Overview
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.
Level
- Undergraduate, NZQF Level 7
Credits
- 360
Duration
- 3 year(s) full-time. Available part-time.
Other
- No mid-year intake.
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.
Relevant to industry
There are two majors available - Quantity Surveying and Construction Management. These majors focus on relevant industry sectors, such as:
- project management and quantity surveying consultancies
- building renovation and earthquake strengthening
- construction companies
- development consortiums
- local authorities and regulatory bodies
- property development or property management
- industrial and commercial building services
- insurance rebuild costs.
Digital technology is integral
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).
Flexibility
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
Specialisations
Majors, subjects or endorsements
Careers and further study
Careers
You will be in demand
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.
Rapid career progression
There are opportunities in all sectors of the built environment. This includes new construction and civil projects, building restoration, earthquake strengthening and insurance valuation.
Wide range of employment
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.
Further study
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.
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
There are no specific entry requirements for this programme, outside of university admission regulations.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Recommended
You will need to have a good understanding of mathematics to at least Year 12 level.
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
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.
English language and foundation courses
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and qualifications that may help.
Summer School
If you need to do a course before you start your programme, there may be options for you in Summer School.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
360 credits
- Core courses – 120 credits
- Major courses – 240 credits
- 600 hours of practical work experience
This is a parts-based qualification. This means there are regulations around your completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two, etc.
Courses for this programme
Part One: Core courses
| 120 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 115112 | Accounting for Business | 15 |
| 115114 | Finance Fundamentals | 15 |
| 160131 | Mathematics for Business I | 15 |
| 218101 | Building Materials, Elements and Regulation | 15 |
| 218102 | Construction Technology and Services I | 15 |
| 218103 | Construction Design and Drawings | 15 |
| 218105 | Integrating Design and Delivery in Built Environment | 15 |
| 218106 | Construction Health, Safety and Wellbeing | 15 |
Majors
Please refer to individual specialisation page for a list of courses for your specialisation.Majors and minors
About specialisations
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.
Planning your programme
Planning overview
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’).
Planning
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.
Practical experience
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.
Typical pattern for the Bachelor of Construction
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.
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.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
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.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student portal
A good fit if you:
- are interested in buildings and how they are constructed
- are looking for a career where no two days are the same
- are interested in a career offering great salaries.
Accreditations and 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.
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.
Undergraduate programmes
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 | |||||
About electives
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.
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
Scholarships related to this programme
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.