Master of Sport and Exercise Science by Research

A Master of Sport and Exercise Science by Research is for people who want to answer questions about how the body performs, recovers and adapts. At the University of the Sunshine Coast you spend two years on a supervised research project in sport and exercise science, not on a timetable of coursework units. You work with a supervisor to shape a question, design a study, collect data and write a thesis. The degree sits on the Australian Qualifications Framework at master's level, usually one to two years full time, and this one runs for two years.

What you actually do

Most of your time goes into the research itself. That could mean testing athletes in a sports science lab, measuring movement, monitoring training loads, looking at exercise for health or rehabilitation, or working with data already collected. You and your supervisor agree the topic and the methods. Some students do their research alongside a sporting organisation, a clinic or a community programme, which is how research degrees in this field often connect to real practice. There is no fixed list of subjects, so the project is the degree.

You also complete research training. Australian research master's degrees build in units or modules covering research methods, ethics, data analysis and academic writing, and you need ethics approval before you collect data from people. Your progress is checked at milestones, typically a confirmation of candidature early on and a final thesis submission and examination. Some students upgrade to a doctorate if the work grows. The thesis is the main piece of assessment.

Skills you come away with

You learn to design a study that answers a real question, run testing and measurement properly, analyse data with statistical software, and write findings that stand up to scrutiny. You get better at explaining science to athletes, coaches, clinicians and the public. You also learn to manage a long project on your own, which is the part employers notice.

Who it suits

This suits graduates in sport and exercise science, human movement, physiology, health science or a related field who want research experience rather than another coursework degree. It is a good fit if you are thinking about a PhD, or you want to work where evidence matters, such as high-performance sport, clinical exercise, health promotion or research support. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after you finish, depending on your circumstances. English proficiency requirements apply to international applicants. Check the official CRICOS entry and the university page for current details on tuition, entry requirements and project availability.

• Sport scientist with professional teams, state institutes of sport or national sporting organisations
• Exercise physiologist or clinical exercise specialist in hospitals, private practice or chronic disease programmes
• Research assistant or research officer in universities, medical research institutes or health services
• Strength and conditioning coach or performance analyst, often with additional accreditation
• Health promotion or workplace health officer in government, community organisations or corporate settings
• Doctoral study (PhD) leading to academic or senior research roles