Take your passion for movement further and learn how sport, exercise and health intersect in powerful ways.
Why study postgraduate Sport and Exercise Medicine?
Sport and Exercise Medicine explore how human movement, health and performance come together – from preventing injury and prescribing exercise, to optimising rehabilitation, nutrition, biomechanics and cardio-respiratory health.
At Otago, the course reflects the multidisciplinary environment where medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition and exercise science meet. This gives you the tools to help a wide range of people, athletes, patients, or anyone wanting to move better and live healthier.
Whether you see yourself working in sports teams, community health, rehabilitation, or research, this field is full of real-life relevance and opportunity.
Career opportunities
If you study Sport and Exercise Medicine at Otago, you’ll unlock pathways into roles that directly influence health, movement and performance. Some possibilities include:
- Sports physiotherapist or clinical physiotherapist
- Exercise prescription specialist or exercise consultant
- Sports medic or advisor for teams, clubs or organisations
- Rehabilitation therapist or coordinator
- Clinical exercise physiologist
What it’s like to study at this level
You will learn through flexible, web-conferenced teaching supported by intensive workshops that bring students together from across health professions. This blend of distance learning and face-to-face sessions creates space for applied learning, discussion and expert guidance.
The programme draws on senior academics and guest specialists in medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition and exercise science, giving you a rounded understanding of movement and health. Your learning is collaborative, clinically relevant and grounded in evidence, which helps you develop confidence in applying theory to real cases.
This is for you if ...
You will have been awarded a bachelor’s degree in a health-related field or have an alternative acceptable qualification. A real interest in how the body moves, how exercise affects health, or how to support recovery and performance will also set you up for success.
Where movement meets medicine
This programme reflects Otago’s strength in health sciences and its long-standing commitment to collaborative, research-informed teaching. You’ll learn from academic staff with expertise across medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition, physical education and exercise science.
The distance-learning structure gives you the flexibility to study while working, and the workshops provide valuable opportunities to engage with peers and specialists. Together these elements create a supportive environment where you can deepen your knowledge, expand your clinical perspective and grow your impact in sport and exercise medicine.
Choose a study option
Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Postgraduate qualifications
Honours, masters’, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a master’s or to step up to a PhD.
Ready to apply?
Take your expertise to the next level with advanced study.
Programme details
Compare programmes for this subject.
| Papers |
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The programme shall consist of: and additional papers from the schedule to a total of 120 points from:
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Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
SPME papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPME701 | 2026 | Issues in Sports Medicine | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| SPME702 | 2026 | Medical Aspects of Exercise | 15 points | Not offered in 2026, expected to be offered in 2027 |
| SPME703 | 2026 | Sports Nutrition | 30 points | Semester 2 |
| SPME705 | 2026 | Health and Human Performance B | 15 points | Not offered in 2026, expected to be offered in 2027 |
| SPME707 | 2026 | Regional Sports Injury 1 | 15 points | Semester 1 |
| SPME708 | 2026 | Regional Sports Injury 2 | 15 points | Semester 2 |
| SPME709 | 2026 | Women in Sport: Health Issues | 30 points | Semester 1 |
| SPME711 | 2026 | Exercise Prescription | 30 points | Semester 2 |
Contacts
Email spmepostgradadmin.medicine@otago.ac.nz
Website Sport and Exercise Medicine
This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.
Regulations on this page are taken from the 2026 Calendar and supplementary material.
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