09 UC/15 PGDipArts,PGCertArts
Proposal Description
Name of Qualification(s):
Rationale:
This proposal to introduce a Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts is a response both to the changing demographics after the earthquakes and to the changes in student allowances. Both have led to substantial changes in student preferences and choices. These two qualifications will provide cost effective study options which students can undertake part-time, alongside work. Both are likely to appeal to graduates who have neither the financial resources nor the time to commit to full time postgraduate study – particularly those currently in employment who are aiming for professional development or to update or expand their disciplinary knowledge, for example, school teachers, human services professionals, social workers, counsellors etc.
This proposal is also a response to the University’s desire to introduce more flexible study options and pathways for graduate students. These qualifications will provide a pathway for students who wish to take undertake advanced study without a research component.
It is also envisaged that some students will take advantage of the fact that a more flexible course of study may be permitted within the Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma, than within the BA Honours or Masters programmes.
Students in the Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma may choose to take courses in different subject areas, or to combine courses from one programme with an ARTS 495 Internship or DIGI 403.
Other students may choose to focus on a single subject and take advantage of the opportunity to ‘staircase’ from the
Postgraduate Certificate to the Postgraduate Diploma or Honours, or to a range of new and existing Masters degrees.
There is provision in this proposal for the Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma to be embedded in the higher qualification – i.e. a suitably qualified student with a Postgraduate Certificate may apply to have the courses passed for the Postgraduate Certificate credited to a Postgraduate Diploma or to an Honours programme. The
Postgraduate Certificate and the Postgraduate Diploma will thus provide flexible entry pathways for students to a range of current postgraduate offerings. Currently students are limited to using the COP Arts (Postgraduate) enrolments in order to achieve this flexibility.
In some cases the Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma may also function as ‘exit’ qualifications for students who have previous been enrolled in Honours or Masters programmes but have been unable, for whatever reason, to complete the full programme of study.
It should be noted that these qualifications will not require new courses. Both will build on and utilise existing courses and resources for the current Bachelor of Arts with Honours (UC Calendar 2015, page 180) and Masters (Master of Arts, Master of International Law and Politics, Master of Maori and Indigenous Studies, Master of Te Reo Māori (UC
Calendar 2015, pages 190-200, 203-206, 208-209), and the newly approved Master of Linguistics and Master of
European Studies) programmes.
This proposal brings UC into line with other universities such as Otago, Victoria and Auckland who offer Postgraduate
Diplomas in Arts and sometimes Postgraduate Certificates in Arts along the Bachelor of Arts with Honours and Masters programmes.
Generic and Specific Attributes and Skills of Graduates of the Programmes:
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09 UC/15 PGDipArts,PGCertArts
Postgraduate Certificate in Arts: Life-long Learning Skills and Attributes of Graduates:
A graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Arts will:
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Have an advanced level of knowledge in their discipline or area of specialisation;
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Have been introduced to theoretically sophisticated subject matter in their discipline or area of specialisation;
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Have developed skills in the critical evaluation of academic literature in their discipline or area of specialisation;

Have developed skills in the synthesis of information and the communication of their findings in both oral and written form;
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts: Life-long Learning Skills and Attributes of Graduates
A graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts will:

Have an advanced level of knowledge in their discipline or area of specialisation developed over a full year of study or equivalent;

Have an advanced knowledge of theoretically sophisticated subject matter in their discipline or area of specialisation;


