Master of Strategic Communication

Strengthen your communication practice by understanding what drives people and organisations. These online organisational psychology courses explore motivation, leadership, workplace behaviour and organisational change, helping you communicate more effectively in complex organisational settings.

Please note: these courses run across nine-week terms, rather than semesters. You'll take one 15-point course each term, requiring the same time commitment of 20 hours per week. Compare upcoming term and semester dates here or get in touch with our Enrolment Support Team for personalised guidance. 

Key Topics in Organisational Psychology (OPSY610) - 15 points
This course introduces the scientist-practitioner field of organisational psychology. The course covers the five key areas of Recruitment and Selection, Performance and Motivation, Leadership, Organisational Change, and Employee Wellbeing. Learners’ own organisational experiences and specific organisational contexts, including contemporary Māori and indigenous organisations are considered throughout the course. Learning outcomes:

• Describe relevant theories and concepts in organisational psychology.
• Apply organisational psychology theory to specific contexts.
• Evaluate organisational practices in given contexts, including contemporary Māori and indigenous organisational structures.
• Reflect on the application of organisational psychology theory to your own experience. 

Leadership in Organisations (OPSY614) - 15 points
This course focuses on the domain and scope of leadership in organisations. Classic and contemporary theories and research are outlined and discussed, highlighting their contributions and limitations in occupational settings. The topics include trait and behavioural theories, values-based leadership frameworks, and their implications to organisational dynamics and success. Learning outcomes:

• Critically discuss foundational theories in leadership.
• Explain leadership emergence and effectiveness using leadership theory.
• Evaluate the applicability of leadership theories and research, including indigenous models of leadership, to organisational challenges.
• Formulate evidence-based strategies for leadership development, which uphold the value of manaakitanga.

Please note: OPSY610 is a pre-requisite that must be successfully completed before studying OPSY614.

Organisational Change: Directions for Organisational Psychology Practice (OPSY618) - 15 points
This course considers the frameworks and research (e.g., leadership, motivation, training, and individual differences) that inform organisational change planning and implementation. Learners will develop knowledge and competencies to: a) critically analyse organisational change practices, b) identify challenges faced by change leaders and employees, and c) facilitate organisational change implementation. Topics covered include psychological mechanisms of change resistance and readiness, change leadership, and training for changing organisations. Learning outcomes:

• Evaluate the contribution of organisational psychology in facilitating organisational change.
• Apply concepts from change research and literature, as well as the value of kia aroha, to design a change management proposal.
• Describe the influence of individuals, groups, leadership and organisations on change outcomes.
• Critically appraise organisational change research, theory, and current organisational practices.

Please note: OPSY610 is a pre-requisite that must be successfully completed before studying OPSY618.

Explore systems thinking, innovation and future-focused problem solving in these online sustainability courses. Build your ability to communicate sustainability ideas and recommendations across organisations and communities.

Innovative Perspectives for Next Generation Sustainable Transformations (SUST401) - 15 points

Transformational strategies are urgently required to address a new generation of complex, interconnected sustainability challenges, including climate change, social inequality and large-scale ecological degradation. This online course equips students with the analytical tools and capabilities to devise, engage and drive disruptive sustainable innovation. Through diverse perspectives, including social, environmental, business, and Indigenous viewpoints, students will identify enabling conditions and barriers to transformation including worldviews, assumptions, and biases that shape competing sustainability claims. Through real-world case studies in geopolitics, technology, and business, students will analyse how disruptive innovation can reshape workplaces, communities, and international contexts in ethical, just, and future-focused ways. Learning Outcomes:

• Reflect on and articulate how worldviews, assumptions and biases, including one’s own, may influence how sustainability problems are perceived and appropriate innovative solutions identified.
• Examine and critique frameworks and current debates on sustainability, including the historical context of colonisation and the impact on sustainability; pathways and frameworks for evaluating sustainability including the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Human Development Index (HDI).
• Identify new and emerging concepts and claims of sustainability in New Zealand, the Pacific, and international contexts for mobilising knowledges and practices for next generation leadership.
• Critically evaluate complex ethical, social-cultural, technical and environmental justice issues that impact futures decision making in diverse contexts and communities.
• Construct and effectively communicate critical arguments about sustainable transformations with local, regional and global impact.

Disruptive Practices for Regenerative Futures (SUST402) - 15 points
Applying disruptive practices for regenerative futures requires understanding innovative approaches to identify and test assumptions about long term development. In this course students learn how to define problems, identify solutions, and evaluate regenerative outcomes. Students will learn to apply relevant problem-solving concepts, theory and frameworks including systems thinking and foresight and Indigenous approaches to futures thinking. They will also engage with lifecycle assessment and carbon footprint analysis. The course will develop skills to analyse alternative pathways and identify critical interdependencies, past and current drivers of problems, and processes that enable sustainable transformation, including new technologies and AI innovation. Learning outcomes:

1. Identify key concepts and frameworks used in foresight for sustainability, including methods of scenario analysis, systems thinking and responsible integration of technology, AI, and behaviour change practices.
2. Apply disruptive problem-solving frameworks, including Indigenous approaches and social, political, and legal strategies to analyse interactions and identify leverage points for sustainable innovation and radical system change.
3. Identify and evaluate diverse regenerative pathways over time, in the context of probable, possible and unknown futures.
4. Effectively communicate recommendations through a variety formats (e.g. oral, written, visual).

