INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago

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INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
University of Otago

                                                                                  INTERNATIONAL

                                                  UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO
                                                                                  PROSPECTUS
                                                                                  2018

                                                   |
                                                  INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018

otago.ac.nz
international.enquiries@otago.ac.nz
facebook.com/OtagoInternationalOffice
twitter.com/OtagoIntOffice
Dunedin, New Zealand

                                        Dunedin
INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
Contents
Only Otago                                                                     2
    Welcome                                                                    4
    New Zealand Aotearoa                                                       6
    Dunedin: New Zealand’s student capital                                     8
    Life at Otago                                                             10
    Student services                                                          12
    Accommodation                                                             14
An Otago degree                                                               18
    Terminology                                                               20
    Your bachelor’s degree                                                    22
    Postgraduate study                                                        24
    Business                                                                  26
    Health Sciences                                                           28
    Humanities                                                                30
    Sciences                                                                  32
    Pathways to study                                                         34
    Otago Global Student Exchange                                             36
Entrance and enrolling                                                        38
    Important dates                                                           40
    Entrance requirements                                                     41
    How to apply                                                              46
    Important application Information                                         48
    Essential information for international students                          49
Programmes and fees                                                           50
    Scholarships                                                              52
    2018 international tuition fees                                           54
    Programme summary                                                         56

This Prospectus is intended as a general guide for international students. The information provided is, as far as possible, up
to date and accurate at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to add, amend or withdraw programmes and
facilities, to restrict student numbers and to make any other alterations as it may deem necessary. The regulations of the University
of Otago are published annually in the University Calendar.
Published by the University of Otago International Office: July 2017.

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INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
SECTION

        1
    Only Otago
    Academic
    excellence and
    an outstanding
    student experience.

2
INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
Welcome to the University of Otago – New Zealand’s first
university and the first choice for more than 20,000 students.
After almost 150 years, we’re still leading the way when it
comes to world-class teaching and a legendary student lifestyle
– the two core elements that set the University of Otago apart,
and the reason students from across the country and around
the world choose us for their tertiary education.
An Otago degree can give you the momentum to get where
you want to go in life. And it’s not just academic achievement
that you’ll take with you. The experiences and friendships
forged at Otago can last a lifetime.

                                                        otago.ac.nz | 0800 80 80 98
                                                                                      3
INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
Welcome to the
    University of Otago
        The University of Otago was founded in 1869            next generation of citizens in New Zealand and
        by early Scottish settlers who recognised the          other parts of the globe. At Otago you will gain a
        importance of universities. Otago is the oldest        world-class qualification, and you will also learn
        and finest university in New Zealand with a long       other important lessons along the way – lessons
        history of excellence in teaching and research. We     that will allow you to thrive in all aspects of your
        work in partnership with Ngāi Tahu, the tangata        adult life. In addition, you will make friends who
        whenua of this place. We value the strong cultural     you will keep for a lifetime.
        contribution of both elements of our history;
                                                               In order to make the best of your brief time
        the bagpipes and the haka can be heard on our
                                                               with us, I strongly encourage you to be the best
        campus and at our graduation ceremonies.
                                                               student you can be. I also encourage you to take
        We are strongly committed to international             advantage of the wide range of extracurricular
        education having collaborative teaching, research      and co-curricular activities that we have on offer.
        and exchange agreements with major institutions        The University of Otago is located in one of the
        around the world. Otago offers a rich cultural         most beautiful places on the planet – please take
        life, reflecting a diverse international student       time out to discover the beaches, the hills and
        community and New Zealand’s own multicultural          the native flora and fauna that are right on our
        population. We are proud to be a foundation            doorstep. Most importantly, I challenge you to
        member of the Matariki Network of Universities,        dream.
        recognising our shared commitment to an ethos
                                                               I warmly welcome you to this exciting new
        of excellence in research, scholarship and rounded
                                                               chapter of your life.
        education.
        Students at Otago are taught by academic staff
        who are dedicated to teaching and who are
        internationally recognised for their research. We
        are committed to educating the next generation         PROFESSOR HARLENE HAYNE
        of professionals across a wide range of disciplines,   Vice-Chancellor
        and we are also committed to nurturing the             June 2017

4
INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
151
         Over 20,000 students,             Otago tops the TEC educational              Ranked 151st in the
     including 2,500 international       performance indicators for retention      2017/18 QS World University
   students from 100 countries and         of students and progression to         Rankings … and in the top 100
    4,500 postgraduate students.                    higher study.                      in 13 subject areas.

                                                                                           94%
  Otago holds more teaching awards        Otago scores the highest possible       94% of our graduates go into
than any other New Zealand university,     international quality rating for        work or on to further study.
including five Supreme Award winners           excellence and quality.
    in successive years (2012-2016).

           190+
       Otago offers more than            Our 15 residential colleges located on    Otago ranked first or second
      190 undergraduate and                 or near campus accommodate            in 17 subject areas in the latest
     postgraduate programmes.                   around 3,500 students.               PBRF quality assessment.

      85% of our students come                 Otago has produced 62               Recognised as one of the 15
        from outside Dunedin.                Rhodes Scholars since 1904.          most beautiful campuses in the
                                                                                   world (Huffington Post 2013).

                                                                                                                      5
INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
ONLY OTAGO

             New Zealand
             Aotearoa
             New Zealand is a land of
             great natural beauty, and
             the South Island is one of
             the world’s most exciting
             adventure playgrounds.
                                                         4

                                                 2
                                            3                1
                                                     5

                           1. Dunedin                              2. Queenstown, Arrowtown and Wanaka
                           Known as the gateway to the South       3.5 hours’ drive.
                           Island, basing yourself in Dunedin      Queenstown, the birthplace of bungy, is known
                           allows for a comparably affordable      as the Adventure Sports Capital of the World.
                           way for you to access many of New       The stunningly beautiful gorges and lakeside
                           Zealand’s world-renowned destinations   environment provide the perfect setting for
                           of immense natural beauty, or enjoy     skydiving, canyon swinging, jet boating and
                           adventure activities.                   white-water rafting. This is also the Southern
                                                                   Hemisphere’s top ski resort area and has great
                                                                   nightlife once the sun goes down.
                                                                   Photograph by AJ Hackett Bungy
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INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
Comparable in physical size to Japan,           New Zealanders are friendly people who, in        The New Zealand economy is broadly-
Great Britain, or half the state of             spite of (or perhaps because of) the country’s    based. It is a major exporter of primary
California, USA, New Zealand has a              geographical location and relatively small        products, while manufacturing, information
population of over four million people,         population, have earned a reputation for          technology, biological and medical research,
making it one of the least crowded              being both enterprising and innovative.           education and tourism also play vital
countries in the world. It is a land of great   They welcome international visitors and           economic roles. There is a growing focus
natural beauty, and the South Island is         have a wide range of interests, from the          on ecotourism ventures, the wine industry,
one of the world’s most exciting adventure      arts to outdoor and sporting pursuits. New        fashion design and a flourishing film
playgrounds.                                    Zealanders love their sport and are good at it.   industry that is gaining wide international
                                                Swimming, walking, biking, hiking, boating        recognition. The New Zealand dollar is a
New Zealand / Aotearoa was originally           and fishing are all easily accessible, as are     stable currency offering visitors a favourable
settled by Māori about 1,000 years ago,         many sporting codes such as rugby, soccer,        exchange rate. All goods and services are
followed by waves of European immigration       tennis, netball, basketball, golf, squash and     subject to a 15 per cent goods and services
during the past two centuries. Today the        hockey. Those who are more adventurous            tax (included in the display price) and all
country maintains a diverse and dynamic         enjoy surfing, white-water rafting, jet boating   major credit cards can be used.
multicultural emphasis, enhanced by the         and bungy jumping, while in the winter
growing number of people from the Pacific       months the Otago region’s ski fields attract      Find out more about New Zealand at:
Islands and Asia who have also made New         skiers and snowboarders from across New           newzealand.com
Zealand their home in recent years.             Zealand and from afar.

