Geography

Geography

Thinking of Postgraduate Studies?


Living and working in the field - Antarctica
If you are thinking of undertaking graduate work then here are some useful bits of information that may be helpful.

How many points do I need?

  • 84-90 points in approved 300-level courses (including GEOG309 and at least 28-30 other points in 300-level Geography)
  • OR 112-120 points in 300-level courses (56-60 points in Geography and 56-60 in approved subjects)

What Graduate Degrees can I do?

There are a large number of options available:

  • BA (Hons) 1 year after BA or BSc (400 level courses)
  • MA (Hons) 2 years after BA or BSc (400 + thesis)
  • BSc (Hons) 1 year after BA or BSc (400 level courses) (normally B+ average)
  • MSc (Hons) 2 years after BA or BSc (400 + thesis)
  • MA and MSc “by thesis alone” after completing BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons)
  • PGDipSc 1 year after BA or BSc (400 level courses)

Points to note:

  • For all the above options, with the exception of BSc Hons, you will take 4 papers. These do not have to include GEOG420, but this is highly recommended. For BSc Hons you have to take 5 papers, one of which must be GEOG420.
  • If you are unsure about what you want to do then it may be best to do a one year honours degree and then to reassess your situation. At the end of that you have two options: (i) not to take out your honours degree and to apply to convert it to Part 1 of a Masters degree OR (ii) to take out your honours degree and to enrol for Masters by thesis alone.
  • Your final grade for the two year Masters is an average of your coursework and thesis (Parts 1 and 2). There are four passing grades: First Class Honours (A- and above), Second Class Hons Div 1 (B+), Second Class Hons Div 2 (B- and B) and MA pass.
  • When completing a two year Masters you are expected to finish your coursework and to proceed immediately, once exams are over, on to your thesis. You will be asked to complete (i) an initial ‘Statement of Intent’ regarding your proposed topic and supervisor(s) – normally by mid October and (ii) to complete your thesis proposal within 2 months of your Statement of Intent being approved.
  • For Masters by thesis alone, you can start anytime. If you achieve honours, then your final grade will be one of the following: Masters with Distinction (equivalent to First Class Hons), Masters with Merit (equivalent to MA Hons Div 1).
  • If you are completing a BScHons and want to go on to complete a PhD we would strongly recommend that you complete an MSc first.

What Sources of Funding are There?

There are a variety of sources of funding to undertake graduate studies, but especially thesis research.

1. Scholarships: For full details see the Geography Scholarships page and the University Scholarships page

Key scholarships include:

2. Teaching Fellowships within the Department
We normally hire teaching fellows to assist in the running of many of our undergraduate courses. Applications for TFs are called for at the start of each academic year and are handled by Simon Kingham.

3. Other Sources
There are many other sources of finance available if you intend undertaking a Masters thesis. These depend upon the particular topic and the role of your supervisor in obtaining external funds. For instance, Pamela Howes thesis research (2004) was largely funded by Diabetes New Zealand.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions please direct these to Dr Julie Cupples.