About the College
History
Founded in 1927 near Palmerston North, Massey Agricultural College was named after a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, William Ferguson Massey (1865 - 1925), who had dedicated much of his life to the promotion of agriculture.
Massey offered degree programmes leading to Bachelor and Master of Agricultural Science degrees, and students could also enrol in a variety of short courses in farm management and technology. Courses in horticulture were added after the War. From 84 students in its first year, Massey's roll grew steadily to 500 in 1960. The following two decades saw a period of rapid change as Massey entered a major new phase in its development.
Granted university status in 1963, Massey grew within two years into a multi-faculty institution comprising Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Technology, Veterinary Science, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences. Extramural (distance) teaching was also introduced.
Current
The College of Sciences has continued this theme of academia and in 1997 reconstituted its facilities (now spanning 3 campuses in Manawatu, Wellington and Albany) into a series of research-based Institutes, reaffirming the commitment of the College to research-led higher learning.
Excellence in the fundamental sciences - chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology - is intrinsic in the College. However, when its activities are viewed across all the campuses of Massey University, the distinguishing character of the College is broadly defined by: Agriculture, Veterinary and Life Sciences; Land, Water and the Environment; and Industrial Innovation via Engineering and Technology.
Massey University is uniquely placed to be New Zealand’s defining University because of its mix of teaching and research, its ability to embrace change, its four distinct campuses (including extramural) and its specialisation in areas that New Zealand is recognised for. Today, the College of Sciences is one of the largest and most respected in New Zealand, with its Veterinary Science programme the first in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve the highest possible international accreditation, amongst other outstanding successes College-wide over the years.
