Why Study / Key Benefits

• Provides a pathway for international students who do not satisfy the direct academic entry requirements for the relevant Massey master's programmes.
• Can be completed in one semester, making it a relatively short postgraduate-preparation route.
• Provides 60 credits of preparatory study.
• Develops academic language and communication skills required for final-year undergraduate and postgraduate study.
• Develops critical and analytical thinking skills, including evaluating academic arguments and constructing effective written arguments.
• Develops advanced communication skills for different academic and professional contexts.
• Develops intercultural communication and competence.
• Students targeting the Master of Analytics can replace Intercultural Competence with Analytical Foundations for Postgraduate Study, providing preparation for analytics study without previous Statistics study.
• Successful completion with the required B- GPA provides progression to the specified Massey Business master's programmes.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The programme consists of four 15-credit courses, giving a total of 60 credits.

Academic Language for Postgraduate Studies – 15 credits

This course develops academic language skills required for final-year undergraduate and postgraduate study. It includes skills for academic group work, collaboration, communication and building productive relationships in a learning environment.

Critical and Contextual Thinking Skills for Postgraduate Study – 15 credits

This course develops critical and analytical thinking. Students learn to engage critically with academic reading, evaluate arguments, distinguish critical analysis from description, formulate arguments and communicate their own position effectively.

Advanced Communication for Postgraduate Study – 15 credits

This course develops communication skills for different contexts, including real-world business situations and contexts requiring different language styles, genres and vocabulary. It is particularly relevant to students whose first language is not English.

Intercultural Competence – 15 credits

This course develops knowledge, understanding and intercultural communication skills for effective participation and communication in personal and professional contexts.

Alternative for Master of Analytics applicants:

Analytical Foundations for Postgraduate Study – 15 credits

Students intending to progress to the Master of Analytics replace Intercultural Competence with Analytical Foundations for Postgraduate Study. Kaplan Massey states that this pathway opens the Master of Analytics to students without prior study in Statistics.

Disciplines / Specialisations

There is no formal specialisation within the Certificate of Proficiency pathway.

The pathway is primarily oriented toward Business master's progression, with a specific alternative study route for Master of Analytics applicants.

The published progression options are:

• Master of Analytics
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Finance
• Master of Professional Accountancy 

Programme Highlights

• 4-month / 1-semester pathway
• 60 credits
• NZQF Level 7
• Auckland campus
• Three listed intakes: February, July and October
• Four 15-credit courses
• Academic and postgraduate study preparation
• Critical-thinking and analytical-skills development
• Advanced academic/professional communication development
• Intercultural competence development
• Dedicated Analytical Foundations option for the Master of Analytics
• Pathway to selected Massey University master's programmes
• B- GPA required for the stated progression pathway.

Career Outcomes

The Pre-Master's Pathway itself is a preparatory pathway rather than a professional master's qualification, so it does not independently lead to a specific profession.

Its main outcome is progression into one of the specified Massey University master's programmes after meeting the required progression conditions.

Potential longer-term career outcomes therefore depend on the master's degree subsequently completed.

Examples include:

• Business analytics and data-related roles after the Master of Analytics
• Business administration and management roles after the Master of Business Administration
• Finance-related roles after the Master of Finance
• Accounting and professional-accountancy-related roles after the Master of Professional Accountancy

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The current Kaplan Massey programme page states that successful completion requires a B- GPA for transition to the listed Massey Business master's programmes.

For the Master of Analytics pathway, students replace Intercultural Competence with Analytical Foundations for Postgraduate Study. This is specifically designed to provide a route for students without prior Statistics study.

The pathway does not mean that every Massey master's programme is automatically available after completion. The current programme page specifically names four progression options: Master of Analytics, Master of Business Administration, Master of Finance and Master of Professional Accountancy.