Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science / Bachelor of Psychology

If you're passionate about keeping people moving, understanding biological, social, and cultural influences on the individual person, and are interested in how to improve a person's psychological and physiological quality of life, this combined degree is for you.

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 and psychology continue to be growing disciplines 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 will also become experienced in prescribing exercise, as well as assessing and improving the movement of both athletes the general population.

You'll develop job-ready skills in analysis, writing, research, communication and teamwork and in your fourth year, you'll have the opportunity to learn hands on and apply what you've learnt within an industry placement. This course is the first step towards becoming a registered psychologist and exercise scientist.

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

1. 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.

1. Put your knowledge and skills to the test in your fourth year through an industry placement in exercise science. You'll have the chance to gain experience in a range of settings from community gymnasiums to professional sporting teams.

1. Benefit from Murdoch's partnership with the WACA and learn from academics who are actively researching professional sports.

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:

• How people think, plan, remember and make decisions
• The role of motivation and the environment on participation in exercise and health behaviour

• Cardiopulmonary, metabolic and neuromuscular rehabilitation
• Functional human anatomy and biomechanics
• Measurement and manipulation of exercise motor skills
• How psychological skills affect the performance outcomes of (elite) athletes
• Exercise programming and prescription

Your future career

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)
• Psychologist (with further study)
• Human Resources or Marketing Officer
• Sports and Exercise Psychologist (with further study)

Murdoch Admission Information - Sports Science (PDF) 209 KB

Professional accreditation

Bachelor of Psychology is accredited as a Level 1 course by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

This course is accredited by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) at the level of Exercise Science.

Professional recognition

To be eligible for provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, graduates of the Bachelor of Science (Psychology) will require an additional year of study in an APAC-accredited 4th year psychology program. To be eligible for registration as a psychologist, graduates of this course will also need to complete either one additional year of study in an APAC-accredited 5th year psychology program and one year of supervised practice (internship), or two additional years of study in APAC-accredited 5th and 6th year psychology programs.

Graduates of this degree are eligible to register as an Accredited Exercise Scientist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA).

Professional accreditation

Bachelor of Psychology is accredited as a Level 1 course by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

This course is accredited by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) at the level of Exercise Science.

Professional recognition

To be eligible for provisional registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, graduates of the Bachelor of Psychology will require an additional year of study in an APAC-accredited 4th year psychology program. To be eligible for registration as a psychologist, graduates of this course will also need to complete either one additional year of study in an APAC-accredited 5th year psychology program and one year of supervised practice (internship), or two additional years of study in APAC-accredited 5th and 6th year psychology programs.

Graduates of this degree are eligible to register as an Accredited Exercise Scientist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA).