Exercise Science

The Bachelor of Health Sciences with Honours in the field of Exercise Science gives students a holistic overview of the technical expertise, skills and knowledge required to operate effectively as a modern-day exercise scientist and a strength, conditioning and performance specialist.

Overview

This is a 1-year full-time degree offered through the Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine in the School of Therapeutic Sciences.

The BHSc Hons Exercise Science graduate will specialise in the application of scientific processes to improve individual and team athletic performance and decrease injury risk. The graduate may be a generalist, working across the breadth of scientific disciplines, or a specialist practitioner, who has training and applied experiences predominantly within one or more specific scientific discipline area(s) relevant to sport science and sports performance.

The BHSc Hons Exercise Science will prepare participants to be able to sit the Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) exam of the National Strength and Conditioning Association of America – An internationally recognised qualification.

What is the difference between Exercise Science and Biokinetics?

The qualified Biokineticist may register with the HPCSA and rehabilitates injuries and chronic diseases in the acute, supervised, specialised phase. The Exercise Scientist is a strength and conditioning specialist, and would follow on the work of the Biokineticist, getting the athlete specifically ready for the sport mode season. The Exercise Scientist would also plan the athlete’s annual training programme components, content, and timing, and track and monitor the on-field performance and off-field test performance for updating of training programmes.

The Biokinetist is involved in the clinical aspect of a patient/athlete. The Exercise Scientist should collaborate with the Biokineticist to use the information for effective and safe implementation of the teams’/ athletes’ competitive physical conditioning programme.

Career Opportunities

  • Sport, High-Performance institutions
  • Sports teams at the school, club, provincial and national level for design and implementation of strength and conditioning programmes

Curriculum

The curriculum aims to equip graduates with all the requirements and skills needed to deliver an optimal, standardised strength and conditioning service in individual athletes and team settings.

Blended learning. Students will have 3, 1 week on-site training blocks spaced throughout the year for practical training. All other teaching will be done on-line using Moodle as the e-learning platform.

The modules include:

  • Concepts and applications of the exercise sciences
  • Strength and conditioning Physiology
  • Strength and Conditioning programme design
  • Periodisation Training for Sports
  • Athlete testing, evaluation and monitoring
  • Research methodology and Report in the area of strength and conditioning

Entry Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in exercise science, human movement science or equivalent
  • The Wits BHSc degree(Biokinetics track) fulfills the undergraduate course content requirements
  • Successful completion of undergraduate (exercise) physiology courses. Human anatomy courses would be an added advantage
  • Average undergraduate marks of at least 60% in relevant subjects
  • Faculty of Health Sciences admission criteria apply for admission

Note: Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the programme does not guarantee students a place in this programme.

  • Applications must be accompanied by a CV, academic transcripts, letter of motivation and two letters of recommendation
  • Applications are made to the University, not the Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine
  • Interviews may be called for

University Application Process

  • Applications are handled centrally by the Student Enrolment Centre (SEnC). Once your application is complete in terms of requested documentation, your application will be referred to the relevant School for assessment. Click here to see an overview of the Wits applications process. Refer to Wits Postgraduate Online Applications Guide for detailed guidelines. 
  • Please apply online. Upload your supporting documents at the time of application, or via the Self Service Portal.
  • Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
  • Selections for programmes that have a limited intake but attract a large number of applications may only finalise the application at the end of the application cycle.

Please note that the Entry Requirements are a guide. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee a place. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

International students, please check this section.

For more information, contact the Student Call Centre +27 (0)11 717 1888, or log a query at www.wits.ac.za/askwits.

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees. The Fees site also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal.

For information about postgraduate funding opportunities, including the postgraduate merit award, click here. The University's Postgraduate Funding portal is a database of scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities available to Wits postgraduate students. Please also check your School website for bursary opportunities. NRF bursaries: The National Research Foundation (NRF) offers a wide range of opportunities in terms of bursaries and fellowships to students pursuing postgraduate studies. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.