Find out about your options for postgraduate Migration Studies qualifications and discover what and how you'll study.

The Master of Migration is part of a tiered family of qualifications:

• Master of Migration Studies
• Postgraduate Diploma in Migration Studies
• Postgraduate Certificate in Migration Studies

Choose the qualification that suits your career goals, time constraints and financial situation.

Staircasing allows movement in both directions—if you begin by enrolling in the Certificate or Diploma programme you can continue on to complete your Master's. Or if you enrol in the Master's but can't complete it, for whatever reason, you may be awarded the Certificate or Diploma.

The Master of Migration is divided into Part 1 and Part 2.

In Part 1 you'll complete four 30-point courses and you'll have some choice in what you study. In the core course—Approaches to Migration Studies POLS 488—you'll examine how migration is analysed, study the main concepts, theories, and debates, and prepare a research proposal. In your elective courses you might focus on a particular historical migration flow, explore the challenges of refugee resettlement in New Zealand, study the international or domestic politics of migration or choose to complete an individual research project.

In the second half of your studies, or Part 2, you'll complete a 60-point research essay that builds on your research proposal in Part 1 of the programme. Alternatively, you may have the opportunity to complete an internship and research at a workplace involved in migration.

If you're doing the Diploma, you'll complete Part 1 of the Master's.

Certificate students complete the core course in Part 1 and choose one further course from the MMigS programme.

For most of your courses you'll attend one three-hour seminar each week that will include classroom discussions and sometimes student presentations.

You'll also complete your own self-directed research under the guidance of your supervisor. You'll meet with them regularly to discuss your progress.

The MMigS can be completed in one calendar year of full-time study, or in two years part time. You'll need to finish the degree within three years of enrolling.

The PGDipMigS takes two trimesters of full-time study or can be studied over four trimesters part time.

You can complete the PGCertMigS in one trimester, or over two trimesters part time.

If you are studying full time, you can expect a workload of 40–45 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students doing two courses per trimester will need to do around 20–23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you are working.