Bachelor of Arts

Study for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) at Waikato and you’ll get the best of combinations – a uniquely personal degree that’s also the world’s most widely recognised.

There is a reason why the BA is so internationally popular. It is because of our innate curiosity about who we are and where we come from – the big questions. When you study for a BA, you are investigating the history and development of humankind and their expression in the creative arts. You will learn how humanity thinks, feels and acts, and how the past shapes our present and our future.

The BA gives you the freedom to design a degree with an arts base that combines subjects you feel passionate about with those that broaden your career options. A BA is prized by employers and students because it is a flexible degree yet teaches specific skills. You will develop analytical abilities, research experience, strong written and verbal communication skills, and a broader perspective on the world and its various cultures.

BA Benefits

• Learning isn’t confined to the lecture theatre.
• Purpose-built teaching and performance venue at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts.
• Flexible, so you can design a degree that suits your interests.
• Critical thinking skills which nurture creativity.

Majors

• Anthropology
• Chinese (Languages)*
• Education Studies
• English
• Ethics
• French (Languages)*
• Geography
• German (Languages)*
• History
• International Languages and Culture**
• Japanese (Languages)*
• Linguistics
• Māori and Pacific Development
• Māori Media and Communication
• Mathematics
• Music
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Screen and Media Studies
• Spanish (Languages)*
• Te Reo Māori/Māori Language
• Theatre Studies
• Tikanga Māori/Māori Cultural Studies
• Writing Studies

*There will be no new intake into this major in 2011

**Amendments to this subject, including a change in title, are subject to approval by the Universities New Zealand Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP).

BA Career Opportunities

• Composer
• Editor
• Events Manager
• Foreign Affairs Analyst
• Historian
• Interpreter
• Journalist
• Museum Curator
• Politician
• Screenwriter
• Television Director or Producer
• Writer

Specialisations

There are several optional specialisations that are carefully designed to ensure you have a good mastery of a particular area of study.

Within the Political Science major you may choose to specialise in: International Relations and Security Studies.

Within the Te Reo Māori/Māori Language major you may choose to specialise in: Te Tohu Paetahi.

Specialisations in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Spanish or Creative Writing are available to BA students of all majors. The Creative Writing specialisation enables students to develop an additional strength in imaginative writing and creative non-fiction, and will enhance your ability to write effectively in a range of genres, irrespective of your major subject area.

Supporting Subject

You can choose your supporting subject from the list of majors, the subjects listed below or from most subjects offered by other Faculties and Schools of Studies.

American Studies
English as a Second Language
New Zealand Studies/Akoranga Aotearoa
Pacific Studies
Religious Studies
Treaty of Waitangi Studies/Akoranga Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Second Major

A second major can be selected in place of a supporting subject from the major subject list above or from most subjects offered by other Faculties and Schools of Studies. Please consult with your Faculty or School of Studies to see how this can fit into your programme.

Practical Experience

Some subjects provide the opportunity for students to undertake work placements, where you gain practical experience in applying what you have learned. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers work placements at 200 and 300 level.

Entry Requirements

You will be eligible to apply for this degree if you have University Entrance and meet any additional requirements for the qualification. All other applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Scholarships

The Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship, Te Tohu Paetahi Entrance Scholarship.

For more information, visit www.waikato.ac.nz/scholarships

Degree Structure

3 Years - 360 Points

It is recommended that students include 100 level prerequisites for any compulsory papers in their chosen major(s) in the first year of their programme of study.