Outline

Overview

This introductory unit will provide students with skills and understanding of measurement and analysis core to becoming a proficient exercise professional. Students will learn technical skills for exercise data collection, the data handling, calculations and analytical approaches to examining data, and research methods used to collect evidence. Critical thinking approaches will be used to develop skills for assessing quality of evidence in exercise science. A focus Introduction to Exercise Science is the development of discrete skills and understanding of their application for accuracy.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Movement Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	OLET1514
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Kate Edwards, kate.edwards@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Kate Edwards, kate.edwards@sydney.edu.au
	Michelle Hall, michelle.hall@sydney.edu.au
	Troy Cross, troy.cross@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Che Fornusek, che.fornusek@sydney.edu.au
	Kieron Rooney, kieron.rooney@sydney.edu.au
	Timothy English, tim.english@sydney.edu.au
	Elizabeth Machan, elizabeth.machan@sydney.edu.au
	Shane Ball, s.ball@sydney.edu.au
	Suzie Mate, suzanne.mate@sydney.edu.au
	Kotryna Lewis, kotryna.lewis@sydney.edu.au
	Jeanette Thom, jeanette.thom@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Research report part A Pair or group of 3 critical appraisal of research article	24%	Formal exam period Due date: 10 Jun 2025 at 23:59	1500 words report
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Research report part B Individual article assessment quiz and peer review	12%	Formal exam period Due date: 10 Jun 2025 at 23:59	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	IPL Introductory Workshop Complete pre-work, all 3 activity stations + post-workshop peer evaluation.	0%	Multiple weeks	Approx. 4-5hr incl workshop + homework
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Early Feedback Task, written test 1 #earlyfeedbacktask In-person Written test 1: MCQ online quiz in lecture class.	10%	Week 04 Due date: 17 Mar 2025 at 10:30	30min
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Academic Honesty Education Module Compulsory module to inform and assess academic integrity. Access in Canvas	0%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2025 at 23:59	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Assignment Consent Matters: Online Consent Education Module Online module concerning sexual misconduct and gaining informed consent	0%	Week 06 Due date: 31 Mar 2025 at 23:59	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Written test 2 Week 9 Written test. Short answer questions.	15%	Week 09 Due date: 28 Apr 2025 at 11:00	45 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Written test 3 Week 13. Written test. Short answer questions.	15%	Week 13 Due date: 26 May 2025 at 11:00	45 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Skill competency assessment Earn a badge (2%) for each of the 12 required skills	24%	Week 13	Ongoing
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ? = AI allowed ? = early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

***UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY BARRIER TASKS***

Barrier tasks are compulsory items of assessment. If not completed, you will not receive your grade for the unit of study. Successful completion of ALL barrier tasks is required to receive a grade for this unit of study.

Interprofessional Learning (IPL) Introductory Workshop (0%): See the Interprofessional Learning (IPL) Canvas site for information about this compulsory task. Hurdle Task Information: Your final grade for EXSS1037 will only be released if you have completed the IPL Workshop and associated assessment activities.

Academic Integrity Online Module (0%): See the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) Canvas site for information about this compulsory module. Completion of the module is compulsory for all students commencing a new coursework degree, diploma or certificate, even if you have previously studied at university. Hurdle Task Information: Your final grade for EXSS1037 will only be released if you have completed the Academic Integrity Online Module.

Consent Matters (0%): See the Consent Matters Canvas site for information about this compulsory task. Hurdle Task Information: Your final grade for EXSS1037 will only be released if you have completed the Consent Matters online course.

If you have completed any of these barrier tasks in your previous enrolment and wish to seek an exemption, please contact the Unit of Study Coordinator with appropriate evidence of your completion of the task(s).

***UNIT OF STUDY ASSESSMENT TASKS***

Early Feedback Task Writen test 1 (in-class MCQ Test; 10%): a 30-minute multiple choice question (MCQ) quiz will be conducted in lecture class using Canvas Quizzes. Content examined in this quiz will be all theory content covered in weeks 1 to 3 inclusive, including theory of practical class. Students will need to bring a suitable device (laptop) on which to complete the test. If required, laptops can be borrowed from the vending machine in Susan Wakil Health Building and other locations across campus. Failure to attempt this quiz will not result in automatic Absent Fail (AF) grade for the unit of study.

