Study food & nutrition

Overview
Study options
Student stories
Our facilities
Careers & jobs
Accreditations
Guides

Highly ranked

You're in good hands. Shanghai Ranking puts Massey in the world's top 75 universities in the world for food science & technology.

Be a specialist

Become a registered dietitian with Massey's specialist qualification accredited by the Dietitians Board.

Be connected

We'll help you build strong industry contacts. And your health qualification lets you work globally once you graduate from Massey.

Spoilt for choice

Explore your area of interest. Massey has a wide range of health qualifications, with many courses to choose from.

Overview

Get the most out of food. The most flavour. The best nutrition. Safe and efficient production processes.

Learn from world-class lecturers and researchers with experience as dietitians and food engineers. Explore new ideas at specialist facilities such as our Food Pilot plant, Nutrition and Dietetic Centre, and our on-site microbrewery. Get hands-on to solve real-world problems. Graduate work-ready, with qualifications recognised nationally and internationally.

Studying food and nutrition is a good fit if you:

enjoy school subjects such as biology, chemistry or maths
want to shape the future of food and drinks, or nutrition and healthy eating
like solving problems and testing new ideas.

Food science and technology courses

Courses may cover:

food chemistry
food product development
food safety
how to test new and existing food products
ingredients in food and drinks
food processing equipment and systems
sustainable packaging.

Nutrition courses

Courses may cover:

how the human body processes food and nutrients
nutritional requirements at all ages – and specialisations such as child nutrition or sports nutrition
physiological changes (how bodies react) to too much or too little of various nutrients
social and behavioural factors that can influence food choices
ways to promote dietary change and better health outcomes
what's in foods we eat – carbs, proteins, vitamins and more.

How to study food and nutrition

Discover what we offer if you’re interested in food and nutrition – whether you’re coming to university for the first time, changing direction or returning to advance your study or career.

Undergraduate study An undergraduate qualification is generally the first thing you’ll study at university.

Bachelor's degrees

Degrees are the standard qualifications you do at university – the most common is called a bachelor’s. Degrees give you enough time to explore your interests, and also focus on specific subjects.

Integrated Human Health – Bachelor of Health Science

Specialisation

Location: Distance and online

Learn about the impact of biological and environmental factors on human health, and how you can make a difference.

Human Nutrition – Bachelor of Science

Specialisation

Location: Distance and online

If you are passionate about food and nutrition and want to learn more about the science behind how diet affects health, then Massey’s Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition) is for you.

Undergraduate bachelor's degrees with honours

An undergraduate honours degree is a four-year bachelor’s degree. We also offer postgraduate honours years.

Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours – BFoodTech(Hons)

Qualification

Credits: 480

Massey University’s Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours is the only degree in Australasia that combines food science, food engineering, and food business. Our graduates are highly employable and sought after.

Food Process Engineering – Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours

Specialisation

Location: Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

The world needs healthy and safe food products and ingredients manufactured on a large scale. New food products pose challenging and exciting process design problems that you can help solve.

Food Product Technology – Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours

Specialisation

Location: Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

Learn how to develop the great-tasting food products of the future, incorporating exciting new nutritional health benefits.

Undergraduate certificates

If you want to study at university, but aren't sure if you want to commit to a degree, try an undergraduate certificate.

Certificate in Science and Technology – CertScTech

Qualification

Credits: 60
Location: Auckland campus, Distance and online, Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

The Certificate in Science and Technology is a shorter study option at university level. It is used primarily as a ‘pathway’ to help you complete subjects you need to enter another qualification.

Graduate certificates

Graduate certificates let you study in a subject you're interested in without doing a second bachelor's degree. Or you can use it as a bridge to postgraduate study if you already have an undergraduate degree.

Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology – GCertScTech

Qualification

Credits: 60

Do you want to expand your knowledge or learn a new subject without completing a second bachelor’s degree? Massey’s Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology is a flexible postgraduate study option.

Undergraduate diplomas

Undergraduate diplomas let you try university study before you commit to a degree. They’re also useful if you need to advance your career.

Graduate Diploma in Dairy Science and Technology – GDipDairySciTec

Qualification

Credits: 120
Location: Distance and online

An invaluable qualification for new and established employees across the dairy sector.

Diploma in Science and Technology – DipScTech

Qualification

Credits: 120
Location: Auckland campus, Distance and online, Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

Undertake a shorter, more flexible study option with the Diploma in Science and Technology at Massey.

Graduate diplomas

Graduate diplomas can help you advance to postgraduate study or research in a subject you haven’t majored in for your undergraduate study.

Graduate Diploma in Science and Technology – GDipScTech

Qualification

Credits: 120
Location: Auckland campus, Distance and online, Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

The Graduate Diploma in Science and Technology gives you the opportunity to retrain in an area of science that interests you.

