Education – Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Enhance your decision-making skills, and get a better understanding of developments in education and society with Massey’s Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Education).

Where you can study

Distance and online

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Not open to international students

Specialise in Education for your Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at Massey

An honours degree marks you out as a high achiever. As an honours graduate, you’ll be a sought-after employee. You’ll graduate with great skills – this qualification will help your decision-making, and give you a better understanding of developments in education and society.

Fully investigate your education interests

With a BA Honours (Education) at Massey, you can further investigate education issues that interested you as an undergraduate.

Massey offers you flexibility in the subjects you study, so you can follow your passions, whatever area of education you’re interested in.

If you want to be a teacher

Please note that the BA Honours (Education) doesn’t qualify you to be a teacher. If you wish to become a teacher, see the Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching.

A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Education is a good fit if you:

  • want to stand out in a crowded marketplace
  • like to follow your intellectual curiosity and test your analysis skills
  • wish to take an issue in education and investigate it fully through independent supervised research.

Planning information

Completing a subject is compulsory. A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Education) requires 120 credits.

The prerequisites for 267792 Research Report are:

  • 267782 Quantitative Research in Education
  • 267783 Qualitative Research in Education

Please make sure you enrol in these two courses, or approved alternatives, before you enrol in 267792.

Not all courses are available in each semester.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Compulsory course

Course code: 267792 Research Exercise 30 credits

Prerequisites: 180790, 185/186788, 267788 or an approved research methods course Restrictions: 180792

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Subject courses

Course code: 254744 Pacific Peoples and Education in New Zealand 30 credits

A critical examination of current issues in education which affect Pacific Islands peoples in New Zealand. Students will consider the place of Pacific Islands peoples in New Zealand society and design strategies for meeting their educational needs within specified professional fields of interest.

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Course code: 261765 Trends in Digital Education 30 credits

This course critically explores how learning and pedagogical practices co-evolve with technological innovations, drawing on contemporary learning theories and empirical research in diverse learning contexts. Central themes in this course include critical issues in digital education, teaching & learning in a networked society, and how new/emerging technologies influence processes of learning and transformation.

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Course code: 263704 Advanced Studies in Motivation and Learning 30 credits

A study of learning and the applications of national and international theory and research within learning contexts with an emphasis on contemporary learning themes.

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Course code: 265737 Young Children, Families, Whānau and Communities 30 credits

This course offers a critical study of theory, research and policy relating to young children, families, whānau and communities. Content includes exploration of key theoretical perspectives, longitudinal research, and national and international policy that influences the lives of children, families, and whānau. Implications for young children, their families and whānau in the context of education and community will be explored.

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Course code: 269733 Mana Motuhake: Contemporary Issues in Māori & Indigenous Education 30 credits

An analysis of power, politics and resistance that underpin a range of contemporary and topical social issues which impact on Māori and/or indigenous education. A critical examination of the role of advocacy, activism and protest in advancing Māori and indigenous rights and aspirations in the context of education.

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Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

To enter the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Education) you will have been awarded or qualified for a:

  • Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent qualification with a major in the intended postgraduate subject or close equivalent, or
  • Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in the intended postgraduate subject, followed by a Graduate Certificate in Arts endorsed in the intended postgraduate subject or close equivalent, or
  • Bachelor of Arts degree followed by a Graduate Diploma of Arts in the intended postgraduate subject or close equivalent.

You must have achieved at least a B grade average over the 200 and 300-level courses.

You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language and your qualifying degree was not completed at a University where English is the medium of instruction, to enter this qualification you must have achieved an IELTS of 7.0 with no band less than 6.5.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Scholarship and award opportunities

Search our scholarships and awards

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

A BA with Honours (Education) can open up a variety of career pathways. Education is a broad sector where you can work in education-based services or educational roles in other organisations.

Possible careers and employment fields include:

  • policy analysts
  • educational roles in aid agencies
  • social services roles
  • government and non-government educational services
  • research and evaluation in an educational context
  • policy development.

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