New Start General NSGEN 47

You'll be introduced to a variety of topics in Humanities, Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, Law and Science. This will help you make the right decision about your future study.

New Start General offers you:

• A programme of weekly lectures, workshops and tutorials
• A choice of locations:
  • Tai Tokerau Campus, Whangārei, in Summer School
  • City Campus and Tai Tonga Campus (South Auckland) in Semester One
  • City Campus in Semester Two    
• Access to online course resources
• A Saturday Orientation Day
• Mentoring and peer support
• Part-time study over one semester (13 weeks) for Auckland courses 
• Saturday study over eight weeks for the Tai Tokerau course
• Assignments to write and a test to sit
• The Academic Integrity course

The Auckland programme will include an Orientation Day. We will offer you tips on how to manage your studies; a campus tour; an overview of coursework expectations, course information and what happens after New Start. All Auckland students are expected to attend Orientation.

At City Campus and in South Auckland, you'll attend two two-hour lectures with University academic staff from various disciplines and faculties, plus workshops and tutorials.

At Tai Tokerau Campus there will be eight seven-hour sessions, which include the lectures, workshops and tutorials.

The lectures will introduce you to a new subject area each week, such as Anthropology, Art History, Classics and Ancient History, Comparative Literature, Economics, Education, History, Law, Māori Studies, Media, Film and Television, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, Psychology, Sociology and test preparation.

Note: Lecture topics and assignments may vary each semester.

To support you during the course, we run a series of study skills workshops. These will help you develop your skills and your understanding of what will be expected of you during your University study. Most workshops run for one to two hours and include:

• Assessing your language skills
• Essay writing skills
• Life on campus
• Managing your New Start studies
• Memory, revision and exam techniques
• Taking notes and reviewing lectures
• Planning your degree studies
• Reading critically
• Test preparation
• Using information technology
• Using the library

City Campus: assessments are made up of quizzes, small writing pieces called Reflective Writing Responses, essay and a Final Test. 

Tai Tokerau: assessments are made up of three essays and a Final Test.

To complete the course, you'll need to submit all coursework and sit the test to obtain a final grade, which will be used to assess your application to the University of Auckland.

Having successfully completed your New Start course, you'll be able to:

• Demonstrate the skills necessary for undergraduate study
• Write essays in an appropriate academic style
• Demonstrate study skills and self management
• Demonstrate the ability to critically analyse and evaluate concepts
• Describe and debate issues of importance within at least ten different disciplines
• Make informed decisions, plan an undergraduate course of study and enrol at the University of Auckland

Tai Tokerau Campus, Whangārei

• Dates: Friday 10 January - Saturday 15 Feb (including 1x Sunday 9 Feb)
• Classes: Saturday's (1x Sunday 9 Feb) 9am - 4:00pm 
• Closing date for online applications: 9 December, 2024

City Campus

• Dates: Tuesday 4 March -  Thursday 5 June 
• Classes: Tuesday's & Thursday's, 12pm - 2pm
• Closing date for online applications: 14 Feb, 2025

Tai Tonga Campus, South Auckland

• Dates: Tuesday 4 March -  Thursday 5 June
• Classes: Tuesday's & Thursday's, 6pm - 8pm
• Closing date for online applications: 14 Feb, 2025

City Campus

• Dates: Tuesday 21 July -  Thursday 23 October
• Classes: Tuesday's and Thursday's, 6pm-8pm
• Closing date for online applications: TBA