Course details

Summary

This programme provides students with an academic pathway into the sports science industry. More than 1700 Northlanders are employed in the sport and recreation sector, making it Northland’s 7th biggest industry by employment.

The Sport and Recreation programme at NorthTec offers three qualifications over three years:

• After one year of study: Certificate in Sport and Recreation (Level 5) (NorthTec qualification)
• After two years of study: Diploma in Sport and Recreation (NorthTec qualification)
• After three years of study: Bachelor of Sport and Recreation (AUT qualification)

What you will learn

This is the next step after the Certificate in Sport and Recreation (Level 5) and will take your learning to a new level. You'll complete courses on sustainable sports event management, legal issues for the industry and the role played by sport and recreation in society. You'll also learn about advanced sports performance and exercise science, and complete a practicum in the community. There is a strong focus on fitness testing during the year.

You will learn to:

• Analyse the theories of sports coaching
• Use, prescribe and critique exercise programmes
• Develop sports business plans
• Gain a thorough understanding of sports testing
• Use skills in research, analysis, problem solving and critical thinking
• Present written material at a tertiary level.

Applicants will be expected to complete a 40 hour industry project outside of class contact as a course requirement for the Sport and Recreation Practicum course. This course requirement is compulsory and formally assessed. Students are required to devise a project that will be completed in conjunction with a work-experience placement and report on the project at the completion of the course.

To gain real-life industry experience students will be expected to staff the high performance labs for three hours on Wednesday evening and three hours on Saturday morning.

Career opportunities

• Sports coordinator
• Sports trainer
• Gym instructor
• Event coordinator
• Green prescription worker
• Sports club administrator
• Health worker
• Personal trainer
• Recreation centre manager

Entry criteria

All applicants must hold a satisfactory pass in the Certificate in Sport and Recreation (Level 5) programme, or equivalence through recognition of prior learning and/or credit transfer.

A police check or declaration about criminal convictions will be required.

English Requirements:

• Academic IELTS score of 6.0 with no band score lower than 5.5
• TOEFL Paper-based test (pBT) score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE)
• TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) score of 60 (with a writing score of 20)
• FCE, or FCE for schools, or CAE, or CPE with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill
• NZCEL Level 4 with the Academic endorsement
• PToE (Academic) score of 50
• City & Guilds IESOL - B2 Communicator with a score of 66