Online Bachelor of Health

Description
This course introduces students to the determinants of health in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. Students will examine health and how it is viewed and experienced by different groups of people, including key influences and challenges to achieving [good] health. Measures to address health inequities, including the role of the health system, will be explored and examined.

Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss the concept of health from different perspectives.
2. Examine the influences on health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
3. Recognise the challenges to achieving [good] health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
4. Question health inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand, and measures to address them.
5. Examine health system responses to achieving [good] health in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Description
This course is an introduction to aspects of professional communication in a practice/workplace environment. This course will include substantive content on communicating across the life course, communication for practice with Māori, communication for working with diverse communities including but not limited to Pasifika communities, people with disabilities, children and older persons. This course will explore professional communication (legal and ethical), documenting for practice, digital literacy and working in teams. Common communication dynamics associated with teamwork, challenging conversations and conflict will be addressed.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe theories of interpersonal communication with individuals, whanau and communities in a range of contexts across the life course.
2. Discuss processes for establishing, maintaining and ending professional relationships.
3. Explore the use of mana-enhancing theory as a key Māori practice framework for communication.
4. Discuss cross-cultural communication with diverse communities including but not limited to Pasifika communities, people with disabilities, children and older persons.
5. Describe and apply professional, legal and ethical standards for communication in professional practice.

Description
This course introduces students to a selection of historical and contemporary Māori health content within a Treaty of Waitangi framework, to support robust analyses of Māori population health issues. Exploring what Māori health was and is, students will be challenged to consider the promise of Māori health and its significance for current and future Aotearoa New Zealand.

Learning outcomes: 

1. Describe and discuss key health developments and their importance for Māori health outcomes.
2. Discuss the Treaty of Waitangi in terms of its application to Māori health.
3. Describe Māori health status in terms of public health and Māori health measures.
4. Describe key Māori health concepts and models.
5. Demonstrate a strengths-focused orientation to analysis of Māori health issues.
6. Conduct dialogue and/or inquiry relating to Māori health issues in a constructive and respectful manner.

Description
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the structure and function of the human body, and will be fundamental for students pursuing careers in the health sciences or biomedical fields. Covering topics from cellular biology to major body systems, Anatomy & Physiology I focuses on the building blocks of life and the complex interactions between the musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Students will explore topics such as how tissues form organs; how bones and muscles maintain structure and enable movement; how the brain and nerves control bodily functions; and how the cardiovascular and respiratory systems move blood and vital gases around our body. Students will also be able to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios by analysing how dysfunction and disease (or training and support) can influence these critical systems. 

This fully online, self-paced course provides a structured and engaging learning journey through purpose-designed digital resources, case-based learning, applied activities, and opportunities for reflection. Students will work through a coherent sequence of online learning activities that supports them to develop their knowledge and connect theory with practice while managing their study around other commitments. Optional online tutorials may be offered in response to student demand or identified learning needs. There are no compulsory scheduled lectures, on-campus workshops, or intensive teaching blocks, but where possible simple, practical applications of theory will be encouraged in real-world and at-home settings for the learner. 

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the structural organisation of the human body at the cellular, tissue, organ, and system levels.
2. Describe the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system, including bone formation, joint movement, and muscle contraction.
3. Describe the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and the role it plays in controlling bodily functions.
4. Describe the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system, including heart structure, the cardiac cycle, and the function of blood vessels in regulating blood flow and pressure.
5. Describe the structures involved in the mechanics of respiration and the processes of gas exchange at the alveolar and systemic levels.
6. Apply theoretical knowledge to clinical and other real-world scenarios by analysing case studies related to the organs and systems outlined above.

Please note: while not compulsory, we recommend learners complete HLTH112 before taking this course.

Description
Building on the foundational knowledge acquired in Anatomy & Physiology I, this course delves into additional organ systems that sustain life and ensure the body’s internal homeostatic balance. Anatomy & Physiology II focuses on the integumentary (skin), endocrine, gastrointestinal, renal, and reproductive systems, providing in-depth insights into how these systems work together to maintain normal bodily function. Students will explore the components of the skin; the endocrine system and the hormones that regulate our bodies; nutrient absorption in the digestive tract; kidney function in filtering blood; and the intricate processes of human reproduction. Students will also be able to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios by analysing how dysfunction and disease (or training and support) can influence these critical systems.

This fully online, self-paced course provides a structured and engaging learning journey through purpose-designed digital resources, case-based learning, applied activities, and opportunities for reflection. Students will work through a coherent sequence of online learning activities that supports them to develop their knowledge and connect theory with practice while managing their study around other commitments. Optional online tutorials may be offered in response to student demand or identified learning needs. There are no compulsory scheduled lectures, on-campus workshops, or intensive teaching blocks, but where possible simple, practical applications of theory will be encouraged in real-world and at-home settings for the learner. 

Learning outcomes: 

1. Apply an understanding of basic tissue biology to the integumentary system, including the layers of the skin and the functions of accessory structures.
2. Explain the role of the endocrine system in maintaining homeostasis, including the production, secretion, and effects of key hormones on the body.
3. Describe the digestive processes within the gastrointestinal system, including the breakdown of macronutrients, absorption mechanisms, and nutrient transport.
4. Describe the functional anatomy of the renal system, with a focus on the processes of filtration, reabsorption, secretion, and excretion.
5. Explain the anatomy and physiology of the male and female reproductive systems, including the processes of fertilisation, pregnancy, and early development.
6. Apply theoretical knowledge to clinical and other real-world scenarios by analysing case studies related to the organs and systems outlined above.

Description
An introductory cellular biology course linking biochemistry and molecular biology to explain how chemical properties shape cell structure and function. You will learn to design simple experiments with appropriate controls, interpret evidence, and communicate key ideas about information flow, metabolism, signalling, homeostasis, and how these processes relate to healthy and diseased physiology.