3. Fiordland                                      4. Aoraki Mount Cook                                5. The Catlins
3.5 hours’ drive.                                 4 hours’ drive.                                     1.5 hours’ drive.
Fiordland is one of the most dramatic             Aoraki Mount Cook National Park                     The Catlins is an area of great
and beautiful parts of New Zealand                is home to New Zealand’s highest                    contrasts and natural beauty – from
and has three of New Zealand’s “Great             mountain and longest glacier. Visitors              magnificent coastal cliffs and long
Walks” – the Milford, Kepler and                  come here to hike, climb, cycle, paddle             sweeping beaches, to rainforests,
Routeburn Tracks.                                 among icebergs in glacial lakes, or sit             hidden waterfalls and rolling farmland.
Photograph by Vaughan Brookfield                  and soak up the spectacular views.
                                                  Photograph by Fraser Gunn

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INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS 2018 - University of Otago
ONLY OTAGO

Dunedin:
New Zealand’s student capital

Our 20,000 students make up                But that’s just the beginning.
one fifth of Dunedin’s population,         Dunedin is a small city between the
creating an energy and atmosphere          mountains, the harbour and the             Auckland
that you’ll only find at Otago.            sea – that means there’s heaps to do
                                           and it’s easy to get to. Experience
The town and the University
                                           the distinctive beauty of each
campus developed together, so
                                           of Dunedin’s four seasons. The
Dunedin is one of just a handful of
                                           temperate climate brings warm                           Wellington
places worldwide where education is
                                           summers and mild winters with
the main activity of the city.
                                           some frost and very occasional
                                                                                             Christchurch
Our campus and residential colleges        snowfalls. No other city in the
are located in the heart of town, and      country has the same range, quality
all of Dunedin’s cafés, music venues,      and accessibility of leisure activities.      Dunedin
designer boutiques and stores,             Ride the best waves in the world,
museums and galleries are never            take on mighty mountain biking
more than a short walk away.               tracks, paddle-board, kayak or sail
                                           on the harbour, or head to Central
When it comes to sport, Otago
                                           Otago for a weekend on New
takes on the best in the world. The
                                           Zealand’s top ski fields.
University’s facilities are state of the
art and New Zealand’s only covered         Imagine changing out of your
sports field, Forsyth Barr Stadium,        wetsuit then walking to the city
is right on your doorstep for top-         centre for lunch, or snowboarding
level rugby.                               all day and getting home in time to
                                           catch your favourite band. It’s just
                                           part of life in Dunedin.

8
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ONLY OTAGO

Life at Otago

Making a decision to study     Most study takes place at our campus in           If you’re serious about sport, then Otago is
                               Dunedin, a safe city that is easy to get          the best place to be. What other university
overseas is a bold one – the
                               around and has a relatively inexpensive cost      hosts international cricket minutes from
University of Otago will       of living. The University also has campuses       campus, and international rugby right
support you to make the        in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and         next door?
most of your time here.        Invercargill.
                                                                                 Unipol Recreation Centre is a superb gym
                               Most of our international students choose to      facility that offers everything you need free
                               live in one of our residential colleges while     of charge, including cardio and weights,
                               others prefer to stay in university-managed       sports halls, group fitness classes, social sport
                               flats. Whichever you choose, the support is       and outdoor adventures – whatever you need
                               there to help you get the very best out of your   to get your fix of the outdoors.
                               time at Otago.
                                                                                 You won’t regret choosing the all-round
                               A first-class education requires world-class      experience that only Otago can offer.
                               facilities and Otago is known for its state-of-
                               the-art lecture theatres, research labs and
                               libraries. There’s also unlimited wi-fi across
                               campus and our computer labs are open 24/7.
                               Otago’s International Office provides
                               specialist support for international students,
                               welcoming you with a tailored orientation
                               programme and providing ongoing help and
                               support throughout your time here.
                               For those who like to play for fun, the
                               University’s Clubs and Societies programme
                               offers over 150 short courses and activities,
                               from arts, crafts and dancing to cooking,
                               languages and music.

10
11
ONLY OTAGO

Student services

Campus Watch                                     Computer services                              International Office
The Campus Watch teams are out and               Otago provides a range of IT services to       The International Office provides
about 24/7 around campus and North               students: 24-hour wireless study spaces with   information, support and advice to future
Dunedin to help maintain a safe and              printers and computers, student webmail        and current international students and
healthy campus.                                  and online Office 365, and a student           to students wishing to study overseas
otago.ac.nz/campus-watch                         desktop that’s accessible anywhere. Our        on exchange programmes. It runs on-
                                                 friendly Student IT support team provide       campus orientation programmes for new
                                                 help, advice and training.                     international students including a wide
                                                                                                variety of events to assist you in adjusting
Career Development Centre                        otago.ac.nz/studentit
                                                                                                to life at Otago. It operates an international
The Career Development Centre runs                                                              friendship network, offers a student visa
workshops, co-ordinates employer                                                                renewal service, assistance with insurance,
presentations and career fairs, has a range
                                                 Disability Information and Support             and US Financial Aid. All enquiries from
of career information for students, and has      Office (DI&S)                                  prospective international students about
career advisers available for one-to-one                                                        application and admission should be
                                                 DI&S provides learning support, advice,
discussions.                                                                                    directed to the International Office.
                                                 advocacy and information to international
otago.ac.nz/careers                              students with disabilities, impairments,       otago.ac.nz/international
                                                 medical conditions or injuries that may
                                                 impact on their study. It is important that
Chaplains                                        you check in advance to ensure that the        Libraries
                                                 University is able to meet your specific
The University chaplaincy team is                requirements.                                  The University of Otago Libraries offer
available to offer pastoral care and spiritual                                                  an outstanding range of information
                                                 otago.ac.nz/disabilities
support to anyone who wants to talk in                                                          services, quality resources, wi-fi and warm
confidence, whatever their beliefs.                                                             comfortable facilities suitable for individual
                                                                                                or group learning. Whether you are
otago.ac.nz/chaplain                             Graduate Research School                       studying on or off campus, enjoy access to a
                                                 The Graduate Research School oversees          wide variety of print, electronic and audio-
                                                 graduate research study at the University      visual resources. Make the most of readily
Childcare                                        of Otago. A dedicated team of                  available expert assistance with sourcing
The Otago University Childcare                   administrators and advisers provide            and evaluating library resources and
Association (OUCA) provides excellent            policy advice for doctoral and research        developing your search skills from friendly,
early childhood education in high-standard       masters’ degrees, and manage university        knowledgeable staff.
purpose-built facilities. The OUCA operates      scholarships and prizes.                       otago.ac.nz/library
four childcare centres, including a bilingual    otago.ac.nz/graduate-research
centre, for children from birth to five years.
otago.ac.nz/childcare

