Course details

Summary

Postgraduate certificates provide the opportunity for continuing professional development in the same area as an original degree. A postgraduate diploma can often lead to a master's degree.

Postgraduate certificates are available to graduates who wish to build on an earlier degree, and who have appropriate practical, professional or scholarly experience. Some are available only on a part time basis. Waikato University offers specialist postgraduate certificates as well as postgraduate certificates.

Human Development

Interested in the study of the human lifespan from conception and birth onwards? Human Development investigates how people develop throughout their lives and how cultural and social settings help to shape what is possible.

The Human Development programme explores the development of individuals, families, groups and communities throughout the human lifespan. It is important for those wishing to go into professions such as youth work, eldercare, social work, counselling and teaching. An understanding of human development is relevant to many other careers that involve working with or for people.

Papers develop skills relevant to career objectives such as human relations, human services, programme planning, community liaison, counselling, policy and evaluation, administration of programs concerned with the family or other groups and research.

Graduates gain a solid foundation in theory and research to understand and explain the development of people from the early years through to old age, have the ability to examine how different contexts influence people's lives, learning and behaviour, and are able to apply this knowledge to specific life situation

Human Development is available as a major for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. It may also be taken as a second major or as a supporting subject with other undergraduate degrees (subject to academic approval of the Faculty or School of Studies). Human Development papers also count towards Education and Teaching degrees.

Career opportunities

• Community or Iwi Development Coordinator
• Community Educator
• Policy Analyst/ Advisor
• Community Advocate
• Social Services Advocate
• International Aid Worker
• Learning Application Developer
• Trainer

Entry criteria

A recognized bachelor’s degree with a B/B+ grade average. You must also have a major in the relevant subject area with a B/B+ grade average.

English language requirements:

IELTS - 6.5 overall (no less than 6.0 in writing); iBT (internet based TOFEL) - 90 with a score of 22 in writing; Pearson PTE Academic- 65 with English language requirements no less than 58 for each communicative skill; From Waikato Pathways College - Successful completion of Level 8 with a B grade average in the Certificate of Attainment in Academic (CAAE) programme.