course features lectures by Antarctic experts filmed on location on Ross Island and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The diverse perspectives presented in this course will help you understand Antarctica, and contemporary Antarctic research, in a wider scientific, historical, political, social and cultural context.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points
Not offered in 2025
SCIS 314 – Science Communication Portfolio
Expand your science communication theory and practice in this advanced course where you will create a multimedia portfolio exhibiting your skills in communicating science to diverse audiences. You will build your portfolio through a series of in-class sessions, including exploring different mediums and gaining practical hands-on skills, critiquing science communication and developing your own projects with the support of peer feedback workshops.
15 pts • (P) SCIS 311
SCIS 315 – Histories of people, environment and science in the Asia Pacific
Ever wondered why Aotearoa New Zealand has so many farms, or why we are constantly dealing with problems related to introduced pests? Do you want to know the origins of our reliance on fossil fuels and the environmental crisis? This course places environmental, scientific and technological changes within wider historical contexts, mainly from the Asia-Pacific. You will explore a range of topics, such as introduced plants and animals and their environmental impacts; industrial forms of production and technology, and environmental impacts; western medicine and other ways of ensuring health and well-being; museums, environment and science; conservation and development; genetic organisms.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level pts (X) SCIS 301 in 2018–2020
SCIS 316 – Writing about Science, Health and the Environment
An advanced creative writing workshop in which students use the genre of creative nonfiction (including memoir, personal essays, travel writing, longform reportage) to explore topics in science, health and the environment. The course also involves representative reading in the genre, including works by Māori writers. This is a limited entry course. Applicants will be waitlisted and required to submit a portfolio of written work to be reviewed by the Course Coordinator.
15 pts • (P) 60 200-level points (X) CREW 352; SCIS 301 in 2022
Not offered in 2025
SCIS 317 – Climate Change Communication
Examine how scientists, writers, Indigenous advocates, artists, and activists engage public audiences with the realities of climate change and the need for mitigation and adaptation. You will explore research that informs climate change communication, barriers to effective climate change communication, and the personal, institutional and cultural contexts in which climate change communication takes place. You will complete the course equipped to work with climate change communicators and to communicate about climate change yourself.
15 pts • (P) 60 pts at 200 level, including one or more from (COMS 202, GEOS 206, MDIA 220, SCIS 213)
Not offered in 2025
Social Policy
SOSC 102 – Doing Sociology
SOSC 102 introduces students to sociology in action. Lectures cover a number of broad issues treated by the discipline: theorising, collecting and analysing data, ethics, structures and institutions, social divisions, everyday life, and social change. Topics include power and resistance, colonisation and decolonisation, gender and sexuality, inequality, and emotion. The focus throughout is on the practice of sociology, and students will be introduced to these issues through engagement with substantive sociological work.
20 pts
SOSC 111 – Sociology: Foundations and Concepts
This course provides an introduction to the foundations of sociological thought and their application and relevance to contemporary society. It explores key sociological concepts and debates, such as inequality, social movements, ideology, colonisation and decolonisation, everyday life, and identity.
20 pts
tut tba
SPOL 113 – Social and Public Policy: Values and Change
This course focuses on the values and ideologies that underpin social policy and public policy in New Zealand. The course will examine the economic, political, and institutional arrangements within New Zealand which impact upon policy development and implementation. Also taught as PUBL 113.
20 pts • (X) PUBL 113
tut tba
SACS 201 – Methods in Social and Cultural Research
A multi-disciplinary survey of key methodological approaches and methods employed by social science researchers. The course includes critical discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of qualitative and quantitative approaches, ethics and the practice of social and cultural research. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in SOSC or a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule.
Not offered in 2025
SACS 202 – Gender and Sexuality Studies: Key Thinkers and Perspectives
This course will examine the major influences on and developments in feminist theory and gender and sexuality studies up to the present day. Among the topics considered are: gender and sexual difference and diversity, sexual politics and sexuality, the relationships between gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and class, and postmodernism and post-feminism. These topics are explored in a global and cross-cultural context, through close engagement with the writings of key thinkers in the field.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 101
SOSC 215 – Reproducing Gendered Bodies
This course will examine gender relations from a sociological perspective. It will draw on a variety of approaches and perspectives to examine key concepts, issues and themes in contemporary gender studies. Readings, lectures and tutorials will focus on a new topic each week. Topics will include: knowledge, experience, identity, sex, gender, embodiment, reproduction, intimacy, consumption, parenting, home, and work. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL or GNSX.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112; 20 points from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SOSC 315, SPOL 215, 315
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 216 – Everyday Life
An introduction to the socio-cultural study of everyday life, offering a framework for analysing popular culture and ordinary social practices. Emphasis is on the temporal, spatial and embodied bases of social action.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 220 – Sociology of Health and Illness
The course introduces students to sociological approaches to health, illness, medicine and health care. A diversity of topics will be covered including health inequalities, health policy, health professions, the organisation of health care delivery, ethnicity and health, gender and health, mental health and the social construction of medical knowledge.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule or one of (HLWB 101, 102, 105) or GLBL 101 (X) SOSC 314; SPOL 314
SOSC 221 – Special Topic: Haunted Sociologies
Avery Gordon describes a haunting as ‘instances when home becomes unfamiliar, when your bearings on the world lose direction’. This course examines the haunted nature of classical sociology. First by interrogating colonial knowledge systems underpinning traditional approaches to sociology, and second by exploring the possibilities encountered through sociological approaches framed by Indigenous knowledges and explanations of society.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule
SOSC 223 – Reflecting on Violence
This course familiarises students with social theories of violence and security in various contexts, paying particular attention to the gendered dynamics of violence. We consider topics such as state violence, torture, terrorism, sexual violence, violence toward children and intimate partner violence. We debate the ethical and methodological issues involved in researching violence and social policies aimed at reducing violence.
20 pts • (P) (20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) SOSC 217 in 2013-2016
SPOL 209 – Social Policy and the Family
This course explores state and societal constructions of family and family roles through current political and social debates. In critically reflecting on social constructions students explore the relationships between and role of individuals, families, communities, and the state in improving well-being in New Zealand. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PUBL 113, ECON 130 or Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SPOL 309
Not offered in 2025
SPOL 210 – Social Inequality
This course engages with critical theories of social inequality and the approaches that can be taken to address inequalities, locally and internationally. The course equips students with the conceptual tools necessary for understanding inequalities as interconnected and multifaceted. Through diverse theories, policy analysis and case studies, students will learn to understand and analyse the dynamics of power and gain critical insight on current social inequality issues. This course is also able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) (40 points from PUBL 113, ECON 130 or Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) SPOL 306 in 2013-2022
SPOL 220 – Comparative Welfare Regimes
When seeking 'solutions to social problems', students of Social Policy need imagination and flexibility. Comparing different forms of welfare, and understanding how things are different in other countries, frees students from the constraints of a particular time and place, and stimulates imaginative thinking. This course focuses on comparing welfare in advanced capitalist democracies.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PUBL 113, ECON 130 or Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SPOL 203 2012-2013
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 301 – Investigations in the Social World
This course examines a range of notable sociological studies, exploring questions of historical context, assumptions about knowledge, methods, conceptual development, and critical debates. The course is designed to familiarise students with a number of important investigations in the discipline, and to encourage critical comprehension of the various methodological approaches sociologists use when studying the social world.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from SACS 200-299, SOSC 200-299 (X) SOSC 306 in 2019, SOSC 222
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 304 – Interpreting Society
This course introduces students to major sociological theories. Emphasis is on understanding theoretical ideas and how they relate to the construction and analysis of social issues.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from SACS 200-200, SOSC 200-299; (X) SOSC 211
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 305 – Social Organisation
Considers the changing nature of the sociological imagination. Social organisation, understood as people doing things together in an organised fashion, is discussed as an alternative to social constructionism. Specific topics covered include: language, embodiment, objects and the material turn, and the analysis of situated interaction.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200 -299, SOSC 200-299
tut tba
SOSC 306 – Special Topic: Te Whenuatanga o te Tangata/ Land, Memory and Society
This Indigenous sociology course introduces students to a methodology for studying colonial power relations across various public places and institutional contexts. Te Whenuatanga o te Tangata engages ethnographic methods to explore how land and people shape and influence each other over time and how memory of past violence frames relationships in civil society in the present.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from SACS 200-299, SOSC/SPOL 200-299
SOSC 307 – Special Topic: Belief: Truth, Values, and Power in the Sociology of Knowledge
This course introduces students to key ideas, debates, and contemporary issues in the sociology of knowledge. It examines the role of ideas, values, and beliefs in social life, and considers the sociological conditions that underpin the production of different forms of knowledge. Students will be introduced to some of the most important contributions of sociological thinkers to the study of ideology, utopianism, myth, religion, philosophy, and science. These contributions will be explored by investigating pressing contemporary questions, such as the rise of the far right, issues of truth and post-truth, conspiracy theory, ideological change, religion and post-secularism, economic imaginaries and policy paradigms, and the challenges offered by Indigenous thought.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from Part A of the BA Schedule
SOSC 315 – Reproducing Gendered Bodies
This course will examine gender relations from a sociological perspective. It will draw on a variety of approaches and perspectives to examine key concepts, issues and themes in contemporary gender studies. Readings, lectures and tutorials will focus on a new topic each week. Topics will include: knowledge, experience, identity, sex, gender, embodiment, reproduction, intimacy, consumption, parenting, home, and work. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL or GNSX.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SOSC 215, SPOL 215, 315
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 317 – Complicating Resistance
This course examines knowledge, power, and the importance of critical self-reflection as it relates to liberation and democracy. Students will learn to use a variety of critical approaches and theories to examine key concepts and issues as they relate to the larger dialogues that exist within the discipline of sociology. Course content will include: power, knowledge, educating for critical consciousness, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, capitalism, and neoliberalism.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SOSC 221 in 2019-2020, SOSC 306 in 2022
SOSC 318 – Social Movements and the State
Social movements and collective action drive social and political change, and reduce inequalities in society. This course will consider both historic and contemporary social movements and resistance. Various theoretical approaches to the study of collective action, and the contexts in which it takes place, will also be examined. The focus will be on such key questions as: Under what circumstances do social movements emerge? How do activists choose political tactics and strategies? And, how do movements affect social and political change? This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) SPOL 318
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 319 – Knowledge, Power and Social Research
The course will equip students to debate the reliability of knowledge gained about the social world, to assess social scientific knowledge and to consider its effects on politics and social policy. This course prepares students for honours and students will be required to formally present material to the class. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SPOL 319
Not offered in 2025
SPOL 306 – Social Inequality
This course will allow students to engage with critical theories of social inequality and the approaches that can be taken to address inequalities, locally and internationally. Foundationally, the course draws from literature on intersectionality and focuses on the social, political and material conditions of a range of different social inequalities. The course will equip students with the conceptual tools necessary for understanding inequalities as interconnected and multifaceted. Accordingly, students are encouraged to consider policy approaches which can recognise and respond to complex issues. This course is also able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SOSC/SPOL 200–299
Not offered in 2025
SPOL 316 – Special Topic: Intersectionality, Social Policy and Change
This course draws on a variety of critical approaches and theories to examine key concepts and issues related to social policy. Course content includes an exploration of ideas such as intersectionality, power, knowledge, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, capitalism, and neoliberalism. Students will understand the interconnectivity between intersectionality and social policy.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SOSC/SPOL 200–299
Sociology
See also Social Policy and Social Science Research
SOSC 102 – Doing Sociology
SOSC 102 introduces students to sociology in action. Lectures cover a number of broad issues treated by the discipline: theorising, collecting and analysing data, ethics, structures and institutions, social divisions, everyday life, and social change. Topics include power and resistance, colonisation and decolonisation, gender and sexuality, inequality, and emotion. The focus throughout is on the practice of sociology, and students will be introduced to these issues through engagement with substantive sociological work.
20 pts
SOSC 111 – Sociology: Foundations and Concepts
This course provides an introduction to the foundations of sociological thought and their application and relevance to contemporary society. It explores key sociological concepts and debates, such as inequality, social movements, ideology, colonisation and decolonisation, everyday life, and identity.
20 pts
tut tba
SACS 201 – Methods in Social and Cultural Research
A multi-disciplinary survey of key methodological approaches and methods employed by social science researchers. The course includes critical discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of qualitative and quantitative approaches, ethics and the practice of social and cultural research. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in SOSC or a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule.
Not offered in 2025
SACS 202 – Gender and Sexuality Studies: Key Thinkers and Perspectives
This course will examine the major influences on and developments in feminist theory and gender and sexuality studies up to the present day. Among the topics considered are: gender and sexual difference and diversity, sexual politics and sexuality, the relationships between gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and class, and postmodernism and post-feminism. These topics are explored in a global and cross-cultural context, through close engagement with the writings of key thinkers in the field.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 101
SACS 202 – Gender and Sexuality Studies: Key Thinkers and Perspectives
This course will examine the major influences on and developments in feminist theory and gender and sexuality studies up to the present day. Among the topics considered are: gender and sexual difference and diversity, sexual politics and sexuality, the relationships between gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and class, and postmodernism and post-feminism. These topics are explored in a global and cross-cultural context, through close engagement with the writings of key thinkers in the field.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 101
SOSC 215 – Reproducing Gendered Bodies
This course will examine gender relations from a sociological perspective. It will draw on a variety of approaches and perspectives to examine key concepts, issues and themes in contemporary gender studies. Readings, lectures and tutorials will focus on a new topic each week. Topics will include: knowledge, experience, identity, sex, gender, embodiment, reproduction, intimacy, consumption, parenting, home, and work. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL or GNSX.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112; 20 points from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SOSC 315, SPOL 215, 315
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 216 – Everyday Life
An introduction to the socio-cultural study of everyday life, offering a framework for analysing popular culture and ordinary social practices. Emphasis is on the temporal, spatial and embodied bases of social action.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 220 – Sociology of Health and Illness
The course introduces students to sociological approaches to health, illness, medicine and health care. A diversity of topics will be covered including health inequalities, health policy, health professions, the organisation of health care delivery, ethnicity and health, gender and health, mental health and the social construction of medical knowledge.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule or one of (HLWB 101, 102, 105) or GLBL 101 (X) SOSC 314; SPOL 314
SOSC 221 – Special Topic: Haunted Sociologies
Avery Gordon describes a haunting as ‘instances when home becomes unfamiliar, when your bearings on the world lose direction’. This course examines the haunted nature of classical sociology. First by interrogating colonial knowledge systems underpinning traditional approaches to sociology, and second by exploring the possibilities encountered through sociological approaches framed by Indigenous knowledges and explanations of society.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule
SOSC 223 – Reflecting on Violence
This course familiarises students with social theories of violence and security in various contexts, paying particular attention to the gendered dynamics of violence. We consider topics such as state violence, torture, terrorism, sexual violence, violence toward children and intimate partner violence. We debate the ethical and methodological issues involved in researching violence and social policies aimed at reducing violence.
