Why Study / Key Benefits

• Massey’s Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy focuses on the analysis of fundamental questions about knowledge, reality, ethics, justice, consciousness, science, religion, politics and human experience.
• The programme develops transferable skills in critical thinking, logical reasoning, clear communication, constructive debate and analysing complex or unfamiliar problems.
• Students learn to assess whether arguments are rationally compelling and to construct their own arguments clearly and persuasively.
• Philosophy can be combined with other areas of study through a second major, minor or electives, allowing students to build an interdisciplinary degree.
• The programme is delivered by distance and online, making it accessible to international students who remain outside New Zealand.
• Massey specifically highlights the relevance of philosophy skills to a wide range of occupations, including advertising, journalism, management, policy analysis, research and business.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The Philosophy major is 120 credits and consists of eight 15-credit courses. The current schedule is organised progressively across 100-, 200- and 300-level study.

Typical first-year Philosophy options include:

• 134101 Knowledge and Reality – questions concerning existence, perception and the mind.
• 134102 Great Thinkers – philosophical ideas associated with thinkers including Socrates, Plato, Descartes and Mill.
• 134104 Ethics and Justice – ethical issues from individual, social and political perspectives.
• 134105 Philosophy of Religion: God, Freedom and Evil – selected issues in philosophy of religion.
• 134106 Justice and Equality – political and social philosophy, including theories of justice and equality.

At 200 level, options include:

• 134201 Philosophy of Mind, Consciousness and Cognition – philosophical questions concerning minds, consciousness and language.
• 134203 Ethics – theories underlying ethical thinking.
• 134204 Philosophy of Art and Music – philosophical issues in aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
• 134205 Logic – modern formal logic, including propositional and first-order predicate logic.
• 134213 Resistance, Rebellion and Revolution – philosophical analysis of when opposition to governmental authority may be justified.
• 134214 Knowledge as a Social Phenomenon – how social environments influence knowledge.
• 134216 Modern Philosophy – metaphysical and epistemological ideas from the 17th and 18th centuries.
• 134218 Environmental Philosophy – philosophical approaches to environmental issues, sustainability and the rights of nature.
• 134220 Business and Professional Ethics – ethical reasoning in business and professional contexts.

Advanced 300-level study includes:

• 134305 Advanced Ethics – moral psychology, practical reason, moral language and moral ontology.
• 134307 Ethics and Emerging Technologies – ethical issues created by AI, robotics, genetic engineering and other emerging technologies.
• 134308 Philosophy of Science – fact and theory, explanation, discovery and scientific methodology.
• 134317 Philosophical Investigations – influential philosophers from Kant to the present.

Disciplines / Specialisations

• Main specialisation: Philosophy.
• Philosophy is a 120-credit BA major.
• Students can optionally add a minor from the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business or Bachelor of Science, subject to the applicable regulations.
• A minor must be in a different subject from the major.
• Students may also construct a double-major BA by replacing some elective space with a second major, subject to the BA regulations.

Programme Highlights

• 360-credit Bachelor of Arts.
• NZQF level 7.
• Normally 3 years full-time.
• Philosophy major worth 120 credits.
• Distance and online delivery.
• Open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand.
• Strong emphasis on critical thinking, reasoning, communication and analysis.
• Covers ethics, justice, logic, philosophy of mind, religion, science, environmental philosophy, political philosophy, technology and philosophical history.
• Optional minor from BA, BBus or BSc.
• Opportunity to combine Philosophy with a second major or complementary electives.
• Provides a pathway to further study, including Massey's BA (Honours) Philosophy, postgraduate diploma and Master of Arts in Philosophy. The current BA page identifies these as related study options.

Career Outcomes

Massey identifies a broad range of career areas for Philosophy graduates because of the transferable nature of the skills developed.

Current examples include:

• Advertising
• Business
• Computing
• Journalism
• Management
• Policy analysis
• Publishing
• Research
• Teaching
• Government/Treasury-related work. 

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current Philosophy BA is an active programme and is open to new enrolments.
• The current international delivery mode is distance and online for students studying outside New Zealand.
• There are no Philosophy-specific admission requirements beyond Massey's university admission regulations.
• The Philosophy major remains 120 credits.
• Not all Philosophy courses are offered every year or in every mode, so students should check the current course schedule before finalising their study plan.
• Several courses have prerequisites or restrictions, particularly at 200 and 300 level.
• The BA requires five 300-level courses overall, including the compulsory 230310 course and three 300-level Philosophy courses for a Philosophy major.
• Students who already hold a bachelor's degree may apply for special permission to replace specified BA core courses.

International Student Visa Requirements

There is an important mode-of-study distinction for this programme.

The current Philosophy BA is specifically open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand.

Therefore, an international student who remains in India and completes the Philosophy programme entirely online would generally not need a New Zealand student visa simply to undertake the online programme.

If the student's approved study arrangement requires them to study physically in New Zealand, the relevant immigration category is generally the Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements include:

• Offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Evidence of sufficient funds to pay tuition fees or an appropriate scholarship.
• Evidence of sufficient funds for living expenses or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable insurance.
• Other health and character requirements where applicable.
• Evidence of onward travel or sufficient funds to purchase a ticket at the end of the stay may be required.