Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science

The Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast is a three-year degree built around how the human body responds to movement, training and rehabilitation. You study anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, exercise prescription, motor control and skill acquisition, and sport psychology. Later units look at strength and conditioning, exercise testing, and working with athletes and everyday clients across the lifespan.

Australian bachelor degrees are structured on the AQF and normally take three years of full-time study. At USC you complete units of study each semester, and each unit carries a set number of credit points. You need to accumulate the required credit points to graduate. The degree includes a capstone experience in your final year, where you bring your skills together in a supervised project or placement. Sport and exercise science is a field where hands-on work matters, so the course includes work-integrated learning. You might find yourself running fitness assessments in a community gym, assisting with strength and conditioning at a local sporting club, or supporting exercise programs for people managing chronic conditions. The Sunshine Coast has a strong sporting and active-health community, which gives you real settings to practise in.

By the time you finish, you can assess movement, design and deliver exercise programs, interpret physiological data, and communicate with clients, coaches and health professionals. You learn to work safely and ethically, and to adjust programs as people improve or their needs change. These are the skills employers look for in exercise science graduates.

This degree suits school leavers who enjoyed biology and physical education, and also mature-age students changing careers into health, fitness or sport. If you want to work with athletes, help people manage their health through exercise, or continue into research or further study, this is a practical starting point. Check the official CRICOS entry and the university page for current unit lists, English requirements and intake details. International students should note the Student visa work rights: you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may let you stay and gain work experience, depending on your circumstances.

• Exercise scientist in private practice, community health or corporate wellness
• Strength and conditioning coach with sporting clubs, academies or school programs
• Sports development officer in local government or state sporting organisations
• Cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation assistant in hospitals and clinics
• Fitness coordinator or personal trainer in gyms and outdoor training businesses
• Research assistant in university sport science labs
• Further study: master's degrees in clinical exercise physiology, physiotherapy or sports science