Why Study / Key Benefits

• The Master of Communication (MC) is a Level 9 postgraduate qualification designed to deepen understanding of communication as both an academic discipline and a practical professional field.
• A previous degree specifically in communication is not required. Massey states that students may come from areas such as arts, social sciences, law, education, design and health services.
• The programme is particularly relevant for people already working in communication-related roles, professionals whose existing job has a significant communication component, and graduates wanting to move into more senior communication positions.
• The programme has a strong applied-research focus. Students can investigate a real-world communication challenge and develop a research-informed solution.
• Research can draw on public relations, expressive arts, communication management, marketing, linguistics, media studies and journalism studies, with scope to incorporate related areas such as M?ori studies, international relations and evaluation studies.
• The qualification can therefore be tailored around a student's professional or organisational communication interests rather than requiring a single narrowly defined communication specialisation.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The MC has two possible structures.

Part One: Core courses

Students complete 60 credits from the two core courses:

• 154721 The Communication Field – 30 credits
  • Advanced overview of communication as a discipline.
  • History and development of communication studies.
  • Key concepts, competing traditions and major scholars.
  • Critical, creative and organisational approaches.
  • Application of communication knowledge to questions arising from media, industry and society.
• 219721 Transdisciplinary Communication Research Methods – 30 credits
  • Advanced introduction to communication research traditions and methods.
  • Evaluation of research methodologies.
  • Application of different approaches to real communication research challenges.

Part One: Communication courses

Students can take up to 60 credits from Schedule B, including:

• 154709 Technology and Cultural Change – 30 credits
  • Technology's role in producing and transforming contemporary culture.
  • Relationships between technology, space, time and human experience.
• 154747 Media Practice and Global Culture – 30 credits
  • Contemporary media practice.
  • Media texts, technologies and institutions.
  • Globalisation and digital/mobile media.
  • Cultural, social, political, economic, ethical and environmental implications of media production and consumption.
• 219702 Management Communication – 30 credits
  • Management of internal communication processes within organisations.
• 219703 Perspectives in Business Communication – 30 credits
  • Workplace communication theory and practice.
  • Communication in diverse organisational settings.
  • Contemporary organisational case studies.
• 219704 International and Intercultural Communication – 30 credits
  • Communication theory and research in cross-cultural settings.
  • Cross-cultural effectiveness, particularly within organisations.

Part One: Electives

Up to 30 credits can be selected from Schedule C. Current options include:

• 114702 Human Resource Management and Workplace Relations
• 130705 Emergency Management
• 150701 Tino Rangatiratanga: Strategic M?ori Development
• 154702 Advanced Film Studies
• 176718 Environmental Sociology
• 299765 Creative Writing Workshop

These electives allow students to connect communication study with organisational, emergency-management, Maori-development, film, environmental or creative-writing contexts.

Part Two: Research Project Pathway

• 219856 Research Project – 60 credits
• Applied research project.
• Students critically evaluate and apply selected research methodologies to a communication-related challenge.
• This pathway is particularly suited to students wanting an applied, professionally relevant research project rather than a 120-credit thesis.

Part Two: Thesis Pathway

• 219851 Thesis 120 Credit Part 1 – 60 credits
• 219852 Thesis 120 Credit Part 2 – 60 credits
• Supervised and guided independent research resulting in a substantial scholarly work.

Disciplines / Specialisations

• The Master of Communication is awarded without a formal specialisation.
• However, the programme has considerable flexibility in the subject area of research.
• Possible communication-related areas include:
  • Public relations
  • Expressive arts
  • Communication management
  • Marketing
  • Linguistics
  • Media studies
  • Journalism studies
  • Maori studies
  • International relations
  • Evaluation studies
  • Business communication
  • International and intercultural communication
  • Technology and cultural change
• Students can also connect communication study with areas such as human resources, emergency management, environmental sociology, film studies and creative writing through the elective structure.

Programme Highlights

• NZQF Level 9 master's degree.
• 180 credits.
• Distance and online study plus Wellington campus delivery.
• International students can study on campus in New Zealand or online from outside New Zealand.
• Communication background is not necessarily required.
• Interdisciplinary curriculum.
• Applied research focused on real-world communication challenges.
• Choice between a 60-credit research-project pathway and a 120-credit thesis pathway.
• Communication subjects span organisational communication, business communication, intercultural communication, media, technology and culture.
• Scope to incorporate related disciplines such as Maori studies, international relations and evaluation studies.
• Opportunity to graduate with Merit or Distinction where the relevant requirements are met.

Career Outcomes

Massey positions the MC for people who are already working in communication or in roles where communication is an important component and want to progress into more senior positions.

Potential career directions supported by the programme include:

•  Corporate and organisational communication
• Internal communication
• Business communication
• Public relations
• Communication management
• Marketing communication
• Media-related roles
• Journalism-related roles
• Intercultural communication
• Communication research
• Strategic communication
• Communication consultancy
• Government and public-sector communication
• Non-profit and community-sector communication
• Research and policy-related roles

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current qualification is a 180-credit Level 9 master's.
• Massey's current programme page confirms both Wellington campus and distance/online study.
• International students can study online outside New Zealand or on campus in New Zealand.
• The qualification is awarded without a formal specialisation.
• Students must achieve at least a B grade average over Part One to progress to Part Two.
• A student who completes 120 credits in Part One but does not meet the progression requirement may, subject to the regulations, be eligible to exit with the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication.
• At least 60 credits must be at 800 level.
• Field trips, contact workshops, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories must be attended where required by the programme/course regulations.
• Advanced-entry credit may reduce the total study requirement to 120 credits for eligible applicants.
• The programme-specific English requirement recorded in the 2026 University Calendar is IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.5 for applicants whose first language is not English and whose qualifying degree was not completed at a university where English was the medium of instruction.
• Exact 2027 course availability within each elective schedule: Not publicly specified – please confirm with IPU/Massey.

International Student Visa Requirements

For an international student studying the MC physically in New Zealand, the normal relevant visa is the Fee Paying Student Visa.

Immigration New Zealand currently states that this visa:

• Costs from NZ$850.
• Can allow a stay of up to 4 years.
• Requires an offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Requires evidence of tuition-fee payment or sufficient funds to pay tuition.
• Requires evidence of sufficient living funds or an acceptable sponsor.
• Requires acceptable medical and travel insurance.
• Requires the applicant to satisfy health and character requirements.
• Requires a genuine reason for studying in New Zealand.
• Requires evidence that the student can leave New Zealand at the end of the stay.

Living funds:

• For tertiary study of one year or longer: NZ$20,000 per year.
• For study shorter than one year: NZ$1,667 per month.
• For programmes lasting more than one year, Immigration New Zealand says demonstrating a credible funding plan for subsequent years can strengthen the application.

Work rights:

• Eligible student-visa holders may generally work up to 25 hours per week during study.
• Full-time work may be permitted during scheduled holidays where the visa conditions allow it.
• The exact work rights are recorded on the student's eVisa or visa letter and should be checked before employment begins.
• The student-visa work limit increased from 20 to 25 hours per week from 3 November 2025.

Insurance:

• Students studying in New Zealand must have acceptable medical and travel insurance as required by their visa and education provider.

For international students studying the MC entirely online from outside New Zealand:

• A New Zealand student visa is generally not required because the student is not entering New Zealand to undertake the course physically.
• Massey expressly permits international students to study the MC online outside New Zealand.
• If the student later plans to undertake the programme physically in New Zealand, they should confirm the required visa and enrolment arrangement with Massey and Immigration New Zealand before travelling.