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male student supervising female client doing exercise
B-EXSPRHB

Exercise and Sport Science

Bachelor degree

Develop practical skills and knowledge in physiology, biomechanics, psychology and motor control, to deliver exercise programs for health, wellbeing, performance, and the prevention of injury and disease.

Course outline
  • ATAR
    Minimum ATAR 70
  • Qualification
    Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Sport Science)
  • Duration
    3 years full-time
  • Credit
    600
  • CRICOS
    077744A
  • Location
    Curtin Perth
  • Fieldwork
    See requirements
Course outline

Select your preferred campus:

2023

Semester 1

On campus

Semester 2

On campus

2024

Semester 1

On campus

Semester 2

On campus

2025

Semester 1

On campus

Semester 2

On campus

2026

Semester 1

On campus

Semester 2

On campus

Course outline
Exercise and Sport Science

Outline

Outline

Exercise scientists help people to prevent and recover from injury and disease, maximise the fitness and performance of athletes, promote healthy ageing, and improve people's health and well-being. You will work to promote and educate diverse individuals, communities, and populations on the benefits of exercise that encourages lifelong maintenance of positive exercise behaviours using a person-centred approach that is underpinned and informed by the latest scientific evidence.

This course uses authentic learning practices providing you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills within each of the foundational pillars of exercise science: biomechanics, physiology, psychology, behaviour change, and motor control and learning. Foundational knowledge and skills are taught in the first year of the degree. You’ll delve deeper into each pillar of exercise science across the second and third year of your degree.

In your final year of study, you will apply your knowledge and skills by completing at least 140 hours of professional practice at two locations. One of these locations will be within our site situated at Cockburn Aquatic and Recreation Centre, whereas the other will be at one of our many industry partners that span elite sport, strength and conditioning, corporate health, clinical exercise physiology, and paediatric exercise.

For high-performing students, this course is the steppingstone to the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology, which broadens your practise capabilities, and enables you to use exercise to manage and treat chronic conditions. You could also undertake a research honours year where you would manage a research project and contribute to scientific knowledge, while experiencing working as an exercise/sport scientist.

Please note: this is a highly practical course and active participation in practical classes is essential for learning. Some practical classes will involve disrobing, as well as palpation of muscles and bony landmarks for learning anatomy and skills such as anthropometry.

What jobs can the Exercise and Sport Science lead to?

Careers

  • Fitness and performance
    • Exercise scientist
    • Strength and conditioning coach for community and sub-elite sporting teams
  • Corporate health
    • Pre-employment health and fitness assessor
    • Workplace well-being coordinator
  • Sport and recreation
    • Program coordinator
    • Sport developer
  • Preventative health/early intervention
    • Health promoter
    • Cardiac technician

Industries

  • Sporting team
  • Corporate
  • Defence forces
  • Government
  • Healthcare centres
  • Hospitals
  • Industrial and mining
  • Research and development

What you'll learn

  • integrate discipline knowledge and evidence-based approaches to enhancing the health and well-being of individuals and communities through exercise.
  • demonstrate cultural competence and ethics in exercise promotion, prescription and delivery in the local and global context.
  • appraise current and emerging technologies that are relevant to the field of exercise science and human performance.
  • formulate creative solutions to contemporary issues impacting exercise science and human performance.
  • select effective ways to communicate ideas related to exercise science and human performance, that enhances client participation, choice and decision making.
  • demonstrate ethical personal autonomy and interprofessional practice when collaborating with diverse groups, industries and stakeholders.
  • challenge personal and professional knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, and the impact of these on the provision of exercise and human performance services.

Why study Exercise and Sport Science

Work experience

You’ll get plenty of hands-on practice, both in the laboratory and through fieldwork, and undertake a 140-hour professional placement.

Professional recognition

On graduating, you’ll be eligible to apply for accreditation with Exercise and Sports Science Australia.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible to apply for accreditation with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA).

