Humanities and Social Sciences

Selection criteria for undergraduate and postgraduate courses and programmes in the Wellington Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Find out what selection criteria apply to programmes and courses offered by the Wellington Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, including the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Master of Arts 120 points (MA), and Master of Museum and Heritage Practice.

Undergraduate limited entry courses and programmes

Unless otherwise specified below, places in limited entry courses will be allocated according to room capacity, prerequisites and staffing constraints.

Language courses

If you're a language student, you must enrol in the course most appropriate to your level of experience and background. If you're uncertain, you should seek advice from the teaching area concerned.

Creative Writing

(CREW) courses

To enrol in creative writing courses, you are required to submit samples of your creative writing, in addition to a one-page supporting statement and your online enrolment application. The quality of the writing sample submitted is particularly important to the selection process.

Master of Arts majoring in Creative Writing

The Master of Arts majoring in Creative Writing has a limited entry deadline of 1 November.

English Proficiency (ELIN) courses

Admission to English Proficiency courses (ELIN 000-level) is determined by your English language proficiency.

Film (FILM) and Theatre (THEA) courses

Selection into Film and Theatre courses is based on practical aptitude, relevant experience, and academic record, particularly in cognate courses and overall achievement.

Preference is given to students doing a major or minor in the given subject.

If you're applying for production courses in Theatre and Film, you are required to enrol online before 1 December of the year prior to study and to complete any separate application forms required by the programmes.

Internship: FHSS 202/302

Selection into a BA Internship is by academic record and selection documents are required.

Selection criteria for the Honours and postgraduate courses

ARTH

You'll be selected on the basis of academic merit.

ELIN 801, 802

You'll be selected on the basis of relevance of your undergraduate programme, personal motivation and commitment, as demonstrated in an interview and academic merit.

FILM 404/414

Selection is based on evidence of creative ability, academic merit and enrolment in the Film Honours or Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice) programme.

POLS 428

The enrolment deadline for this course is the Monday of the week prior to the beginning of classes in Trimester 1, and selection is through an interview process.

SACS 428

Selection is through an interview process. You will be asked to answer additional questions and provide additional information when you enrol online.

THEA 405, 406

Selection is based on evidence of creative ability, academic merit and enrolment in the Theatre honours programme.

Selection criteria for the Honours and Postgraduate programmes

Master of Arts in Creative Writing

You're required to submit:

  • samples of your creative writing
  • a description of your proposed thesis project
  • evidence of previous academic qualifications, if relevant
  • a 'literary CV' (information about any earlier publications, workshops, or other involvement in the world of imaginative writing)
  • proposed reading list as part of the context for your writing during the programme.

The quality of the writing submitted is particularly important to the selection process.

Master of Museum and Heritage Practice

Selection is based on evidence of academic merit and experience relevant to the qualification.

You will be required to submit:

  • your CV showing relevant experience
  • a document about what you hope to gain from undertaking this qualification and why you think you should be selected
  • a sample of written work of at least 3,000 words, eg. essay from an undergraduate course.

You will be required to attend an information session, including an interview with programme staff.