Postgraduate Study
Introduction
The School of History, Philosophy and Classics has a very distinguished group of alumni, who have completed higher degrees. The list of theses they have written is impressive. We welcome new students every year at our Palmerston North campus and a growing number of students at distance. Postgraduate study is available in the following programmes History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies.
Students considering postgraduate study will find basic information on this page. Further information can be obtained from the School's Graduate Studies Co-ordinator, Dr Geoff Watson. His contact details are listed below. Please note that enrolment in Postgraduate Study requires the approval of the School you are required to discuss your plans with Dr Watson before enrolling.
Dr Geoff Watson
Graduate Studies Co-ordinator
School of History, Philosophy and Classics, PN242
Private Bag 11 222
Massey University
Palmerston North
Tel: +64 (06) 356 9099 extn 7820
Fax: +64 (06) 350 5662
E-mail: G.Watson@massey.ac.nz
Guide to Postgraduate Research
Research is a central part of the postgraduate experience. The School's Guide to Postgraduate Research provides detail on the process of finding a research topic and the timetable for the year. 
Postgrad Reimbursement form1.pdf (125 KB)
HISTORY
One of the most important features of postgraduate study in history is the opportunity to undertake research and present its results in an extended form. For most students this is the first time that they actually 'make' some history themselves, rather than simply rework what other historians have written. Students thus operate at the very frontiers of historical knowledge. Apart from making a contribution to understanding some aspects of the past and its construction, postgraduate research provides vital training in the most fundamental and sought-after intellectual skills; namely, finding and compiling information, interpreting it, and presenting it in a professional report.
The following programmes are available in 2012.
History:
Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons)
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts)
Master of Arts (MA)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
BA (HONOURS)/FIRST YEAR MA
The History Programme has adopted the basic philosophy that the BA (Hons)/first year MA should provide students with a different experience from their undergraduate studies. In other words, doing history at this level is not just more of the same, i.e. studying another country, another period, or another theme. The different experience offered has two related aspects - students study the more recent thinking on historical methodology and on the nature of history/historiography, and they get to put some of this into practice by writing history themselves. The programme consists of two compulsory papers: 148.720: Advanced Historiography, and 148.730: Advanced Historical Methodology, and a 15,000 word Research Exercise based on primary sources (148.799).
The following specific papers are offered in 2012
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Advanced Historiography |
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Advanced Historical Methodology |
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Research Report |
MASTERS
The Masters thesis (MA or MPhil) is a substantial exercise in original historical research on a topic of a student's choice. The School provides supervision and resource support.
Part-time students should enrol in 148.816 Thesis (Part I) double semester in their first year and in 148.817 Thesis (Part II) double semester in subsequent years until examination is completed.
Full-time students should enrol in 148.899, or if beginning in Semester Two 148.816 Thesis (Part I) Semester Two and then 148.817 (Part II) in Semester One the following year.
For full details, intending students should consult the Guide to Postgraduate Research from the School of History, Philosophy and Classics as early as possible before their enrolment.
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1202 |
Thesis (Part I) |
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1212 |
Thesis (Part I) |
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1201 |
Thesis (Part II) |
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1212 |
Thesis (Part II) |
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1212 |
Masters Thesis |
DOCTORAL STUDY
History at Massey has an active PhD programme. Intending candidates should discuss their proposals with staff and should seek approval from the History Programme Co-ordinator through whom application for registration is made. The regulations and administrative requirements for PhD study are operated at a University rather than School level. Intending candidates should obtain a copy of A Brief Introduction to Doctoral Study and Handbook for Doctoral Study either from the Registry or the School of History, Philosophy and Classics.
PHILOSOPHY
Graduate study in Philosophy requires intense intellectual effort. Students read and discuss advanced philosophy, and they learn how to develop their own, extended philosophical arguments. This means that they are operating at the cutting edge of philosophy.
The following programmes are available in 2012.
Philosophy:
Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons)
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts)
Master of Arts (MA)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
BA (Honous) / First year MA
The aim of the BA (Hons) / first year MA programme in Philosophy is to encourage students to lift their philosophical thinking to a new level. By the end of the year, students should find that their capacity to read, understand, criticise and develop philosophical arguments has become significantly greater, and they will be on the way to becoming independent thinkers in Philosophy. The programme consists in two papers, 134.740: Advanced Study of Philosophical Topics and 134.750: Advanced Study of Philosophical Texts and a 15,000 word Research Exercise (134.799).
The following papers are offered in 2012
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Advanced Philosophical Topics |
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Advanced Philosophical Texts |
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Research Essay |
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Research Report |
The Masters Thesis (MA or MPhil) is a substantial exercise in original philosophical research on a topic of a student's choice. The School provides supervision and resource support.
Part-time students should enrol in 134.816 Thesis (Part I) double semester in their first year and in 134.817 Thesis (Part II) double semester in subsequent years until examination is completed.
Full-time students should enrol in 134.899, or if beginning in Semester Two 134.816 Thesis (Part I) and then 134.817 (Part II) in Semester One the following year.
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1202 |
Thesis (Part I) |
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1212 |
Thesis (Part I) |
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1201 |
Thesis (Part II) |
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1212 |
Thesis (Part II) |
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1212 |
Masters Thesis |
DOCTORAL STUDY
The regulations for doctoral study in Philosophy are the same as for doctoral study in other disciplines in the School. In recent years a number of doctorates in Philosophy have been completed successfully at Massey University.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
The postgraduate programme in Religious Studies is only offered at thesis level. Intending candidates should discuss their plans with the Programme Coordinator of the Religious Studies Programme and the School Coordinator of Postgraduate Studies well before initiating enrolment.
The following programmes are available in 2012.
Religious Studies:
Master of Arts (MA)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The following papers are offered in 2012
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1212 |
MPhil Thesis |
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1202 |
Thesis (Part I) |
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1212 |
Thesis (Part I) |
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1201 |
Thesis (Part II) |
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1212 |
Thesis (Part II) |
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1212 |
Masters Thesis |
MASTERS THESIS
The Masters Thesis (MA or MPhil) is a substantial piece of written work (30,000 words) on a topic of the student's choice completed under supervision. The MA normally follows the gaining of BA Honours with 1st or 2nd class (division I) honours.
DOCTORAL STUDY
Students with the correct prerequisites (normally MA or MPhil in Religious Studies) can undertake this level of study after discussion with the Religious Studies Programme Co-ordinator. Acceptance is dependent on several considerations including past study record, agreement on a suitable topic for which appropriate supervision is available, and further approval by the university's Doctoral Research Committee. This requires considerable discussion and time so intending candidates should begin the process as early as possible. For prior information, see Handbook for Doctoral Study online or obtain a hardcopy from the Registry, or the School of History, Philosophy and Classics.
A good first step when you are considering postgraduate study is to read Postgraduate Guidebook (2007)
