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Combine your expertise in health science and psychology to support individuals and athletes to optimise their physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing. Experience real-world scenarios with professional placement opportunities that develop a comprehensive understanding of the human body and mind.

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#1

in Queensland for full-time employment outcomes* *Good Universities Guide 2022, UG Health Services

#1

in Queensland for overall educational experience* *Good Universities Guide 2022, UG Health Services

Five stars

for learner engagement and resources, student support, and teaching quality* *Good Universities Guide 2022, UG Health Services

Townsville

Townsville: February

$33,280.00⁺

⁺estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load

Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Scholarships and financial aid available if eligible

5 years full-time

English (Units 3/4,C); General Maths, Mathematical Methods or Specialist Maths (3/4,C); or equivalent

Recommended Knowledge

One of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Health, Psychology or Physical Education (Units 3/4,C)

English language requirements

Band 2

If your native language is not English, you must meet the minimum English language requirements for this course.

093297G

What to expect

Broaden your skill set by combining two highly-respected fields of study in JCU’s Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science - Bachelor of Psychological Science. Your expertise in both health science and psychology will prepare you with the research, analysis, and critical thinking skills required to succeed in the industry.

In your Sport and Exercise Science degree, gain a comprehensive understanding of how the human body responds to physical activity. In your Psychological Science degree, study the human mind and develop a strong foundation of psychological theory, practice, and research skills.

Benefit from practical placements as you learn to assess, design, and deliver exercise programs to a variety of people, from community members to elite athletes.

Study a core program along with additional psychology electives to suit your interests and requirements. Take advantage of world-class facilities, including the JCU Performance Science Hub, located with the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys in the Hutchinson Builders Centre in Townsville.

View the Handbook for a detailed overview of available subjects, as well as pre-placement requirements.

Honours

If you're a high achieving student you may be invited to undertake an Honours year. This comprises an additional 24 credit points of study in each discipline. To learn more, refer to the Handbook.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the combined Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science and Psychological Science have broad skill sets and are sought after in a large range of health-related industries.

As a graduate, you may want to pursue a career in areas including sport science, health and wellness management, health promotion agencies, hospital-based science, sports training and rehabilitation or psychology. Each of these fields have a variety of specialisations, meaning there are numerous opportunities for you to find your passion.

You may also choose to specialise within your field and take on further study, either with coursework or a higher degree by research.

To become eligible for registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, you are required to complete a minimum 6-year sequence of education and supervised training. Upon graduation of this degree, you must complete an accredited year of postgraduate study – either the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), or the Graduate Diploma of Psychology, plus two years of supervised practice in the field. Alternatively, you can complete a two-year Master of Psychology (Clinical), plus one year of supervised practice. Once you have completed an accredited fourth year of study, you will then need to complete another two years of combined study and supervised training, through either a Master of Professional Psychology, which involves one year of study followed by a one-year internship, or a Master of Psychology (Clinical), a two-year program that includes placements. After completing the required six-year sequence of education and supervised training, you can apply for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia. Find out more information about registration.

Graduates of this degree are eligible for Exercise and Sports Science Australia professional membership.

No matter where you go, you’ll have a strong knowledge base and sound practical experience to call upon, making you valuable to employers across Australia, and internationally.

Handbook

Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science – Bachelor of Psychological Science

Handbook year	2022
Course code	116510
Course type	Bachelor Degree (AQF level 7)
Professional accreditation status	This course is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). Graduates of this course, who wish to become fully registered as psychologists, must complete an accredited fourth year course (e.g. GDipPsych or BPsychSc(Hons)) plus either a two year Psychology Board of Australia approved postgraduate program, or a one year Psychology Board of Australia approved postgraduate program plus one year of supervised practice. This course is accredited with Exercise and Sports Science Australia. Graduates of this course are eligible for ESSA accreditation.
Owner	Division of Tropical Health and Medicine
College	Healthcare Sciences

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course prerequisites	English (Units 3/4,C); General Maths, Mathematical Methods, or Specialist Maths (3/4,C) Recommended: one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Health, Psychology or Physical Education (Units 3/4,C)
Minimum English language proficiency requirements	Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 2 – Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.
Additional selection requirements	Information published by JCU or otherwise made available to students when applying, may specify additional criteria to be considered in ranking applicants in order of merit if the number of applications exceeds a quota or other limit on the places made available for the course. Information provided by applicants during the application process and any other information obtained by JCU in the application process may be used by JCU to rank applicants in order of merit by reference to those additional criteria.
Post admission requirements	This course may have specific admission requirements such as immunisation, a Suitability to Work with Children Card, a federal police check and/or other conditions that students must comply with. Students must complete all professional experience placement requirements by the prescribed deadlines and maintain currency of these requirements in order to stay admitted in the course. You will find your course requirements here: https://www.jcu.edu.au/professional-experience-placement/preparation-checklists

