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Overview

Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) is well-known as a competitive first year of study for five of the University of Otago's Health Sciences professional programmes, but it also gives you a great number of other options – ranging from useful background knowledge for three other professional programmes, to counting as the first year of your Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences or Bachelor of Science degree.

Professional programmes

HSFY counts as the first year of study for five of the Health Sciences professional programmes:

Dentistry

  • HSFY + 4 years = 5 years total
  • Based at the Faculty of Dentistry, on the Dunedin campus – with placements in Auckland in your final year

Medical Laboratory Science

  • HSFY + 3 years = 4 years total
  • Based at the Dunedin School of Medicine – with placements throughout New Zealand and overseas in your final year

Medicine

  • HSFY + 5 years = 6 years total
  • After HSFY, years 2 and 3 are jointly taught by Otago Medical School and the School of Biomedical Sciences, on the Dunedin campus
  • Years 4–6 are taught at either Otago Medical School in Dunedin; University of Otago, Christchurch; or University of Otago, Wellington – with placements throughout New Zealand in your final year

Pharmacy

  • HSFY + 3 years = 4 years total
  • Based at the School of Pharmacy, on the Dunedin campus
  • After graduation, one year of on-the-job training and study is required to become a registered pharmacist in New Zealand

Physiotherapy

  • HSFY + 3 years = 4 years total
  • Based at the School of Physiotherapy, on the Dunedin campus

HSFY is useful preparation, but not required, for three of the Health Sciences professional programmes:

Dental Technology

  • 3 years total (excluding HSFY)
  • Based at the Faculty of Dentistry, on the Dunedin campus

Note: High grades in HSFY allow you to apply for direct entry into the 3-year Bachelor of Dental Technology with Honours (BDentTech(Hons)) programme.

Oral Health

  • 3 years total (excluding HSFY)
  • Based at the Faculty of Dentistry, on the Dunedin campus

Radiation Therapy

  • 3 years total (excluding HSFY)
  • Based at the University of Otago, Wellington

Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (BBiomedSc)

HSFY counts as the first year of study for a three-year BBiomedSc degree in any of the following majors, all taught on the Dunedin campus:

Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc)

Please note: Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) is not the same as Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc).

HSFY can count towards a three-year BHealSc degree in any of the following majors, all taught on the Dunedin campus:

Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science (BPharmSc)

HSFY can count towards the three-year BPharmSc degree, taught on the Dunedin campus.

Six of the seven HSFY papers are part of the major subject requirements for this degree, and the seventh can contribute as additional points.

Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science (BPharmSc)

Bachelor of Science (BSc) with Health Sciences majors

HSFY counts as the first year of study for a three-year BSc degree in any of the following majors, all taught on the Dunedin campus:

Note: There are many more BSc majors available than those listed above, which are only the Health Sciences BSc majors. See ”Other degrees“ below.

Other degrees

Most degrees at the University of Otago allow you to contribute points from other areas to your degree. For example, if you choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA), you can contribute up to 90 points (five papers) from HSFY towards your BA.

A Bachelor of Science (with a non-Health Sciences major) would enable to you to contribute more than 90 points, because all HSFY papers are counted as science papers.

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

  • Up to five HSFY papers can contribute towards BASc arts majors (as additional points for your degree)

Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc)

  • All HSFY papers can contribute towards BASc science majors (as major subject requirements)

Bachelor of Commerce (BCom)

  • Up to five HSFY papers can contribute towards BCom commerce majors (as additional points for your degree)

Bachelor of Science (BSc) with non-Health Sciences majors

  • All HSFY papers can contribute towards your degree (either as major subject requirements, or as additional points for your degree – depending on the major)

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