Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Sciences (Honours)

This is a one-year honours degree for students who have already finished a bachelor's degree in sport and exercise sciences, or a closely related field. It sits at level 8 on the Australian Qualifications Framework, one step above the three-year bachelor pass degree. At UWA the year is built around a supervised research project. You work with an academic supervisor, design a study, collect and analyse data, and write a thesis. Alongside that you take research methods and statistics units, and often a seminar or literature review unit. Assessment is mostly your thesis, plus coursework marks and sometimes an oral presentation.

UWA runs on two semesters, and this honours year is full-time over that span. You'll be enrolled in units of study, each carrying credit points, and you need to pass the required set to graduate. The research project is the spine of the degree. Topics in sport and exercise sciences can cover exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor control, sports injury prevention, or physical activity and health. Your exact project depends on the supervisor you're matched with and what their lab is working on.

Work-integrated learning is not the main feature here, because honours is research-focused. Some projects involve working with sporting organisations, clinics, or community groups to recruit participants or collect field data. That kind of arrangement is set up by your supervisor, not guaranteed for every student. If you want placement-heavy training, the pass degree or a postgraduate coursework degree is a better fit.

The skills you build are research skills: finding and critiquing literature, designing a study, handling data, and writing to an academic standard. You also learn to present your work and defend your methods. This suits someone who wants to do research, go on to a PhD, or add a research credential to a sport science background. It also helps if you're aiming for roles where evidence and data matter, such as strength and conditioning, clinical exercise physiology, or sports analytics. Honours is the standard pathway to a doctorate in Australia, so if research is the goal, this is the usual next step.

• Research assistant in university sport and exercise science labs, medical research institutes, or human performance centres
• Strength and conditioning coach with professional or semi-professional sporting clubs, state institutes of sport, or private gyms
• Exercise scientist in community health programmes, cardiac or pulmonary rehabilitation, or corporate health
• Sports development or high-performance support officer with national and state sporting organisations
• Data and performance analyst for teams, leagues, or wearable technology companies
• Further study: PhD or master's by research, leading to academic or industry research roles

Australian industries that hire graduates include professional and community sport, health and fitness, hospitals and rehabilitation services, government health and sport agencies, and universities. Some roles, such as accredited exercise physiologist, need a specific accredited degree and registration, so check whether your undergraduate degree meets that. Honours itself is a research qualification and does not replace clinical accreditation.

If you are an international student, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may let you stay and work after you finish. While you hold a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during your studies. Confirm visa conditions with the Department of Home Affairs, and check the official UWA course page for English requirements, tuition, and how to apply.