Overview
Work for social justice
The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Social Policy) will give you the equivalent of an undergraduate major in social policy without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Level
- Graduate, NZQF Level 7
Campus
- Auckland, Manawatū
Distance learning
- Available
Duration
- 1 year(s) full-time. Available part-time.
International
- Available for international students studying in NZ or via distance learning
Other
- Not all courses available in all modes any given year.
A Massey Graduate Diploma in Arts (Social Policy) is a bridging tool for graduates in other subjects to get the equivalent of a major in social policy.
Get understanding and insight
You’ll learn what influences the development, implementation and evaluation of social policy in Aotearoa New Zealand. You’ll study law, politics and the roles of central and local Government in a democratic society. You will gain insight into the relationships that help shape legislation and develop policy, such as those between the state, judiciary, legal system, political parties and the public.
Apply your skills
Learn to apply your social policy analysis skills to a number of decision-making scenarios to result in better social outcomes. This could take many forms including a policy, project plan, submission or even the strategic direction of an organisation.
Careers and further study
Careers
Your Graduate Diploma in Arts (Social Policy) will give you the knowledge and competencies you need to start your career as a policy analyst or researcher. You’ll learn a range of intellectual and practical skills that will stand you in good stead in the job market.
This qualification opens up a world of opportunities to influence a broad number of social issue outcomes such as healthy housing, youth development, Māori wellbeing, health promotion or gender analysis of policy. This could be from a government-down position, or an individual, community or society-up perspective.
You could work in areas such as:
- research
- communications
- project management
- governance
- charitable trusts
- social marketing
- journalism (critical analysis of social issues)
- advocacy
- teaching and lecturing
- policy analysis - public, private and not-for-profit sector
- youth development
- community development
- politics
- government agencies - local, regional and central
- non government organisations (NGOs).
Further study
If you successfully complete your Graduate Diploma in Arts, you could go on to study a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts or a Master of Arts.
Entry requirements
University admission
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Programme admission
Required
To enter the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Social Policy) you will have been awarded or qualified for a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
You will need to provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
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.
- English Language Proficiency
- Foundation Certificate in Academic English
- Foundation Certificate in Advanced Academic English
- Full Foundation - Certificate in Foundation Studies
Summer School
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
120 credits
from the Schedule to the Diploma including:
Endorsement courses (including at least 60 credits at 300 level)
From the Schedule at 200 (or 300) level
(at least) from the Schedule at 300 level
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
Courses for this specialisation
Compulsory courses
| 179202 | Applied Research for Social Policy and Social Work | 15 |
| 279201 | Social Policy: Concepts and Theories | 15 |
| 279301 | Government Policy, Planning and Administration | 15 |
| 279302 | Policy Research and Evaluation | 15 |
Subject courses
| 179230 | The Wellbeing of Pacific Peoples in New Zealand | 15 |
| 179320 | Community Development | 15 |
| 179330 | Māori Development and the Social Services | 15 |
| 279203 | Law, Government and Social Policy | 15 |
Planning your programme
Planning overview
Full-time study comprises eight 15-credit courses for a total of 120 credits in one year. We recommend you aim for 60 credits per semester.
If you intend to pursue postgraduate study you should include all compulsory 200 and 300-level courses from the Bachelor of Arts (Social Policy).
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:
- want to know who makes decisions on many of the important issues
- want to find out how to influence those decisions
- are keen to contribute to the cause of social justice.
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.
Undergraduate programmes
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 | |||||
About electives
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
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
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.