Study for free

If you're a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, residing in New Zealand at the time of study, you may be eligible for free tuition fees. Part time study options may be available. Terms and conditions apply. Learn more. 

About this programme

The study of parks management is closely aligned with natural resource management, indigenous planning and development and outdoor recreation management.

The Master of Parks Management will prepare you for mid-and-senior-level management roles.

This distinctive, interdisciplinary programme offers a suite of options that provide important social, cultural, environmental and business contexts to parks management.

Depending on your background, occupational aspirations, and area of interest, you can choose how you would like to specialise, with options including ecology, environmental management, recreation and tourism and climate change in regard to parks management. 

How you’ll grow

• Critically analyse and synthesise concepts and frameworks to evaluate resource management approaches and practices relevant to the parks sector.
• Interpret and assess the relationship between parks, policy and resource management, including indigenous perspectives.
• Appraise the legal, political, institutional, economic and socio-cultural contexts of parks with management.
• Understand ecological and environmental principles relevant to the management of New Zealand ecosystems.
• Apply business, organisational and environmental management practices to the parks sector.

Career opportunities

The sector has identified a critical shortage of qualified parks management professionals. Potential employers include central and local government, iwi authorities and other Māori organisations, conservation trusts, and private sector and community organisations.

Programme structure

The Master of Parks Management is a 180-credit taught master's degree, delivered on-campus, with some online learning options. 

The programme can be completed within 12 months (if you start in November) or 18 months (if you start in February or July).

Compulsory courses - 80 credits (four courses)

• ERST 630 Environmental Policy and Planning OR LWST 602 Advanced Resource Management & Planning Law
• MAST 603 Mana Kaitiaki (Māori Resource Management) OR MAST 604 Kaupapa Matua (Advanced Māori Policy and Planning)
• RECN 626 Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism
• ECOL 609 Conservation Biology or ECOL 612 Wildlife Management

List A - 40 credits (at least two courses) from the following: 

• ERST 606 Advanced GIS
• ERST 621 Principles of Environmental Impact Assessment
• ERST 633 Integrated Environmental Management
• RECN 640 Events and Festivals
• TOUR 604 Tourist Behaviour
• TOUR 603 Tourism Management
• TOUR 611 Food, Wine and Agritourism: Principles and Practice
• ENSC 601 Advanced Climate Change and Land Use

List B - 40 credits (at least two courses) from the following:

• BMGT 618 Advanced Business Strategy OR BMGT 686 Managing Programmes of Change
• COMM 605 Research for Managers OR ECON 615 Applied Research Methods
• COMM 601 Principles of Managerial Economics (10 credits)
• COMM 602 Principles of Accounting and Finance (10 credits)
• COMM 603 Principles of Business Management (10 credits)
• COMM 604 Principles of Marketing (10 credits)
• MKTG 605 Advanced Services Marketing & Management OR MKTG 672 Marketing Strategy OR MKTG 681 Managing Marketing

Plus one elective course (20 credits) from the schedule of Master's degree courses offered at Lincoln University.