Are You in Your Last Year of Uni? The Beehive is Calling!
Examining our MP’s random degrees
The entirety of your final year feels like an extended game of ‘take a shot’ every time someone asks about your graduation plans. With job cuts, unpaid internships, and exciting opportunities which pay in exposure, the reality of even finding a job makes the question even more gruelling.
But have I got the perfect career for you!
Do you enjoy screaming at your colleagues, making snap decisions with national consequences, and pretending you know what you’re talking about? Politics is the career for you!
You’re not qualified? Don’t worry, neither are our politicians.
After going through the history of New Zealand MP’s qualifications, Massive found that 28% of politicians studied the Arts. This was followed by Law, with 21% choosing that pathway.
Many MP’s degrees seem irrelevant to those of a politician. Napier’s National MP Katie Nimon has a Bachelor of Design from Massey University. Turns out you can design your political career on Adobe Suite. Willie Jackson, Labour MP, was previously a freezing worker. From the freezing works to Parliament — talk about a cool transition. Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan has a Doctorate in Egyptology... Must come in handy with all those Parliament mummies.
While Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have degrees in Political Science and Economics, their colleagues have followed more unconventional paths to Government. When it comes to running the country, relevant experience is just a suggestion.
Winston Peters — Teaching & Law
The serious side quester of New Zealand’s Government, Winston Peters has had more jobs than Kirk from Gilmore Girls.
Peters studied at Auckland University Teacher’s Training College for a year, earning a Diploma in Teaching. He then worked as a blast furnace operator in Australia (because why not?). In 1970, he returned to New Zealand to join the Auckland Māori Rugby team. He eventually studied Law at Auckland University.
Since then, he’s been a barrister, a solicitor, and a thorn in the side of multiple NZ governments.
A Law student at Victoria University, says law does provide a useful insight into policy for those venturing into politics. “Though, it does draw in the kind of people that would make immoral politicians,” she says.
A law background makes a lot of sense from the ‘warrior against woke’. He can be monetary focused, rude and in a deluded state of superiority.
Nicola Willis — English Literature & Journalism
Nicola Willis is proof you don’t need a background in Economics to run the country’s finances.
The finance minister graduated from Victoria University with an honour’s degree in English Literature. Then, in 2017, she completed a post-graduate Diploma in Journalism at the University of Canterbury. So, while she might not be able to crunch numbers, she can definitely write a compelling think piece about them.
Cosmo, an English Lit graduate currently studying Journalism at Massey, was unimpressed when asked if he felt qualified to be a finance minister.
He laughed. “She [Nicola] has no economic background, and she hasn’t worked in a financial position. It’s just kind of stupid.”
Keep the dream alive, English Lit and Journalism students! One day, you too can go from being a tortured poet to torturing an entire country with financial doom.
David Seymour — Engineering & Philosophy
Aristotle, Plato, Socrates... and Seymour.
As well as being a Dancing with the Stars sensation, he is deeply concerned with the geopolitical and economic state of the world right now. Which is really great, considering he has degrees in neither.
The ACT party leader graduated from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. The combo suggests he is awkward at parties and loves telling women what to do.
A Philosophy degree is meant to study fundamental questions about existence, morality, beauty, and the limits of knowledge. This seems ironic considering that Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill appears to ignore progress, kindness, and liberty entirely.
Māori development minister, Willie Jackson, once described Seymour as “New Zealand’s most dangerous man”. Hard to argue with — especially after Seymour shared his bedtime fantasy about sending Guy Fawkes to blow up the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
Even Epicurus would think Seymour sucks.
Jacinda Ardern & Chlöe Swarbrick – Communications, Laws & Philosophy
In a room of bald screaming men, the coms girlies naturally have their heads screwed on straight.
Jacinda Ardern earned a Bachelor of Communications in Political Science and Public Relations from the University of Waikato. From there, she headed to the UK to work in the former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Cabinet Office.
By 28, she had entered the New Zealand Parliament as its youngest member — proving that sometimes, a PR degree can get you places.
Meanwhile, Chlöe Swarbrick was speedrunning her career. After graduating from University of Auckland with double Bachelor in Law and Philosophy, she worked as a journalist and ran for mayor of Auckland — all by age 22.
After losing, Swarbrick joined the Green party, where she’s been one of the loudest voices on issues like housing, fossil fuel divestment, and climate change.
As a communications student myself, I can see why the degree is a solid stepping stone into politics — it teaches critical thinking, public relations, and how to survive group projects with people who don’t pull their weight (a crucial skill in government).
However, as a Journalism major, I’ve probably spent too much time roasting politicians to ever become one myself.
_______________________
It appears what you study doesn't matter as much as our lecturers and career advisors would have us believe. All Massey students, from Music, Fine Arts, Science, or Business, you all have a chance at a Parliament seat.
In fact, don't worry about having a degree at all, as seven MPs don't.
Being a politician may seem like a boring, relentless, soul-sucking, and overpaid position. And while you’re absolutely right, thank goodness everyone can give it a go.
Most to least popular degrees with New Zealand politicians
1. Arts
(Philosophy, History, Politics): 28
2. Education: 5
3. Tied Te Ao Maori & Engineering: 4
4. Law: 21
5. Science: 10
6. Ted Journalism/Broadcasting & Medicine: 3
7. Tied Business &
8. Tied Psychology & Technology: 2
9. Commerce/Economics: 9
10. No degree: 7
11. Tied Fine Arts/Design, Music, Communications & English: 1
Note: Seven MP's qualifications were unknown.