Take the first step on your postgraduate journey
The Postgraduate Certificate in Arts offers you a pathway for advanced studies in a subject area of your choice.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Arts is equivalent to the first half of the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts. It’s a great place to start if you’re considering postgraduate study.
Studying arts is transformative. Now more than ever, the world needs people who can thrive in an ever-changing global environment. In this programme you’ll learn how to effectively challenge and critique established ways of thinking, and to generate new ideas.
Advancing your study at postgraduate level will enhance your communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You’ll be able to take on the opportunities the future holds and thrive as a leader in your field.
The arts – that is, the subjects of the humanities and social sciences – are your passport to all the world’s wonderful places. Studying at a higher level will open doors to new cultures, communities and opportunities. Your postgraduate certificate will help you come up with creative and innovative solutions for complex issues.
Your Postgraduate Certificate in Arts will help you to contribute to a wide range of fields such as:
When you’ve completed your certificate you can continue to a postgraduate diploma, and then study for a master’s degree.
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.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
To enter the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts you will have been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor of Arts (or equivalent) with a major in the intended postgraduate subject.
You will need to provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
From a single subject
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
| 294701 | New Zealand National Security | 30 |
| 294704 | Command, Leadership and Management | 30 |
| 294709 | Terrorism | 30 |
| 294711 | Theories in Defence and Security | 30 |
| 294712 | Economic and Environmental Security | 30 |
| 294713 | Counter-Terrorism | 30 |
| 294715 | Asia-Pacific Security Environment | 30 |
| 294741 | Intelligence in the International Security Environment | 30 |
| 294744 | Intelligence Operations | 30 |
| 294770 | Border and Maritime Security | 30 |
| 294790 | Research Methods in Defence and Security Studies | 30 |
| 294798 | Research Report (30) | 30 |
| 134710 | Philosophical Research | 30 |
| 134740 | Advanced Study of Philosophical Topics | 30 |
| 134750 | Advanced Study of Philosophical Texts | 30 |
| 134760 | Advanced Philosophical Inquiry | 30 |
| 150701 | Tino Rangatiratanga: Strategic Māori Development | 30 |
| 176702 | Advanced Social Inquiry | 30 |
| 200701 | Advanced Political Thought | 30 |
| 200702 | Comparative Politics | 30 |
| 200761 | International Relations: Theory and Practice | 30 |
| 175718 | Postmodernism and Psychology | 15 |
| 175719 | Applied Criminal Psychology | 15 |
| 175720 | Advanced Psychology of Women | 15 |
| 175721 | Child and Family Therapy | 15 |
| 175722 | Principles of Clinical Neuropsychology | 15 |
| 175725 | Advanced Social Psychology | 30 |
| 175729 | Psychology and Culture | 15 |
| 175730 | Professional Practice in Psychology | 15 |
| 175732 | Psychological Well-being in Organisations | 15 |
| 175733 | Sustainable Livelihood | 15 |
| 175734 | Child Clinical Neuropsychology | 15 |
| 175737 | Occupational Psychology | 15 |
| 175738 | Psychological Research: Principles of Design | 15 |
| 175739 | Health Psychology: Understanding Health and Illness | 15 |
| 175740 | Occupational Health Psychology | 15 |
| 175741 | Psychological Assessment in Organisations | 15 |
| 175743 | Health Psychology: The Social Context | 15 |
| 175744 | Health Psychology: Promoting Health | 15 |
| 175746 | Psychological Research: Quantitative Data Analysis | 15 |
| 175747 | The Psychology of Sport and Exercise | 15 |
| 175748 | The Psychology of Organisational Change | 15 |
| 175750 | Qualitative Methods in Psychology | 15 |
| 175751 | Neuropsychological Rehabilitation | 15 |
| 175761 | Theory and Practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy | 15 |
| 175781 | Clinical Psychopathology | 15 |
| 175782 | Clinical Psychology Assessment | 15 |
| 175783 | Clinical Psychology Interventions | 15 |
| 146701 | Contemporary Approaches in Anthropological Theory | 30 |
| 146703 | The Practice of Anthropology | 30 |
| 132741 | Long-Term Community Planning | 30 |
| 179702 | Advanced Research Methods | 30 |
| 179783 | Māori Development and the Social Services | 30 |