20 pts • (P) (20 pts from SOSC 102-112 and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) SOSC 217 in 2013-2016
SPOL 209 – Social Policy and the Family
This course explores state and societal constructions of family and family roles through current political and social debates. In critically reflecting on social constructions students explore the relationships between and role of individuals, families, communities, and the state in improving well-being in New Zealand. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PUBL 113, ECON 130 or Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SPOL 309
Not offered in 2025
SPOL 210 – Social Inequality
This course engages with critical theories of social inequality and the approaches that can be taken to address inequalities, locally and internationally. The course equips students with the conceptual tools necessary for understanding inequalities as interconnected and multifaceted. Through diverse theories, policy analysis and case studies, students will learn to understand and analyse the dynamics of power and gain critical insight on current social inequality issues. This course is also able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) (40 points from PUBL 113, ECON 130 or Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101 (X) SPOL 306 in 2013-2022
SPOL 220 – Comparative Welfare Regimes
When seeking 'solutions to social problems', students of Social Policy need imagination and flexibility. Comparing different forms of welfare, and understanding how things are different in other countries, frees students from the constraints of a particular time and place, and stimulates imaginative thinking. This course focuses on comparing welfare in advanced capitalist democracies.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from PUBL 113, ECON 130 or Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) SPOL 203 2012-2013
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 301 – Investigations in the Social World
This course examines a range of notable sociological studies, exploring questions of historical context, assumptions about knowledge, methods, conceptual development, and critical debates. The course is designed to familiarise students with a number of important investigations in the discipline, and to encourage critical comprehension of the various methodological approaches sociologists use when studying the social world.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from SACS 200-299, SOSC 200-299 (X) SOSC 306 in 2019, SOSC 222
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 304 – Interpreting Society
This course introduces students to major sociological theories. Emphasis is on understanding theoretical ideas and how they relate to the construction and analysis of social issues.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from SACS 200-200, SOSC 200-299; (X) SOSC 211
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 305 – Social Organisation
Considers the changing nature of the sociological imagination. Social organisation, understood as people doing things together in an organised fashion, is discussed as an alternative to social constructionism. Specific topics covered include: language, embodiment, objects and the material turn, and the analysis of situated interaction.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200 -299, SOSC 200-299
tut tba
SOSC 306 – Special Topic: Te Whenuatanga o te Tangata/ Land, Memory and Society
This Indigenous sociology course introduces students to a methodology for studying colonial power relations across various public places and institutional contexts. Te Whenuatanga o te Tangata engages ethnographic methods to explore how land and people shape and influence each other over time and how memory of past violence frames relationships in civil society in the present.
20 pts • (P) 40 points from SACS 200-299, SOSC/SPOL 200-299
SOSC 307 – Special Topic: Belief: Truth, Values, and Power in the Sociology of Knowledge
This course introduces students to key ideas, debates, and contemporary issues in the sociology of knowledge. It examines the role of ideas, values, and beliefs in social life, and considers the sociological conditions that underpin the production of different forms of knowledge. Students will be introduced to some of the most important contributions of sociological thinkers to the study of ideology, utopianism, myth, religion, philosophy, and science. These contributions will be explored by investigating pressing contemporary questions, such as the rise of the far right, issues of truth and post-truth, conspiracy theory, ideological change, religion and post-secularism, economic imaginaries and policy paradigms, and the challenges offered by Indigenous thought.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from Part A of the BA Schedule
SOSC 315 – Reproducing Gendered Bodies
This course will examine gender relations from a sociological perspective. It will draw on a variety of approaches and perspectives to examine key concepts, issues and themes in contemporary gender studies. Readings, lectures and tutorials will focus on a new topic each week. Topics will include: knowledge, experience, identity, sex, gender, embodiment, reproduction, intimacy, consumption, parenting, home, and work. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL or GNSX.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SOSC 215, SPOL 215, 315
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 317 – Complicating Resistance
This course examines knowledge, power, and the importance of critical self-reflection as it relates to liberation and democracy. Students will learn to use a variety of critical approaches and theories to examine key concepts and issues as they relate to the larger dialogues that exist within the discipline of sociology. Course content will include: power, knowledge, educating for critical consciousness, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, capitalism, and neoliberalism.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SOSC 221 in 2019-2020, SOSC 306 in 2022
SOSC 318 – Social Movements and the State
Social movements and collective action drive social and political change, and reduce inequalities in society. This course will consider both historic and contemporary social movements and resistance. Various theoretical approaches to the study of collective action, and the contexts in which it takes place, will also be examined. The focus will be on such key questions as: Under what circumstances do social movements emerge? How do activists choose political tactics and strategies? And, how do movements affect social and political change? This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) (40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299) or GLBL 201 (X) SPOL 318
Not offered in 2025
SOSC 319 – Knowledge, Power and Social Research
The course will equip students to debate the reliability of knowledge gained about the social world, to assess social scientific knowledge and to consider its effects on politics and social policy. This course prepares students for honours and students will be required to formally present material to the class. This course may also be able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SACS 200–299, SOSC 200–299; (X) SPOL 319
Not offered in 2025
SPOL 306 – Social Inequality
This course will allow students to engage with critical theories of social inequality and the approaches that can be taken to address inequalities, locally and internationally. Foundationally, the course draws from literature on intersectionality and focuses on the social, political and material conditions of a range of different social inequalities. The course will equip students with the conceptual tools necessary for understanding inequalities as interconnected and multifaceted. Accordingly, students are encouraged to consider policy approaches which can recognise and respond to complex issues. This course is also able to be taken towards a minor in SPOL.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SOSC/SPOL 200–299
Not offered in 2025
SPOL 316 – Special Topic: Intersectionality, Social Policy and Change
This course draws on a variety of critical approaches and theories to examine key concepts and issues related to social policy. Course content includes an exploration of ideas such as intersectionality, power, knowledge, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, capitalism, and neoliberalism. Students will understand the interconnectivity between intersectionality and social policy.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from SOSC/SPOL 200–299
Software & Computing (Study Abroad)
CGRA 151 – Introduction to Computer Graphics and Games
Introduces necessary background, fundamental concepts, and basic algorithms of Computer Graphics, including human visual perception, representation of colour and images, representation of 2D and 3D spaces, manipulation, movement and drawing of 2D and 3D objects. Students will use an appropriate modern programming language to investigate many of the ideas presented in the lectured material.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112 or DSDN 142
COMP 102 – Introduction to Computer Program Design
Today, most problems are solved using computers. An understanding of programming is needed to harness the full potential of computers. This course serves as an introduction to the foundational principles of programming utilising the high-level object-oriented programming language Java. You will progressively enhance your programming abilities through the creation of computer programs tailored for various applications. This course establishes the fundamental groundwork for all subsequent computer science and software engineering courses, fostering the development of programming skills applicable to a wide range of academic disciplines.
15 pts • (X) COMP 112
COMP 103 – Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
This course focuses on the techniques for designing, building and analysing computer programs that deal with large collections of data. The course addresses techniques for programming with collections of data, and the data structures and algorithms needed to implement these collections. The course expands programming skills and provides an understanding of the principles of data abstraction, algorithm design, and the analysis of algorithms fundamental to computer science.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112
lab tba
COMP 112 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course introduces a range of important concepts and topics across Computer Science, Software Engineering and Network Engineering. Students will also gain a solid foundation of programming skills in object oriented programming. The course is an entry point to the BE(Hons) and BSc in Computer Science for students who already have basic programming skills.
15 pts • (P) 14 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Digital Technology including 6 credits in Computer Programming, or COMP 132, or equivalent programming experience; (X) COMP 102
Not offered in 2025
COMP 132 – Programming for the Natural and Social Sciences
This course addresses the fundamental programming skills required to process, transform, analyse and present data. The course will explore a range of kinds of data, kinds of analysis and kinds of visualisation that can be performed on the data, and give students expertise in a variety of programming techniques and tools to accomplish this analysis and visualisation. The practical assignments will enable students to develop programming skills that they will be able to apply in many different fields of study. The course does not assume any background in programming.
15 pts
CYBR 171 – Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Hacker—hero or villain? Explore the world of cyber criminals, state-sponsored hackers, and commercial and government defenders. Engage directly with cybersecurity professionals as you explore diverse career paths — from incident response to digital forensics. This foundational course introduces you to social engineering, security and privacy concerns, physical security, common threats, attacks, and the techniques, frameworks, and tools used to defend and protect against them. You will leave the course equipped with essential skills to be a proactive guardian of your security without needing to be a programmer.
15 pts
ENGR 101 – Engineering Technology
This course provides a general introduction to the fundamental technical concepts needed to understand the design and engineering of electronic, mechatronic, networked and software systems. Experience is gained in basic engineering practice, with assembly and testing of basic hardware, software and networked systems, and construction of a personal computer.
15 pts • (P) enrolment in BE(Hons)
lab tba
COMP 261 – Algorithms and Data Structures
This course covers a range of algorithms and data structures building on the fundamental structures and algorithms from COMP 103. The major areas covered are: graph algorithms, graphics algorithms and advanced data structures. This course takes a practical approach focusing on the implementation of a wide variety of algorithms.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103, ENGR 123 or MATH 161 (X) INFO 205
NWEN 241 – Systems Programming
This course considers the issues raised when programming at a low-level, for example in embedded systems, OS system level, or network protocol stacks. It includes an introduction to C language programming and motivating examples related to a wide variety of applications of system programming.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
NWEN 243 – Clouds and Networking
The course provides a broad introduction to computer networks and a basic understanding of network application programming, with an emphasis on the working principles and application of computer networks. It covers a range of introductory topics including the essentials of data communication, computer network concepts, protocols, network applications and cloud computing. The course features an interactive laboratory component with projects starting from basic networking technologies leading into cloud application development.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 221 – Software Development
This course develops a deeper understanding of object- oriented programming and associated practices. The focus is on programming techniques at the micro scale. Topics include: inheritance, polymorphism, genericity, error handling, testing and debugging. A sequence of short assignments will develop the key ideas and practices; rigour in testing will be developed through (automated) assessment of programme correctness.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 225 – Software Design
This course develops a strong understanding of object-oriented design. Students will study modelling and programming techniques that support the analysis, design and development of large and maintainable programs. Students will work together in groups on an engineering problem and use a variety of best practices (e.g. Design Patterns) and notations (e.g. UML). Students will use specialized tools to apply these techniques in practical work.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 221; (X) SWEN 222
CGRA 350 – Real-time 3D Computer Graphics
This course addresses graphics programming for real-time 3D graphics. It covers graphics APIs, in particular OpenGL, and the graphics processing pipeline (including geometry processing, viewing, projection, transformation, illumination, texture mapping). It also addresses display hardware and graphics cards.
15 pts • (P) CGRA 252 (or 251), NWEN 241
CGRA 352 – Image-based Graphics
Image-based graphics brings together the power visual media content to produce vivid, compelling, and meaningful computer graphics. This course studies ways of manipulating and combining images and videos, including image filtering, image manipulation, and video processing.
15 pts • (P) CGRA 252 (or 251); NWEN 241; ENGR 121 or MATH 151
COMP 361 – Design and Analysis of Algorithms
This course examines techniques for developing correct and efficient algorithms for some important classes of problems in Computer Science. It explores methods for designing algorithms, including greedy algorithms, divide and conquer, dynamic programming and graph algorithms. It covers techniques for demonstrating the correctness of algorithms and for analysing their efficiency.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 301 – Engineering Project Management 1
The course takes a practice-based approach to teaching engineering project management, including aspects of project life cycle, requirements analysis, principles of design, project tasks and deliverables, contracts, cost estimation, project scheduling, risk management, quality assurance, managing project resources, testing and delivery, interpersonal communication, teamwork and project leadership. Students will work on a technical group project which will provide opportunities to practice the project management techniques learned in class.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201 and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN)
ENGR 302 – Engineering Project Management 2
The course uses a large collaborative group project to teach engineering project management. Through the project, the students will experience the full lifecycle of a project, from requirements analysis through design and implementation to closing the project.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301
NWEN 301 – Operating Systems Design
This course addresses the design and implementation of operating sytems and examines fundamental concepts such as resource management, concurrency, protection and security. Examples drawn from a range of modern operating systems illustrate these concepts and project work provides practical experience in the design and implementation of operating systems.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 325 – Software Development for Mobile Platforms
This course addresses the concepts, techniques, and tools required for developing applications within software frameworks for mobile platforms. Topics include the concepts and principles underlying software frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for mobile applications, and key concepts in reliability, privacy, security and safety critical systems. Practical work will involve the design, implementation and testing of a range of mobile applications.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 243, SWEN 225 (or 222)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 326 – Safety-Critical Systems
This course addresses the concepts, techniques and tools required for developing computer systems that are applicable where safety and reliability is paramount. Topics include: the concepts and principles underlying safety-critical systems & standards (e.g. DO178C and IEC61508); techniques for design validation (e.g. model checking); and implementation techniques for ensuring software correctness (e.g. coding guidelines, testing, static analysis, etc). Practical work will involve the design, implementation, and analysis of simple safety critical applications (e.g. for industrial, embedded and healthcare systems).
15 pts • (P) (NWEN 241 or SWEN 225), 15 further 200-level AIML, CGRA, COMP, CYBR, EEEN, NWEN, SWEN pts
Software Engineering
See also Engineering, Computer System Engineering, Electronic Engineering, and Network Engineering
AIML 131 – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Enter the dynamic world of Artificial Intelligence with AIML 131. Delve deep into Large Language Models, such as ChatGPT, addressing challenges like bias and hallucinations. Witness the power of text-to-image generation through tools like Midjourney. Grasp the foundational principles of Machine Learning and get acquainted with Explainable AI. Discover how AI is making waves in Aotearoa, touching on ethics and real-world applications. No programming experience? No worries! AIML 131 is designed for everyone. You will gain a good understanding of AI principles and its transformative impact so that you can use AI to improve lives, whatever your area of work.
15 pts • (X) COMP 307, COMP 309
COMP 112 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course introduces a range of important concepts and topics across Computer Science, Software Engineering and Network Engineering. Students will also gain a solid foundation of programming skills in object oriented programming. The course is an entry point to the BE(Hons) and BSc in Computer Science for students who already have basic programming skills.
15 pts • (P) 14 NCEA Level 3 Achievement Standard credits in Digital Technology including 6 credits in Computer Programming, or COMP 132, or equivalent programming experience; (X) COMP 102
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 101 – Engineering Technology
This course provides a general introduction to the fundamental technical concepts needed to understand the design and engineering of electronic, mechatronic, networked and software systems. Experience is gained in basic engineering practice, with assembly and testing of basic hardware, software and networked systems, and construction of a personal computer.
15 pts • (P) enrolment in BE(Hons)
lab tba
ENGR 110 – Engineering Design
This course addresses the engineering design process through a collection of engineering projects that require a range of technologies and design techniques. Sustainability will be an important component of the course, with some of the projects addressing technology and design for sustainable engineering.
