Tauwhitinga Māori: Maori Communication Strategy and Practice
Tauwhitinga Māori
Qualifications
Overview
As Aotearoa New Zealand looks to increase awareness of our Māori culture and heritage, there is a growing need in many different industries for graduates with advanced bicultural communications expertise. This major is ideal for anyone looking to bring about social change, and help industries engage more strongly with our bicultural nation.
This is the only major of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand on Māori communication strategy, which looks to develop graduates with knowledge in implementing tikanga and kaupapa Māori into professional corporate scenarios, collaboration and consultation with local iwi, the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi the Treaty of Waitangi, and in ethical practices in the creative media industry.
The Bachelor of Communication has a strong practical emphasis, and students will have opportunities to manage creative work-oriented projects, or complete a supervised internship in a local organisation looking to engage with Māori communities.
- The only major in Aotearoa New Zealand that specialises in bicultural communications and kaupapa Māori strategies in professional contexts.
- UC’s experts in Media and Communication actively participate in research and critique of Aotearoa New Zealand’s media practices, for example in political news, health research communications, activist and social change communications, crisis communications, and social media ethical practice.
- There are opportunities for supervised internships or creative work-oriented projects through UC’s contacts with local businesses, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and other communication workplaces.
- This flexible degree allows students to take elective courses that will further shape their preparation for communication work, for example in Te Reo Māori, Management, Political Science and International Relations, or Human Services.
This major is open to all students and no previous study is required. However, secondary school studies in history, social studies, media studies, and te reo Māori are particularly useful backgrounds.
Students will take 165 points of compulsory courses for the Bachelor of Communication throughout their degree.
Courses towards Tauwhitinga Māori: Māori Communication Strategy and Practice begin in your second year, and offer advanced applied practice in campaign management for media, recognising and implementing kaupapa Māori in business communications and corporate goals, and engaging Māori communities through Aotearoa New Zealand media channels.
Year 2
- COMS 232 Risk and Crisis Communication (offered in 2020 – this course will cover detailed planning of communications in situations of disaster, company reputation, health and safety, and other types of risk. This includes skills in public relations, data analysis, and crafting of public messaging.)
- MAOR 268 Māori film and Media
Year 3
The other points are made up of optional courses from the Bachelor of Arts Schedule (at least 30 points) and optional courses from any bachelor’s degrees at UC.
Students may find taking courses in Te Reo Māori, History, Geography, Māori and Indigenous Studies, and Sociology alongside their major particularly useful.
With an increasing emphasis on bicultural practice in Aotearoa New Zealand businesses, graduates of the Tauwhitinga Māori: Māori Communication Strategy and Practice major will be in high demand for many areas of work. In particular, students will be suited to communication roles in government, iwi organisations, tertiary education, and creative industries that produce public-facing content.
With their experience in kaupapa, media ethics, project management, and knowledge of the Māori communication indsutry, graduates of this major would also be in demand as advisors, outreach and stakeholder coordinators, consultants, content creators, and also in managerial positions.
Students may find themselves sought after internationally, where expertise in multicultural and indigenous communication are especially needed, for example in Australia, Canada, and the USA.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree from UC.
Contact us
School of Language, Social and Political Sciences
Phone +64 3 369 3377
Email artsdegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz
Location
6th Floor, Locke Building – see campus maps
Postal address
College of Arts | Te Rāngai Toi Tangata
University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
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