(MSc) Exercise Physiology and its Application in Therapy

Course Overview

Graduates of this course will also be eligible for accreditation and registration offered by REPs Ireland and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM.

This unique course will enable students to:

• Develop knowledge of exercise physiology and evaluation of fitness.
• Learn to plan and provide an exercise programme to healthy clients and as therapy in certain clinical settings.
• Obtain professional recognition from REPs Ireland/ACSM.
• Pursue a career as an exercise specialist/therapist.

In this course, students will develop an advanced knowledge of exercise physiology including a full understanding of physiological processes and changes that occur during different types of exercise. Students will understand how these changes are beneficial to general health and fitness. Students will have a clear understanding of exercise testing and prescription in health and in certain chronic disease settings. Topics featured in the lecture series include nerve-muscle physiology, cardiorespiratory physiology, kinesiology, integrated physiological responses to exercise and methods of evaluation, metabolism and nutrition in exercise, scientific principles of exercise prescription, methods of physiological assessment during exercise in healthy and clinical populations. Students will gain hands on experience in conducting exercise tests and physiological assessment of fitness. Semester 1–2 will be taught through lectures. Blended learning: All modules (1–6 will also be available online via podcasts and will be delivered via the medium of blackboard collaborate ultra virtual classrooms. (This will ensure that international students need to travel to University of Galway only for four months Mid May-August. They can then be accommodated in the empty student houses in the Corrib Village at a reduced cost. Online students will engage with pre-recorded lectures on blackboard weekly. To support engagement, discussion and interraction, these lectures will be followed by a online meeting with the course director via ultracollaborate.

All students will engage with continuous assessments. Students will be assessed during each semester by continuous assessments and end of semester exams. In module 7 in semester 2, students will attend a three week long hands-on training workshop to gain practical experience in exercise testing and physiological methods of evaluating performance and exercise prescription and application of their knowledge. Students will also attend a two-day workshop on professionalism and learn about the roles and responsibilities of an exercise specialist.

On successful completion of Semester 1—2 students will be eligible for a Postgraduate Diploma (as an exit route.

Accreditation opportunities

Students will also be eligible for accreditation and registration offered by REPs Ireland and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM.

In Semester 3, students will complete a research project on a related topic under the supervision of a member of faculty. At the beginning of Semester 3, students will attend a research methods workshop in which they will learn the basic principles of conducting scientific research, data collection, data management and analysis and presentation of scientific data. Students will be made aware of bioethical issues involved in research. At the end of the workshop, the students will prepare and present a plan for their proposed research project. Ethical approval will be obtained in advance from the College of Medicine Research Ethics Committee for each project offered. The students will have 8 weeks to complete their project. During this time they will interact closely with their supervisor. They will also be in contact with the course director for help and guidance whenever necessary. The students will submit a dissertation or thesis report of their project, which will be presented to staff followed by an interview. Student will receive a Masters degree on successful completion of all three semesters and successful defense of their project dissertation.

Conference

At the end of Semester 3 there will be a one-day conference organised by the course director where students will have an opportunity to showcase their work.

Students will also be eligible for accreditation and registration offered by REPs Ireland and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM.

Why Choose This Course...

• If you like to exercise, if you enjoy caring for others, if you like working in the healthcare setting or in the sports arena then this course is for you!
• In this course, students will develop an advanced knowledge of exercise physiology including a full and in-depth understanding of physiological processes and changes that occur during routine exercise and during training. Students will understand how these changes are beneficial to general health and fitness. Students will have a clear understanding of the methods of evaluation that can be used to assess these changes, to evaluate the fitness level and to plan and prescribe an exercise program that will be beneficial to the individual's health.
• This unique course will enable students to:
  - Develop knowledge of EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY and EVALUATION OF FITNESS
  - Learn to prescribe an EXERCISE PROGRAM to healthy clients and as THERAPY in certain CLINICAL settings
  - Obtain PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION from REPs Ireland/ACSM
  - Pursue a career as an EXERCISE SPECIALIST/THERAPIST

Students must have completed BSc (NFQ Level 8) in Physiology, Biomedical Science, Un-denominated Science, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Exercise Science, Nursing and Health Science, Physiotherapy, Podiatry or any other relevant biology or medical science area with at least a 2^nd class honours, or equivalent. (Students who have received a BSc Honours qualification or equivalent will be given preference in the shortlisting process.) Adult learners seeking additional qualifications are also welcome. Work experience in the relevant area will be an advantage.

This course is suitable for students interested in a career in exercise prescription and graduates upon completion of this course will be eligible to register with REPs Ireland and American Association of Personal Trainers (AAPT).

For applicants where English is a second language, we will adhere to university guidelines of requiring IELTS scores of 6.5, TOEFL scores of 88 and/or Pearson PTE scores of 61 with no less than 6.5 in any component.

Selection criteria:

Initially a shortlisting procedure will be applied to prioritise applicants. Those who do not meet the primary entry criteria as described above will be declined entry into the program. The remaining applicants will be reviewed in closer detail. Significant weight will be placed on

A) the applicant’s essay describing their motivation for applying for this course and their career aspirations following the successful completion of the MSc,
B) the applicant’s referee’s comments, and
C) the applicant’s previous academic performance.

With the increasing number of people living with chronic illnesses the demand for exercise physiologists capable of giving personal exercise advice that can improve the living standards of an individual is growing. Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to work in areas such as:

• Health clubs and related organizations
• Public sports and recreation facilities
• Local public health authorities
• Schools, further education, and higher education institutions

The course is designed to fulfill all the requirements for the EHFA and REPs Ireland accreditation. Students will be assisted in their application for registration with REPS Ireland and American College of Sports Medicine.

Graduates will also be eligible to pursue research PhD programmes in Sport and Exercise Science and related areas in the Discipline of Physiology, University of Galway.