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College of Health

Te Kura Hauora Tangata

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The College of Health, Te Kura Hauora Tangata, connects people across collaborative units with outstanding expertise and programmes in nursing, human nutrition and dietetics, physiology, public health, sport and exercise, social work, environmental and occupational health, and disability and rehabilitation.

We partner with New Zealand and international stakeholders to lead the improvement of health and wellbeing, and promote equity and social justice.

Study programmes

The College of Health offers an exciting, innovative environment for your studies. With a Massey qualification in health, you'll be in demand and enjoy a satisfying career improving people’s lives. Demand for healthcare workers is rising across the world and New Zealand isn’t producing enough graduates – 42% of our health workforce was trained overseas. Join our students and get ready to address and help solve the health issues of the 21st century.

Find study programmes from across the University focused on health.

Study health

Research expertise

College of Health staff focus on a wide array of interrelated health research themes. At the highly individual biomolecular level, we investigate how specific foods or nutrients improve the way energy is used in every cell of our body. At the other extreme, we are looking at the factors that affect community health and how social structures support our health.

Learn more about the University’s research expertise in health.

Health research

Staff

Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor Jane Mills

Jane is considered one of Australia’s foremost primary health care academics with extensive experience leading and managing teams in both government and tertiary sectors. Her research portfolio focuses on rural and public health, health workforce, and health system strengthening.

Head of School of Health Sciences

Associate Professor Rachel Page

Rachel has over 25 years of experience in leadership, learning and teaching and research. Her current research focuses on preventing and improving health outcomes especially in areas of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Rachel has extensive experience in supervision of postgraduate students and loves making science relevant and accessible to students at all levels of academia.

Head of School of Nursing

Professor Nicolette Sheridan

Nicolette is one of New Zealand’s most highly-regarded nurse academics. She is a registered nurse with a PhD in Public Health and qualifications in occupational health and education. She has led international studies and currently leads a five-university study investigating the effectiveness of primary care delivery to New Zealanders (Health Research Council). She has tribal affiliations to Ngāpuhi.

Head of School of Social Work

Associate Professor Kieran O'Donoghue

In 2015, Kieran was awarded the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers Quality and Innovation Trophy for Excellence in Research and Certificate for Research Excellence. He has published nationally and internationally in the areas of social work theory and practice, social work supervision and in relation to the social work profession.

Head of School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition

Associate Professor Andrew Foskett

Andrew holds various governance roles within sport and exercise, and high performance, including Special Advisor to the board of Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand (SESNZ) and, member of NZ Football’s High Performance and Player Welfare committee. As a keen practitioner, he has worked with multiple high performance athletes across a diverse range of sports and has participated in the numerous international tournaments as an applied sport scientist.

Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor

Associate Deans

Business Services Manager

Directors of University research centres

See all staff

Careers at Massey

Awards and recognition

Dr Geoff Kira, Ngā Puhi, from Massey University’s School of Health Sciences has been awarded nearly quarter of a million dollars to carry out a feasibility study focusing on the tools used to measure fruit and vegetable consumption among Māori. The study, entitled He Pātaka Marohi - the feasibility of novel and conventional instruments, will be carried out over two years, and is funded by a Feasibility Study grant from the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

Dr Geoff Kira
2019
Feasibility study to investigate fruit and vegetable consumption among Māori

Dr Jamie de Seymour has been awarded nearly $100,000 from the Health Research Council of New Zealand and the National Natural Science Foundation of China to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and exposure to environmental pollutants during pregnancy, and the infant’s brain development at 12 months of age.

Dr Jamie de Seymour
2019
HRC funding for maternal exposures and neurodevelopment research

Associate Professor Chris Wilkins has been invited to join the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisors Expert Committee on cannabis law reform, alongside 10 other New Zealand academics. Dr Wilkins is the leader of the drug research team at Massey’s SHORE & Whariki Research Centre.

Associate Professor Chris Wilkins
2019
Leading drug researcher appointed to Prime Minister’s advisory group on cannabis reform

Professor John Potter, from Massey University’s Centre for Public Health Research, has been named in the top one per cent of most cited scientists in the world. Professor Potter’s career has focused on nutrition, other environmental and host factors, and genetics in the aetiology (cause of disease or condition), pathobiology (the biology of disease), and early detection of cancers and other chronic diseases.

Professor John Potter
2019
Highly Cited Researchers 2018

Professor Bill Glass from the Centre for Public Health Research has been named Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year in the 2019 Kiwibank New Zealanders of the Year awards.

