He mihi
Tēnei ka noho i te roro o tōku whare o Te Tumu Herenga Waka
‘Te pātaka kai iringa o te kupu o te kōrero’
Ka titiro whakawaho
Ki te pae tukutuku o te ao hurihuri
E rāhiri mai nei i a koutou e te tī, e te tā, o wīwī, o wāwā
Nau mai, haere mai, whakatau mai ki tēnei whārangi ipurangi
Tākina te kawa, ko te kawa o tūārangi
Tākina te kawa, ko te kawa o mohoa noa nei
Tākina te kawa, ko Te Kawa a Māui e!
Build a strong foundation in environment, economic development, and Māori culture
Study Kaitiakitanga to learn about Indigenous guardianship of natural resources. You'll examine governance, management opportunities, and environmental solutions Māori are pursuing. Learn about the laws that restrict Māori as they govern their resources, the importance of Māori knowledge and science (mātauranga and pūtaiao Māori), and learn te reo Māori basics.
Gain the skills to contribute to Māori social, economic, and political development. You'll be able to help iwi, councils, and community groups think about how—and why—they can work together to successfully manage environmental resources.
If you’re interested in issues relating to the environment, politics, economies, science, and Māori culture, Kaitiakitanga is the right choice for you.
Be immersed in kaupapa Māori while you study
Our facilities are based on sustainability practice, tikanga Māori, and Maori teaching styles, all integrated with our marae wharenui at our back door.
Ngā Mokopuna is our purpose-built teaching and learning space. It brings together mātauranga Māori and Western science innovations, including renewable energy and climate change transition technologies. It incorporates our offices, student study areas, and teaching spaces. The first floor features the marae kitchen and dining area.
We’ve been a pioneer in Māori study and scholarship for decades. We first offered Te Reo Māori and Māori Studies in the 1960s, and in 1980 we became the first university in Aotearoa to establish a marae on campus. Our wharenui—Te Tumu Herenga Waka—opened in December 1986.
Ngā mokopuna in action
Choose your study path
You can do Kaitiakitanga as your minor or major subject in a three-year Bachelor of Arts (BA).
Many students broaden their expertise by pairing Kaitiakitanga with subjects such as Anthropology, Māori Studies, Pacific Cultures and Languages, and Political Science.
If you’re studying for a double degree or conjoint degree, Kaitiakitanga goes well with Commerce, Law, or Science.
Our BA gives you many ways to structure your study and to combine Kaitiakitanga with other subjects.
Degree support and advice
We can help you match your interests and career goals with the right course of study.
If you’re a new student, talk to a Future Student Adviser.
If you’re already studying with us, talk to Tītoko—Student Success.
Study options
Find out how you can study Kaitiakitanga at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
If you want to study with us, but need more skills
The Tohu Māoritanga is a one-year, full-time qualification all about developing your cultural capacity and study skills. It’s a pre-degree designed for people who want to study at university.
The Tohu Māoritanga introduces you to the University space through kaupapa Māori to help you understand both worlds. You don't need to have University Entrance to study for this diploma or be Māori—you just need to be at least 16 years old. Mature students and people wanting to upskill are also welcome.
Future careers
Kaitiakitanga graduates work in a wide range of roles that make the most of their cultural competency skills.
These skills, along with understanding mātauranga Māori, influences, and communication make graduates valuable across many different industries, including:
- transport and infrastructure
- government and planning
- law
- health.
More career information
Find out more about careers.
The government careers website, Tahatū, offers more information about jobs, salaries, and current opportunities.
Scholarships
You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.
We have first-year and school-leaver scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It's a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Humanities and Social Sciences
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The Erasmus Scholarship is open to second year students at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington who want to major in Greek or Latin.
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This scholarship is designed to support second year students studying English at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington by removing financial barriers to study.
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This scholarship is designed to support second year students studying History at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington by removing financial barriers to study.
Scholarships for international students
We are currently offering a NZ$15,000 VUW Undergraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Bachelor’s degree.
Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.
Other scholarships
We also offer specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It's a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Humanities and Social Sciences
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The Erasmus Scholarship is open to second year students at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington who want to major in Greek or Latin.
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This scholarship was established in 1980 by the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. Sir John Marshall, GBE, CH, BA, LLM, Hon. LLD, to encourage the study of Political Science at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. The Scholarship was extended to include International Relations.
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This scholarship was established to encourage students to complete a major in Language Sciences at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, and continue to further study or careers in this field.
Postgraduate study
If you choose to continue to postgraduate study with us after finishing your degree, you’ll join a talented team of internationally recognised researchers doing innovative work.
If you get good results in your undergraduate study, you could choose to do Māori Studies or Indigenous Studies at postgraduate level, including Master’s study.
If you get good results in your undergraduate study, you could choose to do Indigenous Studies, Linguistics, or Māori Studies at postgraduate level.
Postgraduate Indigenous Studies
You could also continue on to Māori Studies at Master’s Level with a Master of Arts in Māori Studies (MA) or a Master of Indigenous Studies (MIndS).
Get help to manage your finances
We can help you:
- budget your money
- manage your student loan or allowance
- work out your accommodation payment schedule.
If you're facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for the Hardship Fund.
You may be eligible for government or community support, too.
Wellington Global Exchange
If you're a current student at Victoria University of Wellington, you can complete part of your degree overseas. Choose from our 140 partner universities worldwide.
Study Abroad and Exchange Programme
If you're an overseas student, you can spend a trimester or a year at Victoria University of Wellington. You'll earn credits at your home university while you study here.