Master of Sport, Exercise and Health
With the Master of Sport, Exercise and Health you can advance your knowledge of the sport industry, and be involved in world-leading research in sport, exercise and health.
You can specialise in coach and athlete development, health and physical education, outdoor learning, physical activity and nutrition, sport data analytics, sport leadership and management, or strength and conditioning. You can also complete this master’s degree by choosing from the full range of courses available across the programme.
At the heart of the programme is the dissertation or thesis, which enables you to research a topic of your interest, under the guidance of AUT’s globally renowned sport and recreation staff. The programme is flexible, and is offered fully online or taught at the North Campus.
Download programme guides
Minimum entry requirements
Must have completed one of the following with a B grade average or higher:
- A bachelor's degree; or
- A graduate diploma
International student entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with all bands 6.0 or higher; or equivalent
To complete the Master of Sport, Exercise and Health you need to successfully complete 180 points. You can either choose to complete a specialisation with a 60-point dissertation or the standard pathway with a 90-point thesis. This is a great opportunity to research a topic of your interest within the field of sport, exercise and health.
All courses are offered on campus and online, apart from the health and physical education, and strength and conditioning courses, which are only available on campus. Our online and flexible learning options are convenient if you live outside of Auckland or are balancing your study with work or family commitments. There’s an emphasis on mātauranga Māori in our courses.
Complete the programme without a specialisation
Complete the following course
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And choose one of
- SPOR988 90-point Thesis (90 points)
- SPOR997 Dissertation (60 points)
And the remaining points from*
- COMP828 Statistical Programming for Data Science (15 points)
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research II (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research II (15 points)
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- NUTR801 Nutrition and Health (15 points)
- SPEX801 Exercise and Nutrition for Health (15 points)
- SPEX803 Exercise Physiology (15 points)
- SPEX805 Performance and Movement Analysis (15 points)
- SPEX806 Contemporary Coaching Practice (15 points)
- SPEX807 Sport Performance Nutrition (15 points)
- SPEX808 Promoting Physical Activity and Health (15 points)
- SPMG801 Advanced Sport Development (15 points)
- SPMG802 Advanced Sport Leadership and Management (15 points)
- SPMG803 Advanced Sport Marketing (15 points)
- SPMG804 Advanced Sports Event Management (15 points)
- SPOR802 Outdoor Learning and Development (15 points)
- SPOR803 The Human-Nature-Hauora relationship (15 points)
- SPOR804 Outdoor Crafting (15 points)
- SPOR805 The Societal Role of Outdoor Learning (15 points)
- SPOR806 Transformative Teaching and Learning in Physical Education (15 points)
- SPOR807 Contemporary Approaches to Health Education (15 points)
- SPSC801 Applied Exercise and Sport Psychology (15 points)
- SPSC803 Enhancing Muscular Performance (15 points)
- SPSC804 Applied Human Movement Studies (15 points)
- SPSC805 Applied Skill Acquisition in Sport (15 points)
- SPSC806 Internship in Strength and Conditioning (30 points)
- SPSC807 Internship in Sport Data Analytics (30 points)
*You need to complete 45 points from the courses above if you’re taking a 90-point thesis, or 75 points if you’re taking the 60-point dissertation.
Specialisations in the Master of Sport, Exercise and Health
Advance your understanding of the coaching process, and how to develop other coaches and athletes. This specialisation focuses on the current needs of the coaching and coach development industry in New Zealand. It’s suitable for graduates from the Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in Coaching who want to further their skills, as well as for professionals already working in the field.
You’ll learn from academic staff who are well-known for their expertise in skill acquisition, sport psychology, performance analysis and coach development.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- SPEX805 Performance and Movement Analysis (15 points)
- SPEX806 Contemporary Coaching Practice (15 points)
- SPSC801 Applied Exercise and Sport Psychology (15 points)
- SPSC805 Applied Skill Acquisition in Sport (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
Deepen your understanding of health education, physical education, te ao kori, and physical activity in school settings. Through this specialisation you will critically examine the discourses impacting health and physical education, consider the application of contemporary theories into practice, and extend your knowledge of mātauranga Māori in health and movement contexts.
