We want to urge NZQA and the Minister of Education to academically recognise sociology, and make the subject eligible for university entrance.

To support students seeking tertiary education, NZQA needs to review and change their policy that structures sociology to be only comprised of unit standard assessments. The change would include making the sociology standards structured as achievement standards, to therefore be considered as a university entrance subject. 

Sociology students in New Zealand secondary schools struggle to be recognised academically, despite it being an incredibly rigorous subject. Additionally, sociology is composed wholly of unit standards. Typically, unit standards are pass/fail papers used to validate “competency,” and can only award achieved or not achieved credits. These assessment credits do not account towards gaining entry into a New Zealand university. The entry requirements for tertiary education are to achieve 14 credits in 3 university accepted subjects. Sociology not being considered 'university accepted' restricts students' achievement and further gate keeps higher education, in an already struggling industry. Sociology is a widely accepted academic discipline, with PhD programmes in every major New Zealand university.