12
Recreation at Otago                              There are more than 25 international             Work Ready Programme
                                                 societies affiliated with OUSA that provide
Unipol Recreation Services and the               a home away from home for international          The Work Ready Programme is free and
OUSA Clubs and Societies team provide            students. Peer support groups, cultural          provides tertiary international students
a comprehensive programme to ensure              performances, traditional cuisine and            with the confidence, knowledge and
students maintain a healthy, balanced and        sports make up some of the many activities       experience they require for a successful job
fun lifestyle while studying at Otago. Entry     that these groups offer.                         search in New Zealand. The programme
into Unipol is free with a current student                                                        facilitates a number of workshops, seminars
                                                 ousa.org.nz
ID card. This fantastic facility includes                                                         and events that bring together students
weight training and cardio rooms, and                                                             and local employers to ensure practical
team sports areas where students and their                                                        experience in the job-seeking process and
friends can participate in casual sports         Student Health Services                          to increase each student’s local network.
such as basketball, table tennis and more. If    Student Health is centrally located on           The programme is a joint initiative
you’re interested in participating in sports     campus in a purpose-built facility. We           between Study Dunedin, the University of
at a local or national level there are more      have approximately 50 staff, comprising          Otago and the Otago Polytechnic.
than 40 clubs catering for all abilities, from   nurses, general practitioners, counsellors,      getworkready.co.nz
beginner to elite.                               psychiatrists and administrative staff.
otago.ac.nz/recreation                           We provide daily urgent and routine
                                                 appointments to all international students.
                                                 Different consultation fees may apply
Students’ Association                            for international students and most
                                                 international students are not entitled to
The Otago University Students’ Association       publicly-funded health services while in
(OUSA) is an independent organisation            New Zealand. Full details on entitlements
that represents students’ interests within the   to publicly-funded health services are
University, in the media, and with local and     available through the Ministry of Health.
national government. If you’ve lost your
                                                 otago.ac.nz/studenthealth
wallet, need some help with budgeting or         health.govt.nz
require advocacy and support, OUSA is the
place to go.
OUSA operates the Clubs and Societies            Student Learning Development
Centre – the base for over 150 clubs
and societies. Most of its facilities are        Student Learning Development offers a
free or inexpensive and the centre also          free service for enrolled students. Assistance
provides a sauna, dance and exercise             includes interactive workshops, individual
spaces, a commercial kitchen, pianos and         consultations with learning advisers, and
meeting/study rooms. The Centre runs             peer learning and support programmes. The
an inexpensive and extensive recreational        Peer Leadership Programme offers students
programme, including activities like yoga,       opportunities to develop leadership skills
tai chi, painting and coffee-making, and         through a range of workshops, activities and
it is also the base for over 75 societies        online study resources.
covering different cultural, sporting,           otago.ac.nz/sld
political and religious interests.

                                                                                                                                           13
ONLY OTAGO

Accommodation
Otago is famous for its residential college communities, and there is a wide range of accommodation options available for
international students.

Residential colleges
The unique collegiate life at Otago is an important
part of the experience for many students – the
community atmosphere, the support, and the
opportunity to discover lifelong friendships all
help to make that first year away from home not
just easier, but also memorable.
All of the colleges are fully catered, warm, student-
focused and secure. Professional, experienced
college leaders and staff take a real interest in
the wellbeing of their residents. The colleges all
provide regular tutorials and study spaces, and
work hard to develop their residents as scholars
and good community members.
College life includes a full and exciting calendar of
cultural and sporting events throughout the year,
including inter-college competitions for summer and
winter sports, and cultural activities. The colleges
have a range of recreational facilities, ranging from
games and fitness areas to gyms or cardio rooms.
International students under the age of 18 when
they start studying at the University of Otago can
apply to live in Toroa College, Aquinas College
or homestay. These options are in accordance
with the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of
International Students.
otago.ac.nz/colleges

14
Colleges at a glance
Otago offers a unique range of world-class collegiate communities.

                                                                                                                                                                 Te Rangi Hiroa
                                                                                                                 St Margaret’s
                                                                                   Cumberland

                                                                                                                                                     Studholme
                                                             Carrington

                                                                                                Hayward

                                                                                                                                 Salmond
                                          Aquinas

                                                                                                                                           Selwyn
                                Abbey

                                                                                                                                                                                           Unicol
                                                     Arana

                                                                                                                                                                                  Toroa
                                                                                                          Knox
                                                                          City

Walk to uni (mins)               8          15        3         6          5         4            3       12        0             12         0         3            5              3        0
Number of beds                   75        152       404     243          210      327          162       262    227             260        188      187         125              152      507
Tutorials
Music facilities
Student activities (sporting)
Student activities (cultural)
Inter-college activities
Fully catered
Special meals
Halal meals
Gym (*or close to Unipol)                                                                 *                              *
Laundry (included in fees)
Parking (*costs apply)                *          *                  *          *          *           *                   *                      *                         *           *        *
Linen (weekly)
Bicycle storage
Disabled facilities
Recreational facilities
(e.g. Sky, DVD, pool table)

Summer accommodation
Single sex areas
Undergraduate/ postgraduate      P         U/P       U/P        U         U/P        U            U       U/P       U            U/P         U         U            U             U/P       U
Under 18
Study rooms

                                                                                                                                                                                            15
ONLY OTAGO

There are many accommodation          OTHER ACCOMMODATION                             Flatting
options within walking distance
                                      Postgraduate                                    After the first year of study, many students
of campus, including flats, private                                                   move into flats. Dunedin has a wide
boarding and homestay. The            Several of the residential colleges             range of rental accommodation – from
                                      provide accommodation for a number of
Dunedin community welcomes                                                            studio rooms to multi-unit, purpose-built
                                      postgraduate students. The University           complexes. The Student Accommodation
students and many families enjoy      of Otago has New Zealand’s only                 Centre can assist you to find rental
sharing their homes with students     residential college – Abbey College –           accommodation and provide helpful hints
from around the world.                specifically for postgraduate students. This    for flatting life.
                                      accommodation is located within a few
                                      minutes’ walk of all University facilities.
                                      Many senior students prefer to rent houses      Temporary accommodation
                                      or flats near shops or schools. Although
                                                                                      We recommend that you book
                                      there is some accommodation suitable for
                                                                                      temporary accommodation before you
                                      couples or families close to the campus,
                                                                                      arrive in Dunedin. A list of temporary
                                      affordable accommodation is available in
                                                                                      accommodation can be found on our
                                      the suburbs, often only a short drive or bus
                                                                                      website:
                                      trip from the main campus.
                                                                                      otago.ac.nz/accommodation