You may be required to submit proof of English competency with an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic overall band score of 7.0 and a minimum band score of 7.0 in reading, listening, writing and speaking, or equivalent, as part of your ESSA application.

I love that this course is very practical and hands-on. We don’t spend a lot of time in classrooms, but are instead actively applying theory in different contexts.

I’ve also undertaken practical placement with Australia’s hockey teams, the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos, which was an amazing experience.

Emily Fernandez

Admission criteria

What you need in order to get into this course. There are different pathway options depending on your level of work and education experience.

Select an option that best suits you:

You’re considered a high school leaver if you:

  • Completed year 12 in Australia or overseas in the past two years, or
  • Completed TAFE or VET studies in the past two years.

ATAR pathway

  • Minimum ATAR 70

    This course has a minimum ATAR of 70

  • Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    No required courses/subjects.

  • Desirable WACE subjects

    Desirable WACE courses/subjects are Maths Applications, Human Biology and/or Physical Education Studies. STAT elements considered are WE and either V or Q.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

StepUp Entry

Successful StepUp Entry and StepUp Equity Adjustment Admission Pathway (StepUp Bonus) applicants will be eligible to be considered for admission into this course.

Alternative pathways

  • UniReady

    If you don’t meet our minimum admission criteria, the UniReady Enabling Program can help you qualify for entry into a range of undergraduate courses.

  • Certificate IV + English Competency

    The certificate IV is the minimum requirement for university entry. It qualifies you for entry to Curtin courses with a 70 ATAR. You must also meet English language proficiency.

  • Indigenous applicant

    If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicant who hasn’t met Curtin’s minimum admissions criteria, the Centre for Aboriginal Studies offers bridging courses that are tailored to help you gain entry into this course.

  • STAT entry

    Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

6.5

Speaking

6.5

Reading

6.5

Listening

6.5

Overall band score

7.0

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

How others gained admission

View the ATAR breakdown to see the low, median and high ATAR scores of students who started studying this course recently.

To see the other pathways students have taken, see the pathway breakdown.

Other requirements and notes for this course

Full-time and part-time study options are available.

The course has two intakes each year. Starting mid-year will increase the duration of the course to 3.5 years regardless of CRL.

You must hold a current first aid and CPR qualification and comply with immunisation requirements throughout the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

You’re considered someone with work and life experience if:

You have left secondary education more than two years ago (i.e. who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.

How we define ‘experience’
‘Experience’ includes a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education such as mature-age entry, professional experience whether completion of the Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT) is required or not, community involvement or work experience. Applicants may have undertaken non-formal programs that have helped prepare them for tertiary education or are relevant to the proposed higher education field of study.

Pathways

  • STAT entry

    Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative

ATAR pathway

  • Minimum ATAR 70

    This course has a minimum ATAR of 70

  • Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    No required courses/subjects.

  • Desirable WACE subjects

    Desirable WACE courses/subjects are Maths Applications, Human Biology and/or Physical Education Studies. STAT elements considered are WE and either V or Q.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

6.5

Speaking

6.5

Reading

6.5

Listening

6.5

Overall band score

7.0

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Full-time and part-time study options are available.

The course has two intakes each year. Starting mid-year will increase the duration of the course to 3.5 years regardless of CRL.

You must hold a current first aid and CPR qualification and comply with immunisation requirements throughout the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

You’re considered someone who studied at TAFE or have done an apprenticeship if:

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a VET course. This includes study at a public TAFE or other VET provider, whether a qualification was completed or not. Applicants with VET study may have other qualifications such as a Year 10 or Year 12 secondary school certificate.

Pathways

  • TAFE entry

    AQF Certificate IV - Separate evidence of English language proficiency is required; or AQF Diploma; or AQF Advanced Diploma.

  • STAT entry

    Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative

ATAR pathway

  • Minimum ATAR 70

    This course has a minimum ATAR of 70

  • Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    No required courses/subjects.

