Exercise and Sport Science - Nutrition and Food Sciences

Overview

The exercise and sport science component will equip you with expertise on the impact of exercise and physical activity on the biological, psychological and social parameters of human life. The nutrition and food sciences component will give you hands-on experience in innovating foods; promoting and managing diets and lifestyles; and conducting meaningful research for enhanced wellbeing. 

With this double degree in Exercise and Sport Science - Nutrition and Food Sciences from University of South Australia, career opportunities are diverse. You could be at the forefront of innovation in the food and nutrition industries, with opportunities to go into scientific and advisory roles. 

You could also design, deliver and assess exercise and physical activity programs to improve the health and wellbeing of clients, their performance, or to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis.

What you'll need

Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

What you'll learn

Through theoretical and practical learning, you’ll become an expert in all aspects of exercise and sport science, and graduate with the skills needed to design, implement and evaluate exercise and physical activity programs.

The exercise and sport science component prepares you to provide exercise advice, deliver strength and conditioning services, biomechanical analyses, and skill acquisition knowledge to enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of generally healthy individuals, ranging from children to elite athletes to older persons.

The nutrition and food sciences component will teach you to understand diets and lifestyles for optimum health and the associations between nutrient intake, energy output and obesity. You’ll also learn how to manage and improve nutrition and diet related to physical activity and lifestyle changes, and how to maximise physical performance for healthy active people.  

During the first two years you’ll learn about nutrition and study exercise and sport science courses, which will give you a solid foundation in:

• human anatomy and physiology
• fundamental movement skills
• skill acquisition
• chemistry and biology.

The third and fourth years have a strong practical focus. You'll develop critical thinking and practice-based skills through learning about:

• exercise prescription and delivery
• relationship between food bioactives, functional foods and medicines
• developing personalised dietary and exercise plans to manage weight

• nutrition for sports, exercise and activity.

Careers to consider include:

• Physical Training Specialist: advise clients on exercise, health, wellbeing and nutrition; develop and implement individual training plans.
• Sports and Fitness Nutritionist: responsible for improving the health and optimising the performance of athletes and exercisers.
• Food Scientist: use chemistry and biology to look at the microbiological, chemical and physical properties of food and ingredients. Analyse nutritional content, discover new food sources, and ensure the manufacturing process is safe.
• Product Development Manager: develop innovative products and solutions to meet strategic business objectives.
• Researcher: plan and conduct laboratory-based investigations, experiments and trials, and analyse results in order to broaden scientific understanding.
• Exercise Scientist: assist people to increase their fitness, sporting performance and general health using a combination of biomechanics, physiology and performance analysis.