                                      University-managed flats and houses
                                                                                      Accommodation for people
                                      Students who would like more
                                                                                      with disabilities
                                      independence can apply for a room in a
                                      University-managed flat. This is also the       The University of Otago is committed to
                                      best option for single semester students.       assisting students with disabilities. Our
                                      Most of these flats have a New Zealand          residential colleges offer a range of facilities
                                      “Kiwi Host” student. There is a small           for students with disabilities, with several
                                      number of flats available for postgraduate      colleges particularly suitable for people who
                                      students with partners and/or families, and     use wheelchairs or have limited mobility.
                                      for unaccompanied postgraduate students         A number of University flats have been
                                      wishing to reside in a self-catered flat with   modified to meet the needs of students
                                      other postgraduate students. The flats are      with physical disabilities and some secure
                                      fully furnished and within easy walking         properties are available for students who
                                      distance of campus.                             use guide dogs.
                                      otago.ac.nz/uniflats                            The Student Accommodation Centre
                                                                                      can help you with further details but it is
                                                                                      important to register an interest during
                                                                                      August and September if you require
                                                                                      accommodation for the following year.

16
How to apply                                  Living costs
To apply for residential college or           The table below provides an estimate of living costs in NZ$ and is based on 2017 charging.
University Flats accommodation for the        The costs assume a single student on campus for a period of forty weeks (one academic
February intake, you need to submit an        year). Actual accommodation costs will be supplied once you have been accepted for study
online application before 15 September.       at Otago.
Applications received after this date
will still be considered as places become                                                         Residential college                  Shared flat
available. For the second semester it is
                                                 Accommodation Fee                                       $14,060                              -
preferred that applications are received
before 1 June. There is no closing date for      Average rent (52 weeks @ $140)                              -                            $7,440
applications from postgraduate students for
Abbey College.                                   Food (40 weeks @ $70)                                       -                            $2,860
Postgraduate and single-semester                 Gas/electricity, internet (52 weeks)                        -                            $1,225
students will be sent information about
accommodation when they receive an               Total for accommodation                                 $14,060                          $11,525
Academic Offer of Place to study at the
University of Otago.                             Personal costs (40 weeks @ $60)                          $2,450                          $2,450

International students may apply online          Entertainment (40 weeks @ $40)                           $1,635                          $1,635
at otago.ac.nz for university-managed
accommodation.                                   Medical and travel insurance                              $600                            $600

For further information about                    Total                                                   $18,745                         $16,210
accommodation please contact:
Student Accommodation Centre                  Notes:
international.accommodation@otago.ac.nz       1. Residential college contracts are normally for 38 weeks. Some colleges may charge a higher fee
otago.ac.nz/accommodation
                                                 than the fee listed in the table.
                                              2. In addition to the accommodation fee, the residential colleges charge a small amenity fee.
                                              3. Food costs reflect the purchase of some lunches and takeaways. If all cooking is done in the
                                                 flat they could be reduced.
                                              4. Personal costs vary considerably depending on lifestyle. The estimate represents a restrained
                                                 style of living.
                                              5. This estimated budget does not include travel costs or any significant personal expenditure items.

                                                                                                                                                      17
SECTION

         2
     An Otago degree

18
Worried about majors and minors and prerequisites
and corequisites? This section cuts through the
jargon to help you decide on a degree, and how to
structure it to suit your needs.

                                                    otago.ac.nz | 0800 80 80 98
                                                                                  19
AN OTAGO DEGREE

Terminology
Bachelor’s degrees                               A full-time first-year course is generally       Summer School
                                                 54-72 points in any one semester or 108 -
Your first degree is called a bachelor’s         144 points in any one year. Part-time study      The University offers a Summer School
degree and the subject you choose to             is taking fewer than 54 points in any one        from early January to mid-February each
specialise in is called your major.              semester or 108 points in any one year. As       year. This gives students the opportunity
                                                 an approximate guide, you can expect to          to study one or two papers for credit over
A degree almost always includes subjects
                                                 spend about 12 hours per week for each           a shorter teaching period and outside the
other than your major, but the major
                                                 single-semester paper (18 points). These         standard semester timetable.
subject is generally studied in every
year of the course. This choice of major         hours are made up of a combination of
subject determines which degree you are          lectures, tutorials, laboratories, assignments
actually taking. It is possible to gain formal   and reading.                                     International School
recognition for a minor subject within some                                                       An International School programme is
programmes.                                                                                       offered in June-July each year, giving
                                                 Teaching                                         International students an opportunity to
                                                 The basic method of presenting subject           gain credits toward their degree.
Postgraduate study                               information at university is the lecture,        otago.ac.nz/internationalschool
Postgraduate study is a more advanced            although many departments use a variety
level of study undertaken after completion       of other approaches. Lectures normally
                                                 last 50 minutes and are a basic means of
of a bachelor’s degree. These qualifications                                                      Distance Learning
include doctorates (PhD), masters’ degrees,      introducing new knowledge. You must back
honours degrees, postgraduate diplomas,          them up with your own wide reading.              The University offers some papers and
and postgraduate certificates.                                                                    courses by distance study. Most distance
                                                 You will have essays and assignments,
                                                                                                  taught courses are postgraduate courses
                                                 and may take part in laboratories or
                                                                                                  offered in subjects where the University
                                                 tutorials where more individual attention
                                                                                                  has specific expertise. However, there are
Papers                                           is available. You may also find you are in
                                                                                                  some papers and courses for undergraduate
                                                 regular contact with tutors, other academic
The building blocks of the degree are                                                             students.
                                                 staff and other students.
called papers. A paper is a fixed amount                                                          Please note that Immigration New Zealand
of work in certain aspects of a subject at a     Postgraduate study is more intensive than
                                                                                                  will not normally grant a student visa for
particular level. The first papers you take      undergraduate study and requires more
                                                                                                  study in New Zealand where the intended
are called 100-level papers. You move on in      independent research.
                                                                                                  programme of study is wholly delivered by
subsequent years or semesters to 200-level                                                        distance mode.
and 300-level papers, and beyond if you
choose to undertake postgraduate study.          Assessment
                                                 Papers are assessed in a variety of ways.
                                                 Examinations (finals) are usually the most
Prerequisites and corequisites                   important and most papers end with a
Most papers beyond 100-level have                three-hour examination at the end of
prerequisites. If you have not completed         each semester. Many subjects also have
a prerequisite for a paper, you are not          shorter tests during the year, and written
normally permitted to enrol in that paper.       assignments and laboratory work often
                                                 count towards your final grade.
Some papers have corequisites. If you have
not already passed a corequisite, you must       Postgraduate assessment can be by thesis,
take it at the same time as your other paper.    examination and/or internal assessment
                                                 depending on the specific course being
                                                 studied.
Workload
To complete a degree you must accumulate         Semesters
a number of points, with a required number
at higher levels. Most papers are single         The University operates two semesters per
semester papers and are worth 18 points. If      year. Some papers are completed in a single
you pass, you get all the points. Your grade     semester (i.e. a half year, either first or
shows how well you passed but does not           second semester), while others run for the
affect the number of points you earn.            whole year. Some single-semester papers
                                                 are offered in each semester, while others
                                                 occur only once a year.

