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Community Health

Study Community Health and make a difference to your community and whānau.

The Community Health major is designed to ensure graduates have the knowledge, skills and understanding to make a difference in the wellbeing of the people in our local, regional and national communities. Drawing on Māori, Indigenous, critical and sociological perspectives, students will be provided with the opportunity to investigate the way health is understood and practiced in our society. Students will develop practical skills that will allow them to advocate and take action in enhancing the well-being of themselves and others.

Community Health is an interdisciplinary programme, which includes papers from the Waikato Management School as well as the Schools of Arts and School of Social Sciences. The major embraces bi-culturalism and multi-culturalism by conceptualising health in a holistic sense. Moreover, it focuses on key relational and communication skills that are foundational to working with people in the health sector.

Community Health is available as a major for the Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance. Community Health may also be included as a second major or minor in other undergraduate degrees, subject to the approval of the School in which the student is enrolled.

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Key information

Study Locations:Hamilton, Tauranga
Papers offered differ by location. The Catalogue of Papers has full location info.
Area of Study:

Career opportunities

  • Community Sport Adviser
  • Events Manager
  • Health and Physical Education Teacher

Study in Tauranga

A selection of papers in Community Health (and other Health, Sport, and Human Performance subjects) will be available in Tauranga in 2020. To complete a full BHSHP will require some study in Hamilton.


100 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
CMYHE101Understanding Hauora, Health and Wellbeing15.023A (Hamilton), 23A (Online) & 23A (Tauranga)
This paper examines a social determinants approach to Health. It includes exploration of a range of interactions that influence the health of populations and determinants of health in New Zealand and global contexts.
PSYCH101Social Psychology, Health and Well-being15.023B (Hamilton) & 23B (Tauranga)
This paper will introduce major issues in psychology particularly as they relate to health, wellbeing, mental illness, forensic psychology, lifespan development, and social factors in a range of contexts.

200 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
CMYHE201Healthy Lifestyles and Healthy Communities15.023B (Hamilton) & 23B (Tauranga)
This paper aims to develop understanding of sociological analyses and critiques of health promotion and to develop comprehension of the relationship between practice and the wider cultural, environmental, political, and social contexts in which health promotion occurs.
CMYHE202Understanding Healthy Bodies: Sociocultural Perspectives15.023A (Hamilton) & 23A (Tauranga)
This paper develops a sociocultural understanding of healthy bodies.
PSYCH202Mauri Ora: Social Psychology of Human Flourishing15.023A (Hamilton) & 23A (Tauranga)
The paper will examine important conceptual frameworks and theory within social psychology and the social sciences generally. Maori perspectives and exemplars will be a significant emphasis within the paper.
PUBRL202Health Communication15.023A (Hamilton)
This paper explores the construction and evaluation of communication campaigns to address health issues in communities and organisations. The campaigns use communication theory to design persuasive and innovative health campaigns.

300 Level

Code Paper Title Points Occurrence / Location
CMYHE301Critical Perspectives of Health15.023B (Online)
In this paper students will critically engage with a range of contemporary health and social issues using a case study approach. This will include gaining a comprehensive understanding of the role of the media, popular culture and interest groups and critiquing contemporary health and social issues.
CMYHE302Health in the Digital Era15.023A (Hamilton), 23A (Online) & 23A (Tauranga)
This paper critically examines how the growth of digital technologies have influenced understandings and practices of health. Key themes in this paper address the role of digital media in constructing understandings of healthy and unhealthy lifestyles, the changing nature of the healthcare provider-patient relationship, and the dev...
PSYCH302Community, Culture and Diversity15.023B (Hamilton) & 23B (Tauranga)
The focus of this paper is the study of social justice, intersectionality, transformative interventions, and social change strategies that are central to community, indigenous and liberation psychologies. Issues covered include inequalities, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class and (dis)ability. Key considerations are the broader co...
PUBRL301Stakeholder and Community Engagement15.0No occurrences
This paper is designed to develop capacity in students to develop and facilitate ethical collaborative communication and relationship engagement activities with a diverse range of stakeholders within communities.
SOCPY301Health, Wellbeing and Policy15.023B (Hamilton), 23B (Online) & 23B (Tauranga)
This paper provides a critical introduction to key issues in the formation of health policy at both a national and international level.

New to Waikato? The International Excellence Scholarship is worth up to $10,000.

Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship  Accepting applications

For school leavers with strengths in three key pillars: 1) excellence in a sport or creative/performing art, 2) high academic achievement (minimum of NCEA Level 2 with Merit, or equivalent), and 3) strong leadership qualities or potential. Students taking one gap year may also apply.
Closing Date: 31 August 2023

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Students who major in Community Health as part of the Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance often pursue further study at masters or doctorate level to enhance their understanding of a specialised area within the sport and leisure industry. Our researchers have strong links with the industry and other researchers nationally and internationally.


Subject links

Undergraduate study at Te Huataki Waiora School of Health


Contacts

Te Huataki Waiora School of Health
Phone: 0800 924 528 or +64 7 838 4625.
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.waikato.ac.nz/hshp/
Facebook: facebook.com/WaikatoSchoolOfHealth