Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies – PGDipMusStud

Massey’s Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies will prepare you to meet the challenges cultural organisations face in maintaining heritage collections and delivering high-quality services to communities.

Type of qualification

Postgraduate diploma

Level of study

Postgraduate study

Once you’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree – or have equal experience – you can study at the postgraduate level. Doctoral qualifications require additional entry requirements.

More about study levels

NZQF level 8

Our courses follow the New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) levels.

Find out more about NZQF levels

Time to complete

1 year full-time (120 credits)
Up to 4 years part-time
Part-time available

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

Study a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies – PGDipMusStud

With a Massey Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies, you’ll be prepared to deal with the issues that contemporary museums, galleries and indigenous cultural centres face in maintaining heritage collections and delivering high-quality community services.

Enhance your career

Your qualification can be a bridge between previous academic study and professional work in a museum. You may also work at a gallery or other cultural or heritage organisation. It can also be a pathway to more advanced study at master’s level. You’ll advance your knowledge of, and abilities in, heritage management, as well as bicultural practices in the heritage sector. You’ll build experience in problem solving and working in interdisciplinary teams.

A PGDipMusStud is a good fit if you:

  • enjoy museums, galleries and indigenous cultural centres
  • have a passion for heritage
  • want to be more effective in your work in an organisation with a cultural or heritage focus.

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

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

Specific requirements

To enter the Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies, you will have been awarded or qualified for a relevant bachelor’s degree, having achieved a grade average of at least a B-.

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

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

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 Distinction or Merit. 

Prior learning, credit and exemptions

For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:

English language skills

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

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 qualification if you wish to continue your studies.

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 be 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.

Structure of the Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies

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

Courses and specialisations

Key terms

Courses
Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
Course code
Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
Credits
Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
Specialisations
Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.

Credit summary

120 credits

  • Compulsory courses – 30 credits
  • Courses from the Schedule – 90 credits

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: 150715 Taonga Tuku Iho: Heritage Aotearoa 30 credits

An examination of the dynamics of Māori culture and custom as part of the Aotearoa/New Zealand heritage. Particular emphasis is placed on the significance of land, language, oral tradition, the marae, art, and the Treaty of Waitangi, as well as an examination of the role of government in heritage through a study of legislation, policy and programmes. Case studies will focus on conservation, maintenance, sustainability and revitalisation.

View full course details

Elective courses (Choose 90 credits from)

Choose 90 credits from
Course code: 167742 Collection Management 30 credits

An examination of the following areas of museological theory and practice: material culture; recent research into private collecting; preventive conservation; collection management policy and practice; contemporary collection management issues including collection rationalisation, contemporary collecting, and the changing roles of curators and collection managers.

View full course details
Course code: 167743 Museum Management 30 credits

An examination of museum organisation, governance, policy development, strategic planning, marketing, financial management, project management and personnel management. Practical skills in budgeting, grant writing, reports and presentations will be taught.

View full course details
Course code: 167744 Museums and the Public 30 credits

An examination of the philosophy, strategies and practical processes of effectively interpreting and communicating museum programmes for a variety of audiences.

View full course details

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

Graduates are normally employed in museums, galleries and cultural centres but may also work as heritage field officers or cultural policy advisers for government and non-government agencies.

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