Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry)

at University of South Australia - City East Campus Australia

Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives, every day. With UniSA, you'll learn how to help people overcome constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations.

What you'll learn

The first year will focus on core health subjects including anatomy, physiology, and an introduction to occupational therapy practice and evidence.

From second and third year, you‘ll focus on the application of your skills in mental health, occupation rehabilitation, chronic conditions, community focus, primary health care and participatory community practice.

In addition to field placements, you‘ll attend workshops in a range of industry settings. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit regional settings in your third year, on the annual Country Road Trip.

Throughout your degree you’ll be exposed to many different hands-on activities, such as:

• Splint making
• Dressing adaptation for people with self-care impairments
• Wheelchair measurement tutorials
• Home modification and assistive technology plans
• Adult neurological rehabilitation techniques
• Completing skill demonstrations to become familiar with real-life occupational therapy scenarios

Start your unstoppable career supporting people's health and wellbeing, with a double degree in exercise and sport science, combined with counselling and interpersonal skills.

This unique double degree – the only one of its kind in South Australia – will develop your expertise in physical, social and psychological science. You'll be prepared for work providing counselling to athletes, enhanced rehabilitation services and enhancing the physical health and mental wellbeing of the population.

This double degree can form the first part of a pathway to becoming a practising Psychologist (including sports psychologist) with further study in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), and the first part of a pathway to teaching with further study in the Master of Teaching (Secondary).

What you'll learn

This unique double degree will provide you with expertise in the science of exercise and sport, human thought and behaviour. You’ll develop cognitive and creative skills to solve real-world scientific problems and apply your knowledge in diverse contexts such as sports and mental health.  

You'll learn how to provide exercise advice, deliver strength and conditioning services, do biomechanical analyses, and share skill acquisition knowledge to enhance people's physical and mental wellbeing from children, to elite athletes, to older people. 

Your courses in psychology theory and counselling will help you enter the workforce with a strong understanding of the analytical, communication and interpersonal skills needed to work with individuals, groups and communities.

In the first two years, you’ll study exercise and sport science courses, with an introduction to psychology, which will give you a solid understanding of:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Fundamental movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Physical activity and health

The third and fourth years have a strong practical focus. You’ll develop critical thinking and practice-based skills to:

• Develop influencing skills and intervention strategies
• Gain knowledge of psychological disorders, including their causes and range of treatments
• Study the relationship between psychology and physical activity

This course prepares you to confidently advise on exercise plans, and deliver strength and conditioning services. The curriculum teaches biomechanical analyses and skill acquisition knowledge to enhance people’s physical and mental wellbeing – from children to elite athletes to the elderly.

During your first year you’ll develop a solid understanding of:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Physical activity and health
• Fundamental movement skills
• Research methods and statistics
• Group and team psychology

In your second year you'll focus on:

• Skill acquisition
• Exercise prescription and delivery
• Exercise and health psychology
• Nutrition
• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics

In your final year of study, you’ll focus on professional studies, the application of exercise science, and sociology of health and physical activity. Additionally, you can tailor your degree with a range of elective courses aligned with your career aspirations. The added benefit is that some of these courses will allow you to upskill, as they provide you with additional industry certificates upon successful completion in areas such as Level 1 Sports Training.

Start your unstoppable career in the world of human health and wellbeing, with a double degree in exercise and sport science, combined with nutrition and food science.

The exercise and sport science component will equip you with expertise on the impact of exercise and physical activity on the biological, physiological, psychological and social aspects 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 your 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. Further study opportunities may include a Master of Research (Health Sciences) or Master of Health Services Management.

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

Radiation Therapists work alongside Radiation Oncologists and Medical Physicists to plan and deliver radiation treatment, primarily to cancer patients. Using dedicated radiotherapy treatment planning software, Radiation Therapists model radiation dose and operate radiation equipment to accurately deliver high energy ionising radiation treatments.

What you'll learn

Using dedicated radiotherapy treatment planning software, Radiation Therapists model radiation doses and operate radiation equipment to accurately deliver high energy ionising radiation treatments. You’ll learn these techniques and practices through this degree.

During your first year, you’ll focus on basic sciences at the core of the study and practice of medical radiation science. The curriculum covers anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiation physics. These core subjects offer an introduction to medical radiation and the scientific principles surrounding it.

Applying these concepts to professional practice occurs through clinical placements, which begin in your second year and continue through third and fourth years.

