Master of Arts (Applied)
Interested in teaching English abroad at University level? Some Asian countries require a Master's degree. Waikato's MA (Applied) provides you with the qualification you need.
Why study a MA(Applied)?
You'll complete Waikato's Master of Arts (Applied) (MA(Applied)) by studying papers on specialist topics. Your studies will give you the skills you need to work overseas. You might already be working in a different area of language teaching in New Zealand and are thinking about heading overseas, so you'd like to gain the qualification you need to do this.
Some of the topics you'll study are specific to Waikato's MA(Applied). These topics include discourse analysis and teacher cognition studies. Another distinctive topic that's increasing in importance is the theory and concepts of English for academic purposes. When you study this topic, you'll learn how to teach students who are doing higher degrees and research, so you'll develop the skills you need to teach International students doing post-graduate education. You'll be completing a degree that was the first of its kind in New Zealand - the MA(Applied) was introduced in 1992, and was the first applied linguistics degree offered here.
Degree information
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Subjects Choose a subject
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Browse MA(Applied) subjects Browse available subjects and choose one for more information
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Entry Requirements To be eligible to be considered for admission to the MA(Applied), a student should normally have a bachelors degree or Diploma of Teaching, and have successfully completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching (PGDip(SLT)) (or equivalent). Students generally need to have achieved a B average in the PGDip(SLT) (or equivalent) in order to proceed to the MA(Applied).
Students whose first language is not English must have an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with no band lower than 6.0 or a TOEFL (paper-based) score of 600 including a Test of Written English of 5.
All applications are studied by the Progamme and applicants may be asked to attend an interview and/or write an essay.
Admission criteria may vary so please consult the appropriate programme Graduate Adviser for their specific admission criteria.
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Fees and scholarships Estimated fees
$7,626 - $9,137 per year
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Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Find a scholarship
Relevant as of 20 February 2024.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees-free study.
Estimated fees
$35,900 per year
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International tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for international students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
International tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Find a scholarship
Relevant as of 20 February 2024.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.
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Browse available subjects and choose one for more information
To be eligible to be considered for admission to the MA(Applied), a student should normally have a bachelors degree or Diploma of Teaching, and have successfully completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching (PGDip(SLT)) (or equivalent). Students generally need to have achieved a B average in the PGDip(SLT) (or equivalent) in order to proceed to the MA(Applied).
Students whose first language is not English must have an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with no band lower than 6.0 or a TOEFL (paper-based) score of 600 including a Test of Written English of 5.
All applications are studied by the Progamme and applicants may be asked to attend an interview and/or write an essay.
Admission criteria may vary so please consult the appropriate programme Graduate Adviser for their specific admission criteria.
Estimated fees
$7,626 - $9,137 per year
-
Domestic tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for domestic students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
Domestic tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Find a scholarship
Relevant as of 20 February 2024.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. View information about fees-free study.
Estimated fees
$35,900 per year
-
International tuition fees
Approximate annual tuition fees and costs for international students enrolled in one year of full-time study.
International tuition costs -
Scholarships
Visit our Scholarship finder for more information about possible scholarships.
Find a scholarship
Relevant as of 20 February 2024.
All amounts are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment. Please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.
Career Opportunities
Where can your MA(Applied) degree take you? You'll be qualified to teach English in schools and universities in a number of countries. Past graduates have gone on to achieve in many different roles, from managing a language school to being involved in academic administration, from coordinating language courses to teaching in Universities, polytechs and English language centres in New Zealand. Our graduates have taken up opportunities at Universities in China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan and Mongolia. Some graduates have managed ESOL units in New Zealand schools or worked in the educational publishing field.
Graduate study options
Practical experience
Through completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching (PGDipSLT), which is the pathway into the MA(Applied), you will be exposed to practicums organised by the programme and given the opportunity to teach under supervision.
The Applied Linguistics programme also has close connections with the University of Waikato College, through assistance with professional development, as well as the English programme offered through Hamilton’s Wintec.
What our students are saying
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