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2017 International Prospectus University of Otago UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO 2017 INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTUS New Zealand otago.ac.nz [email protected] Tel 64 3 479 8080 facebook.com/OtagoInternationalOffice twitter.com/OtagoIntOffice DUNEDIN Dunedin, New Zealand SPINE 2 Why Study at Otago? 24 Services and Facilities Contents 3 Welcome 26 Pathways to Study 4 Research 27 Accommodation 6 Studying at Otago 31 Living Costs 7 Undergraduate Degrees 32 New Zealand / Aotearoa 8 Postgraduate Study 34 Dunedin and Otago 10 Scholarships 36 Essential Information 12 Business 38 Student Exchange 15 Health Sciences 40 Application 18 Humanities 50 2017 Key Dates 21 Sciences 51 Otago Programmes This prospectus is intended as a general guide for international students. The information provided is, as far as possible, up to date and accurate at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to add, amend or withdraw programmes and facilities, to restrict student numbers and to make any other alterations as it may deem necessary. The regulations of the University of Otago are published annually in the University Calendar. Published by the University of Otago International Office: July 2016. OTAGO GRADUATES ARE SOUGHT AFTER AND APPRECIATED Why study at Otago? • It has an international • Otago offers over 190 reputation for excellence undergraduate and postgraduate courses • Otago is the leading postgraduate research • It has an extensive student institution in New Zealand exchange programme with more than 90 partners in 33 • Otago graduates are highly countries regarded by employers • It offers high quality pathway • It offers an unrivalled campus programmes experience and vibrant cultural life • International students are strongly supported 3 OTAGO HAS OVER 2,500 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM Welcome 100 COUNTRIES The University of Otago is New Zealand’s of-the-art Centre for Innovation, the multi- first university, established in Dunedin by award-winning Information Services Building early Scottish settlers who had a strong belief and the many character villas that are home to in the value of education. This commitment much of Otago’s student population. Students continues today – education is Dunedin’s main benefit from Dunedin’s relatively inexpensive “industry”, and Dunedin is New Zealand’s only cost of living, and house prices and rentals true university city. Of Dunedin’s population are affordable, particularly compared to New of 120,000, more than 20,000 are University of Zealand’s northern cities. It is a safe city in The University of Otago is a foundation Otago students – and over 2,500 of them are which to live and it is easy to get out and about member of the Matariki Network of international students. to take advantage of everything it has to offer Universities (MNU), a select international – and the ski fields of Central Otago are only a group of outstanding universities, with each These students come to Otago from all over few hours’ drive away. member amongst the oldest and foremost the world to take advantage of the University’s places of learning in its respective country. worldwide reputation for excellence. Otago More information about Dunedin can be found The MNU has been established to enable the is at the forefront of modern scholarship and on page 34. universities to enhance diversity, to share has a long-established tradition of innovation. ideas and expertise, and to learn international It is for this reason Otago is able to attract International commitment best practice from each other, recognising the first-rate academics, and our graduates are shared commitment to an ethos of excellence in renowned for their independence and audacity Making the decision to study at a university research, scholarship and rounded education. of spirit, which makes them highly regarded by overseas is a bold one, but provides a valuable The other members of MNU are Dartmouth prospective employers. opportunity to learn about other cultures, gain maturity and develop the global perspective College (USA), Durham University (England), Otago graduates are sought after which is increasingly important for graduates Queen’s University (Canada), Eberhard and appreciated, and many occupy influential today. Karls Universität Tübingen (Germany), The positions in industry, government and within their University of Western Australia and Uppsala communities across the world. The University of Otago recognises this and is Universitet (Sweden). strongly committed to international education. A national presence It has collaborative teaching, research and matarikinetwork.com exchange agreements with major institutions The University of Otago has a presence around the world (see page 38) and, in addition throughout New Zealand. Most undergraduate to the many services and facilities available and postgraduate study takes place on the to all students (see page 24), its International Dunedin campus, but the University is Office provides a range of specialist services also represented in Auckland, Wellington, for international students. An orientation Christchurch and Invercargill. The Schools of programme is run at the start of each semester, Medicine and Health Sciences in Wellington and international student advisers and student and Christchurch are home to many leading mentors are available to help students make the medical researchers, and a large number of adjustment to life at Otago and to provide on- Health Sciences postgraduate courses are going help and support. taught from these campuses. Otago offers a rich cultural life, reflecting a diverse international student community and Dunedin campus New Zealand’s own multicultural population. It Otago scores also has a network of around 100,000 graduates ‘five-stars-plus’ The Dunedin campus is located just a few living in more than 142 countries and has blocks from the centre of the city and on the for excellence established alumni branches in many of the edge of the Dunedin Botanic Garden. It is a and quality world’s major cities including London, Sydney, beautiful campus – the Water of Leith winds its Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur. way past the iconic stone Clocktower, the state- 4 Research Research underpins all The Government’s latest Performance- academic activity at Otago Based Research Fund (PBRF) quality assessment confirmed the University of and the University continues Otago as the leading postgraduate research to build on its long-held institution in New Zealand. Otago was reputation for research the only university to be ranked in the excellence. top four in all average quality score (AQS) measures. The PBRF ranked Otago first or second in 17 subject areas – including first in four of the 10 top-ranked subject areas: law, pharmacy, philosophy and pure and applied mathematics – and more than 55 per cent of Otago’s academic staff were identified as internationally or nationally distinguished. 5 THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO IS THE LEADING POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH INSTITUTION IN NEW ZEALAND Graduate research Research themes Centre for Research on Colonial Culture and centres Centre for Society, Governance and Science The PBRF evaluation confirmed Otago’s Centre for Sustainability (CSAFE) position as New Zealand’s leading postgraduate The University has recognised a number Centre for Translational Cancer Research research university. Access to research- of areas of particular research strength as Christchurch Heart Institute informed teaching and supervision by Research Themes and Research Centres. Many acknowledged leaders in their field is vital for of these are multidisciplinary; they encourage Edgar National Centre for Diabetes and postgraduate students: this ranking shows that research across a range of academic fields and Obesity Research Otago offers the best in the country. provide outstanding opportunities, especially Genetics Otago Otago has the highest proportion of for postgraduate students. National Centre for Lifecourse Research postgraduate research students of any Many other areas of strength are listed on New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities university in New Zealand. Of the more the programme information pages of this Sir John Walsh Research Institute than 4,500 postgraduate students currently prospectus. enrolled, over 1,380 are doctoral candidates. Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases The University provides a strong foundation for student research through scholarships (see Themes page 10), as well as state-of-the-art library and Individual staff research expertise can be found computing facilities, and excellent supervision. Allan Wilson@Otago (Research Theme for on the divisional and departmental pages of the Human Evolutionary Genomics) website: Otago PhD candidates are supported by the University to travel to leading international Ag@Otago otago.ac.nz/departments conferences to present their research findings. Asia-Pacific Biocultural Health: Past and Present All thesis students receive support and Aspire 2025 Research for a Tobacco-Free mentorship from their supervisors, and the Aotearoa Centres of Research Dean and Manager of the Graduate Research Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence School are both available for consultation by Excellence (CARE) students should the need arise. The Dean also The University of Otago also hosts two Centres Integrated Catchment Management chairs the Graduate Research Student Liaison of Research Excellence (CoREs), government- Committee, a representative group of research New Zealand Ocean Acidification Research funded