20
STUDENT PROFILE

    Janet Leung
       Bachelor of Arts (Politics)
                    Hong Kong

                                     After studying journalism in her native Hong Kong, Janet Leung wanted a
                                     change of subject and a change of environment.
                                     Recommendations from friends led Janet to transfer her studies to Otago for a BA
                                     in Politics with a minor in Communication Studies – and she loves her new life.
                                     “Otago is more flexible than Hong Kong. It’s easier to do papers I’m
                                     interested in and although the study is just as intense it’s a much more relaxing
“Otago really                        environment. When you take a break there are lots of things to do and New
                                     Zealand has such beautiful scenery.”
accommodates all
                                     Janet has visited Christchurch and Wellington, but Dunedin has won her over.
kinds of cultures                    “It’s a relatively small community and people are really warm. The weather
and ethnicities and                  and culture are quite different from Hong Kong but the people are so friendly
provides a great                     that after the initial shock I adapted quite easily.

environment                          “There is a good number of international students, and this is really useful
                                     in political studies. When we have small group discussions it’s like a UN
to study in…”                        conference with different people from different countries discussing the issues.”
                                     Janet’s studies at Otago enabled her to gain a government internship in Hong
                                     Kong over summer, where she was able to put her learning into practice.
                                     Socially, she discovered Otago’s reputation for supporting a great student life
                                     was well-deserved.
                                     “You work hard and you play hard and there are lots of organised community
                                     activities that are great for meeting people. I’ve got to know lots of Kiwis as
                                     well as lots of international students, and I really like how we are so different
                                     from each other.
                                     “Otago really accommodates all kinds of cultures and ethnicities and provides
                                     a great environment to study in. I think people of any race or any culture
                                     could fit in here and be very happy.”

                                                                                                                       21
AN OTAGO DEGREE

Your bachelor’s degree

Undergraduate programmes at Otago     General degrees                             In Arts, Music, Performing Arts, Theology,
                                                                                  Science and Commerce degrees, you can
can be divided into two main types:   BAppSc       Bachelor of Applied Science    include papers from other degrees worth up
• general degrees                     BA           Bachelor of Arts               to 90 points.

• specialised degrees.                BASc         Bachelor of Arts and Science   The BASc degree requires at least 480
                                                                                  points and requires two major subjects: one
                                      BBiomedSc Bachelor of Biomedical 		         from those available for BA and one from
                                                Sciences                          those available for BSc or BAppSc.
                                      BCom         Bachelor of Commerce           The BPhEd degree requires at least 504
                                      MusB         Bachelor of Music              points with a choice of four major subjects
                                                                                  and scope for papers worth up to 126 points
                                      BPA          Bachelor of Performing Arts    from other degrees.
                                      BPhEd        Bachelor of Physical
                                                   Education
                                                                                  Specialised degrees
                                      BSc          Bachelor of Science

                                      BTheol       Bachelor of Theology
                                                                                  The following qualifications are more
                                                                                  specialised with restricted choices of
                                      Each of these degrees (except for BASc      papers:
                                      and BPhEd) requires a minimum of
                                                                                  BDS          Bachelor of Dental Surgery
                                      360 points. At least 180 of these must be
                                      above 100-level and at least 72 must be     BDentTech Bachelor of Dental
                                      at 300-level in your major. There must                Technology
                                      be a major subject in every degree other
                                                                                  LLB          Bachelor of Laws
                                      than the MusB, BPA and BTheol, which
                                      means that you must satisfy the major       BMLSc        Bachelor of Medical
                                      requirements for that subject.                           Laboratory Science

                                      It is often possible to include two major   MB ChB       Bachelor of Medicine and
                                      subjects in a degree programme (a “double                Bachelor of Surgery
                                      major”).
                                                                                  BOH          Bachelor of Oral Health

22
BPharm         Bachelor of Pharmacy                  These specialist degrees require a Health    If you want to plan a double-degree course,
                                                     Sciences First Year. Admission to the        seek advice from a course adviser, schools’
BPhty          Bachelor of Physiotherapy
                                                     second year of each degree depends on the    liaison officer, or staff in the Student
BRT            Bachelor of Radiation Therapy         results in the first-year course.            Records Office of Student Administration.
BSW            Bachelor of Social Work                                                            Entry requirements for double-degree
                                                                                                  programmes are the same as for the
BSurv          Bachelor of Surveying                 Double degrees and                           individual degrees involved. If one of the
BTchg          Bachelor of Teaching                  cross crediting                              degrees has restricted entry (e.g. LLB) then
               (endorsed in Early Childhood                                                       you still have to meet the entry requirement
                                                     It is possible for students to take two
               Education, Primary Bilingual                                                       for that degree if you are taking it together
                                                     degrees at the same time. This doesn’t
               Education and Primary 		                                                           with a general degree (e.g. LLB and BCom).
                                                     mean you double your workload. You can
               Education)
                                                     count some papers twice, by studying them    You do not have to enrol for a double-
Note: There is also a one-year postgraduate degree   in one degree and cross crediting them to    degree programme in your first year. Many
programme in teacher education for students who      the other degree as well. This means you     students take a mixture of papers from two
have already completed a degree.                     can complete two degrees in less time than   degrees in their first year (you are allowed
                                                     if you had studied them separately.          to include some papers from another
The BDentTech, BOH, BRT and BTchg                                                                 degree in your primary degree). You can
                                                     Students can cross credit 126 points
have selective entry at first year. The rest                                                      then decide at the beginning of the second
                                                     between two three-year degrees, so that
of these degrees have selective entry to the                                                      year whether or not to set up a double-
                                                     594 points are required instead of 720 to
second year, and each has its own subjects,                                                       degree structure.
                                                     complete two three-year degrees such as a
structure and admission procedures.
                                                     BA and a BSc. This takes between four and
BDS        Bachelor of Dental Surgery                five years, depending on how many papers
                                                     are passed each year.
BMLSc      Bachelor of Medical
           Laboratory Science                        You may cross credit 180 points between a
                                                     four-year degree and a three-year degree
MB ChB Bachelor of Medicine and
                                                     (e.g. LLB and BSc, or BPhEd and BCom),
       Bachelor of Surgery
                                                     saving two years and completing both
BPharm Bachelor of Pharmacy                          degrees in five years instead of seven.
BPhty      Bachelor of Physiotherapy

                                                                                                                                            23
AN OTAGO DEGREE

Postgraduate study
The decision to undertake postgraduate study is a bold declaration that you intend to be a serious participant in your field. The
University of Otago is New Zealand’s leading postgraduate research university and offers unparalleled access to world-class academics
in a full range of qualifications.

