- Where you can study
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Auckland campusDistance and onlineManawatū campus (Palmerston North)
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International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
- Not open to international students
Specialise in Social Anthropology for your Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at Massey
The Massey BA (Honours) (Social Anthropology) gives you a different perspective on world affairs.
Studying social anthropology develops your understanding of other cultures and ethnic groups. It shows you how your way of life is just one of many possible ways of being human. You’ll learn to challenge your existing beliefs and put yourself in others’ shoes.
Follow your passion
Take an issue in social anthropology that grabbed your attention as an undergraduate student and develop it fully through independent study.
Get into the field
Discover how anthropologists study cultural differences through fieldwork that examines societies across the globe. Massey staff and students are researching in Asia, the Pacific, Europe, Africa and New Zealand. You could join them.
A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Anthropology is a good fit if you:
- love to follow your intellectual curiosity
- are keen to develop your analytical skills
- want to investigate a social anthropology issue through independent, supervised research.
Planning information
Planning information
Completing a subject is compulsory. A Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Social Anthropology) requires 120 credits.
If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.
Not all courses are available in each semester.
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 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
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.
Compulsory courses
Course code: 146701 Contemporary Approaches in Anthropological Theory 30 credits
A study of current theoretical issues and debates in social anthropology.
View full course detailsCourse code: 146703 The Practice of Anthropology 30 credits
A study of the methodological and ethical dimensions of anthropological research.
View full course detailsCourse code: 146798 Research Report (60) 60 credits
Course code: 146799 Research Report (30) 30 credits
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
To enter the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Social Anthropology) you will have been awarded or qualified for a:
- Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent qualification with a major in the intended postgraduate subject or close equivalent, or
- Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in the intended postgraduate subject, followed by a Graduate Certificate in Arts endorsed in the intended postgraduate subject or close equivalent, or
- Bachelor of Arts degree followed by a Graduate Diploma of Arts in the intended postgraduate subject or close equivalent.
You must have achieved at least a B grade average over the 200 and 300-level courses.
You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language and your qualifying degree was not completed at a University where English is the medium of instruction, to enter this qualification you must have achieved an IELTS of 7.0 with no band less than 6.5.
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 and scholarships
2026 tuition fees
- Domestic students: $10,652
- International students: Not applicable
Tuition fees are estimates only. The exact fees charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment. The estimates are for full-time study (120 credits). Fees are in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The estimates do not include the Student Services Fee. This fee is $1,164 for on-campus students and $948 for distance students for full-time study (120 credits). For more information about this fee and other fees you may need to pay, see non-tuition fees.
There may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
Course fees
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, including how much could be covered and your eligibility on the Inland Revenue website.
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
Careers and job opportunities
The study of people can take you into almost any career, anywhere in the world. Popular career destinations for social anthropology graduates include:
- human rights and social justice
- social work
- social and commercial research
- education
- business and industry
- government, diplomacy and policy
- foreign affairs
- overseas aid and development agency work
- health care
- non-profit management
- marketing
- publishing
- environmental issues
- museum curation
- art and heritage work
- tourism.
Related study options
Social Anthropology – Graduate Certificate in Arts
Get a better understanding of the world. With Massey’s Graduate Certificate in Arts (Social Anthropology), you can study social anthropology without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Social Anthropology – Bachelor of Arts
See the world through fresh eyes. Get a unique perspective on the world, global culture, and society through the Bachelor of Arts (Social Anthropology).
Social Anthropology – Diploma in Arts
Study the relationship between human beings and culture with Massey’s Diploma in Arts (Social Anthropology).
Social Anthropology – Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
Take your study of social anthropology to the next level. By understanding human behaviour and interactions, you’ll have skills that will be useful in almost every career path, all over the world.
Social Anthropology – Master of Arts
Immerse yourself in another world. With Massey’s Master of Arts (Social Anthropology) you can build on your undergraduate study and complete advanced research of an aspect of social anthropology that interests you.
Social Anthropology – Graduate Diploma in Arts
Get a better understanding of the world with Massey’s Graduate Diploma in Arts (Social Anthropology). Gain the equivalent of an undergraduate major in social anthropology without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
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