15 pts • (P) COMP 102 or 112, ENGR 101 (X) ENGR 111
ENGR 121 – Engineering Mathematics Foundations
An introduction to the range of mathematical techniques employed by engineers, including functions, calculus, linear algebra, vector geometry, set theory, logic and probability. This course emphasises engineering applications and modelling.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) Any pair (MATH 141/QUAN 111, MATH 151/161/177)
ENGR 122 – Engineering Mathematics with Calculus
Further mathematical techniques employed by electrical and electronic engineers, with a focus on methods of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra. There is an emphasis on engineering applications and use of software.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121 or MATH 141; (X) the pair (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 123 – Engineering Mathematics with Logic and Statistics
Mathematical techniques employed by cybersecurity and software engineers, including combinatorics, logic, probability distributions, model fitting and estimation. The course emphasises engineering applications.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 121; (X) the pair MATH 161, (MATH 177, QUAN 102 or STAT 193)
ENGR 141 – Engineering Science
ENGR 141 deals with scientific topics relevant to Engineering. Topics will include forms and use of energy, Newton’s laws of motion, gravity, waves, thermodynamics and required math concepts (limits, derivatives, functions). Students will obtain an appreciation for quantitative scientific reasoning and the role of fundamental physical laws in governing human energy use.
15 pts • (P) (16 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 in Mathematics) or (12 Achievement Standard credits NCEA Level 3 Mathematics excluding the statistics standards 91580, 91581, 91582, 91583, 91584) or MATH 132 (X) PHYS 101, PHYS 114, PHYS 115
ENGR 142 – Engineering Physics for Electronics and Computer Systems
Physics theory and practice relevant to electronics and computer systems engineering. Topics covered will include electrostatics (charge, force, field, potential), magnetic field and force, DC and AC circuits, electromagnetic induction and other selected topics. Lectures, assignments and laboratory work will all focus on the application of physics to engineering situations.
15 pts • (P) either ENGR 141 and (ENGR 121 or MATH 141) or approved levels of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Calculus or equivalent (X) PHYS 115, 142
AIML 231 – Techniques in Machine Learning
This course introduces core concepts and techniques in machine learning, as well as commonly used software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. It includes an overview of the machine learning field, including supervised and unsupervised learning; fundamental machine learning techniques including neural networks; tools to understand data such as exploratory data analysis, pre-processing, and visualisation; and the design machine learning pipelines. This course balances theoretical concepts of machine learning and the use of programming libraries for hands-on practice.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 131, MATH 177, QUAN 102, STAT 193) or 60 200-level pts of COMP, CGRA, CYBR, SWEN, EEEN; one of (COMP 103, 132); (X) COMP 307, 309, DATA 302
AIML 232 – Techniques in Artificial Intelligence
This course introduces various concepts and techniques of broad applicability to artificial intelligence and machine learning. It includes an introduction to common machine learning paradigms such as neural networks and evolutionary learning; gradient-based and gradient-free optimisation techniques; dimensionality reduction; reasoning under uncertainty including Bayesian networks; and an introduction to AI planning. The course covers how these concepts can be used to solve important AI/ML tasks such as classification, regression, clustering and sequential decision making.
15 pts • (P) AIML 131, COMP 103, one of (ENGR 123, MATH 177, STAT 193, QUAN 102, EEEN 220); (X) COMP 307
ENGR 201 – Engineering in Context
This course addresses the research, analysis, critical and creative thinking skills embodied in written and oral communication which professional engineers are expected to display in the workplace. While addressing these aspects, the course at the same time develops the personal and interpersonal skills required to work effectively as part of a team in an engineering context.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 101, 110 and 45 further points from Part 1 of the BE(Hons) schedule
ENGR 222 – Computational Algebra and Calculus
This course covers fundamental concepts in linear algebra and multivariable calculus, with an emphasis on their applications to physical and engineering problems. Topics covered include linear transformations, matrix decomposition including the singular value decomposition, Taylor series, calculus of vector-valued functions, multivariate functions and vector fields. Mathematical software will be used extensively.
15 pts • (P) (ENGR 121, 122) or (MATH 142, 151)
ENGR 240 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 241 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 221 – Software Development
This course develops a deeper understanding of object- oriented programming and associated practices. The focus is on programming techniques at the micro scale. Topics include: inheritance, polymorphism, genericity, error handling, testing and debugging. A sequence of short assignments will develop the key ideas and practices; rigour in testing will be developed through (automated) assessment of programme correctness.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103
SWEN 225 – Software Design
This course develops a strong understanding of object-oriented design. Students will study modelling and programming techniques that support the analysis, design and development of large and maintainable programs. Students will work together in groups on an engineering problem and use a variety of best practices (e.g. Design Patterns) and notations (e.g. UML). Students will use specialized tools to apply these techniques in practical work.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 221; (X) SWEN 222
AIML 320 – Artificial Intelligence
This course addresses concepts and techniques of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides a brief overview of AI history and search techniques, as well as covering important machine learning topics, tools, and algorithms with their applications, including neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. Other topics include analysing data, probability and Bayesian networks, planning and scheduling. The course will also give a brief overview of a selection of other current topics in AI.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or NWEN 241 or SWEN 221 or at least a B in both DATA 201 and 202; one of (ENGR 123, MATH 151, 161, 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292) (X) AIML 131, 231, 232, 420, 421, COMP 307, 309, 420
AIML 331 – AI Computer Vision and Image/Video Processing
Computer vision and image processing has a wide range of real-world applications, such as automated vehicles and face recognition. This course addresses key AI techniques, tasks, and applications in this area. The course covers a range of topics, starting from the basics of image pre-processing and data augmentation to recent deep learning techniques, addressing tasks such as edge detection, image segmentation, and image classification. Various applications of relevant techniques will also be introduced.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221, at least a B in both AIML 231, DATA 202)
AIML 332 – AI Natural Language Processing
This course introduces the basic concepts, applications and algorithms for natural language processing, with a particular focus on processing and analysing large natural language data sets. The course will cover topics such as text representation, text classification, text clustering, text generation, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and information extraction. It will explain traditional natural language processing techniques and algorithms and will also explore more recent deep learning based methods.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221, at least a B in both AIML 231, DATA 202)
AIML 333 – Acting, Planning, and Scheduling
This course introduces key concepts, techniques and algorithms for AI systems that perform actions. It starts with reactive systems that respond intelligently to observations, expands to AI systems that use their knowledge about the world to plan or schedule actions into the future, and finally considers AI systems that improve their behaviour while interacting with the world. The course considers a range of real-world application domains such as controlling devices, robotics, games, and logistics.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232, 320, COMP 307, 309); one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221)
AIML 335 – Machine Learning
This course teaches fundamental concepts and mathematical techniques that underlie much of machine learning (ML). Topics include an introduction to learning theory, optimisation for ML, unsupervised learning, learning with latent variables, generative models, kernels, aspects of information theory, deep learning, continual/online learning, transfer learning, and anomaly detection. The course will also explore the connections between ML and cognitive science.
15 pts • (P) AIML 232; one of (COMP 261, NWEN 241, SWEN 221); one of (MATH 177, STAT 292)
Not offered in 2025
AIML 338 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
AIML 339 – Artificial Intelligence Project
A capstone project to construct a solution to an AI task. The project may be an individual or a group project.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, 232 320, COMP 307, 309); one of AIML 331-335
CYBR 371 – System and Network Security
This course covers system and network security, emphasizing secure design, access control, and TCP/IP protocol security. Students will gain practical skills in Linux ACLs, shell scripting, and the deployment of defence mechanisms, preparing them for modern cybersecurity challenges.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, NWEN 243
CYBR 372 – Applied Cryptography
This course covers key cryptography concepts and services, encryption, hash functions, digital signatures, public key certificates, cryptographic protocols, and applications like SSL/TLS and blockchain.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171; COMP 261 or SWEN 221
CYBR 373 – Governance, Risk and Compliance
This course offers a detailed exploration of risk management in cybersecurity, covering concepts from basic principles to advanced applications. It includes practical exercises on security controls, incident response, and policy development, alongside in-depth discussions on security governance, ethics, legal environments, and cloud security. We also cover cultural considerations, as well as Māori Data Sovereignty principles.
15 pts • (P) CYBR 171, 60 200-level pts from (AIML, COMP, CYBR, SWEN)
DATA 302 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
This course introduces a range of machine learning techniques of importance in Data Science, and gives students experience in using modern software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. Topics will include machine learning techniques for both supervised and unsupervised learning, including neural networks, and the design of machine learning pipelines.
15 pts • (P) DATA 201, DATA 202 (X) AIML 231, COMP 309
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 301 – Engineering Project Management 1
The course takes a practice-based approach to teaching engineering project management, including aspects of project life cycle, requirements analysis, principles of design, project tasks and deliverables, contracts, cost estimation, project scheduling, risk management, quality assurance, managing project resources, testing and delivery, interpersonal communication, teamwork and project leadership. Students will work on a technical group project which will provide opportunities to practice the project management techniques learned in class.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201 and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN)
ENGR 302 – Engineering Project Management 2
The course uses a large collaborative group project to teach engineering project management. Through the project, the students will experience the full lifecycle of a project, from requirements analysis through design and implementation to closing the project.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301
ENGR 338 – ST: EEEN Project Management
The course presents material on systems engineering and project management of relevance to engineering projects involving physical hardware. Topics covered will include techniques for supporting successful group work, approaches to project management and systems engineering principles including sustainability, reliability and safety.
15 pts • (P) Satisfactory completion of Part 1 of the BE(Hons), ENGR 201and 60 200-level pts from (CYBR, COMP, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN); enrolment in the EEEN major; (X) ENGR 301
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 339 – ST: EEEN Group Project
Students will work in teams to design, prototype and test a working electromechanical device according to user requirements. Aspects of professional engineering practice such as sustainability, reliability, safety and ethics will be considered as appropriate.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 338 in 2024; (X) ENGR 302
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 340 – Directed Individual Study
15 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
ENGR 341 – Directed Individual Study
30 pts • (P) Permission of Head of School
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 301 – Scalable Software Development
This course introduces the processes, practices, and tools required to engineer medium to large software systems, and to address challenges arising from the emerging complexity of such systems. Topics include software craft, architecture, design, implementation, testing, maintenance, quality assurance, configuration management, build automation and principled use of components and libraries, and open-source development. Practical work will use integrated development environments, automation, and domain specific languages.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 225
SWEN 303 – User Experience Engineering
This course addresses the engineering of user experiences (UX). It presents principles and guidelines for design and covers a range of design and engineering processes. It presents techniques for user testing of applications, digital systems, and physical devices.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 221 (X) INFO 307
SWEN 304 – Database System Engineering
The course addresses fundamental principles underlying databases and database management systems. It covers the structure and principles of the relational data model, including SQL, and the principled design of the relational database schema. It also addresses issues in database transaction procession, concurrency control, recovery, and the complexity of query processing.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 221; ENGR 123 or MATH 161 (X) COMP 302, INFO 310
SWEN 324 – Software Correctness
This course is concerned with the development of correct software, especially the use of formal requirements and specifications to develop high-integrity software. This has applications in several areas, such as safety-critical systems (e.g. commercial airliners, space systems, etc.) and high-performance concurrent systems. The course will examine a range of principles and techniques which underpin a rigorous approach to the specification and implementation of software. A sequence of assignments and labs will see a range of tools being used to specify small software systems, and to check that they meet their requirements.
15 pts • (P) COMP 103; ENGR 123 or MATH 161; 30 200-level COMP/NWEN/SWEN points; (X) SWEN 224
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 325 – Software Development for Mobile Platforms
This course addresses the concepts, techniques, and tools required for developing applications within software frameworks for mobile platforms. Topics include the concepts and principles underlying software frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for frameworks, the design and implementation of client-server applications, principles of user experience design for mobile applications, and key concepts in reliability, privacy, security and safety critical systems. Practical work will involve the design, implementation and testing of a range of mobile applications.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 243, SWEN 225 (or 222)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 326 – Safety-Critical Systems
This course addresses the concepts, techniques and tools required for developing computer systems that are applicable where safety and reliability is paramount. Topics include: the concepts and principles underlying safety-critical systems & standards (e.g. DO178C and IEC61508); techniques for design validation (e.g. model checking); and implementation techniques for ensuring software correctness (e.g. coding guidelines, testing, static analysis, etc). Practical work will involve the design, implementation, and analysis of simple safety critical applications (e.g. for industrial, embedded and healthcare systems).
15 pts • (P) (NWEN 241 or SWEN 225), 15 further 200-level AIML, CGRA, COMP, CYBR, EEEN, NWEN, SWEN pts
ENGR 401 – Professional Practice
This course will prepare student's expectations for many of the events and situations they are likely to meet in the professional working world. This includes: codes of conduct, as determined by professional bodies and company practices; ethical behaviour, as found in the workplace and dictated by company practices; critical thinking and people issues, as relevant in the workplace and in company practice.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) Schedule
ENGR 440 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 441 – Directed Individual Study
A supervised programme of study approved by the Head of School.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level points from CGRA, COMP, CYBR, ECEN, EEEN, NWEN, RESE, SWEN; Permission of Head of School
ENGR 489 – Engineering Project
Students will work on an individual project of a complex nature in order to develop a solution to an engineering problem. In addition to the technical engineering development work, the project may require consideration of issues such as customer specifications, cost analysis, IP and product testing and delivery. Students will be required to give an oral and a poster presentation as well as a final report on their project.
30 pts • (P) ENGR 201, 301, 302; 45 further 300-level pts from the BE(Hons) schedule
SWEN 421 – Formal Software Engineering
This course addresses the use of mathematical logic in the specification and construction for software systems. It presents an introduction to the area of formal methods; the formal specification of software systems; the refinement of specifications to code; and their semantic foundations.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 324 (or 224); 30 300-level pts from (COMP, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 422 – Human Computer Interaction
This course covers principles of human-computer interaction that underlie good design of software user interfaces. Advanced topics are introduced with a focus on current research areas.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 313, SWEN 303, 325).
SWEN 423 – Design: Patterns, Frameworks and Languages
Object-orientation is the basis for many different programming languages, frameworks and programming patterns. This course explores advanced topics in formal design techniques for OO Languages, OO Frameworks and OO Programming Patterns, and connects those formal designs with practical programming examples.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 225; 30 300-level COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 424 – Model-Driven Development
An introduction to model-driven development - the modern approach to large scale software system development along with an introduction to the core concepts of model-driven development, the course will address the foundations and principles for supporting infrastructures. This includes an in-depth discussion of 'metamodelling' and a critique of existing modelling techniques. Students will get hands-on experience with using a meta-case tool.
15 pts • (P) 30 300-level pts from (COMP, CYBR, NWEN, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 425 – Design Patterns
The course addresses a variety of advanced issues in Software Engineering, including the use for Software Patterns for software design.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 301, 15 further 300-level COMP, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 426 – Advanced Software Implementation and Development
This course covers issues relating to the successful implementation of a software design, including processes, metrics, the choice of implementation tools and platforms, coding styles, code reviews, and testing. The course looks closely at maintenance and operation, and the issue of quality throughout the entire DevOps life cycle. Issues such as software quality assurance, configuration management and software process improvement are raised.
