University of Canterbury

Unique study opportunities

• Apply the skills you are acquiring through your academic study to a project designed by a local company or community group in New Zealand, or internationally by doing a for credit internship.
• Partner with communities to work collaboratively to affect meaningful change while critically engaging with the theories of volunteering, service and experiential learning by taking the spring course, Engaging Communities through Social Innovation.
• Examine how places shape human wellbeing and flourishing by taking the fall course, Places for Wellbeing and Flourishing.
• Immerse yourself in Maori culture by learning the language in the course, Conversational Maori for Absolute Beginners. 

Language

Language Study: Optional.

Foreign language study is available. Check the university course catalog.

Courses and credit

Requirements While Abroad

To successfully complete this program:

• Take a full-time course of study: 24 quarter/16 semester UC units each semester, which is equal to 60 Canterbury points
  • A 15 point Canterbury course= 6 quarter/4 semester UC units
  • Since most Canterbury courses are worth 15 points, most UCEAP students will take 4 courses
• You may take one course per semester for pass/no pass credit

Course Numbers and Division

Courses that begin with a 1 will earn lower division UC credit. Courses that begin with a 2 or 3 will earn upper division UC credit. 

Course Restrictions

UCEAP does not allow students to take courses that begin with a 4 or higher at Canterbury. 

Courses restricted for UCEAP students may include:

• Fine arts/studio arts courses including graphic design, film, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture
• 200-level law courses
• Journalism courses
• Social work courses
• Clinical practice courses

INTERNSHIPS

Canterbury offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the New Zealand business culture and shape your future career. The PACE295 course includes a 70 internship working on a partner project. 

This course provides students with a placement within a business or organization to gain experience in a professional workplace environment and develop the skills and competencies to gain a competitive edge upon graduation. Students work with a partner organization throughout the program, as well as participate in regular workshops with a focus on personal development and reflection. 

Catalogs and resources

• University of Canterbury Course Catalog: Browse undergraduate course offerings.  
  • Semester 1 is spring term; semester 2 is the fall term.
• Professional and Community Engagement Internships: Learn more about the Professional and Community Engagement program.
• UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of some courses students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program. Reference the above links to review recent course offerings.
• Campus Credit Abroad: Learn the types of credit (major, minor, general education, elective) students from your campus received at this location. If the course you want to take is not listed here, that does not mean you can't earn major, minor, general education or elective credit for it, as the database is not fully updated and does not list all courses, even if a UCEAP student has taken it before and has earned major credit for it. Let this database help you if it's able to, but don't let it detour you. It's ultimately up to your major advisor to determine the type of UC credit you'll earn for your classes abroad. 

Academic culture

To help you acclimate to campus life and culture, here are key differences between UC and New Zealand academic culture:

• The New Zealand semester is longer and has a slower pace than the UC semester or quarter.
• Students address local lecturers and tutors by their first name.
• Similar to UC, the main forms of teaching are lectures (50-500+ students), tutorials (10-25 students), seminars (30+ students; half lecture, half tutorial), and labs/practicals.
• All lectures are recorded—avoid waiting until the last minute to watch them.
• In New Zealand, students are expected to be independent and show initiative. Instructors won't chase you down if you miss classes or assignments.
• Assignments tend to require significant research and critical analysis.
• You’ll need to use New Zealand English for assignments.

Grades

You will earn direct UC credit and grades for all coursework. New Zealand university grades are criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced (curved). This means that your performance on an assignment will be prepared to a predefined standard, not to the performance of your classmates. Your lecturer will advise you of this standard via grading rubric.

Grades for the fall semester are typically available in December. Grades for the spring semester are typically available in July. Requests for early grades cannot be accommodated.