Postgraduate Programmes

Overview

Please see also:
The School of Business Postgraduate Programme information
The Department of Marketing Postgraduate Research Handbook (PDF, 2.7MB)

As the marketing world becomes more sophisticated, research skills are becoming increasingly sought after by employers. More graduates and business professionals are enhancing their qualifications and career prospects with postgraduate study, along the way learning valuable research skills. With our research performance ranked in the top two of all New Zealand universities, the Department of Marketing has the resources and expertise to help you do this.

Research is challenging, but can be fun as well as highly rewarding. Some students gain valuable teaching experience while they study. They also attend regular departmental research seminars, obtaining substantial peer review and feedback. Senior research students may also be able to attend appropriate international conferences to present and receive informed feedback on their work.

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Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)

The paper-based DipGrad is a full-time course taught over one-year, or part-time over more than one year. It is a very flexible qualification and can be structured to meet your requirements.

It's a good choice if you're looking for:

To enrol for a DipGrad, you'll be expected to have a degree or a diploma from a New Zealand university, or provide satisfactory evidence of appropriate training and experience.

If you are interested in finding out more about our DipGrad programme, please contact Dr Ben Wooliscroft (Marketing Department contact) or Dr Willem Labuschagne, Director of the Diploma for Graduates Programme.

Further information:
University of Otago Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)

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Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce (PGDipCom)

The PGDipCom, endorsed in Marketing Management, is a full-time course taken over one year, or part-time over more than one year, up to three years. It's flexible and can be structured to meet your requirements.

If you've graduated with a BCom in Marketing Management (with a minimum B grade average across 72 points of 300-level including MART 301 and MART 307), DipGrad or equivalent, this diploma offers you a chance to gain a higher qualification. Its status is similar to the BCom(Hons) degree and it may be awarded with distinction or credit.

You may choose from any of the 400-level papers on offer, subject to the approval of Dr Ben Wooliscroft. If you're considering continuing on to a Master of Commerce or Master of Business degree, your diploma must include MART 431 432 and 433.

Further information:
University of Otago Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce (PGDipCom)

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Master of Commerce (MCom) - endorsed in Marketing Management

The Master of Commerce is a 1-2 year programme, involving the completion of a thesis prepared under supervision, or a combination of coursework and thesis. The MCom degree allows for the development of individual research, giving students the opportunity to contribute to existing fields or to begin to develop new areas of research.

Students who have a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent qualification) will complete the MCom by papers and thesis (at least two years’ full-time study). The first year consists of a selection of papers worth 144 points, leading to a Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce (PGDipCom).

Students who have a good Honours degree or a PGDipCom (or equivalent qualification) can complete a MCom by thesis only (minimum one year). The programme can also be undertaken part-time, to be completed within four years.
Research topics are chosen in consultation with MCom Director: marketing.mcom@otago.ac.nz

Further information:
University of Otago Master of Commerce (MCom)
University of Otago Handbook for Research Masters’ Degrees

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Master of Business (MBus) - endorsed in Marketing Management

The Master of Business is a professionally-oriented specialist degree comprising coursework and an applied research project, which is designed to meet the needs of employers and students.

Admission to the programme is subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce). Every applicant must either (i) be a graduate in Commerce, Business Studies or the equivalent, or (ii) be a graduate with alternative qualifications or experience acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce).

The MBus programme consists of eight papers at 400-level followed by MART5A, an independent research project (max. 30,000 words) investigating a particular problem or business issue. Students must achieve a B+ average in their coursework in order to progress onto the research project.

Entry in to the MBus programme is normally in the first semester, however students can begin in the second semester, and most students complete the coursework component over an academic year. The research component must be started within 6 months of completion of the papers and completed within 9 months (for full-time students) or 18 months (for part-time students) of enrolment in MART 5A.

Research topics are chosen in consultation with the MBus Director: roel.wijland@otago.ac.nz

Further information:
Master of Business in Marketing Management

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

If you’re considering an academic career, you’ll need a PhD; increasingly, senior business people also have PhDs and the skills you will acquire as you undertake advanced research will stand you in good stead, whichever direction your career might take.

The PhD is a specialised thesis-only degree and differs from a master’s degree thesis in scope, depth and originality. It’s more rigorous and demanding and represents significant independent research. A PhD represents three years of full time study and students should aim to submit their thesis within this period; part time study is also available and a PhD may be taken over six years part time.

Entry to our PhD programme involves a rigorous assessment of your performance in preliminary postgraduate degrees.  An MBA or applied Masterate is not a normal entry point for a PhD and, if you have not undertaken advanced study in marketing theory or research methods, we will require you to enrol in papers and meet a high standard in these so you have the knowledge and skills to undertake PhD research.  In some cases, we may require you to enrol in a PGDip or MCom before we can assess your suitability as a PhD candidate.

If you are an international student, please note that you must have achieved an overall IELTS score of 7.0 to gain entry to our programme; students not meeting this criterion will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.  We would normally expect a score of 7.5 for the Writing component (and no less than 7.0 for this band).

In exceptional cases (where the scope and quality of their research justifies it), MCom students may apply to upgrade to a PhD.  Details of upgrading from an MCom to a PhD are available from the PhD Director, Professor Janet Hoek (marketing.phd@otago.ac.nz) and are outlined in the PhD Handbook.

Application Information:
Entry to the PhD programme at the University of Otago is competitive. The first step is to supply the following information:

Please do not send details of your secondary school education or copies of references.  If we require this information, we will request it from you.  Please send only the documents outlined above to the following email: marketing.phd@otago.ac.nz

The PhD Director will assess this information and advise you whether you meet our preliminary entry requirements.  If so, the Director will then invite you to submit a research proposal.

We strongly recommend that you review current staff members’ research interests when developing your research question.  Information on our research activities is available here.

Your brief proposal will enable us to assess whether suitable supervision is available in the Department.  Please note that we cannot undertake to provide supervision; this will depend on the alignment between your question and our interests, as well as on staff members’ current commitments.  The PhD Director will advise you of staff who could potentially provide supervision and they will then contact you to set up a meeting (by teleconference if necessary) where you have an opportunity to learn more about each other’s work and interests, and approaches to research and supervision.

If following these discussions the supervisors confirm their availability to supervise, we will then invite you to submit a formal application to enrol in our PhD programme to the University.  Please note that acceptance by the Department does not guarantee acceptance by the University – a formal application to the University must be made separately after the Department has agreed to provide supervision.   Administrative and academic staff from several departments will review your formal application and, if this is successful, you will be offered a place in our programme.

Further information:
University of Otago Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
PhD candidates in the Marketing Department  
Department of Marketing staff supervision areas
Department of Marketing student and supervisor expectations (PDF, 19KB)
PhD progress requirements (PDF, 14KB)

If you have any questions or would like further information, please email the PhD Director: marketing.phd@otago.ac.nz

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