Study Physical Education, Activity and Health at Otago

Samantha Kirkness:

Hey, I’m Samantha. I study Physical Education, Activity and Health. And one thing I love about Otago is the close-knit community that we have. Everything is available at the tip of our fingers, and the staff and student support services are just really there to look out for you and want you to do the best. And so yeah, I really highly recommend anyone thinking about this course or studying at Otago.

Associate Professor Chris Button:

Kia ora koutou, I’m Chris Button. I’m the Dean of the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Science.

So, what is Physical Education, Activity and Health? It’s one of our four majors, and we look at the study of the social and physical basis of mauri ora or flourishing wellness. The programme considers why humans move in the way they do, what motivates them to be active or not, and what are the long-term implications for their health and their well-being.

Physical inactivity could prove to be one of the most significant burdens on global health in the 21st century. We will teach you to understand why this is the case, and we will also give you the tools to tackle this issue head-on.

If you love sport, exercise and physical activity, then you should come to study with us here at Otago for a truly moving physical education.

Wondering what you might do when you graduate? There are many career opportunities that await graduates of our PEAH programme. There are numerous career pathways in the general areas of coaching or teaching. You might consider community health and wellness, physical activity and health research. And specific roles include things such as a health promotion coordinator, exercise programme advisor, a wellness facilitator, or sport and lifestyle coaches. All of these would be perfect career pathways for students that graduate with a Physical Education, Activity and Health major.