15 pts • (P) ENGR 301, 15 further 300-level AIML, COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts; (X) SWEN 438 in 2020, 2021, 2023
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 427 – Advanced Software Engineering: Requirements and Design
This course covers basic concepts and principles of software requirements engineering, its tools and techniques, including a survey of methods for modelling software requirements. The course also covers methods and techniques used in the design of software systems, including both architectural and detailed design. In the requirements and design areas issues such as documentation, reviews and inspections are covered.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 301, 15 further 300-level SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 428 – Protocols and Architecture for the Internet of Things
This course introduces the fundamental networking protocols and architectures used in the Internet of Things (IoT). In particular, the course will examine the latest protocols and protocol stacks for low power wireless networking in both short-range and long-range settings. It will include in-depth discussion of protocols and algorithms at various layers of the network stack including medium access control, network, application, as well as security aspects unique to IoT.
15 pts • (P) NWEN 241, 243; 60 300-level pts from (COMP, CYBR, ECEN, NWEN, SWEN) (X) NWEN 439 in 2020-2021
SWEN 430 – Compiler Engineering
The course looks at a range of issues relating to the design and implementation of modern compilers. In particular, the course will focus on techniques and algorithms for code generation, code optimisation and type checking. During the course projects, students will be working on a fully-fledged compiler for a small imperative language. Students should expect to learn a great deal about how compilers work and, in particular, about the Java Bytecode and x86 instruction sets.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261 or SWEN 324 (or 224); 30 further 300-level points from (COMP, NWEN 303, SWEN)
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 431 – Advanced Programming Languages
This course applies a range of advanced contemporary programming languages in current use, covering practical programming skills in the languages as well as their niches and design paradigms. The course will cover languages of present industrial interest, along with design trends of future languages.
15 pts • (P) 30 300-level COMP or SWEN points (X) COMP 432
SWEN 432 – Advanced Database Design and Implementation
This course explores a selection of the following topics: XML Databases, Cloud Databases, Data Warehouse and Object-Relational Databases. It examines features of these advanced database systems and analyses the new applications they facilitate.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 304, 15 further 300-level COMP, NWEN or SWEN pts; (X) COMP 442, INFO 311
SWEN 433 – Web Information Systems Engineering
This course gives a technology-centered introduction to web information systems and services. On successful completion of the course students are able to explain basic concepts used in building and managing web information systems. They know central technological standards underlying web information systems and web services, understand architectural principles, and are able to evaluate and critically discuss such systems.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 304 or 435, 15 further 300-level COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 434 – Data Warehousing
This course considers theory, design and implementation of Data Warehouses.
15 pts • (P) SWEN 304, 15 further 300-level COMP, NWEN or SWEN pts; (X) COMP 444
Not offered in 2025
SWEN 435 – Database System Engineering
The course addresses fundamental principles underlying databases and database management systems. It covers the structure and principles of the relational data model, including SQL, and the principled design of the relational database schema. It also addresses issues in database transaction procession, concurrency control, recovery, and the complexity of query processing.
15 pts • (P) 60 300-level pts of COMP, NWEN, SWEN (X) SWEN 304, SWEN 439 in 2021-2022
SWEN 438 – Special Topic: Automated Program Analysis
The course will look at different techniques that can be used to automatically discover bugs and vulnerabilities in software. The course covers both static and dynamic techniques and discusses the pros and cons of various approaches. Students will develop their own program analyses, and learn how to use existing state-of-the-art tools.
15 pts • (P) COMP 261, 30 300-level points from COMP, CYBR, NWEN, SWEN
Space Science
SPCE 101 – Introduction to Space Science
This course introduces space science and its applications. From the space race through to the effects of inter-planetary space travel on future astronauts, and the historic significance of the heavens to humankind in Aotearoa and globally. Introductory and accessible physics, astronomy, problem-solving and discussion aid the student’s learning experience in this course, and into the rest of the Space Science programme.
15 pts
SPCE 102 – Introduction to the Universe
An introduction to astronomy and astrophysics for students from all backgrounds. We will explore objects from the relatively small and nearby, in our Solar System, to the largest and most distant objects in the Universe: galaxies and galaxy clusters. You will learn about the Big Bang origin and evolution of the expanding Universe, and along the way be introduced to some of the most extreme places and phenomena known - neutron stars, black holes and supernovae. Coming back down to Earth, you will discuss dark skies, Māori astronomy, and waka navigation.
15 pts • (X) PHYS 132
SPCE 201 – Our Dynamic Space Neighbourhood
The course starts with introductory orbital mechanics, rocketry, the physics of space-related heat and electromagnetic energy through to the Sun and its violent solar weather. Then, through energy transfer in the Earth’s atmosphere the course explores climate change, remote sensing concepts, monitoring habitat from space and applications to preserving taonga. The course also discusses the practical and ethical issues of terraforming on Mars and possibilities for extra-terrestrial life. Discussions and readings around the unifying and divisionary social and political uses of orbiting technology aid the students to see beyond the science and technology of space.
15 pts • (P) SPCE 101; one of (SPCE 102, PHYS 132); one of (COMP 102, 112, 132)
SPCE 245 – Experiments in Space Science
Through hands-on experimentation you will explore physical phenomena relevant to space exploration and usage. This includes topics such as seeing how light and high-energy radiation interact with matter, how rockets deplete their fuel reserves, or analysing data from meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere. With guest lectures and projects you will also learn some of the rich cultural associations that Māori and Pasifika people have with the night sky. This course will help you develop transferrable skills in scientific writing and presentation, in the exciting context of space.
15 pts • (P) one of (SPCE 101, 102, PHYS 132); one of (COMP 102, 112, 132)
SPCE 301 – Challenges and Solutions for Space Systems
Through theory and the achievements of past space missions, the course discusses the physics and engineering of changing orbits, heat shielding, life support systems and space-based communication. Other topics covered include energy generation in space, debris tracking and how severe space weather events impacts spacecraft, the Earth’s atmosphere, and human life. The socio-cultural aspects will be informed by cultural and ethical issues from international as well as domestic perspectives including tikanga Māori. The course ends with the responsibilities of those with space-based assets and resources, and the imperative to learn from our historical deliberate and accidental actions.
15 pts • (P) SPCE 201; SPCE 245 or PHYS 245
SPCE 345 – Advanced Experiments in Space Science
In this course you will advance the experimental methodologies learnt in SPCE 245. Through formal teaching and hands-on project work you will develop skills in data analysis, visualization, technical and and scientific presentation. You will undertake a mixture of practical and software-based activities. Finally, you will complete a small-group project applying these skills to a scientific problem such as space debris tracking, predicting solar storms, orbital mechanics, image analysis or ionospheric behaviour and present your results at an end-of-year conference.
15 pts • (P) SPCE 245 or PHYS 245
SPCE 360 – Topics in Earth Observation and Space Science
This course equips you with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to extract meaningful information from Earth observation data. You will learn data acquisition, processing, interpretation, and analysis using a project-based approach. Topics covered include image classification, spectral analysis, and change detection among others.
15 pts • (P) GEOG 215; 15 COMP pts or INFO 102; 15 MATH pts
Spanish
FHSS 110 – Exploring the World through Languages and Cultures
How do languages and cultures interrelate, and how can we read them in the world around us? This course provides students with insights into how languages and cultures shape and reflect identity by critically engaging with a wide variety of global texts and objects located in New Zealand’s capital city and beyond. Texts are studied in English translation.
20 pts
LANG 101 – Shaping the World: Cultural Forces in Europe and Latin America
This course introduces students to themes central to the study of the cultures of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Cultural case studies will allow students to draw out commonalities without losing sight of historical, political and socio-cultural specificities. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts
Not offered in 2025
SPAN 101 – Introduction to the Spanish Language
This course teaches the basics of the Spanish language through practice in speaking, listening, reading and writing. As it is designed for absolute beginners, it may not be taken by students with prior knowledge of the language. This course is offered through different CRNs for face-to-face delivery on Kelburn Campus (CRN 31115) versus a blended or mixed-mode offering (CRN 31116). The blended or mixed-mode offering is for students who would not otherwise be able to enrol in the course. The three hours of traditional face-to-face lectures are replaced by web-based online material. Students who enrol for this option must attend a special face-to-face tutorial, either in person or via zoom, and complete self-access activities. This option is not intended for students who can attend most of the regular lecture times.
20 pts • (X) prior knowledge as determined by the academic teaching staff in Spanish, and SPAN 111
SPAN 102 – Elementary Spanish
This course builds on SPAN 101, consolidating and increasing students' knowledge of and proficiency in both written and oral Spanish.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 101 or 111 or NCEA Level 2 in Spanish; (X) SPAN 112
SPAN 113 – Histories and Cultures of Spain and Latin America
This course, taught entirely in English, introduces students to the cultures and histories of Spain and the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, with a particular emphasis on how these impact on today's Hispanic societies and cultures. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (X) SPAN 212
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 210 – Language Study Abroad
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 100-level points at Victoria. The course is available both to students who have studied the language before and to students with no previous knowledge of the language. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points at 100-level and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
LANG 201 – Capital Cities: Their Cultures and Stories
A course that charts the physical and cultural landscapes of some of the world’s most exciting cities and explores the changing histories of their peoples. This course is recommended for all students interested in cultural exchange. It is taught entirely in English and fulfils major requirements for students of European Languages and Cultures.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
Not offered in 2025
LANG 202 – Moving the World: Artistic Movements in Context
This course introduces students to major artistic movements that represent key moments in the cultural histories of the French, German, Italian and Spanish-speaking worlds. Artefacts such as literary texts and art works will be studied in relation to historical and political contexts and prevailing intellectual currents in the source-language community. The course is taught and assessed entirely in English.
20 pts • (P) 40 points
SPAN 201 – Spanish Language 2A
An intermediate level course, SPAN 201 builds on the skills developed in SPAN 102 or NCEA Level 3 in Spanish to enable students to achieve greater oral and written accuracy in the Spanish language. The teaching of the language is reinforced through written exercises, reading comprehension activities, set assignments and audio-visual work.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 102 or 112 or NCEA Level 3 in Spanish; (X) SPAN 211 and 215
SPAN 202 – Spanish Language 2B
SPAN 202 further develops the language skills taught in SPAN 201. The teaching of the language is reinforced through written exercises, reading comprehension activities, set assignments and audio-visual work.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 201 or 215; (X) SPAN 211 and 216
SPAN 214 – Topic In Hispanic Studies: Memory, Modernity and Popular Culture in Spain and Latin America
This course focuses on forms of popular culture in Spain and Latin America emphasising their connections to historical memory and modernity. It develops students’ critical engagement with the politics of memory in post-dictatorial societies, as well as on expressions of national identity and alternative gender imaginaries in contemporary cultural products.
20 pts • (P) 40 100-level pts from Part A of the BA schedule or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
FHSS 310 – Study Abroad for Language Students
This course involves language study at an approved overseas institution and is available to students who have completed 40 points of relevant language acquisition courses at Victoria. 100% internal assessment based on a portfolio completed abroad and an essay and presentation upon return to NZ.
20 pts • (P) 40 points of language study at 200-level or higher and permission Head of School
^ Limited entry course
SPAN 301 – Spanish Language 3A
SPAN 301 is an advanced level Spanish language course, which aims to develop students' competence in both spoken and written Spanish, building on work done in 200-level language courses. The course will include written exercises, reading and listening comprehension activities and oral practice.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 202 or 216; (X) SPAN 315
Not offered in 2025
SPAN 302 – Spanish Language 3B
SPAN 302 aims to further develop the skills acquired in SPAN 301, making particular use of authentic materials from Spanish-speaking countries in both aural and printed form. Additional emphasis will be placed on the active use of both spoken and written Spanish.
20 pts • (P) SPAN 301 or 315; (X) SPAN 316
Not offered in 2025
SPAN 314 – Topic in Hispanic Studies: National Identities and Cultures in the Hispanic World
This course explores national identities and cultures in the Hispanic world through a range of cultural works produced in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It is recommended for all students interested in exploring the Hispanic world. This course is taught in English and fulfils major requirements for students of Spanish.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 201
Not offered in 2025
Statistics
DATA 101 – Introduction to Data Science
We live in an increasingly data-driven world with the volume of data generated annually following a roughly exponential trend. Data scientists find themselves in high demand because of their skills to derive valuable insights from data. But what exactly do they do? This course provides an overview of data science. You will gain an understanding of the skill set that data scientists possess. This includes understanding data sources and types, data wrangling, data visualisation, modelling, and communicating results. Aspects of privacy law and Māori data sovereignty relevant to data science are also introduced.
15 pts
MATH 177 – Probability and Decision Modelling
Heads or tails? That's fair, right? Is the coin fair though - and how could you check? How might you choose in a more complicated situation? This course gives you an introduction to probability models in Statistics and their use in good decision making. Concepts you will study include probability, random variables and their distributions, decision theory, model estimation using sampled data, and tests for checking fitted models. Bad decisions follow from badly-fitting models. This course is needed for a mathematical pathway in Statistics, and for Actuarial Science. To make good decisions using probability, choose this course!
15 pts • (P) Approved level of achievement in NCEA Level 3 Calculus or one of (ENGR 121, MATH 141, QUAN 111) or equivalent background in mathematics.
STAT 193 – Statistics in Practice
An applied statistics course for students who will be advancing in other disciplines as well as those majoring in Statistics. It is particularly suitable if you are majoring in Biological Science, Geography, Health, Linguistics, Psychology, and Education, and if you are a BCom student. This course assumes no previous knowledge of statistics, but mathematics to Year 12 is preferred. Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
15 pts • (X) MATH 277, QUAN 102
tut tba
DATA 201 – Techniques of Data Science
Discover the essential computational techniques at the heart of data science, encompassing the realms of data integration and encryption. Dive into the mathematical concepts and techniques that underpin the entire data lifecycle, from generation and representation to transformation.
15 pts • (P) (DATA 101 or SPCE 201), one of (COMP 102, 112, 132, INFO 102, 151), one of (ENGR 123, MATH 177, PHYS 245, QUAN 102, SPCE 245, STAT 193)
Not offered in 2025
DATA 202 – Data Management and Programming
Explore the practical side of data management in this course designed for those working with data sources. You will get hands-on experience in programming and data management using a high-level language and SQL. You will build confidence in skills such as web scraping, data transformation, data cleaning, and the creation of data summaries and visualisations.
15 pts • (P) one of (COMP 102, 112, 132, INFO 102)
MATH 277 – Mathematical Statistics
Topics covered: a review of basic probability theory; discrete and continuous random variables; joint distributions of random variables; expectation, variance, covariance and moment generating functions; correlation and linear combinations of random variables; central limit theorem; maximum likelihood estimation; confidence intervals; hypothesis testing; linear regression; one-way analysis of variance. The statistical software R will be used.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 142, 177) or B+ or better in both (ENGR 122, 123)
STAT 292 – Applied Statistics
Modern science is heavily data-driven, and statistical methods are instrumental in producing evidence- based conclusions. This course covers applied statistical methods that are widely used across the biological, social and physical sciences. You will examine chi-square tests, t- tests, analysis of variance and non-parametric tests as a means to assess the evidence for differences between groups; and you will fit linear regression, logistic regression, and loglinear models to explore relationships between variables. Relevant examples are used throughout to illustrate the statistical methods considered. The statistical computing package R is used and demonstrated, although no previous programming experience is required.