  • Desirable WACE subjects

    Desirable WACE courses/subjects are Maths Applications, Human Biology and/or Physical Education Studies. STAT elements considered are WE and either V or Q.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

6.5

Speaking

6.5

Reading

6.5

Listening

6.5

Overall band score

7.0

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Full-time and part-time study options are available.

The course has two intakes each year. Starting mid-year will increase the duration of the course to 3.5 years regardless of CRL.

You must hold a current first aid and CPR qualification and comply with immunisation requirements throughout the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

You’re considered someone who has recently left university if:

Applicants with higher education are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree. This may include applicants who are currently studying a higher education course at another education provider and want to transfer to Curtin University, or applicants who are currently studying at Curtin but want to switch to a different course. It may also include applicants who have completed past study with university and non-university higher education providers.

Curtin course switcher criteria

Students are assessed on their most recent SWA and overall CWA. Students must achieve a SWA or CWA of at least 60% to be considered eligible. Students in the UniReady course in either Semester 1 or 2 must achieve a CWA of 60% or higher to be considered eligible for the BSc(ESS) application process. 

Higher education course switcher criteria

Students in the UniReady course in either Semester 1 or 2 must achieve a CWA of 60% or higher to be considered eligible for the BSc(ESS) application process. 

ATAR pathway

  • Minimum ATAR 70

    This course has a minimum ATAR of 70

  • Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

    No required courses/subjects.

  • Desirable WACE subjects

    Desirable WACE courses/subjects are Maths Applications, Human Biology and/or Physical Education Studies. STAT elements considered are WE and either V or Q.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

6.5

Speaking

6.5

Reading

6.5

Listening

6.5

Overall band score

7.0

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Full-time and part-time study options are available.

The course has two intakes each year. Starting mid-year will increase the duration of the course to 3.5 years regardless of CRL.

You must hold a current first aid and CPR qualification and comply with immunisation requirements throughout the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

Unsure what option suits you?

We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of university admission. Choose the support you need from the options below.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool
Credit for recognised learning (CRL)

Use your experience to get credit towards your degree

Finish your course sooner with credit for your previous study or work experience.

Essential requirements for admission (including fieldwork requirements)

Many of our courses require students to comply with additional essential requirements. Failure to comply with any of the essential requirements may potentially prevent the successful completion of the course and/or achieving professional registration.

Fieldwork requirements during the course

Please refer to the following statements on the fieldwork component of this course:

Fees and charges

Australian and New Zealand student indicative fees

2023 Fee year:

$9,200*

Commonwealth supported

Fees are indicative first year only and are subject to passage of legislation.

*The indicative first-year fee is calculated on 200 credit points, which is the typical full-time study load per year, however some courses require additional study to be completed, in which case the fee will be higher than that shown.

This fee is a guide only. It may vary depending on the units you choose and does not include incidental fees (such as lab coats or art supplies) or the cost of your textbooks – visit other fees and charges for more information. For more information on fees and to determine your eligibility for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP, please visit fee basics or the Study Assist website

If you’re not an Australian citizen, permanent resident or New Zealand citizen, please see information for international students.

Important fee information

Looking for more detail on the course structure?

View course structure

Location

For start dates, please view the academic calendar.

Curtin Perth flag

2023

Semester 1
  • On campus
Semester 2
  • On campus

2024

Semester 1
  • On campus
Semester 2
  • On campus

2025

Semester 1
  • On campus
Semester 2
  • On campus

2026

Semester 1
  • On campus
Semester 2
  • On campus

All endeavours are made to ensure location information for courses is up to date but please note they are subject to change.

The University reserves the right to withdraw any unit of study or program which it offers, to impose limitations on enrolment in any unit or program, and/or to vary arrangements for any program.

How to apply

Please review information on how to apply for the campus of your choice

Please note that each campus has different application deadlines. Please view our application deadlines page for further information.

Apply now
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  • Curtin course code: B-EXSPRHB
  • CRICOS code: 077744A
  • Last updated on: 25 September 2023