Why Study / Key Benefits

• The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Sociology) is designed as a bridging qualification for graduates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject and want to gain the equivalent of an undergraduate major in Sociology.
• It provides a broad understanding of the social world and how societies are structured and transformed.
• Students investigate social inequality, culture, ethnicity, class, gender, politics, environment, work, social justice, everyday life, and relationships between individuals and groups.
• The programme develops critical-thinking skills and encourages students to question commonly accepted assumptions about society and social problems.
• It is particularly relevant to students interested in social inequality, social justice, conflict, power and social movements.
• After completing the GradDipArts, students may progress to a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts or a Master of Arts, subject to meeting the relevant entry requirements. 

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The Sociology GradDipArts requires 120 credits, normally completed through eight 15-credit courses.

The current Sociology course selection includes:

• 176216 Globalisation in a Digital World – 15 credits
  Examines the material, social and digital complexities of late capitalism, globalisation and glocalisation, using sociological perspectives to develop critical understandings of contemporary society.
• 176218 Racism and Colonisation – 15 credits
  Examines ideas of race and nation from early modern Europe through their global development, together with contemporary concepts such as ethnicity and indigeneity in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• 176223 Social Inequality and Justice – 15 credits
  Examines how social structures create inequalities, including issues associated with gender, class, ethnicity and identity, and how claims for social transformation are made.
• 176224 Gender: Bodies that Matter – 15 credits
  Examines experiences of gender, relationships between gender inequality and other forms of social difference, and feminist approaches to gender.

The programme also provides courses from the wider Sociology schedule, including:

• 176308 Society, Climate Change and the Environment – 15 credits
• 176322 AI and the World of Work – 15 credits
• 176324 Imagining Other Worlds – 15 credits
• 176325 The Politics of Truth – 15 credits
• 230302 Practicing Fieldwork: Doing Qualitative Research – 15 credits.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The programme-specific specialisation is:

• Sociology

Key academic areas include:

• Sociology of culture
• Ethnicity and indigeneity
• Class and social inequality
• Gender
• Social justice
• Politics and power
• Globalisation
• Environment and climate change
• Work and employment
• Digital society and AI
• Racism and colonisation
• Social movements
• Qualitative social research
• Contemporary social change.

Programme Highlights

• NZQF Level 7 qualification.
• 120 credits.
• Normally completed in 1 year full-time.
• Eight 15-credit courses for a standard full-time study plan.
• Sociology provides a bridging route for graduates who want to add Sociology to their previous academic background.
• Distance and online study is available.
• International students can study online from outside New Zealand.
• The curriculum addresses contemporary issues including inequality, gender, racism, colonisation, climate change, globalisation and AI's impact on work.
• Practical qualitative research and fieldwork skills are available through relevant courses.
• Successful completion can provide a pathway into a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts or Master of Arts, subject to the relevant admission requirements.

Career Outcomes

Massey identifies a broad range of career directions for Sociology graduates, including:

• Policy advice and policy analysis
• Central and local government
• Non-government organisations
• Community research
• Social justice advocacy
• Human resources
• Community liaison
• Teaching
• Journalism
• Community and social services
• Political advocacy
• Planning and consultancy
• Advertising and marketing
• Film and television production
• Business and entrepreneurship

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current qualification is 120 credits at NZQF Level 7.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required.
• Official transcripts from all non-Massey universities must be supplied.
• Sociology is intended as a bridging specialisation for graduates from other disciplines.
• No 100-level prerequisite courses are normally required for entry to the Sociology specialisation.
• Some 200-level courses may require a Special Request where previous study was not at Massey.
• Electives in Languages, Economics, Mathematics and Statistics can have separate prerequisite requirements.
• Not all Sociology courses are available every year.
• Some courses may be available both on campus and through distance study.
• 2027 standard international admission deadlines are 31 October 2026 for Semester One, 1 May 2027 for Semester Two and 30 October 2027 for Summer School.

International Student Visa Requirements

For an international student studying the Sociology GradDipArts entirely online from outside New Zealand, Massey explicitly permits online study from outside New Zealand. A New Zealand student visa is therefore generally not required merely to undertake the online programme from overseas. Students must separately comply with immigration requirements in their country of residence.

For students intending to study physically in New Zealand, the applicable immigration route will depend on the study arrangement and individual circumstances. For full-time study, the relevant visa is generally the Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements include:

• An offer of place from an approved education provider.
• Evidence of tuition-fee payment or an acceptable scholarship.
• Evidence of sufficient living funds or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable medical and travel insurance.
• Meeting applicable health and character requirements.
• Evidence of a genuine intention to study.
• Evidence that the student can leave New Zealand when the stay ends.