Regulations for the Degree of Master of Applied Psychology (MAppPsy)

  1. The Personal Programmes of Study Regulations apply in these regulations.

Admission

  1. Candidates for the Degree must have
    1. qualified for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Social Sciences of the University of Waikato with a major in Psychology with at least a B+ grade average across the 300 level papers, or for a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, and
    2. demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Programme Selection Committee that they
      1. have adequate academic skills and experience
      2. are suitable candidates with respect to:
        1. a Police vetting check
        2. the Vulnerable Children's Act 2014, and
    3. satisfied the prerequisites for graduate study in Psychology at levels considered appropriate by the Academic Board, and
    4. gained 15 points with a B+ grade in Behaviour Analysis (PSYCH314) for the MAppPsy(BA) or Community Psychology (PSYCH302) for the MAppPsy(Comm) or Organisational Psychology (PSYCH317) for the MAppPsy(Org) or equivalent. Candidates who have not met this requirement may be enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours or Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology with the possibility of transferring to the Master of Applied Psychology under the provisions of section 12 of these regulations.
  2. In exceptional circumstances, based on academic merit and relevant experience, candidates who do not meet the requirements of section 2 of these regulations may be considered for admission subject to the completion of any qualifying papers the Academic Board may prescribe which must be completed either prior to or concurrently.

Requirements for the Degree

  1. The normal minimum period of enrolment for completion of the Degree is two years, or, in the case of candidates for whom an exemption from up to 120 points has been approved under the provisions of section 12 of these regulations, one year. The requirements of the Degree must be completed within four consecutive years of first enrolling for the Degree, or, in the case of candidates for whom an exemption from up to 120 points has been approved under the provisions of section 12 of these regulations, a lesser time may be required.
  2. Candidates must enrol in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences and follow an approved programme of study.
  3. Candidates must gain 240 points at 500 level or above, including any compulsory papers prescribed in the Psychology Subject Regulations, in one of the following specified programmes:

Specified Programmes

Behaviour Analysis
Community Psychology
Organisational Psychology1

  1. Candidates must include
    1. a dissertation equivalent to 60 points, or
    2. a thesis equivalent to 90 points, or
    3. a thesis equivalent to 120 points.
  1. If a candidate fails a paper or papers (worth not more than 30 points in total), they may repeat the paper or papers or take an alternative paper or papers with the same total points value on one occasion only. A candidate who fails a paper or papers worth more than 30 points in total will not be permitted to proceed with the Degree.

Examination of thesis (90 points and above)

  1. The University will appoint two examiners for the candidate's thesis; one examiner external to the University and active in the research field of the thesis; and one examiner internal to the University, with a good grounding in the research field, who is not directly connected to the candidate, or the candidate’s thesis research or supervision.

Award of Honours

  1. The Degree may be awarded with
    1. First Class Honours, or
    2. Second Class Honours (first division), or
    3. Second Class Honours (second division).
  2. Except with the approval of the Academic Board, the level of honours will be calculated on the basis of the grades of the first 240 points completed by the candidate while enrolled for the Degree, including any failed paper.

Variations

  1. Candidates who have completed the degree of Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours of the University of Waikato in Psychology or for a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, may be exempted from up to 120 points for the Degree, provided that their overall graduate programme of study conforms with the requirements of the specified programme prescribed for the Degree.
  2. The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Division or delegated authority may vary or waive these regulations in individual cases.

Notes:

1 The 240 point version of the specified programme of Organisational Psychology is suspended from 2021 and the 120 point version is suspended from 2022.