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Teacher in Charge: Mrs Maree McCarthy mmccarthy@wdsg.school.nz
Course description:
Health Science Level 3 helps students gain a deeper understanding of major health issues in New Zealand and globally. By engaging in this subject, students explore various health problems on both national and international scales, learning to analyse different viewpoints. They study the factors and core concepts of health that contribute to these issues and consider actions to improve wellbeing. Critical thinking, research skills, and academic report writing are essential skills developed in this course.
Course of study:
Topics likely to be offered in 2026:
• An evaluation of a New Zealand health issue which is one affecting the well-being of an identified community or sector in New Zealand, and which is a matter of public concern.
Health-related issues may be derived from: Mental health or resilience, concepts of masculinity, or femininity, the portrayal of sexuality in the media, teenage sexual health use of a specific drug, prevalence of a specific disease in specific populations, discrimination, or harassment or other issues as deemed relevant.
• Evaluate the health practices to an identified health circumstance. The health circumstance may be existing, or one which could be prevented. Health circumstances include: a mental illness, an addiction, a physical illness or disease, pain management or reproductive health.
• An analysis of a health issue that is of international concern such as poverty and its impact on disease, sexual and reproductive health and life expectancy.
• Analysis of a contemporary ethical issue is a health-related issue of current public concern and where there are differing perspectives held by individuals and groups of people. The nature of these different perspectives presents a dilemma for people and society. Health-related ethical issues may be derived from: euthanasia, immunisation, organ donation, access to fertility treatment, reproductive technologies or other topics as deemed appropriate.
Assessment:
Internal - 14 Internal credits
External - 5 external credits for some students who wish to explore the external examination. These students must be able to demonstrate a high degree of self-directed learning and critical thinking skills.
University Entrance Subject
Costs:
$100 towards health practice experiences.
Entry criteria:
14 credits in Level 2 English
At the discretion of the HOD of Physical Education.
A passion and interest in Health and allied Health topics and issues.
Future pathways:
Health Education can be studied at tertiary levels as a science or humanities subject. It leads to a wide variety of careers in social, community and health sectors including but not limited to care, support and rehabilitation of people, diagnosing and treating people, health promotion and advice, medical research and testing, providing technical support and equipment to healthcare professionals, counselling and therapy, helping people with personal development and life decisions, community support and care.
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