General regulations for undergraduate degrees, undergraduate diplomas, undergraduate certificates, graduate diplomas, and graduate certificates

View the general regulations for our undergraduate and graduate qualifications.

These General Regulations are to be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University and the Qualification Regulations specific to each Undergraduate Degree, Diploma and Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate offered by the University.

Admission

  1. Students must satisfy the admission requirements of the University and the programme in which they wish to enrol.

Academic Requirements

2. An undergraduate or graduate qualification will consist of a number of credits accumulated from courses, as specified in the Qualification Regulations.

3. Every programme of study will comply with any specified prerequisites, co-requisites and restrictions requirements. This applies to courses specific to that qualification or, where allowed within the relevant regulations, to approved courses able to be selected from other qualifications or subjects.

Specialisations

4. Qualifications for which specialisations, such as majors, minors, subjects or endorsements, are listed may have these specified at the time of programme approval by the Academic Board. With the exception of minors, the degree, diploma, or certificate completed by the student will state the specialisation.

Student progression

5. Students may not enrol for any 200-level course unless they have passed at least 45 credits at 100-level, nor enrol for any 300-level course unless they have passed at least 45 credits at 200-level. Students admitted to a graduate diploma or graduate certificate under Admission with Equivalent Status Regulation 26 are deemed to have met these requirements.

6. Students who wish to take a course for which they do not have the prerequisite(s) may make a case for admission to the relevant Head of School or Programme Director concerned.

7. Students who have not been enrolled for a period of three consecutive years will be deemed to have abandoned their qualification. Abandonment releases the University from its obligation to ensure a qualification can be completed. Students may be permitted to be readmitted in a subsequent current qualification should they meet the entry requirements at the time of readmission; credits previously achieved will be assessed and applied in accordance with current regulations.

8. The Academic Board (or delegate) may, under such conditions as it may determine and taking into account the recommendations of the Chief Examiner(s), admit any candidate to a supplementary assessment in a course in which the candidate failed to gain a pass.

Academic Progress

9. All students are expected to achieve at least Satisfactory Academic Progress in each enrolment period. Unsatisfactory Academic Progress is governed by the Academic Progress Regulations and the Academic Progress Policy which sets out the minimum (satisfactory) thresholds.

Variations and Personal Programme Approvals

10. The Head of School or Programme Director may, in such cases as they think fit, approve a personal programme of study which does not conform with the General Regulations or the Qualification Regulations for that degree, diploma or certificate while still conforming to the academic standards of the qualification.

The following rules will apply:

(a) There must be a compelling academic case to merit the variation; or

(b) There must be evidence of exceptional circumstances and/or hardship to the student.

(c) Variations will receive appropriate academic authorisation under delegation from Academic Board and be formally documented.

(d) The variation will be recorded on the student’s academic record.

(e) Personal programme approvals will not permit a reduction in the total amount of credit required to complete a qualification.

(f) The extent of variation cannot jeopardise the integrity of the qualification. To this end there will be a limit on the extent to which a qualification can be varied. The maximum amount of credit varied will relate to the size of the qualification as follows:
120 credit qualification: 15 credits
240 credit qualification: 30 credits
360 credit qualification: 45 credits
480 credit qualification: 60 credits

(g) Variations will not be permitted in 60-credit qualifications.

(h) Except where the special circumstances apply to a cohort of students (for example when transitioning students as a result of programme closure or course unavailability) variations will only be considered on a case-by-case basis and will not set a precedent.

11. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion and Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in the Part II qualification regulations, where a student has completed a course towards a qualification or specialisation and that course has subsequently been removed from the schedule, unless otherwise specified in the regulations, the student will be permitted to substitute the completed course for a non-compulsory, elective/subject course(s) at the same or lower level and of the same total credit value, included in the schedule.

Transitional Provisions

12. The University reserves the right to introduce such changes as it may judge to be necessary or desirable, including the addition, restructuring or withdrawal of qualifications, regulations and/or courses. Reasonable provisions will be made to enable students to complete any qualification which is discontinued or has its structure substantially altered, but such provision will not extend beyond the permitted time to completion.

13. Candidates who have been awarded with Restricted Passes prior to the commencement of the 2017 academic year may continue to credit these to their programme of study in accordance with the following regulations:

(a) A student with a restricted pass in any course may subsequently enrol in the same course in order to attempt to improve the grade of pass. However, the course can be credited only once.

(b) The maximum credits able to be credited from restricted passes are 60 for a 480 credit degree; 45 for a 360 credit degree; 30 for a 240 credit diploma and 15 for a 120 credit certificate or diploma; No R passes are permitted in a 60 credit certificate.

(c) A restricted pass will not qualify as a pass for prerequisite purposes.

(d) This regulation will expire at the end of the 2025 academic year.

Limitation of Entry

14. For any programmes of study offered by the University, the University Council (by its delegate) may limit the number of students enrolled in the programmes of study or training each year because of insufficiency of staff, accommodation, or equipment, or for other reasons that may arise. Accordingly, where the number of applications for the particular programmes exceeds the number of places available, then Massey University will select from the applicants the students to be enrolled in the programme of study.

Public Health Considerations

15. Where required under the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021, or by any additional Government orders or Massey University Council requirements, admission to specified programmes of study within Massey University, and continued enrolment and progression in those programmes, requires evidence of full and current COVID-19 vaccination status. This requirement will be applied to any and all programmes in accordance with Government orders or Massey University mandates.