Diverse study options

Health and Sport involves a wide range of courses, specialisations, and study opportunities that suit your interests and expertise. From Physical Activity to Speech and Language Therapy, and more. 

Supporting community oranga

Health and Sport at UC has at its heart a focus on wellness, prevention, and improving community outcomes. Healthcare is an incredibly important career field as we are in a world that needs frontline nurses, psychologists, health promoters, and more. If you want to make a difference in your community, this study area is for you. 

Supporting athletes

Studying at UC provides the opportunity to develop personal sporting skills while earning a degree that supports your passions. Many of our students are successful athletes in Waitaha Canterbury sporting teams, and studying in the health, sport, and wellbeing subject area complements their sporting and career goals.

Applied learning

Learning at UC is more than taking notes in a lecture theatre. You will be putting your skills into practice by playing and coaching sports, designing and running activities around healthy living, and engaging with people and communities in need.

Passionate experts

Our lecturers take an interprofessional approach to teaching and engaging with international experts from a range of health, sport, and wellbeing disciplines. The latest research is incorporated into courses and programmes, so you gain knowledge as it is developing in the field. Our lecturers are there to support you every step of your degree and are always willing to give you extra help or advice.

Learning environment

UC programmes use the latest technology in sports analysis including Sportscode, Hudle, and more. Facilities include a full gym, sports laboratories with a motion capture system, and performance lab. Classes will take place in our vibrant campus with modern facilities including the Rehua building with laboratories, small classrooms, and morning karakia and waiata during term time.

Speech and Language Pathology students are present at appointments and work under the supervision of qualified clinicians at UC’s Speech and Hearing Clinic where a comprehensive range of professional services are available for people with communication difficulties or swallowing problems.

Student culture

UC has one of the best student cultures in tertiary education within Aotearoa. Sport, health, and wellbeing are well represented in UC’s clubs including the UC Rugby Club, which has seen many All Blacks and Black Ferns, Hockey, Football, CUBA snow sports and surfing, orienteering, basketball, HealthSoc, SpeechSoc, and much more. 

Cultural skills

Kaupapa Māori is integrated into many of our courses, allowing you to explore Māori values, understand the relevance and application of Indigenous knowledge to your chosen discipline. Learn about our place in a bicultural, intercultural, and multicultural context in order to create strong relationships locally, and globally, and our unique relationship with sporting culture.

Career opportunities

Study in health, sport, and wellbeing offers you a wide range of career opportunities. Many of our graduates have been employed by the top sporting teams and health organisations in the country as analysts, coaches, strength and conditioning specialists, nurses, health promoters, speech and language therapists, and more.