Genetics is the study of genes and their structure, function, and inheritance. It is a subject that unifies the biological sciences. This position of prominence has come about through spectacular advances in molecular genetics and the merger of that knowledge with classical genetics. Genetics is a subject which appeals to people who want to know how genes control the form, function, and evolution of organisms. Genetics is traditionally viewed as the study of heredity. To question why offspring share similar attributes to parents is to take the first step in genetic studies. However, genetics is not solely concerned with the mechanisms by which genes are transmitted from one generation to the next; it also examines the mechanisms by which new combinations of genes are generated by the processes of mutation and recombination. Genetics is also looks at how the process of selection of new combinations of genes at the level of the population gives rise to speciation and evolution. Establishing the relationship between the phenotype of an organism (how it looks) and its genotype (its gene composition) is central to molecular and developmental genetics.

A degree in Genetics provides graduates with skills in that subject as well as a range of other highly marketable skills. Graduates in Genetics from Massey University hold a wide range of positions both in New Zealand and overseas, with some examples in the table below. Laboratory research positions Scientific sales Plant and animal breeding Government regulatory agencies Teaching Molecular diagnostics Biological information technology Biotechnology industries Producer boards Scientific journalism Graduates also find employment in a variety of industries whose core business involves biological products.