Professor Glass has, throughout his long and distinguished career, considerably advanced occupational medicine, workers’ health, and policy development in New Zealand, through original research, his work as an occupational physician, and his long involvement with WorkSafe.

Professor Bill Glass
2019
Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year

Dr Marta Rychert from Massey University’s Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation and Whāriki Research Centre has been awarded almost $250,000 from the Health Research Council (HRC) of New Zealand to explore medicinal cannabis use in New Zealand.

Dr Marta Rychert
2019
HRC Funding for medicinal cannabis research

Rose Mwipiko is the winner of the 2019 NZ Esri Young Scholar Award which recognises the very best GIS students around the globe. Rose's project uses ArcGIS to explore the effects of the built environment on depression in the Wellington Region.

Rose Mwipiko
2019
2019 NZ Esri Young Scholar Award

Professor Jeroen Douwes has been awarded nearly $1.2 million from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, to assess why biodiversity may reduce allergy and asthma risks in New Zealand children.

Professor Jeroen Douwes
2019
HRC funding for for allergy and asthma prevention research

Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes, Te Kapotai, Ngapuhi-nui-tonu, from Massey University’s SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, has been awarded nearly $5 million to investigate environmental and kaupapa Māori initiatives aimed at providing much needed gains in Māori health outcomes.

Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes, Te Kapotai, Ngapuhi-nui-tonu
2019
HRC funding for Māori health research

The Esri Young Scholar Award recognizes students for excellence in relation to a GIS project. Rose's project uses ArcGIS to explore the effects of the built environment on depression in the Wellington Region. As the winner of this award, Rose will be attending the Esri Education Summit and Esri User Conference in San Diego in July 2019.

Rose Mwipiko
2019
Rose Mwipiko announced as Winner of the 2019 NZ Esri Young Scholar Award

Centre for Public Health director Professor Jeroen Douwes has been awarded nearly $1.2 million from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, to assess why biodiversity may reduce allergy and asthma risks in New Zealand children.

Professor Jeroen Douwes
2019
Massey professor awarded asthma research funding

Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes, Te Kapotai, Ngapuhi-nui-tonu, from Massey University’s SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, has been awarded nearly $5 million to investigate environmental and kaupapa Māori initiatives aimed at providing much needed gains in Māori health outcomes.

Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes
2019
Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes awarded $5m HRC programme grant

Associate Professor Dennis Slade, from the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, received the rare distinction of being made a Fellow of Physical Education New Zealand, at the recent annual conference in Wellington.

Associate Professor Dennis Slade
2019
Associate Professor Dennis Slade made a Fellow of Physical Education New Zealand

New research from Massey University’s College of Health shows overwhelming support for sustainability characteristics to be included in the Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults, set out by the Ministry of Health.

Associate Professor Carol Wham
2019
Associate Professor Carol Wham's study is first to assess sustainability characteristics in national dietary guidelines. 

School of Health Sciences senior tutor and PhD candidate Ying Jin has been awarded a Zonta grant, sponsored by Graduate Women Manawatū Charitable Trust, to attend and present her research at the 13th European Nutrition Conference in Ireland in October.

Ying Jin
2019
Zonta grant allows Ying Jin to present research in Ireland

Massey University graduate Dushanka Hettige has been awarded the 2018 Bernice Kelly Award from Dietitians NZ for the most improved full-time dietetic student, from either Massey University, University of Otago or University of Auckland.

Dushanka Hettige
2018
2018 Bernice Kelly Award

Dr Octavia Calder-Dawe from Massey University’s SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre, has been awarded nearly $250,000 from the Health Research Council of New Zealand to investigate what wellbeing means to New Zealand youth.

Dr Octavia Calder-Dawe
2018
HRC funding for New Zealand youth wellbeing research

Dr Rosie Gibson from Massey’s Sleep/Wake Research Centre has been awarded nearly one-quarter of a million dollars by the Health Research Council of New Zealand to investigate sleep and its relationship to the health and wellbeing of older New Zealanders, highlighting both the personal, sociological, and economical impact of sleep problems.

Dr Rosemary Gibson
2018
Emerging Researcher First Grant for sleep research

First year health sciences student Kelcie Mills was awarded Zespri's inaugural $15,000 three-year scholarship after submitting an essay outlining the far-reaching effects of improved workplace health and safety practices in New Zealand.

Kelcie Mills
2018
$15,000 Zespri scholarship

Victoria Chinn and Christine Roseveare, from the School of Health Sciences, have been awarded Associate Fellow status.

