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Specialise in Sociology for your Bachelor of Arts at Massey
Sociology is about understanding and describing our local society and its global setting. Sociologists are interested in almost all aspects of the social world. During your study of the Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) you will consider questions such as:
- How is society structured?
- How is society changing?
- What divides or unites social groups?
- What causes the inequalities we see in society?
- How does power operate?
With a Massey BA (Sociology) you will ask challenging questions about how things really are in the social world. Culture, ethnicity, class, inequality, gender, mass media, politics, environment, social change and individual and group interactions are important areas that you will study. This is a broad subject that will teach to you think critically about the world and investigate social issues.
A Bachelor of Arts in Sociology is a good fit if you:
- are interested in exploring and understanding social inequality and social justice, or
- environmental, technical and economic changes, or
- conflict, power and social movements.
Planning information
If you study full time, in the first year you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.
If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school if you wish. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.
You need to pass five courses at 300-level for your BA. One of these (230310) is in the compulsory core and three are required for your major. If you are not taking a double major or a minor, you will need to take one 300-level elective course to meet this requirement.
About this major
A Sociology major consists of 120 credits (eight courses).
Minors
Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.
A minor must be in a different subject from your major.
A Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) with a minor
You may choose a minor from the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business or Bachelor of Science. If the minor is from another degree the regulations of that qualification will apply.
A sociology minor (for students who are studying a different degree)
If you are not studying towards a BA (Sociology) and wish to complete a minor in sociology see the BA regulations for requirements.
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 Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate 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.
Courses you can enrol in
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.
Core courses for the Bachelor of Arts
As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.
Sociology courses
Compulsory courses
Course code: 176101 The Sociological Imagination 15 credits
A foundation course in Sociology covering the key substantive aspects of contemporary society e.g. individual and social processes, globalisation and social inequalities.
View full course detailsSubject courses
Course code: 176106 The Stuff of Everyday Life 15 credits
An introduction to the sociology of everyday life and everyday material objects in both local and global contexts.
View full course detailsCourse code: 294115 War and Society 15 credits
An examination of the nature of war and its impact on society. The course explains how contemporary armed conflict and the use of force affects the world order, people and their communities, human behaviour, culture, and the environment.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176216 Globalisation in a digital world 15 credits
This course examines the intersecting material, social, and digital complexities of late capitalism in the context of increasing conditions of globalisation and glocalisation. Using a variety of sociological optics, the course aims to assist students to develop critical understandings that will enable them to be constructive contributors to their future worlds.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176218 Race, Nation and Modernity 15 credits
A review of the development of ideas of race and nation from the early modern era in Europe through to their world-wide crisis of the twentieth century including contemporary attempts to move beyond race via the concepts of ethnicity and indigeneity in Aotearoa New Zealand.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176223 Social Inequality and Justice 15 credits
An examination of how social structures create inequalities with a focus on gender, class, and ethnic diversities and identities and how claims for social transformation are made.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176224 Gender: Bodies that Matter 15 credits
An examination of how people experience gender, how gender inequality relates to other categories of social difference and how feminist approaches reveal and disrupt gender.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176302 Research Design and Practice 15 credits
A practical course that introduces the principles of research design, quantitative and qualitative methods and research dissemination, and students undertake a small sociological research project under supervised conditions.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176308 Sociology of the Environment 15 credits
An advanced examination of the interconnections between society and the environment with a particular emphasis on the roles of science and politics in the creation of environmental knowledge and practice.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176322 The World of Work: Contemporary Issues 15 credits
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the changed nature of work in contemporary society. It examines the broader context of change, contemporary forms and patterns of work and occupations and issues and perspectives on global and local labour markets.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176324 Imagining Other Worlds 15 credits
A study of contemporary utopian sociological approaches to social change, based upon models of economy, administrative governance, and social reproduction that differ from those of colonial capitalism.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176325 The Politics of Truth 15 credits
An enquiry into the social contexts and power relationships that influence the production of knowledge, drawing on situations of current political significance. ‘Truth-claims’ are deconstructed in order to identify underlying ideological and political impulses.
View full course detailsEntry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
There are no specific entry requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (Sociology), outside of university admission regulations.
English language requirements
To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
If you have already completed a bachelor degree
If you have already completed a bachelor degree you may replace 230111 Tū Kupu: Writing and Inquiry or 230112 Tū Arohae: Critical Thinking with courses of your choice. You will need to apply for replacement courses via a Special permission request in your portal and you will need to attach evidence of your completed degree with the request.
English language skills
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
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.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
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.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student portal
Scholarship and award opportunities
Search our scholarships and awardsFees 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
The understanding of our local society and its global setting that you'll gain from a BA (Sociology) opens up a wide range of career paths:
- research and policy analysis for central/local government and non-governmental organisations
- teaching
- journalism
- community and social services work
- political advocacy
- running a business
- planning and consultancy
- advertising and marketing
- TV/film production.
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.
Plan your courses
View your course options and plan your study using our course planner.
Accreditations and rankings
QS Ranking - Sociology
Massey is ranked in the world's top 350 universities for sociology by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
Related study options
Sociology – Graduate Certificate in Arts
Use your social knowledge for a meaningful career. With Massey’s Graduate Certificate in Arts (Sociology), you can study sociology without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Sociology – Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Take your study of sociology to the next level. Show your in-depth understanding of sociology and its application to the real world with Massey's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Sociology).
Sociology – Diploma in Arts
Sociologists ask the questions that are crucial to understanding some of the biggest issues facing the world today. Study Massey’s Diploma in Arts (Sociology) to better understand how society works.
Sociology – Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
Take your study of sociology to the next level with Massey’s Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology). Get the knowledge and competencies you need to start your career.
Sociology – Master of Arts
Take your study of sociology to the next level. With Massey’s Master of Arts (Sociology) you can build on your undergraduate study and complete advanced research of an aspect of sociology that interests you.
Sociology – Graduate Diploma in Arts
Use your social knowledge for a meaningful career. The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology) will give you the equivalent of an undergraduate major in sociology without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Useful planning information
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions. Learn more on careers.govt.nz