- Where you can study
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Distance and online
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International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
- Open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand
- Note:
- Note: Not all courses are available in any given year
Specialise in Sociology for your Graduate Diploma in Arts at Massey
Sociology will help you understand our rapidly changing social world and take an active role in shaping society. Sociology equips you with the skills to pursue a wide range of careers, and to live a thoughtful, purposeful life.
Massey Sociology offers a unique suite of courses focused on challenging 'common sense' assumptions, analysing social problems, and developing the imagination to contribute to a hopeful future. You will learn about all aspects of the social world including culture, ethnicity, class, inequality, gender, environment, politics, work, social justice, everyday life, and individual and group relationships.
A Massey Graduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology) is a bridging tool for graduates in other subjects to get the equivalent of a major in sociology.
Follow your interest in the social world
Sociology is about understanding and describing our local society and its global setting. Sociologists are interested in almost all aspects of the social world.
In your Graduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology) you’ll 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 Graduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology) you’ll ask challenging questions about how power structures function in the social world. You’ll study culture, ethnicity, class, inequality, gender, mass media, politics, environment, social change, and individual and group interactions.
Develop your critical thinking skills
This is a broad subject that will teach you to think critically about the world and to investigate social issues in a meaningful manner.
Further study
If you successfully complete your Graduate Diploma in Arts, you could go on to study a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts or a Master of Arts.
A Graduate Diploma in Arts in Sociology is a good fit if you:
- are interested in how everyday life is influenced by local, national and global processes
- are interested in social inequality and social justice
- are interested in conflict, power and social movements.
Planning information
Planning information
If you study full-time you’ll take eight 15-credit courses (120 credits) in 1 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
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: 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 Racism and Colonisation 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 Society, Climate Change and the Environment 15 credits
This course examines the interconnections between society and the environment from a social sciences perspective, emphasising the roles of science and politics in the creation of environmental knowledge and practice. We examine the causes and consequences of environmental problems, including climate change. We also consider possibilities for transformative change through activism, Te Ao Māori and other Indigenous perspectives, markets, government, and community-led initiatives.
View full course detailsCourse code: 176322 AI and the World of Work 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
Entry 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 (Sociology) 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 and scholarships
2026 tuition fees
- Domestic students: $7,415
- International students: $34,220
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 days when young people learned specific technical skills for one lifetime career are long gone. Today’s labour market looks for people who are creative, adaptable, good communicators, who can grapple with unstructured challenges and will solve critical problems.
Recent sociology graduates have gone on to positions including:
- Policy advisors at Ministry of Social Development and Ministry for the Environment
- Vocational consultant for a company that helps people with disabilities into meaningful jobs
- Community researcher at Kāinga Ora
- Social justice advocate for an NGO
- Human resources for an international company
- Community liaison for a regional council
- Event planner
- many more.
Other career paths include:
- 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
- film and television production.
International students
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 5-star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
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
If you don’t necessarily follow the crowds but are fascinated by their behaviour, if you are curious about the world and how you can make a difference, then sociology should interest you.
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 – Bachelor of Arts
If you don’t necessarily follow the crowds but are fascinated by their behaviour, if you are curious about the world and how you can make a difference, then sociology should interest you.
Sociology – Diploma in Arts
If you don’t necessarily follow the crowds but are fascinated by their behaviour, if you are curious about the world and how you can make a difference, then sociology should interest you.
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.
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