Learning outcomes: 

1. Explain key features of different knowledge systems, including Mātauranga Māori and science, and how these inform understandings of the natural world.
2. Apply introductory scientific methods to design and conduct experiments, interpret results, and draw evidence-based conclusions.
3. Explain how chemical properties and molecular interactions underpin biological structure and function at molecular and cellular levels.
4. Describe how biological information is stored, expressed, communicated, and inherited, and how changes in these processes influence organism function.
5. Explain how energy, metabolism, signalling, and regulatory processes contribute to biological function and homeostasis.
6. Communicate biological and biochemical concepts accurately using appropriate terminology and formats for different audiences.

Description
This course provides an understanding of nutritional principles for healthy living and maintaining and improving sporting performance. The course will identify recommended nutritional practices for various populations including athletes, recreational exercisers, and groups with specific nutritional needs.  

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe how food and fluid is digested and absorbed to support energy availability, growth, and recovery. 
   
2. Describe the role of macronutrients and micronutrients in supporting health and performance.
3. Explain the principles of fluid balance in relation to hydration and performance strategies. 
4. Assess and apply appropriate nutritional guidelines for healthy living with a focus on the Aotearoa New Zealand context. 
5. Evaluate narratives and claims surrounding nutrition in marketing, media and commercial contexts. 
6. Apply basic principles of research design and ethics to investigate and interpret nutrition information in sport and health contexts.  

Pre-requisite: learners must have successfully completed SPRT107 before taking this course.

Description
This course is designed to develop each student’s knowledge and skills in relation to the theory and practice of exercise physiology. The lecture sessions will cover, in detail, the energy systems as they underpin health and performance. The laboratory sessions will provide students with the knowledge, time and opportunity to develop hands-on practical skills for fitness assessments both in the field and laboratory - essential for every exercise physiologist. In addition students will gain experience and skills in reading and critiquing research papers, analysing data using statistics as well as writing research papers.

On-campus requirements
Please note: this course requires 3 days of in-person learning at the University of Canterbury. Dates to be confirmed with enrolled learners.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the energy requirements and sources of human energy production during anaerobic and aerobic exercise.
2. Discuss the acute and chronic responses of the body to exercise in health and performance contexts.
3. Critique and apply a variety of assessment tools for fitness testing in the field and laboratory.
4. Recommend appropriate training methods for supporting athletes from different populations to enhance performance.
5. Analyse data collected in laboratory sessions and effectively report results.

Description
This course introduces students to the measurement of health and disease in populations. Students will learn about defining and measuring health and disease. The course will cover quantitative methods to assess health and disease, including introductory epidemiology and biostatistics.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify and describe the broad range of ways health and disease are measured quantitatively.
2. Understand and explain basic concepts of epidemiology.
3. Explain how routinely collected data can be used to measure health.
4. Compare and contrast different epidemiological study designs.
5. Reflect on and critically appraise personal concepts of health, through the synthesis of (biological, social and cultural) health models, theories and health-related experiences.
6. Understand how epidemiological research is able to identify the causes, as well as risk and protective factors, of health conditions.

Description
The course provides an understanding of the biological, socio-cultural and individual factors that influence individual and universal human lifespan development. Ethical concepts and the major theories of human development are introduced, and the focus is on lifespan development in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. In this course, you will develop skills that will allow you to critically evaluate research that determines how early life influences impact on development in multiple domains in older age groups.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe models and theories of human development and learning over the lifespan.
2. Explain significant milestones in the human development journey, from conception through to adulthood.
3. Discuss the influence of physical, historical, cultural and social contexts on human development.
4. Discuss interdisciplinary interventions that modify developmental pathways and outcomes.

Description
This course introduces students to the importance of planning and evaluation in the health sector. Students will become familiar with planning and evaluation tools and approaches commonly used in public health, and will learn how to ensure that plans meet current health sector needs and priorities, including how the cultural context affects the planning and delivery of public health interventions.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the importance of planning and evaluation in the health sector.
2. Identify and describe planning and evaluation tools and approaches used in public health.
3. Demonstrate the ability to plan and evaluate a public health intervention using a structured approach 
4. Critique three different planning and evaluation tools, and recognise the strengths in each. 
5. Apply the principles of planning and evaluation to a range of settings, including among young people, Pasifika and Māori and to selected public health interventions .

Description
The purpose of this course is to enable students with the knowledge and skills to critically evaluate and apply evidence in various health contexts. The course will enable students to learn about the methods of critical appraisal in health and apply evidence for health promotion, framing of health policy and health care related decision making. By understanding how evidence informs decision making in health promotion and policy development students will be better equipped to contribute to evidence-based practice.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically review sources of evidence used to inform decision making in health.
2. Evaluate different research approaches utilised in population health.
3. Discuss the application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in health research.
4. Evaluate ethical considerations in health research and practice.
5. Critically apply evidence to inform health policy and decision making.
6. Synthesise evidence relevant to health policy and generate evidence based insights.

Description
This course provides students with an opportunity to extend their knowledge in the field of exercise physiology as it applies to health and sports performance settings. This includes examining ergogenic aids, the benefits of physical activity, and the effects of different environments on the acute and chronic response to exercise. The assessment will require the development of a novel sport science test; students will bring their existing knowledge of a sport to devise a unique sport-specific assessment tool and examine its validity and reliability.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically analyse a range of fitness assessment tools available to exercise physiologists.
2. Develop novel, valid and reliable, sport-specific assessment tools for a range of sports.
3. Describe trends in participation in physical activity and the links between physical activity and health.
4. Analyse and evaluate ergogenic aids for enhancing sports performance and supporting athlete training.
5. Critically evaluate the effects of different environments and contexts on physiological functioning.