• Program summary
• Program overview
• Career opportunities
• Special features
• Advanced standing, recognition of prior learning, credit and articulation
• Program structure
• Program requirements and notes
• Enquiries
• Recommended enrolment patterns

Program summary

QTAC code: 014301
OP/Rank for 2008 entry: OP-16 / Rank-66
Award abbreviation: BA/BSc
Degree type: undergraduate
Mode of study: on campus
Duration: 4 years full-time or equivalent part-time
Fee type: Commonwealth supported places, domestic fee-paying places, international fee-paying places
Total units: 384
Recommended prior study: English, Maths and one or more of the sciences, preferably Chemistry
Commence: Semester 1 or Semester 2
CRICOS code: 058144E

New students: selecting courses for 2008

Accreditation

The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) has accredited Pathway 1 of this program as a 3-year undergraduate sequence in Psychology. Completion of the degree involving Pathway 1 may lead to direct entry to the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours) program, subject to grade point average in Psychology courses.

Program overview

Exercise scientists seek to enhance health and physical performance using activity analysis and specific performance objectives. The inclusion of psychology in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science (Psychology and Exercise Science) enhances your skills and career options by providing an understanding of the non-physical factors that influence athletic performance.

Graduates of this program will be equipped to help their clients achieve an optimum mental state as well as physical conditioning, to ensure that they remain motivated, perform to the best of their ability and also enjoy their sport and exercise participation.

Students will learn to apply scientific knowledge and procedures to assess and analyse the human body’s response to acute and chronic physical activity. This includes general physical activity such as fitness regimens and recreational sport, as well as elite sport. Training in psychology will assist graduates to help athletes and exercisers with motivation, goal setting, positive thinking, concentration skills, emotional control and coping skills to overcome disappointing outcomes of their training and competition.

Career opportunities

• cardiac and pulmonary testing and rehabilitation
• coaching
• community recreation and fitness
• corporate health and fitness
• counselling
• exercise physiology
• exercise prescription and programming
• fitness assessment
• personal health and fitness/training
• physical education
• psychology or exercise science research
• sports biomechanics
• sports management or promotion
• sports psychology
• state and national sport development
• team building

Special features

• combines study of physical conditioning with professional psychology training
• holistic approach to motivational training strategies
• depending on the pathway chosen within the program, and the successful completion of an accredited honours year or postgraduate diploma in psychology, plus either further accredited postgraduate study or supervision following the guidelines of the Psychologists Registration Board in their state or territory, graduates are eligible for registration as a psychologist in that state/territory

Program structure

Core courses

Select 2 courses from:
COR109 Communication and Thought
COR110 Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship
COR111 Environment, Technology and Sustainability

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses

Select 1 of the following pathways:

Pathway 1

This pathway may lead to direct entry to the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours) program, subject to achievement of a minimum grade point average in Psychology courses.

2 required introductory courses:
PSY100 Introduction to Psychology A
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology B

Plus 12 required advanced courses:
PSY200 Research Methods in Psychology A *
PSY201 Research Methods in Psychology B *
PSY202 Physiological Psychology *
PSY203 Introduction to Human Development *
PSY204 Social Psychology *
PSY205 Motivation and Emotion *
PSY300 Advanced Methods in Psychology *
PSY301 Cognitive and Perceptual Psychology *
PSY302 Intercultural and Indigenous Psychologies *
PSY303 Personality and Assessment *
PSY304 Human Associative Learning *
PSY305 Abnormal Psychology *

Plus select 1 Arts and Social Sciences elective

Pathway 2

This pathway will not lead to direct entry to the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours) program. Indirect entry to the Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) program would require completion of 6 further Psychology courses, and would be subject to achievement of a minimum grade point average in Psychology courses.

2 required introductory courses:
PSY100 Introduction to Psychology A
PSY101 Introduction to Psychology B

Plus 2 required level 2 courses:
PSY200 Research Methods in Psychology A *
PSY201 Research Methods in Psychology B *

Plus select 4 courses from:
PSY202 Physiological Psychology *
PSY203 Introduction to Human Development *
PSY204 Social Psychology *
PSY205 Motivation and Emotion *
PSY300 Advanced Methods in Psychology *
PSY301 Cognitive and Perceptual Psychology *
PSY302 Intercultural and Indigenous Psychologies *
PSY303 Personality and Assessment *
PSY304 Human Associative Learning *

Plus select an Arts and Social Sciences minor (4 courses)
Plus select 3 Arts and Social Sciences electives

Faculty of Science, Health and Education courses

6 required introductory courses:
LFS122 (B) Human Anatomy
LFS112 (B) Human Physiology
LFS100 Cell Biology
SCI105 Chemistry
SCI107 Physics
SCI110 Science Research Methods

Plus 6 required advanced courses:
LFS251 Biochemistry
SPX201 Functional Anatomy
SPX202 Biomechanics I
SPX211 Exercise Physiology I
SPX212 Exercise Testing and Programming
SPX221 Introduction to Sports Medicine

Plus select 3 300-level SPX coded courses from the Faculty of Science, Health and Education 

Course substitution: the GO (Global Opportunities) Program

As part of your USC program, you may apply to participate in the GO Program to undertake courses with an overseas higher education provider.

Program requirements and notes

1. An introductory level course has a number less than 200 in its course code. An advanced level course has a number greater than 200 and less than 400 in its course code.
2. Refer to the Academic Rules.
3. Refer to explanation of terms.
4. Refer to the recommended enrolment patterns.

How to apply

Apply for an undergraduate program.

Enquiries

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Tel: +61 7 5430 1259

Faculty of Science, Health and Education
Tel: +61 7 5430 2869
Email: sheinfo@usc.edu.au

* Course outlines subject to final approval

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