Graduate Diploma in Economics

at The University of Waikato - Hamilton Campus New Zealand

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.

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.

With more than 470 million native speakers worldwide, Spanish ranks as the world's number 2 language in terms of how many people speak it as their first language, according to Ethnologue. Knowing Spanish, the language of Miguel de Cervantes, opens the doors to a wide range of countries and cultures, especially in America. Its official status in more than 21 countries, spanning South, Central, and North America, as well as parts of Africa and Europe, its rapid expansion as a second language and its versatile role as a language of tourism, diplomacy, international businesses, popular culture, etc., make Spanish the most relevant world language today after English.

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 Professional Writing at Waikato teaches you high-level skills as a reader, writer and editor with excellent verbal, grammatical and analytical skills to excel your writing career.

The Master of Professional Writing offers a research-led and strongly practice-based qualification in professional and creative writing. The core paper is designed specifically to enhance the workplace readiness of graduates, and elective papers range across a variety of fields from creative writing to writing for promotional purposes and advertising, for digital media and for scholarly and professional publication.

Students have the opportunity to include a writing internship and all MPW students will be offered an on-campus professional writing mentor, who will provide professional advice and direct students towards on-campus writing opportunities. Candidates for the Creative Writing Thesis are selected on the basis of assessment of a portfolio of work; students accepted for the Creative Writing Thesis complete a book-length manuscript of publishable standard.

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.

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.

In this highly practical subject, students will develop the applied communication, design and technical skills required to work on interactive websites, social media, and mobile apps. User-centred design associated with internet technologies is a key feature of this subject.

Graduates will be equipped to work in multidisciplinary teams that combine text, data, design and technology to address users' needs. You'll also develop the skills to work with databases and content management systems (CMS), and be able to design infographics that enrich human understanding of patterns and trends.

Students will understand how to apply techniques that improve user-interface experiences, and gain a mastery of user-centred design through problem-solving exercises. You’ll also be given the opportunity to design a visual brand identity for a fictional company; and apply it to create digital collateral (eg. posters) for a variety of situations.

Studying Social Policy involves examining the issues that affect people and society. It analyses the policies and practices of politicians, public servants, governments and non-governmental agencies, and how they impact on communities and wider society. It takes a broad and encompassing approach, because social policy impacts on all parts of everyday life – from health and education to families, transport and housing, plus the systems and institutions that support them.

Your Social Policy studies at Waikato will cover why and how societies respond to problems such as poverty and unemployment. You'll take part in popular and recurring social policy debates, and gain an in-depth understanding of why social problems arise. You'll investigate and evaluate different ways of responding to those problems.

Language is a tool we all use instinctively, without necessarily understanding its precise structure. By studying Linguistics, you'll gain an inner working knowledge of language design and organisation. You'll learn about different sounds, words and clause structures, and how they work in world languages. You'll explore different cultures and societies to see how linguistic behaviour changes by location, as well as in various situations.

Your Linguistics studies will also give you a commanding understanding of the English language which can lead to careers in journalism, free-lance writing or academia.

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.

Geography matters because it is about basic human relationships - between people and the environment, and between people and other people. Ranked among the top geography programs in the world

Geography at Waikato goes beyond the classroom and opens you up to numerous career opportunities. Upon graduation, our students pursue careers in urban and regional planning, regional economic development, travel and tourism development, environmental consultancy, as well as the property and housing industry and local government.