Institute of Technology or Polytechnic
Otago PolytechnicLevel of Study
Bachelor's Degree
Are you passionate about sports, exercise or health? Do you like working with people? Do you want to help others improve their lives to reach their potential?
This highly-regarded degree is based around practical experiences and problem-based learning. You'll develop skills and understanding in sport, exercise and health, as well as communication, academic writing, and project management. Plus, you'll complete practical community projects and gain real-world industry experience within your chosen field to deepen your knowledge.
First year courses include Bioscience; Introduction to Sport; Introduction to Exercise; and Introduction to Health. You'll also complete your first community project. During your second year, you'll choose to study Advanced Sport, Advanced Exercise, Advanced Health or Advanced Massage, and complete a second community project. Your third year will focus fully on your final and major community project.
If you choose the massage and health specialities, you'll complete the New Zealand Diploma in Wellness and Relaxation Massage as your first year of study. You'll then continue into the second year of this programme. Upon graduation, you'll meet the requirements for registration with Massage New Zealand (MNZ) as a massage therapist specialist in rehabilitation.
Those who choose to study the exercise specialty will be able to apply for registration with the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) after they graduate.
Graduates can expect to gain employment as competent practitioners within professional organisations. This might include government or non-government sport, exercise and health settings such as regional sports trusts, commercial gyms, teaching, health promotion organisations and sporting organisations.
Studying part-timeWe know that full-time study isn't always possible. We offer part-time study options for this programme - talk to us about what would suit you best!
Where there are more applicants than places, an interview panel consisting of a member of the degree Leadership Team and relevant academic staff will interview and select applicants, with candidates prioritised on the basis of strength of academic record.
Applicants who do not meet the entry or selection criteria will be directed to a path of study to help prepare them for application in the future.
Don't meet the entry requirements?The below programmes provide great pathways into this degree.
The health bridging certificate offers a more generalised study pathway. The two exercise certificates focus more on a sport and personal training pathway. And the massage diploma focuses on wellness and relaxation massage.
Talk to us if you're not sure which pathway to choose.
If you have extensive knowledge and skills due to practical experience in this area, please ask us about our recognition of prior learning process. You may have already gained credits towards this qualification and could achieve it in a shorter timeframe. Please email info@op.ac.nz or call 0800 762 786.
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