A construction expert
The Bachelor of Construction will help you become a construction expert who can contribute to all sectors of the construction industry, highly sought-after by employers and internationally recognised.
The Massey University Bachelor of Construction will teach you how to develop and implement best practice building solutions and construction management techniques. You’ll learn how to add value to the sustainable development of the built environment. This qualification will give you sound technical and theoretical knowledge, industry experience, management and interpersonal skills.
There are two majors available - Quantity Surveying and Construction Management. These majors focus on relevant industry sectors, such as:
There is an emerging need in the industry for robust technical skills.You will make extensive use of digital technology during your study. All courses have the knowledge of digital built environment embedded so you are equipped to contribute to the transformation of practice. There are online teaching components where you can ask or answer questions during lectures. Some assignments will require you to prepare a video of your work. Core courses for construction will teach you vital digital such as: Computer Aided Drawing (CAD), computer modelling of buildings (BIM, Augmented and Virtual Reality).
Although you need to choose a major when you enrol, you can change from one major to another after one year of study.
You can choose to complete your final year in distance mode. So you can continue to study while gaining valuable work experience
The New Zealand construction industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. This has led to acute shortages of construction graduates. The demand for construction graduates is expected to stay strong for many years.
There are opportunities in all sectors of the built environment. This includes new construction and civil projects, building restoration, earthquake strengthening and insurance valuation.
Quantity surveyors are typically involved in the feasibility and costing of projects and are also involved in financial control.
Construction managers are typically involved in all the activities connected to the physical execution of construction projects. They ensure that projects are delivered on time, within budget, at the right quality whilst also keeping with all health and safety requirements.
Both disciplines are vital to the successful conclusion of exciting projects. They could include new commercial buildings, bridges and motorways, argricultural facilities, or housing estates and the development of waterfront sites. Some graduates are self-employed or act as consultants, or work for a contractor.
If you successfully complete this programme you could progress to a postgraduate qualification in construction like the Postgradaute Diploma in Construction and the Master of Construction.
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.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
You will need to have a good understanding of mathematics to at least Year 12 level.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you do not have a strong background in mathematics, but do have an entrance qualification, then you will likely need to take an additional maths course at foundation level, either before or during the first year of your degree.
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
From the Schedule to the Degree including:
Core courses
Major courses
Ensure that you also have 600 hours of practical work experience and complete reports 218110 and 218210:
This is a parts-based qualification. This means there are regulations around your completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two, etc.
Attend field trips, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories as required.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
| 120 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 115112 | Accounting for Business | 15 |
| 115114 | Finance Fundamentals | 15 |
| 160131 | Mathematics for Business I | 15 |
| 218101 | Building Components, Materials & Codes | 15 |
| 218102 | Construction Technology & Services I | 15 |
| 218103 | Construction, Design and Drawings | 15 |
| 218105 | Integrating Design & Delivery in Built Environment | 15 |
| 218106 | Construction Health, Safety & Wellbeing | 15 |
A major is compulsory and requires 240 credits. You need to choose a major when you enrol but you can change from one major to the other during your first year of study.
The Bachelor of Construction is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second etc.
Part One: a mix of construction and business courses, these courses form the foundation of your course.
Part Two: builds on these courses and you will learn about more complex building types, property principles, legal, project management and costing methods.
Part Three: includes more advanced construction courses in procurement and tendering, sustainability and innovation, ethics and other courses relating to your chosen major.
The first two years (Parts One and Two) are mostly offered at the Auckland campus (known as ‘internally’).
If you study full-time, in your first year, you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.
If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.
It is highly recommended that you plan your entire year of study for this programme to ensure all the courses are available in the appropriate semester you wish to enrol.
The first year courses are the same for both the Quantity Surveying and Construction Management majors. These courses introduce building materials, the building sector, construction of domestic scale buildings, sustainable buildings and computer aided drawing.
First year courses also include core business courses such as finance, accounting and mathematics. The second year focusses on more specialised areas relating to the chosen major. The third year includes a capstone project and is offered in block mode which allows students to work and study. Block mode enables students to attend short blocks of lectures instead of weekly lectures. Outside of these block courses, assessments, tutorials, and learning takes place online.
Over the three years you will study a schedule of courses with strong cross-links, thereby developing a multi-disciplinary approach, focussed on achieving innovation in the construction industry.
You will be required to complete a minimum of 600 hours of approved industry work experience relating to your chosen major. This gives you a balance of practical hands on experience to enhance your academic studies.
Core courses These courses are a compulsory part of your qualification.
Major courses Choose from a selection of courses appropriate for your specialisation.
| Year One |
|---|
| 115.112 Accounting for Business |
| 160.131 Mathematics for Business 1 |
| 218.101 Building Components, Materials & Codes |
| 218.103 Construction, Design and Drawings |
| 115.114 Finance Fundamentals |
| 218.102 Construction Technology & Services I |
| 218.105 Integrating Design & Delivery in Built Environment |
| 218.106 Construction Health, Safety & Wellbeing |
| 218.110 Construction Industry Work Experience I 0 credits |
| Year Two |
|---|
| 127.241 Property Market Principles |
| 152.252 Project Management |
| 218.201 Construction Technology & Services II |
| 218.203 Principles of Measurement & Estimation |
| 218.204 Construction Law and Contracts |
| 218.224 Construction Technology & Services III |
| 200-level major |
| 200-level major |
| 218.210 Construction Industry Work Experience II 0 credits |
| Year Three |
|---|
| 218.327 Sustainability & Construction Innovation |
| 218.328 Ethics & Professional Practice |
| 218.330 Construction Procurement & Tendering |
| 300-level major |
| 300-level major |
| 300-level major |
| 300-level major |
| 300-level major |
Courses are each worth 15 credits.
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.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
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.
Massey is ranked in the world's top 200 universities for built environment in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
RICS promotes professional qualifications and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction & infrastructure. With offices covering the major political and financial centres of the world, their market presence means they are ideally placed to influence policy and embed standards at a national level. Their accreditation will provide graduates with opportunities worldwide.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Electives are courses that are not compulsory. Certain guidelines are usually provided on courses you may take. Elective courses contribute to the programme, but not to your major or specialisation.
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
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.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.