Study Human Movement in AustraliaCareers in SportAuthor Robyn Pryce-Jones The sport, recreation and exercise science areas are expanding rapidly, with growing awareness of the importance of activity and a healthy lifestyle, as well as the increasing community focus on health, well-being and fitness issues. Employment opportunities in Human Movement fields are increasing significantly to meet the demand for quality leaders in these fields. In today's employment climate, it is vital to emerge with a degree that provides both a strong academic and practical sports background to dynamic careers in related disciplines of Exercise and Sport Science, Sport Management and Education (Health and Physical Education Training). Human Movement courses equip graduates with the necessary knowledge, at- tributes and skills to understand the processes underlying physical exercise, and the extent to which they are influenced by physiological, biomechanical and psychological factors. Students are also encouraged to pursue research interests at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Within the sport science field, research projects are divided into two broad areas: Biomedical Exercise Science, and Athletic Performance. Biomedical Exercise Science research focuses on the effects of exercise and nutrition on various disease states. Studies in this area at the University of Tasmania are conducted in association with local medical specialists and hospitals, utilising state-of-the-art equipment in the Human Performance Laboratory and the Biomedical Science Department. The second area popular with research students in the exercise and sport science field is the improvement of athletic performance, through either advanced training techniques or the use of ergogenic aids. Elite athletes from the Institute of Sport often volunteer as subjects in order to gain access to the latest findings in exercise physiology and sport nutrition. Current projects include the use of folate supplementation on homocysteine levels in transplant patients, and an investigation into the changes in power output during different phases of the menstrual cycle. The local community benefits from the translation of these highly sophisticated concepts via educational, sporting, rehabilitation and work settings. Tim, as a Health and Physical Education under- graduate student and a highly competitive triathlete, recognised that elite athletes had difficulty in improving their fit- ness, appearing to plateau even when they were doing considerable amounts of training. For his honours dissertation, he designed a high-intensity treadmill training program that was effective in improving the aerobic fitness of highly trained middle distance runners. Currently a teacher at a local primary school, Tim dismisses his class at the end , of the day, packs away the sporting equipment, and heads back to the University, where he is now a PhD student extending his previous research by looking at the mechanism that explains-why high- intensity treadmill training is effective, , and whether this program is appropriate for different types of athletes. In the Human Performance Laboratory, Tim is joined by many other students, including full-time Bachelor of Human Movement Honours students Michael and Chelsea. Michael is researching the effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on the endurance performance of cyclists, whilst Chelsea's research is into the effects of combining soy protein and exercise on the lipid profiles of hypercholesterolemic patients. They are assisted by Melanie, a Bachelorof Human Movement (Exercise and Sport Science) graduate, who s now employed as a research assistant, and is ... simultaneously undertaking her Masters by Research in the area of antioxidant therapy and cardiovascular disease with hemodialisis patients. The Exercise and Sports Science program, as demonstrated by the diversity of the research, is dedicated to promoting the acquisition of knowledge and the development of critical thinking in a creative learning environment. Students are expected to strive for excellence in the advancement of science, fostering scholarship and a commitment to community service. When searching for a Human Movement course, look for those that are both academically and practically based to ensure that you develop a wide variety of skills while also having the opportunity to participate in specialised research projects. Studying Human Movement allows students to combine their interests in sport, recreation and exercise science, with a valuable academic qualification opening the doors to a diverse range of challenging and stimulating careers, including corporate health and fitness, family and community services, the health and fitness industry, local and state government bodies, sporting associations, rehabilitation clinics, sports institutes, and teaching in schools, colleges and universities. Take the opportunity to make a difference - help improve the quality of life for everyone through development of their health, ell-being and fitness. Human Movement is now established as an industry related to health, physical activity and performance needs of the community. . Author Robyn Pryce-Jones Assistant Head of School- Bachelor of Human Movement University of Tasmania Tel: 00 613 6226 2101 http: //www.utas.edu.au www.healthsci.utas.edu.au/hls | ||||||||||||||||||
