COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Flinders University is a 72-unit program designed to prepare graduates for professional practice as exercise physiologists. The program equips students with the knowledge and skills to use exercise as a therapeutic intervention for the prevention, management, and rehabilitation of disease, dysfunction, and injury. Graduates are trained to contribute to interdisciplinary health interventions and work effectively within integrated care teams across a range of public and private settings, including rural and remote communities.The curriculum combines theoretical and practical learning. Topics cover interprofessional practice, chronic disease management, private practice, exercise management in priority conditions, advanced exercise prescription, musculoskeletal injury management, and clinical exercise assessment and prescription. These units provide students with the expertise required to design and implement evidence-based exercise interventions tailored to individual patient needs, while fostering clinical reasoning, communication, and professional decision-making skills.Practical experience is a core component of the program. Students undertake a compulsory 360-hour clinical exercise physiology placement, which can be completed at a variety of metropolitan, rural, and remote locations, including the Northern Territory. These placements offer real-world exposure, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge, develop practical skills, and engage with diverse patient populations.To participate in clinical placements, students must meet professional and health requirements, including Working with Children, Aged Care Sector, and Worker Checks; a Police Check; SA Tuberculosis Services Screening; relevant immunisations including annual influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations; CPR and First Aid certification; manual handling, hand hygiene, and infection control training; and completion of SA Health Electronic Medical Records training.Graduates of the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology emerge as competent and confident practitioners, ready to work in interdisciplinary health teams and deliver high-quality, evidence-based exercise interventions. The program prepares students to make meaningful contributions to patient care, community health, and the broader health system across a variety of clinical and professional settings.