15 pts • (P) STAT 193 or one of (ENGR 123, QUAN 102) or a comparable background in Statistics.
STAT 293 – Applied Statistical Modelling
What is the strongest predictor of a student’s exam performance? What does household medical expenditure depend on? Can we predict the number of bird or plant species on an island based on its environmental features? You can explore questions like these using the statistical modelling techniques in this course. With an emphasis on practical applications, we cover statistical model fitting methods, use of the R software for model fitting and the interpretation of results. Topics covered include randomised block and nested design ANOVA models, permutation testing, multiple linear regression, models for count data and models for multilevel data.
15 pts • (P) STAT 292
DATA 301 – Data Science in Practice
Take your data science skills to the next level with our capstone course. Dive into interactive displays, infographics, and dashboards equipped with mathematical modelling tools and coding skills. Sharpen your communication and reporting abilities through visualisation. Explore the social and ethical aspects of data science.
15 pts • (P) one of (AIML 231, DATA 201); DATA 202, 303
DATA 302 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
This course introduces a range of machine learning techniques of importance in Data Science, and gives students experience in using modern software libraries for implementing machine learning pipelines. Topics will include machine learning techniques for both supervised and unsupervised learning, including neural networks, and the design of machine learning pipelines.
15 pts • (P) DATA 201, DATA 202 (X) AIML 231, COMP 309
Not offered in 2025
DATA 303 – Statistics for Data Science
In this course we uncover the role that Statistics plays in Data Science. With a focus on understanding relevant statistical methods and their practical applications, this course will help you consolidate key data science skills. Topics covered include generalised linear models, polynomial regression, generalised additive models, shrinkage methods and supervised learning methods. The topics are covered in the context of inference and prediction for continuous, count and binary outcomes.
15 pts • (P) DATA 202 or STAT 293; one of (MATH 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292)
DATA 304 – Simulation and Stochastic Models
Simulation and modelling of stochastic systems, covering examples from Operations Research and Computer Science, including queues, networks and computer systems. Design, analysis and validation of simulation experiments. Previous experience with computer programming is required before starting this course. Co-taught with COMP 312.
15 pts • (P) one course from (COMP 102, 112, 132, DATA 202); one course from (ENGR 123, MATH 177, 277, STAT 292); 15 further 200-level COMP, DATA, MATH, NWEN, STAT or SWEN pts; (D) COMP 312
Not offered in 2025
DATA 305 – Machine Learning Techniques for Data Science
Data Science uses machine learning methods to fit data and make predictions. In this course you will learn how to explore data in order to identify the appropriate ethical and cultural considerations and select the appropriate tools to analyse the data, develop the theory that underlines those tools, and see a variety of modern machine learning algorithms (such as Large Language Models) that make modern machine learning such a fascinating topic.
15 pts • (P) AIML 231, DATA 202 (X) DATA 302
DATA 351 – Data Science Internship
Students will complete an approved and supervised project in a public, private or non-profit organisation with established data science work stream. This project will enable students to gain professional work experience in the application of data science and to develop teamwork and communication skills in a relevant organisation.
15 pts • (P) AIML 231 or DATA 201; DATA 202; one of (MATH 277, QUAN 203, STAT 292), 15 further 200-level pts all with B+ average
^ Limited entry course
MATH 377 – Probability and Random Processes
The course provides a firmer foundation in probability theory and an introduction to random processes. The topics include continuity of probability measures; Stieltjes integrals; almost sure convergence; conditional distributions and effects of conditioning; martingales in discrete time; Poisson point processes; compound Poisson processes; birth and death processes; renewal processes.
15 pts • (P) MATH 243; MATH 277 or STAT 232
STAT 332 – Statistical Inference
This course covers distribution theory; estimation including minimum variance unbiased estimators and sufficiency; statistical inference and hypothesis testing. The topics of estimation and hypothesis testing met in MATH 277 will be looked at in greater depth. Optimal estimation procedures and tests will be developed.
15 pts • (P) MATH 243, MATH 277
Not offered in 2025
STAT 335 – Statistical Models for Actuarial Science
This course introduces a range of models used in actuarial science, including Markov chains, Markov processes and transition, survival models and estimation with graduation methods and binomial models for mortality.
15 pts • (P) MATH 277
STAT 391 – Mathematical Methods for Applied Statistics
How should we model data to ensure we have a good understanding of the world? Drawing correct conclusions from well-chosen statistical models needs a range of mathematical techniques. This course shows you the key methods used in the construction and maximisation of likelihoods, the analysis of experimental data and linear models, and an exploration of probability plus several probability distributions. Specific mathematical topics include matrices and their properties, differentiation and optimisation of functions, plus integral calculus. The statistical software R will be used.
15 pts • (P) STAT 292 (X) MATH 243, the pair (ENGR 122/MATH 142, MATH 251)
STAT 392 – Sample Surveys
An introduction to practical aspects of survey sampling, including writing a survey proposal, costing, non-sampling errors, rudiments of sampling theory, questionnaire design, fieldwork, basic analytic techniques, and report writing. This course is co-taught with STAT 439.
15 pts • (P) STAT 193 or equivalent; 30 approved 200/300-level pts; (X) STAT 439
tut tba
STAT 393 – Linear Models
This course will cover the theory and application of general linear models, including: maximum likelihood estimation, model selection, AIC, tests of hypotheses, confidence intervals, and residual diagnostics. It includes longitudinal analysis for continuous responses using fixed or random effects methods. The course covers the theory of generalised linear models and gives examples for binary and count data. The statistical software R will be used.
15 pts • (P) (MATH 243, MATH 277) or (STAT 293, 391)
STAT 394 – Multivariate Statistics
Multivariate Statistics is an essential component of Statistics and Data. We'll delve into the fundamental concepts and techniques to tackle complex multivariate data with Principal Component Analysis (simplify data while retaining its integrity), Cluster Analysis (identify patterns and groupings), Factor Analysis (discover the underlying factors influencing your data variables), Discriminant Analysis (learn how to classify), Canonical Correlations (gain insights into the relationships between multiple sets of variables), the Multivariate General Linear Model (make predictions with confidence), and Multidimensional Scaling (discover and visualize complex data relationships). You'll have hands-on experience using statistical software to apply these techniques to real-world datasets.
15 pts • (P) MATH 277 or (STAT 292, 391)
Statistics and Operations Research
See also Statistics and Operations Research
MATH 353 – Optimisation
A course in the theory, algorithms and applications of optimisation. Topics include linear programming, integer programming, and non-linear optimisation.
15 pts • (P) MATH 142, 151; 15 pts from (MATH 243, 244, 251, 261); 15 further 200-level MATH pts
Not offered in 2025
Study of Religion
RELI 108 – The World's Religions
The world’s religions are rich and constantly evolving. In this course we will introduce the stories, rituals, beliefs, and spiritualities that shape diverse traditions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. We will also consider fascinating and less prominent traditions – from Vodou and Indigenous spiritualities to modern “cults” and UFO religions – that help us understand the landscape of religion today.
20 pts
tut tba
RELI 113 – How to Think About Religion
The study of religion is a vibrant and challenging field. In this course you will learn to approach religion with an analytical mind by thinking critically and creatively. We will explore themes such as ritual and materiality, ethics and politics, gender and embodiment, and mystical experience. We will investigate diverse religious traditions and communities to better understand how religion shapes our contemporary world, including here in Aotearoa.
20 pts
RELI 114 – Religious Troublemakers
From Gandhi to Starhawk to Martin Luther King, radical leaders have been inspired by their faith to challenge social and ethical norms. In doing so, spiritual leaders, activists, and innovators have sparked controversy and ignited movements, at times with extraordinary results. In this course we will explore influential figures whose charisma, teaching, and imagination have changed the world.
20 pts
RELI 210 – Special Topic: Cults and Conversions
What is the difference between a "cult" and a “religion”? Are those who join cults brainwashed? This course explores the dynamics behind the formation, and social impact of unconventional religions such as Satanism, Witchcraft, and new religions from around the globe. We analyse how societal norms shape perceptions of acceptable religion and investigate the enduring allure, fascination, and fear evoked by these groups. We study the complex and fraught process of leaving high-demand communities.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule
tut tba
RELI 221 – Politics, Law and Religion
Religion has forcefully re-emerged as a vital actor in global politics. Focusing on current debates, we examine different religions’ engagements with politics and law, and crucial frameworks for understanding the roles of religion within today’s dynamic political landscape. Topics include religious nationalism, secularism, regulation of religion, international development, and protest movements. With broad horizons and contemporary relevance, this course will help you critically analyse the contested roles religion plays in public life.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
RELI 226 – Psychology of Religion
This course provides an introduction to the psychology of religion. Many people identify with religious groups or traditions and claim to have religious or spiritual experiences. This course explores how contemporary psychology research sheds light on human religiosity. Topics include: the development of religion in children, the relationship between religion and morality, rituals, altered states of consciousness, and religion and identity.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or 30 PSYC pts; (X) RELI 312; RELI 310 in 2022-2024
tut tba
RELI 227 – Special Topic: Zen, Meditation, and Mindfulness
In this course you will learn about meditation theory and practice through the lens of Zen, a school of Buddhism centred on applying meditation to every aspect of daily life. We cover the historical, doctrinal, and sociological dimensions of Buddhist meditation in premodern India, China, and Japan, as well as the global allure of meditation today, especially in medicine, psychology, and popular culture. This course includes an optional practical component through which you can gain personal experience with nine different styles of Buddhist meditation via guided instruction.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule
tut tba
RELI 228 – Evil and Salvation
All human communities have accounts of being saved (salvation) from the state or circumstances that destroy the value of human existence (evil). This course systematically and comparatively explores evil and salvation in a number of religious traditions. Topics include: sin; guilt; devils and the demonic; heaven and hells; paths to salvation (repentance, asceticism, grace, will); redemption; soteriology; eschatology; release; Nirvana; and contemporary “secular” deliberations on evil and salvation.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 229 – Confronting Death
In this course we will explore death and dying across a range of religious traditions, and from various disciplinary perspectives – from religious studies and anthropology to sociology and psychology. We will examine how different religious and cultural systems make sense of death by exploring their mythologies, beliefs in afterlife, rituals, and institutions. Topics include: near death experiences, euthanasia, suicide, death “cults,” death industries, death in Aotearoa New Zealand, and representations of death in popular culture.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI points or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) RELI 305
RELI 230 – Reimagining Life in a More-than-Human World
We live in a time of radical environmental transformation. In this course, we challenge the primacy of human-centred ways of living and knowing to explore how insights from diverse religions- especially Asian and Indigenous traditions- can offer radical ways to reimagine our relationship to the larger living world. Themes include the nature and boundaries of sentience, intelligence and non-human personhood, cosmologies of interconnection, and cultivating the imagination as a tool for ethical transformation and resilience.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI points or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) RELI 328
Not offered in 2025
RELI 232 – Violence and Peacemaking
This course explores the role of religion in promoting conflict and terror, and of the power and potential of religion for transforming conflict and building peace. We consider what historical, theological, symbolic and practical resources religious communities offer to the task of peacemaking in a violent world.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI points or GLBL 101 or 40 points from Part A of the BA Schedule (X) RELI 331
Not offered in 2025
RELI 234 – Transforming the World
This course examines religious efforts to transform people’s lives and the societies we live in. We examine the ideas and visions that have inspired diverse religious traditions to reshape the world, and the technologies and practices they employ. Topics include religious activism, philanthropy, humanitarianism, development, and various movements for personal, societal, and political change.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 235 – Asian Spiritualities
Asian adepts have searched for enlightenment, bliss and immortality for millennia. We examine the techniques and philosophies they developed to achieve harmony with the world and transcendence of it. Topics including meditation, yoga, monasticism and pilgrimage highlight ways that Asian traditions have tested the limits of human bodies, minds and beliefs.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 101
Not offered in 2025
RELI 253 – Special Topic: Desire and Depravity: Sex and the Body
This class examines extraordinary religious practices of bodily desire and deprivation, including celibacy, sexual virtuosity, self-mortification, and the quest for physical perfection. We explore the ambivalence of the body as both an obstacle and a gateway to self-realisation. With special focus on Asian religions, we consider how notions of gender, morality, and social belonging are constructed and expressed through the body and connect these insights to our own contemporary contexts and lived experiences.
20 pts • (P) 20 RELI pts or GLBL 101 or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) RELI 345 in 2025
RELI 309 – Directed Individual Study
Students will undertake an approved, supervised programme of research and study on a selected theme/topic in Religious Studies.
20 pts • (P) Permission of Programme Director
Not offered in 2025
RELI 335 – Arguing About Religion
Religion remains one of the great topics of debate in pubs, in courts of law, in media, and across the globe. This course focuses on contentious public debates and state-of-the-art scholarship that is reshaping contemporary research. We cultivate a space for lively engagement with these debates, where you learn how to think, argue, and write about religion in a critical, creative, and theoretically informed manner.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
RELI 336 – Islam in the Contemporary World
This course examines various expressions of Islam through a focus on contemporary issues. Students encounter Islam operating in a range of domains- political (the Arab Spring and radical Islamist movements), economic (the Halal industry) and social (Muslims in the diaspora). We explore questions of gender and expressions of Muslim popular culture in an increasingly globalised world.
20 pts • (P) 40 200 level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 341 – Global Christianity: Struggle and Liberation
The largest religion in the world, and staggeringly diverse, Christianity has played a major role in shaping political, economic, and cultural life. It is now also the focus of vibrant scholarship and debate. We examine the many different forms of Christianity, exploring particularly movements of reform, dissent and transformation and their complex legacies.
20 pts • (P) as for RELI 335 (X) RELI 213;
Not offered in 2025
RELI 342 – Religions in Practice
This is a field-based course. It focuses on development of critical research skills through encounters with diverse religious traditions. Through seminars and field trips we examine the ways local communities practice their faiths today, and we consider how understanding them sheds light on urgent questions about the contemporary experience of religious communities.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 343 – God, Gods, Godlessness
Belief in gods is contentious yet widespread across cultures and traditions. This course examines diverse conceptions, considering what it means to believe or disbelieve in a god, and what if any effects such beliefs have. We address key arguments, debates and theories through close readings of selected texts.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule or GLBL 201
RELI 344 – Renunciation
From fasting and self-mortification to monasticism and voluntary poverty, practices of renunciation challenge bodies and spirits. This course examines mundane and spectacular expressions of self-denial in diverse religious traditions. We consider the purpose and effects of renunciant practice, and explore its significance in a contemporary world of consumption.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level pts from Part A of the BA Schedule
Not offered in 2025
RELI 345 – Special Topic: Desire and Depravity: Sex and the Body
This class examines extraordinary religious practices of bodily desire and deprivation, including celibacy, sexual virtuosity, self-mortification, and the quest for physical perfection. We explore the ambivalence of the body as both an obstacle and a gateway to self-realisation. With special focus on Asian religions, we consider how notions of gender, morality, and social belonging are constructed and expressed through the body and connect these insights to our own contemporary contexts and lived experiences.
