Undergraduate · Nursing & Health Sciences
Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science
Australian Catholic University, Multi-campus (7 campuses, 5 states), Australia
About this program
The course is aligned to Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) standards for Accredited Exercise Scientist registration, and ACU has built in a checkpoint most competitor programs don't: a strengthened Exercise Assessment and Conditioning unit that functions as a secure, skills-based gate students must pass before they're allowed into practicum. It's there to make sure students can actually design and justify a safe, evidence-based exercise program before they're let loose on real clients.
Placement is a two-stage structure: Professional Experience 1 runs internally with heavy support, Professional Experience 2 is external, across a minimum of two placement sites and 140 total hours, 90 of which must be exercise testing, prescription and delivery specifically. The degree finishes with an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), the same kind of practical, station-based assessment used in medical and allied health training, which is a more rigorous capstone than many exercise science degrees use.
Depending on which electives students choose, graduates can also become eligible for Level 1 accreditation with the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association, giving the degree a foothold in both clinical exercise science and performance/strength coaching pathways.
Cost & duration
English test scores
Verified acu.edu.au ↗
Course structure
5 terms of coursework
- Year 1: Human Anatomy, Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, Functional Anatomy
Year 2: Exercise Assessment and Conditioning (checkpoint unit
- secure skills-based assessment), Nutrition for Exercise and Sport, Motor Learning and Control
- Year 3: Professional Experience 1 (internal, supported placement), Clinical Exercise Prescription, Strength and Conditioning electives (ASCA Level 1 pathway)
- Year 4: Professional Experience 2 (external placement, across minimum two sites, 140 hours including 90 hours exercise testing/prescription/delivery), capstone Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
- Accreditation: aligned to ESSA Exercise Scientist standards
- ASCA Level 1 eligible depending on electives
Admissions
Year 12 completion, ATAR approx 65 or equivalent
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