Surveying

Entry requirements

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences).

Every applicant must either:

• be a graduate, or
• have alternative qualifications or experience acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences).

If your first language is not English you need to meet our English language requirements by obtaining IELTS score of 7.5 with no band below 7.0 or Internet-based TOEFL of 102 or better with a minimum of 24 in each section; or Paper-based TOEFL of 600 or better with a TWE (Test of Written English) of 5.0 or better. Due to COVID-19, we currently accept Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS Indicator Test, and TOEFL iBT Special home Edition.

Don’t meet the English language requirements? The University of Otago Language Centre English for Otago programme offers a pathway for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students to meet the English language requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Months of entry

February

Course content

The Master of Surveying (MSurv) is a one- or two-year postgraduate programme that has, as its prerequisite for entry, an undergraduate degree in surveying. Applicants with a strong academic record, possibly evidenced by an Honours degree, may be permitted to complete the degree in one year by thesis only. Other applicants will generally be required to undertake a year of coursework followed by a thesis year, although the course work requirements may be reduced in certain cases.

It is expected that the thesis incorporate a substantial research project that either contributes to existing fields of research, or begins to develop a new area.

Structure of the Programme

The programme of study shall consist of

• appropriate papers, normally as prescribed for the Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Surveying or as separately prescribed, and taken in the first year of the programme, and
• a thesis embodying the results of supervised research.

A candidate whose qualification for entry to the programme is the degree of Bachelor of Surveying or the Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Surveying may achieve the degree by completing a thesis alone.

A candidate may be exempted from some of the required papers as prescribed in regulation 2(a)(i) on the basis of previous study.

A candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in the thesis, secure the approval of the Dean of Surveying for the topic, the supervisor(s), and the proposed course of investigation.

A candidate may not present a thesis which has previously been accepted for another degree.

A candidate taking the degree by papers and thesis must pass both the papers and the thesis components.

For the thesis, the research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.

Information for international students

Otago offers students an unrivalled campus experience and a vibrant, social student culture. The majority of Otago’s 21,000 students live, work and play in Dunedin - New Zealand’s only true university city. Otago is home to over 3,000 students, from over 100 countries.

Fees and funding

New Zealand is a relatively affordable country to live in. Dunedin, being a student-focused city, has living and entertainment options for all budgets.

Students are eligible for the Otago International Excellence Scholarship.