Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science

at University of South Australia - City East Campus Australia

Start your unstoppable career supporting people's health and wellbeing, with a double degree in exercise and sport science, combined with counselling and interpersonal skills.

This unique double degree – the only one of its kind in South Australia – will develop your expertise in physical, social and psychological science. You'll be prepared for work providing counselling to athletes, enhanced rehabilitation services and enhancing the physical health and mental wellbeing of the population.

This double degree can form the first part of a pathway to becoming a practising Psychologist (including sports psychologist) with further study in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), and the first part of a pathway to teaching with further study in the Master of Teaching (Secondary).

What you'll learn

This unique double degree will provide you with expertise in the science of exercise and sport, human thought and behaviour. You’ll develop cognitive and creative skills to solve real-world scientific problems and apply your knowledge in diverse contexts such as sports and mental health.  

You'll learn how to provide exercise advice, deliver strength and conditioning services, do biomechanical analyses, and share skill acquisition knowledge to enhance people's physical and mental wellbeing from children, to elite athletes, to older people. 

Your courses in psychology theory and counselling will help you enter the workforce with a strong understanding of the analytical, communication and interpersonal skills needed to work with individuals, groups and communities.

In the first two years, you’ll study exercise and sport science courses, with an introduction to psychology, which will give you a solid understanding of:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Fundamental movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Physical activity and health

The third and fourth years have a strong practical focus. You’ll develop critical thinking and practice-based skills to:

• Develop influencing skills and intervention strategies
• Gain knowledge of psychological disorders, including their causes and range of treatments
• Study the relationship between psychology and physical activity

In the only degree of its kind in South Australia you’ll learn to diagnose and treat disorders of the foot and lower limb. If you’re interested in working with people and promoting wellbeing, this is the degree for you.

Healthy feet are an important part of the body’s holistic health, and many of us at some point in our lives will experience foot problems. In the Bachelor of Podiatry, there’s a major focus on practical skills for keeping feet healthy every day, as well the ability to diagnose and manage illness and disability. You’ll get the opportunity to practice these skills within a vast range of industry organisations.

What you'll learn

You’ll gain an advanced understanding of both the theoretical and practical aspects of podiatry, as well as the physical, biological, and social sciences relevant to working in healthcare. The curriculum covers the scope of a podiatrist’s practice, including paediatrics, diabetes, sports injuries, musculoskeletal problems, treatment of the elderly, and general foot care.

During the first year, you’ll cover topics to give you an introduction to health sciences including:

• human anatomy
• human physiology
• biomechanics
• disease groups and conditions

You’ll develop advanced communication skills and explore the assessment and treatment of common problems. The second year will expand your knowledge in clinical sciences, including skills to enable comprehensive and holistic assessment and management of patient conditions. During your third and fourth years, you’ll work on your clinical practice skills, including surgery (and other orthopaedic management), paediatrics, wound management, high-risk foot management, chronic pain and sporting injuries.

Practical learning is a major focus, so your training will take place in our on-campus podiatry clinics, as well as during external placements in metropolitan and rural South Australia. You’ll also get the opportunity to fine-tune your podiatry skills with 3D printed feet, created as part of a world-first podiatry training initiative.

What you'll learn

The Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry) will teach you to assess, treat and prevent human movement disorders across various areas of practice, including sport, musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, and neurological conditions in people of all ages.

The beginning of the degree will cover topics in evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning skills, professional practice skills, the mechanisms and management of pain; and the theory, assessment, and management for cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neurological conditions. A central component of this master’s degree in clinical placements, which commence in the second half of your first year of study, in the area of acute care.

Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives, every day. With UniSA, you'll learn how to help people overcome constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations.

What you'll learn

The first year will focus on core health subjects including anatomy, physiology, and an introduction to occupational therapy practice and evidence.

From second and third year, you‘ll focus on the application of your skills in mental health, occupation rehabilitation, chronic conditions, community focus, primary health care and participatory community practice.

In addition to field placements, you‘ll attend workshops in a range of industry settings. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit regional settings in your third year, on the annual Country Road Trip.

Throughout your degree you’ll be exposed to many different hands-on activities, such as:

• Splint making
• Dressing adaptation for people with self-care impairments
• Wheelchair measurement tutorials
• Home modification and assistive technology plans
• Adult neurological rehabilitation techniques
• Completing skill demonstrations to become familiar with real-life occupational therapy scenarios

Start your unstoppable career in the world of human health and wellbeing, with a double degree in exercise and sport science, combined with nutrition and food science.

The exercise and sport science component will equip you with expertise on the impact of exercise and physical activity on the biological, physiological, psychological and social aspects of human life. The nutrition and food sciences component will give you hands-on experience in innovating foods; promoting and managing diets and lifestyles; and conducting meaningful research for enhanced wellbeing. 

With this double degree your career opportunities are diverse. You could be at the forefront of innovation in the food and nutrition industries, with opportunities to go into scientific and advisory roles. You could also design, deliver and assess exercise and physical activity programs to improve the health and wellbeing of clients, their performance, or to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. Further study opportunities may include a Master of Research (Health Sciences) or Master of Health Services Management.

What you'll learn

Through theoretical and practical learning, you’ll become an expert in all aspects of exercise and sport science, and graduate with the skills needed to design, implement and evaluate exercise and physical activity programs.

The exercise and sport science component prepares you to provide exercise advice, deliver strength and conditioning services, biomechanical analyses, and skill acquisition knowledge to enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of generally healthy individuals, ranging from children to elite athletes to older persons.

The nutrition and food sciences component will teach you to understand diets and lifestyles for optimum health and the associations between nutrient intake, energy output and obesity. You’ll also learn how to manage and improve nutrition and diet related to physical activity and lifestyle changes, and how to maximise physical performance for healthy active people.  