| 279701 | Social Policy and Political Economy | 30 |
| 279703 | Social Policy Studies | 30 |
| 176701 | Current Issues and Theories | 30 |
| 176702 | Advanced Social Inquiry | 30 |
| 176704 | Working Sociologically: An Advanced Practicum | 30 |
| 176718 | Environmental Sociology | 30 |
| 125785 | Research and Analytics in Economics and Finance | 30 |
| 178702 | Macroeconomics | 30 |
| 178703 | The Theory and Practice of Economics | 30 |
| 178712 | International Monetary Economics | 30 |
| 178713 | Microeconomics | 30 |
| 178718 | Health Economics | 30 |
| 178732 | Advanced Econometrics | 30 |
| 178755 | Economic Growth, International and Development Economics | 30 |
| 254702 | Facing Big Questions in Education | 30 |
| 254744 | Educational Issues Among Pacific Islands Peoples in New Zealand | 30 |
| 254773 | Educational Policy Analysis | 30 |
| 254774 | Evaluation of Educational Organisations | 30 |
| 254775 | Management of Human Resources in Educational Organisations | 30 |
| 261765 | Trends in Digital Education | 30 |
| 263704 | Advanced Studies in Motivation and Learning | 30 |
| 265737 | Young Children and Their Families | 30 |
| 267782 | Quantitative Research in Education | 15 |
| 267783 | Qualitative Research in Education | 15 |
| 269733 | Mana Motuhake: Contemporary Issues in Māori & Indigenous Education | 30 |
| At least 30 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 139703 | Critical and Creative Research | 30 |
| 139710 | Rhetoric, Composition and the Teaching of Writing | 30 |
| 139724 | Literary Revolutions: Romantic and Victorian Literature | 30 |
| 139728 | Early Modern Drama: Form and Performance | 30 |
| 139750 | Contemporary New Zealand Writers in an International Context | 30 |
| 139758 | Postcolonial Theory and Writing | 30 |
| No more than 30 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 139763 | Community Theatre | 30 |
| 139765 | New Directions in Creative Writing | 30 |
| 154708 | Modern Fiction, Popular Culture and the Media | 30 |
| 145710 | Consumption and Place | 30 |
| 145711 | Foundations in Human Geography | 30 |
| 145712 | Frontiers in Human Geography | 30 |
| 145730 | Applied Coastal Geomorphology | 15 |
| 145731 | Applied Fluvial Geomorphology | 15 |
| 145732 | Landslide Investigation and Management | 15 |
| 145734 | Paleoecology, Palynology and Biogeography | 15 |
| 145735 | Detecting Geomorphic Change | 15 |
| 145736 | Advanced Physical Geography Techniques | 15 |
| 145739 | GIS Principles and Applications | 30 |
| 145740 | GIS Programming and Practice | 30 |
| 145739 | GIS Principles and Applications | 30 |
| 145740 | GIS Programming and Practice | 30 |
| 145799 | Research Report (30) | 30 |
| 158740 | Location Systems: Spatial Databases, Tools and Applications | 15 |
| 189761 | Applied Remote Sensing | 30 |
| 230705 | Interpretation in Geospatial Analytics | 15 |
| 233706 | Environmental Geographical Information Systems | 30 |
| 233707 | Environmental Remote Sensing | 30 |
| 148720 | Advanced Historiography | 30 |
| 148730 | Advanced Historical Methodology | 30 |
| 150701 | Tino Rangatiratanga: Strategic Māori Development | 30 |
| 150702 | Pae Ora: Māori Health Advancement | 30 |
| 150710 | Te Reo Whakawhitiwhiti: The Language of Everyday Communication | 30 |
| 150711 | Te Tau-Ihu o te Reo: Advanced Māori Literature | 30 |
| 150714 | Ta Te Māori Rangahau Korero: Māori Research Methodologies | 30 |
| 150715 | Taonga Tuku Iho: Heritage Aotearoa | 30 |
| 154701 | Modern and Postmodern Visual Cultures | 30 |
| 154702 | Advanced Film Studies | 30 |
| 154704 | Researching Media and Cultural Studies | 30 |
| 154707 | The World of Noir | 30 |
| 154708 | Modern Fiction, Popular Culture and the Media | 30 |
| 154709 | Technology and Cultural Change | 30 |
| 154747 | Media Practice and Global Culture | 30 |
| 219705 | Advanced News Media Processes | 30 |
If you study full-time, you’ll take 60 credits in one semester.
The PGCertArts is only available without specialisation (endorsement).
There are maximum time limits to complete some undergraduate and all 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.
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.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
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.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
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.
General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
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.
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
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.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.