Overview
Join a unique qualification
Join the Master of Construction (Building Technology) - the only postgraduate building technology qualification in New Zealand.
Level
- Postgraduate, NZQF Level 9
Campus
- Auckland
Duration
- 1 year(s) full-time. Available part-time.
International
- Available for international students studying in NZ
Other
- Not all listed subject course options are on offer every year.
In the Master of Construction (Building Technology) you will learn how to design and manage healthy and energy-efficient homes and workplaces, from principles to applications.
A focus on healthy buildings
The Master of Construction (Building Technology) has a focus on energy management and healthy buildings. It is the only university programme that looks at indoor air quality, healthy building and energy issues.
Become a leader in building technology
Our staff have extensive experience and are working at the global forefront of research into healthy buildings. It is an opportunity for you to learn the latest developments in this area.
Gain vital project management skills
You’ll gain skills in front-end general project management issues such as development, finance, planning and scheduling, contract and stakeholder management. This is supplemented by elective modules from other construction-related endorsements or schools according to your professional specialisation.
Our lecturers come from a range of relevant sectors. This wide mix of expertise allows for you to have meaningful exchanges and interaction at this postgraduate level.
A global perspective
The built environment affects, and is affected by, many external influences. During this programme, you’ll gain a global perspective of the social, political and ethical influences on building and construction. You’ll learn how to overlay these in your decision-making process.
Your learning takes place in an environment of diversity, integrity and transparency. The environment replicates and reflects the standards of the construction management profession itself.
Careers and further study
Careers
Past and current students are working as facilities managers, managing sustainable retrofits of housing, researching healthy homes, and conducting indoor environmental investigations.
You will be in demand
There is a shortage of enough qualified graduates with skills in this area. There is over $100 billion of construction work (covering both building and infrastructure work) to be done in New Zealand alone over the next 30 years. Demand in many countries beyond New Zealand is even bigger.
Careers you may progress to after completing this qualification include:
- advanced building design
- building investigations and energy audits
- facilities management
- building management.
Earn more
A 2017 Ministry of Education publication, The post-study earnings and destinations of young domestic graduates, found that in New Zealand:
- young master’s graduates earn more than one and a half times more than the national median (five years after study)
- earnings and employment rates increase with the level of qualification completed
- five years after completion, the median earnings of young master’s graduates are 15% higher than for those with a bachelor’s degree.
International students
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
Massey University has small class sizes, and our lecturers and staff are friendly and approachable.
As an international student, there are entry requirements that will apply to you. We recommend that you apply at least three months before your anticipated start date so your application can be processed in time. There are additional steps you will need to take. These include obtaining a visa and travel bookings if your study is to be in New Zealand.
Entry requirements
University admission
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Programme admission
Required
To enter the Master of Construction (Building Technology) you will have been awarded or qualified for:
- a Bachelor of Construction and the Postgraduate Diploma in Construction, or equivalent qualifications, or
- a Bachelor of Construction or equivalent qualification plus a minimum of two years approved experience in the construction sector in a professional capacity.
Master of Construction 120 credits (thesis pathway)
In addition to the above requirements, admission to the Master of Construction by thesis (90 or 120 credits of research) requires that you will have achieved a grade average of B over the qualifying 700-level courses in the Postgraduate Diploma in Construction, or equivalent qualification.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Other requirements
Documents you will need to supply to support your application:
- verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University
- a copy of your current curriculum vitae (including education and employment for at least the last five years)
- a short summary of your research interests (200 words or less). Required if you intend on a pathway which includes at least 90 credits of research.
Prior learning, credit and exemptions
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
- review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
- contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
If you do not have the entry requirements
English language and foundation courses
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
Master of Construction credit summary
120 credits
From the Schedule to the Degree including:
30 - 75 credits from Schedule A and B
45 - 90 credits of research
Completing a specialisation (subject) is optional, requiring at least 60 credits from the subject.
Also attend field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories as required.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ then the Regulations for details.
Courses for this specialisation
Planning your programme
Planning overview
If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.
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 programme if you wish to continue your studies.
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 a class of Honours, Distinction or Merit.
- Look for information under ‘Student Progression’ in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
- Contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Fees and scholarships
Fees and finance
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?
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
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 will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student homepage login

A good fit if you:
- have an undergraduate qualification
- would like to advance your career in building technology
- are working at a senior management level and would like a more specific building technology role.
Meet our lecturers
Dr Lovreglio’s research topics include: decision-making during emergencies; evacuation and pedestrian modelling; human behaviour in disasters (eg fires, bush fires, earthquakes); building information modelling; virtual reality and augmented reality.He has been visiting researcher in many prestigious universities and institutions, such as Lund University (Sweden), Edinburgh Napier University (UK), MIT (USA) and NIST (USA). He is a reviewer for more than 20 international journals in different fields, such as fire, safety and simulation research, applied mathematics and transportation modelling. He is a member of the editorial board of Fire Technology journal (Springer Nature) and web editor for the International Association for Fire Safety Science.
Ruggiero (Rino) Lovreglio
Senior Lecturer
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Regulations
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
Postgraduate regulations
General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
Applying and enrolling
Applying for the programme
Check you are ready
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
Choose your programme and click on Apply now
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
Receive and accept an Admission Offer of Place
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
Enrolling in courses
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
- prerequisites (courses you have to do before the one you are enrolling in)
- corequisites (courses you have to do at the same time as the one you are enrolling in)
- restrictions (courses that you cannot enrol in if you are completing or have completed another identified similar course)
- location – for instance some distance-based courses still have an on-campus element, so double check that the way the course is taught is suitable for your situation.
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
What are courses and credits?
What are courses and credits?
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
- See the ‘Courses for this programme’ section for the list of courses.
- Courses search
Understanding course numbers
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
- sub-degree courses are '0' (i.e. xxx.0xx)
- undergraduate study begins at 100-level, (i.e. xxx.1xx)
- as you progress through 200- and 300-level courses this number changes to 2 and 3 respectively. The higher the number that starts the second three digits, the higher the level of study.
1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
Subject area | Level | Course ID number |
Workload and time management
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
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 programme 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 programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Scholarships and awards
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.