Have developed the ability to critically evaluate the academic literature in their discipline or area of specialisation;
Be able to synthesize information and communicate their findings in both oral and written form.
NZQF Statement: Postgraduate Certificate in Arts
Postgraduate Certificate in Arts graduates will have advanced knowledge in one humanities or social science discipline.
They will have well-developed skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.
NZQF Statement: Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts graduates will have will have advanced knowledge and understanding of the content in one humanities or social science discipline. Recipients of the diploma are capable of self-directed learning and intellectual independence, and can proceed to further postgraduate study.
Regulations
UC Calendar 2015 Page180: insert entries for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts and the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
(after the Grad Dip Arts and before the BA Hons):
See also General Course and Examination Regulations.
1. Subjects in Which the Certificate May be Awarded
The Postgraduate Certificate in Arts may be awarded in the following subjects: Anthropology, Art History, Chinese,
Cinema Studies, Classics, Cultural Studies, Digital Humanities, Diplomacy and International Relations, Economics,
Education, English, European Union Studies, French, Geography, German, History, Human Services, Japanese,
Linguistics, Maori and Indigenous Studies, Mathematics, Media and Communication, Music, Philosophy, Political
Science, Psychology, Russian, Social Work, Sociology, Spanish, Statistics, and Te Reo Maori.
2. Qualifications Required to Enrol in the Postgraduate Certificate
In order to be admitted to the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts an applicant must have:
(a) completed a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent degree; and
(b) either qualified for entry to postgraduate study in the chosen subject as specified in the Schedule to the
Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours or completed a qualifying course prescribed by the Head of Department and approved by the Dean of Arts, or been approved by the Head of Department and Dean of Arts as having equivalent preparation; and
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09 UC/15 PGDipArts,PGCertArts
(c) been approved for admission by the Dean of Arts.
3. Completion of the Postgraduate Certificate
(a) To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts, a student must complete at least 60 points from taught courses at NZQA Level 8 in the chosen subject, as approved by the Head of Department and the Dean of
Arts.
(b) A student may substitute ARTS 495 or DIGI 403 for 30 points in the Postgraduate Certificate, providing they have the approval of the Head of Department and the Dean of Arts. Relevance of the internship or project to the course of study will be the main criterion for approval.
(c) If a student fails a up to 30 points for the Certificate they may, with the permission of the Dean of Arts, repeat that course or courses, or substitute another course or courses of equal weight.
(d) The Postgraduate Certificate must be completed within two calendar years from the student’s enrolment in any course that is credited to the Certificate.
4. Credit from the PGCertArts for the PGDipArts, BA (Honours) or a Masters degree
Subject to the approval of the Dean of Arts, a student may transfer courses passed with a B grade or higher for the
Postgraduate Certificate in Arts to the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, the Bachelor of Arts with Honours or the coursework section of a Masters degree, provided the courses fall within the time limits for the higher award.
A student who has been awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts may, with the approval of the Dean of Arts may be exempted from 60 points in the higher qualification, providing the courses fall within the time limits for the higher award.
5. Transfer of credit from the PGDipArts, BA Honours or a Masters degree to thePGCertArts
With approval of the Dean of Arts, courses from an incomplete Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, Bachelor of Arts with
Honours or a Masters degree may be transferred to the Postgraduate Certificate in Arts.
See also General Course and Examination Regulations.
1. Subjects in Which the Diploma May be Awarded
The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts may be awarded in the following subjects: Anthropology, Art History, Chinese, Cinema
Studies, Classics, Cultural Studies, Digital Humanities, Diplomacy and International Relations, Economics, Education,
English, European Union Studies, French, Geography, German, History, Human Services, Japanese, Linguistics, Maori and
Indigenous Studies, Mathematics, Media and Communication, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Russian,
Social Work, Sociology, Spanish, Statistics, and Te Reo Maori.
2. Qualifications Required to Enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma
In order to be admitted to the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts an applicant must have:
(a) completed a Bachelor of Arts or equivalent degree; and
(b) either qualified for entry to postgraduate study in the chosen subject as specified in the Schedule to the
Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours, or completed a qualifying course prescribed by the Head of Department and approved by the Dean of Arts, or been approved by the Head of Department and Dean of Arts as having equivalent preparation; and
(c) been approved for admission by the Dean of Arts.
3. Completion of the Postgraduate Diploma
(a) To qualify for the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, a student must complete at least 120 points at NZQA Level
8 in the chosen subject, as approved by the Head of Department and the Dean of Arts.
(b) With the permission of the relevant Heads of Department and the Dean of Arts, a student may substitute up to 60 points (including ARTS 495 and DIGI403) at an equivalent level from another subject area or subject areas. Relevance of the internship or project to the course of study will be main criterion for approval.
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(c) If a student fails a up to 30 points for the Diploma they may, with the permission of the Dean of Arts, repeat that course or courses, or substitute another course or courses of equal weight.
(d) The Postgraduate Diploma must be completed within four calendar years from the student’s enrolment in any course that is credited to the Diploma.
4. Credit from the PGDipArts, to BA (Honours) or a Masters Degree
Subject to the approval of the Dean of Arts, a student may transfer courses passed with a B grade or better for the
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts to the Bachelor of Arts with Honours or the coursework section of a Masters degree, provided the courses fall within the time limits for the higher award.
A student who has been awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts may, with the approval of the Dean of Arts may be exempted from up to 45 points in the higher qualification, providing the courses have been passed with a B grade or better and fall within the time limits for the higher award.
5. Transfer of credit from BA Honours or a Masters degree to the PGDipArts
With approval of the Dean of Arts, courses from an incomplete Bachelor of Arts with Honours or Masters degree may be transferred to the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts.
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