Enhance your border and biosecurity career
Massey University’s Diploma in Border and Biosecurity will give you a credible and contemporary qualification to enhance your career prospects in border, biosecurity or primary industries.
Massey’s Diploma in Border and Biosecurity is a part-time, multi-disciplinary border and biosecurity qualification.
You can choose from a wide range of subject areas including plant and animal science, border security, biosecurity, organisational behaviour, law, globalisation and trade, data management and decision-making, logistics and supply-chain management.
Your first year will include two compulsory courses relating to border and biosecurity studies. The rest of your qualification will be made up of elective courses that you choose to suit your interests.
Massey excels at distance learning, and all your teaching will be provided by distance and/or block courses. This offers flexibility for students with jobs or other commitments.
You’ll learn about:
You may also gain specialist knowledge in one or more of the following areas:
Biosecurity is a multi-disciplinary practice concerned with protecting valued life from pests and diseases. New Zealand’s primary industries are critical to the economy at a local scale and play an important role in food security at a global one. Protecting the biodiversity of indigenous flora and fauna is equally important. The qualification has a distinctly New Zealand focus while maintaining global relevance.
Massey University offers knowledge and expertise across the breadth of disciplines required for a border and biosecurity qualification. Massey provides a high level of prestige and international recognition for the provision of this qualification, including associated research opportunities.
Massey is well connected within the government sector. Both the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) are members of Massey University’s Strategic Advisory Board, along with other key government security and intelligence agencies. You’ll be able to specialise in border management and biosecurity issues that focus on government-relevant skills.
You’ll have the opportunity for applied learning and/or community and civic engagement that will connect you with the wider community and authenticate your study through real-world application.
The Diploma in Border and Biosecurity will enhance your career prospects in the primary industries, local bodies and government agencies. You’ll have an edge when applying for sought-after roles within organisations such as MPI, Customs, and Maritime New Zealand. Primary sector employees, such as packhouse staff, farm managers and labourers, council staff undertaking pest control, and horticulturalists, will all benefit from this qualification.
This diploma is highly relevant to the domestic situation and will enhance your career prospects within New Zealand. In addition, as New Zealand is a world leader in border and biosecurity expertise, graduates with this knowledge will also be sought-after internationally.
On completion of this diploma, you could go on to further university undergraduate study, such as a Bachelor of Arts (Security Studies).
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
There are no specific entry requirements for the Diploma in Border and Biosecurity, outside of university admission regulations.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
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 Diploma
Compulsory courses
Courses from the Schedule
Elective courses from the Schedule
Attend field trips, contact workshops, block courses, studios, workshops, tutorials and laboratories as required.
| 30 credits | ||
|---|---|---|
| 294101 | Introduction to Biosecurity | 15 |
| 294170 | Introduction to Border Security | 15 |
| At least 75 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 114240 | Organisational Behaviour | 15 |
| 117301 | Animal Biosecurity and Health | 15 |
| 146209 | Food and Eating | 15 |
| 155202 | Essentials of Law | 15 |
| 157216 | Management, Analytics and Decision Making | 15 |
| 199310 | Entomology | 15 |
| 240262 | Transportation Systems | 15 |
| 285201 | Understanding Plant Protection | 15 |
| 294201 | States, Borders and Resource Security | 15 |
| 294382 | Advanced Biosecurity | 15 |
| No more than 15 credits from | ||
|---|---|---|
| 117153 | Introduction to Animal Production in New Zealand | 15 |
| 119120 | Plants for Agriculture and Horticulture | 15 |
| 162103 | Introductory Biology | 15 |
The Diploma in Border and Biosecurity is awarded without an endorsement.
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.
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.