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With a Master of Food Technology, you can become a research and development champion in in the food industry.
Find out more about entry requirements, fees and courses in the planning section.
Food is an important part of our everyday life. The focus on health and wellbeing through food consumption is increasing. The world’s economies are looking for new ways to add value to raw produce.
All this adds up to excellent salaries and an increasing demand for people with the research and technical skills you will learn during this qualification.
The Massey Master of Food Technology is held in high regard around the world and has been producing graduates for the New Zealand and international food industries for more than 50 years. You’ll gain the research and technical skills to apply your knowledge in the commercial world. Your lecturers are actively researching, with many having worked in the New Zealand and international food industries.
Massey University is ranked as one of the top 50 universities worldwide for Food Science & Technology (out of 300), according to ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
Massey’s Master of Food Technology provides teaching of practical skills needed to undertake independent research in the food industry. You will then undertake your own large independent research project that focuses on real food industry problems and solutions.
At Massey you’ll have access to real equipment to do research that’s applied and practical to the food industry including:
Massey has research expertise in meat and fish technology, dairy technology, fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates and food additives and ingredients.
Our facilities will help you to develop new and innovative ideas, develop prototypes, work with consumers to test those and commercial scale production.
Postgraduate study is hard work but hugely rewarding and empowering. The Master of Food Technology will push you to produce your best creative, strategic and theoretical ideas. Our experts are there to guide but you will find that postgraduate study demands more in-depth and independent study that will prepare you for a PhD or a senior technical role in the food industry
Postgraduate study is not just ‘more of the same’ undergraduate study. It takes you to a new level in knowledge and expertise especially in planning and undertaking research.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
“What I learnt through the Master of Food Technology at Massey has been directly relevant to my role at Nestle…”
I chose to study at Massey University because it is a well-known university with a well-equipped pilot plant and laboratories. The food technology programme is a great, hands-on, practical experience. The masters seemed like a great way to expand my knowledge in food technology and food processing, gain more experience in research and new analytical methods.
I was awarded a scholarship from the Ministry of Science and Innovation, which allowed me to study full-time and really focus on my research project. My thesis was in my field of interest (functional foods), where I studied the antioxidant compounds of grape seed extract and tea, as well as evaluating the shelf life of commercial functional beverages.
One of the most rewarding parts of my study was working as a research assistant. I worked on different research projects and learnt different analytical methodologies. I also got to teach other students and worked as a lab demonstrator, so I could pass on some of my learnings!
My favourite part of the programme was seeing my research project successfully completed. Another was meeting some great people who helped me achieve my goals and complete my project! I also enjoyed the multicultural environment - I met people from many different countries and cultures.
I am now working in regulatory and scientific affairs for Nestle in Switzerland - it’s a really challenging and diverse role. I am responsible for following developments in the food regulatory environment so I can provide regulatory intelligence to my company. It is also about providing strategic direction and solutions to the global project teams. I interact with research and development, marketing and many other functions. As part of the global team, I also provide support to other regulatory teams based in different countries. It has been a rewarding experience!
Graduates of Massey’s Master of Food Technology are highly sought-after by employers. They are known for their ability to co-ordinate product development, process development, quality management and production management.
Career progression in the food industry can be rapid. You may start out in your career with a research and development role and progress to senior management and leadership positions in the industry, or you could set up your own business.
The Massey Master of Food Technology will advance your research skills and give you the opportunity to make a tangible impact on the food industry. It is also a stepping-stone to more in-depth research at a PhD level.
A 2017 Ministry of Education publication The post-study earnings and destinations of young domestic graduates, found that in New Zealand:
Massey’s food technology staff are internationally renowned for their research and teaching and learning methods. You will be working with recognised specialists, for example:
Dr Michael ParkerDr Parker’s research interests include developing processes to create added value food products. Particular focus has been on utilising secondary processing streams from food production with numerous projects in meat processing and fruit and vegetable processing.
He has also collaborated with work in the development and processing of pet foods and has previous industrial experience in the pet food industry.
A food technology lecturer in food and nutrition, his teaching interests include food process engineering, packaging technology and product development.
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