History – Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

With Massey’s Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (History), you can take your undergraduate study of history further.

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 History for your Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at Massey

Understand the present by studying the past

History is a subject as large as our recorded past. Our cultural heritage, literature, arts, religions, politics, economics, social behaviours, buildings and landscapes all derive from past influences.

Studying history gives you an understanding of where we have been and how the world has changed. You’ll get an appreciation of how people have faced challenges at different times, with the benefit of hindsight.

Research your particular interest

With a BA (Honours) (History) you can investigate a particular issue in great depth. You could focus on New Zealand and the Pacific, or study a particular era, such as the medieval period, or the 20th century. You could look at a theme, such as politics, sport or social history, or just pick what takes your fancy. The courses you’ll complete will complement your focus on your chosen research area by helping you develop your research skills and quickly master the research process.

Relevant to the past, present and future of New Zealand

Through history, we can understand our past, explain our present and be better equipped to predict the future. At Massey, our history qualifications are focused on New Zealand history and New Zealand’s place in the world. We have the strongest focus on New Zealand history of any university in the world and New Zealand themes are central to our academics’ research. This combination means you will graduate ready to shape the future of New Zealand.

Have access to top resources

Whether you study on campus or by distance, you’ll have the best resources at your fingertips. Your reading materials are engaging and available online 24/7. Class sizes are small to ensure you benefit from the wealth of knowledge that our academics have to offer.

Uncover your own historical stories

Our expertise expands across a variety of fields including medieval, military, British and European history. So no matter what you’re interested in, you’ll get the tools to tell the stories you want told.

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

  • were a high-achieving undergraduate history student
  • are keen to follow your intellectual curiosity and develop your research skills
  • would like to investigate an issue in history through independent, supervised research.

Planning information

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

If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.

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 courses

Choose 120 credits from
Course code: 148720 Advanced Historiography 30 credits

An examination of the relationship between ideas about the nature and meaning of history and the writing of history. The course concentrates on groups of historians who have propounded a philosophy of history and have been practitioners of the historian's art.

View full course details
Course code: 148730 Advanced Historical Methodology 30 credits

A study of the theory and practice of historical research methodology.

View full course details
Course code: 148799 Research Report (60) 60 credits

A supervised and guided independent study.

View full course details

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) (History) 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 qualifications 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

Massey’s BA (Honours) (History) prepares you for many career options, including:

  • archiving
  • editing
  • journalism
  • policy analysis
  • teaching
  • research management
  • administration.

Related study options