Diploma in Political Science

at The University of Waikato - Hamilton Campus New Zealand

Electronics covers a wide range of exciting modern developments ranging from microscopic electronic circuits and machines, mobile and computer communications, advances in medical diagnosis and treatment, to developments in the latest audio and video technologies.  Studying electronics at the University of Waikato will give you valuable skills in electronic engineering and design. You will have the option to specialise in some of the most progressive areas in electronics today such as optoelectronics or mechatronics.  Optoelectronics deals with the conversion of electrical signals to light or vice-versa.  Solar cells, fibre optics and lasers are integral components of everyday devices such as supermarket barcode scanners and long distance communication systems.  Mechatronics combines aspects of electronic software and mechanical engineering to produce devices such as printers, cars, aircraft, photocopiers and even washing machines. These are fast growing areas in which you can develop a productive and satisfying career.

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.

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.

Writing Studies at Waikato offers a writing-intensive learning experience that will enable you to grow as a writer no matter where your interest lies. It will give you the research skills needed to write convincingly about the past, or create a vivid sense of the contemporary world. It will develop the reading and analytical skills essential for effective writing.

You can structure your Writing Studies program to suit your interests and needs. There are papers offered in

• Creative writing
• Literary non-fiction, including food writing
• Business communication
• Professional speaking and speech writing
• Public relations writing
• The philosophy of language and communication
• Understanding the requirements of specific audiences and readers
• Science communication
• Writing for screen media
• Theories of reading
• Academic writing and research.

The world of public relations is fast-growing and exciting. Get the public relations skills you need to help an organisation build trusted relationships with its key stakeholders and enhance its public reputation.

If you enjoy writing and talking to different people, and love framing ideas in imaginative and engaging ways, then a career in Public Relations may be right for you.

Public relations practitioners plan and implement communication campaigns to influence people’s attitudes and behaviour. They are effective networkers who work closely with journalists to manage media publicity, and act as a crucial link between an organisation and its publics, such as the community, customers and corporate shareholders.

Public Relations professionals are also involved with crisis and issues management, government relations, lobbying, events, sponsorship and fundraising, and employee relations.

The pressure on our environment is increasing as the human population grows. Environmental Sciences provide a basis for understanding environmental problems, and finding solutions to them.

The growing human population is expected to exceed 9 billion within the next 40 years.  The need to provide for increasing human demands, while protecting and sustainably managing the environment, is one of our greatest global challenges. Environmental Science is at the core of this challenge.

A major in Environmental Sciences at Waikato encompasses ecology, earth sciences, and environmental chemistry as well as many other disciplines. It is about understanding and managing human impacts on our land, biodiversity, freshwater, oceans, atmosphere and climate while providing the food, water, energy, and mineral resource needs that are critical to our survival.

Spanish is one of the major languages of Western Europe, and the most widely spoken language of the Americas, with a substantial number of native and second language speakers, ranging from Metropolitan areas of Canada and the US through Mesoamerican countries, most of South America and even in the Philippines.

Besides being the official language of Spain, Equatorial Guinea and 20 more countries in Latin America, the US (52.6 million) has become the second largest Spanish speaking country in the world after Mexico (121 million). Spanish is also one of the most widely taught languages in the world - taught in the US, UK, Brazil, China and the Philippines - according to official statistics.

Worldwide, there is a high demand for Spanish teachers in the education sector, including in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Other professions hiring professionals who know Spanish include working as an interpreter, translator, the medical profession, social worker, law enforcement professional, diplomacy, ambassador, international relations, business, journalism, management, computer specialists, technicians etc.

Studying Ethics will give you the tools and capabilities you need to become an inspirational leader in the community and in your working life, and will enable you to feel confident in your capability to reflect on doing “the right thing” and following through on that reflection.

Ethics at Waikato is an interdisciplinary program with a philosophical core. It includes the study of fundamental moral concepts and the nature of morality as well as applications of evaluative thinking to diverse subject areas such as politics, law, management, Maori and Pacific Studies, religion, art, the media, and the environment. With a theoretical core but an applied emphasis it provides a pathway into any government and private sector employment where sensitivity to ethical issues is a significant requirement.

A great strength of the Ethics program is that it offers an edge in employability when combined with other professional degrees. Examples include law, counselling, management, teaching, accountancy and computer science.

Philosophy is for thinkers and doers. It's about solving real-life problems, and applying intellectual rigour to how we understand and interact with others, society and the world. Studying Philosophy at Waikato will teach you how to learn, think and write clearly, argue vigorously, and question deeply held assumptions and beliefs.

The study of Philosophy involves tackling ethical and science-related issues, logic problems and debates about the nature of reality. It asks fundamental questions about what it means to be human, at this time and in this place. Questions such as: what is truth; what is reality; what is the mind; and what is good?

Employers understand the value of graduates who can think, and decide, for themselves. Waikato Philosophy graduates have the practical and analytical skills needed for careers within the public and private, health, business, environmental, publishing, information technology and education sectors, among others.

Learn about Population Studies through the National Institute for Demographic and Economic Analysis at Waikato and gain a solid, research-led understanding of the population issues facing developed and developing countries, with a particular emphasis on the South Pacific.

The National Institute for Demographic and Economic Analysis (NIDEA) is a research institute based in the University's School of Social Sciences. It is New Zealand's sole national institute of demographic and population-focused research, and the only such unit to generate and coordinate New Zealand research in population studies.

Population problems are among the most serious challenges we face for the 21st Century. Population issues have implications for the environment, employment, families, health, urbanisation, migration, security in old age and refugee movements. It is vital that research develops integrated approaches to these issues, and policy makers and planners pay serious attention to population trends, their causes and effects.