Social anthropology is the study of the relationship between human beings and culture. It gives you a deeper understanding of cultural variation and cultural change. It allows you to better understand your own culture as one among many possible ways of being human.
Social (or cultural) anthropologists seek to understand cultural differences. That includes the many ways people maintain and change culture in response to new social contexts. Social anthropologists bring a comparative approach to the description and analysis of society based on fieldwork that extends across the globe, from hunter-gatherers to industrial nation-states.
Popular career destinations for social anthropology graduates include:
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.
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.
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
Core courses
From the Schedule to the Diploma
Electives
Core courses
From one endorsement
Electives
A specialisation (endorsement) is optional, requiring at least 75 credits from the endorsement, including not more than 30 credits at 100-level.
Ensure across your courses you also have:
Attend field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories as required.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
| 131221 | Global Development Issues | 15 |
| 146101 | Understanding Cultural Difference | 15 |
| 146102 | Endangered Cultures | 15 |
| 146206 | Visual Ethnography | 15 |
| 146208 | Political Anthropology | 15 |
| 146209 | Food and Eating | 15 |
| 146210 | Anthropology of Ritual, Religion, and Witchcraft | 15 |
| 146211 | Systems of Healing | 15 |
| 146213 | Anthropological Enquiry | 15 |
| 146302 | Regional Ethnography: Asia | 15 |
| 146303 | Practice of Fieldwork | 15 |
| 146304 | Culture, Biology and Racism | 15 |
| 146311 | Medical Systems of China, India and the West | 15 |
| 146313 | Issues in South Pacific Anthropology | 15 |
| 146316 | Visual Anthropology: Southasia and Global Issues | 15 |
| 146317 | Urban Anthropology | 15 |
| 146318 | Environmental Anthropology | 15 |
| 150213 | Tikanga-ā-Iwi: Tribal Development | 15 |
| 176216 | Understanding Globalisation | 15 |
| 176310 | Ethnicity and Ethnic Identity: Contemporary Issues | 15 |
| 230121 | Future State: New Zealand in the 21st Century | 15 |
| 230301 | Social Science at Work | 15 |
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 later proceed to the Bachelor of Arts degree, all of the courses in your Diploma of Arts can be transferred to the Bachelor of Arts.
If you have questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
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.
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.