Victoria Chinn and Christine Roseveare
2018
Higher Education Academy Fellowships

Associate Professor Chris Wilkins has been awarded $836,000 to lead a research project titled 'Dark side of the Net: Exploring and modelling the impact of online illegal drug markets', alongside Dr Monica Barratt, University of New South Wales, Professor Jochen Mueller, University of Queensland and Dr Marta Rychert, SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre. The team will analyse the way illegal drugs are sold online, using encrypted websites on the ‘darknet’.

Associate Professor Chris Wilkins
2018
Marsden funding for illegal drugs sold on the darknet research

Dr Kathryn Hay was awarded a Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching Award for 2018. This places her among the country’s top 10 tertiary teachers awarded. Awards are presented to those who demonstrate years of commitment and support for learners that go far beyond good teaching practice.

Dr Kathryn Hay
2018
Watch video

Professor Andy Martin was awarded a Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching Award for 2018. This places him among the country’s top 10 tertiary teachers awarded. Awards are presented to those who demonstrate years of commitment and support for learners that go far beyond good teaching practice.

Professor Andy Martin
2018
Watch video

Dr Dennis Slade has been given the extremely rare and prestigious endorsement of his research in physical education and sport, through a special supplement publication of his research. This is the first time in the 65-year history of the New Zealand Physical Educator journal that a special supplement has been published, with all the articles written by the same first author.

Dr Dennis Slade
2018
Sport education researcher honoured in special journal

Dr Marta Rychert from the SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre was awarded a Marsden fast-start grant worth $300,000 for her research project titled 'Legal cannabis for sale: home-grown or supermarket?'

Dr Marta Rychert
2018
Marsden fast-start grant for cannabis sales research

Dr Octavia Calder-Dawe from the SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre was awarded a Marsden fast-start grant worth $300,000 for her research project titled 'Relentlessly positive? Exploring the imprint of positivity imperatives on the affective lives of young women.'

Dr Octavia Calder-Dawe
2018
Marsden fast-start grant for positivity research

The second edition of Pharmacology in Nursing: Australian and New Zealand won the Tertiary (Adaptations): Student Resource Category at the Educational Publishing Awards Australia. Head of the School of Health Sciences, Associate Professor Rachel Page wrote 17 chapters.

Associate Professor Rachel Page
2017
Massey academic’s book wins Educational Publishing Award

Associate Professor David Rowlands from the School of Sport and Exercise was honoured as the winner of the 2017 Gatorade Sport Science Institute (GSSI) - American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Sport Nutrition Award for his study entitled, Multiple-Transportable Carbohydrate Effect on Long-Distance Triathlon Performance.

Associate Professor David Rowlands
2017
Sport Nutrition Award

The prestigious Dietitians NZ Award of Excellence has been awarded to Dr Carol Wham from Massey University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Dietetics.

Dr Carol Wham
2017
Dietitians NZ Award of Excellence

Professor Sally Casswell, Co-Director of the SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre in Auckland, has been awarded a project grant of $1,188,701 over 36 months by the Health Research Council of New Zealand. Her project is entitled Assessing and comparing national policy to reduce harmful use of alcohol.

Professor Sally Casswell
2017
HRC funding for alcohol control research

Professor Jeroen Douwes, Director of Wellington’s Centre for Public Health Research, has been awarded nearly $5 million by the Health Research Council of New Zealand to investigate work-related disease.

Professor Jeroen Douwes
2017
HRC funding for work related disease research

Dr Collette Bromhead was appointed chief executive of the New Zealand Organisation of Rare Diseases (NZORD). The health advocacy organisation represents the interests of New Zealanders affected by rare disorders by promoting research and partnering with clinicians to improve diagnostics, treatments and support.

Dr Collette Bromhead
2017
Massey lecturer appointed head of rare diseases organisation

Professor Mark Henrickson is a staunch advocate for the rights of sexual and gender minorities. He was the first New Zealand social worker from New Zealand to deliver the prestigious Eileen Younghusband Memorial Lecture at the 2016 World Social Work Conference in Korea.

Professor Mark Henrickson
2016
Eileen Younghusband Memorial Lecture

Associate Professor Kieran O’Donoghue was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for research by Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW). As well as receiving this Quality and Innovation Award, he shared the overall ANZASW trophy.

Associate Professor Kieran O’Donoghue
2015
ANZASW Quality and Innovation Awards

    Strategic vision

    Vision

    In line with the philosophy of Hauora, our strategic approach to learning, teaching and research is to view optimal health and wellbeing as the outcome of multiple factors encompassing individual differences, diversity, social determinants and environmental interactions.

    It is important to us to be recognised nationally and internationally for the quality and integrity of our research, the capability of our graduates and our service to others. We develop and promulgate solutions for large and complex problems that affect the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and whänau with the aim of building a brighter world.


