Massey University papers are taken by course members of both the Joint Command and Staff Course and the Joint Junior Staff Course.
In 1997, the NZDF Command and Staff College entered a formal agreement with Massey University for academic accreditation of the Joint Command and Staff Course. In 2009 this was extended to include the Joint Junior Staff Course.
Consistent with wider trends in Professional Military Education (PME), accreditation ensures a high standard of academic rigour and provides successful Joint Command and Staff Course members with a recognised postgraduate qualification in addition to the military award of 'passed joint staff course' (psc(j)).
Joint Command and Staff Course
Under the Defence and Strategic Studies Programme, Massey University offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Defence and Strategic Studies) qualification to Joint Command and Staff Course members.
The diploma consists of four postgraduate level papers, currently: Joint, Interagency and Multinational Operations (149.708), The New Zealand Strategic Environment (149.701), International Relations: Theory and Practice (200.761) and Command Studies (149.704).
Successful course members may receive their diploma on completion of Joint Command and Staff Course, or credit the four papers towards a Master of Arts (Defence and Strategic Studies) degree also offered by Massey University, but undertaken as extramural study. The more able course members wishing to complete the MA will be able to take the Research Essay (149.798) as an option while on course. Alternatively, course members may credit the papers towards another qualification of their own choice.
Joint Junior Staff Course
Course members of Joint Junior Staff Course will undertake one undergraduate paper. This is World Politics (200.261). This paper is worth 15 credits at level 200.
Course members will be able to credit this paper towards a Bachelor of Defence Studies with Massey University should they wish to continue their studies extramurally.
Further information on Massey University's programme in Defence and Strategic Studies can be found at the University's web site: http://cdss.massey.ac.nz/ or specific enquiries may be directed to:
The Director, Centre for Defence and Security Studies
Massey University Palmerston North
Private Bag 11-222
Palmerston North 4442
E-mail: defence.studies@massey.ac.nz