The Health and Physical Education specialisation caters to graduates, current teachers, and other professionals passionate about health and physical education, wellbeing, and physical activity in educational environments. You’ll benefit from our academic experts who are actively involved in research and practice within the health and physical education field.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- SPOR808 Mātauranga Māori in Health and Physical Education (15 points)
- SPOR807 Contemporary Approaches to Health Education (15 points)
- SPOR806 Transformative Teaching and Learning in Physical Education (15 points)
And choose one of
- SPEX806 Contemporary Coaching Practice (15 points)
- SPEX808 Promoting Physical Activity and Health (15 points)
- SPOR802 Outdoor Learning and Development (15 points)
- SPOR803 Human-Nature-Hauora Relationship (15 points)
- SPSC805 Applied Skill Acquisition in Sport (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
Take your knowledge of outdoor education further with the Outdoor Learning specialisation in the Master of Sport, Exercise and Health. This specialisation builds on an undergraduate degree in outdoor education, and provides a long-needed postgraduate qualification in this field.
Our academic staff have extensive teaching, research and industry experience in outdoor learning and development, both in New Zealand and around the world.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- HEAL816 Special Topic (15 points)*
- SPOR803 The Human-Nature-Hauora Relationship (15 points)
- SPOR804 Outdoor Crafting (15 points)
- SPOR805 The Societal Role of Outdoor Learning (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
* With approval from the programme leader.
Develop your understanding of the factors that affect healthy living. Courses in this specialisation cover topics like promoting physical activity, making healthy lifestyle choices and educating populations about healthy nutrition.
You’ll be taught by academic staff who are well-known for their expertise in physical activity and nutrition.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- NUTR801 Nutrition and Health (15 points)
- SPEX801 Exercise and Nutrition for Health (15 points)
- SPEX807 Sport Performance Nutrition (15 points)
- SPEX808 Promoting Physical Activity and Health (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
Explore advanced statistical methods, data visualisation and sports technology to support decision-making in athletic performance. You'll learn to collect and interpret complex datasets using software like Hudl Sportscode,R and Tableau. There's an emphasis on predictive modelling, player performance metrics and strategy optimisation, helping you develop the skills to drive data-driven performance-enhancing strategies in the sports industry.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- COMP828 Statistical Programming for Data Science (15 points)
- SPEX805 Performance and Movement Analysis (15 points)
- SPSC807 Internship in Sport Data Analytics (30 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
A sound understanding of sport leadership and management helps identify both opportunities and issues in the sport sector. That’s why management, leadership, marketing, events and development are important areas for New Zealand sport professionals. Courses in this specialisation focus on current issues in New Zealand sport.
You’ll benefit from the expertise of our academic staff who are based at the AUT Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) and are involved in research projects with partners around the world.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- SPMG801 Advanced Sport Development (15 points)
- SPMG802 Advanced Sport Leadership and Management (15 points)
- SPMG803 Advanced Sport Marketing (15 points)
- SPMG804 Advanced Sports Event Management (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
AUT is internationally recognised for its expertise in the field of strength and conditioning, and our staff and postgraduate students are known for their world-class research and their contribution to advancing industry knowledge.
Through this specialisation you advance your knowledge and practical skills in the area of strength and conditioning. You’ll learn from academic staff who are globally renowned as experts in this field, and have access to the AUT Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) and its state-of-the-art equipment.
Complete the following courses
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora - Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
- SPEX803 Exercise Physiology (15 points)
- SPSC803 Enhancing Muscular Performance (15 points)
- SPSC804 Applied Human Movement Studies (15 points)
- SPSC806 Internship in Strength and Conditioning (30 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL811 Integrative Research (15 points)
- MAOH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And choose one of
- HEAL808 Quantitative Research (15 points)
- HEAL810 Qualitative Research (15 points)
And complete a dissertation
- SPOR997 60-point Dissertation (60 points)
Plus complete one other 15-point Master of Sport, Exercise and Health course.
Ready to enrol in your courses?
Find out how you can enrol in the courses and classes for your programme, whether you’ve just joined AUT as a new student or you’re already studying with us. If you’re looking for more info on a specific course use our course search.
Skills you will develop in the Master of Sport, Exercise and Health
The outcomes for graduates of the Master of Sport, Exercise and Health are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.
- Strength and conditioning coach
- Exercise physiologist
- Performance analyst
- Manager of performance programme
Online study
($15,041 tuition fees + $1,787 student services levy)
($65,400 tuition fees + $1,787 student services levy)
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.