20 pts • (P) 40 200-level points from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) RELI 253 in 2025
Taxation
TAXN 201 – Introduction to Taxation
An introduction to the theory and application of domestic and international taxation.
15 pts • (P) ACCY131 (or ACCY 115)
tut tba
TAXN 301 – Advanced Domestic Taxation
An in-depth examination of the principles and practice of entity taxation in New Zealand.
15 pts • (P) TAXN 201, COML 204; (X) ACCY 305.
tut tba
TAXN 303 – International Taxation 1
An introduction to the taxation of cross-border transactions in NewZealand.
15 pts • (P) TAXN 201; (X) ACCY 316.
tut tba
TAXN 305 – Tax Policy
The theory and application of tax policy.
15 pts • (P) TAXN 301
Teaching
EDUC 102 – Te Ao Hurihuri 1: Te Tiriti—History and transformative education
This course introduces the historical context for education in Aotearoa, beginning with pre-colonial Māori tikanga, the early contact period, He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the impacts of colonisation since 1840. It includes examples of Māori resistance to Tiriti breaches and an overview of Waitangi Tribunal findings, with a focus on the implications for transformative education, including ecological justice, in contemporary and local education contexts.
15 pts
EDUC 103 – Te Ao Hurihuri 2: Ngā Auahatanga—Innovations in Care and Education
This course provides students with an opportunity to interrogate the genealogies of indigenous and Western models of childrearing and the intergenerational transmission of languages, values and knowledges, including a view of play and playfulness. Students engage in in-depth exploration, comparison and critique of historical and contemporary contexts for early childhood philosophies and programmes, with a focus on Indigenous models (such as Kōhanga Reo, Aoga Amata, Punanga Reo and Punana Leo) and key Western pedagogical innovations and influences (such as is seen in the work of John Dewey, Frederick Froebel, Rudolph Steiner, Maria Montessori, and the MacMillan sisters).
20 pts • (X) EDUC 115
EDUC 104 – Te Ao Hurihuri 3: Ngā Ariā—Theories of growth and learning in context
This course offers an introduction to, and a critical analysis of, historical and contemporary theories of learning, growth and transformation across the lifespan, with a particular focus on young children and their education. The course examines theories informed by Māori, Pacific and other Indigenous world views as well as key Western theories of learning and development.
20 pts • (X) EDUC 116
TCHG 101 – Teaching: What's It All About?
This course challenges student teachers to examine their perceptions of teaching and learning and relate these to the current New Zealand School system. This course will include one week of teaching experience in primary and secondary school settings, as well as practical experiences in the learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPSY 131
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 102 – Te Reo Māori 1: Hei Whaiora
In this course, student teachers are introduced to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga in relation to the conceptual framework that underpins Te Whāriki, including the place of tākaro, or play, in te ao Māori.
15 pts • (X) TCHG 118
TCHG 103 – Ako 1: Ngā Anga—Care and education frameworks and pedagogies
This course introduces you to practice frameworks taught across the programme, including professionalism, ethical practice and reflective practice. We examine the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Code and Standards, the EC regulatory framework, and professional guidelines such as Tātaiako and Tapasā. We focus on notions of wellbeing, belonging, diversity, cultural sustainability and inclusivity.
15 pts • (C) TCHG 102, TCHG 104, EDUC 102 (X) TCHG 116
TCHG 104 – Tātaimarau 1: Te Whāriki
In this course, student teachers critically examine notions of curriculum and pedagogical practices in early childhood care and education settings in Aotearoa New Zealand, focussing on wellbeing, learning and growing through play and exploration. They build understandings of social, cultural, and ecological justice in relation to curriculum, play pedagogies and inclusive education. Māori and Pacific Peoples’ ontologies and theoretical perspectives and children’s diverse life-worlds are a focus.
15 pts • (X) TCHG 111
TCHG 105 – Tātaimarau me Te Reo Māori 2: Kia Rere—The '100' Languages of Children
Students will explore introductory notions of creativity including Māori, Pacific Peoples and Western conceptualisations. They enhance their own creative skills and attitudes by exploring languages, literacy, visual art, music, dance, drama, science, maths and technology. They develop enriched understandings of design for programme planning and learning environments, which integrate digital learning, a sustainability focus, and transformative approaches. The course incorporates a te reo Māori language component congruent with the level acquired in TCHG 102: Te Reo Māori 1 that builds on earlier te reo learning and uses a corpus of language appropriate to working in these curriculum domains.
20 pts • (P) TCHG 102, TCHG 104
TCHG 132 – Teaching the Arts
The course develops student teachers' understanding of learning and teaching in the arts in primary schools. Students will explore models for the teaching of dance, drama, music and visual arts. This course can ony be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 132
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 133 – Teaching Technology
This course provides students with the skills and knowledge to teach 'Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum' to primary school students. The course develops the student teachers' understanding of how technological principles and practice relate to technology education. The course will explore successful technology education teaching strategies, particularly those that cater for the diverse needs of learners, including Maori and Pacific Nations students. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL133, CUST 135, 138
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 134 – Teaching Health and Physical Education
This course develops student teachers' personal subject knowledge of health and physical education in primary schools. Student teachers will use this knowledge and contemporary principles of learning to plan for and promote effective teaching and learning in health and physical education. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 134
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 135 – Learning Languages
This course introduces second language acquisition theories and research. Students will experience learning te reo Maori, at an introductory level and modelling appropriate and culturally responsive pedagogies for teaching emergent language learners. Students will develop the skills to plan and deliver curricula reflecting New Zealand’s bicultural heritage and multicultural society This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 135, KURA 135, CUST 136
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 201 – Teaching and Learning for Success
This course focuses on developing the dimensions of professional practice. These include planning, implementing, assessing and evaluating learning that enables success for all students in New Zealand Schools. Student teachers will also explore working collaboratively with the wider community, parents and professional colleagues to meet legal, ethical and policy requirements for schools. This course includes two 2-week teaching experiences (one in a primary setting and one in a secondary setting).This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 102 EPSY 132; (X) EPSY 231 TEAP 231
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 202 – The Learner at the Centre of Teaching
The emphasis of this course is on using the dimensions of practice outlined in the previous course to support success for diverse learners. This course includes preparation for the six-week teaching experience during which the student teacher will assume responsibility for some aspects of the classroom programme This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
20 pts • (P) TCHG 201 or EPSY 232; (X) EPSY 232 or TEAP 232
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 203 – Motivating Students to Learn and Achieve
This course will further develop the students' skill for teaching and motivating all students to learn and achieve to their potential. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 202 or EPSY 232; (X) EPSY 233, TEAP 253
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 220 – Ako 2: Te Tirohanga Whānui - Approaches to EC curriculum, assessment and planning
In this course, student teachers examine theories and practices for curriculum, assessment and planning, including kaupapa Māori and Pacific Peoples’ perspectives. They use multiple approaches and tools to gather information and reflect on children’s diverse ways of being, knowing, doing and relating, to plan for individual children. Student teachers examine how interpersonal, temporal and material environments influence children’s curriculum experiences and engagement. Attention is paid to culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogical practices that support kaiako/teachers’ attunement to children and their whānau, hapū and iwi. Campus-based student teachers will participate in five weeks of external teaching experience. Centre-based student teachers will participate in four weeks of in-centre teaching experience.
20 pts • (P) TCHG103, 104 (X) TCHG117
TCHG 221 – Ako me Te Reo Māori 3: Kia Tika - Being a kaiako with infants, toddlers and their whanau
This course supports student teachers to work effectively with infants, toddlers and their whānau in culturally and linguistically responsive ways, using different philosophical and pedagogical approaches, including indigenous Māori and Pacific constructs such as tuakana-teina, manaakitanga, and inati, pakiwaitara and oriori. Student teachers reflect critically on their own identity and culture/s and how these impact on their role as kaiako supporting children’s wellbeing. The interpersonal, temporal, and material environment in relation to play-based/tākaro curriculum experiences and pedagogy with the youngest children is addressed. The course incorporates an intermediate course in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Kia Tika.
20 pts • (P) TCHG103, 105, EDUC104 (X) TCHG114
TCHG 222 – Tātaimarau 3: Ngā Torohanga—Modalities for understanding lifeworlds
In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching mathematics, science, technology and languages to infants, toddlers and young children. They intentionally draw on pedagogical practices to enhance infants, toddlers and young children’s creativity, expression, experimentation, thinking and problem-solving as they relate to these learning areas. They consider the social, cultural, and sustainability values that underpin their teaching and professional behaviours in these domains and their understanding of assessment practices. Student teachers also learn domain specific vocabulary in te reo Māori and other Pacific languages.
20 pts • (P) TCHG105 (X) TCHG211, 213
TCHG 223 – Te Ao Hurihuri me Te Reo Māori 4: Kia Māori—Inclusive teaching in diverse communities
In this course, student teachers explore specificities and commonalities across cultural communities. They develop a nuanced and critical understanding of their responsibilities, and pedagogical strategies, with regard to delivering programmes that are inclusive of and responsive to a wide range of social, cultural and linguistic diversities. This course incorporates an intermediate course in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Kia Māori.
20 pts • (P) TCHG221 (X) TCHG217
TCHG 224 – Ako 4: Kia Mataara—Intentional pedagogies in local contexts
In this course, student teachers examine how intentional pedagogical practices can support young children’s social and emotional growth, competence and sense of belonging and wellbeing. Video is used as a reflective tool to support student teachers’ intentional teaching practices. They also examine how cultural, family/whānau and community contexts frame children’s social and emotional wellbeing, teachers’ pedagogy and the development of local curriculum, including for children with additional learning needs. The course includes a six-week teaching experience with a particular focus on student teachers working collaboratively with members of the teaching team, children, parents and whānau to enact local curriculum consistent with Mātauranga a iwi.
20 pts • (P) TCHG220 (C) TCHG 223, TCHG 225 (X) TCHG216
TCHG 225 – Tātaimarau 4: Ngā Toi—Exploring modes of creativity and expression
In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching oral and written literacy, dance and movement, music, drama and visual arts relevant to the diverse life-worlds of infants, toddlers and young children. They intentionally draw on pedagogical practices to enhance infants, toddlers and young children’s creativity, expression, experimentation, thinking and problem-solving as they relate to these learning areas. They consider the social, cultural, and sustainability values that underpin their teaching, professional behaviours and assessment practices in these domains. Student teachers also learn domain specific vocabulary in te reo Māori and other languages.
20 pts • (P) TCHG105 (X) TCHG211
TCHG 231 – Literacy
This course considers literacy as described in the Ministry of Education teacher support materials. In particular it focuses on the process of reading and approaches to teaching reading in the primary school. Texts relevant to all levels of the primary school will be examined. The course also introduces the writing process. Methods of assessment and planning to meet students' diverse needs and abilities in reading and writing will be explored. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 102; (X) EPOL 231
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 232 – Numeracy
This course introduces student teachers to planning and teaching mathematics and statistics to diverse groups of students. It emphasises building a personal understanding of the mathematical content in Levels 1 to 5 of the New Zealand Curriculum (especially numeracy) and research-based pedagogy known to be effective for all learners. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 102; (X) EPOL 232
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 233 – Teaching Science
This course introduces students to the science learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) for levels 1-5. It examines aims and purposes for primary science education and discusses curriculum and pedagogical content knowledge and teaching approaches relevant to primary science education in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 233
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 235 – Music Curriculum Study 1
This course is for both specialist secondary/intermediate Music and generalist-primary teachers. It focuses on teaching music in Years 5-10. Contemporary pedagogies and assessment practices in music teaching are examined, including planning and resource development. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 251
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 236 – Performing Arts Curriculum Study 1
This course develops appropriate curriculum and pedagogical content knowledge for planning teaching and assessing dance and drama in Years 7-10. The course will develop students' abilities to make evidence based decisions that will inform planning and teaching through practical and theoretical exploration of key concepts, skills and competencies. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 252
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 237 – Visual Arts Curriculum Study 1
This course will develop student teachers' knowledge of Visual Arts. It will contribute to their ability to deliver well-planned and resourced lessons and units of work appropriate to The Visual Arts in the NZ Curriculum 2000 document, with a particular focus on Years 7-10. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (X) EPOL 253
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 307 – Marautanga Maori o Aotearoa
This course further develops student teachers' understanding of the Marautanga Maori. Note: The course is available only to students enrolled for the Bachelor of Teaching and majoring in Te Reo Maori or Maori Studies with the BA, and other students enrolled for the Bachelor of Teaching who are assessed as having equivalent fluency in Te Reo Maori. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 203, MAOR 311 or equivalent with permission of Programme Director; (X) KURA 371
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 308 – Te Reo Māori 5: Kia Ora
An advanced course in te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. As student teachers progress through this course, they become increasingly more aware of, and able to compare and contrast language use in, a widening range of domains, demonstrating communicative competence, enhancing their capacity to promote children’s thinking, learning and expression in and through te reo Māori in increasingly more challenging contexts.
20 pts • (P) TCHG223 (X) TCHG368;
TCHG 309 – Ako 5: Te Aro—Professional and inquiry-based ECCE practice
In this course, student teachers critically examine constructs of professionalism, including ethical practice and developing professional relationships with parents and whānau, hapū, iwi, other professionals and community organisations. Student teachers engage with what it means to be an effective member of a teaching team and a professional learning community. They identify and prepare a small-scale teaching inquiry to be undertaken in TCHG383 that includes attention to kaupapa Māori and Indigenous research and pedagogies.
20 pts • (P) TCHG224 (X) TCHG362;
TCHG 310 – Teachers as Lifelong Learners
This course focuses on promoting the development of reflective teaching for student teachers of English to speakers of other languages (ESOL). Student teachers will be encouraged to contextualise ideas and approaches to teaching contexts in Malaysia and consider their role as lifelong learners.
