Program Overview

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Course Overview

The course POLS 419, Government and Politics in Aotearoa New Zealand, is a comprehensive study of Aotearoa New Zealand's unique political system. The course is divided into two halves, with the first half focusing on the events and ideas that have influenced Aotearoa's political institutions, processes, and actors, including Māori and colonial influences. The second half of the course is co-constructed with students, allowing them to study topics relevant to their research interests.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 February 2026 to 21 June 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • Domestic students: NZ$2,411.10
  • International students: NZ$9,575.40
• Lecture Start Times: Monday, 2.10pm
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 300 hours or 17.6 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 30

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The course is taught by the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be announced once the course has begun.

About This Course

This course is delivered in-person only and requires students to attend on campus. It is not possible to take this course asynchronously due to its discussion seminar format.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature of the contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand state with reference to leading state theories and perspectives.
2. Identify and critique a range of ideas about the state, including the role of the state in public policy, domestic and foreign.
3. Engage in constructive conversations about politics and policy, both in written and verbal form.
4. Design and write a well-structured, theoretically-informed paper that demonstrates deep understanding of one particular aspect of the Aotearoa New Zealand state.

How This Course Is Taught

The course is delivered through one three-hour seminar per week, which includes student presentations, class discussions, and essay-focused workshop sessions. Some seminars may be held off-campus at accessible locations, including the He Tohu exhibition at the National Library, Parliament, and Te Papa. Seminars will not be recorded.

Assessment

• Learning Portfolio: Reading Matrices x 5: 25%
• Learning Portfolio: Presentation (20 minutes + Q&A): 15%
• Research Paper Proposal (no more than 4 pages single-spaced): 10%
• Learning Portfolio: Course Co-Construction (identifying and reviewing topics and readings for the second half of the course, approx. 600-800 words): 10%
• Research Paper (4,000-5,000 words): 40%

Mandatory Requirements

There are no mandatory requirements for this course.

Lecture Times and Rooms

• 23 February 2026 to 5 April 2026
• 20 April 2026 to 31 May 2026

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to purchase any texts or equipment for this course.