Are you a believer in the saying “use it or lose it”? Put that to work as you learn how to prescribe exercise to improve the movement of both athletes and the general population.

With your interest in sport, exercise and health, this major gives you the opportunity to obtain the knowledge and skills of two complimentary disciplines to broaden your career options. With an increasing focus on the importance of healthy, active lifestyles, exercise science continues to be a growing discipline within Australia and around the world.

You’ll explore the major fields in psychology including human development, neuroscience, and emotion to gain an understanding of how both nature and nurture shape us as people. You’ll also understand key psychological factors and how they are applied to a sports setting.

You’ll develop job-ready skills in analysis, writing, research, communication and teamwork and in your third year, you’ll have the opportunity to learn hands on and apply what you’ve learnt within an industry placement.

7 reasons to study a combined degree in Sport and Exercise Science and Psychology at Murdoch

• Five star rating for student-teacher ratio, overall experience, student support and teaching quality*.
  *Source: Good Universities Guide 2020
• Learn practical skills in purpose built state-of-the-art facilities including an exercise physiology laboratory complete with a climate and altitude chamber, a rehabilitation, strength and conditioning laboratory, and a performance laboratory with a motion capture system and 50-metre running track.
• Put your knowledge and skills to the test in your third year through an industry placement. You’ll have the chance to gain experience in a range of settings from community gymnasiums to professional sporting teams.
• Benefit from Murdoch’s partnership with the WACA and learn from academics who are actively researching professional sports.
• With further study you could end up working with professional athletes, help people recover from trauma through exercise, or improve functionality for older adults or people with health conditions.
• Take your degree global and work overseas when you graduate, with research and work opportunities available in many countries around the world.
• Develop analytical skills alongside contemporary scientific research methods for investigating human minds and behaviour.

What you’ll learn

Build the knowledge and skills you need to meet your career or study goals. Here are some of the things you’ll learn:

• the research behind sport and exercise science
• sports psychology
• functional human anatomy and biomechanics
• measurement and manipulation of exercise motor skills
• exercise programming and prescription, and rehabilitation.

As a graduate of this course, you could expect to work in a variety of areas, including sports teams, gymnasiums, peak sports bodies, health promotion and local government. Also with further study, you can progress to become a registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist.

Careers could include:

• Sports or Exercise Scientist
• Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Sport and Recreation Officer
• Sports and Exercise Physiologist (with further study)
• Sports Psychologist (with further study).

Professional recognition

This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APACA) and Exercise Science Australia. Graduates will be eligible to register with Exercise and Sports Science Australia as an Accredited Exercise Scientist.