What you can study with Study Abroad

Choose a full-time semester load of courses from your major or area of specialisation. You can also choose elective courses. A typical full-time semester is AUT 60 points, which is equivalent to 4 courses.

The study-internship programme is a full-time, unpaid one-semester programme for international students at AUT. It gives you a full semester’s credit towards your home degree.

You will:

• Complete a part-time, supervised work placement in your chosen field (30 points)
• Study two other AUT courses (15 points each)

Work placement

During your study-internship you will work in a business, government or community organisation environment.

You will spend 15 to 20 hours a week at your placement. You will also attend classes and complete assignments related to your placement.

Finding a work placement

We start securing your work placement once we have received your placement fee.

We can usually find placements in most fields (except for health/medical and education), depending on your study and work experience.

As soon as we confirm your work placement, we will let you know.

You can choose courses from AUT’s art and design programmes and combine them with courses from other AUT subject areas.

Spatial Design

Through analysis and interpretation of existing sites and conditions students will work with what already exists – refitting, reusing, adapting, and attending to materials, surfaces, patterns, fabrication and connections to build a sense of place visualising immersive spaces and helping others to visualise space.

• SPAD601 Spatial Fabrication Studio II (30 points)
• SPAD603 Spatial Theory 2 (15 points)

On successful completion of these courses, among other learning, students will be able to:

• Analyse and reflect on spatial environments and experiences
• Source, explore and relate to existing research and thinking with reference to spatial design
• Explore and speculate on a given brief through making and assembling
• Research relevant contexts, precedents and techniques of making
• Produce conceptual responses through making and assembling
• Develop and craft spatial responses through systematic making

You can choose courses from AUT’s communication studies programmes and combine them with courses from other AUT subject areas.

Intercultural Communication

Provides a framework for analysing intercultural communication within mediated and non-mediated contexts. Examines the social and historical context of intercultural communication in global spaces, emphasising intercultural and ethnic relations in Aotearoa New Zealand. Introduces practical concepts  of collaborative work in a wider context of students’ work futures, that are underpinned by the guiding principles of tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

Explores also, the relationship between mass communication, digital media technologies, and society. Considers processes of media communication in relation to diverse practices, identities, and social relationships.

• COMM514 Intercultural Communication (15 points)
• DICD507: Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices ( 15 points)
• COMM513 Media, Technology and Society (15 Points)

On successful completion of these courses, among other learning, students will be able to:

1. Identify and select effective ways of collaborating, decision-making and risk taking that are underpinned by the guiding principles of tikanga and mātauranga Māori
2. Reflect on strengths and challenges of the collaboration using a framework informed by tikanga and mātauranga Māori
3. Analyse the critical framework for Intercultural Communication within the context of contemporary cultural diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand
4. Apply intercultural communication knowledge to real-world interactions of individuals and groups across diverse cultural contexts
5. Analyse the social and cultural impact of technological change across a range of communication contexts
6. Examine and differentiate key concepts in the study of media and communication

Complete education courses that align with the teacher education programme you're studying at your home university, while learning about the New Zealand education system and our unique Māori culture. You’ll also have an overseas adventure, and can experience New Zealand’s top tourist destinations and outdoor lifestyle.

The School of Education staff at AUT will support you to thrive with regular group meetings dedicated to your education experience and pastoral care. Contact the Study Abroad team for a list of courses you can choose from.

Teacher placements

Student teacher placement opportunities are also available. You can complete workplace experience at an Auckland based school where you can observe, participate and, in some cases, lead teaching and learning activities as they are delivered in a typical New Zealand classroom.

You can choose courses from AUT’s engineering, computer and mathematical sciences programmes and combine them with courses from other AUT subject areas.

Artificial Intelligence

With these courses, students will understand the nature of intelligent systems and how such systems may be implemented. Students will know and understand fundamental and advanced aspects of language (especially text) and vision from an artificial intelligence perspective, focusing on practical algorithms, tools, and systems of text, vision intelligence, as well as their performance evaluation. The package also provides an overview of the fundamentals of nature-inspired computing (NIC), particularly in the fields of evolutionary algorithms, neural networks, swarm intelligence, artificial life, DNA computing, and quantum computing.

• COMP700 Text and Vision Intelligence (15 points)
• COMP701 Nature inspired Computing (15 points)
• COMP717 Artificial Intelligence (15 Points)

On successful completion of these courses, among other learning, students will be able to:

• Appraise the strength and limitations of intelligent systems
• Apply appropriate problem-solving methods within several AI domains, as well as implement a range of AI algorithms
• Demonstrate understanding of the basic concepts, approaches and algorithms used in text and visual intelligence
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to apply algorithms and techniques for text and visual modelling
• Explain how AI theories could be used in text and visual analytics
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge of, and skills involved in, the design, development and implementation of nature-inspired solutions to specific problems
• Analyse and evaluate NIC techniques and representations

In the Māori culture and society programme, you will immerse yourself in New Zealand’s indigenous Māori culture. You'll share social customs and protocol with staff and students from Te Ara Poutama, our Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Development.

