Transportation Engineering
Qualifications
Overview
Transportation engineering covers all aspects of transportation related issues, from determining the future transportation needs of a community or country through to the performance of the materials that are used to construct roads. All modes of travel are covered, from pedestrians/cyclists to cars/trucks to buses/trains to ships and planes (although our programmes at Canterbury largely deal with land transport).
The Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering collaborates with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Auckland | Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau to offer postgraduate qualifications in Transportation Engineering.
The programme was established in consultation with the land transport industry and the engineering profession to meet the demand for graduates with advanced skills in Transportation Engineering. Financial assistance has been provided by New Zealand Transport Agency and Community Road Safety Fund.
- See current research being conducted by research groups within the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering.
Engineering graduate (BE): Graduates with a suitable four-year engineering degree from Aotearoa New Zealand may enrol full-time or part-time in a transportation master's (MET/MCivilEng) or PGCertCivilEng (at least second-class honours is normally required for a master's). If you have a good honours degree or subsequent postgraduate qualification you are also welcome to apply to enrol in a PhD (doctorate). A range of scholarships are available to help financially support students.
Non-degree engineer: If you have a non-degree qualifications (such as NZCE, DipCivEng) and suitable industry experience you are welcome to apply to our programme. As well as taking one-off Certificate of Proficiency (COP) papers, you can apply to enrol in our PGCertCivilEng programme. By achieving good grades in this programme (typically a B grade average or better), you can apply to upgrade to a master's degree if you wish.
Non-engineer: If you have another relevant degree qualification (such as Planning, Geography, Psychology, Economics, Science) you are welcome to apply to our programme. You will generally be enrolled in our PGCertCivilEng programme first, with suitable bridging courses in basic transportation topics and the option to upgrade to the MET/MCivilEng degree later, subject to good grades (typically a B grade average or better). Some courses in other relevant university programmes may also be included in your qualification.
Working practitioner: Full-time working practitioners are able to study part-time for any of the postgraduate Transportation qualifications on offer (subject to their previous qualifications and experience); many employers financially support employees doing this. One course per semester (half-year) is common – this typically entails attending 2 three-day teaching blocks during the semester, with background reading and assignment work done outside of these blocks in your own time. Practitioners are also able to enrol in one-off papers for a Certificate of Proficiency (COP), to obtain Continuing Professional Development training or to initially gauge their ability and interest to complete a longer qualification.
Distance (non-Ōtautahi Christchurch) student: Our block-mode course teaching allows people from all over Aotearoa New Zealand (and even Australia) to take part in the programme. Students typically attend 2 three-day teaching blocks on campus. Away from these, background reading, assignment work, and the final exam can all be undertaken at their home base. Support is also provided for off-campus students via our library distance services and our online teaching content system. Some relevant courses from other universities may also be included in your qualification (subject to our approval).
Overseas student/graduate: If you have obtained suitable engineering or other relevant degrees from outside Aotearoa New Zealand you may apply to our programme (you need to apply first to the University for ad eundem statum admission). Depending on your background, you may be enrolled in our PGCertCivilEng programme first, with suitable bridging courses in New Zealand Transportation topics, and the option to upgrade to an MET/MCivilEng degree later, subject to good grades (typically a B grade average or better). Note that full international course fees may apply. Some funding support may also be available, particularly for research (MET, MCivilEng, PhD) students.
Students studying at other institutions: Students studying for qualifications at other institutions (such as University of Auckland's postgraduate transportation programme) may be permitted to credit some papers from our transportation programme. Such students should enrol in a Certificate of Proficiency (COP) for each UC course and then apply later to their institution to credit them.
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.
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