During the first two years you’ll learn about nutrition and study exercise and sport science courses, which will give you a solid foundation in:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Fundamental movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Chemistry and biology

The third and fourth years have a strong practical focus. You'll develop critical thinking and practice-based skills through learning about:

• Exercise prescription and delivery
• Relationship between food bioactives, functional foods and medicines
• Developing personalised dietary and exercise plans to manage weight
• Nutrition for sports, exercise and activity

Public health practitioners address social and environmental factors which prevent disease and prolong the lifespan of the greater public. You’ll work with individuals, groups, communities and organisations across public and private sectors. You’ll learn diverse approaches including policy development; data analysis and reporting; media and advocacy; public events; community-based education and interventions to create positive change. These methods may be used to tackle global health issues such as COVID-19, heart disease, cancer and mental health.

What you'll learn
Your studies will equip you with an understanding of the social and commercial determinants of health and wellbeing. You will learn how to engage with communities and populations to promote wellbeing through locally-relevant information and activities. You will learn the principles and purpose of evaluation in public health, the importance of lived-experience perspectives, the role of advocacy, and the responsible dissemination of public health information. You’ll also learn epidemiological techniques to identify patterns in population health, such as the prevalence of mental health conditions or cardiovascular disease, novel associations between risk factors and diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and COVID-19.

During your first year you’ll understand core areas of practice and in your second year you’ll get to apply that knowledge. In the final year, there will be an emphasis on becoming a public health practitioner and entering the workforce, and career development. You will also have the opportunity to showcase your industry project and placement experiences at the annual student conference.

Throughout the degree, you’ll focus on equitable access to health programs and services for priority population groups such as, but not limited to, people experiencing homelessness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse people, veterans, people living in rural and remote locations, young people, and older adults.

Project management is a highly valued discipline, with demand increasing for individuals with project management skills in the Australian workforce1. Many industries rely on specialist project and program professionals with excellent practical skills and advanced knowledge to plan and deliver projects on time, within budget, objectives,specifications, and outcomes that ultimately deliver value to their organisation and stakeholders.

This degree uses A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK® Guide) as a learning framework. It is the international standard practice and approach to project management that can be applied across different industries, businesses and government institutions.

What you'll learn
The program will deliver industry relevant material created through consultation with practitioners and industry governing bodies like the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM).

Over the course you will:

• Establish a project and prepare project plans to meet objectives and requirements,
• Lead projects from inception to commissioning,
• Learn how to use appropriate management tools for project monitoring and analysis,
• Gain knowledge in effective project management tools and techniques, current trends and contemporary knowledge such as sustainability, agile and tailoring based approaches to solve complex project problems creatively
• Complete a practical research project that can focus on an issue within your workplace.

This master’s degree is for qualified Physiotherapists who want to gain advanced clinical skills and knowledge in the prominent field of sports physiotherapy.

This degree accelerates your skills with an advanced qualification in sports physiotherapy practice, enhancing your sports specific knowledge, reasoning and clinical skills for future work with sporting organisations and in private practice.

Many of our sports physiotherapy graduates work at amateur, elite, national and international levels in a wide range of sports including Australian Rules Football, soccer, tennis, netball, gymnastics, swimming, water polo, dance, circus or acrobatics, skiing, Paralympic sports, softball, baseball, basketball and cricket.

What you'll learn

Sports Physiotherapists assess and treat sports and other injuries in field and outpatient settings. They need quick decision-making skills to triage injuries during events; perform pre-season screening; and develop injury prevention strategies for teams and individuals. When traveling with sports teams, the Sports Physiotherapist needs management, organization, and leadership skills.

The Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management will extend your skills to excel in leadership and management roles.

In just one year of full-time study, (or two years part-time equivalent) you’ll develop the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions in a managerial capacity in the health and aged care sectors.

What you'll learn
You'll develop the skills and knowledge to:

• Understand theoretical and practical knowledge of organisational behaviour and the psychology of individuals and groups, including motivation and leadership.
• Lead a multi-stakeholder environment and handle social leadership challenges responsibly.
• Learn what it means to be an effective and responsible leader.
• Provide planning, budgeting and identify cost efficiencies to contribute in financial decision-making.
• Effectively plan, manage, execute and deliver projects to completion.
• Develop and enhance your understanding of the quality, safety, and risk management standards which apply in health and aged care.
• Prepare for leadership roles in health within Australia and internationally.

This unique degree offers practice-based and theoretical learning to ensure you’re primed for a healthy career.

During the first two years you’ll explore both nutrition and food science topics, gaining a strong understanding of the key elements of each. You’ll complete group work and research on topics, including environmentally sustainable food practice, in the sensory lab. You’ll get to analyse micro-organisms and explore key topics like food contamination in the microbiology lab. 

Your knowledge will be developed in:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Health in our society
• Human and lifespan nutrition
• Biochemistry
• Physiology
• The chemistry of food
• Food quality and safety
• Relationships between food bioactives and health
• Consumer education
• Influences of the senses on consumer food choice
• Food sustainability

In your third year you’ll specialise in either a nutrition or food science stream.

If you choose nutrition, you’ll get to develop:

• Essential communication skills across a variety of platforms
• Skills to promote good health through food and nutrition in the community
• Dietary and exercise plans to manage weight
• Nutrition for sports, exercise and activity
• Sustainable nutrition choices

If you choose food science, you’ll focus on:

• Food microbiology
• Quality assurance in food processing and manufacturing
• Developing safe, nutritionally and environmentally sound foods for the marketplace
• Food and beverage fermentation