Course details

Summary

This new postgraduate diploma allows students to develop their expertise in sport science and health industries.

The one-year diploma can lead to career pathways in high performance sport, non-clinical health, or fast-track careers of existing professionals in those industries.

Qualification structure and duration

The PGDipSS requires 120 points of coursework. It would normally be completed full-time over one year.

Subjects and courses

PGDipSS requires 120 points of coursework, with some compulsory courses.

Compulsory courses:

SSCI 403 The Competitive Edge: Innovation in Sport Science (30 pts)

SSCI 404 Advanced Internship for Sport Science (30 pts).

Optional courses:

60 pts selected from a list of courses in Schedule B of the Master of Sport Science. Courses cover areas such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology, sport nutrition or health behaviour change.

Further study

Students can go on to study a Master of Sport Science or a PhD in Health Sciences or Biological Sciences.

Career opportunities

Graduates of this new diploma will have a solid grounding in modern sport science. Potential roles for graduates include:

• Sports Scientist/Strength and Conditioning Specialist positions in professional sport, working with teams or individual athletes, or in national and international sporting organisations
• Development officer for professional sporting and health orientated organisations
• Corporate and community health and fitness consultant
• Health promotion/lifestyle consultant
• Athletic/sports programme coordinator.

Entry criteria

Normally the minimum requirement is a three-year bachelor’s degree from a New Zealand university, or a qualification or combination of qualifications considered to be equivalent.

If you gained your qualifications overseas, these will need to be assessed to make sure they are of an equivalent standard.

You should have completed a sport and/or science-related New Zealand degree, or equivalent, and normally should have achieved at least a B average in 300-level courses in this degree.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.