    Mission

    The College of Health makes a difference in the areas of:

    • accessible health education
    • applied social research
    • health system strengthening including workforce development
    • public health and health policy
    • applied inter-disciplinary practice
    • sleep, sport and exercise, and nutrition
    • understand the environmental, biological and social mechanisms of health and disease.

    Goals

    1. Be a Treaty of Waitangi led College of Health – Te Kura Hauora Tangata.
    2. Value, recognise and reward professional and academic staff, and promote staff development and wellbeing.
    3. Be the preferred partner for education and research in our areas of expertise.
    4. Align and optimise organisational processes to achieve best practice.
    5. Generate new revenue and increase efficiency so we can invest in our strengths.

    Donate to the College of Health

    We welcome your support in raising money to enable excellence in scholarship, teaching and research in the College of Health.

    Donate now

    Departments

    The College of Health is a collaboration of four interconnected schools. Find out more about their locations, research expertise and staff.

    School of Health Sciences

    School of Nursing

    School of Social Work

    School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition

    Research centres

    Find out more about our University research centres, their staff and research.

    Centre for Public Health Research

    The Centre for Public Health Research covers all aspects of public health, including non-communicable diseases (respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes), occupational health, environmental health, socio-economic determinants of health, Māori health and Pacific health research.

    Find out more

    Research Centre for Māori Health and Development | Te Pūmanawa Hauora

    The Research Centre for Māori Health and Development focuses on public health research from a Māori development perspective.

    Find out more

    SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre

    The SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre is funded through external research grants and contracts to undertake public-good research of relevance to the health and social sectors. The centre consists of two multidisciplinary research groups working in a Treaty of Waitangi partnership model to produce excellent research with the aim of improving health and wellbeing in Aotearoa, New Zealand and globally.

    Find out more

    Sleep/Wake Research Centre

    The Sleep/Wake Research Centre is New Zealand’s first laboratory dedicated to research and education in circadian physiology, sleep science, and their applications. We are motivated to find science-based solutions to the challenges created by the restricted sleep and circadian disruption that are endemic in our 24/7 society.

    Find out more

    Accreditation and rankings

    New Zealand Performance-Based Research Fund Rankings

    According to the NZ PBRF Rankings 2018, our subject areas of research excellence relative to other New Zealand universities are:

    • nursing
    • sport and exercise science
    • other health studies.

    New Zealand Dietitians Board

    The Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) programme is accredited by the New Zealand Dietitians Board. Our graduates are eligible to register as a New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD) and to practice as a dietitian in New Zealand.

    Shanghai Ranking - sport science schools

    The School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition is ranked in the top 150 Sport Science Schools and Departments worldwide. The ranking is determined by criteria such as research output, research quality and international collaboration.

    Shanghai Ranking - public health

    Massey University is ranked in the top 200 universities in the world in the subject area of public health by the Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. The ranking is determined by a series of indicators such as the number of papers authored by an institution in an academic subject, international collaboration on papers, and the number of staff winning awards in an academic subject.

    New Zealand Social Workers Registration Board

    Our professional programmes are accredited by the New Zealand Social Workers Registration Board. Students who complete the Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Applied Social Work can immediately apply for provisional registration as a registered social worker.

    Nursing Council of New Zealand

    Our nursing programmes are nationally and internationally recognised and approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand. Students who have completed Massey’s Bachelor of Nursing, can apply for registration as a registered nurse with the Nursing Council of New Zealand.  

    Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (UK)

    IOSH (UK) is the largest OSH practitioner professional association outside the United States. Our Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety is the only NZ tertiary qualification accredited by IOSH (UK). Students who complete this qualification will meet the academic requirement for Graduate Membership to IOSH(UK). Membership then leads to registration as an OHS practitioner.

      Scholarships and awards

      Massey University offers a range of awards, grants and scholarships to assist students with fees and living expenses, and to support academic and research excellence.

      Persistent airflow limitation and the airway microbiome in childhood asthma

      A PhD scholarship for someone who wants to undertake research within the Centre for Public Health Research. Your research project, funded by the Health Research Council, will assess the role of the airway microbiome and inflammation in persistent airflow limitation in childhood asthma.

      Find out more

      Antibiotics in the first years of life: a risk factor for chronic childhood conditions?

      A PhD scholarship for someone who wants to undertake research within the Centre for Public Health Research. Your research project will test the hypothesis that ‘the use of antibiotics in early life increases the risk of three common chronic childhood conditions: type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)’.

      Find out more

        Doctoral project funding opportunities

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