Master of Global Studies

Gain global studies knowledge and intercultural competence training. You'll also have the opportunity for hands-on learning with Wellington-based organisations.

Available from 2027

The Master of Global Studies will be offered from 2027.

In the Master of Global Studies (MGS), you’ll gain expertise across different fields. You’ll learn to navigate the complex, cross-sector challenges of global issues.

Access Wellington’s networks of government agencies, diplomatic corps, and international organisations. You’ll graduate with demonstrated professional experience as well as academic credentials.

The MGS is flexible. Choose from a dissertation, internship, research project, or thesis as part of your study.

Who can study for the MGS

The MGS builds on the Bachelor of Global Studies. It also suits graduates of other interdisciplinary degrees, like:

• humanities and social sciences
• public policy
• environmental studies
• development studies.

It’s ideal if you’re aiming for a career in diplomacy, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), or the public sector.

You can tailor the MGS to your interests and study part time. It might suit you if you’re already in the workforce and would like to gain career-related skills.

Other postgraduate study options

The MGS is part of a tiered family of qualifications that are staircased so that courses completed for each qualification can count towards the next step. You can enrol in one of the shorter qualifications initially, and build on your learning in your own time:

• the 60-point Postgraduate Certificate in Global Studies (PGCertGS)
• the 120-point Postgraduate Diploma in Global Studies (PGDipGS).

Future careers

The Master of Global Studies prepares you for a career where you work across disciplines, cultures, and sectors. You’ll be well-suited to roles in:

• diplomacy and the foreign service
• international-facing roles in central government (including MFAT and associated ministries)
• international organisations such as the United Nations and its agencies
• cross-cultural or globally oriented roles in the private sector.

Employers value staff with intercultural competence who can work effectively across cultural differences in professional contexts.

If you complete the thesis or dissertation pathway with a B+ average or above, you’ll be well-positioned to apply for doctoral programmes.

Duration

The Master of Global Studies can be completed in three trimesters of full-time study.

You may complete the degree over three consecutive trimesters, or in Trimesters 1 and 2 of one year and Trimester 1 of the following year. You can also begin the Master of Global Studies in Trimester 3.

Wellington hosts dozens of government agencies, diplomatic missions, and international organisations. The core courses of the MGS draw on Wellington-based practitioners. The capstone course partners student teams with organisations working on real global challenges. Our internship pathway places you in a workplace where you can manage and address global challenges.

Scholarships

You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.

We have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas.

• Postgraduate and doctoral scholarships
• Search scholarships.

You may be eligible to apply for the Wellington Graduate Award, which provides up to $5,000 towards tuition fees.

Financial support

You can get support to stay on top of your finances by downloading our money management resources or by meeting with one of our student finance advisers.

We can show you how to manage your student loan or allowance, and help you sort out your budget. For students facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for support from the Hardship Fund. Depending on your situation, you might also be able to get government or community support. Talk to a student finance adviser Financing your study

Community

Postgraduate study at Victoria University of Wellington will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, University staff, and future colleagues. You'll have opportunities to attend events, seminars, workshops, and social functions.

The Postgraduate Students' Association can also give you information on study at the University and provides a voice for you on campus.

Study for a PhD

If you do well in your Master’s degree and show an aptitude for advanced research, you’ll be able to apply to study for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

In a PhD, you’ll carry out original and sustained research under supervision from world-class academics in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science.

As a PhD candidate, you’ll also be supported by the Faculty of Graduate Research.

Find out what and how you’ll study in the Master of Global Studies.

Flexible study options

The Master of Global Studies (MGS) is part of a tiered family of qualifications:

• Master of Global Studies (180 points)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Global Studies (120 points)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Global Studies (60 points).

These qualifications are ‘staircased’. If you start with the Diploma or Certificate and want to continue studying after you finish, your completed courses can count towards the Master’s.

Or, if you enrol in the Master’s but choose not to finish it, you may have completed enough courses to be awarded a Diploma or Certificate.

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

What you’ll study

Tailor your MGS to suit your goals and strengths. You can choose from a wide range of electives across the University. A research pathway is available if you'd like to pursue doctoral studies.

The programme has three core elements:

• transdisciplinary Global Studies thinking (GLBL 401 and GEOG 402)
• intercultural capability in professional contexts (ICAT 403)
• applied, collaborative research through the capstone project (GLBL 501) and your choice of internship, research project, or dissertation pathway.

Partner with external organisations to tackle real challenges they face. You'll gain practical experience of the cross-disciplinary problem-solving that defines careers in global fields.

As part of a small team, you’ll partner with an external organisation, such as a government agency or NGO. Carry out applied research or analysis on a challenge the organisation is working on. You’ll produce work that is useful to your partners, gaining practical experience of the collaborative, cross-disciplinary problem-solving that characterises careers in this field.

The programme engages with global studies taught within Aotearoa. It considers the importance of Mātauranga Māori and Indigenous knowledge, our location in the Pacific, and our proximity to Asia.

Intercultural capability

Intercultural capability is a core requirement of the MGS. You’ll take ICAT 403—Intercultural Communication in Professional Practice. This course develops the critical, reflective capacity to work across cultural differences in professional contexts. It includes sophisticated self-reflection on your own cultural positioning and deep engagement with diverse worldviews and knowledge systems. Employers in internationally facing roles consistently identify this as one of the most valued and hardest-to-find graduate attributes.