Postgraduate Students

Postgraduate study at Otago

Postgraduate study at New Zealand’s top-ranked university for research quality* opens up a world of opportunities.

At Otago you’ll be immersed in a collegial academic environment and enjoy support and facilities that are second-to-none.

We also offer a distinguished distance learning programme, so you can gain one of many Otago postgraduate qualifications from anywhere in the world.

And with more than 240 scholarships and research opportunities available, there’s plenty of financial assistance to help support your studies. 

* Tertiary Education Commission. PBRF Quality Evaluation 2006 (Wellington, 2007).

Why postgraduate study?

There are many benefits to pursuing postgraduate study.

Greater earning power

People with higher qualifications tend to have better-paid jobs.

For example, among young domestic graduates last enrolled in tertiary education in 2003, median annual earnings three years after completing their studies were 16% higher for those with a master’s degree compared with those with a bachelor’s degree, and 46% percent higher for those with a doctorate —more than twice the national median income.¹

Median earnings of those who completed one-year postgraduate qualifications such as a postgraduate diploma or honours year were around 16% higher than for those with a bachelor’s degree in the first year after study, and 9% higher after three years.

Employment prospects

People with higher qualifications tend to enjoy more employment opportunities, as a postgraduate qualification helps employers differentiate amongst job applicants in a competitive employment market.²

Career development

Postgraduate study also enables you to acquire advanced knowledge in a particular field, for personal fulfillment and/or career development. Research degrees also enable a student to contribute to knowledge generation — an exciting prospect in a rapidly changing world.

Career change

A taught postgraduate qualification such as a postgraduate diploma provides you with the ability to explore and become proficient in new and emerging areas of specialist expertise and advanced knowledge in a field of professional practice. Sometimes this can prepare you for a shift in career focus.

Contribution to society

Completion of a research degree such as a PhD or thesis-based masterate provides you with the opportunity to undertake original research and develop project management skills as you extend your expertise into an area of specialist knowledge.

Lifestyle

There is also increasing evidence to suggest a link between education and health benefits, with research indicating higher educated people tend to enjoy longer lives and better health. Some researchers suggest that the health benefits of an extra year of education could be the equivalent of an income increase of 3%.

¹ What do students earn after their tertiary education? David Scott, Statistics New Zealand and Ministry of Education (2009).

² Labour market outcomes of skills and qualifications, David Earle, Ministry of Education (2009).