Bachelor of Health Sciences at University of Otago

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Apply for the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) through the Dunedin campus in 2023

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Together, we can ensure better health for all

Health systems in the future will see more initiatives in the community.

New health roles will be developed to deliver these initiatives and help individuals negotiate the jigsaw of health services available. Public health approaches will become increasingly important to address the broad health issues facing us in the future.

This career-focused qualification concentrates on the skills required to work with people and communities to promote health and ensure they access and receive the most appropriate care.

Navigate changing global health systems

As our world becomes more interconnected, new challenges are impacting the health and well-being of our communities.

These challenges include:

Populations and people living for longer, and often with multiple long-term conditions and disabilities
Limited health resources and greater demand for services
Environmental and social change and their effects on health

With these challenges comes an increasing need to develop innovative approaches to health care.

The Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) is a three-year degree for those who want to be an integral part of these new healthcare approaches, with the opportunity to major (specialise) in four different areas.

Which major is right for you?

Community Health Care

Work alongside people living in the community to support their health and well-being.

Māori Health

Connecting with whānau aspirations for hauora.

Pacific and Global Health

Serving communities, creating solutions, impacting change.

Public Health

Make a difference through collective action for a healthier world and Aotearoa.

Career pathways

As a Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) graduate, you may work in a variety of roles in the healthcare system. Or use your qualification as a foundation for further study in one of the health professional programmes or at postgraduate level.

Rewarding careers exist in government policy, health promotion, and case management – it’s not just doctors or dentists who make a difference.

Role	Details
Case manager	Work in organisations that fund people’s care or welfare and help people recover after injury.
Community health worker	Use specific cultural or community knowledge and strong networks within communities to promote health.
Health promoter	Plan, implement, and evaluate activities that promote health and well-being in communities.
Primary care co-ordinator	Help people find their way through the care offered by multiple providers in the community.
Policy analyst	Develop and implement public health policy, programmes, and regulation. Investigate how resources are allocated to, and used in, different health systems in both the public and private sector.
Programme co‑ordinator	Research, plan, implement, and evaluate health programmes and community networking.
Rehabilitation co‑ordinator	Analyse and develop rehabilitation plans that suit your client’s aptitudes, education levels, physical abilities, and career goals.
Whānau ora navigator	Develop and implement whānau aspirational plans within a community setting.

Please note: The Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) is different to Health Sciences First Year (HSFY). If you are intending to apply for one of the Health Sciences professional programmes based on your performance in your first year of study, you need to enrol in the Health Sciences First Year course.

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Major subject areas

For a Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) degree, you must major in at least one of the following subjects:

Community Health Care
Māori Health
Pacific and Global Health
Public Health

Minor subject areas

Selecting a minor subject is not compulsory and there may be other combinations of papers more appropriate to your degree. There are no particular subject requirements for the other papers of your degree, but if you wish you may have another subject specified as a minor subject in your degree by passing the prescribed papers for any of the listed subjects.

Full list of available minor subject areas

Contact details

Contact your local schools’ liaison officer if you're currently at secondary shool.

Or contact the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) team:

Tel +64 3 479 7202
Email [email protected]

Programme requirements

Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) majoring in Community Health Care

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	EDUC 105 Disability Studies: An Introduction HUBS 191 Human Body Systems 1 HUBS 192 Human Body Systems 2 PUBH 192 Foundations of Epidemiology or POPH 192 Population Health EDUC 105 can be taken during the second year of study	18 18 18 18
200-level	CMHC 201 Human Health Across the Lifespan CMHC 211 Enabling Wellness and Ability I MAOH 201 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Individuals and Whānau PACH 201 Pacific Health: New Zealand and the Pacific Region at least two of BITC 201 Bioethics and the Life Sciences GEOG 210 Social Geography PATH 201 Foundations in Human Pathology PUBH 203 Health Policy and Politics PUBH 211 Epidemiology of Global Health Conditions SOCI 205 Social Inequality	18 18 18 18 36
300-level	CMHC 301 Applied Aspects of Human Health CMHC 311 Enabling Wellness and Ability II MAOH 301 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Organisations and Communities PACH 301 Pacific Health: Advanced Applied Knowledge	18 18 18 18
Plus	108 further points The following papers are suggested: ANTH 105, BIOC 192, BSNS 113, CELS 191, CHEM 191, MAOR 102, PACI 101, PSYC 111, PSYC 112; ANAT 241, ANAT 242, BITC 201, MAOR 202, MICR 223, PACI 201, PHAL 211, PHSL 251, PSME 201, PSYC 212, PUBH 202; BITC 301, INDS 301, PACI 301, PUBH 311	108
Total		360

Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) majoring in Māori Health

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	MAOR 102 Māori Society HUBS 191 Human Body Systems 1 HUBS 192 Human Body Systems 2 PUBH 192 Foundations of Epidemiology or POPH 192 Population Health MAOR 102 can be taken during the second year of study	18 18 18 18
200-level	CMHC 201 Human Health Across the Lifespan MAOH 201 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Individuals and Whānau PUBH 202 Health Promotion PUBH 204 Hauora Māori: Challenges and Opportunities at least two of CMHC 211 Enabling Wellness and Ability I MAOR 202 Māori and Tikanga MAOR 204 Te Tiriti o Waitangi MAOR 211 Te Pihinga 1 PUBH 203 Health Policy and Politics SOWK 236 The Treaty and Social Services SPEX 206 Te Pū o te Ora Advanced Māori Physical Education and Health	18 18 18 18 36
300-level	MAOH 301 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Organisations and Communities PUBH 304 Rangahau Hauora Māori - Māori Health Research at least two of CMHC 301 Applied Aspects of Human Health CMHC 311 Enabling Wellness and Ability II PUBH 303 Public and Global Health: Current Issues SOWK 304 Kaupapa Māori, and Indigenous Approaches to Social Work SPEX 306 Te Pou o te Koronga Advanced Māori Physical Education and Health	18 18 36
Plus	108 further points The following papers are suggested: BSNS 111, EDUC 105, MANT 101, MAOR 112, MAOR 110, SOWK 111; BITC 201, MAOR 212, PACH 201, PUBH 211, SOCI 205; INDS 301, INDS 302, MAOR 311, MAOR 312, PACH 301	108
Total		360

Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) majoring in Pacific and Global Health

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	HUBS 191 Human Body Systems 1 HUBS 192 Human Body Systems 2 PUBH 192 Foundations of Epidemiology or POPH 192 Population Health	18 18 18
200-level	PACH 201 Pacific Health: New Zealand and the Pacific Region PUBH 203 Health Policy and Politics PUBH 211 Epidemiology of Global Health Conditions MAOH 201 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Individuals and Whānau at least two of BITC 201 Bioethics and the Life Sciences CMHC 211 Enabling Wellness and Ability I HIST 210 War and Environment PACI 201 Contemporary Pacific Island Issues POLS 213 New Zealand Foreign Policy PUBH 202 Health Promotion	18 18 18 18 36
300-level	PACH 301 Pacific Health: Advanced Applied Knowledge PUBH 303 Public and Global Health: Current Issues at least two of ANTH 323 Anthropology of Health BITC 301 Bioethics CMHC 311 Enabling Wellness and Ability II MAOH 301 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Organistions and Communities PUBH 311 Public Health Research	18 18 36
Plus	126 further points The following papers are suggested: ACCT 102, ASIA 101, BSNS 113, CMHC 201, ECON 112, GLBL 101, HIST 107, MANT 101, PACI 103, STAT 115; ECON 201, ENGL 228, MANT 217, MANT 251, SOCI 205, STAT 210; CMHC 301, ECON 306, HIST 337, PACI 301, PACI 310, POLS 303, STAT 310	126
Total		360

Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) majoring in Public Health

Level	Papers	Points
100-level	HUBS 191 Human Body Systems 1 HUBS 192 Human Body Systems 2 PUBH 192 Foundations of Epidemiology or POPH 192 Population Health	18 18 18
200-level	PUBH 202 Health Promotion PUBH 204 Hauora Māori: Challenges and Opportunities PUBH 211 Epidemiology of Global Health Conditions at least three of ANTH 210 Translating Culture or ANTH 211 Contemporary Ethnographic Research CMHC 201 Human Health Across the Lifespan GEOG 210 Social Geography PACH 201 Pacific Health: New Zealand and the Pacific Region PUBH 203 Health Policy and Politics SOCI 205 Social Inequality SOWK 236 The Treaty and Social Services	18 18 18 54
300-level	PUBH 303 Public and Global Health: Current Issues PUBH 304 Rangahau Hauora Māori - Māori Health Research or PUBH 311 Public Health Research at least two of ANTH 322 Conceiving Reproduction or ANTH 323 Anthropology of Health CMHC 301 Applied Aspects of Human Health GEOG 381 Social Geography PACH 301 Pacific Health: Advanced Applied Knowledge PUBH 304 Rangahau Hauora Māori - Māori Health Research PUBH 311 Public Health Research SOCI 306 Public Sociology SOWK 304 Kaupapa Māori, and Indigenous Approaches to Social Work	18 18 36
Plus	126 further points The following papers are suggested: BSNS 113, EDUC 105, ECON 112, HIST 107, MAOR 102, MAOR 110, PACI 103, PHIL 105, SOWK 111, STAT 115; ECON 201, HIST 223, MAOH 201, MAOR 202, MAOR 204, MFCO 222, POLS 202, PSME 201, STAT 210, SPEX 205, SPEX 206, STAT 241; ECON 306, ENVI 312, HIST 306, INDS 301, POLS 303, STAT 310	126
Total		360

Regulations for the degree of Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc)

Structure of the programme
1. Every degree programme shall consist of papers worth not less than 360 points.
2. Except as provided for in regulation 1(d), every programme of study for the degree shall satisfy the requirements for at least one of the major subjects listed in the BHealSc Schedule Part 1. No paper above 200-level may count towards more than one major subject requirement.
3. The programme may include one or more optional minor subjects which satisfy the minor subject requirements in the BHealSc Schedule Part 2, Arts and Music Schedule A, or Commerce Schedule A, or Science Schedule A, or Applied Science Schedule A. No paper may count for both a major and a minor subject requirement or for more than one minor subject requirement unless that paper is at 100- or 200-level and is specified as compulsory for both requirements.
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Requirements

Entry Requirements

Jordan entrance requirements

One year of successful study at a recognised institution of university standing, or successful completion of a University of Otago Foundation Year programme or equivalent.

A recognised institution is generally a college or university that is listed in the World Higher Education Database.

We also accept the following international qualifications:

International Baccalaureate: IB Diploma with a minimum of 24 points.
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) GCE Advanced Levels: minimum Numerical Score of 8.
- The numerical scores are normally calculated on the best three A-Level principal subjects (excluding the General Paper) taken at one sitting, or two A-Level passes with two A-Level Subsidiary passes at one sitting.
- (i) Scores for the Advanced levels are calculated on the basis that: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, E = 1
- (ii) Scores for the Advanced Subsidiary level results are calculated on the basis that: A = 2.5, B = 2, C = 1.5, D = 1, E = 0.5
Northern Consortium United Kingdom (NCUK) International Foundation Year (IFY)
- A minimum of CCC across the NCUK IFY,
- Acceptance of the NCUK English for Academic Purposes qualification as an alternative to meeting the English-language requirements, with a minimum of a C grade overall and no less than D grade in each component.
Satisfactory completion of one year's study at a recognised tertiary institution. A recognised institution is generally a college or university that is listed in the World Higher Education Database.

English Program Requirements

If your first language is not English you need to show you meet our English language requirements

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

NZD 39,760 / year

How to Apply

Step 1 – Select your course or programme
Step 2 – Check entry requirements and deadlines
Step 3 – Apply online
Step 4 – Submit your application
Step 5 – Accept your Offer of Place

Bachelor of Health Sciences

University of Otago

University of Otago

Key Facts

Start & Deadlines