Where you can study
International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
Specialise in Construction Law for your Postgraduate Diploma in Construction at Massey
Massey University’s Postgraduate Diploma in Construction (Construction Law) gives you the opportunity to join the pathway to in-depth research at a master's level.
The qualification gives you the opportunity to show your analytical thinking as well as your high-level research capability.
A global perspective
You’ll gain a global perspective of the broad areas of construction law and dispute resolution. Although you’ll primarily cover New Zealand-related construction law issues, you’ll also cover some aspects from jurisdictions such as Australia, UK, Singapore, and Malaysia. This is especially in relation to construction contracts and adjudication.
Understand contemporary issues
Topics covered include:
- a background to construction project management
- construction procurement
- tendering methods
- principles of construction law including professional liability
- drafting construction contracts in modern plain legal language
- interpreting construction contracts
- construction contract administration
- construction dispute resolution with a focus on statutory adjudication.
Research-led learning from industry experts
You’ll learn from senior faculty members and industry experts. Our lecturers and supervisors come from a range of relevant backgrounds.
Some have been involved in proposing and commenting on legislation affecting the construction industry. They have written standard terms of construction contracts, endorsed and published internationally.
International participants and the wide mix of expertise allows you to have meaningful exchanges and interaction at postgraduate level.
Further study
If you complete the qualification at a satisfactory level you may be able to proceed to the Master of Construction. If so, credits you have gained through this qualification may be credited to the master's qualification.
A Postgraduate Diploma in Construction in Construction Law is a good fit if you:
- have an undergraduate construction degree
- are interested in postgraduate construction study
- are a qualified professional working in the construction industry who wishes to develop skills in construction law.
Planning information
If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.
Official regulations
To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.
You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.
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 qualification 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 qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.
Courses you can enrol in
Course planning key
- Prerequisites
- Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
- Corequisites
- Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
- Restrictions
- Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Compulsory courses
Course code: 218717 Research Methods in Built Environment 15 credits
This course develops skills critical to the analysis, synthesis and review of literature; discusses a range of research methodologies; reviews tools and techniques for data collection; examines data analysis techniques and their application in construction research; and outlines the evaluation of research findings.
View full course detailsCourse code: 218763 Advanced Construction Law 15 credits
Principles of construction law including construction professional liability, formation, drafting and interpreting construction contracts, and application of construction law principles on issues relating to time, payment, quality, subcontracting, termination of contracts, and alternative dispute resolution.
View full course detailsCourse code: 218764 Construction Contracts and Administration 15 credits
Specialist areas of construction law including contractual risk analysis, comparative construction contracts, construction contract administration, and specialist topical areas such as modern plain English drafting, subcontracting, and modern methods of resolving disputes.
View full course detailsCourse code: 218765 Construction Adjudication 15 credits
Statutory adjudication in Commonwealth jurisdictions with a focus on the law and practice of adjudication under the New Zealand Contracts Act 2002 and subsequent amendments including the adjudicator’s appointment, jurisdiction, duties, powers and adjudicator’s determination.
View full course detailsCourse code: 218781 Construction Financial Administration 15 credits
Post- contract financial administration of construction projects including construction procurement and tendering, interim payments, variations, claims, and final accounts.
View full course detailsEntry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
To enter the Postgraduate Diploma in Construction (Construction Law) you will have been awarded or qualified for:
- the Bachelor of Construction degree, or equivalent, or
- a relevant Bachelor’s degree followed by a relevant Postgraduate Certificate or an equivalent qualification.
You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Massey University English language requirements
English language skills
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
Fees and scholarships
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, including how much could be covered and your eligibility on the Fees Free website.
Scholarship and award opportunities
Search our scholarships and awardsFees disclaimer
This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.
Careers and job opportunities
There is great demand for those with specialist skills like those you will gain by doing the Postgraduate Diploma in Construction (Construction Law).
Current and past students have worked with various organisations, including:
- multinational companies
- banks
- insurance companies
- government agencies
- companies in the oil and gas sector
- government agencies involved with housing
- transport and infrastructure
- academic institutions around the world.
This degree is useful as professional development for those already in construction law, or for those in related careers who need more in-depth knowledge.
It can also help you move into dispute resolution careers such as arbitrators, mediators, and adjudicators, those working with housing and property developers, or as a consultant.
You may choose to further up-skill in specialist areas to enhance your performance along your chosen career paths. Others choose to attain specialist skills in order to diversify.
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 5-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 3 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.
Related study options
Construction Law – Master of Construction
Join Massey’s Master of Construction (Construction Law) - the only master’s degree in New Zealand that offers a specialisation in construction law.
Useful planning information
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions. Learn more on careers.govt.nz