Upskill in stakeholder engagement, risk, leadership and project delivery. These are critical skills for managing communication projects and effectively contributing to wider organisational initiatives. 

Please note: these courses run across nine-week terms, rather than semesters. You'll take one 15-point course each term, requiring the same time commitment of 20 hours per week. Compare upcoming term and semester dates here or get in touch with our Enrolment Support Team for personalised guidance. 

Foundations of Project Management and Advanced Stakeholder Engagement (PMGT601) - 15 points
This course introduces the foundational concepts of project management, covering its history, evolution, and key standards such as Project Management Body & Knowledge (PMBOK) and the ISO 21500 series. Students will explore various project management methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid approaches, and gain an understanding of project and product lifecycles. Emphasis is placed on effective stakeholder engagement, detailing methods for identifying, analysing, and managing stakeholders across government, private organisations, and non-profits. The course highlights culturally appropriate engagement, particularly with Māori and Pacific communities, incorporating values and guidelines for effective collaboration with iwi. By the end of this course, students will be equipped with advanced project management skills, ethical and professional responsibility, and the ability to engage stakeholders effectively, making them valuable assets in any work environment. Learning outcomes:

1. Critically evaluate the history and evolution of project management, including the development and application of key standards such as PMBOK and ISO 21500 series.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of different project management methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid approaches, in various project contexts.
3. Apply culturally appropriate stakeholder engagement strategies by incorporating Māori and Pacific knowledge and values.
4. Develop advanced strategies for identifying and analysing stakeholders, ensuring comprehensive stakeholder management across diverse project environments.
5. Formulate and implement advanced stakeholder engagement and communication plans.

Risk Management in Organisational and Project Contexts (EMGT614) - 15 points
This course provides learners with foundational knowledge and practical insights to understand and apply contemporary risk management standards, particularly the ISO 31000 framework, within the context of New Zealand's regulatory environment. Participants will develop skills to critically define, evaluate, and analyse risk management principles, frameworks, processes and tools, and apply these methodologies to real-world scenarios. The curriculum includes structured, evidence-based learning, real-world case studies, and hands-on exercises, enhancing learners' ability to manage risk effectively in professional settings. Additionally, the course emphasises when to use the appropriate risk management tools, designing and presenting effective risk communication strategies, fostering a positive organisational risk culture and applying evidence-based principles when managing uncertainty. Learning outcomes:

1. Critically apply risk management principles, concepts, and terminology to diverse organisational and project contexts, establishing a consistent and informed approach to risk.
2. Evaluate the value of risk management to achieving strategic, tactical, and operational objectives across sectors.
3. Analyse the relevance and limitations of international risk standards (such as ISO 31000) and frameworks in context-specific applications.
4. Critically assess and apply a range of qualitative and quantitative tools to support robust risk identification, analysis, and treatment.
5. Design and critique risk communication and reporting strategies that facilitate engagement with internal and external stakeholders and support transparent, risk-informed decision-making.
6. Evaluate the effectiveness of risk management practices using real-world case studies and scenario-based assessments.

Inclusive Leadership and Team Development (PMGT604) - 15 points
The Leadership and Team Development course prepares students to lead high-performing, diverse teams by exploring advanced leadership theories, styles, and motivation techniques. It emphasises strategies for working with teams that are diverse in culture, gender, neurodiversity, and more, recognising and valuing the unique strengths each member brings. Students will develop skills in team-building, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution, with a strong focus on inclusivity. Additionally, the course incorporates Māori and Pacific perspectives on leadership and team development, fostering cultural competency essential for New Zealand’s diverse work environments. Learning outcomes:

1. Critically evaluate and apply Māori and Pacific perspectives on leadership and team development to demonstrate cultural competency and effective team leadership in New Zealand’s workplaces.
2. Critically evaluate advanced leadership theories and styles.
3. Develop strategies for motivating and leading high-performance teams, including those that are diverse in culture, gender, and neurodiversity.
4. Develop and apply advanced team development skills, including emotional intelligence and conflict resolution techniques, to foster effective and inclusive team dynamics.

Essential Project Management for Professionals (EMGT615) - 15 points
Project management is a core task for many technical professions, including engineering. It is a systematic approach to planning, organising, monitoring and controlling resources to achieve goals and objectives. This course focuses on the skills needed to plan, initiate, manage delivery and review a complex technical project. This includes identifying project requirements through engagement with diverse stakeholder groups in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand such as iwi Māori and Pacific communities, scope development, resource scheduling and costing, accounting for project quality, developing project risk management plans, coordinating work, and utilising monitoring and evaluation techniques. Learning outcomes:

1. Apply tools and techniques to plan a complex project, accounting for scope, scheduling, cost, quality, resources and risk.
2. Apply project management tools and techniques to deliver a project.
3. Monitor, control and evaluate project delivery performance and value.
4. Develop and implement communication and engagement plans for an engineering project involving diverse stakeholder groups such as iwi Māori and Pacific communities.
5. Demonstrate an advanced awareness of contemporary issues facing engineering in New Zealand.