Bachelor of Arts (Honours) major in Museums and Cultural Heritage

Skip to Main Content

Museums and Cultural Heritage is an interdisciplinary programme with a particular focus on Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific. It draws on museums and heritage-related courses taught by Anthropology, Art History, History, Māori Studies and Sociology.

Postgraduate study in Museums and Cultural Heritage
You can study approaches to museums and heritage globally, with a particular focus on indigenous Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.
Courses in Museums and Cultural History cover topics such as:
- The history of museums
- The politics of culture
- Intellectual property
- Public art
- Curatorial practice
- Tourism and heritage
- Art writing
- Colonialism
- Writing history

Museums and Cultural Heritage can give you an excellent foundation for: a career as a curator, education officer, art gallery registrar or manager; careers in museums and heritage institutions in the private and government sectors; and careers in tourism.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Museums and Cultural Heritage
A major in one of Anthropology, Art History, History, Maori Studies,
Museums and Cultural Heritage or Sociology or, in exceptional cases, another subject as approved by the Coordinator of the Programme in Museums and Cultural Heritage.

Prerequisite: A major in Anthropology, Art History, History, Māori Studies, Museums and Cultural Heritage or Sociology, or an equivalent subject approved by the Academic Head or nominee

Complete 120 points comprising:

15 points for all Compulsory Course, and
One of the following:
30 points for all Exhibiting Cultures Course - 1 Semester, or
30 points for all Exhibiting Cultures Course - 2 Semesters, and
45 points from Elective Courses, and
One of the following:
30 points for all Research Project - 1 Semester, or
30 points for all Research Project - 2 Semesters

Compulsory Course

Complete 15 points for ALL of the following:

MUSEUMS 702 - Inside the Museum (15 points)

Exhibiting Cultures Course - 1 Semester

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

MUSEUMS 704 - Reimagining Museums: Māori, Indigenous and Global Perspectives (30 points)

Exhibiting Cultures Course - 2 Semesters

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

MUSEUMS 704A - Reimagining Museums: Māori, Indigenous and Global Perspectives (15 points)

MUSEUMS 704B - Reimagining Museums: Māori, Indigenous and Global Perspectives (15 points)

Elective Courses

Complete exactly 45 points from the following:

ANTHRO 708 - Cultural Resource Management in Archaeology (30 points)

ANTHRO 708A - Cultural Resource Management in Archaeology (15 points)

ANTHRO 708B - Cultural Resource Management in Archaeology (15 points)

ANTHRO 742 - Contact and Colonialism (15 points)

ANTHRO 756 - Anthropology and Intellectual Property (15 points)

ARTHIST 700 - Participation, Collaboration, and Photography (30 points)

ARTHIST 700A - Participation, Collaboration, and Photography (15 points)

ARTHIST 700B - Participation, Collaboration, and Photography (15 points)

ARTHIST 730 - Exploring Pacific Art (30 points)

ARTHIST 730A - Exploring Pacific Art (15 points)

ARTHIST 730B - Exploring Pacific Art (15 points)

ARTHIST 731 - Sites of Resistance (15 points)

ARTHIST 732 - Topics in Pacific Art and Visual Culture (15 points)

ARTHIST 734 - Art Writing and Curatorial Practice (30 points)

ARTHIST 734A - Art Writing and Curatorial Practice (15 points)

ARTHIST 734B - Art Writing and Curatorial Practice (15 points)

ENGLISH 718 - Opening the Archive (30 points)

HISTORY 705A - Writing New Zealand (15 points)

HISTORY 705B - Writing New Zealand (15 points)

HISTORY 712A - Insider Histories (15 points)

HISTORY 712B - Insider Histories (15 points)

MAORI 741 - Ngā Taonga Hanga: Taonga Māori (30 points)

MUSEUMS 700 - Exhibiting Cultures: International (15 points)

MUSEUMS 705 - Exhibiting Cultures: Māori and Indigenous (15 points)

MUSEUMS 706 - Special Topic (15 points)

MUSEUMS 751 - Special Topic (30 points)

MUSEUMS 760 - Directed Study (15 points)

MUSEUMS 761 - Directed Study (30 points)

Research Project - 1 Semester

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

MUSEUMS 780 - Research Project (30 points)

Research Project - 2 Semesters

Complete 30 points for ALL of the following:

MUSEUMS 780A - Research Project (15 points)

MUSEUMS 780B - Research Project (15 points)