Research at Otago                              Doctor of Philosophy                              Postgraduate diplomas
Otago is a research-led university.            The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)          A postgraduate diploma provides a
Research students are its life-blood and       is a research-only qualification designed         specialist postgraduate qualification and a
are supported by many of this country’s        for students who intend to pursue an              pathway to research study, extending the
leading researchers across the Sciences,       academic or research career. The degree           knowledge gained in a bachelor’s degree.
Humanities, Business, Health Sciences,         is awarded on the basis of the submission         It offers students structured courses and
Medicine and Dentistry.                        of a thesis which should give evidence            guidance, as well as the opportunity to
                                               of the candidate’s ability to carry out           undertake some independent research.
Otago’s researchers continue to win an
                                               research, evidence that the candidate has         Students are able to focus on a preferred
ever-increasing number of research grants
                                               shown originality and independence, and           area of study and may begin to formalise
in what is a highly-competitive market for
                                               that the candidate has made a significant         future research plans.
research funding. Otago attracts more than
                                               contribution to knowledge in a particular
$170 million in external research funding
                                               field. A diligent and competent student
each year.
                                               is expected to complete the PhD in three          Postgraduate certificates
Otago has the highest proportion of            years of full-time study.
postgraduate research students of any                                                            A postgraduate certificate is generally
university in New Zealand – there are                                                            a six-month coursework qualification
                                                                                                 that recognises continuing professional
currently more than 1,400 doctoral             Masters’ degrees                                  development in the same area as the
candidates enrolled. PhD completion
numbers are at an all-time high and the        Masters’ degrees vary in nature at Otago,         candidate’s original degree.
completion rate – at between 80 to 90 per      but the majority allow for the development
cent – is internationally competitive.         of individual research. Working from a

The University recognises the importance
                                               strong background of study, candidates have       Diploma for Graduates
                                               the opportunity to contribute to existing
of the supervisor-student relationship.        specialist fields or to begin to develop new      The Diploma for Graduates is a
Supervisors induct and support graduate        areas of research. Masters’ degrees are           qualification open to graduates. Unlike
research students into the research culture,   typically research-only, but some can be a        a postgraduate diploma, which involves
backed by strong departmental facilities.      combination of research and coursework, or        400-level papers, the Diploma for Graduates
Regular workshops are held for students,       a mainly coursework programme.                    typically involves undergraduate papers
supervisors and postgraduate convenors.                                                          (that is, papers at 100-, 200- and 300-level).
                                               A master’s degree by thesis is a supervised
The staff expertise website highlights the     research degree. The one-year programme           The Diploma for Graduates comes in two
depth and breadth of specialised knowledge     consists of a thesis, which must be a             forms. In its flexible form, the diploma
at Otago and is a useful resource for those    substantial work and the outcome of               is intended for graduates who wish to
looking for a supervisor:                      independent research, scholarship and/            broaden their undergraduate background,
otago.ac.nz/mediaexpertise                     or creative activity, conducted under             and any combination of subjects that
                                               supervision. The two-year programme               constitutes an academically feasible and
The University has recognised a number                                                           justifiable programme of study is permitted,
                                               comprises a year of coursework followed by
of areas of research strength as Research                                                        provided that the chosen combination
                                               a thesis year.
Themes and Research Centres. Many of                                                             includes enough points at 300-level.
these are multidisciplinary; they encourage    A master’s degree by coursework comprises
research across a range of academic fields     supervised coursework over a period of one        The endorsed form of the Diploma
and provide outstanding opportunities          to two years. This typically includes both        for Graduates identifies a subject of
for postgraduate students. Individual staff    taught papers and a research component.           specialisation and requires that papers
research expertise can be found on the                                                           be concentrated in that subject. Since
divisional and departmental pages of                                                             the endorsed Diploma for Graduates is
                                                                                                 approximately equivalent to a new major
the website:                                   Honours degrees                                   subject, it is often used as a bridge to
otago.ac.nz/departments
                                               Most three-year bachelors’ degrees at             postgraduate study.
                                               Otago have postgraduate honours degrees           otago.ac.nz/postgraduate
                                               allied to them. They involve further papers
POSTGRADUATE STUDY OPTIONS                     in the subject of the first degree and a
Otago offers more than 120 postgraduate        research report or dissertation. It is possible
programmes, from one-semester                  to undertake honours degrees in more than
postgraduate certificates to extended          one subject, or to take a combined honours
research degrees.                              degree involving a blend of papers from
                                               two subjects.

24
STUDENT PROFILE

          Luca
    Karjalainen
    Bachelor of Science (Zoology)
                          Finland

                                    It’s a very long way from Finland to Otago, but Luca Karjalainen is constantly
                                    surprised by how easy it is to fit into the Dunedin student lifestyle.
                                    Half-Finnish and half-English, Luca was born in London, but has spent the
                                    last 11 years in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, and is fluent in Swedish and
                                    Finnish as well as English.
                                    He and his family are well travelled, and visited New Zealand when he was eight.
“Otago is friendly                  “It was my most memorable trip so when I decided to make my own way in
and everyone is                     the world I chose New Zealand,” he says.
helpful, from my                    “It could have been difficult to adapt, but it really hasn’t been. When I flew
                                    into Queenstown and saw the mountains, it almost felt like coming home – I
landlady to                         knew I had made the right decision to come here.
the lecturers…”                     “I love that New Zealand is structured yet relaxed, and New Zealanders have
                                    an appreciation for balance in life that doesn’t exist for people in large cities
                                    who have to constantly rush. There are also many outdoor pursuits for an
                                    adrenalin junkie like me to explore.”
                                    Luca is studying for a Bachelor of Science, majoring in zoology and is
                                    planning to continue on to a master’s degree with a view to eventually working
                                    with endangered animals.
                                    He says he has been embraced by the international student community and
                                    support services on campus.
                                    “Otago is friendly and everyone is helpful, from my landlady to the lecturers
                                    who make an effort to engage as well as inform. People smile a lot. I see it as
                                    the perfect environment for young people to move away from home and start
                                    their independence.”

