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Overview
Enhance your career in one of the fastest-growing industries
With a Master of Food Technology, you can become a research and development champion in the food industry.
Level
- Postgraduate, NZQF Level 9
Campus
- Auckland, Manawatū
Credits
- 180
Duration
- 1.5 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.
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 also looking for new ways to add value to raw produce.
Internationally recognised and unique
The Massey Master of Food Technology is held in high regard around the world. It 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.
Work on real food industry issues
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.
World-leading facilities
At Massey you’ll have access to real equipment for your research that’s applied and practical to the food industry including:
- a fully equipped pilot plant to enable you to research processes for the manufacture of food products
- labs equipped to analyse and characterise food texture, rheology, physical properties, chemical composition and microbial flora
- a sensory facility to gather consumer data for the sensory properties of food
- a post-harvest lab to study the packaging, storage and preservation of fruits and vegetables.
Massey has research expertise in meat and fish technology, dairy technology, fruit and vegetables, cereals 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.
Careers and further study
Careers
Graduates of Massey’s Master of Food Technology are highly sought-after by employers. They are known for their ability to coordinate product development, process development, quality management and production management.
Rapid progression to 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.
A path to more in-depth research
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.
International students
Enrol now and study from offshore
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 Food Technology you will have been awarded or qualified for:
- a bachelor’s degree in food engineering, food science or food technology, with a minimum B grade average over the 200- and 300-level courses, or equivalent, or
- a Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours having achieved at least Second Class Honours, or equivalent.
You will also provide a short summary of your research interests (200 words or less) with your application.
You will need to provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
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 Food Technology
180 credits
- Part One research methods course – 15 credits
- Part One courses selected from the Schedule – 45 credits
- Part Two thesis – 120 credits
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 (60 credits)
Compulsory course
| 228797 | Research Methods in Engineering and Technology | 15 |
Food Technology courses
| 45 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 141708 | Food Packaging, Preservation and Storage | 15 |
| 141712 | Strategic Food Product Development | 15 |
| 141713 | Food Process Engineering Research | 15 |
| 141715 | Food Ingredient Functionality | 15 |
Part Two
| 120 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 141805 | Thesis | 120 |
| 141806 | Thesis 120 Credit Part 1 | 60 |
| 141807 | Thesis 120 Credit Part 2 | 60 |
Planning your programme
Planning overview
The Master of Food Technology is awarded without specialisation.
If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.
The Master of Food Technology is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second.
For progression to Part Two you must have maintained a B grade average over the Part One courses.
Thesis
When you enrol in the thesis you commence with 141.806 Thesis Part One (60 credits) followed by 141.807 Thesis Part Two (60 credits) in the next enrolment period.
Both parts combine to meet the thesis requirements with a single grade assigned to each part.
If the thesis cannot be submitted at the end of the initial Part Two enrolment, you must re-enrol in Part Two (and pay fees) each semester until submission is made, unless you meet the criteria for an extension.
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 completed a bachelor or honours degree in food technology, food engineering or food science
- are interested in developing a research career
- are interested in progressing to a senior technical role.
Meet our lecturers
Dr Michael 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. A food technology lecturer in food and nutrition, his teaching interests include food process engineering, packaging technology and product development.
Dr Michael Parker
Senior Lecturer
Accreditations and rankings
Massey University is ranked as one of the top 75 universities worldwide for Food Science and Technology (out of 300) by ShanghaiRanking.
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.