Modern construction is a complex, innovative and highly organised commercial industry dealing with large capital investments and increasingly influenced by technology and environmental considerations – including green and smart building practices.

Heavily reliant on sophisticated construction techniques, highly skilled labour and real-time information systems, the industry needs experienced, adaptable leaders, particularly for large-scale projects..

What you'll learn

You will study core areas of construction including law, management, communication, materials and business, and use digital tools for data driven decision making and productivity. These will give you an excellent understanding of the role of a construction professional.

You’ll also study more complex fields such as quantity surveying, building surveying, contract administration, development regulation, development economics and fire engineering.

In your honours year, you will choose two out of the following three specialisations, which will lead to recognition by different accrediting bodies:

• Quantity surveying
• Building surveying
• Construction management

In the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science, you’ll explore the complex world of human health and disease under the guidance of industry experts.

In this three-year program, immerse yourself in biomedical research and gain skills to be used in clinical trials. Develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. You’ll get to learn alongside internationally-recognised researchers in cancer biology, vaccine development, genetics and neuroscience.

What you'll learn
Along with fundamental knowledge in biomedical sciences, you can choose pathways into further study in biomedical research and other health professions. Throughout your degree, you’ll:

• Explore the complex world of human health and disease.
• Learn advanced skills in biochemistry, immunology, genetics, pharmacology, cancer biology.
• Learn skills which can be applied to clinical trials research.
• Study core courses in chemistry, biology and anatomy, and develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics.
• Benefit from a flexible learning environment with face-to-face and online courses.
• Gain research experience, which forms a great foundation for pathways in bioinformatics, genomics, and clinical trials.

What you'll learn

The Bachelor of Human Movement offers an exciting combination of theoretical, conceptual and hands on learning. From your first year, you can select from primary streams in either Exercise and Sport Science or Health and Physical Education. If you choose to study the Exercise and Sport Science stream, you can also study a secondary stream in Advanced Exercise and Sport Science, Rehabilitation Sciences, Sports Coaching, Health Promotion or Nutrition. If you pursue the Health and Physical Education Stream, you can study a second learning area chosen from a wide range of options including Outdoor Education, Mathematics, Science, English and Nutrition. Visit the Health and Physical Education (H&PE) teacher page to find out more.

During your first year of study, you'll develop a strong foundation in:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Human movement
• Health and physical activity
• Motor development and ageing
• Group and team psychology

Second year studies will focus on:

• Motor learning and control
• Human nutrition
• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics

This degree teaches you practical skills and effective communication techniques to interact confidently with clients and peers, complete client screenings, conduct laboratory and field testing, interpret scientific research, and design and implement exercise and training programs.

Communication is critical for building human connections and living a fulfilling life. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speech, language, fluency, and voice.

As a Speech Pathologist, you’ll support and empower people who have difficulty communicating because of developmental delays, stroke , brain injuries, learning disability, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, dementia and hearing loss, as well as other problems that can affect speech and language.

What you'll learn

Speech Pathologists work with a wide range of people across different settings and manage complex and difficult issues. You’ll acquire theoretical and clinical knowledge; as well as hands-on skills to assess, diagnose and provide intervention for children and adults affected by communication difficulties. For example, brain injuries can result in difficulties understanding or producing language, slurred and imprecise speech; and changes to cognition such as attention, memory, and personality.

In your studies, you’ll learn about the role of technology in speech pathology practice. For example, technology for understanding acoustic signals of speech and parameters of voice production, as well as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

Pharmaceutical scientists are experts in the chemistry, biology, and biotechnology required to design and develop medicines. UniSA’s Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science is the only degree of its kind in South Australia, equipping you with skills which are globally relevant.

What you'll learn
This degree places a unique emphasis on the development and commercialisation of a range of pharmaceutical products, such as injections, tablets, creams and ointments.

In your first year you’ll develop an understanding of basic sciences. You’ll learn about career development and factors influencing the pharmaceutical industry domestically and internationally.

During the second and third years you’ll focus on:

• Pharmaceutical sciences (including formulation)
• Pharmacology and pharmacokinetics
• Drug discovery, development and commercialisation

You’ll also get the opportunity to fine-tune your study to your own personal interests and career aspirations when you choose from a range of specialist courses during your final two years.

You may choose to specialise in areas such as:

• Research and development (including drug discovery)
• Manufacturing and pharmaceutical chemistry (including quality control)
• Drug development (including clinical trials)
• Business (including sales, marketing, legal, regulatory and drug information)