                                                                                                                     25
AN OTAGO DEGREE

BUSINESS

The world needs business         We are an Asia-Pacific leader in business     • Human Resource Management: gain
                                 education and research and hold dual            the knowledge and skills necessary to
graduates who are flexible,
                                 European Quality Improvement System             strategically manage the performance of
capable and determined to        (EQUIS) and Association to Advance              people in contemporary workplaces.
succeed. The Otago Business      Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
                                                                               • Information Science: learn about
School meets these needs with    accreditation status, ensuring our
                                                                                 information and how it is used by people
a full range of undergraduate,   qualifications are globally portable and
                                                                                 within organisations.
postgraduate and executive       internationally recognised.
                                                                               • International Business: study a
level study options.                                                             combination of business, language and
                                 UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES                           culture subjects giving you an excellent
                                                                                 knowledge base to work internationally.
                                 The Otago Business School’s flagship
                                 qualification is the Bachelor of Commerce     • Management: become a strong
                                 (BCom) degree. This three-year degree           leader, and gain an understanding of
                                 incorporates a “core” set of compulsory         organisations and the employees within
                                 papers that provide a general overview to       them.
                                 business education and complement your        • Marketing: learn how to effectively
                                 selected major area/s of study.                 market products and services with
                                 The BCom offers eight different majors:         teaching based on the latest research.

                                 • Accounting: the art and science             • Tourism: gain the insights and knowledge
                                   of measuring, interpreting and                you need to play a key role in the exciting
                                   communicating financial information.          global travel and tourism industry.

                                 • Economics: teaching you how                 Your BCom can also include a minor
                                   individuals, governments, firms and         in a different subject, or you are able to
                                   nations make decisions when allocating      complete two majors. Some disciplines
                                   scarce resources to satisfy our unlimited   within the Business School, such as
                                   wants.                                      Information Science and Economics,
                                                                               are offered as a Business degree as well
                                 • Finance: managing money and capital         as Science or Humanities degrees. This
                                   expenditures in the real world: making      provides you with the flexibility to focus
                                   practical financial decisions that can      your studies in an area that best matches
                                   lead to loss or gain.                       your long-term career aspirations.
                                                                               otago.ac.nz/undergrad-business

26
POSTGRADUATE STUDY                             Qualifications                                   Facilities and support
Postgraduate study at the Otago Business       The Otago Business School offers                 The School hosts a Bloomberg Financial
School offers you the opportunity to           internationally accredited postgraduate          Terminal – providing up-to-the-minute
gain advanced qualifications in your           qualifications for business and non-business     financial data from around the globe. Our
chosen business field. You will have           graduates both in research and practical         Visiting Executive Programme (VEP)
access to research-informed teaching           applications. Our range of postgraduate          provides regular seminars presented by
and supervision by acknowledged                business qualifications enables you to tailor    leading executives from organisations such
leaders in their fields, vital to ensuring     your study options to suit your own specific     as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, New
your qualification will be acknowledged        educational or professional needs. We            Zealand Trade and Enterprise, World
internationally as being of the highest        can assist you to specialise to a high level,    Vision, and other successful national and
quality. Postgraduate students enrolling in    undertake professional development, or           international companies and organisations.
a taught programme will also benefit from      change careers.
                                                                                                The Audacious Business Plan competition
small discussion-based classes.
                                               The School offers the Otago MBA which            aims to help launch student run businesses.
                                               has established a worldwide reputation,          Audacious also provides seminars,
                                               as well as the Doctor of Business                workshops, a business coach, and the
Research excellence                            Administration offering a combination            Startup Space where you can mix with
The School has a host of internationally       of distance learning and on-campus               likeminded students and entrepreneurs.
recognised scholars who teach and research     workshops from the University of Otago
in the areas of Accountancy, Economics,        and from Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human               in China.
Resource Management, Hospitality,              For a full list of qualifications, see page 56
Information Science, International Business,   or visit our website:
Management, Marketing and Tourism.
                                               otago.ac.nz/postgrad-business
The School maintains its connection and
engagement with the real world of business
by continually delivering its research
findings to the national and international
business communities.
otago.ac.nz/business/research

                                                                                                                                         27
AN OTAGO DEGREE

   HEALTH
  SCIENCES

The University of Otago is New            The University of Otago has an outstanding      in the HSFY programme and, in some
                                          history and reputation in the field of          cases, a current UMAT result and an oral
Zealand’s longest-established Health
                                          Health Sciences, and in the 2017 QS World       assessment.
Sciences’ research and teaching           Rankings placed 66th in the world for life
institution. It is the only New Zealand   sciences and medicine. It provides research-
                                                                                          Prior to commencing study at the
                                                                                          University of Otago, applicants are strongly
University to offer a degree in           based undergraduate, postgraduate and
                                                                                          advised to contact the International Office
Dentistry, and one of only two to         professional courses of international
                                                                                          for guidance regarding entry opportunities
offer degrees in Pharmacy, Medicine       standard in health and related sciences.
                                                                                          to the professional programmes. It is
and Physiotherapy.                                                                        important that students are familiar with
                                                                                          the regulations for these programmes
                                          UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES                           if wishing to compete for a place in one
                                          Whether you are planning to use your            or more of them. Regulations for these
                                          Health Sciences degree as a base for a          programmes can be found at
                                          professional career as a researcher or          otago.ac.nz/healthsciences
                                          specialist, or a job related to the health
                                          science field, the University of Otago offers
                                          a range of courses to suit.                     The Health Sciences First Year programme
                                                                                          comprises seven compulsory papers:
                                          Professional programmes                         BIOC 192      Foundations of Biochemistry
                                          The Division of Health Sciences offers the      CELS 191      Cell and Molecular Biology
                                          following professional programmes:
                                                                                          CHEM 191 The Chemical Basis of
                                          •   Medicine (MB ChB)                                    Biology and Human Health
                                          •   Dental Surgery (BDS)
                                          •   Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc)          PUBH 192      Foundations of Epidemiology
                                          •   Pharmacy (BPharm)                           HUBS 191      Human Body Systems I
                                          •   Physiotherapy (BPhty)
                                                                                          HUBS 192      Human Body Systems II
                                          Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) is a
                                          foundation year for all five professional       PHSI 191      Biological Physics
                                          programmes, and it must be your first year
                                          of tertiary study. Entry into the second year
                                          of each of these degrees is competitive and
                                          selection is based upon the grades achieved

28
Other Health Science Degrees                  Research excellence                              Facilities and support
The Health Sciences Division also offers      The Division hosts many internationally          Otago’s Health Sciences researchers are
bachelor’s degrees in Oral Health (BOH)       competitive research centres which               very successful in gaining research funding
and Dental Technology (BDentTech).            are pushing frontiers in Oral Health,            from competitive external sources such
                                              Neuroendocrinology, Brain Health, Cardiac        as the Health Research Council of New
Otago’s strength in biomedical sciences
                                              Research, Population Health, Translational       Zealand. This means that students have
offers numerous opportunities for study in
                                              Cancer Research, Genetics, Diabetes and          access to excellent resources and cutting-
the biological sciences. Specific programme
                                              Obesity, and Infectious Diseases.                edge facilities, equipment and services,
options include the Bachelor of Biomedical
                                                                                               all of which are available for use in
Sciences (BBiomedSc) and Bachelor of
                                                                                               postgraduate research projects.
Science (BSc) in one of the biological
majors, including Anatomy, Biochemistry,      Qualifications                                   Highly trained staff are on hand to
Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology,                                                         assist with all techniques including
                                              The University of Otago’s Health Sciences
Neuroscience, Pharmacology.                                                                    bioinformatics and biostatistics. We have
                                              postgraduate programmes cover a wide
                                                                                               world-class facilities for imaging, histology,
You are not required to have completed        range of subject areas and disciplines
                                                                                               protein science, cell analysis, live imaging,
the Health Sciences First Year programme      including the Health Sciences, Dentistry,
                                                                                               behavioural analysis and motion analysis.
to enrol for these programmes, but HSFY       Medicine, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy
                                                                                               We also have facilities for PC2 and 3
can be used as your first year for these      areas. Study is spread across our three
                                                                                               containment for plants, animals (including
programmes.                                   campuses in Christchurch, Wellington
                                                                                               Zebrafish, rodents, amphibians and insects)
otago.ac.nz/undergrad-healthsci               and Dunedin.
                                                                                               and microorganisms (including human
                                              For a full list of qualifications, see page 56   pathogens). The Division has facilities for
                                              or visit our website:                            next-generation sequencing and analysis,
POSTGRADUATE STUDY                            otago.ac.nz/postgrad-healthsci
                                                                                               including high throughput genotyping.

