Where you can study
International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
Specialise in Linguistics for your Graduate Diploma in Arts at Massey
The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Linguistics) is a bridging tool for graduates in other subjects to get the equivalent of a major in linguistics.
Cultivate your personal and professional development
Linguistics is the study of language, its structure and meaning, how it is learnt and used, and what this says about who we are and where we come from.
Language plays a fundamental role in both our public and private lives, from interacting with friends to communicating with colleagues. This includes written and spoken communication, problem-solving, and social and cultural awareness. Our lecturers will encourage you to develop a deeper understanding of your own self-identity and social interactions.
Develop important career skills
Language is the most powerful tool for connecting with and understanding the evolving diversity of people and cultures in New Zealand. Massey’s Graduate Diploma in Arts (Linguistics) puts a strong focus on personal and applied language use. As well as ethnographic analysis, and language forms and structure.
This major will help you develop vital career skills.
Specialist language studies and options available
We have a variety of courses on offer, whatever your interest. Whether you’re intrigued by the role of language in forensic situations or digital communities. Whether it’s social media, mother-tongue maintenance or second-language learning. Our courses are taught by leading lecturers in a range of distinctive research areas.
Further study
Once you have completed the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Linguistics), you can then go on to a postgraduate qualification in linguistics if you wish.
A Graduate Diploma in Arts in Linguistics is a good fit if you:
- like learning languages or have a curiosity about language
- enjoy subjects such as English and drama that work with the written and spoken word.
Planning information
If you study full-time you’ll take eight 15-credit courses (120 credits) in one year, or 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school.
100-level prerequisites
When you are granted entry to the qualification, you are not required to pass any 100-level prerequisite course/s for the specialisation. You may need to apply for 200-level courses using the Special Request function in Course Enrolment in your student portal if your previous study was not completed at Massey. If you plan to take any electives in subjects such as Languages, Economics, Mathematics or Statistics, you will need to meet the 100-level prerequisite 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.
Subject courses
Course code: 172232 Language and Society in New Zealand 15 credits
An introduction to sociolinguistics with particular reference to New Zealand: focussing on language and social interaction, regional and social variation in language use, bilingualism and the status of minority languages, and the sociolinguistics of te Reo Māori.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172233 Language Learning Processes 15 credits
An introduction to approaches and theories in applied linguistics with particular focus on language learning processes.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172234 Phonetics 15 credits
A study of the sounds of language and an introduction to the acoustic analysis of speech.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172235 Linguistic Analysis of the English Language 15 credits
An introductory course in linguistic analysis of the English language covering the fundamental concepts of morphology, phonetics, phonology, and syntax.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172236 Forensic Linguistics 15 credits
An introduction to the study of forensic linguistics, focussing on a variety of business and legal contexts and related ethical issues.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172237 Language, Discourse and Power 15 credits
An introduction to critical discourse analysis, exploring how language is used in the reproduction of social inequalities.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172239 Language and Culture 15 credits
An examination of the interrelationship between/of language and culture through a study of various elements of language, language use and language acquisition in a wide range of cultural contexts.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172330 Sounds and Structures 15 credits
Introduces theoretical approaches to phonology and syntactic/grammatical structures and their interfaces.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172333 Discourse and Institutions 15 credits
A critical examination of public and private-sphere discourses in institutional contexts through linguistic theories and methods.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172335 Language and Identity 15 credits
An advanced sociolinguistic study of how language is used to represent and construct aspects of identity relevant to particular social interactions, including the individual’s ability to negotiate multiple forms of identity and belonging.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172336 Languages of the Pacific 15 credits
An examination of the three major language subgroups spoken in the Pacific, focussing on their formal elements, the relationship between language and society, and the linguistic consequences of the encounter between Pacific peoples and speakers of non-Pacific languages.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172337 Historical and Comparative Linguistics 15 credits
An advanced study of historical language change and language relationships. The course examines reasons for and types of language change, and methods for reconstructing earlier language forms.
View full course detailsCourse code: 172338 Language, Diversity and Mediated Communication 15 credits
An examination of one-to-many communication in the Web and mediated contexts, focussing on globalised and transcultural communication of linguistic perspectives.
View full course detailsEntry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
To enter the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Linguistics) you will have been awarded or qualified for a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
This qualification is classified as NZQF Level 7 and requires the same English language standard as most undergraduate bachelor degrees, diplomas and certificates.
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
Language is vital to human communication. The study of linguistics helps you understand the development of language and can lead to an array of careers. We have graduates working in a range of diverse sectors in many varied roles including:
- education: ESOL teacher, language teacher, literacy adviser, university lecturer
- business, administration and law: communications adviser, interpreter/translator, forensic document analyst
- government departments: policy analyst, researcher, cultural adviser, immigrations officer
- publishing, journalism, media and advertising: writer/editor, advertising consultant
- IT: computer analyst/programmer.
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.
Related study options
Linguistics – Graduate Certificate in Arts
Use language to drive your career. With Massey’s Graduate Certificate in Arts (Linguistics), you can study linguistics without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Linguistics – Bachelor of Arts
Learn about how language works and how people use it. Grow your ability to lead cross-cultural interactions and drive social change in an increasingly communicatively diverse world.
Linguistics – Diploma in Arts
Build on your understanding of how language works. Massey’s Diploma in Arts (Linguistics) will teach you the concepts and structures in languages and cultures around the world.
Linguistics – Bachelor of Communication
If you love language and want to broaden your career options in communication, the Bachelor of Communication (Linguistics) offers the best of both worlds.
Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Linguistics – PGCertAppLing
Opening opportunities for work and research in language teaching and other language-related professional areas.
Without Specialisation – Master of Applied Linguistics
Take your career to the next level with Massey’s Master of Applied Linguistics. Help make second-language teaching more accessible in a multilingual world.
Useful planning information
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions. Learn more on careers.govt.nz