Students can enter a diploma programme if they have completed an appropriate first degree or gained extensive relevant work experience. Honours Programmes Within 4 year degree programmes, honours qualifications are awarded to undergraduate students who perform with distinction at the undergraduate level. Students who complete a 3 year degree programme with high academic merit may be permitted to enrol in the same department for a one year honours course. This is a postgraduate programme which can be followed by a one year masters programme. It may also permit direct entry to PhD registration.
Masters degrees consist of papers or a thesis or a combination of both.
Requirements for a masters programme are normally discussed on an individual basis with the appropriate college advisor. In meeting an individual scholar's needs, course structures are highly flexible and reflect the multi-discipline composition of both the College and the University. This means that postgraduate students will not be restricted to papers offered by the department in which they are undertaking their research. Rather than depending on their area of interest, they may be encouraged to take papers from a number of departments. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is the highest degree available through study at Massey University and can be taken through any of its four colleges.