Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies

at The University of Waikato - Hamilton Campus New Zealand

As Indigenous world views become increasingly important to society, a rapidly emerging area of study is Indigenous Studies. The Maori creative and performing arts papers diversify your existing program and provide unique insights into Maori tikanga.

Learning about Maori culture, language and knowledge is not just for Maori; it is crucial for all New Zealanders and international visitors to comprehend how Aotearoa/New Zealand’s unique Indigenous culture defines New Zealand’s identity - it is a cultural, social, economic and political force.

Also, learn how Maori Studies is located in the broader and global context of Indigenous Studies; a discipline that has flourished in the last decade as Indigenous scholars have confronted some of the major issues facing the world, such as efforts to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Everyone needs to know the law, not just lawyers. The Rule of Law is the cornerstone of the civilised society. It defines rights and obligations and provides structure to institutions of government and commerce. As an individual it governs all aspects of our lives, shapes our behaviour and provides the building blocks for our community. Law underpins many professions - business people, financial consultants, police officers, forensic scientists, parole officers, policy advisors and many other professions all need an understanding of the law.

By choosing to study law at Waikato you have the choice of an LLB degree or majoring in Law as part of a Bachelor of Arts. Gain the skills and knowledge that meet the high demands of a wide range of careers, both inside and outside the legal profession.

Chemistry is fundamental to our understanding of all branches of science and for a wide range of industries.  A degree in Chemistry from the University of Waikato means you'll gain an excellent grasp of Chemistry theory, supported by a strong emphasis on practical expertise.

Employers recognise Waikato Chemistry graduates for their analytical and problem solving skills as well as for their high-level of practical abilities – including hands-on bench and modern instrumentation skills.

A Chemistry qualification from Waikato appeals to a wide range of employers including analytical, forensic, industrial, environmental and medical laboratories. There is a shortage of Chemistry graduates in New Zealand and overseas and a critical shortage of qualified Chemistry teachers.

Better building materials and textiles, improved medical aids, new alloys, more productive agriculture, better environmental control and remediation – all rely on the chemical expertise you'll gain from studying at Waikato.

The structure of our chemistry major includes a range of highly theoretical, highly applied, quantitative and qualitative aspects. It will develop your analytical and problem-solving skills, which can be applied to many other disciplines.

Chinese at Waikato involves the study of Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) and the history, culture and society of ancient and present day China.

China ("Zhongguo" – the Central Kingdom) has a civilisation that spans 4,000 years, the longest unbroken civilisation in the world. It was the centre of East Asian culture for many centuries, exerting a strong influence on its immediate neighbours, including Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

Over the last two decades China has achieved the highest economic growth rate in the world. According to World Bank and IMF estimates, in terms of real size of its economy, China now ranks second internationally. It's home to one fifth of the world's population and is poised to become a massive world force.

As part of the Asia Pacific region, New Zealand has substantial links with the countries of Chinese-speaking Asia, with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan included among New Zealand's top ten trading partners. There is a large Chinese immigrant community in New Zealand and large numbers of Chinese tourists visit.

An understanding of this emerging modern power and its language is an invaluable tool, whether you are studying Chinese language and culture out of interest or for career reasons.

You'll explore connections to previous generations, how they influence today, and if they were really all that different. History isn't just what happened before, but is also an investigation into, and use of, reliable research methods. We'll challenge you to ask questions, use critical enquiry into historical evidence and consider new ways of looking at the past in light of that new evidence.

When you study History, it isn't just for the classroom either. New Zealanders are keen to gain new perspectives on the "hidden history" of the pre-Waitangi Tribunal. People are also fascinated to learn their family's story and the circumstances that surround their ancestor's immigration to New Zealand.

Studying Design means you will apply theory and practice to research in areas related to how designers think, how they practice and what they produce. Design at Waikato is unique in New Zealand as a specialist design qualification that offers an integration of design and computer science.

You’ll become a designer who can code – making you highly desirable. Waikato also trains design students to problem-solve, and to apply an aesthetic edge, while seeing the full range of creative design possibilities.

A major in Theatre Studies at Waikato can be a rich and challenging pathway within an Arts degree. It has a wide range of vocational applications within the Performing Arts.  This suite of papers leads the student through processes of performance-making.

Waikato's Theatre Studies program takes a practice-led approach to teaching and learning different aspects of theatre. We encouraging students to explore and develop their performance practice, while thinking through what theatre does and can do in the world.

The papers in the program provide opportunities for the practical study of performance, although all are underpinned by relevant critical theory. The program focusses on Theatre as an evolving, living, breathing practice, and places emphasis on the processes of performance, as well as public performances.

Practical tutorials, seminars and rehearsals take place the theatre laboratory space, and the Playhouse Theatre within the University's purpose-built Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, which is also the venue for many of the public performances.

This subject explores the knowledge, language, culture, politics, methods and theory of Pacific and Indigenous Studies, while teaching students how to interpret new ways of understanding the world.

Pacific and Indigenous Studies focuses on the diverse Pacific region – which covers a third of the earth’s surface and is home to over 1200 languages – as well as on the histories, experiences and perspectives of Pacific people in New Zealand.

Students of Pacific and Indigenous Studies bring a wide range of background knowledge to their studies: from Pacific students who will find their own perspectives are valued and expanded through academic study in this area, all the way through to students who might have little knowledge about the region but bring a desire to learn about where we are.

All students of Pacific and Indigenous Studies learn a lot about the region and where we are, and also practice and develop skills of critical thinking, communication, and analysis of diverse perspectives.

Explore the world of metals, polymers, ceramics, composites and semiconductors. From levitating trains to electronic paper, there are some exciting developments underway in the world of Materials Science that you could be a part of!

Materials Science focuses on understanding the intrinsic structure of a material and the control of its structure through processing. It studies the relationship of the engineering properties of the three main classes of materials (metals, polymers and ceramics) as well as composites and semiconductors.

Materials Scientists are in high demand internationally – particularly within the thriving polymer/plastics, metals, ceramics and composites industries. Your detailed understanding of material properties will help you to make important decisions on how to develop new materials and which materials should be used for specific products or applications.

The wider Waikato region contains the highest density of materials-based companies in New Zealand, so as a University of Waikato Materials Science graduate you could also have a number of local employment opportunities available to you.  You'll also gain the skills and knowledge to contribute to creating an engineering-based knowledge economy in New Zealand.

Anthropology is the study of humanity in all its fantastic diversity. Waikato's Anthropology students learn from anthropologists who have a strong Pacific focus and engage in research across a wide range of crucial global issues.

Cultural anthropology, our area of specialty, is the interpretation and appreciation of the vast array of cultural possibilities for human life. Studying Anthropology will challenge students to reimagine their assumptions about their own societies and cultures and develop a toolkit to critically understand their changing world.