Science, Maori and Indigenous Knowledge

This is an integrated multi-disciplinary course between Aotahi: School of Maori and Indigenous Studies and the College of Science. This course provides a basic understanding of Maori and indigenous peoples’ knowledge in such fields as astronomy, physics, conservation biology, aquaculture, resource management and health sciences. The course provides unique perspectives in indigenous knowledge, western science and their overlap. The course will provide an essential background in cultural awareness and its relationship with today’s New Zealand scientific community.

15 points

MAOR172

Introduction to New Zealand Politics and Policy

How are decisions made in New Zealand? Who has how much power in this process? How can citizens, businesses, iwi, and a diverse range of groups have a say? This course is an introduction to New Zealand politics and public policy. The course examines the core features of New Zealand’s political landscape: The constitution, how MMP works, the roles of leaders, cabinet and parliament, and then explores issues that matter to the public, and asks how citizens can participate in politics, what role powerful groups including the media play in decision making and how new, diverse voices can be heard, including your own. The course includes a field day working in local communities learning about leadership and public attitudes.

15 points

People, Places and Environments

This course draws on the insights of human geography to deepen your understanding of how people make places and shape environments. We examine the economic, social and cultural processes that create contemporary places and also consider their possible futures. Through practical work, you will learn some of the key methods and techniques available for describing and analyzing how places change.

15 points

GEOG107

Science: Good, Bad, and Bogus

This course is a critical thinker's toolkit. It will teach you 20 principles you can use to tell science from pseudo-science, truth from falsehood, logic from rhetoric, sound reasoning from wishful thinking, effective medicine from quackery, and good evidence from lies, fraud and fakery. The critical thinking skills you learn in this course will be vital if you go on to do more philosophy. They are also readily applicable to other disciplines, and should help you steer clear of scam-artists, charlatans, confidence-tricksters and get-rich-quick-schemes in the world outside of academia. Topics covered include the fallibility of the senses, the fallibility of memory, the placebo effect, the tricks of the cold reader’s trade, confirmation bias, the Barnum effect, relativism, mind viruses, the basics of logic, formal and informal fallacies, and the scientific evaluation of competing hypotheses.

15 points

HAPS110

Global Health

Global health challenges cross international borders and responses require international cooperation. In this course we explore (1) the key and emerging challenges and opportunities facing global health, (2) major public health developments that have improved health outcomes for all and (3) identify how economic and political processes have shaped responses to global health problems.

15 points

Ecology, Evolution and Conservation

An integrated course embracing the principles of ecology, behaviour, genetics, evolution and conservation biology.

15 points

Ethics, Politics and Justice

How we should live our lives is the most important question of all. What makes our actions right or wrong? Is it our culture, our emotions, facts about the world, or God's commands? Are pleasure and happiness all that really matters? What should we do when justice and freedom conflict with happiness or with each other? Should we always obey the law? Is taxation legalised theft? This course introduces students to moral and political philosophy by examining ideas and arguments about how we should live our personal, social and political lives.

15 points