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Ara Institute of Canterbury

Christchurch , South Island ,New Zealand

Bachelor of Musculoskeletal Health

Gain skills for a health sector career with diverse opportunities.
Please note: due to high demand, this programme is full for 2021 and applications are now closed. The closing date for applications for 2022 will be advised in due course.

Developed according to best practice approaches in clinical education and delivered utilising innovative teaching methods, the Bachelor of Musculoskeletal Health will equip you with the knowledge and skills required for employment in non-registered areas of health care and management.

You'll start your studies by gaining foundational knowledge of musculoskeletal health and osteopathy and forming a basis for critical thinking. In year two, the emphasis is on evidence-based clinical practice and extending your bioscience knowledge. Your final year focuses almost entirely on the development of clinical practice learning, critical thinking and increasingly complex problem solving and decision-making.

Throughout the degree, clinical practice courses will give you industry experience by enabling you to apply your knowledge in real-world environments. You'll also have the opportunity to train with Ara students in other health care disciplines such as nursing, midwifery, medical imaging, social work, human nutrition, health promotion and sport and exercise science. This provides opportunities for inter-disciplinary learning, further enhancing your employment outcomes.

Please note: to become a registered osteopath, you must also gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Osteopathy, a one-year Level 8 programme at Ara.

As places are limited on this programme we strongly recommend applying as soon as you know you wish to study with us.

Campus Information

Christchurch City

The Madras street campus is on the fringe of Christchurch’s CBD and within easy walking distance of shops, cafes, supermarkets, entertainment venues, parks and other attractions. It’s well serviced by public transport, and is just five minutes from the city’s main bus exchange. The Madras street campus is Ara’s largest. In addition to modern, purpose designed facilities, it also has a recreation centre, gym, health centre, a bookshop and a number of on-site cafes.

Intakes

  • Feb

Application Processing Time in Days: 20

Application Process

More Information required
10 Days
Possible Interview Call from Institution
10 Days
Provisional /Unconditional Offer
20 Days
Visa Process
30 Days

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Our Careers & Employment team provides free advice to current and prospective students, as well as our graduates. We can help you with:

  • Exploring your career options
  • Developing your employ-ability
  • Job search, CVs, interviews and more

PSW Opportunity

  • During study, all students on a student visa can work up to 20 hours per week during semester and full time during vacations.
  • After completing Level 7 Bachelor’s Degree or Higher Qualification, a student will get a three years open post-study work visa.
  • After completing Level 8 Post Graduate courses of 1 year, students get 1 year PSW.

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

New Zealand University Entrance: NCEA Level 3 (60 credits at level 3 and 20 credits at level 2 or higher) which must include:

14 credits at Level 3 in each of biology or physical education or health education, English or classical studies or history or geography or art history or religious studies or social studies

One other subject from the list of approved subjects*

OR New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4) Ara Pre Health Pathway or equivalent.

Due to Covid-19 disruption, if you studied and achieved NCEA Level 3 during 2020, you only need 12 credits per Level 3 subject (i.e. total of 36 credits). Literacy and Numeracy requirements remain the same

If you have undertaken examinations other than NCEA (e.g. International Baccalaureate, Cambridge Examination), Ara will assess your qualification for academic entry equivalency.

What if English is not my first Language?

If English is not your first language, we want to make sure that you will be successful in your chosen programme of study.

Please provide a result from a test or qualification on the acceptable alternatives English Proficiency Outcomes Chart.
If you are a New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident, complete an Admission and Enrolment form and Ara will contact you regarding a free assessment.
If you are not a New Zealand Citizen or Permanent resident, book an IELTS or other test through the Ara Examination Centre or in your home country.
IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form and are valid for two years from the date of the test.
What if I have achieved NCEA Level 3 University Entrance?
You do not need to provide additional evidence of English Language skills.
Overall IELTS 6.0 Academic

5.5 Listening
5.5 Reading
5.5 Writing
5.5 Speaking