Regulations for the Degree of Master of Environmental Planning (MEP)

1. The Personal Programmes of Study Regulations apply in these regulations.

Admission

2. Candidates for the Degree must have
   1. qualified for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Environmental Planning of the University of Waikato with at least a B grade average across the 300 and 400 level papers, or for a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, or
   2. qualified for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours of the University of Waikato in Resources and Environmental Planning with at least second class honours (second division) or for a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, or
   3. qualified for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma of the University of Waikato in Environmental Planning with at least a B grade average, or for a qualification considered by the Academic Board to be equivalent, or
   4. in exceptional circumstances, qualified for the award of an approved qualification including, or together with, approved graduate papers and evidence of at least two years’ work experience in a field relevant to planning,
      
      and
   5. satisfied the prerequisites for graduate study in Environmental Planning at levels considered appropriate by the Academic Board.
3. In exceptional circumstances, based on academic merit and relevant experience, candidates who do not meet the requirements of section 2 of these regulations may be considered for admission subject to the completion of any qualifying papers the Academic Board may prescribe which must be completed either prior to or concurrently.

Requirements for the Degree

4. The normal minimum period of enrolment for completion of the Degree is one year. The requirements of the Degree must be completed within five consecutive years of first enrolling for the Degree.
5. Candidates must enrol in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences and follow an approved programme of study.
6. Candidates must gain 120 points at 500 level or above, including a dissertation equivalent to 60 points, or a thesis equivalent to 90 points, or a thesis equivalent to 120 points as prescribed for the Degree in the Environmental Planning entry in the University of Waikato Catalogue of Papers.
7. Candidates must enrol for and undertake the requirements of the Degree in accordance with the guidelines contained in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences Graduate Handbook for the degree of Master of Environmental Planning.
8. The procedures and criteria for assessing the personal and professional competencies central to the satisfactory completion of the Degree are prescribed in the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences Graduate Handbook for the degree of Master of Environmental Planning.
9. If a candidate fails a paper or papers (worth not more than 30 points in total), they may repeat the paper or papers or take an alternative paper or papers with the same total points value on one occasion only. A candidate who fails a paper or papers worth more than 30 points in total will not be permitted to proceed with the Degree.

Examination of thesis (90 points and above)

10. The University will appoint two examiners for the candidate's thesis; one examiner external to the University and active in the research field of the thesis; and one examiner internal to the University, with a good grounding in the research field, who is not directly connected to the candidate, or the candidate’s thesis research or supervision.

Award of Honours

11. The Degree may be awarded with Distinction.
12. Candidates who fail a paper will not be eligible for the award of honours.

Variations

13. The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Division or delegated authority may vary or waive these regulations in individual cases.