The Master of Philosophy is a one year research-based degree in which candidates undertake a programme of supervised research which critically investigates a topic of substance and significance. The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree has a status higher than that of other Masters degrees but lower than that of the PhD degree. It is a research degree designed to recognise an original contribution to knowledge and the comments on the originality and significance of the PhD thesis apply here too. However, it is intended that an MPhil thesis be the product of only one year of full-time research (though in practice candidates invariably take longer) and the original contribution to knowledge will therefore be less than would be expected in a PhD thesis. Labour Studies Labour Studies looks at the world of work and employment and the social environment in which they take place. We often think of a job as a way of making a living but work is so much more. The average adult actually spends about a third of their life working. As well as a way of making money, work provides social contact, creates a sense of pride, helps us test our abilities and develops us professionally and personally. If you are interested in how work shapes people's lives, then Labour Studies is for you. It looks at the social, economic, political and historical foundations of work, from the past to the present. If you are studying Labour Studies you will look at a number of areas, including changes in the way work is organised, current employment legislation, and the relevance to us here in New Zealand. You will also discuss how these themes fit in the global context and how our employment relations and labour market conditions relate to other important economies, such as Australia, China, Europe, Pacific, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the USA. Career opportunities Employment Relations Advocate Human Resource Manager Journalist Labour Market Researcher Policy Analyst Union Organiser and/or Researcher