Master of Dairy Science and Technology – MDairyScTech

Learn chemistry, microbiology, and process technology required to manufacture high-quality dairy products. The qualification covers dairy industry structure, strategy, organisation, and function, including legislation and safety.

Type of qualification

Master's degree

Level of study

Postgraduate study

Once you’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree – or have equal experience – you can study at the postgraduate level. Doctoral qualifications require additional entry requirements.

More about study levels

NZQF level 9

Our courses follow the New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) levels.

Find out more about NZQF levels

Time to complete

1 year full-time (120 credits)
Up to 4 years part-time
Part-time available

Where you can study

Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Not open to international students

Study a Master of Dairy Science and Technology – MDairyScTech

This qualification is only available to candidates who have approved employment in the New Zealand dairy industry.

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

The Master of Dairy Science and Technology is only available if you have approved employment in the New Zealand dairy industry.

To enter the Master of Dairy Science and Technology you will:

You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit

Where your qualification is completed within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with Distinction or Merit. 

Prior learning, credit and exemptions

For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Maximum time limits for completion

There are maximum time limits to complete postgraduate qualifications.  If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the qualification if you wish to continue your studies.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Structure of the Master of Dairy Science and Technology

If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester. 

Courses and specialisations

Key terms

Courses
Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
Course code
Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
Credits
Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
Specialisations
Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.

Credit summary

120 credits

  • Compulsory courses – 75 credits
  • Research report – 45 credits

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Course code: 141744 Dairy Science, Technology and Engineering 15 credits

Specialised aspects of dairy chemistry, microbiology, process technology, engineering. Project and plant management. Product evaluation, product and process development. Dairy industry structure, strategy, organisation and function. Legislation and safety. A practical course.

Corequisites: 141746, 141751, 141848 Restrictions: 141745

View full course details
Course code: 141746 Dairy Products Technology 30 credits

Case studies in which the technology and control of the manufacture of appropriate dairy ingredients and products such as cheese, butter, milk powder, casein and whey protein are examined. A practical course.

Corequisites: 141744, 141751, 141848

View full course details
Course code: 141751 Dairy Products Technical Projects 30 credits

Acquirement and utilisation of specialised technical knowledge, research skills and competencies through the undertaking of projects pertaining to the investigation and critical analysis of dairy industry structure and its products and processes. A practical course.

Corequisites: 141744, 141746, 141848 Restrictions: 141747, 141750

View full course details
Course code: 141848 Dairy Science and Technology Research Project 45 credits

An original research project that encourages integration of knowledge and practice of skills gained in the other courses. A rigorous scientific investigation applied to delivering technical solutions to industry defined objectives.

Corequisites: 141744, 141746, 141751 Restrictions: 141748

View full course details

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

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