Four people in high vis inspect a laptop at a construction site
Areas of interest

Study construction and the built environment , Te hanga whare te hanga taiao

Study at Massey to apply specialist knowledge and techniques to buildings and other construction projects.

Need help or know what you want to study?

Be part of the solution

Study at Massey will help you to master problem solving and ways to develop best-practice solutions that work for everyone.

Get your hands dirty

With plenty of practical assignments and on-the-job learning at Massey, you'll be job-ready at graduation.

Global recognition

Our qualifications in this area are accredited by international industry bodies, so you can work in New Zealand and overseas.

Go broad or specialise

Massey's large range of science courses means you can specialise in your area of interest or mix and match across disciplines.

Overview

Level up. These aren't just building courses. We offer New Zealand's only degrees specifically developed for the construction industry and accredited by industry bodies such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Get hands on with commercial experience and practical assignments on the tools. Master problem solving and best-practice solutions. Explore digital technologies transforming the industry. Graduate work-ready, with qualifications recognised nationally and internationally.

Construction is a good fit if you:

  • enjoy school subjects such as construction, design or maths
  • want to improve housing, workplaces and other buildings in a practical way
  • like problem solving, and developing and following plans.

Construction courses may cover:

  • construction project management
  • digital skills such as CAD, BIM (computer modelling of buildings), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
  • plans and designs
  • site safety
  • sustainable design and construction
  • tools of the trade.

How to study construction and the built environment

Discover what we offer if you’re interested in construction and the built environment – whether you’re coming to university for the first time, changing direction or returning to advance your study or career.

Undergraduate study

An undergraduate qualification is generally the first thing you’ll study at university.

Bachelor's degrees

Degrees are the standard qualifications you do at university – the most common is called a bachelor’s. Degrees give you enough time to explore your interests, and also focus on specific subjects.

Graduate certificates

Graduate certificates let you study in a subject you're interested in without doing a second bachelor's degree. Or you can use it as a bridge to postgraduate study if you already have an undergraduate degree.

Undergraduate diplomas

Undergraduate diplomas let you try university study before you commit to a degree. They’re also useful if you need to advance your career.

Graduate diplomas

Graduate diplomas can help you advance to postgraduate study or research in a subject you haven’t majored in for your undergraduate study.

Relevant undergraduate subjects to major or specialise in

When you apply to study at Massey, for some undergraduate qualifications you can choose what subject you’d like to specialise in. You can usually change your mind after you get to university, depending on the courses you enrol in.

Postgraduate study

Once you’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree – or have equivalent experience – you’ll be ready to take on postgraduate study.

Postgraduate bachelor's degrees with honours

Master's degrees

A master's degree normally builds on a main subject of study from your undergraduate degree.

Postgraduate diplomas

Postgraduate diplomas are postgraduate-level qualifications that are longer than a postgraduate certificate. If you’re successful, you might be able to use the credits towards the longer master’s degree.

PhD and other doctoral degrees

Doctoral degrees, including PhDs, are the highest degrees we award. They’re very demanding and their entry criteria reflect this.

Relevant research areas at Massey

Discover research expertise, projects and initiatives relating to construction and the built environment at Massey.

Construction and built environment research

What our students say

“My employer encouraged me to further my study in construction. I chose Massey’s Master of Construction as it allowed me to study via distance and block courses while I worked, making for a manageable workload.”
Gareth Arnold

Master of Construction

“I found this programme challenging, but fun at the same time. We had an awesome lecturer which made the experience unforgettable…” For those of you with an interest in lighting and lighting design, this is definitely the choice for you!”
Simon Hadlow

Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology (Lighting)

“Studying at Massey allowed me to both work and study full time. I am now much more advanced in my career than those of similar ages who either just studied or just worked.”
Ruan Malan

Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying)

Our facilities

You'll have access to a wide range of first-class facilities when you study with us.

Woman and man in photometric laboratory.

Photometric Laboratory

This state-of-the-art lighting laboratory includes specialist equipment to measure:

  • colour rending and colour temperature
  • dominant wavelength
  • luminosity
  • power, and more.

Jobs in construction and the built environment

Construction is a fast-growing industry. It ranges from buildings to bridges, roads and sewage systems. Job prospects are good, with high demand for new or renovated homes, commercial buildings and civil projects – and a shortage of workers.

Construction careers include:

  • construction managers
  • consultants who specialise in areas such as construction law, digital technologies or sustainable construction
  • facilities managers, who keep buildings such as factories, hospitals or offices running smoothly
  • healthy buildings specialists, who focus on energy efficiency and air quality
  • lighting designers
  • quantity surveyors, who calculate and control construction budgets
  • site managers.

Annual salary ranges for jobs

Salary ranges disclaimer

Indicative pay rates are:

Which construction and built environment qualification?

Examples of where our qualifications may take you.

Table showing jobs and what you could study to enter them.
Jobs Examples of what you could study
Construction manager or site manager Bachelor of Construction (Construction Management)
Master of Construction (Construction Project Management)
Master of Construction (Digital Built Environment)
Construction law specialist Master of Construction (Construction Law)
Postgraduate Diploma in Construction (Construction Law)
Lighting designer Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology (Lighting)
Quantity surveyor Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying)
Sustainable design and construction specialist Master of Construction (Sustainable Built Environment)
Postgraduate Diploma in Construction (Sustainable Built Environment)

Accreditations and rankings

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Massey's Bachelor of Construction is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. This global professional body promotes and enforces international standards in the valuation, management and development of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.

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New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NZIQS)

The quantity surveying specialisations in the Bachelor of Construction and Master of Construction are accredited by the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors for graduate membership.

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Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS)

The Bachelor of Construction (Quantity Surveying major) is accredited by the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS).

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IESANZ accreditation

Massey's Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology (Lighting) is accredited by Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia and New Zealand (IESANZ). Completing this qualification provides academic requirements for membership.

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Get an information guide

Download our guide to find out more about studying construction and the built environment at Massey.

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