20 pts • (P) EPSY 235, TCHG 210; (X) EPSY 320
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 315 – Akopai: Professional Practice 1
In this course, student teachers are introduced to Te Waharoa as the programme’s vision for Te Tiriti-led transformative education and to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Code and Standards as the expectations for the teaching profession. They are introduced to a range of language learning strategies to support their development of proficiency in te reo Māori. During the teaching experience located in this course, they explore and apply models and frameworks for critical situational analysis of teaching and learning contexts and develop adaptive expertise as developing teachers. Corequisite are programme dependent: For GDipTchg(ECE) TCHG 317, 318 For GDipTchg (Primary) TCHG 325, 326 For GDipTchg (Secondary) two of (TCHG 329, 332, 335)
15 pts
TCHG 316 – Akopai: Professional Practice 2
Through the perspective of tangata Tiriti, student teachers develop an understanding of their professional responsibilities to education for Pacific peoples. They refine their practice during teaching experience as they develop their independence, adaptive expertise and ability to cope with increasing complexity in learning and teaching situations. They also consider their ongoing professional commitments and roles as advocates in light of Te Waharoa and the Teaching Council of Aotearoa’s Code and Standards. Prerequisites and Corequisites are programme dependent: For GDipTchg (ECE) P TCHG 315; C TCHG 225, 387, 388 For GDipTchg (Primary) P TCHG 315; C TCHG 327 or 328 For GDip Tchg (Secondary) P TCHG 315; 329 or 332; C TCHG 333, 334 or 381
15 pts
TCHG 317 – Ako: Relational curriculum
In this course, student teachers critically examine notions of curriculum, play and pedagogical practices in early childhood education settings along with theories of learning and development and principles of educational observation and how these relate to teaching and learning. Student teachers build understandings of Mātauranga Iwi in relation to curriculum, pedagogy and play, to conceptualise and contribute to learning focused cultures within early childhood education learning and teaching contexts. They demonstrate comprehension of design for learning as they intentionally enact and articulate their use of relational and culturally sustaining pedagogies in their teaching practice.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, 318
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 318 – Te Puna o te Kī: Exploring the 100 languages of Children
In this course, student teachers critically examine how infants, toddlers and young children make meaning and begin to represent their understandings of their world through engagement in visual art, literature, language, literacy, music, movement, dance and drama. Infants, toddlers and young children’s exploration of their cultures, identities and languages, and teachers’ responsibilities in affirming and supporting such exploration, are key considerations in the course. Student teachers consider how to enhance infants, toddlers and young children’s creativity, experimentation and problem-solving across multiple modalities and, for children aged two years and older, in the digital learning environment.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, 317
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 319 – Te Ao Tūroa: Exploring and knowing the world
In this course, student teachers critically examine effective practices for teaching mathematics, sciences and technology to infants, toddlers and young children. They intentionally draw on pedagogical practices to enhance infants, toddlers and young children’s experimentation, thinking and problem-solving in these learning areas. They critically reflect on their professional relationships with children and whānau, with a focus on Pacific learners in relation to these learning areas. They consider the social, cultural and sustainability values that underpin these learning areas and their teaching and assessment practices.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315 (C) TCHG 316, 324
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 324 – Te Puna o te Hau: Understanding assessment
In this course, student teachers critically examine the use of educational assessment to enhance infants’, toddlers’ and young children’s wellbeing and learning in early childhood care and education settings including those children with additional learning needs. They demonstrate increasing confidence in working with parents and whānau and in drawing on research, theory and assessment information to support infants’, toddlers’ and young children’s successful transition into and within early childhood settings and to school.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315 (C) TCHG 316, 319
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 325 – Te Kahu o te Ao: Primary learning design 1
In this course, student teachers critically examine the nature and purposes of Mathematics and two additional learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum. Student teachers explore relational practices, human development and theories of learning as they establish learning-focussed cultures for curriculum learning and teaching. They contextualise Mātauranga-a-iwi within these learning areas. Through the enactment of learning and teaching plans, they demonstrate their understanding of design for learning.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, 326
TCHG 326 – Te Kahu o te Ao: Primary learning design 2
In this course, student teachers critically examine the nature and purposes of English and two additional curriculum areas not studied in TCHG 325. They explore relational practices, human development and theories of learning as they establish learning-focussed cultures for curriculum learning and teaching. Student teachers learn how to utilise digital learning environments as they relate to these learning areas. Through the enactment of learning and teaching plans, they demonstrate their understanding of design for learning.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, 325
TCHG 327 – Te Kahu o te Ao: Primary learning design 3
In this course, student teachers critically examine the nature and purposes of three learning areas not studied in TCHG 325 and 326 and continue their study of Mathematics. They contextualise principles and practices of inclusive education within these learning areas, with a particular focus on students with additional learning needs With a continued focus of design for learning, student teachers deepen their understanding of assessment practices. They draw on their teaching experiences to compare learning environments and critically reflect on professional relationships, including as they relate to curriculum learning and teaching.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315 (C) TCHG 316, 328
TCHG 328 – Te Kahu o te Ao: Primary learning design 4
In this course, student teachers critically examine the nature and purposes of three learning areas not studied in TCHG 325, 326 and 327 and continue their study of English. They contextualise education for Pacific peoples within these learning areas and explore the contribution of these learning areas to addressing wider social and environmental issues. With a continued focus of design for for learning, student teachers deepen their understanding of assessment practices. They critically reflect on professional relationships, including as they relate to curriculum learning and teaching.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315 (C) TCHG 316, 327
TCHG 329 – Te Puna Whakaako: Secondary Learning Design - Mātauranga-a-iwi
In this course, student teachers critically examine the nature and purposes of a specialist teaching subject. They contextualise Mātauranga-a-iwi within the specialist subject area. They explore relational practices, human development and theories of learning as they establish learning-focussed cultures for curriculum learning and teaching. Through the enactment of learning and teaching plans, they demonstrate their understanding of design for learning.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, and one of (TCHG 332 and 335)
TCHG 332 – Te Puna Matahiko: Secondary Learning Design - Digital Age Education
In this course, student teachers critically examine the nature and purposes of a specialist teaching subject. Student teachers develop professional digital competence related to their teaching practice. They also explore relational practices, human development and theories of learning as they establish learning-focussed cultures for curriculum learning and teaching. Through the enactment of learning and teaching plans, they demonstrate their understanding of design for learning.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, and one of (TCHG 329 and 335)
TCHG 333 – Te Puna Whai Wāhi ki te Ao: Secondary Learning Design - Inclusive Education
In this course, student teachers deepen their critical examination of the nature and purposes of a specialist teaching subject. They contextualise principles and practices of inclusive education within the learning area, with a focus on students with additional learning needs. With a continued focus of design for learning, student teachers deepen their understanding of assessment assessment practices. They critically reflect on professional relationships, including as they relate to curriculum learning and teaching.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315, 329
TCHG 334 – Te Puna Tagata Pasifika: Secondary Learning Design Pacific Learners
In this course, student teachers deepen their critical examination of the nature and purposes of a specialist teaching subject. They contextualise education for Pacific peoples within the teaching subject and explore the contribution of the subject to addressing wider social and environmental issues. With a continued focus of design for learning, student teachers deepen their understanding of assessment practices. They critically reflect on professional relationships, including as they relate to curriculum learning and teaching.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315, 332 (C) TCHG 316, and one of (TCHG 333 and 381)
TCHG 335 – Te Puna Aronui: Exploring Teaching Dynamics with a Digital Age Education Focus
In this course student teachers focus on current challenges facing the teaching profession. They also explore relational practices, human development and theories of learning as they establish learning-focussed cultures for curriculum learning and teaching. Student teachers develop professional digital competence as related to their teaching practice. Through the enactment of learning and teaching plans, they demonstrate their understanding of design for learning.
30 pts • (C) TCHG 315, and one of (TCHG 329 and 332)
TCHG 379 – Technology Curriculum Study
This course will further develop student teachers' knowledge of technology and technology education including planning and delivering well-resourced units of work through the application of the 'Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum' document. Student teachers will develop confidence in a range of technological areas. Planning and assessment in the senior school is a particular focus. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 133 and an approved 200-level course in a relevant subject area; (X) EPOL 368
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 380 – Visual Arts Curriculum Study 2
This course will further develop student teachers' knowledge of visual arts education including planning and delivering well-resourced units of work through the application of the Visual Arts in the NZ Curriculum 2000 document. Student teachers will develop confidence in a range of Visual Arts areas. Planning and assessment in the senior school is a particular focus. This course can only be undertaken as part of a specific teacher teacher education programme.
15 pts • (P) TCHG 237 and an approved 200-level course in a relevant subject area; (X) EPOL 369
Not offered in 2025
TCHG 381 – Te Puna Horopaki: Exploring Teaching Dynamics with a Pacific Learners Focus
In this course student teachers research a current challenge facing the teaching profession. They contextualise education for Pacific peoples within their teaching subject. They explore the contribution of the subject to addressing wider social and environmental issues and, with a continued focus of design for learning, student teachers deepen their understanding of assessment practices. They critically reflect on professional relationships, including as they relate to curriculum learning and teaching.
30 pts • (P) TCHG 315, 335 (C) TCHG 316
TCHG 382 – Tātaimarau 5: Tuituiā – Integrating the Arts and Sciences
This course focuses on the design of programme and learning environments to promote social, cultural and linguistic inclusivity and environmental sustainability. Student teachers consider (a) relationships to Papatūānuku and the physical environment and (b) belonging and contribution to communities and societies (including global citizenship) as core curriculum considerations. They critique STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths) education in relation to societal issues, power and exclusivity.
20 pts • (P) TCHG 222, 225
TCHG 383 – Ako me Te Reo Māori 6: Ki te Wheiao – Bringing it all together
Building on preparatory work in TCHG 309, student teachers undertake inquiry-based teaching practice and demonstrate they can work with complex theoretical constructs and in contextually attuned ways. In a component of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Ki te Wheiao, student teachers become familiar with more complex language structures and text types and use their growing corpus of language for working in early childhood care and education settings. Eight weeks of teaching experience requires student teachers to demonstrate they can assess, plan and engage with groups of children, considering their role as kaiako, the environment and the diverse life-worlds of children and their whānau.
20 pts • (P) TCHG 308, 309; (C) TCHG 384 (X) TCHG 365;
TCHG 384 – Tātaimarau 6: Kia Kōkiri – Empowering creativity
This course focuses on teachers as a creative being within collaborative relationships - with other teachers, infants, toddlers and young children, whānau, iwi, hapū and expert others. Student teachers draw on skills and practices developed over the previous two years and explore nuanced and skilful strategies, specifically with digital technologies, for self-expression within communities. The course addresses issues of perfectionism and creative-shame, advanced problem-solving, diverse notions of creativity, the sustainability of creative practices and courage for out-of-the-box thinking.
20 pts • (P) TCHG 225
TCHG 385 – Kia Ako: Approaches to Early Childhood curriculum, assessment, and planning
n this course, student teachers will be introduced to Te Whāriki and examine theories and practices for curriculum, assessment, and planning. hey will use multiple approaches and tools to gather information and reflect on children’s diverse ways of being, knowing, doing, and relating, to plan for individual children. Student teachers examine how interpersonal, temporal, and material environments influence children's curriculum experiences and engagement. Attention is paid to culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogical practices that support kaiako/teachers' attunement to children and their whānau, hapū and iwi.
20 pts • (P) Enrolment in the GDipTchg (ECE); (X) TCHG 220
TCHG 386 – Kia Tika – Being a Kaiako with Infants, Toddlers and their Whānau
This course supports student teachers to work effectively with infants, toddlers and their whānau in culturally and linguistically responsive ways, using different philosophical and pedagogical approaches, including indigenous Māori and Pacific constructs such as tuakana-teina, manaakitanga, and inati, pakiwaitara and oriori. Student teachers reflect critically on their own identity and culture/s and how these impact on their role as kaiako supporting children’s wellbeing. The interpersonal, temporal, and material environment in relation to play-based/tākaro curriculum experiences and pedagogy with the youngest children is addressed and critiqued. The course incorporates te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Kia Tika for working with pēpi.
20 pts • (P) Enrolment in the GDipTchg (ECE); (X) TCHG 221
TCHG 387 – Kia Māori—Inclusive Teaching in Diverse Communities
In this course, student teachers explore specificities and commonalities across cultural communities. They develop a nuanced and critical understanding of their responsibilities, and pedagogical strategies, with regard to delivering programmes that are inclusive of and responsive to a wide range of social, cultural and linguistic diversities. This course incorporates a component of te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Kia Māori.
20 pts • (P) Enrolment in the GDipTchg (ECE); (X) TCHG 223
TCHG 388 – Kia Mataara—Intentional Pedagogies in Local Contexts
In this course, student teachers examine how intentional pedagogical practices can support young children's social and emotional growth, competence, and sense of belonging and wellbeing. This course uses video to student teachers' intentional teaching practices. They also examine how cultural, family/whānau and community contexts frame children's social and emotional wellbeing, teachers' pedagogy and the development of local curriculum, including for children with additional learning needs.
20 pts • (P) Enrolment in the GDipTchg (ECE); (X) TCHG 224
Technology
TECH 401 – Research Project
A research project on a topic approved by the Director of Studies. The Bachelor of Science and Technology is not open to new students from 2011.
30 pts
Not offered in 2025
TECH 410 – Work Placement
A period equivalent to 10 weeks of full-time work in an appropriate industry or on an approved industrial project.
0 pts
Not offered in 2025
TECH 411 – Materials and Technology A
Selected topics in various aspects of materials, characterisation and applications in technology. The Bachelor of Science and Technology is not open to new students from 2011.
15 pts • (P) 30 300-level PHYS/CHEM pts
Not offered in 2025
TECH 412 – Materials and Technology B
Selected topics in various aspects of materials, characterisation and applications in technology. The Bachelor of Science and Technology is not open to new students from 2011.
15 pts • (P) As for TECH 411
Not offered in 2025
Text Technologies
TXTT 201 – Print, Communication and Culture
An introduction to the history of books, print and textual transmission in western, eastern, and indigenous cultures. Topics include book design and technological change, readers and reading spaces, censorship and oppression, packaging and advertising, and the reinvention of the book in the digital age. This course includes two distinctive dimensions: an overview of print culture in Aotearoa/New Zealand, including its relationship to Maori oral culture and the influence of the book on Pacific peoples; and hands-on experience in the letterpress printing laboratory at Wai-te-ata Press.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts
Not offered in 2025
Theatre
THEA 101 – Te Whakaaturanga Mataora – The Live Act
What if it was all just an act? This course 'sets the stage' for examining the phenomenon of live performance. We will rethink the historical roots of performance throughout the globe, engage with new ways of understanding old texts, and experience performance through practical activities and assessment. Weaving critical learning with creative skills, this course will introduce you to the kaupapa of theatrical practices.
20 pts
tut tba
THEA 113 – Ngā Kaiwhakaari - Playing for Real (Acting and Performance Skills)
This course introduces key performance skills which provide foundations for various acting methods, and transfer to other contexts, such as public-speaking. Skills developed include: vocal technique, text analysis and delivery, openness to fellow players and ensemble, working an audience, impulse and improvisation, working with props, costumes and staging configurations.
20 pts
ENGL 208 – Shakespeare
A study of a group of plays by Shakespeare (and his contemporaries), focusing particularly on their treatment of gender difference and gender ambiguity. The plays will be approached both as literary texts and as scripts for stage performance and film adaptation. This course is also able to be taken towards a major in THEA.
20 pts • (P) 20 100-level ENGL pts and 20 further pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) THEA 208
Not offered in 2025
THEA 203 – Te hau o te Whakaaturanga – Devised Performance
Performance is Everywhere! This course explores the performative possibilities which occur in everyday life- throughout time and across the globe – as inspiration for the crafting of original devised performances. You will gain opportunities to create multi-disciplinary performance projects, to engage with performance practices across a range of fields and cultural contexts, and to develop and hone skills as creative practitioners.
