Qualifications
Overview
Of all places in the world, none holds the fascination and awe of Antarctica. Not only is Antarctica the highest, coldest, and most isolated continent, but it is so vast it affects the world’s climate and ocean currents. If the ice sheets were to melt, as is currently predicted in many climate models, the sea would rise up to 70 metres above current levels. The Antarctic and surrounding Te Moana-tāpokopoko-a-Tāwhaki Southern Ocean support a unique and complex system of life that survives in an environment at the extremes.
However, Antarctica has not always been the cold, isolated, polar continent it is today. In the past, it has experienced warmer climates and was linked to other continents, most notably as part of Gondwana. The fragmentation of that supercontinent shaped the southern continents as we know them today. Many of Aotearoa New Zealand’s and the Southern Hemisphere’s unique plants and animals had their origins in Gondwana.
Why study Antarctic Studies at UC?
- Antarctic Studies courses are coordinated by Gateway Antarctica, the Centre for Antarctic Studies and Research at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. Gateway Antarctica plays a leading role in the quest for knowledge in a diverse range of national and international Antarctic research projects, in areas including engineering in extreme environments; Antarctica as driver of, and responder to, climate change; connections between Antarctica and Aotearoa New Zealand; and human influences in/on Antarctica.
Recommended preparation
Anyone eligible to attend university may enrol in 100-level Antarctic Studies courses.
Courses
While you cannot major or minor in Antarctic Studies as an undergraduate student, you can take courses in the subject as part of any degree.
100-level courses
- ANTA 101 Antarctica
- ANTA 102 Antarctica: The Cold Continent
- ANTA 103 Antarctica: Life in the Cold
ANTA 101 is offered as a fully online summer school course.
200-level and beyond
- ANTA 201 Antarctica and Global Change
ANTA 201 is a course which requires at least two 100-level courses completed previously in either Antarctic Studies, Biological Sciences, Geography, or Geology, as it builds on the information from those courses.
It is intended for students with a strong interest in Antarctica and explores links between the Antarctic atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. This course also considers how Antarctica will respond to global change.
Postgraduate programmes in Antarctic Studies
Students with any undergraduate degree or professional qualification who wish to broaden their understanding of Antarctic-related matters can apply for entry to the Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies, which is offered over summer and includes fieldwork in Antarctica. The goal of the programme is to engage participants in a critical examination of the contemporary scientific, environmental, social, and policy issues and debates facing Antarctica.
UC also offers a Master of Antarctic Studies, as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Science, a Master of Science, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Antarctic Studies.
Career opportunities
An in-depth knowledge of Antarctic issues can form a useful part of many careers in science, politics, tourism, education, and law. There are a large number of people who visit the Antarctic every year, many of whom are scientists specialising in areas such as geology, glaciology, biology, astronomy, and environmental management.
To make their day-to-day operations run smoothly, a range of staff are employed by national Antarctic programmes – from engineers to plant technicians, finance personnel to communication managers.
Having a degree and some background knowledge in Antarctic Studies will give you a greater opportunity to visit and work in Antarctica. It provides you with information on global systems that is becoming fundamentally important in many non-Antarctic jobs such as science technicians, IT specialists, and law or policymakers. The important role the polar regions play as drivers of the world’s climate will be a major consideration in many careers in the coming years.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree from UC.