Overview
Take your study of politics to the next level
Build on your undergraduate interests and get right into the heart of this exciting discipline.
Level
- Postgraduate, NZQF Level 9
Campus
- Manawatū
Distance learning
- Available
Duration
- 1.5 year(s) full-time. Available part-time.
International
- Available for international students studying in NZ or via distance learning
Other
- This subject was previously called Politics.
With a Master of Arts (Politics and International Relations) at Massey you can further investigate topics in politics that have taken your interest.
Understand the world around you
Politics is exciting and relevant. It’s about contests for power and how we make decisions in society. It’s about who gets what, when and how, from the local community to the global level. It’s concerned with the conflict of ideas and values. It has to do with who governs, and how and why decisions that affect all of us (such as how much students should pay to study at university or whether the UN should sanction military interventions) are made.
Small class sizes and enthusiastic lecturers
At Massey, politics is taught in a small interdisciplinary programme where you have regular and close contact with academic staff. Your lecturers are active researchers in their respective fields. They are a politically diverse group who critically and enthusiastically engage with contemporary and historical events.
Complete your MA in three semesters
Massey’s Master of Arts is 180 credits. This means you can complete an MA in three semesters of full-time study. If you study part-time, an MA will normally take three years to complete.
Careers and further study
Careers
Massey’s Master of Arts (Politics and International Relations) can lead to a range of careers, including:
- academia
- business and commerce
- diplomacy
- finance
- journalism and media
- policy advising and analysis
- public service
- research.
Organisations employing our graduates include the NZ Defence Forces, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, the Treasury, Air New Zealand, the Reserve Bank, the United Nations, TV3News and Amnesty International.
International students
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.
As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.
Entry requirements
University admission
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Programme admission
Required
Master of Arts 180 credits
To enter the Master of Arts 180 credits you will:
- have been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Politics and International Relations (or equivalent), with at least a B grade average across the 200/300 level major courses.
Master of Arts 120 credits
To enter the Master of Arts 120 credits you will:
- have been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree or a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts with a specialisation in Politics, or equivalent.
To enter the pathways for the 120-credit option you will need the following:
- Research pathway: a B+ grade average allows entry to the research pathway
- Coursework pathway: a B grade average allows entry to the coursework pathway.
You will need to provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
Prior learning, credit and exemptions
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
- review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
- contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
If you do not have the entry requirements
English language and foundation courses
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
180 credits
Coursework Pathway
- Part One subject courses (may include compulsory courses) – 120 credits
- Part Two research report – 60 credits
Research Pathway
- Part One subject courses (may include compulsory courses) – 60 or 90 credits
- Part Two thesis course(s) – 90 or 120 credits
Requires:
- Completion of Part One and Two
- Completion of a subject
Choose a:
- Coursework pathway (including a 60-credit research report), or
- Research pathway (including a 90 or 120-credit thesis)
Advanced entry: Those who have already completed specified qualifications in advance of the minimum entry requirements may be able to complete this degree in 120 credits.
This is a parts-based qualification. This means there are regulations around your completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two, etc.
Courses for this specialisation
Part One: Coursework Pathway (120 credits) or Research Pathway (90 credits)
Compulsory courses
| 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 176702 | Advanced Social Inquiry | 30 |
Compulsory course selection
| At least 60 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 200701 | Advanced Political Thought | 30 |
| 200702 | Comparative Politics | 30 |
| 200761 | International Relations: Theory and Practice | 30 |
Subject courses
| 131703 | Gender and Development | 30 |
| 150701 | Tino Rangatiratanga: Strategic Māori Development | 30 |
Part Two: Coursework Pathway
| 60 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 200873 | Research Report Politics (60) | 60 |
Part Two: Research Pathway
| 90 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 200881 | Thesis 90 Credit Part 1 | 45 |
| 200882 | Thesis 90 Credit Part 2 | 45 |
| 200883 | Thesis | 90 |
Planning your programme
Planning overview
The Master of Arts is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second.
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.
The Master of Arts (Politics and International Relations) research pathway is not available for full-time study. It will take two years of part-time study due to the sequencing of compulsory courses and research.
Grades achieved in the first 60 credits will determine eligibility for progression to Part Two.
- For the coursework pathway a minimum B grade average is required.
- For the research pathway a minimum B+ grade average is required.
Master of Arts 120 credit
If you enrol in a thesis, you commence with Part One, followed by Part Two in the next enrolment period. Both parts combine to meet the thesis requirements with a single grade assigned to each part.
If the thesis cannot be submitted at the end of the initial Part Two enrolment, you must re-enrol in Part Two (and pay fees) each semester until submission is made.
Maximum timeframe
The maximum time permitted for completion of the Master of Arts is five years.
Maximum time limits for completion
There are maximum time limits to complete postgraduate qualifications. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the programme if you wish to continue your studies.
Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit
Where your qualification is completed within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with a class of Honours, Distinction or Merit.
- Look for information under ‘Student Progression’ in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
- Contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Fees and scholarships
Fees and finance
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?
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
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 will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student homepage login
A good fit if you:
- have an undergraduate degree in politics
- wish to stay relevant to current debates in politics
- want to investigate a particular aspect of politics for your research report or thesis.
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Regulations
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
Postgraduate regulations
General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
Applying and enrolling
Applying for the programme
Check you are ready
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
Choose your programme and click on Apply now
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
Receive and accept an Admission Offer of Place
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
Enrolling in courses
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
- prerequisites (courses you have to do before the one you are enrolling in)
- corequisites (courses you have to do at the same time as the one you are enrolling in)
- restrictions (courses that you cannot enrol in if you are completing or have completed another identified similar course)
- location – for instance some distance-based courses still have an on-campus element, so double check that the way the course is taught is suitable for your situation.
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
What are courses and credits?
What are courses and credits?
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
- See the ‘Courses for this programme’ section for the list of courses.
- Courses search
Understanding course numbers
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
- sub-degree courses are '0' (i.e. xxx.0xx)
- undergraduate study begins at 100-level, (i.e. xxx.1xx)
- as you progress through 200- and 300-level courses this number changes to 2 and 3 respectively. The higher the number that starts the second three digits, the higher the level of study.
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Workload and time management
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
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 programme 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 programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Scholarships and awards
Scholarships related to this programme
- Lovell and Berys Clark Scholarships
- Massey University Master's Research Scholarship
- The Centenary History of New Zealand and the First World War Heritage Scholarship
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.