Study exercise physiology abroad

Exercise physiology is a fast-paced area of study that looks at how human athletic performance can be monitored and improved.

By enrolling in an exercise physiology degree, you’ll develop the theoretical knowledge, practical experience and professional skills needed to gain a competitive edge in the field. You’ll get to grips with various measurement tools and use them to examine the effects of exercise on the human body. You’ll also explore how nutrition and rehabilitation programs can be tailored to optimize performance.

There’s no better way to learn about the international sports and leisure industry than by experiencing it first-hand. Not only does studying overseas mean you have a wider range of courses to choose from, but you’ll also make discover new places and make lasting memories.

You can study physiology at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level. BSc programs are studied over three or four years. The duration of your course will depend on your university, country of study, and whether you choose to participate in an additional 12-month industry placement.

If you’ve chosen the US as your study abroad destination, your undergraduate degree will take four years to finish. In line with the liberal arts model, you’ll spend two years taking general education courses, before focusing on physiology-specific classes in the final half of your program.

Once you’ve got a bachelor’s degree in your pocket, you might want to extend your knowledge and boost your career prospects with a postgraduate qualification. An MSc can be studied over one or two years, while a PhD normally takes between five and six years of work.

As an exercise physiology student, your schedule will mainly consist of lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory sessions and practical workshops. Your progress will be assessed through a mixture of exams, written coursework, presentations and research projects.

Thanks to the wide range of elective modules on offer, exercise physiology programs can easily be tailored to reflect your interests and ambitions. However, most courses will introduce students to these fundamental topics:

• Physiology of sports performance
• Human anatomy
• Human biochemistry
• Laboratory techniques in exercise physiology
• Gerontology
• Pharmacology
• Nutrition, energy and metabolism
• Chemistry of exercise

As the global sports and leisure industry continues to grow, there’s an increasing demand for passionate and knowledgeable exercise physiology graduates.

Beyond the sports sector, your expertise will be highly valued across fields such as education, healthcare, and government.

Example career paths pursued by recent graduates include:

• Exercise physiologist
• Physical therapist
• Sports performance analyst
• Strength and conditioning coach
• Sports research scientist
• Sports science technician
• Secondary school teacher
• Personal trainer

If you’re looking for some extra help working out what path is right for you, arrange an appointment with your university’s career service. They’ll help sharpen your CV, secure work experience and improve your interview techniques.