If you have a passion for health, wellness and rehabilitation, and want to enhance your knowledge with postgraduate study then the Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation) is for you.
Delivered through Blended Learning / Delivery, this programme offers you the ability to study from anywhere. Full-time or part-time on campus options are also available.
18 months full-time
Blended Delivery and part-time options available
2021 Thesis: 19 July to 08 April 2022
2022 Semester 1: 14 February to 24 June
2022 Semester 2: 18 July to 25 November
2022 Thesis: 14 February to 25 November
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
The Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation) is aimed at wellness and rehabilitation practitioners and recent graduates (in fields such as chiropractic, health sciences, massage therapy, medicine, naturopathy, nursing, occupational therapy, osteopathy, physiotherapy, sport and exercise) who want to undertake an advanced programme of study in order to prepare for further study or to assist with obtaining a more senior position.
You will learn to extend your capability in critical and professional/clinical reasoning for specialist practice, leadership, and management in professional settings.
The areas of focus in this programme are:
The programme will be delivered through a blended learning method. Full-time or part-time on campus options are available as well. Blended delivery allows students to study from anywhere. This course is taught using a mix of online learning, practical experience, classroom teaching and compulsory block courses in Invercargill.
Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation) students will undertake a coherent programme of 180 credits approved by the programme manager and will follow one of two pathways.
The first pathway is the Masters of Applied Health Sciences via Research Projects:
Students will need to complete the following papers:
WR800 Wellness and Rehabilitation Principles
WR810 Research Skills for Professional Practice
WR901 Research Project
and an approved selection of two papers worth 60 credits from the following list:
WR801 Advanced Practice to Support Older Persons’ Well-being
WR802 Advancing Specialist Practice
WR803 Case Management
WR804 Cardiovascular, Pulmonary and Metabolic Health
WR805 Musculoskeletal and Neurological Rehabilitation
WR807 Special Topic
Elective 30 credits at level 8 or above from a relevant postgraduate programme.
The second pathway is the Masters of Applied Health Sciences via Research Thesis:
WR902 Thesis
and an approved one paper from the following list:
Paper descriptions:
This course enables practitioners to develop knowledge and skills in lifestyle wellness coaching to improve people’s health habits and coach people towards achieving their personal, health and fitness goals. Practitioners will also apply the principles and practices of an interdisciplinary and client-centered approach to wellness and rehabilitation within their clinical or industry setting to enhance lifestyle management and healthy outcomes.
This paper recognises the diversity of the older adult age group and the complex relationship between determinants of health, health status and well-being. With the steady increase in the number of older people, many of whom will experience chronic disease states and/or declining functional abilities, it is vital that advanced practitioners are able to assess, plan, deliver and facilitate appropriate evidence-based care and services for this age group. The paper examines the scope of independent/collaborative practice in relation to health promotion, maintenance and restoration of health, preventative care, rehabilitation and/or palliative care and encourages the generation of new approaches to the delivery of expert care in different settings.
This paper enables students to develop advancing specialist skills within their clinical or industry setting. Through the use of a professional portfolio, students will demonstrate competencies consistent with an advancing specialist practitioner role: leadership; consultancy; involvement in standard and policy setting and monitoring; research and theory utilisation; interdisciplinary collaboration; and expert clinical practice.
Students will reflect on case management as a complete approach to wellness and rehabilitation with emphasis on empowerment rather than dependence. This paper will enable students to approach wellness and rehabilitation from a holistic perspective, through taking a specific client, or group of clients, with a common health need. Students will consider the role of client assessment, interventions, collaboration, and evaluation of intervention with the emphasis on empowerment of the client.
The paper will explore cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic health and wellness. This paper assumes knowledge of the body’s response to normal anatomical/physiological function and directs the student towards a progressive and more critical understanding of altered, complex health states. This will include the multiple interrelationships of physical activity for daily living, exercise physiology and exercise prescription, to complement and inform advanced wellness practice. Students will design and implement quality integrated wellness and rehabilitation programmes for clients with cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic health conditions. Students will reflect on case management as a complete approach to wellness with emphasis on empowerment rather than dependence.
WR805 Musculoskeletal and Neurological Health
The paper will explore musculoskeletal and neurologic health and wellness. This paper builds on knowledge of the body’s response to physical activity, normal anatomical/ physiological function and directs the student towards a progressive and more critical understanding of altered, complex health states. This will include the multiple interrelationships of physical activity for daily living, exercise physiology and exercise prescription, to complement and inform advanced wellness practice. Students will design and implement quality integrated wellness and rehabilitation programmes for clients with musculoskeletal and neurological health conditions. Students will reflect on case management as a complete approach to wellness with emphasis on empowerment rather than dependence.
WR807 Special Topics (2021)
This paper is used to explore current issues and make use of the particular expertise of individual staff members, including visitors. Students will critically examine current developments and emerging issues in a specified topic area.
Part A: Nutrition for Wellness
The course will investigate current issues of nutrition as therapy for wellness. The emphasis will be on nutrition strategies for specific populations with New Zealand.
Part B: Massage Therapy in Wellness and Rehabilitation
This course critically explores the philosophy of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in wellness and rehabilitation. The role of massage therapy as a body-based CAM therapy is critically examined. Practitioners will apply the principles and practices of touch and massage therapy to support a client’s wellness.
This paper provides an introduction to quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research methodologies used in health sciences. Students will develop knowledge of fundamental biostatistical concepts and skills of critiquing and evaluating research within their clinical or industry setting. Students will apply these learnings to the design of a master’s level research project proposal.
The student will develop expertise in conducting applied research that informs professional practice in wellness and rehabilitation.
The student will develop expertise in conducting publishable research about wellness and rehabilitation.
Graduates of this programme may seek employment in the private or public sector undertaking a range of roles including:
Students will have completed all requirements of a bachelor degree or graduate diploma in a relevant field (such as chiropractic, health sciences, massage therapy, medicine, naturopathy, nursing, occupational therapy, osteopathy, physiotherapy, sport and exercise) with at least a 70-74% average at Level 7.
To proceed to the Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation) from the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation) or equivalent programme, applicants will be expected to have achieved a 70% grade or higher on average in that programme of study. All postgraduate diploma level papers must be at Level 8 or above.
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment
IELTS test - Academic score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6 TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 590 (with an essay score 5.5 TWE) TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 79 (with a writing score of 21) Cambridge English Examination - C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176. No less than 169 in each skill. OET- Minimum of Grade C+ or 300 in all sub-tests NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 5 (Academic) or (Professional) b) Level 5 Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 58 with no band score lower than 50 Language Cert - C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS and no less than Pass in each skill or C2 Mastery IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill Trinity ISE- ISE III with no less than pass in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current
The overall programme of study requires 180 credits for successful completion of the Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation). In order to be awarded the Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation), a student must have been credited with all required papers as specified in the programme schedule.
Papers within the Master of Applied Health Sciences (Wellness and Rehabilitation) programme are assessed using a criterion referenced approach. Students will be awarded, as appropriate, a summative grade for each paper that is completed. This grade will be recorded by faculty staff and included in the student’s individual transcript result that is forwarded to students at the conclusion of the academic year.
