MAORIHTH 710 : Kaupapa Māori Theory

Medical and Health Sciences

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Kaupapa Māori Theory (KMT) underpins a range of approaches employed to ensure policy, research and intervention processes emphasise Māori ways of knowing and being and work to prevent the further marginalisation of Māori. Students learn about the development of KMT and its use in the context of Māori health and development, and will experience and learn from a range of initiatives and projects that have KMT at their core.

Course Overview

Students will be supported to develop an understanding of the relationships between knowledge, power, and colonisation, focusing especially on frameworks that label themselves as Kaupapa Māori Theory. Particular attention will be paid to developing critical thinking and critical reflection skills. With these skills students will build an understanding of processes and contexts that either support Indigenous groups or risk marginalisation. Students will use this understanding to critique population health practice including teaching, analysis, ethics, research, evaluation and interventions.

Students will be required and supported to read widely on this subject, develop critical reflective practice, and present their work in written and oral presentation formats throughout the course.

This course is designed to assist Indigenous students critique power structures and dynamics and effects.

Please contact the Course Director to discuss any concessions for entry to the course, if you do not have the prerequisites.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: MAORIHTH 301 or 701 Restriction: MAORIHTH 702

Course Contacts

Course Director
Dr Donna Cormack
Te Kupenga Hauora Māori 
University of Auckland                                
Email: d.cormack@auckland.ac.nz 
Phone: 021 844 620

Co-Course Convenor
Hana Burgess
Te Kupenga Hauora Māori
University of Auckland                                
Email: hana.burgess@auckland.ac.nz

Course Administrator
Ann Dawson                                                      
Te Kupenga Hauora Māori
University of Auckland                               
E-mail: a.dawson@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: Ext 82420 or 09 923 2420

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Health Sciences

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand what is meant by theory and its role in science and academic practice by reflecting on various theoretical positions and how Indigenous peoples are represented within these (Capability 1.1, 3.1 and 4.1)
  2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the relationship between science, knowledge, power and academic practice including processes of marginalisation and colonisation (Capability 1.1 and 4.1)
  3. Describe one’s own theoretical positioning (Capability 1.1, 4.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
  4. Describe the origins of Kaupapa Maori theory (Capability 1.2, 3.1 and 3.2)
  5. Outline positions of Kaupapa Maori theorists and reflect on how these resonate with one’s own worldview (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 3.2, 4.1 and 8.1)
  6. Critically analyse population health approaches (Capability 2.1, 3.3, 4.1 and 8.1)
  7. Develop skills in critical reflection and self-directed learning (Capability 4.1, 6.1 and 6.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Reading reflections 40% Individual Coursework
Critical discussion 30% Individual Coursework
Critical self-reflection 30% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Reading reflections
Critical discussion
Critical self-reflection

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 20 hours of lectures or class work. The rest of the 150 hours will be spent on reading and thinking about the content, and working on assignments.

The dates for the teaching days are: Thursday 6th March, Thursday 27th March, Thursday 1st May, Tuesday 22nd May, Thursday 5th June

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled teaching days. Some of the discussions from scheduled teaching days will be available as recordings. The course may include online events including group discussions/tutorials.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a block delivery (with 5 block days).

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Teaching methods include lectures, interactive discussions, on-line discussions and small group work, organised around 5 teaching days. Guest lecturers are involved in the course. Course resources will be available to students online through CANVAS and through the library.

This course is held at Grafton Campus from 10:00am – 2:30pm, with additional course-related activities on some course days in the afternoon (e.g. off-site visits, attendance at relevant seminars).

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Feedback is welcome throughout the course.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.