Written test 2 (15%): Week 9 Written 45 minute paper-and-pen test comprising short-answer questions completed in-person .The test will be held during normal lecture time (i.e. Monday at 10am), see your personal timetable for venue information. Failure to attempt the test will result in an AF grade being awarded for this unit of study.

Written test 3 (15%): Week 13 Written 45 minute paper-and-pen test comprising short-answer questions completed in-person .The test will be held during normal lecture time (i.e. Monday at 10am), see your personal timetable for venue information. Failure to attempt the test will result in an AF grade being awarded for this unit of study.

Skills competency assessment (24%): Twelve (12) skills are assessed by tutors in tutorial and practical classes (onging assessment, with catch up time available in week 12 and 13). A 'badge' for each skill can be earned by demonstrating competency (2% each). List of skills and rubric can be found on CANVAS. Special Consideration will not be approved for indivudual classes as catch up times are available. Failure to attempt the skills (that is, 0 skills attempted) willl result in an AF grade being awarded for this unit of study.

Research report (36%):

Part A (24%): A written group assignment completed in groups of 2 or 3 students. Students submit a written report which consists of a critical appraisal of the quality of evidence a journal article provides, including a study quality checklist, and providing an evidence-based judgement on whether or not the findings should be incorporated into their clinical practice. Standard late penalties apply.

For this report you are permitted to use generative AI to help you - this use must be acknowledged. For example tt may be helpful to use AI tools such as Grammarly, Notion AI, ChatGPT, etc to directly suggest readability improvements to your text in terms of grammar and expression. You may choose to use tools such as elicit.org, perplexity.ai, and researchrabbit.ai to find and summarise research articles. You then need to incorporate the scholarship yourself in using the article you select for your report. The AI generated summary cannot be included in the submission.

Remember:

Do not enter confidential, personal, copyrighted or otherwise sensitive information into these tools. If you use these tools, you must be aware of their limitations, biases, and propensity for fabrication. Your use of AI tools must adhere to the Student Charter 2020, including upholding honesty, ethics, professionalism, and academic integrity.
Do not rely on the accuracy of outputs. You remain responsible for your work. This means you must independently verify and edit AI-generated content to ensure the integrity, accuracy, and suitability of the output.
If you use these tools, you must include a statement at the end of your assignment explaining what you used the tool for, and the prompts that you used. An example of what this might look like is: I acknowledge the use of researchrabbit.ai on to search for and summarise articles. We then selected the article we would use for our report. I used ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/) to refine the academic language of my own work. On I submitted my entire report () with the prompt to "Improve the academic tone and accuracy of language, including grammatical structures, punctuation and vocabulary”. The output () was then modified further to better represent my own tone and style of writing.

Part B (12%): Individual Quiz (10%) and Peer-evaulation of groupwork (2%). Canvas quiz based on an assigned journal article. Quiz will include MCQ or very short answer questions. Submission of peer review of contribution to Research Report - Individuals reported to have not contributed to the assignment in a meaningful way, or contributing markedly less than their group members, may have penalties imposed upon their mark, or may be considered as having not attempted the assessment if contribution was severely limited/absent. In these cases, individual circumstances will be investigated to ensure this is applied appropriately. Failure to submit this assignment will result in an AF grade being awarded for this unit of study.

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High Distinction	85-100%	Demonstrates extensive and thorough knowledge of exercise science principles and skills; demonstrates exceptional capacity to integrate complex concepts in exercise science; demonstrates high quality practical skills with ease and confidence.
Distinction	75-84%	Demonstrates thorough knowledge of exercise science principles and skills; demonstrates very good capacity to integrate complex concepts in exercise science; demonstrates high quality basic exercise science practical skills.
Credit	65-74%	Demonstrates good knowledge of exercise science principles and skills; demonstrates good capacity to integrate complex concepts in exercise science; demonstrates good capacity to perform basic exercise science practical skills.
Pass	50-64%	Demonstrates satisfactory knowledge of exercise science principles and skills; demonstrates some capacity to integrate complex concepts in exercise science; demonstrates satisfactory quality basic exercise science practical skills.
Fail	<50%	Does not demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of exercise science principles and skills; and/or, is not able to demonstrate capacity to integrate complex concepts in exercise science; is able to demonstrate satisfactory basic exercise science practical skills.
Absent Fail	0 to 49%	Fails to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, or through failure to submit or attend compulsory assessment tasks. In cases where a student receives some marks but fails the unit through failure to attend or submit a compulsory task, or fails to achieve the minimum standard in applicable assessments (e.g. mid-semester written exam, practical exam), the mark entered shall be the marks awarded by the faculty up to a maximum of 49.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For submitted work: Standard late penalties apply for the group assignment. Late penalties are a mark deduction (from the mark that would have been awarded for the quality of the work submitted) of 5% per day late or part thereof, to a maximum of 10 days (50% marks deduction), after which a grade of zero is awarded for that submission. Special Consideration must be sought by any student unable to attend the written or practical exam on their allocated day/time. If applicable, Special Consideration can also be sought to extend the due date for submission of assignments, including the in-class test and in-class Excel worksheet. Please see https://sydney.edu.au/students/special-consideration.html for details on what events may constitute grounds for Special Consideration, and how to apply.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to University, your degree and this unit, how to pass and be successful! The Exercise Professionals governing body - ESSA	Lecture (1 hr)
	Exercise Science vs Exercise Physiology, what it means in practice, what are the skills you will need and learn.	Lecture (1 hr)
	Transition to university and exploring personal/professional values	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Professional Practice in real terms, informed consent practicalities	Lecture (1 hr)
	Data: How do we know what we know? Introduction to data	Lecture (1 hr)
	Resting measurements: HR, BP, Height, Mass, BMI	Practical (2 hr)
Week 03	Pre-exercise screening, why and how	Lecture (1 hr)
	How do we measure exercise? Quantifying work and power on an exercise bike	Lecture (1 hr)
	Using Excel to examine data: descriptive statistics and graphs	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Data: How do you know if things are different or really just the same? Hypothesis testing and T-tests	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Exercise measurements: HR and BP in response to steady-state cycling	Practical (2 hr)
Week 05	The body's response to exercise: integrative physiology - getting the fuels in and the waste out	Lecture (1 hr)
	How do we measure exercise other than cycling? Measurement validity, and accuracy, importance of calibration	Lecture (1 hr)
	Using Excel to examine data: testing differences between groups or conditions	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	The body's response to exercise: integrative physiology - ATP and movement, different muscle characteristics	Lecture (1 hr)
	Data: How do we know if two things are related? Correlations and predictions	Lecture (1 hr)
	Exercise measurement: increasing exercise intensity responses	Practical (2 hr)
Week 07	The body's response to exercise: integrative physiology - how to we change fuel into ATP for movement, what's oxygen got to do with it?	Lecture (1 hr)
	Evidence: what evidence do we use, and how do we trust it?	Lecture (1 hr)
	Using Excel to examine data: correlations. Thinking about evidence - what would you search for?	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Maximal exercise intensity and VO2 max	Lecture (1 hr)
	Evidence: Where and how do we find evidence?	Lecture (1 hr)
	Measuring fitness: conducting sub-maximal exercise tests	Practical (2 hr)
Week 09	Consuming oxygen, calculating how much: VO2	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Using Excel to examine data: how to predict VO2 max from data we collected	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Measuring maximal exercise capacity: a Max test in real time	Lecture (1 hr)
	Evidence: what evidence do you have? Research designs, quantitative and qualitative	Lecture (1 hr)
	Measuring oxygen consumption, at rest and during exercise	Practical (2 hr)
Week 11	Evidence: Is your evidence any good? Levels of evidence and quality appraisal	Lecture (1 hr)
	Evidence: Is your evidence any good, methods for critical appraisals, minimal clinically importance differences.	Lecture (1 hr)
	Calculating VO2, the methods and the maths	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	The body's response to exercise: integrative physiology - oxygen consumption to power output	Lecture (1 hr)
	Evidence: reporting on evidence - your final assessment guide	Lecture (1 hr)
	Catch up time for skills badges	Practical (2 hr)
Week 13	Unit wrap up and final assessment: example of a marked EBP report	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	Catch up time for skills badges	Practical (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

While attendance at lectures, practical classes and tutorials is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended that students attend all allocated classes in order to keep up with the work, and to take the opportunity to ask questions of their teachers to clarify their understanding.

