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Find out about your options for postgraduate Architectural Science qualifications and discover what and how you'll study.

Qualification family structure

There are four qualifications available in postgraduate Architectural Science:

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural Science
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Science
  • Master of Architectural Science
  • Master of Architectural Science (Research)

These are ‘staircased’, so you can complete the courses required for the Certificate or Diploma and then continue your study to complete the Master of Architectural Science. If you enrol in the MArchSc but can’t complete it for whatever reason, you may have enough points to be awarded the Certificate or Diploma.

The Master of Architectural Science (Research) involves an additional year after completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Science, during which you’ll conduct independent research and write your thesis.

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Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural Science

Grow your career in architectural science

Study building construction and performance, project management, construction law, and how building materials function. The Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural Science (PGCertArchSc) gives you the knowledge you need to progress in your architectural science career.

Choose to specialise in Construction Law, Project Management, or Sustainable Engineering Systems. You’ll learn about sustainability, construction law, managing facilities, and the relationship between buildings and their environment. Consider the role of tikanga and mātauranga Māori in architectural design and decision-making. You’ll also get a practical grounding in how buildings impact on the natural world through their design, construction, operation, and maintenance.

You can complete the PGCertArchSc as a standalone qualification to build on your undergraduate degree, or extend your study to graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma or a Master’s.

Tailor your study

The 60-point PGCertArchSc takes one trimester to complete when studied full time.

You can complete it on its own as a professional postgraduate qualification, or extend your study:/n

  • by another trimester to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Science (PGDipArchSc)
  • by two more trimesters to complete the Master of Architectural Science (MArchSc).
If you choose to complete another trimester to graduate with the PGDipArchSc, you could then go on to enrol in the twelve-month thesis-based Master of Architectural Science (Research) (MArchSc(Res)).

Choose a specialisation

You can complete the PGCertArchSc with a specialisation in:

  • Construction Law
  • Project Management
  • Sustainable Engineering Systems.

Construction Law specialisation

Specialising in Construction Law allows you to dive deep into the legal side of the construction industry. You’ll learn about:

  • dispute resolution
  • construction procurement
  • contract administration.
You’ll gain advanced expertise in contract law, Māori land law, and Indigenous land rights, while developing your knowledge of legal and dispute-resolution issues in the industry.

Project Management specialisation

Specialising in Project Management will give you the skills you need to manage a construction project. These include:

  • contract management
  • design integration
  • performance monitoring.
You’ll graduate up to date with the most advanced techniques and tools used to manage projects and built facilities.

Sustainable Engineering Systems specialisation

Specialising in Sustainable Engineering Systems will allow you to focus on developing energy- and resource-efficient systems for the built environment. You’ll learn how to evaluate the sustainability of existing buildings and facilities, with assessment systems used in New Zealand and worldwide.

Example courses

Duration and workload

If you are studying full time, you can expect a workload of 40 to 45 hours a week. Part-time students will need to do around 20 to 23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you will be working while studying.

You can study part time while working or full time through block teaching. Block teaching involves delivering courses in concentrated blocks of time, for three days every four weeks. This approach allows you to balance work with study.

Other programmes

Master of Architectural Science

Master of Architectural Science (Research)

Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Science

Workload

If you are studying full time, you can expect a workload of 40 to 45 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students will need to do around 20 to 23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you are planning to work while studying.

Advance your expertise with PhD study

If you complete the Master of Architectural Science (Research), you may be able to apply to do a PhD. This is the highest academic qualification offered by the University and involves original and sustained research under supervision.

PhD students are supported by the Wellington Faculty of Graduate Research (WFGR), which also handles all applications.

Before applying, you should talk to the Chair of the School of Architecture Research Committee about available supervision for PhD study in architecture.

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