Programme details

Bachelor of Musculoskeletal Health

Students can develop the skills to build a rewarding and versatile career in the health sector.

Course description

The Bachelor of Musculoskeletal Health is designed using best-practice principles in clinical education and innovative teaching methods to prepare you for roles in non-registered areas of healthcare and management.

In your first year, you’ll build a foundation in musculoskeletal health, osteopathy, and critical thinking. The second year focuses on evidence-based clinical practice and advanced bioscience knowledge, while the final year emphasises clinical learning, complex problem-solving, and decision-making. Throughout the programme, clinical practice courses provide valuable industry experience, allowing you to apply your learning in real-world healthcare settings.

Note: To become a registered osteopath, you must also complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Osteopathy (Level 8, one year) at Ara.

Occupational Registration

Certain occupations require registration by law in New Zealand. This programme leads to registration with Osteopathic Council of New Zealand.

Immigration benefits

This course may qualify for the following visa rights:
In-study work rights
Partner visitor rights
Partner work rights
Post-study work rights

This course qualifies for 3 points if applying for residency under the Skilled Migrant Category.

Career Prospects

Employment opportunities may include working in the public or private sector as an exercise prescription consultant, rehabilitation assistant, insurance or ACC case manager, green prescription health advisor, clinical research assistant or health-related salesperson.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements:

-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

as well as Literacy – 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of 5 credits in reading, 5 credits in writing,

and Numeracy- 10 credits at Level 1 or above (specified achievement standards, or unit standards 26623, 26626, 26627)

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.

If English is not the first language, students must provide a result from a test or qualification on the acceptable alternatives.

Test	Minimum Requirement
IELTS (Academic)	Overall score of 6.0, with no band lower than 5.5
TOEFL iBT	Total score of 60, with a writing score of at least 18
Cambridge English Qualifications	B2 First, B2 First for Schools, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169, and no less than 162 in each skill
OET (Occupational English Test)	Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
NZCEL (New Zealand Certificate in English Language)	Level 4 (Academic)
PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)	Score of 50, with no band lower than 42
LanguageCert International ESOL	C1 Expert (overall PASS) with no less than 25/50 in each skill, or Academic test with a minimum score of 65 overall and no skill below 60
Trinity College London ISE	ISE II with no less than distinction or 96 in any band