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

114 credit points as per course structure

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science, graduates will be able to:

Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and technical knowledge and skills, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in the discipline of sport and exercise science
Critically review, analyse, synthesise and apply evidence in sport and exercise science practice, across a range of social, personal, economic and environmental contexts
Assess health status and formulate, implement and critically evaluate sustainable management plans to promote and optimise the health and welfare of apparently healthy individuals and/or populations
Communicate clearly and coherently through well-developed English language and numeracy proficiency, appropriate for graduate entry into the sport and exercise science workforce
Demonstrate appropriate professional behaviour, professional reasoning and sound judgement in problem solving and decision making, in the provision of client-centred practice that is contemporary, evidence-based, legal, ethical, safe and culturally sensitive
Reflect on current skills, knowledge and attitudes, in order to plan and implement ongoing personal and professional development needs.
On successful completion of the Bachelor of Psychological Science, graduates will be able to:
Integrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge with depth in major theoretical perspectives and concepts, and philosophical and historical developments, in the core areas of psychology
Review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and evidence bases in the core areas of psychology in a manner that is reflexive, culturally appropriate and sensitive to the diversity of individuals including but not limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Review and reflect on the methods and ethics of scientific investigation as applied to psychology
Exercise critical thinking and judgement in the design and conduct of scientific investigations to solve psychological questions with intellectual independence
Apply advanced English language and technological and numeracy skills to generate, interpret and communicate knowledge, data, arguments and research findings appropriate for a diversity of audiences
Adapt and apply research skills, psychological and cultural understanding, to investigate human behavior in diverse contexts in regional, national and international communities including but not limited to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for one’s own learning and practice in collaboration with others

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirements are the fundamental abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to complete the learning outcomes of a course while preserving the academic integrity of the university’s learning, assessment and accreditation processes. Students and prospective students must be able to demonstrate that they have acquired or have the ability to acquire the inherent requirements for their degree. For more information refer to Inherent Requirements page.

Reasonable adjustments

Reasonable adjustments may be made to assist students manage additional circumstances impacting on their studies provided these do not change the academic integrity of a degree. Reasonable adjustments do not alter the need to be able to demonstrate the inherent requirements of the course.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Year 1

Teaching Period 1

BM1061:03 Anatomy and Physiology for Sport and Exercise Science 1

SP1011:03 Physical Activity for Health

PY1101:03 Exploring Psychology: from Brain to Practice

PY1103:03 Critical Thinking in Psychology: How to Think About Weird Things

Teaching Period 2

BM1062:03 Anatomy and Physiology for Sport and Exercise Science 2

PY1106:03 Communicating Psychology: Listening, Translating & Disseminating

PY1102:03 Exploring Psychology: from Perception to Reality

SP1012:03 Exercise and Sports Testing

Year 2

Teaching Period 1

SP2007:03 Physiological Basis for Exercise and Sport

PY2103:03 Introduction to Research Methods and Data Analysis

PY2111:03 Learning Processes, Behaviour and Performance

PY2112:03 Memory and Cognition

Teaching Period 2

PH1001:03 Preparatory Physics

PY2107:03 Experimental Investigation and Analysis of Behaviour

PY2101:03 Psychological Neuroscience

SP1002:03 Sport and Exercise Nutrition

Year 3

Teaching Period 1

SP2009:03 Strength Training and Conditioning

SP2201:03 Exercise Prescription

SP2003:03 Functional Kinesiology and Biomechanics

PY3102:03 Social Psychology in Everyday Life

Teaching Period 2

HS1401:03 Health and Health Care in Australia

SP2010:03 Principles of Motor Learning and Motor Control

PY2106:03 Through the Looking Glass: Development Across the Lifespan

SP2207:03 Dynamics of Sport and Exercise Behaviour

Year 4

Teaching Period 1

HS2402:03 Health Professional Research 1

SP3015:03 Advanced Motor Learning and Motor Control

PY3101:03 Psychological Research Methods and Interpretation

Teaching Period 2

SP3018:03 Advanced Biomechanics

SP3014:03 Independent Project in Sport and Exercise Science & Clinical Exercise Physiology

PY3108:03 Personality Psychology: Decoding the Mysteries of Humans

SP2016:03 Exercise Prescription and Delivery

Year 5

Teaching Period 1

SP3106:03 Applied Physiological Basis for Exercise and Sport

SP3008:03 Practicum in Sport and Exercise Science/Clinical Exercise Physiology

Teaching Period 2

SP3011:03 Sports Training and Rehabilitation

PY3103:03 Mining the Mind: Psychopathology

PY3107:03 Psychological Assessment in Action

OPTIONS

Select 6 credit points of specified PY level 2 subjects from List 1

List 1

PY2018:03 Intercultural Psychology and Cross Cultural Communication

PY2104:03 Connecting Social, Psychological and Physical Health

PY2109:03 The World Around Us: Environmental Psychology

PY2110:03 Intersections of Psychology and Law: Forensic Psychology

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
JCU Townsville

Candidature

Expected time to complete	5 years full-time or equivalent part-time
Maximum time to complete	12 years
Maximum leave of absence	2 years

