Earth Science – Master of Science

Massey University

New Zealand, Palmerston North

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240

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Massey University

New Zealand , Palmerston North

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesMay-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 2 year(s)

Tuition Fee

NZD 43,490 / year

Next Intake May-2026

Earth Science – Master of Science

About

Specialise in Earth Science for your Master of Science at Massey

The Master of Science (Earth Science) at Massey University will develop your skills in a field and laboratory environment that is focused on solutions to Earth science-based issues facing society.

Examine the environmental impact

Massey’s expertise in environmental geochemistry includes remediation of contaminated sites, phytomining, mine sites and land reclamation.

You can learn from – and build on – our expertise in the societal impacts of earth events, such as volcanic activity. These include social, economic, infrastructure and the impact on local communities including iwi.

Explore the world around you

You’ll gain transferable skills that will be useful in many different careers. These include observation skills, advanced ability in data collection, analysis and interpretation, problem-solving and lateral thinking skills, self-motivation and resilience, teamwork as well as developing high-level written and verbal communication skills.

Let our expertise become yours

Massey University Earth science staff are actively researching and are members of internationally-relevant related groups. Many also have extensive industry experience, through either employment or consultancy. They bring this expertise to your teaching.

In-depth research

This master’s includes an in-depth research project, where you will be able to explore an aspect of Earth science that interests you.

Specialised equipment

We have a range of specialised equipment which is available to you for your research and study.

A microprobe for spatial geochemical analysis of geological materials. Able to focus down to two microns, it allows measurement of changes in composition across crystals (which record pre-eruption processes in magmas).
Laser particle size analyser for measuring grain-size distributions of materials such as tephra.
FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-red) microscope. This measures water and CO2 contents in volcanic materials (related to eruption dynamics) but has also been used for analysing compositional differences in horse bones and carbon nanoparticles.
Pyroclastic Flow simulator.
Hyperspectral analyser for remote sensing soil, rock and plant materials (an example of use includes detecting mineralised ground by remote sensing).
FLYSPEC analyser for measuring SO2 in volcanic eruption plumes.
XRD analyser for determining mineralogical compositions of a wide range of materials, especially clay minerals.
TGA/DSC (Thermogravimetric Analyser/Differential Scanning Calorimeter) for uses such as thermal behaviour in volcanic glasses to characterise biochar.
OEM (Optical Emission Analyser) for geochemical analysis with particular application to environmental geochemistry.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Massey University entry requirements

Specific requirements

To enter the Master of Science (Earth Science) you will have been awarded or qualified for:

the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in the intended postgraduate subject, or equivalent, with a minimum B average in the majoring 300-level courses, or
the Bachelor of Science with Honours, in the intended MSc subject, having achieved a B grade average over the contributing courses and a B grade in an approved research methods course, or
the Postgraduate Diploma in Science and Technology in the intended MSc subject, having achieved a B grade average over the contributing courses and a B grade in an approved research methods course, or
the Postgraduate Certificate in Science and Technology in the intended MSc subject, having achieved a B grade average over the contributing courses and a B grade in an approved research methods course.

If you have a Bachelor of Science (Honours), Postgraduate Diploma in Science and Technology, or Postgraduate Certificate in Science and Technology from Massey University as outlined above, you may apply for credit towards Part One of the qualification.

You must submit an approved research supervision plan with your application. This means you need to secure the agreement of a suitable supervisor for your agreed research topic.

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.

English Program Requirements

English Evidence Academic IELTS^: 6.5 overall and minimum 6.0 in each band

English Evidence TOEFL iBT: Overall score 90, minimum 20 in Writing

English Evidence Pearson Test of English (PTE): 58 overall and minimum 50 in each communicative skills

Career

Sought-after by employers

International trends are for employers to reward postgraduate study well, especially in larger enterprises. The skills you learn are increasingly recognised as setting you apart from other potential employees.

Internationally transferable skills

The unique combination of topics within the Massey Master of Science (Earth Science) will equip you with nationally and internationally transferable skills applicable to a wide range of challenges relevant to Earth science.

Jobs related to this degree include hydrocarbon and mineral exploration, environmental assessment and remediation, soil and land use assessment, volcanic hazards and applications utilising remote sensing and GIS skills.

Typical employers include:

the energy sector (oil and gas)
the mining industry
environmental and engineering consultancies
local authorities.

Alternatively, the MSc in Earth Science is excellent preparation for proceeding to either a higher degree (PhD) or specialist degrees in related fields (e.g. geophysics and engineering geology).

Earn more

A 2017 Ministry of Education publication, "The post-study earnings and destinations of young domestic graduates", found that in New Zealand:

young master’s graduates earn more than 1.5 times more than the national median (5 years after study)
earnings and employment rates increase with the level of qualification completed
five years after completion, the median earnings of young master’s graduates are 15% higher than for those with a bachelor’s degree.