Unit rationale, description and aim
The ability to assess, prescribe, and deliver safe and effective exercise interventions at the individual, community, and population levels to promote physical activity and improve health outcomes is central to exercise science practice. The unit supports the integration and application of knowledge and practical skills gained across other exercise science sub-disciplines with a view to future practice in allied health. Students will further develop their assessment skills and the ability to and deliver exercise interventions in a professional practice context. These competencies will be further consolidated through engagement in a series of tailored simulated practice experiences. The aim of this unit is to advance students’ assessment capabilities and refine their ability to tailor and deliver exercise interventions in an authentic professional practice context.
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.
Design inclusive, evidence-based physical activity...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply exercise science knowledge and professional ...
Learning Outcome 02
Reflect critically on professional practice to ide...
Learning Outcome 03
Communicate professional insights and evidence-inf...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Structure of the Australian health care system
- Disease prevention programs at the public health, primary, secondary and tertiary levels targeting physical activity and sedentary behaviours Physical activity and health screening and risk stratification
- Evidence-based physical activity interventions designed for effective culturally inclusive intervention (e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples) to address physical activity and sedentary behaviours, health and wellbeing of a local community.
- Assessment of client’s health and interpreting results
- Design of evidence-based exercise interventions to address individual client needs
- Reflection of professional performance and exercise science service delivery
- Facilitating Safe and Effective Exercise Programs from Clinical Handovers: Implementing Allied Health Exercise Prescriptions
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit emphasises authentic, experiential learning aligned with students’ future roles as exercise scientists and allied health professionals. Through practical and reflective tasks, students build their professional identity by applying knowledge and skills in real-world contexts. Key learning includes developing and evaluating both population- and individual-based health interventions, ensuring versatile, applied experience. Reflection tasks help students identify strengths and address knowledge or skill gaps prior to professional practice.
Assessment Task 1 requires students to identify a local population in need and design an evidence-informed intervention. Framed as a competitive grant application, this task builds skills in critical thinking, planning, and evaluation.
In Assessment Task 2, students demonstrate competency in planning, delivering, and monitoring exercise interventions.
Assessment Task 3 supports reflective practice and professional communication. Students prepare case reports, clinical handovers, and reflect on their practical experiences.
Collectively, these assessments ensure students meet professional standards and are prepared to deliver safe, effective, evidence-based interventions.
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: Written and oral task Assess...
Assessment Task 1: Written and oral task
Assesses the development of evidence-based exercise interventions to address Australian healthcare problems
25%
Assessment Task 2 : Graded Hurdle* Practical tas...
Assessment Task 2 : Graded Hurdle*
Practical task
Demonstrate minimum competency standard expected of an exercise scientist when working with clients.
Graded Hurdle*
35%
Assessment Task 3: Written Task Produce evidenc...
Assessment Task 3: Written Task
Produce evidence-based exercise programs and critically reflect on exercise science practices after working with clients.
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.
The maximum possible grade for the second attempt is 50%. Students will only be offered a second attempt if a hurdle grade of 50% will allow them to pass the unit overall.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit adopts an active learning strategy that engages student practitioners in different modes of learning within the context of a simulated professional clinical workplace. Student practitioners assimilate knowledge in the management of authentic scenarios. The teaching activities used in this unit aim to facilitate active learning, inquiry based learning, and small-group work. The unit consists of short online lectures, practical workshops, asynchronous learning, peer observation and inter-professional practice experience. These activities will provide students with appropriate access to required knowledge and understanding, and opportunities for application and practical skill development, in exercise-based contexts to meet the aim and learning outcomes of the unit. The teaching and learning strategy also reflects respect for the individual as an independent adult learner, with students expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities and gym-based environments.