Australian Catholic University
Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy and Master of High Performance Sport
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
Gain an in-depth understanding of normal and abnormal human movement related to sports, exercise, performance, injuries, pathology and diseases.
Course overview
You will also better understand how well-being relates to performance. You will also critically analyse, synthesise and apply knowledge using an evidence-informed, person-centred approach to manage sports injuries or other health conditions.
Learn to integrate specialised technical skills with advanced principles and strategies of strength and conditioning, fatigue management and recovery to design, deliver and evaluate meaningful interventions to enhance athlete and team performance and reduce the likelihood and/or duration of injury and illness. This course emphasises applying knowledge and skills ethically, which promotes the dignity of the individual, athlete or performer. Read about Jasmine Collier's rationale to pursue a Master of Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy/Master of High Performance Sport to understand human movement better as she transitioned from luge to skeleton.
This double degree suits graduate physiotherapists eligible for registration in their own country, with at least two years of post-graduation experience.
Key facts
What you will study
To qualify for the Master of Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy / Master of High Performance Sport, a student must complete 160 credit points from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:
- 60 credit points from Specified Physiotherapy Units (Part A)
- 40 credit points from Specified High Performance Sport Units (Part B)
- 20 credit points from Elective High Performance Sport Units (Part C)
- 40 credit points from Research Units (Part D)
Year 1 ACU Term 1
- Advanced Principles of Human Movement for Exercise and Sports Performance
- Specified High Performance Sport Units
- Strength and Conditioning for Performance and Rehabilitation
Year 1ACU Term 2
- Sports Injury Prevention
- Interpreting Health Research
- Research Units
- Introduction to Health Sciences Research
Year 1ACU Term 3
- Sports Medicine and Musculoskeletal Clinical Practice for Physiotherapists
- Specified Physiotherapy Units
- Physiotherapists Working in Sport
Year 1 ACU Term 4
- Clinical Exercise for Health and Performance Across the Lifespan
- Biostatistics for Health Sciences
- Qualitative Research Methods
Year 2 ACU Term 1
- Leadership, Management and Advocacy for Sports and Exercise Physiotherapists
Year 2 Semester 1
Physiotherapy Research Project A
(Pre: (HLSC640 OR HLSC641) & (HLSC646 OR HLSC647 OR HLSC642))
Contact the Course Coordinator for alternative offerings
Year 2 ACU Term 2
- Elective
Elective unit options may be available in other ACU Online terms. Please refer to your Course Enrolment Guide for details.
Year 2 ACU Term 3
- Contemporary Practice in Strength and Conditioning
- Elective
Elective unit options may be available in other ACU Online terms. Please refer to your Course Enrolment Guide for details.
Year 2 Semester 2
- Physiotherapy Research Project B
- Contact the Course Coordinator for alternative offerings
Year 2 ACU Term 4
- Fatigue, Recovery, Adaptation and Performance
Entry requirements
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
International applicants must also meet the English Language Proficiency requirements defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed one of the following prerequisites:
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Physiotherapy.
- Hold current registration with the required authority in Australia or the registration authority in the country where the current practice is based.
- Have a minimum of 2 years clinical experience as a physiotherapist post-graduation (including a minimum of 1 year in musculoskeletal or sports areas).
- ACU’s Graduate Certificate in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy.
NOTE: Applicants who have completed ACU’s Graduate Certificate in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy will be eligible for recognition of prior learning of up to 40 credit points.
NOTE: Applicants who have completed ACU’s Graduate Diploma in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy will be eligible for recognition of prior learning of up to 80 credit points
Outcomes
Career outcomes
- Sports and exercise physiotherapist for a club, a team or a sports event at the national or international level for visiting or host nation programs.
- Australian Olympic team, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Australian University Games.
- Sports medicine manager for a team or an event
- Venue medical manager for major games
- Performance analyst
- High-performance manager
- Fitness coach
- Government advisor on exercise
- Sports science manager.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Average first-year fee in 2025: $23,892 (domestic full-fee paying place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a full-time study load of 80 credit points (normally eight units) per year.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- The number of units studied per semester.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Elective units.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
