Classes at the Postgraduate Level

Health and Human Rights with Dr. Carmel Williams

Okay, enough about surviving and touring New Zealand for now. This is a postgraduate blog after all. So, how is postgraduate study here in Auckland University?

Policy Research with Dr. Julie MacArthur.

In addition to my undergraduate degree in Management, I have an LLB from the University of the Philippines, which for most in the Philippines is equivalent to postgraduate studies. But my experience in Malcolm Hall is nowhere near academic study here in New Zealand. For starters, the classes here in Auckland Uni are small. On the average, class size is about 12 to 15 people. Back in UP, my evening block was composed of almost 30 law students. 

Education Policy with Dr. Ritesh Shah.

Second, recitation is not graded here. Not even attendance. So one can actually be absent for most of the semester, and on days he attends, can just sit in the corner and stay quiet, and still pass the course. In UP Law, if you are unable to recite the case asked of you, the professor can give you a zero. If you are absent for more than three meetings, you are automatically dropped from class.

And speaking of professors, they are very informal here. Although they are PhDs, they don't want to be called Dr. and they don't "lord" over their students. In fact, I call all of my professors by their first name. Back in the Philippines, you don't do that. Law students have to address their professors "Atty." or "sir."

Next, postgraduate study is focused on research and writing. I did a lot of reading in law school. Dozens after dozens of Supreme Court cases. But I only had to read and understand them. My coursework was broken down to recitation, a midterm examination and a final examination. Here in Auckland, not only did I have to read a lot of articles, I had to write my own papers. And unlike in law school, where I only needed to cite one or two cases as stare decisis, for postgraduate research I had to cite 20 to 30 peer-reviewed articles. In law school, when I did my research paper, I could quote an entire paragraph of a case and it would be okay. If I did that here in Auckland Uni, I'd be charged with plagiarism. Speaking of which, they are very strict when it comes to plagiarism here. Some professors require their students to submit their papers through anti-plagiarism software like Turnitin.

Finally, their exams here are on the same level as the bar examinations. Some courses, like development studies and political studies, don't have final examinations. But there are others, like environment studies, that still conduct final examinations at the end of the semester. And when they do, the exams are administered by the university, not the instructor, which means there is little room to negotiate, if at all. You are only given the date of your examination, not the venue. So you don't know where your test will be. The university only releases the room assignments at 5pm the night before the exams. Apparently, this is to curb cheating. On exam day you aren't allowed to bring anything to your table other than your school ID and a pen. And you can only leave the room 15 minutes after the start, and only up to before 15 minutes from the end of the exam. It's crazy the way they administer exams here. Daig pa ang bar exam.

Okay, to summarize my class experience here in Auckland Uni:

1. Class size is small. So expect to talk a lot.
2. Recitation is not graded. So there's no need to make sipsip during class. 
3. Attendance is not graded. But you'll miss out if you don't come to class. Nag-postgrad ka pa.
4. Professors prefer to be called by their first names. No "Dr." or "Sir/Ma'am."
5. Expect to read a lot of journal articles.
6. Expect to write a lot. If you don't have a background in academic research (like myself), do attend the library seminars during the first week of classes.
7. Professors prefer that you cite peer-reviewed articles over books. 
8. They take plagiarism very seriously here, so do not copy and paste.
9. If you have exams, be mindful of the university rules.

Good luck!