Sport and recreation

AUT is New Zealand's top university for sport science, and ranked in the top 30 in the world by the prestigious world university rankings organisations QS and ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities). Our courses are developed through world-leading research and input from top industry partners.

Academic departments

Research in sport and recreation

We believe in high-quality research that has impact, and have world-class researchers and research strengths across sport and recreation.

More about our research

Sport and recreation facilities

AUT is New Zealand’s leading sports university – we have excellent gyms and sport centres, offering group exercise classes and personal training services. AUT Millennium is our world-class sports training and research facility.

News
AUT Blue Award recipients
Healthy homework works
Professor Lesley Ferkins
THE Rankings Sep 2019
Woolf Fisher AUT scholarship Awards ceremony
AUT Blue Award recipients
Top students awarded AUT Blue Awards
18 Oct, 2019
59 AUT students from disciplines ranging from water polo to film directing celebrated their successes at the 2019 AUT Blue Awards on Thursday 10 October.
Healthy homework works
Healthy homework works
16 Sep, 2019
Researchers investigated the effects of a Healthy Homework implementation in primary school children.
Professor Lesley Ferkins
Five questions: Professor Lesley Ferkins
13 Sep, 2019
We asked Professor Lesley Ferkins five questions about her research ahead of her Inaugural Professorial Address.
THE Rankings Sep 2019
AUT moves up 50 places in world rankings
12 Sep, 2019
AUT is now in the top 1% of world universities and in the top 50 for research citations.
Woolf Fisher AUT scholarship Awards ceremony
19 first in family scholarships awarded
05 Sep, 2019
19 AUT students were awarded Woolf Fisher First-in-Family AUT Scholarships at a celebration event at the AUT South Campus on Thursday 29 August.
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Erika Ikeda
Tara Coe
Matthew Kritz
Jake Candy
Dave Williams
Erika Ikeda
Great graduatesErika IkedaPostdoctoral Fellow, Medical Research Council Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDoctor of Philosophy
Master of Health Science
Postgraduate Diploma in Health ScienceShe chose AUT because of the calibre of her supervisor, says sport and recreation alumna Erika Ikeda who came to AUT as an international student from Japan.She chose AUT because of the calibre of her supervisor, says sport and recreation alumna Erika Ikeda who came to AUT as an international student from Japan. The opportunities for multidisciplinary research and collaboration are what Erika has enjoyed most about her studies at AUT. She also appreciated having access to the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) and its fantastic facilities.
Tara Coe
Great graduatesTara CoeLearning Support Advisor, Skills Active AotearoaBachelor of Sport and RecreationAs learning support advisor at Skills Active Aotearoa, AUT Bachelor of Sport and Recreation alumna Tara Coe loves helping others further their skills.She loves helping others further their skills, says sport and recreation alumna Tara Coe who now works at Skills Active Aotearoa, the industry training organisation for the recreation, sport and exercise industries. She has always been passionate about sport, says Tara who grew up in Waiuku. Moving from a farm and country high school to Auckland had its challenges, she admits but she says that AUT has a way of shaping people and helping each student in a way that suits their individual needs.
Matthew Kritz
Great graduatesMatthew KritzSenior Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Performance, University of California San Diego
Co-Founder / Managing Director, Athlete Nation LLCDoctor of PhilosophyA passion for sport is what drives AUT sport and recreation alumnus Dr Matthew Kritz who has more than 20 years of experience in elite sport.A passion for sport is what drives AUT sport and recreation alumnus Dr Matthew Kritz who has more than 20 years of experience in elite sport and has worked with Olympic athletes from 21 different sports. He is proud of two decades of physically and mentally preparing athletes in both ground and water-based sports, Matthew says.
Jake Candy
Great graduatesJake CandyTeacher of Outdoor Education, Flinders Christian Community College, Victoria, AustraliaBachelor of Sport and RecreationHe can’t think of a more dynamic working environment than the outdoors, says Jake Candy who now teaches outdoor education in Victoria, Australia.He can’t think of a more dynamic working environment than the outdoors, says Jake Candy who teaches outdoor education at Flinders Christian Community College in Victoria, Australia. He wasn’t always sure what he wanted to do after high school, says Jake who went to school in the Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne. When his great aunty suggested AUT’s Bachelor of Sport and Recreation, it sparked his interest.
Dave Williams
Great graduatesDave WilliamsHead of the Outdoor Education Department, Botany Downs Secondary CollegeGraduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching
Bachelor of Sport and RecreationAUT sport and recreation alumnus Dave Williams doesn’t just teach others about the outdoors; he spends plenty of time exploring them himself.AUT sport and recreation alumnus Dave Williams doesn’t just teach others about the outdoors; he spends plenty of time exploring them himself. His goal is to become the first person to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, as measured from sea level. So far, he has climbed four of the seven highest peaks. A highlight for him was running ten marathons in ten days before climbing Mt Kilimanjaro.
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Top 100 Sports-related subjects

Contact details

Contact us online
Phone 0800 AUT UNI (0800 288 864)

School of Sport and Recreation
AF Block, Level 2, North Campus
90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote
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