Physical Education – Bachelor of Sport and Exercise

The Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (Physical Education) will prepare you for a satisfying career working with youth in sport and exercise.

Where you can study

Distance and online
Manawatū campus (Palmerston North)

International students

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand
Note: All courses are available online by distance. Some courses include optional on-campus contact workshops. Some first-year courses are also available on the Manawatū campus.

Specialise in Physical Education for your Bachelor of Sport and Exercise at Massey

The Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (Physical Education) will provide you with the perfect foundation to use your talents in a professionally satisfying and productive way.

Physical education has long been recognised as an important part of an overall education. This major will provide you with the knowledge and skills to perform and teach aspects of physical education, exercise and sport in educational contexts.

As a graduate, you’ll be knowledgeable about aspects of physical education, particularly as it relates to the breadth and potential of human movement. You will be able to demonstrate the application of key teaching principles in movement education, especially as they relate to youth.

The physical education practicum will give you experience working in a real-world setting. It can be based anywhere around the country, or even overseas.

This major takes an interdisciplinary approach to study. You will:

  • gain practical competency in a range of physical activities
  • enhance your critical-thinking skills
  • gain insights on movement education from a socio-cultural and biophysical perspective
  • gain a big-picture view of the potential of physical education, taught well, to be a major positive force in society.

Wide range of courses

You will take a set of compulsory courses common to all the BSpEx majors, then select courses specific to Physical Education. Some of the courses offer non-compulsory contact workshops on our Manawatū campus. You also have room for some optional courses (electives) that can be used to add a second teaching subject for those planning to go into secondary teaching.

Further study

You could become a primary or secondary school PE teacher, by completing Massey’s Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching. The secondary diploma qualifies you as a teacher of health, hauora and physical education.

A Bachelor of Sport and Exercise in Physical Education is a good fit if you:

  • are passionate about sport and exercise
  • want to work with, and positively influence, youth in educational settings
  • see the potential of physical education to shape life-long, healthy, active lifestyles.

Planning information

If you study full-time, in your first year, you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.

If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.

The majority of courses in your first year are common to all majors.

Course 234242 Motor Learning and Control is no longer offered and has been replaced with 234213 Fitness Assessment. You can add this course using the special request function in Course Enrolment.

Minors

Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree and give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.

A minor must be in a different subject from your major.

You may choose a minor from any University undergraduate degree that has recognised minors. If the minor is from another degree the regulations of that qualification will apply.

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key

Prerequisites
Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
Corequisites
Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
Restrictions
Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.

Compulsory courses

Course code: 151131 Introduction to Food and Nutrition 15 credits

An examination of the effect of social, cultural and psychological factors on food habits; a brief study of the composition of foodstuffs and the basic principles of human nutrition; an introduction to food safety and food preservation. Emphasis will be given to topics of current interest.

Restrictions: 141101, 151232, 151344, 214131

View full course details
Course code: 234215 Fitness and Athletic Conditioning 15 credits

This course provides an understanding of various exercise techniques and methods to developing fitness and conditioning programmes for the athletic population.

Prerequisites: 234111 and 234121 Restrictions: 234315

View full course details
Course code: 234222 Sport Biomechanics 15 credits

An introduction to the study of the kinematics and dynamics of the human body and the factors that influence skilful and efficient performance of bodily movements in sport and everyday life. Students will be introduced to the techniques and methods required for qualitative analysis of complex skills.

Prerequisites: 214170 or 234121 Restrictions: 234201

View full course details
Course code: 234223 Exercise Physiology 15 credits

A study of the function of human biological systems as they relate to sport and exercise. Acute responses and the chronic adaptations to sport and exercise, specifically in relation to the core topics of human energetics, muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. A strong laboratory focus will reinforce the theory and develop laboratory skills relevant to exercise physiology.

Prerequisites: 234121 or 214101 or 194101 Restrictions: 234203

View full course details
Course code: 234236 Applied Sport Coaching 15 credits

This course examines aspects of contemporary sport coaching through concepts of long-term athletic development and youth sport.

Restrictions: 152214

View full course details
Course code: 234242 Motor Learning and Control 15 credits

Students will study the principles and theories of motor control and their practical applications.

Restrictions: 274254, 234224

View full course details
Course code: 234243 Sport Pedagogy 15 credits

A critical examination that extends students' knowledge of the skills and methodologies relating to the learning and instruction of a range of physical activities and sports within educational contexts.

Prerequisites: 234140

View full course details
Course code: 234331 Sport and Physical Activity in the Social Context 15 credits

An examination of the social, cultural, political, economic and educational contexts of sport and physical activity.

View full course details
Course code: 234338 Sport and Exercise Practicum 30 credits

The practicum is designed to provide practical experience in sport and exercise areas according to individual interests and experience. Students may choose to undertake a practicum in areas including, but not limited to, sport event management, sport coaching, sport coordination, sport performance, exercise prescription and athlete conditioning.

Prerequisites: One of 234214, 234215, 234236, 234243, 152237 or 234233, 152238, 234315 Restrictions: 152371, 152372, 152376, 234316

View full course details
Course code: 234343 Sport Pedagogy II 15 credits

This course examines the principles and practices associated with effective sport pedagogy especially as it is applied to the delivery of game instruction in school and sport contexts.

Prerequisites: 234243

View full course details
Course code: 234346 Te Ao Kori and Health Promotion 15 credits

Explores the development of physical activity and health promotion initiatives in school, workplace and community settings, and the practices of Te Ao Kori (The World of Movement).

Prerequisites: 234141 Restrictions: 209316, 208316, 274370, 234345

View full course details

Entry requirements

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

Specific requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for this qualification, outside of university admission regulations.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Can't meet the entry requirements?

If you need to do a course before you start your qualification, there may be options for you in Summer School.

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

Scholarship and award opportunities

Search our scholarships and awards

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.

Careers and job opportunities

With the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (Physical Education), you could go on to become a physical education teacher by undertaking one year’s further study. Many graduates with this major become secondary school teachers in health and physical education, with opportunities for employment in New Zealand and overseas.

You may also work as a sports coordinator in a school or with local sports organisations, working alongside health workers and other educational staff.

International students

New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.

What our students say

“I decided to take the physical education major as I knew I wanted to be a teacher...The sport and exercise degree has given me a head start in my teaching career.”
Ashleigh Tito-Collins

Taranaki

Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (Physical Education)

Related study options