Relevant undergraduate subjects to major or specialise in

When you apply to study at Massey, for some undergraduate qualifications you can choose what subject you’d like to specialise in. You can usually change your mind after you get to university, depending on the courses you enrol in.

Postgraduate study Once you’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree – or have equivalent experience – you’ll be ready to take on postgraduate study.

Master's degrees

A master's degree normally builds on a main subject of study from your undergraduate degree.

Master of Dairy Science and Technology – MDairyScTech

Qualification

Credits: 120
Location: Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

Learn chemistry, microbiology, and process technology required to manufacture high-quality dairy products. The qualification covers dairy industry structure, strategy, organisation, and function, including legislation and safety.

Master of Food Safety and Quality – MFoodSafQual

Qualification

Credits: 180
Location: Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

Enhance your career in the food industry with a Master of Food Safety and Quality. You will play a key role in managing food safety and quality in any food manufacturing company, food auditing company, or regulatory authority.

Master of Food Technology – MFoodTech

Qualification

Credits: 180
Location: Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

Massey’s Master of Food Technology will provide you with the practical skills needed to undertake independent research in the food industry. Become a research and development champion in the food industry.

Nutrition and Dietetics – Master of Science

Specialisation

Location: Auckland campus

Study Massey’s Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics to learn about the intricacies of and relationships between food, nutrients, health, and disease, and how they can be manipulated to improve health and wellbeing.

PhD and other doctoral degrees

Doctoral degrees, including PhDs, are the highest degrees we award. They’re very demanding and their entry criteria reflect this.

Doctor of Philosophy – PhD

Qualification

Credits: 360
Location: Auckland campus, Wellington campus, Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

A prestigious research qualification that demonstrates your ability to carry out independent and original research in your chosen field.

Relevant research areas at Massey

Discover research expertise, projects and initiatives relating to food and nutrition at Massey.

Food research

Human nutrition research

What our students say

“As I got closer to the end of my degree, I found that everything I had learnt throughout the four years was very practical and applicable in the food industry. And I am proud to say, that after all my hard work, I’ve got a job that I wanted to do.”

Jeen Tae Hwang

Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours

“I chose Massey because of the personable staff, campus experience and the research areas that interested me. The vast array of teamwork, placements and coursework during my master’s provided me with essential people skills, adaptability and the capacity to build quality relationships.”

Jessie Speedy

Registered Dietitian, Sustain Speed Nutrition

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics

Our facilities

You'll have access to a wide range of first-class facilities when you study with us.

Nutrition and Dietetic Centre

The centre combines the clinical, nutritional and research expertise of Massey dietitians and nutritionists, with the enthusiasm and creativity of our dietetics students.

Location: Auckland campus

Nutrition and Dietetic Centre

Massey Student Enterprise: Develop your entrepreneurial mindset

Got a business idea? Massey Student Enterprise helps students and staff gain hands-on experience and knowledge to build a sustainable enterprise.

Join a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and innovators, supported by people who understand your goals.

Location: All campuses and available to distance students

Massey Student Enterprise

Jobs in food and nutrition

Food science careers can span food businesses large and small, factories, and healthcare. Some food technologists move into management, research and development, or start their own business.

Nutrition careers include work in community or iwi organisations, the health system, or for government agencies. Some jobs focus on supporting specific groups, such as sports nutrition for athletes or helping people overcome barriers to healthy eating.

Job prospects are good, with skilled workers needed to feed the world – and support people's wellbeing – now and into the future.

Careers in food and nutrition include:

dietitians, who give clinical advice on nutrition and healthy eating
flavour technologists, who develop new tastes or textures
food engineers, who design production processes
food technologists, who develop new products or packaging
health promoters, who work in community, health or sports organisations
microbiologists, who study bacteria and yeasts used in food production
nutritionists
winemakers or brewers.

Annual salary ranges for jobs

Brewer – $48,000 to $120,000
Dietitian – $74,000 to $147,000
Food technologist – $50,000 to $140,000
Microbiologist – $48,000 to $130,000
Winemaker – $48,000 to $211,000

Salary ranges disclaimer

Indicative pay rates are:

in New Zealand dollars
based on careers.govt.nz data.

Which food and nutrition qualification?

Examples of where our qualifications may take you.

Table showing jobs and what you could study to enter them.
Jobs	Examples of what you could study
Dietitian	Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics)
Food safety manager or consultant	Master of Food Safety and Quality
Food technologist (new products or packaging)	Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours (Food Product Technology) Master of Food Technology
Health promoter	Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition)
Nutritionist	Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition)
Process technologist	Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours (Food Process Engineering)

Dietitians NZ on careers

Engineering NZ on accredited qualifications

Accreditations and rankings

New Zealand Dietitians Board

The Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) programme is accredited by the New Zealand Dietitians Board. Our graduates are eligible to register as a New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD) and to practice as a dietitian in New Zealand.

Learn more