Program Overview

Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy

The Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy will provide students with the opportunity to acquire advanced theoretical, scientific, and clinical knowledge of normal and pathological human movement as it relates to sports, exercise, performance, injuries, pathology, and disease.

Course Overview

Using an evidence-informed person-centered approach, students will develop an understanding of how wellbeing relates to performance and be able to critically analyze, synthesize, and apply knowledge for the physiotherapy management of sports injuries or other health conditions and to enhance sports or exercise performance and wellbeing in athletes and people of all ages, abilities, and cultural contexts within the relevant ethical and legal frameworks.

Course Structure

To qualify for the Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy, a student must complete 120 credit points from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

• 80 credit points of Specified Units (Part A)
• 40 credit points from Research Units (Part B)

Course Map

The course will be delivered online with short, intensive face-to-face blocks, over 1.5 years full-time equivalent. The course is suitable for graduate physiotherapists eligible for registration in their own country, with a minimum of two years' experience post-graduation.

Professional Experience

Students are required to be working in the sports or exercise environment for a minimum of one day per week as a requirement of specific units.

Volunteer Experience

Students are required to be working or be in a volunteer position in the sports environment for a minimum of 80 hours as part of a Term 3 unit.

Professional Recognition

This course meets the requirements of postgraduate qualification for employment beyond the entry level in physiotherapy. The coursework positions graduates for promotion and professional recognition.

Accreditation

Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy graduates who are Australian registered physiotherapists and members of the Australian Physiotherapy Association are able to apply for Australian Physiotherapy Association Titled membership in the relevant stream.

Careers

Graduates will be able to apply theory and practice learned in a range of health provider settings, including:

• Professional and semi-professional sporting organisations
• Community sport settings
• National and state institutes of sport
• Academies of sport
• Emergency Departments in hospitals
• Government and non-government funded sporting programs

Examples of potential employment roles include:

• Sports and exercise physiotherapist for a club, a team, or a sports event at national or international levels
• Sports medicine manager for a team or an event
• Venue medical manager for major Games
• High-performance manager
• Government advisor on exercise for health

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites:

• A Bachelor degree or higher in Physiotherapy and:
  • Hold current registration with the required Authority in Australia, or Registration Authority in the country of current practice; and
  • Have a minimum of two years of clinical experience as a physiotherapist post-graduation (including a minimum of one year in musculoskeletal or sports areas).
• Or have completed ACU's Graduate Certificate in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy.

Pathways

People who have completed a Graduate Certificate in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy program at Australian Catholic University or a Graduate Certificate in Sports Physiotherapy at an Australian university may be eligible to enter the Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy program and be awarded up to 40 credit points in recognition of prior learning.

Fees

The average first-year fee for the Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy is $25,568. A 10% rebate on fees will be offered to domestic ACU graduates enrolling in full fee-paying postgraduate studies in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Conditions apply.

Scholarships

ACU offers a range of scholarships to help students with the cost of studying, accommodation, or overseas study opportunities. Some scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, while others recognize excellence in community engagement and leadership.