Course details

Summary

The Master of Commerce (MCom) degree allows for the development of individual research. Starting with a sound background of coursework, students will have the opportunity to contribute to existing fields or to begin to develop new areas of research.

The MCom can be pursued by a combination of papers and thesis, or by thesis only. Students who have a good Bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification) will complete the MCom by papers and thesis (at least two years' full-time study). The first year consists of a selection of papers worth 144 points, leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce (PGDipCom). Students who have a good Honours degree or a PGDipCom (or equivalent qualification) can complete an MCom by thesis only (minimum one year).

Economics is about choice and is at the heart of all decision-making. Governments, businesses and individuals are all faced with making choices in situations where resources are scarce. As a result, Economics is applicable in a wide range of fields, including business, finance, administration, law, local and national government and, indeed, most aspects of everyday life. One of the strengths of Economics is that it provides a logical way of looking at a variety of issues. It is not just a subject - it is a way of thinking.

In studying Economics you will examine topics of obvious importance to human well-being, for example unemployment, economic growth, inflation, poverty, the distribution of income, and resource allocation in areas such as education, health, business and the environment.

Thesis

Thesis: ECON 5

Structure of the program:

The programme of study shall consist of the preparation and submission of a thesis embodying the results of supervised research. In some cases, a candidate may also be required to take and pass approved papers, normally at 400-level, in addition to completing a thesis.

The candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in the thesis, secure the approval of the Head of the Department concerned for the topic, the supervisor(s) and the proposed course of the investigation.

A candidate may not present a thesis which has previously been accepted for another degree.

For the thesis, the research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.

Entry criteria

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce). Applicants must either be a graduate, normally with qualifications requiring a total of at least four years of tertiary study, or have alternative qualifications or experience acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce). In considering an applicant's qualifications, regard will be had to the detail of the course of study followed to gain the qualification, as well as the applicant's performance in the programme.

English Language Requirements: IELTS - Score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); Internet-based TOEFL Score of 95 with a minimum writing score of 22.; Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 587 (TWE 4.5); Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); APIEL Advanced Placement International English Language Examination - Grade 4 or higher; Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 64 with no communicative skills score below 57; University of Otago Foundation Studies Ltd: Completion of 'English for Postgraduate Academic Purposes' with a grade of C or higher.