Master of Business

A Master of Business is recognised as a wise investment for a senior career, and is likely to boost earning potential. A master's degree by research is also essential for those considering a possible academic career route.

The Master of Business is a research master’s degree that can be completed in just 18 months. Throughout your studies you develop advanced research skills, as well as a rigorous understanding of a specialist business field relevant to your interests.

The programme equips you with the knowledge and critical thinking skills in demand in today’s complex and changing business environments. Graduates of the Master of Business are well placed for further study in the PhD programme.

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Minimum entry requirements

Completed one of the following or equivalent with a B grade average or higher in courses at level 7 or above:

  • Bachelor of Business OR
  • Graduate Diploma in Business

Admission to the Master of Business is subject to approval by the dean (or representative).

International student entry requirements

English language requirements

  • IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with a minimum score of 6.0 in each band

English language requirements

Postgraduate pathways to the Master of Business

Graduates of the Bachelor of Business (Honours), Postgraduate Diploma in Business, Postgraduate Certificate in Business and Professional Masters programmes in business, can apply for admission to the Master of Business.

Contact the Faculty Postgraduate Research Office for more details.

Email business.postgraduate@aut.ac.nz

To graduate with a Master of Business, you must successfully complete 180 points from:

  • Specialisation courses
  • Research methods courses
  • A thesis or dissertation

The class of honours awarded in the programme depends on your grade performance.

Specialisation courses (minimum 60 points)*

These advanced-level courses cover the latest research and theories in your specialisation, and help you prepare for your independent research thesis or dissertation.

Click on the Specialisations tab above to view the structure, and courses on offer in each specialisation of the Master of Business.

Research Methods courses (30 points)*

The research methods courses explore philosophical issues underpinning the design of research and the research process. They include training in research methods to prepare students to conduct methodologically rigorous research.

*In the Economics specialisation you will complete 45 points of research methods courses and a minimum of 45 points in the specialisation

Thesis/dissertation

Thesis (90 points)

A thesis is an intellectual enquiry of an appropriate topic in your business discipline, presenting an independent scholarly argument involving original research that contributes to the body of knowledge in your discipline.

OR

Dissertation (60 points)**

Your dissertation is an independent scholarly investigation of an appropriate research topic that contributes to the body of knowledge in a business discipline.

**If you take the dissertation option you need to complete additional 30 points of courses taken from the specialisation or elective courses.

Detailed information about courses in this programme

Detailed programme structure and course outlines (Blackboard)

Skills you will develop

The outcome for graduates for the Master of Business are outlines in the Graduate Profile below.

Graduate Profile

Quick facts
Programme code:
AK1060
Level:
9
Points:
180
Duration:
1.5 years full-time / part-time available
Campus:
City Campus
Starts:
28 Feb 2022
18 Jul 2022
Fees:
Domestic
$8,957
  • This represents the approximate tuition fee based on a full-time workload of 120 points of this 180-point programme in 2022. The exact tuition fee will depend on courses selected and may exceed this figure.
  • Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for beyond 2022, fees may vary from those stated.
  • There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay. Learn more about fees to study at AUT
International
$33,300
  • This represents the approximate tuition fee based on a full-time workload of 120 points of this 180-point programme in 2022. The exact tuition fee will depend on courses selected and may exceed this figure.
  • Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for beyond 2022, fees may vary from those stated.
  • There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay. Learn more about fees to study at AUT
  • International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.

Scholarships at AUT

Livvy Mitchell
Thanaphone Thongmanivong
Thai Ha Nguyen
Julie Sandilands
Meghana Lama
Livvy Mitchell
Great graduatesLivvy MitchellResearch Analyst, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, WellingtonMaster of Business
Bachelor of BusinessShe loves the variety that comes with research, says Livvy Mitchell who is now a research analyst at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research in Wellington.She loves the variety that comes with research, says AUT business alumna Livvy Mitchell who is now a research analyst at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research in Wellington. Choosing to study business was an easy decision for Livvy who completed a Bachelor of Business in Economics at AUT, followed by a Master of Business.
Thanaphone Thongmanivong
Great graduatesThanaphone ThongmanivongProcurement Associate, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Vientiane, LaosMaster of BusinessShe would highly recommend the Master of Business, says Thanaphone Thongmanivong who came to AUT as an international student from Laos and graduates in August.She would highly recommend the Master of Business, says Thanaphone Thongmanivong who came to AUT as an international student from Laos and is graduating this August. After completing her Master of Business, Thanaphone has now secured a role as a procurement associate at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in her home country Laos.
Thai Ha Nguyen
Great graduatesThai Ha NguyenData Assurance Associate, PwCMaster of Business
Bachelor of BusinessDo chatbots and virtual assistants actually improve customer experience? That’s the interesting topic Thai Ha Nguyen explored for her Master of Business.More and more organisations are using chatbots and virtual assistants. But do they actually improve customer experience? That’s the interesting topic Thai Ha Nguyen explored for her Master of Business specialising in business information systems. Thai Ha’s research was supervised by Dr Lena Waizenegger and Associate Professor Angsana Techatassanasoontorn.
Julie Sandilands
Great graduatesJulie SandilandsCo-owner, The Dance Domain & Writers’ Café AucklandMaster of BusinessShe enjoyed being able to research a topic of her interest for her master’s degree, says Julie Sandilands who completed a Master of Business in Economics.She enjoyed being able to research a topic of her interest for her master’s degree, says Julie Sandilands who completed a Master of Business in Economics. She had been interested in economics for a while, says Julie who is one of the owners of The Dance Domain, a ballet school for adult, and the Writers’ Café Auckland, a creative writing centre that helps people write novels.
Meghana Lama
Great graduatesMeghana LamaChange Lead, Auckland TransportMaster of BusinessAUT is a marvellous melting pot, says business alumna Meghana Lama who came to AUT as an international student from India to study a Master of Business.AUT is a marvellous melting pot, says business alumna Meghana Lama who came to AUT as an international student from India to study a Master of Business. For her master’s research, she focused on the early work experiences of skilled Indian migrants in New Zealand. After graduating from AUT in August 2018, Meghana now works as a change lead at Auckland Transport.
View all student profiles

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

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