20 pts • (P) THEA 101 or THEA 113
w/shop tba
THEA 204 – Tuhinga Whakaari – Performing Texts
Why do we continue to perform plays from different time periods? What is gained by retelling these stories within our own contemporary moment? This course aims to provide you with skills essential to performing playtexts including a consideration of socio-cultural context, a deep engagement with the text, and an awareness of how they have been staged throughout history. The course includes practical exploration and workshop performances informed by theatre history to better understand how and why these playtexts continue to be performed today.
20 pts • (P) THEA 101 or 113
w/shop tba
THEA 205 – Dramaturgies of the West
This course explores the development, theory, and practice of Western dramaturgy from Romanticism to the present. Dramaturgy is the study of how meaning is generated in drama and performance. Students will learn and practice a suite of analytic and synthetic skills associated with Western and text-based dramaturgy, and conduct performance-based research on selected plays. The course aims to a) develop familiarity with from the canons of modern and post-modern drama; b) equip students with knowledge and skills of dramaturgy; and c) provide students with a critical understanding of and practical experience in dramaturgical work. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ENGL 341, THEA 305
Not offered in 2025
THEA 206 – Dramaturgies of the World: Gender and Sexualities in Performance
This course explores how gender and sexualities are represented in global performance through the theory and practice of dramaturgy. Dramaturgy is the study of how meaning is generated in drama and performance. The heart of the course exposes students to the varied labours of dramaturgy, via a study of selected performance texts and a series of corresponding articles about dramaturgy. This course aims to a) broaden students' exposure to literature concerning gender and sexualities in performance; b) deepen students' engagement with differing conventions of the representation of gender and sexuality on stage, and the philosophical underpinnings of those conventions; c) provide students with a critical understanding of and practical experience in dramaturgical work. Co-taught with THEA 306.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) ENGL 242, ENGL 342, THEA 306
Not offered in 2025
THEA 210 – Scenography: Introduction to Theatre Technologies and Performance Design
In this course you will explore theoretical and practical elements of scenography and stagecraft necessary in mounting theatrical productions, with practical training in designing sets, lighting and costumes for the stage. You will gain an understanding of the disciplines of performance design, technical production roles, and theatre technologies.
20 pts • (P) THEA 101 or 113 or 75 points from DSDN 101-172
THEA 211 – From Whare Tapere to the Globe: Theatre of Aotearoa/New Zealand
A study of the diverse theatrical practices of theatre in Aotearoa New Zealand from the pre-colonial era to the present. There will be a core focus on how on how cultural identities have been formed and expressed through performance and playwriting. The course focuses on work from tangata whenua, diasporic and settler cultures across a variety of genres; from realist to devised, dance drama and street theatre.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA schedule; (X) THEA 315
Not offered in 2025
THEA 214 – Devising Laboratory
This course explores devising processes in a laboratory setting, focusing on experimentation, testing of ideas, and applying theory to practical performance work. Students will learn and apply different methods of devising theatre through presentations, in-class activities, discussion, research and collaboration. This learning will culminate in the presentation of original short form devised performances. Co-taught with THEA 314.
20 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204; (X) THEA 221 in 2017-2019, THEA 314; THEA 320 in 2017-2019
Not offered in 2025
THEA 221 – Special Topic: Whakaari me te Whakaata: Advanced Performance for Stage and Screen
Are you ready for your close-up? This course allows you to advance and extend acting skills both for stage and for screen across a range of mediums. You will learn the different requirements of stage and screen acting, and complete practical exercises. Lectures will cover various theories of stage and screen acting, while workshops will put these theories into practice.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA or FILM pts; (X) THEA 320 in 2024
studio tba
THEA 301 – Company
A practice-based study of the creative and critical aspects of theatre production leading to performance of a full-length play. The class will form an ensemble, with an emphasis on critical contexts, performance skills, production roles, text analysis and stage dynamics. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) THEA 203 or THEA 204
tut tba
^ Limited entry course
THEA 302 – Conventions of Drama and Theatre
A critical and practical study of a particular historical period, national drama, or theatrical genre, and of the transformation of dramatic script into public theatrical performance. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204
Not offered in 2025
THEA 303 – Composition, Production, Performance
Imagine if you could wear multiple ‘hats’ on a creative project? In this course, you can play out your triple-threat dreams: for real. Using adaptive methodologies, you will work (and play) alongside a group of peers to create and perform original short-form, multi-disciplinary performance works for public presentation. You will gain opportunities to hone leadership skills within assigned production and performance roles as well as developing advanced methods in practice research. Please note that this is a 30-point course, so has a significant workload commitment.
30 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204; (X) THEA 320 in 2025
THEA 304 – Directing
A practical study of fundamentals of theatre directing, with particular emphasis given to script analysis and working with actors. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204
Not offered in 2025
THEA 305 – Dramaturgies of the West
This course explores the development, theory, and practice of Western dramaturgy from Romanticism to the present. Dramaturgy is the study of how meaning is generated in drama and performance. Students will learn and practice a suite of analytic and synthetic skills associated with Western and text-based dramaturgy, and conduct performance-based research on selected plays. The course aims to a) develop familiarity with from the canons of modern and pot-modern drama; b) equip students with knowledge and skills of dramaturgy; and c) provide students with a critical understanding of and practical experience in dramaturgical work. Co-taught with THEA 205. 100% internal assessment.
20 pts • (P) 40 pts from THEA 201-299; (X) ENGL 241, THEA 205.
Not offered in 2025
THEA 306 – Dramaturgies of the World: Gender and Sexualities in Performance
This course explores how gender and sexualities are represented in global performance through the theory and practice of dramaturgy. Dramaturgy is the study of how meaning is generated in drama and performance. The heart of the course exposes students to the varied labours of dramaturgy, via a study of selected performance texts and a series of corresponding articles about dramaturgy. This course aims to a) broaden students' exposure to literature concerning gender and sexualities in performance; b) deepen students' engagement with differing conventions of the representation of gender and sexuality on stage, and the philosophical underpinnings of those conventions; c) provide students with a critical understanding of and practical experience in dramaturgical work. Co-taught with THEA 206.
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from THEA 201–299 or ENGL 201-299; (X) ENGL 242, 342, THEA 206
Not offered in 2025
THEA 307 – Physical Theatre Methodologies
A critical and practical study of influential approaches to actor training in several cultural styles of performance. Classes will consist of examination of historical/theoretical bases for each approach to actor training, and practical workshops, leading to application of these techniques to the production of playtexts. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204
Not offered in 2025
THEA 308 – Scenography in Production
A practice-based study into the creative and critical theatre design processes involved in the mounting of a full-length theatrical production. Students will oversee a particular design role from conceptualisation through to realised and performed scenographic vision. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
30 pts • (P) One of THEA 203, THEA 204, THEA 210
^ Limited entry course
THEA 311 – Collaborative Production
A critical and practical study of the process of collaborative production work in theatre, leading to the creation and presentation of collaboratively-developed work.
30 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204
Not offered in 2025
THEA 313 – Shakespeare on Film
A critical study of filmed and televised Shakespearean drama.
20 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204
Not offered in 2025
THEA 314 – Directing Devised Performance
This course explores advanced devising processes in a laboratory setting, focusing on leadership through experimentation, testing of ideas, and applying theory to the directing of practical performance work. Students will learn and apply different methods of directing devising theatre through presentations, in-class activities, discussion, research and collaboration. This learning will culminate in the presentation of original short form devised performances directed by students in the 300-level cohort. Co-taught with THEA 214.
20 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204, 20 further pts from THEA 201-299; (X) THEA 214; THEA 221 in 2017-2019, THEA 320 in 2017-2019;
Not offered in 2025
THEA 315 – From Whare Tapere to the Globe: Theatre of Aotearoa New Zealand
A study of the diverse theatrical practices of theatre in Aotearoa New Zealand from the pre-colonial era to the present. There will be a core focus on how cultural identities have been formed and expressed through performance and playwriting. The course focuses on work from tangata whenua, diasporic and settler cultures across a variety of genres; from realist to devised, dance drama and street theatre.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) THEA 211, THEA 321 (2014 - 2020) ;
Not offered in 2025
THEA 316 – Playwriting
This course provides grounding in dramaturgical principles and approaches to the reading and writing of scripts for theatre. Students will demonstrate advanced skills in dramatic structure and explore strategies for development of action, idea, stage directions, and scenographic potential. This practical study of the craft of playwriting leads to the creation of a play. Please note that in order to be considered for this limited entry course, your enrolment application must be submitted by 1 December in the year prior to enrolment.
20 pts • (P) 20 THEA pts or 40 pts from Part A of the BA Schedule; (X) THEA 322 (2010 – 2019)
Not offered in 2025
THEA 320 – Special Topic: Re:Writing Performance
Are you a fan of fanfiction? In this course, you will craft a creative short-form script for performance using adaptive methodologies. Taking inspiration from an existing story, you will explore the ethics and practices of multi-disciplinary adaptation through developing your own original ‘revision’. This course will be taught alongside THEA 303, but focus on crafting an independent writing project rather than collaborative performance pieces.
20 pts • (P) THEA 203 or 204; (X) THEA 303 in 2025
THEA 321 – Special Topic: Theatre for Change
In this course we investigate the potential of theatre and performance to act as a force for activism and social change. How can theatre respond to urgent global issues including the climate crisis, population health and wellbeing, structural racism, inequality and oppression? We will critically and practically explore approaches to applied theatre and social practice performance, collaborate with professional theatre makers on a project in development, and devise our own activist performance. Can theatre (still) change the world?
20 pts • (P) 20 pts from THEA 201–299
studio tba
Tourism Management
TOUR 101 – Tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand
How do we balance the economic, social, and environmental aspects of tourism for the benefit of Aotearoa New Zealand? This introduction to tourism course explores the complex and fragmented structure of the tourism industry from demand and supply perspectives. We’ll adopt a stakeholder perspective to consider who is involved in tourism and why, such as the private sector, government, destination communities and the role that Māori, including iwi and hapū, play within Aotearoa's context. Guest speakers from key stakeholders will provide insight into current challenges and opportunities for tourism in New Zealand.
15 pts
tut tba
TOUR 202 – Tourism Organisations
How does the tourism industry and its businesses and organisations operate, and why is tourism different to other sectors? This course explores different components of running a tourism business, starting with strategic planning, product development, managing the tourism workforce, pricing and revenue management, preparing for risk and crises, and utilising data for decision-making are some of the topics that will be explored, drawing upon real-life examples from Aotearoa New Zealand and globally. This course will provide you with in-depth insight into the complexities of tourism organisations and their influencing factors.
15 pts • (P) 30 points from the BCom Schedule; (X) TOUR 240
TOUR 203 – Sustainable Destination Management
Sustainability and climate change pose significant challenges for tourism destinations in developed and developing countries. This course critically examines the positive and negative impacts of tourism on destinations as well as tourism’s relationship with climate change as both a consequence and contributor. The concept of Sustainable Tourism will be explored and applied to mitigate the costs and enhance the benefits of tourism-related impacts on the environment, society, and economy.
15 pts • (P) 30 points; (X) TOUR 250
MGMT 302 – Consultancy Project
Put your management knowledge into practice by partnering with a business or organisation to tackle a real-life business challenge. Guided by a problem-based learning approach, you’ll collaborate as consultants to investigate an applied problem, develop solutions, and recommend further action. The course includes workshops to develop your consultancy, teamwork, presentation, and report writing skills, and with opportunities for reflection and feedback, you’ll enhance your career opportunities.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points (X) TOUR 302
MGMT 303 – Event Management
Events offer economic, social, and environmental opportunities and challenges for the organisations and communities that host and manage them. You will explore sustainability and green events, how to influence the behaviour of event attendees, and why it’s important to create lasting legacies from hosting mega events. Examples include international music festivals, sporting world cups, and cultural events like Te Matatini and the Pasifika Festival. The course includes collaboration with an event on real-world management challenges like recruiting sponsors and volunteers, and and you’ll get insight into working in the events sector.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points; (X) TOUR 303
MGMT 305 – Experience Design
This course provides a theoretical and practical understanding of experiences within areas such as commerce, businesses, and tourism. Drawing upon design thinking, customer journey mapping, and experiences' embeddedness within social and cultural fabrics, operational and managerial implications for designing experience are also learnt.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points
Not offered in 2025
TOUR 307 – Building Tourism Resilience
Tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally is acutely sensitive to the impact of crises and disasters. course students will examine different types of crises impacting tourism and learn about effective and sustainable strategies for managing crises and building resilient tourism futures. In doing so we will examine the critical role of stakeholders in crisis management and resilience building, including tourists, mana whenua, governments, local communities, private and third sector organisations.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level BCom points
TOUR 315 – Sustainable Tourism Study Tour
This limited access course evaluates sustainable tourism management at the destination level and includes seven days of field study within New Zealand. Prior to going 'into the field' key tourism management concepts are discussed in campus-based seminars. Once at the destination students will investigate the realities and complexities of sustainable tourism management.
15 pts • (P) TOUR 203 and permission of Programme Director
Not offered in 2025
TOUR 320 – Tourism Practicum
The course enables students to develop a range of professional abilities through work-integrated learning. Students apply tourism theories and concepts to real-life situations and gain an understanding of industry operations and managerial decision-making via 75 hours of practical work experience in a tourism or hospitality workplace. Workshops and seminars are the basis of developing a professional portfolio.
15 pts • (P) 30 200-level TOUR pts
Not offered in 2025
TOUR 350 – Directed Individual Study
Approved directed individual study.
15 pts
Writing (Academic and Professional)
See also Creative Writing
WRIT 101 – Writing at University
This course develops the academic writing skills of students from all university disciplines. You will practise techniques for generating research questions and for drafting and revising essays and reports, based on individual feedback from tutor and peers, prior to assessment. Research and referencing abilities are taught to help writers meet the expectations of university audiences.
20 pts
tut tba
WRIT 151 – Writing in English as a Second Language
This course is designed to improve the writing of students for whom English is a second or other language. During the course, students practise techniques for generating, drafting and revising writing for a range of purposes, with an emphasis on addressing problems faced by second language writers.
20 pts • (X) WRIT 101
tut tba
WRIT 202 – Writing at Work
This course focuses on the knowledge needed to produce effective documents in business and government. Employers seek and reward effective writers, and WRIT 202 develops abilities in professional writing genres that include investigative reports, proposals, and workplace communication analyses.
20 pts • (P) 65 points
WRIT 203 – Writing for Media
This course focuses on how to produce creative nonfiction publications: personal essay, personality profile, review, commentary, and investigative or feature article. Students are introduced to research and interview procedures, composition techniques - including those characteristic of creative nonfiction - and responding to their own and others' texts.
20 pts • (P) 65 pts
WRIT 301 – Postgraduate Research Writing
The course teaches senior undergraduates to analyse and practise the kinds of writing and reading required at postgraduate levels in their respective disciplines. There will be an emphasis on understanding the rhetorical structure of research proposals and theses. Students’ competence in the key academic operations of summary, paraphrase, synthesis, and citation will be further developed. Co-taught with WRIT 401.
20 pts • (P) 240 points; (X) WRIT 401