Unit rationale, description and aim
The human body adapts its physiology in response to exercise training, fatigue and exposure to different environments. An understanding of the acute and chronic adaptations to these stresses and related interventions is central to exercise science practice. These knowledge and skills are consistent with the professional standards of several accreditation bodies, including those for Exercise Science. This unit will advance students' knowledge of human physiology and metabolism in the context of exercise by examining the responses and adaptation to various exercise and environmental stressors. Factors that limit performance and physiological adaptation will also be explored. The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of physiological adaptation to exercise–related stressors and its application to and evaluation of human health, fitness and performance, including the ability to integrate these knowledge and skills with other sub–disciplines in exercise science practice.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Compare the individual and integrated physiologica...
Learning Outcome 01
Articulate the physiological bases (including assu...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply physiological principles and techniques to e...
Learning Outcome 03
Analyse the application of contemporary theories o...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise:
- Molecular bases of adaptation to exercise
- Neuromuscular system responses/adaptation to exercise
- Endocrine system responses/adaptation to exercise
- Immune system responses/adaptation to exercise
- Adaptation to exercise training – anaerobic, intermittent, strength and endurance training
- Adaptation to disuse and detraining conditions
- Environmental adaptation – e.g.:
- Thermoregulatory stress
- Hypobaric stress
- Hyperbaric stress
- Central and peripheral fatigue
- Performance testing – VO2max, ventilatory threshold and lactate threshold testing
- Ergogenic aids, exercise performance and chronic adaptations
Assessment strategy and rationale
To best enable students to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate capabilities, standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. A range of assessment methods are used including oral and written reports based on project work to assess application of this learning and its communication, and a final exam (graded hurdle) to assess student learning of unit content and ensure all students have the requisite knowledge to be competent and capable Accredited Exercise Scientists.
Overview of assessments
To successfully pass the unit, students must demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes, pass the hurdle task, and achieve a minimum overall mark of 50% in the graded assessments.
Assessment Task 1: Group Oral Presentation A...
Assessment Task 1: Group Oral Presentation
Assesses ability to describe and communicate the aims, methods and outcomes of a group project
20%
Assessment Task 2: Written Report Assesses appl...
Assessment Task 2: Written Report
Assesses application of knowledge and skills by designing, conducting and communicating a project and its outcomes, working both collaboratively and autonomously.
40%
Assessment Task 3: Graded Hurdle Task * Examinat...
Assessment Task 3: Graded Hurdle Task *
Examination
Assesses understanding of unit content.
*Graded Hurdle
40%
*Students who fail the hurdle task on their first attempt may be provided one additional attempt to pass at a time indicated on the Learning Management System. Second attempts at the exam will be conducted in the deferred examination period.
Students will only be offered a second attempt if their grade is at or over 50% including the failed hurdle task mark. In this case students must pass the second attempt at the hurdle task and will be graded at the original overall grade.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy of this unit is designed to allow students to meet the aims, learning outcomes of the unit, graduate capabilities of the University and professional accreditation standards. They are intended to reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to engage actively with unit content and learning activities.
This unit uses an experiential, cooperative learning strategy to actively engage students in the design and conduct of group-based laboratory projects examining the impact environmental stressors have on the physiology of performance. Laboratory sessions will be complemented with face-to-face and asynchronous learning activities focused on further developing student depth of understanding of the physiological processes related to exercise in healthy, clinical and athletic populations.
Representative texts and references
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (2021). Fitness Assessment Manual (6th ed.) Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (2025). Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (12th ed.). Lippincott Williams.
Australian Institute of Sport, Tanner R and Gore C, (2013) Physiological tests for elite athletes (2nd ed.). Human Kinetics.
Astrand, P.O., Rodahl, K., Dahl, H.A., Stomme, S.B. (2003) Textbook of Work Physiology: Physiological Bases of Exercise (4TH ed). Human Kinetics.
Coombes, J.S. and Skinner, T.L. (2023) ESSA student manual for health, exercise and sport assessment (2nd Ed). Mosby and ESSA.
Knowles, M. (2015). New perspectives on andragogy. In E. Holton & R. Swanson (Eds.), The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (8th ed., pp. 169–187). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315816951
Kolb, A., & Kolb, D. (2018). Eight important things to know about the experiential learning cycle. Australian Educational Leader, 40(3), 8-14.
Krathwohl, D. (2002). A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41(4), 212–218. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
McArdle, W., Katch, F.I., and Katch, V.L. (2023). Exercise physiology: Nutrition, energy and human performance (9th Ed.) Lippincott William and Wilkins.
Tipton, C.M. (Ed.). (2012). ACSM's Advanced Exercise Physiology (2nd ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins