Our modern society has political, social, cultural and economic needs that do not always sit easily with maintaining environmental integrity. Environmental management centres upon society's impact on the environment and the management choices available to reduce or mitigate this impact.

Massey’s environmental management programme reflects the growing need to protect the environment and use resources of land, water, soil, plants, and animals in a balanced and sustainable way. 

A master's is a prestigious qualification for those who want to gain a more detailed understanding of an area of study. This may be either for interest, or to perhaps move up the hierarchy in your career. This qualification will give you the skills you need for a satisfying and rewarding career in environmental management.

The core courses of Massey’s Master of Environmental Management cover the following topics:

• an evaluation of current environmental issues
• holistic and transdisciplinary approaches to environmental problem solving
• environmental assessment techniques
• environmental economics
• environmental policy
• environmental anthropology
• participation in environmental management
• research skills and undertaking literature reviews
• project evaluation

Other courses available to complete the MEnvMgmt are drawn from an extensive selection of offerings from the Colleges of Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Business.

There are opportunities to gain advanced knowledge in current land and water based environmental management or specialise in the policy or economic side of environmental management. There is also the possibility of increasing you skill set by studying courses in important environmental management tools and techniques like GIS, Remote Sensing and Life Cycle Assessment.

Complete in one and a half years

The Master of Environmental Management is a 180-credit qualification. This means that you can complete this world-class, rigorous and challenging masters programme in only three semesters, or one and half years.

Cross-discipline expertise

Massey University’s environmental management programme was one of the first to bring together expertise across disciplines. Today, as an environmental management student at Massey, you can take advantage of our world-leading expertise in science, agriculture, business, social science and fundamental sciences, and our understanding of the interconnectivity between disciplines.

Students report that being exposed to diverse disciplines and associated fieldwork is both challenging and rewarding. Employers value the applied nature of the skill-sets of our graduates.

You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of how the natural environment functions. You will also learn how societal values, needs and attitudes are reconciled with the need to maintain the integrity of ecological systems.

Internationally relevant

Massey University is ranked in the top five per cent of universities in the world and is highly ranked for its research. Our staff are world-class academics publishing internationally, with strong connections to relevant organisations across areas associated with environmental management.

We have a large number of international students, attracted by the increasing relevance of environmental management as a discipline that addresses the environmental challenges experienced by an increasing number of countries. The multicultural nature of the student cohort adds a unique dimensional to the learning experience.

A fulfilling area of study

Postgraduate learning is a satisfying and challenging process. Environmental management is an exciting and rewarding area of study, leading to a growing number of careers.

You will get a solid grounding in environmental management theory, but the Master of Environmental Management also has a strong applied component, giving you the real-world perspective that employers seek. Regular field trips take place around New Zealand and there are some opportunities to attend international conferences.

Approachable lecturers

At Massey we are focussed on student success. Our lecturers are very approachable and open to giving advice on helping you plan your career and research ambitions in environmental management.

Demand for people with environment management skills is growing in New Zealand and overseas. Organisations outside of those directly related to environmental issues are increasingly recognising the need to have expertise in this area in every industry.

Your lecturers maintain excellent relationships with key organisations and these relationships give our students networking opportunities for future careers. Massey environmental management graduates are highly sought-after by employers, with the majority of our students having employment before they graduate.

Nearly 30% of our graduates are employed in research, universities or district or city councils. Many are also in private consultancies and business.

The average annual salary for a graduate from our programme is over NZ$80,000.