Progression

Course progression requisites	Nil
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)	This course includes prescribed professional or clinical placements. Students may be required to undertake such placements away from the campus at which they are enrolled, at their own expense (Note: health professional courses generally involve extensive professional or clinical placements). Further information about placements can be found at: Coursework Enrolment Procedure.
Special assessment requirements	Refer to Review of a Student’s Suitability to Continue a Course Involving Placement policy.
Professional accreditation requirements	The accredited sequence in psychology leads to provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia with the addition of a fourth year of accredited studies in psychology e.g., Graduate Diploma of Psychology or Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours).
Supplementary exam for final subject	A student who has failed the final subject towards the degree and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject.

Credit

Eligibility	Students may apply for credit transfer for previous tertiary study in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure.
Maximum allowed	60 credit points
Currency	Credit will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.
Expiry	Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 22 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the candidate has not completed this course.
Other restrictions	Maximum credit points for credit as per the JCU Policy on credit for Previous Studies and Recognised Prior Learning

Award Details

Award title	BACHELOR OF SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCE – BACHELOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
Approved abbreviation	BSpExSc-BPsychSc
This is a joint degree	Yes
Inclusion of majors on testamur	Not applicable - this course does not have majors
Exit with lesser award	Candidates who exit the course prior to completion, and have completed ALL appropriate subjects for the relevant degree, may be eligible for the award of Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science or Bachelor of Psychological Science. Students who have completed 24 credit points of their course award requirements, and withdraw from or fail to meet the requirements for progression in the later years, may be eligible for the award of Diploma of Tertiary Studies. Students who have completed 48 credit points of their professional course award requirements, and withdraw from or fail to meet the requirements for progression in the later years, may be eligible for the award of Associate Degree of Health Sciences.
Course articulation	Not applicable
Special Awards	Not applicable

Honours

Honours availability

Honours is available in each discipline as additional 24 credit points of study [end-on]

Eligibility

A student admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science – Bachelor of Psychological Science at this university may be invited by the Head of Psychology to undertake the Honours degree in Psychology if that student has

Psychology Honours

obtained a minimum of 72 credit points including successful completion of all Psychology level 1, 2 and 3 subjects prescribed in Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science - Bachelor of Psychological Science
obtained a minimum of a Credit average (65%) across PY2103, PY2107 and a minimum Distinction average (75%) across 15 credit points of level 3 PY subjects, including PY3101; or
completed an AQF Level 7 bachelor degree that includes an Australian Psychology Accreditation Council approved three-year sequence in psychology completed within the past 10 years; and a minimum program GPA of 5.5

Sport and Exercise Science Honours

Normally a minimum GPA 5.0 (Credit) is required across the third year pass degree subjects.

Fees and scholarships

Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD33,280.00

Courses are charged per year of full-time study. International course fees are reviewed annually and subject to change.

A Student Services and Amenities Fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.

Student Visa holders must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their Student Visa (except Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian citizens). Costs depend on the length of study and the number of dependants accompanying the student. For more information see Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Scholarships and financial aid are also available for international students.

Pathways to JCU

How to apply

Gather the documents you need to apply and submit an application via JCU's online application portal.

Student

Lucy Fagez

Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science - Bachelor of Psychological Science

Engaging in a joint degree has allowed me to keep doors open. It is also an opportunity to obtain two Bachelor’s degrees in less time than it would take to complete them both separately. Professionally, having a joint degree will make me more marketable and provide more varied career options.
Alumni

Adon Alves

Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science

During my time at JCU we covered interesting subtopics in sport and exercise science, including biomechanics, motor learning, sport psychology, and strength and conditioning. All lecturers and tutors are passionate about their field which provided motivation and encouragement and helped me expand on my own interests.
Lecturer

Associate Professor Anthony Leicht

Sport and Exercise Science

Our program is really good in terms of it being hands-on. A lot of our graduates get to experience the real world, not only during classes but also during their practicum. They’re able to work with elite athletes and community groups, as well as patients. Having that wide range sets them up well for the real world.
Employer

Luke Gauci

Director, Mindset Performance Fitness Centre

It’s been good having JCU graduates as they bring skills that are up to date with the current information in the industry. In this industry, having staff who are JCU graduates is an extra qualification a lot of personal trainers don’t have. So I’ve gone out of my way to look for people with those qualifications.