Exercise & Health Sciences
Exercise & Health Sciences
Our wide range of courses can lead to exciting careers in health promotion, nutrition, occupational safety and health, sports coaching, personal training, exercise rehabilitation and more. Many of our courses also provide a pathway to postgraduate study.
With access to state-of-the-art facilities, and lecturers who work in the industry, you have the potential to become the best trainer, therapist, assessor, evaluator, adviser, researcher or rehabilitator that you can be.
ECU receives Environmental Health accreditation
In March 2012, our Environmental Health major received national accreditation by Environmental Health Australia and the WA Environmental Health Officers Professional Review Board.
The Environmental Health major is a specialist stream within the Bachelor of Health Science course. It was developed in consultation with local WA employers of Environmental Health Officers, and was mapped against EnHealth criteria for Environmental Health Practitioners.
Hands-On Training Through the Spinal Injury Centre
We've recently announced an exciting partnership with Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA), resulting in the creation of the "Walk On" rehabilitation program, based at ECU's Health and Wellness Institute.
The Centre will provide access to hands‑on training to both ECU staff and students from the Exercise Science and Rehabilitation course, allowing them to develop specific rehabilitation exercises.
Health Science Students Travel Abroad
Our Health Science students have the opportunity to take part in international practicum placement in Bali throughout their course.
In collaboration with Health Communication Resources (HCR), students reside and work in a Balinese village for three weeks.
The placement offers students an inside look at international healthcare programs, enabling them to further develop their studies and skills in community development and health promotion.
ECU's Human Performance Centre
Our Human Performance Centre (HPC) provides undergraduate students studying courses including the Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Sports Science) and the Bachelor of Science (Exercise Science and Rehabilitation) with the chance to get involved in sporting and health‑related activities to gain practical experience. Students can put what they have learned in their classes into practice within the community, including sporting teams and elite athletes.
Occupational Therapy Teaching Suites
Our OT students have access to three well‑equipped occupational therapy laboratories and teaching resources in the Health and Wellness Building at our Joondalup Campus.
These labs have specialised equipment for students to learn hands‑on skills in physical rehabilitation, assistive technology and communication technology. These labs combine with a range of impressive facilities to create a state‑of‑the‑art learning environment.
Football Science (Soccer) course
Our Bachelor of Science (Sports Science and Football) course is the only one of its kind in Australia. It offers a solid foundation of both science and football‑related units including Physiology, Performance Analysis and Advanced Coaching and Leadership and Management in Football. The qualification can lead to careers in areas such as football coaching, sports coaching, sports science, physiology and teaching.
Health Science Students: Making a Difference Overseas
Our Health Science students were recently offered the chance to travel to Tulikup Village in central Bali to take part in a practicum placement run by Health Communication Resources (HCR).
Students lived and worked in the Balinese village for three weeks, gaining insight into the health issues of the Balinese community and conducting research through interviewing midwives, volunteer health workers and new parents at the child health clinics.
The aim of the placement was to offer students an inside look at international healthcare programs, enabling them to further develop their studies and skills in community development and health promotion.
A job secured before graduating
With professional experience and a Diploma of Occupational Health & Safety under her belt, Shaydeen Thompson decided she wanted to further enhance her skills and career, and so returned to study, commencing an undergraduate degree in Occupational Health & Safety with us.
Due to her professional and academic background, Shaydeen completed her three year undergraduate degree in just two years.
What's more, she completed her final three units online, rather than coming to campus, so she could work full-time.
Before officially graduating, Shaydeen secured a position with a renowned integrated energy company, which she commenced in February this year.
"I've landed a job I'm passionate about!"
"I was able to gain some valuable experience during my time at ECU. After expanding upon a range of skills relevant to the industry, including teaching, coaching, injury prevention, psychology and biomechanics, I discovered an area of the sports industry that I'm passionate about and was able to then pursue the career I actually wanted. Since completing my studies, I landed a job as a football Video Analyst for the Fremantle Dockers!"
Sam Buhagiar
Exercise and Sports Science graduate
Work/Life balance - a great success!
Mature-age student Michelle Tegg returned to university after deferring for four years to care for her family. Tackling her studies head on, she attended both TAFE and university consecutively, completing her Exercise & Sports Science qualification with us part-time.
In her final year of study, Michelle received some unexpected news: she was due to have her fourth child.
Studying until only a few months before her baby was due to arrive, she deferred for one semester, then returned to University to complete her qualification with flying colours!
Michelle has now commenced postgraduate studies with us!
Exercise & Sports Science - Nationally Accredited by ESSA
Our Exercise & Sports Science course was the first Sports Science course in WA to be fully accredited by Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA).
Students completing a Sports Science program at ECU also have the option of doing a fourth year in rehabilitation, offering a Bachelor of Science (Exercise Science & Rehabilitation) qualification.
This offers students immediate accreditation as an "Exercise Physiologist" through ESSA.
Exercise and Sports Science facilities
Our Exercise and Sports Science area operates a number of laboratories in each of its program areas which are fully-equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, available for use by undergraduate and postgraduate students, in Australia.Each purpose-built lab is catered to the different functions in biomedical science such as biomechanics and digitising, exercise physiology, rehabilitation, phlebotomy, human movement, motor control, strength and conditioning and skill acquisition.
Nutrition Laboratories
Our Nutrition labs play an essential part of our nutrition courses and majors:
- The dedicated Nutrition Food laboratory is designed for students to work on practical projects involving food. The multifunctional lab has a food demonstration and teaching area, computing stations for dietary analysis and diet development and individual or group work areas for food preparation, cooking and tasting and food analysis. Students have access to equipment such as microwave / convection heating facilities, gas hotplates, modern freezers and automatic dishwashers.
- The Nutritional Assessment laboratory provides a range of equipment for teaching and learning for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, including anthropometric equipment for nutrition assessments. The lab reflects a realistic hospital setting with high tech equipment for measuring body composition and metabolic rate and analysing blood samples. It is fully functional for dietary and physical assessments which can be undertaken in the privacy of a clinical cubicle. Students have access to technical equipment and can undertake assessments of community clients. Dietary analysis software is used in order to give immediate paper based feedback to clients.
Occupational Therapy facilities
We have three well-equipped occupational therapy laboratories and teaching resources in the new Health and Wellness Building on our Joondalup Campus.
The laboratories have specialised equipment for students to learn hands‑on skills in physical rehabilitation, assistive technology and communication technology. They labs combine with a range of impressive facilities to create an environment that is supportive, colourful and fun.
Vario Wellness Clinic - Open to the community
Our Vario Wellness Clinic is staffed by allied health professionals and is open to the community for consultation.
You can book consultations for physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, clinical psychology and exercise physiology.
The clinic also runs a range of programs designed for specific health conditions and populations. Programs include:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Weigh 2 Go Kids
- Fighting Fit Veterans
- Living Longer Living Stronger
- Parkinson's
Please see the Vario Wellness Clinic website for information on services.
"ECU showed me how to put my knowledge into practice."
"I was a competitive swimmer throughout high school, and I've always been interested in sports and exercise, so ECU's Exercise Science & Rehabilitation, and Exercise &a Sports Science courses were a natural choice. In my four years at ECU, I completed two degrees. Both courses placed a big emphasis on industry practice where you get to apply the knowledge you've learned in the lecture theatre in real world situations. I found this extremely valuable because it gave me the confidence in exercise prescription and an opportunity to further my skills and learning."
Courtney White
Exercise and Sports Science and Exercise Science and Rehabilitation Graduate