Without attending tutorial and practical classes it will be almost impossible to demonstrate competency in skill assessments.

In every class, you will be learning the building blocks that you will use for the remainder of your degree and beyond, so it is important to take your learning seriously and attend and participate in class as best as you can.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

This unit of study has one prescribed textbook which coincides with the prescribed reading of EXSS1036, this textbook is:

Powers SK, Howley ET and Quindry J. Exercise physiology: Theory and application to fitness and performance. 11th edition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill LLC, 2021. NOTE: The 12th edition of this book has recently been released, and students may wish to obtain a copy of the more recent edition to support their future studies.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Explain the roles of exercise professionals, understand the rationale for, and be able to apply risk stratification criteria in pre-exercise screening, and identify when further guidance is required prior to conducting a test.
LO2. Identify different ways to conduct accurate health, exercise, sport and physical activity assessments and begin to develop a critical analysis of their strengths.
LO3. Demonstrate an understanding of the limitations, contraindications or considerations that may require the modification of assessments.
LO4. Demonstrate practical competency to conduct pre-assessment procedures, select and conduct appropriate protocols for safe and effective assessments, including instructing clients on the correct use of equipment and obtaining measurements.
LO5. Develop basic professional skills including the ability to communicate in oral form effectively and provide written and graphical summaries of information from assessments, their limitations, and the interpretation of the results.
LO6. Begin to understand the requirement for evidenced-based models of practise based on how to conduct a critical analysis of quality of evidence, including the applications of qualitative and quantitative research study designs.
LO7. Understand, select and perform statistical analyses and interpret the results most relevant to Exercise Science data sets.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Accredited Exercise Physiologist Professional Standards - 1.3.1. Illustrate the scope of practice of Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and the scope of roles available for AEP practice. 1.3.3. Practise professional conduct that incorporates the principles, legislation, regulations, rights and responsibilities that underpin: the ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice; therapeutic and collegial relationships; and professional practice in a client centred, multi-disciplinary care environment. 3.3.3. Judge clients’ stratified exercise risk including when to refer onwards. Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 1.2.4. Practice with integrity within the scope of training for an Exercise Scientist and the ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice. 1.2.6. Identify risks and apply appropriate risk management strategies to the professional practice of exercise science. 4.2.6. Identify and explain the common contraindications for participation in exercise and the associated risks. 7.2.1. Select and apply appropriate assessment procedures, including screening of appropriate social determinants of health, goal setting, obtaining informed consent and a relevant medical history, and performing a pre-exercise risk assessment and understand when onward referrals are warranted.
	Accredited Exercise Physiologist Professional Standards - 1.3.1. Illustrate the scope of practice of Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and the scope of roles available for AEP practice. Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 7.2.2. Identify and use the common processes and equipment required to conduct accurate and safe health, physical activity and exercise assessments. 7.2.4. Explain the scientific rationale, reliability, validity, assumptions and limitations of common assessments.
	Accredited Exercise Physiologist Professional Standards - 1.3.1. Illustrate the scope of practice of Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) and the scope of roles available for AEP practice. 3.3.3. Judge clients’ stratified exercise risk including when to refer onwards. Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 7.2.3. Identify and describe the limitations, contraindications or considerations that may require the modification of assessments and make appropriate adjustments for diverse individuals. 7.2.7. Identify the need for guidance or further information from an appropriate health professional and recognise when medical supervision is required before or during an assessment and when to cease a test.
	Accredited Exercise Physiologist Professional Standards - 1.3.3. Practise professional conduct that incorporates the principles, legislation, regulations, rights and responsibilities that underpin: the ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice; therapeutic and collegial relationships; and professional practice in a client centred, multi-disciplinary care environment. 3.3.3. Judge clients’ stratified exercise risk including when to refer onwards. Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 2.2.1.3. Describe biomechanical principles and how they relate specifically to the analysis of various forms of human movement to demonstrate an understanding of the physical effects of human interaction with equipment and the environment. 7.2.5. Describe the principles and rationale for the calibration of equipment in commonly used in assessments and recognise and recalibrate equipment when required. 7.2.6. Select, develop and conduct appropriate protocols for safe, effective and culturally sensitive assessments including risk management and risk assessment concepts associated with the health and assessment of exercise science.
	Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 3.2.4. Analyse and interpret physiological data obtained during acute exercise, and compare such data between time points, individuals and populations. 7.2.8. Analyse, interpret, communicate and record information and results from assessments including the accuracy and limitations of the assessment with the client, and families, carers and other health and exercise professionals where appropriate.
	Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 14.2.1. Describe the primary types, applications and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research study designs. 14.2.2. Use research databases to access peer-reviewed scientific literature and conduct searches to identify relevant information. 14.2.3. Appraise research methods and reports, including statistical results to understand methodological and ethical aspects of research, and integrate this knowledge into all areas of exercise science practice. 14.2.4. Cite the research of others in written and oral communication
	Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - 14.2.5. Select and apply basic data analysis techniques appropriate to exercise science subdisciplines.

Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.2.4		Practice with integrity within the scope of training for an Exercise Scientist and the ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice.
1.2.6		Identify risks and apply appropriate risk management strategies to the professional practice of exercise science.
14.2.1		Describe the primary types, applications and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research study designs.
14.2.2		Use research databases to access peer-reviewed scientific literature and conduct searches to identify relevant information.
14.2.3		Appraise research methods and reports, including statistical results to understand methodological and ethical aspects of research, and integrate this knowledge into all areas of exercise science practice.
14.2.4		Cite the research of others in written and oral communication
2.2.1.3		Describe biomechanical principles and how they relate specifically to the analysis of various forms of human movement to demonstrate an understanding of the physical effects of human interaction with equipment and the environment.
3.2.4		Analyse and interpret physiological data obtained during acute exercise, and compare such data between time points, individuals and populations.
4.2.6		Identify and explain the common contraindications for participation in exercise and the associated risks.
7.2.2		Identify and use the common processes and equipment required to conduct accurate and safe health, physical activity and exercise assessments.
7.2.4		Explain the scientific rationale, reliability, validity, assumptions and limitations of common assessments.
7.2.5		Describe the principles and rationale for the calibration of equipment in commonly used in assessments and recognise and recalibrate equipment when required.
7.2.6		Select, develop and conduct appropriate protocols for safe, effective and culturally sensitive assessments including risk management and risk assessment concepts associated with the health and assessment of exercise science.
7.2.7		Identify the need for guidance or further information from an appropriate health professional and recognise when medical supervision is required before or during an assessment and when to cease a test.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Student feedback received from the 2024 edition of the unit has been considered in re-designing this unit for the 2025 edition. We have integrated practical data collection skills with data analysis skills, making the importance of data in the applied setting more obvious. We have also distributed assessment of practical and data skills in continuous assessment to reduce stress and emphasise competency. We are continuing a new tutorial support model, based on input from senior ES/EP students, and smaller tutorial class sizes to assist with the transition to university for first year students.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Students must wear closed-in shoes (e.g. sneakers) to all practical classes. Students will be refused entry to practical class if closed-in shoes are not worn.

Students should come to practical class prepared to participate in [practical] learning activities and wear appropriate clothing accordingly. In addition, this may include the wearing of masks and other personal protective equipment as advised by the unit coordinator and tutors, according to the recommendations by NSW Health and University policies. Please practice good hand hygiene during class.

Students will complete a work, health and safety checklist before their first practical class. Any student who misses this WHS checklist must complete it before entering their first practical class.

Students must complete a pre-exercise screener (link available on Canvas) prior to exercise. Students with existing medical conditions that may confer a risk during exercise must seek clearance from their medical practitioner prior to undertaking exercise.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

EXSS1037: Introduction to Exercise Science

Semester 1, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links