Brochure
| Program Terms: |
Academic Year, Calendar Year, Fall, Spring |
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| Homepage: | Click to visit |
| Fact Sheet: |
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 Minimum GPA:
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3 |
Language of Instruction:
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English |
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Housing Options:
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Apartment, Residence hall or dormitory | ||
| Program Description: |
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| About the Program | Accommodations |
| Eligibility | Dates and Costs |
| Academics | Visa Information |
- New Zealand's first university (established in 1869), the University of Otago, enrolls approximately 20,000 students, including 2,200 international students from 45 countries.
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Offers a wide variety of courses in four main disciplines: Commerce, the Health Sciences, Humanities, and the Sciences.
- Watch Otago info video: Life at Otago 11 Web.mp4 or a fun Otago music montage: UoO Music Video.mp4.
- Non-credit, un-paid volunteering opportunities are available via http://www.volunteeringotago.org.nz and via the Students Union at http://www.ousa.org.nz/.
- Otago is also on Facebook and Twitter!
About the city
- Dunedin (pop. 125,000) is the largest city in the province of Otago.
- Located on the southeastern coast of New Zealand's South Island.
- The city offers the best of both worlds to students; it is a small enough town to provide a community atmosphere, yet it has the facilities of a large city. For more information on living in Dunedin, see the Lonely Planet Guide.
- The land and climate are said to be similar to those of Scotland.
- GPA of 3.00, with some case-by-case flexibility for special circumstances. Applications from student with GPAs of less than 2.80 will not be considered.
- Participation may be denied, or acceptance may be revoked, if a student's conduct prior to departure raises doubts as to his or her suitability for the program.
Papers. Classes are called 'papers' at Otago. They consist of lectures, tutorials (seminars), and laboratory classes, where appropriate. Class size for tutorials is typically about 10-20 students. The tutorial is the strength of the New Zealand university system. There are various means of assessment, but all papers have a final exam.
Subjects offered. Almost all subjects are available to UR students as long as prerequisites are met. There are four main departmental divisions: commerce, health sciences, humanities, and the sciences. Otago is particularly noted for its program in experiential psychology. Music is another strong curriculum. The Otago School of Business has AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation, showing that the school offers world-class business education.
Click here to access subject-focused information sheets that show Otago classes of particular interest to study abroad/exchange students.
Course load.
A minimum unit load at
is 3.5 units and the maximum is 5.5 units. Therefore, in order to maintain full-time status you should register for either three or four papers per semester. Most Otago papers are weighted at 18 Otago points each. The UR Registrar's Office has determined that each 18-point paper will be the equivalent of 1.3 UR units. Richmond If you take four papers. Four 18-point papers at Otago would each be equivalent to 1.3 units, for a total of 5.2
UR units for the semester.If you take three papers. Three 18-point papers at Otago would each be equivalent to 1.3 units, for a total of 3.9
units for the semester. UR Please see this page on the website of the Registrar for an explanation of how academic credit earned abroad is converted to UR units.
Grade Scale:
Otago US Equivalent Otago US Equivalent 90-100 A+ 65-69 B- 85-89 A 60-64 C+ 80-84 A- 55-59 C 75-79 B+ 50-54 C- (no UR credit) 70-74 B 40-49 D (no UR credit)
Students can arrange pre-booked Otago housing in university managed apartments (flats) provided you meet Otago's stated deadlines. Flatting is an important part of Otago University's lifestyle, offering both responsibility and freedom as well as the opportunity to live and mix with "Kiwi" students. Most flats consist of single bedrooms with shared kitchen/living facilities. The number of residents in any one unit ("flatmates") can vary from 3-10 per rental unit. Flatmates share expenses, such as power and phone, as well as duties such as cleaning and cooking.
Photo by Alex Domin
The University of Otago manages approximately 100 flats (1-6 bedroom units) housing approximately 350 students from all around the world (see University flats). Some flats are older houses that have been renovated, and others are newer, purpose-built accommodation. All flats are all within walking distance of the Otago campus. University flats are not centrally heated; like most residences in Dunedin, they are heated by electric heaters.
UR students might want to consider Cumberland Court--this is a group of supervised flats (2-6 bedroom units) on Cumberland Street with about 101 residents (see Cumberland Court). There are residential assistants (RA's) who live on site and perform pastoral care and full support roles. The Court is located right across the road from the biochemistry building and two minutes from the Clocktower which is the hub of the main academic campus. Breakfast is included but other meals are not. Unlike Otago flats, Cumberland Court has central heating. Residents of Cumberland Court have the option of joining in social activities and tutorials hosted at Cumberland Hall, a residence for degree-seeking students.If you fail to arrange pre-booked housing, you must plan to arrive in Dunedin two to three weeks before orientation in order to find your own housing. For that reason, pre-booked housing is strongly recommended.
See Dates and Costs for Otago.
Click here for Otago's online calendar.
Click here to read about study abroad scholarships from UR and here for info on additional funding from other sources.
Students must obtain a student visa prior to
departing for New Zealand. Information and the
application can be found here.
Questions?
Contact Chris Klein in the Office of International
Education with general questions about this program.RSB students should also see Dr. Tom Cossé in the
Business School.
This document represents the most accurate information available at the time of publication. Statements contained herein are not contractual obligations, and verbal or other representations that are inconsistent with or not contained within the document are not binding. The University of Richmond reserves the right to change without specific notice programs and the conditions under which they are offered.
