Course details

Summary

The Professional Master of Engineering Geology (PMEG) is the only programme of its kind in Australasia. Engineering Geology is a multidisciplinary area applying geological sciences to engineering work, identifying and mitigating geological hazards and aspects of land-use planning.

The PMEG is strongly applied and concentrates on professional training for practitioners, delivered in a 12-month format.

Graduates of the professional master's will:

• meet the requirements for the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) accreditation of graduate Engineering Geologists
• undertake a practice-focused personal project
• be taught by local and international experts and work with industry contacts
• concentrate on principles of geo-materials, geomorphology, risk and communication as applied to real-life case studies, so they can provide knowledge and advice to engineers in the context of engineering projects.

Qualification structure and duration

Each course will incorporate a taught component (including field work) and online material. The programme comprises of eight compulsory courses taught over two semesters, plus a four-month dissertation. The dissertation will include at least one of the following:

an individual investigation carried out under the supervision of a staff member, or

a cooperative industry-university project where the student works alongside and with working professionals and carries out an individual investigation based on a research question of interest.

Further study

UC offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Geology.

Career opportunities

Postgraduate study can bring many career benefits eg, specialist skills and enhanced knowledge, entry into specific occupations, higher starting salary/progression rates, research capability/achievement and evidence of high academic attainment/self-discipline.

Entry criteria

Every candidate, shall have either:

• qualified for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology or Earth Sciences, or
• qualified for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, majoring in Civil, Environmental or Natural Resources Engineering, or
• been admitted ad eundem statum with graduate status with suitable preliminary qualification to the University of Canterbury, or
• recognition of prior learning/experience as assessed by the Programme Director.

In addition they will:

• have been approved as a candidate by the Dean of Science, and
• have 15 points of MATH 100-level courses and 15 points from STAT 100-level courses This requirement may be waived by the Head of Department if the student can demonstrate an existing suitably high level of ability in Mathematics and/or Statistics.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.