Program

Exercise Physiology - 3871

Program Summary

Faculty: Faculty of Medicine

Contact: medicalsciences.med.unsw.edu.au

Campus: Sydney

Career: Undergraduate

Typical Duration: 4 Years  

Typical UOC Per Semester: 24

Min UOC Per Semester: 6

Max UOC Per Semester: 24

Min UOC For Award: 192

UAC Code: 428100

Domestic Entry Requirements: See Domestic Entry Requirements

International Entry Requirements: See International Entry Requirements

Award(s):

Bachelor of Exercise Physiology

View program information for previous years

Program Description

The program offers a comprehensive education in the area of health and exercise with a focus on the use of physical activity as preventative and rehabilitative therapy. Four years of full-time study leads to the award of a Bachelor of Exercise Physiology. A total of 192 units of credit must be successfully completed for the award of this degree. Graduates may expect to find employment as Exercise Physiologists in rehabilitation clinics and hospitals working in post-acute rehabilitation, sports medicine clinics, corporate health, specialised fitness centres, government departments establishing policy guidelines regarding physical activity and preventative health, and private practice for rehabilitation/exercise prescription for people requiring specialist guidance (e.g. workplace rehabilitation). The Bachelor of Exercise Physiology is accredited by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). Graduates are eligible to become members of the professional body, Exercise and Sports Science Australia, and accredited Exercise Physiologists.

Program Objectives and Graduate Attributes

The degree is committed to excellence in teaching in the medical and exercise sciences and in clinical training. The degree is designed to enable students to:
  • Develop a thorough understanding of the relationship between physical activity and health
  • Attain competencies in conducting a broad range of exercise-based clinical tests and in delivering lifestyle change programs that use exercise for the primary prevention of disease and the management of chronic disease
  • Attain skills and detailed clinical knowledge relevant to cardiopulmonary, metabolic, musculoskeletal and neuromuscular rehabilitation
  • Develop advanced problem solving skills and a capacity for critical thinking
  • Develop an ability to engage in independent and reflective learning for the betterment of professional clinical practice
  • Develop a broad range of communication skills and an ability to work as a member and a leader of a team, with respect for diversity and a high standard of ethical practice

Program Structure

Foundation science courses are an important component of the early stages of the program and include chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, statistics and psychology. Building on this knowledge base, the medical sciences of anatomy, physiology, pathology and pharmacology are studied concurrently with the exercise science sub-disciplines of, biomechanics, exercise physiology, motor control and exercise psychology (the latter of these incorporated in courses on exercise programming) to develop an integrated understanding of human function in health and disease and how this is impacted by exercise. The professional role of Exercise Physiologists is emphasised from the commencement of the program in stage 1 exercise science courses. Clinical courses in stage 3 cover the four broad areas of practice for Exercise Physiologists, being the primary prevention of disease in apparently healthy populations (1), and the management of chronic diseases under the broad categories of: cardiopulmonary and metabolic conditions (2), musculoskeletal conditions and work hardening (3) and neuromuscular conditions (4). Courses offer a mixture of traditional and interactive/case study approaches to learning.

Clinical practicum is a major component of this program with 100 hours completed across stages 1 to 3 (as an element of course work) and 400 hours in dedicated courses in stage 4. Clinical placements include the University's Lifestyle Clinic, and hospitals and private practices. Research electives are also completed in stage 4 to refine skills for independent learning and to further develop understanding of research and the scientific method and how this informs clinical practice.

Elective courses in stages 3 and 4 provide flexibility in the program and allow students to select courses according to their areas of interest and career specialisation. Electives include courses in nutrition, public health, exercise for special populations, musculoskeletal diseases, cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology, clinical and experimental pharmacology, neuroanatomy, and health psychology. It is possible for students to tailor their program in years 3 and 4 choosing appropriate electives, which would allow them to focus on one or more of several relevant areas. For example, these include (i) cardiopulmonary conditions (ii) metabolic conditions (iii) musculoskeletal conditions (iv) neuromuscular conditions (v) nutrition and (vi) clinical gait analysis. Further information is available in the program guide for enrolled students.

General Education is a requirement of all undergraduate courses at this university and can be taken in Stages 3 and 4. Elective and general education courses in stages 3 and 4 provide flexibility to facilitate international exchange in the latter stages of the program, whilst still completing the core courses and practicum required to be eligible to become an accredited Exercise Physiologist.

Stage 1

Semester 1

Semester 2

Stage 2

Semester 1

Semester 2

Stage 3

Semester 1
Plus a further 6 UoC of General Education or Elective (listed below)

Semester 2
Plus a further 6 UoC of General Education or Elective (listed below)

Stage 4

12 UOC Clinical Practicum:

12 UOC Research:

12 UOC Advanced Professional:
Plus any one of the following:
Plus a further 12 UOC to complete remaining general education or electives (recommendations listed below).

Notes relating to stage 4 clinical practicum and research projects:
Clinical practicum and research projects are available in Semester 1 or Semester 2 or Summer Term.

Clinical Practicum A and Clinical Practicum B are usually completed in consecutive semesters, but this may be varied with approval from the program authority. Approval may be dependent on availability of elective courses, international exchange opportunities or clinical placements.

Commencing a research project prior to completing HESC4501 Exercise Physiology Research Seminars requires permission from the Program Authority and Course Convenor. Permission may also be granted to complete two research projects (HESC4551 and HESC4571) in place of doing HESC4501 and HESC4551 as the 12 UOC of core research courses. For students seeking to undertake both HESC4551 and HESC4571, with permission from the course convenor(s) and the program authority, students may be able to undertake components of a single larger project across HESC4551 and HESC4571, either concurrently or consecutively. Alternatively, entirely separate projects may be completed for HESC4551 and HESC4571, again either concurrently or consecutively.

Electives

General Education Requirements
Students enrolled in Exercise Physiology must complete 12 units of credit of General Education, across stage 3 and/or 4 of the program. The rules for General Education can be found by clicking here. Please note that students must complete their General Education requirements with courses that are from faculties other than Medicine. This means that courses offered by the Faculty of Medicine (including GENM and GENS courses) cannot be counted as General Education.

Academic Rules

  1. A student must complete 192 units of credit including 12 units of General Education.
  2. A student may complete no more than 60 units of credit in stage 1 courses
  3. Clinical Practicum courses may not normally be commenced until a student has completed each of the stage 3 clinical courses, HESC3504, HESC3541, HESC3532, HESC3592, unless approval is granted by the program authority.
  4. For a Pass Degree with Distinction, a student must obtain a minimum of 75 WAM across the program and complete at least 96 units of credit in that program at UNSW to be eligible.
  5. Courses completed on international exchange may be substituted for program courses deemed to be equivalent, but grades awarded at institutions other than UNSW will not count towards a student's WAM. Recognition of studies on international exchange will typically be confined to general education and elective courses in the program.
  6. Progression to Honours is subject to academic performance. Students seeking to enrol in Honours are required to have the permission of the Head of the relevant School/Department, to have completed all the requirements of the BExPhys and to have satisfied pre-requisite requirements for the Honours Specialisation.

Fees

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  UNSW Fee Website.

Other Program Requirements

A senior first aid certificate must be completed before commencing the stage 3 clinical courses and CPR certification must be maintained throughout the remainder of the program. Criminal record checks, prohibited persons declarations and immunisations are a requirement of many clinical placement providers and any such requirements should be met prior to the stage 3 clinical courses.

Area(s) of Specialisation