You'll also gain a deeper appreciation of Aotearoa (New Zealand) through Māori perspectives, by taking courses like:

• Te Ara Pou – Leadership
• International Noho Marae
• Introduction to Conversational Māori
• Introduction to New Zealand History

HRMG650 Te Ara Pou – Leadership (15 points)

This is one of the most popular courses with students in the Study Abroad programme. It teaches concepts you can apply to your daily life. You will:

• Learn about leadership roles from many cultural perspectives, and how to apply them
• Cover personality profiles, personal vision, how to understand yourself and your role as change agents, and the satisfaction that comes with being a leader.

If you want to bring about effective change, hope, aspiration and certainty, this is the ideal course.

TIKA500 International Noho Marae - Indigenous Encounters of a Māori Kind (15 points)

This is a course for international students who also want to join in the cultural weekend stay at the AUT Marae (traditional Māori meeting place).

The Noho Marae is an unforgettable weekend of learning about Māori culture, traditions and protocol, followed by tutorials in the AUT Marae during the semester.

The Marae will be your classroom where you will study, experience and reflect about what it means to be Māori in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

MAOR500 Introduction to Conversational Māori (15 points)

This is an introduction to the Māori language with an emphasis on:

• Pronunciation
• Greetings
• Forms of language in particular cultural contexts.

You don't need any knowledge of the Māori language.

HIST500 Introduction to New Zealand History

This course develops your awareness and general knowledge of New Zealand’s rich history, of major trends in the nation’s development, and the emergence of a national identity.

International student Noho Marae weekend experience (0 points)

This weekend event is unique to AUT and a highlight for international students.

At the beginning of the semester you have the chance to stay on the AUT Marae (traditional Māori meeting place) for the weekend. You’ll:

• Meet and learn from Māori people
• Take part in Māori cultural performances
• Learn Māori arts and crafts
• Take part in a traditional Māori feast.

There is a cost for this event, which includes food, accommodation, learning and resources. Places are limited.

Watch the video

As a Study Abroad student at AUT you can experience the outdoors in the clean, green environment of Aotearoa – New Zealand.

You can choose courses from AUT’s sport and recreation study area and combine them with courses from other AUT study areas.

Course options

Choose up to 60 points from these courses:

SPOR504 Leadership in Sport and the Outdoors (15 points)

Examines the key leadership principles (of self and others) needed to effect change in the context of sport and the outdoors. Includes a three-day journey. Activities include hiking, sloop-sailing, small boat sailing, and sea kayaking. Locations include Tongariro National Park and the Hauraki Gulf.

SPOR609 Teaching, Leading and Coaching (15 points)

Examines teaching and leading in both individual and team environments using a reflective, person- centred approach. Focuses on development and its impact on determining appropriate teaching and coaching pedagogy.

SPOR619 Maunga-Ngahere: Mountains and Bush (15 points)

Develops understanding of the mountains and bush settings as places for recreation, education and personal growth. This is delivered as a two-week block course in Feb prior to Semester 1. This includes a two-day preparatory hike in the Waitakere Ranges in the first week and a 5 day mountain and bush journey in the second week.

SPOR623 International Internship in Sport and Recreation (30 points)

Provides an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and gain industry experience within a sport or recreation organisation in New Zealand. Students are required to negotiate and develop a learning contract and undertake a range of work activities with the selected organisation. Students will analyse the structure and activities of the organisation and critically reflect on their experience.

SPOR501 Sport and Recreation in Aotearoa/New Zealand (15 points)

An introduction to the sport and recreation industry in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Examines the roles and relationships of key sport and recreation organisations and sectors.

SPOR602 Roto-Awa: Lakes and Rivers (15 points)

Develops understanding of lake and river environments as places for recreation, education and personal growth. This is delivered as a two-week block course in the September mid-semester break. This includes two three-day field trips. One in the first week which will be lake based (canoes) and the other in the second week, which will be river based (kayaking).

SPOR603 Motu-Moana: Islands and Sea (15 points)

Develops understanding of the coastal and marine environment as a place for recreation, education and personal growth. This will have preparatory lectures and workshops in the second half of Semester 2 with a five-day journey.

SPOR623 International Internship in Sport and Recreation (30 points)

Provides an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and gain industry experience within a sport or recreation organisation in New Zealand. Students are required to negotiate and develop a learning contract and undertake a range of work activities with the selected organisation. Students will analyse the structure and activities of the organisation and critically reflect on their experience.

Study Abroad students can consider the course TOUR609 Tourism and Sustainability (15 points), which is a fully online course and focuses on the sustainability of tourism’s relationship with the natural, social, cultural and built environments.

Using case studies of the environments in which tourism occurs, students explore tourism’s role in our contemporary world, both as an agent of change, and as a response to it. Creative methods are used to think differently about the future of tourism impact management.

AUT is committed to achieving sustainability and taking action in light of local and global challenges. We continue to nurture a culture of sustainability through learning, teaching, research, partnerships and how we operate our facilities.

As a Study Abroad student at AUT you can choose courses with a sustainability focus and combine them with courses from other AUT study areas.

Courses on sustainability topics