The Division of Health Sciences offers
postgraduate students a wealth of world-
class opportunities that are supported
by top-class supervisors, and supportive,
internationally recognised research
environments. Working in some of New
Zealand’s highest ranked university
academic departments, the ratio of high-
quality staff to postgraduate students
is high, ensuring a challenging and
rewarding experience.
                                                                                                                                          29
AN OTAGO DEGREE

HUMANITIES

Investigate the human world, what      Many students come to Otago to study            UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
                                       Humanities because of their love of a
it means to be human, and how                                                          The Division of Humanities covers a broad
                                       subject such as English, Classics, History or
human beings relate to their diverse   a language. Others want to try something        range of subject areas and professional
and changing environments.             new, and find that they become passionate       programmes with the following Bachelor
                                       about new subjects, such as Anthropology,       degrees being offered:
                                       Philosophy or Politics. Many want to find       • Bachelor of Arts (BA): Otago’s
                                       out more about people and cultures around         most flexible undergraduate degree
                                       the world.                                        programme, enabling students to study
                                                                                         from a selection of more than 40 arts
                                       Humanities scholars investigate how people        and social science subjects.
                                       think and act. They ask why individuals
                                       and societies behave in certain ways. They      • Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc): an
                                       learn from the past and ask questions             exciting new degree that enables students
                                       about how people are likely to behave in          to major in both the Arts and Sciences.
                                       the future. Humanities graduates are also       • Bachelor of Music (MusB): covering a
                                       highly employable: only three years after         unique combination of classical music,
                                       graduating, 95% of Humanities students            contemporary rock music, music
                                       are employed in careers related to their          technology and world music.
                                       training.
                                                                                       • Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA):
                                       Humanities subjects and departments at            pursue a career in a wide range of
                                       Otago enjoy a first-rate reputation, both         musical/theatrical forms and styles,
                                       nationally and internationally. The 2017          as well as in musical and theatrical
                                       QS world University Rankings placed               education, media, and other related fields.
                                       Otago 88th in the world for arts and            • Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): enables
                                       humanities, with eight subject areas ranked       people to develop their potential,
                                       in the top 100 institutions in the world.         promote their human rights and pursue
                                                                                         social justice.
                                                                                       • Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg): providing
                                                                                         the initial step for teachers on the road of
                                                                                         lifelong professional learning.
                                                                                       • Bachelor of Laws (LLB): providing an
                                                                                         excellent grounding in such skills as
                                                                                         analysing, decision making, negotiation,
                                                                                         researching and forming legal arguments.
30
• Bachelor of Theology (BTheol): there is         Studies. The Division also hosts six of the top   Qualifications
  enormous value in coming to an informed         12 nominated academic units within
  understanding of the Christian faith, and       the University.                                   The Division of Humanities offers a wide
  that is the main task of Theology.                                                                range of postgraduate qualifications across
                                                                                                    many subject areas and disciplines. These
The Division also offers the Diploma in                                                             include honours degrees, postgraduate
Language (DipLang) and Diploma in Global          Research Centres, Themes and Clusters             certificates and diplomas, coursework
Cultures (DipGlobalC) which are separate,                                                           masters’ degrees, research masters’ degrees
                                                  Humanities researchers are involved in
recognised and endorsed qualifications for                                                          and PhDs.
                                                  collaborative, multi-disciplinary research
students who wish to complete a programme
                                                  with colleagues and institutions within the       For a full list of qualifications, see page 56
of study in one of the five core languages
                                                  University, nationally and internationally.       or visit our website:
taught in the Department of Languages
                                                  Our range of research centres, themes and
and Cultures: Chinese, French, German,                                                              otago.ac.nz/postgrad-humanities
                                                  clusters reflects the strength and diversity
Japanese, and Spanish.
                                                  of these collaborations.
otago.ac.nz/undergrad-humanities
                                                  The Centre for Research on Colonial
                                                  Culture and the Centre for Sustainability:        Facilities and support
                                                  Agriculture, Food, Energy, Environment            The library and gallery resources for
POSTGRADUATE STUDY                                are formally recognised and supported             Humanities students – both on-campus and
The Division offers a comprehensive range of      University “flagship” Research Centres;           in the wider Dunedin area – are impressive.
postgraduate options and, in a typical year,      and the Performance of the Real, Poutama          The University’s Central Library and
has around 500 students enrolled for higher       Ara Rau and Centre for Global Migrations          Robertson Library contain more than 2.8
degrees by thesis. There is also a growing        are University Research Themes.                   million items (including print and electronic
number of students studying towards               The National Centre for Peace and Conflict        journals). Of particular note is the Hocken
specialised masters’ degrees by coursework.       Studies; the Centre for Sustainability; the       Collections, one of the foremost historical
                                                  Centre for Theology and Public Issues; the        research libraries in New Zealand.
Research excellence                               Centre for Research on Colonial Culture;          Dunedin also offers other excellent
                                                  the Legal Issues Centre; the Centre for Law       resources of interest to Humanities students
The 2012 Performance Based Research               and Emerging Technologies; the Centre             in the Otago Museum, Toitū Otago
Fund (PBRF) quality evaluation confirmed          for Society, Governance and Science;              Settlers Museum, the Dunedin Public Art
the research strengths of the Division of         the Children’s Issues Centre; the Centre          Gallery and the Dunedin office of Archives
Humanities at Otago. The following subject        for Distance Education and Learning               New Zealand, all within a short distance of
areas were ranked either first or second in the   Technologies; the Centre for Educational          the campus.
country: Anthropology and Archaeology;            Leadership and Administration; the Centre
Education; History, Art History and Classics;     for the Book; and the Centre for Irish and        In addition to work undertaken in New
Law; Philosophy; Sociology, Gender and            Scottish Studies also add to the Division’s       Zealand, the Division also has fieldwork sites
Social Work; and Theology and Religious           rich research culture.                            throughout the Pacific and all over the world.

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