Bachelor of Arts – Specialisation in Te Reo Māori
LEVEL 7 | 360 Credits | 3 Years Full-Time
Level 7 Courses
Where could te reo Māori take you?
Develop advanced fluency in te reo Māori, build your confidence, and prepare to make a meaningful contribution through our Bachelor of Arts degree specialising in Te Reo Māori.
Delivered in partnership with Laidlaw College, this full-immersion degree is designed for those who want to deepen their reo, ground themselves in tikanga, and step into their potential, whether within iwi spaces, community development, education, media, or church ministry.
Find out more information about the application process here.
“We can see the impact of the degree programme in the way our students hold themselves after three years here with us. They are proud of their Māoritanga, confident in their abilities, and eager to take their place in their communities.”
Anameka Paenga & Te Karere Scarborough
Ngā Tumuaki o Te Wānanga Ihorangi | Co-Principals
A Pathway Designed for Whānau Māori
We know that three years of full-time study can be a big commitment especially for those juggling whānau, mahi, or other responsibilities. That’s why we’ve designed this programme to work step by step.
Our Te Reo Māori specialisation begins with two standalone diplomas:
Each one builds on the last, and you’ll walk away with a recognised qualification at the end of every year. If you choose to continue, you can cross-credit directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Arts and complete your degree.
At every stage, you’re making progress, no wasted time, no dead ends, no half-finished qualifications.
The Final Year – Where It All Comes Together
By your final year, te reo Māori will be a natural part of how you think, speak, and walk in the world.
This final stage brings your learning together, deepening your understanding of your own whakapapa, identity, and the world around you. You’ll engage with kaupapa such as Māori spirituality, Indigenous theology, leadership, and the performing arts, while developing critical thinking around identity, colonisation, faith, and the importance of mātauranga Māori.
You’ll apply your learning through wānanga, site visits, and real-world projects, connecting what you know with how you serve your communities.
Areas of focus include:
- Te reo and tikanga Māori in everyday and formal settings
- Spirituality and leadership grounded in your own context
- Faith and theology from a Māori perspective
- Māori performing arts as a way of learning and expression
Classes are based on-site at our Henderson campus, within a full immersion environment. Each week will be packed with a variety of classes, individual and group work, kapa haka, karakia, guest speakers, and the occasional off-campus haerenga.
| LEVEL | 7, 360 credits |
| DURATION | Three years full-time (there is only one intake per year in Feb) |
| TIMETABLE | 9 Feb – 12 Nov 2027 There are also two compulsory noho-marae for this programme (dates TBC) |
| HOLIDAYS | Our study breaks follow the school holidays |
| PLACES | Expressions of Interest open |
| LOCATION | Henderson Campus |
| OTHER SPECIALISATIONS | Expected launch date 2027 – Theology, History, Youth Work, Chaplaincy, Education |
| CLASS TIMES | Monday to Wednesday, 9:00am – 1:00pm Thursday, 9:00am – 3:00pm Friday – No classes (although one-on-one tutorials are available with your kaiako) |
| Topic 1: Ngā Āhuatanga o te Reo (Grammar & Syntax) | 15 Credits (L7) |
| Topic 2: Te Reo Auaha (Creative Writing) | 15 Credits (L7) |
| Topic 3: Tikanga Ōkawa/Ōpaki (Content & Theory) | 15 Credits (L7) |
| Topic 4: He Kauwaka Wairua (Māori Spirituality) | 15 Credits (L7) |
| Topic 5: Ngā Ihoatua o te Kapahaka (Theology of Māori Performing Arts) | 15 Credits (L7) |
| Topic 6: Ngā Kōrero ā-Iwi (Tribal Histories) | 15 Credits (L6) |
| Topic 7: Pou Āwhina (Community Ministry and Placement) | 15 Credits (L6) |
| Topic 8: Ngā Manukura (Leadership from the Māori renaissance) | 15 Credits (L6) |
To enrol in this programme, a potential student must:
- be at least 16 years of age
- be a New Zealand citizen (or a citizen of Australia, Tokelau, Niue, or the Cook Islands) or a permanent resident
- reside in New Zealand
- have successfully completed a te reo Māori qualification at Level 6
- meet with a kaiako to discuss course workload and commitment
OR
- successfully complete the pre-entry assessment
- meet with a kaiako to discuss course workload and commitment
A BA with a Te Reo Māori specialisation can open career pathways across multiple sectors:
- Iwi and hapū development
- Media and storytelling
- Education (including teaching pathways)
- Community ministry and church leadership
- Cultural revitalisation work
- Youth work and chaplaincy
It also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study in areas like translating and language revitalisation, education, theology and history.
Te Wānanga Ihorangi is working in partnership with Te Wānanga Amorangi (Laidlaw College) to deliver these programmes. Both Diplomas in Te Reo Māori are held and administered through Te Wānanga Amorangi, and our students will be formally enrolled at both institutions.
Students will experience a distinctive Māori-led kaupapa in Te Wānanga Ihorangi’s immersive learning community and campus. However, one of the great benefits of the partnership is that our students will also have access to the support and systems of Te Wānanga Amorangi as well. Te Wānanga Amorangi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest Christian tertiary college, it is a Category 1 Private Training Establishment, and teaches programmes from Certificate to Doctoral level.
More information can be found on them here, and more details about our partnership can be read in our faqs here.
Pōhewatia te anamata
I’m not Māori, can I still apply?
Yeah, of course. We are excited about a future that sees diverse communities appreciating, speaking, and treasuring te reo Māori. We also recognise the important role Pākehā family members play in supporting the flourishing of te reo Māori within the home. However, please note that our programmes are primarily geared towards supporting tangata whenua to reclaim te reo Māori. What we teach, and how we teach it, will reflect Māori ways of learning and seeing the world.
Is this a Christian kaupapa?
Our Christian faith is foundational and informs all aspects of Te Wānanga Ihorangi. Similar to marae that identify with Mihinare, Katorika, or Ringatū roots: it is just a part of who we are and how we roll. Technically speaking though, our programmes exist as te reo Māori qualifications and they are open to all people who are interested in attaining a high level of fluency. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Why have you partnered with Te Wānanga Amorangi (Laidlaw College)?
Typically when a new organisation wants to start delivering NZQA accredited programmes, they must become a recognised Private Training Establishment (PTE). The process of becoming and maintaining a PTE is a time and resource-intensive exercise. Rather than transforming Te Wānanga Ihorangi into a PTE, we have partnered with Te Wānanga Amorangi (who are already a PTE) to help develop and deliver our qualifications together. They hold and administer the qualifications, and we are able to facilitate the delivery of the programmes.
Ethan Fasi-Mohenoa (Ngāti Porou),
Te Reo Maruata Level 6 Diploma Graduate
Expressions of Interest
Find out more information about the application process here.
Mēnā e tono ana koe i Te Tohu Paetahi ki te reo Māori, tuhia ō whakaaro ki te reo Māori.
If you are applying for the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a specialisation in te reo Māori, write your answers in te reo Māori.
Please fill out the below questions to the best of your ability.