Victoria University of Wellington is located in the vibrant capital of New Zealand – the geographical, political and cultural heart of the country. The University comprises three campuses across Wellington and provides world-class education and a student experience second to none. Its academic tradition stretches back more than 125 years and up to 22,000 students benefit from a focus on research, teaching and engagement in any one year.
The University prides itself on developing personal qualities such as creativity and critical thinking to develop globally confident citizens. When you study at Victoria University of Wellington, you will experience world-class teaching and research that has put the University in the top 1% of universities worldwide for 18 subjects and has ensured our Business School is among just 1% of business schools worldwide to hold the “Triple Crown’ of international accreditations – AACSB, Equis and AMBA.
Not only that, you’ll join a diverse community that received top marks in 2022 for inclusiveness, high-quality facilities, and great employability outcomes (2022 QS Stars University Audit).
Like Wellington city, Victoria values and is enriched by its multicultural population. We are a comprehensive, public university offering undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes in a variety of academic areas. Students from over 100 countries study across our 8 teaching faculties: Architecture & Design; Business & Government; Education; Engineering; Health; Humanities & Social Sciences; Law; and Science.
Extra-curricular activities such as Leadership programmes and plenty of clubs to join, enhance students’ time in Wellington, while the University’s dedicated international office provides students with a wide range of support and services.
Academic: GPA of 3 or above on their studies to date
English Language:
– IELTS: 6 (no band score less than 5,5)
– TOEFL iBT: 80
– Duolingo English Test: 110
01 July 2024 – 09 November 2024
Applicants 2023
Applicants : 258 students
GPA : 2.88-4.00
TOEFL iBT Score : 85-99
IELTS Score : 6-8.5
Duolingo English Test Score : 85-150
Awardees 2023
Awardees : 15 students
GPA : 3.38-3.97
TOEFL iBT Score : –
IELTS Score : 7.5
Duolingo English Test Score : 130-150
Available Courses
This course is for everyone interested in learning and using artificial intelligence. It introduces the fundamental techniques and applications in AI and explains how AI affects individuals and society. This course will also discuss ethical issues and social impacts of AI, together with various ways of using AI to make our lives better. The assignments will introduce students to basic AI tools that can be applied in many different fields of study. The course does not assume any background in programming.
This course introduces students to a broad range of Māori beliefs, concepts and structures that are important to the foundations and development of Māori society and culture. The course will cover aspects of pre-European Māori society, cultural change, present-day developments as well as visions for the future.
This course introduces students to the study of social and cultural diversity by exploring culture and its role in our lives. Topics include ritual, symbolism, the body, exchange, belief, inequality, globalisation, kinship, gender and class. Case studies are drawn from New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
How has art changed the world? This course introduces students to the ways art has responded to political, cultural, social, environmental and technological revolutions over the past 250 years. We examine how art anticipates and interrogates the definition of revolution itself. Students will develop critical and descriptive skills to analyse the role of art in revolution, activism, social movements and political transformation.
This course will explore the molecular basis of life, providing students with a strong foundation in cell biology. Key concepts will include the structure and function of major cell types, biological chemistry and metabolism, and cell division and development. We’ll explore these concepts using a variety of examples from across the tree of life, including plants, animals and microbes.
This course is a study of ancient myth in literature (poetry, drama, historiography, and other genres) and art. We will explore different ways of interpreting myths and seek to understand the meaning of myths in their contexts. Prominent themes include creation, gods, heroes, sex/gender, violence, and civilization.
An introduction to linguistics, the scientific study of language. This course helps students to gain an understanding of core concepts in linguistics and to develop methods for analysing the sounds used across human languages (phonetics), the sound systems (phonology), word structures (morphology) and sentence structures (syntax) of languages, and the relationship between language and society (sociolinguistics).
Sometimes, in a reflective mood, you might sit back and wonder about really “big questions.” What is the meaning of life? Does anything really matter? Can I know anything with 100% certainty? Would it be good to live forever? What is happiness? Does God exist? Is time travel possible? In this course we take a number of these kinds of weighty question and subject them to careful philosophical examination. You might not walk away knowing definite answers, but you will understand the questions a lot better. This course is designed for all students and does not assume any background in philosophy.
The study of religion is a vibrant and challenging field. In this course you will learn to approach religion with an analytical mind by thinking critically and creatively. We will explore themes such as ritual and materiality, ethics and politics, gender and embodiment, and mystical experience. We will investigate diverse religious traditions and communities to better understand how religion shapes our contemporary world, including here in Aotearoa.
How do we balance the economic, social, and environmental aspects of tourism for the benefit of Aotearoa New Zealand? This introduction to tourism course explores the complex and fragmented structure of the tourism industry from demand and supply perspectives. We’ll adopt a stakeholder perspective to consider who is involved in tourism and why, such as the private sector, government, destination communities and the role that Māori, including iwi and hapū, play within Aotearoa’s context. Guest speakers from key stakeholders will provide insight into current challenges and opportunities for tourism in New Zealand.
A broad introduction to Antarctica, including its history, exploration, weather, geology, fauna and management. Its role in the global climate system is emphasised. This course is primarily designed for non-science majors.
This covers a broad-based introduction to key criminological concepts, debates and theories. The first half explores a wide range of theoretical explanations for crime/criminality. The second explores the attempts to measure crime, media representations of crime and the social dimensions or correlates of crime including ethnicity, class, gender and age.
This course teaches the foundations of Earth Science, necessary for understanding and mitigating climate change and natural hazards, including sea-level rise, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In addition, the course covers environmentally responsible management of natural resources such as groundwater and minerals. As part of the course, students go into the field and develop practical skills to better understand and interpret their physical environment.
This course involves a critical exploration of several important stages in the history of cinema. These periods will be examined within a range of artistic, cultural, historical, material and/or theoretical contexts.
This course invites you to engage with key concepts and approaches in human geography and development studies relevant to rethinking and creating more just and equitable worlds. Through debate, creative thinking and written assignments, you will make connections between theories, processes and lived experience, and grapple with key contemporary issues such as sustainable transport, climate change migration, social inclusion, and how to address inequalities.
This course introduces students to the theories and practices of Intercultural Communication. Students will develop skills that are increasingly important to communicate effectively and appropriately when engaging in intercultural interactions. Considering local and global case studies, particular emphasis is placed on the way in which linguistic and cultural differences influence the production, transmission and reception of communications in all forms.
This course examines relationships between media, society and politics in an era of technological change. Topics include the evolution of mass-media, the concentration of media ownership, the role of public media, digital media industries, news media and politics, and media effects.
Who holds power in Aotearoa New Zealand? What forces influence our national politics? What role do citizens, iwi, media, politicians and other groups play in shaping political processes and outcomes? This course explores Māori and colonial influences on contemporary politics in Aotearoa, considering key institutions, electoral politics and how political actors and citizens engage in politics and policy-making. Taking advantage of our location in the capital city, you will hear from Members of Parliament, journalists and important political figures. You will also visit Parliament and the He Tohu exhibit at the National Library, engaging directly with political institutions and documents.
An introduction to astronomy and astrophysics for students from all backgrounds. We will explore objects from the relatively small and nearby, in our Solar System, to the largest and most distant objects in the Universe: galaxies and galaxy clusters. You will learn about the Big Bang origin and evolution of the expanding Universe, and along the way be introduced to some of the most extreme places and phenomena known – neutron stars, black holes and supernovae. Coming back down to Earth, you will discuss dark skies, Māori astronomy, and waka navigation.