Regulations for The Postgraduate Certificate in Planning - PGCertPlan

Official rules and regulations for the Postgraduate Certificate in Planning. These regulations are for the 2025 intake to this qualification.

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Qualification Regulations

Part I

These regulations are to be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Part II

Admission

1. Admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Planning requires that the candidate will:

(a) meet the University admission requirements as specified; and

(b) have been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent.

2. In all cases, if English is not the applicant’s first language and the admission qualification was not completed at a University where English is the medium of instruction, the applicant shall have achieved an IELTS of at least 7.0 with no band less than 6.0 within the preceding five years.

Qualification requirements

3. Candidates for the Postgraduate Certificate in Planning shall follow a flexible programme of study, which shall consist of courses totalling at least 60 credits, comprising:

(a) courses selected from the Schedule to the Certificate; and including:

(b) attending Contact Workshops, block courses, field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials, and laboratories as required.

Specialisations

4. The Postgraduate Certificate in Planning is awarded without specialisation.

Completion requirements

5. The timeframes for completion as outlined in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates will apply.

6. Candidates may be graduated when they meet the Admission, Qualification and Academic requirements within the prescribed timeframes.

Unsatisfactory academic progress

7. The general Unsatisfactory Academic Progress regulations will apply.

Schedule for the Postgraduate Certificate in Planning

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Key terms for course planning
Courses
Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
Course code
Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
Credits
Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
Specialisations
Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.
Course code: 132729 Mana Taiao: Advanced Māori Planning 30 credits

Students will establish an advanced understanding of Māori planning by exploring key Māori planning concepts in relation to the environment and relevant planning situations.

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Course code: 132730 Policy Analysis and Evaluation Techniques 30 credits

Analytical techniques used in planning. Evaluation methods, impact assessment, forecasting and scenario methods, use of performance indicators, soft system approaches and natural resource accounting. Techniques are illustrated by case studies and practised in computer-based exercises.

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Course code: 132731 Planning Law 30 credits

The Resource Management Act 1991, and the New Zealand legal system as it relates to environmental law and the planning process.

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Course code: 132732 Planning Theory 30 credits

The philosophical and theoretic foundations of planning and the principles of urban design are identified and analysed using studios and seminars. Business, other disciplines and indigenous approaches to environmental planning challenge traditional views about 'public interest'. The role of planners in collaborative and communicative approaches to urban and environmental planning is identified, along with the effect of jargon in communication. The future of planning, including changes to codes of ethics and practice given a global focus on sustainable management is discussed.

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Course code: 132734 Urban Planning and Development 30 credits

Different theoretical and practical approaches to urban planning and development, and consequences for the urban landscape, infrastructure, economy and services

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Course code: 132735 Natural Resource Policy and Planning 30 credits

Natural resource planning principles and practice. Application of the concept of sustainable development to the management of biophysical resources and systems.

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Course code: 132736 Professional Practice 30 credits

Development of the knowledge and skills required by the professional planner in practice. The course focuses on a range of issues in current planning practice and examines a variety of techniques that might be used to address those issues. Interactive teaching techniques are combined with lectures.

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Course code: 132741 Long-Term Community Planning 30 credits

An examination of the theoretical and empirical aspects of long-term community planning and exploration of evolving good practice.

Restrictions: 132737 (2008 only)

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Course code: 132742 Planning History: From Town Planning to Resource Management 30 credits

An advanced exploration of the historical development of planning as a discipline and profession in New Zealand.

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Course code: 132751 Natural Hazards and Resilient Communities 30 credits

A study of natural hazards and the role of planning in building sustainable and disaster resilient communities. Develop and apply planning processes and tools to assess hazard vulnerability, reduce hazard risks, improve disaster readiness, develop effective response capabilities, and facilitate recovery.

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Course code: 145739 GIS Principles and Applications 30 credits

A conceptual and operational understanding of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This course provides a postgraduate-level introduction to fundamentals of spatial data creation, manipulation, management, visualisation and analysis.

Restrictions: 132738

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