Minors in the Bachelor of Arts

A minor is an optional additional area of focus for a degree. All major BA subjects are available as minors, while some subjects are only available as minors.

A minor is made up of a collection of courses in a particular subject. The workload for a minor is lighter than for a major—fewer courses to do, fewer points required. This makes a minor a good way to build a second or third area of focus or concentration into your degree. Find out more about how minors work.

All majors can be also be taken as a minor, so check the majors available in the Bachelor of Arts. You might also be able to study majors from other undergraduate degrees as a minor in your Bachelor of Arts.

Minors are made up of at least 60 points from the relevant subject area at 200 level or above. At least 15 of those points must be at 300 level and not counted towards a major or another minor.

Some subjects are not available as majors, but you can take them as a minor. Other subjects have special requirements and course options as minors. Explore these minors below.

Creative Writing

Identify and develop your own distinctive voice in writing for the page (poetry, fiction, non-fiction) and scriptwriting (stage, screen, radio). Join a lively community of writers in a programme with a well-earned reputation for nurturing the abilities of some of New Zealand's top literary talents. Entry into Creative Writing courses is limited, and you'll need to supply samples of your writing as part of the application process.

Requirements

Complete at least 60 points from:

Including 20 points from:

Data Science

Develop technical skills in computing technologies, statistics, and mathematics and work with real data sets to develop a practical understanding of the social dimensions of data.

Requirements

Complete the following courses:

And complete one further 200- or 300-level course from the Data Science major requirements for the BA.

Gender and Sexuality Studies

Explore the way gender and sexuality structure and shape societies and how this affects our lives. You’ll examine what prominent feminist thinkers have said in different historical periods, and take a critical look at current thought on gender and sexuality issues. Get a broader understanding of the world and gain skills that will be valuable in many different workplaces.

Requirements

Complete SACS 202 and a further 40 further points from:

Or other courses approved by the programme coordinator.

Include at least 15 points at 300 level.

Māori Resource Management

Gain an in-depth understanding of how Māori manage their environmental resources, like land, lakes, forests and fisheries. Learn the basics in Māori language, about the ownership of resources, why Māori do and don't own some of these resources, and the laws that help or restrict Māori as they govern their resources.

Requirements

MAOR 301 and 40 further points from:

Mathematics

Study a subject with a rich history as well as many new and developing branches. Explore problem-solving techniques that you can use in a variety of disciplines, scientific and otherwise.

Requirements

Complete the following:

New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)

New Zealand Sign Language, the country's third official language, is used by more than 20,000 people. Learn to sign and gain insight into the Deaf community.

Requirements

Complete NZSL 311 and at least 40 points from NZSL 200-299

Popular Music Studies

Explore and critically engage with local and international popular music and gain a ‘big picture’ understanding of the social, cultural, theoretical, historical and political contexts of popular music.

Requirements

Complete MDIA 205 and one of:

And a further 20 points from:

Psychology

Study the science behind our brains and our behaviour. Gain insights into why people think, act, and feel the way they do.

Requirements

Complete the following:

Social Policy

Social Policy takes a focused look at the needs and wellbeing of the population, and the way governments and individuals try to solve some of the big issues of society. If you're looking to work in government or with a non-profit organisation and want insight into common policy questions, this minor is a good option for you.

Requirements

Complete at least 40 points from:

Including 20 points from:

Complete a further 20 points from: