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Studies & Degrees in Maori

Māori studies covers the language, culture and society of Māori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. At its centre is te reo Māori, the Māori language. Te Puni Kōkiri, the New Zealand Ministry of Māori Development, describes te reo Māori as the indigenous language of the country and one of its two official languages. It was recognised as an official language by the Māori Language Act of 1987, which also created Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission; a new Māori Language Act followed in April 2016.

Students usually combine language courses with tikanga (protocols and customs), Māori history, Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and contemporary Māori society. Massey University, for example, builds its Māori Studies major around the significance of te reo Māori and Māori worldviews, with courses in Māori visual arts, Aotearoa heritage, Māori policy and development, Māori education and Māori health. Its separate Te Reo Māori major aims at students who want to communicate orally and in writing with a functional understanding of the language.

The language is the subject of a long revitalisation effort. According to Te Puni Kōkiri, a 2018 Statistics New Zealand survey found that nearly 48 percent of Māori adults had some ability to speak te reo Māori.

Qualifications and levels

New Zealand qualifications are placed on a national framework with 10 levels, maintained by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The examples below are from Massey University.

  • Bachelor's degree. The Bachelor of Arts is at level 7 and takes 3 years of full-time study (360 credits). Māori Studies and Te Reo Māori are majors within it; the Te Reo Māori major consists of 120 credits, or eight courses. The first language course is designed for students without any previous experience of Māori.
  • Teaching and arts degrees. Te Aho Tātairangi: Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Kura Kaupapa Māori is a 3-year degree for future teachers in Māori-medium schools, designed for competent speakers of te reo Māori. The Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts takes 4 years of full-time study (480 credits).
  • Postgraduate diploma. The Postgraduate Diploma in Māori Studies is at level 8 and takes 1 year of full-time study (120 credits).
  • Master's degree. The Master of Māori Studies is at level 9 and takes 1 year and 6 months of full-time study (180 credits), by a coursework or a research pathway. Entry requires a relevant bachelor's degree with at least a B grade average in the specialisation courses, or a relevant postgraduate diploma.

Outside universities, community programmes also teach the language. Te Ataarangi, for instance, has taught te reo Māori in homes and on marae since 1979.

Where to study Māori

SpainExchange lists 2 active schools for Māori, both in New Zealand: Massey University, with campuses in Auckland, Wellington and Palmerston North, and Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin. Serious study of the language and culture takes place almost entirely in New Zealand, where the language is used in schools, broadcasting and public life.

Distance study is possible. Massey states that its Māori Studies and Te Reo Māori majors are taught by distance and online and are open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand. Not every programme is: Te Aho Tātairangi is not open to international students. For the Bachelor of Arts in Te Reo Māori, Massey estimates 2027 tuition fees for full-time study (120 credits) at NZ$7,860 for domestic students and NZ$35,250 for international students, before the student services fee. International applicants should also check the university's English language requirements.

Careers

Massey states that written and oral competence in te reo Māori is an asset for work in community, health, education and government organisations in New Zealand. For its Māori Studies major it lists community work, foreign affairs, Māori development, policy analysis, research and teaching as career areas, and for its master's degree roles such as Māori affairs or policy adviser in local or central government.

Two paths are regulated. Graduates of Te Aho Tātairangi can apply for registration as provisionally registered teachers with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. Translators and interpreters of te reo Māori are certified by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, which keeps a public register. Most of these careers are in New Zealand.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study Māori without knowing the language?

Yes. Massey's language courses start with a course for students without any previous experience of Māori. Te Aho Tātairangi, the teaching degree, is different: it is designed for competent speakers.

Can international students study Māori online?

At Massey University, yes: the Māori Studies and Te Reo Māori majors of the Bachelor of Arts are open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand.

How long does a degree in Māori studies take?

At Massey, the Bachelor of Arts takes 3 years of full-time study, the postgraduate diploma 1 year and the Master of Māori Studies 1 year and 6 months.

Is Māori an official language?

Yes. Te reo Māori has been an official language of New Zealand since the Māori Language Act of 1987.