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University of Otago - Christchurch campus

Flag of New Zealand Christchurch, New Zealand
School ID: SU640014
Rank: 201
* The Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Applied number: 0

Ranked in the top 1% of universities in the world

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About

General Decription

The University of Otago, founded in 1869 by an ordinance of the Otago Provincial Council, is New Zealand’s oldest university. The new University was given 100,000 acres of pastoral land as an endowment and authorised to grant degrees in Arts, Medicine, Law and Music.

The University opened in July 1871 with a staff of just three Professors, one to teach Classics and English Language and Literature, another having responsibility for Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and the third to cover Mental and Moral Philosophy and Political Economy. The following year a Professor of Natural Science joined the staff. With a further endowment provided in 1872, the syllabus was widened and new lectureships established: lectures in Law started in 1873, and in 1875 courses began in Medicine. Lectures in Mining were given from 1872, and in 1878 a School of Mines was established.

The University was originally housed in a building (later the Stock Exchange) on the site of John Wickliffe House in Princes Street but it moved to its present site with the completion of the northern parts of the Clocktower and Geology buildings in 1878 and 1879.

The School of Dentistry was founded in 1907 and the School of Home Science (later Consumer and Applied Sciences) in 1911. Teaching in Accountancy and Commerce subjects began in 1912. Various new chairs and lectureships were established in the years between the two world wars, and in 1946 teaching began in the Faculty of Theology. The School of Physical Education was opened in 1947.

A federal University of New Zealand was established by statute in 1870 and became the examining and degree-granting body for all New Zealand university institutions until 1961. The University of Otago had conferred just one Bachelor of Arts degree, on Mr Alexander Watt Williamson, when in 1874 it became an affiliated college of the University of New Zealand.

In 1961 the University of New Zealand was disestablished, and the power to confer degrees was restored to the University of Otago by the University of Otago Amendment Act 1961.

Since 1961, when its roll was about 3,000, the University has expanded considerably (in 2016 there were over 20,000 students enrolled) and has broadened its range of qualifications to include undergraduate programmes in Surveying, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science, Teacher Education, Physiotherapy, Applied Science, Dental Technology, Radiation Therapy, Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy (now combined in an Oral Health programme), Biomedical Sciences, Social Work, and Performing Arts, as well as specialised postgraduate programmes in a variety of disciplines.

Although the University’s main campus is in Dunedin, it also has Health Sciences campuses in Christchurch (University of Otago, Christchurch) and Wellington (University of Otago, Wellington) (established in 1972 and 1977 respectively), an information and teaching centre in central Auckland (1996), and an information office in Wellington (2001).

The Dunedin College of Education merged with the University on 1 January 2007, and this added a further campus in Invercargill.

Why choose Christchurch campus

Research and study in Christchurch for a career in medicine and health science

The University of Otago, Christchurch is located in Christchurch, the major urban centre of the South Island of New Zealand. We are a satellite campus of the Dunedin based University of Otago.

  • The University of Otago is ranked in the top 1% of universities in the world, and has the highest-possible rating of 5 Stars Plus in the QS global university performance ratings.
  • Employers love Otago graduates. 95% of our graduates go directly into work or further study.
  • Otago graduates are recognised for their interpersonal and negotiating skills, conceptual and analytical skills, and independent judgement.
  • The University of Otago is New Zealand’s top university for educational performance.
  • For 6 of the past 9 years, our teachers have beaten all other universities and polytechnics to win the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for Teaching Excellence.
  • At Otago, you’ll be taught by lecturers and professors who are some of the best in New Zealand, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best in the world..
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Avg Cost of Tuition/Year NZD$ 30,172
Cost of Living/Year NZD$ 16,700
Application Fee NZD$ 0
Estimated Total/Year NZD$ 46,872

Main majors

  • Health Sciences
  • Sciences

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