Graduate Diploma in Political Science

at The University of Waikato - Tauranga Campus New Zealand

The Master of Health, Sport and Human Performance will set you up with a research-based qualification that will teach you to critically examine how political, cultural, social and economic factors influence the meaning and nature of sport, exercise and leisure.

Turn your passion into an exciting career by studying Health, Sport and Human Performance at the University of Waikato. Our exciting study options will equip you with the latest knowledge and skills to excel in this dynamic environment.

As one of the country's fastest growing industries, health and sport now contributes over $12 Billion dollars per year to New Zealand. Study in Health, Sport and Human Performance will reward you with exciting career opportunities and the chance to help improve the physical, social and mental well-being of others.

The Political Science program will ask you why some crises lead to armed conflict while others resolve peacefully - why democracy thrives in some countries while it dies in others. We challenge you to learn lessons from international politics and to consider political solutions to international crises. We push you to consider tough questions like those involving equality and freedom - must one be sacrificed for the other to flourish?

Political Science is a highly flexible program and will give you job opportunities from local to national government, media, education, industry, business, labour organisations and social services. We also offer minors in Public Policy and in International Relations and Security Studies which further allows you to investigate relevant contemporary issues.

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.

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.

Study towards a Bachelor of Laws
Choose to study an LLB and you will gain a practical set of skills designed to meet the demands of any legal career and the ability to go into to practice as a barrister or solicitor. You will gain a thorough knowledge of the law, its implications and how it applies in today’s context, you will gain well developed analytical and research skills, and be able to think critically with well-developed communication skills and a sense of social responsibility

Prepare yourself for a career in primary, composite, intermediate, and middle schools or Kura, working with children from five to 13 years old.

You'll gain a solid foundation in all aspects of the New Zealand curriculum. You'll also learn about professional and ethical practices, child development, issues that face teachers and learners with special needs, teaching children from diverse backgrounds, classroom management, environmental education for sustainability, and the wider contexts of school, community, and national systems.

On practicum, you'll take an active role in the classroom over several weeks in a school, under the guidance of an associate teacher. This includes a minimum of one day per week in the first year of your degree, a six-week block in the second year, and an eight-week block in the third year.

During your degree, you'll experience different types of schools and work with a range of age groups.

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 program in the world, the Geography program at Waikato is the only solely human geography program in New Zealand.

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.

Interested in the study of the human lifespan from conception and birth onwards? Human Development investigates how people develop throughout their lives and how cultural and social settings help to shape what is possible.

The Human Development program explores the development of individuals, families, groups and communities throughout the human lifespan. It is important for those wishing to go into professions such as youth work, eldercare, social work, counselling and teaching. An understanding of human development is relevant to many other careers that involve working with or for people.

Papers  develop skills relevant to career objectives such as human relations, human services, program planning, community liaison, counselling, policy and evaluation, administration of programs concerned with the family or other groups and research.

Mathematics is a subject of vital importance that underpins many activities of our modern world. Employers recognise University of Waikato Mathematics graduates for their analytical and problem solving skills as well as their high level of numeracy, which are critical skills for a broad range of jobs.

If you are a graduate with a Mathematics degree, or even with a strong Mathematical component to your degree, you will be a valuable person in today's workforce, with a qualification that appeals to a wide range of employers including banks, insurance companies, schools and government departments.

There is strong employer demand for Mathematicians, due to a shortage of Mathematics graduates and in particular a critical shortage of Mathematics teachers.

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.

The Adult Learning programs equip graduates with the knowledge to work alongside adults in New Zealand tertiary institutions (adult and community education agencies, polytechnics, private training establishments, wananga and universities.