Friday 6 July 2018 4:30pm
Dean, Associate Professor Chris Button
The 70th Anniversary of the University of Otago's School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences is being marked with a celebration of its history at Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hākena Research Library, and as the past is remembered a new degree structure has been confirmed.
To ensure the School maintains its world-leading position, its degree structure is moving from offering a four-year Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Applied Science in Sport Technology, to four three-year majors.
The confirmed new structure beginning 2019 will offer:
- Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Physical Education, Activity and Health.
- Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Sport Technology.
- Bachelor of Science majoring in Exercise and Sport Science.
- Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts majoring in Sport Development and Management.
The new curriculum reflects the School's world-leading QS ranking of 12th in the world, and number one ranking of any department in sports-related subjects in New Zealand. A major curriculum change such as this has not been undertaken since the 1990s.
School of Physical Education Sport and Exercise Sciences, Dean, Associate Professor Chris Button, says the changes have been confirmed following extensive consultation with stakeholder groups, students, alumni and employers to ensure an innovative curriculum, located in the School's research strengths, that meets new directions in physical education, sport and exercise sciences.
“The new curriculum is better integrated with the University's existing qualifications allowing students to choose additional majors and minors from our new qualifications or from others around the University. The curriculum hasn't received this level of restructuring for 20 years and it provides more career-focused qualifications for a quickly evolving field of study,” says Associate Professor Button.
The confirmation of the School's future direction coincides with its 70th Anniversary celebrations, with the first event, Movement Through Time, a display at Hocken Collections, exhibiting an array of fascinating 'Phedder' memorabilia spanning the past 70 years including film images, digital images, short videos and more. The display has been created by current fourth-year Bachelor of Physical Education student, Sinead Ford.
Movement Through Time will be officially opened this Sunday, 8 July, and will be open for public viewing during opening hours at Hocken Collections through to Saturday, 21 July.
This anniversary also coincides with the annual Physical Education New Zealand (PENZ) Conference being held in Dunedin from 9 – 11 July 2018.
For further information, contact:
Chris Button
Dean – School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
University of Otago
Tel 03 479 9122
Email chris.button@otago.ac.nz
Cara Duffy
Divisional Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator
University of Otago
Tel 03 479 5888
Email cara.duffy@otago.ac.nz
Mark Hathaway
Senior Communications Adviser
University of Otago
Mob 021 279 5016
Email mark.hathaway@otago.ac.nz
A list of Otago experts available for media comment is available elsewhere on this website.
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