Australian Catholic University

What you'll study

This program focuses on advanced clinical skills, exercise prescription and sport-specific rehabilitation delivered through an online, taught course. Core topics typically include advanced musculoskeletal assessment and clinical reasoning for athletes, exercise-based interventions for performance and injury prevention, return-to-sport decision-making, load management and conditioning principles, and the application of evidence-based practice in sport and exercise contexts.

Students can expect study of modules covering:

• Advanced assessment and differential diagnosis of common sports and exercise-related injuries across all body regions.
• Exercise prescription and rehabilitation strategies for strength, power, endurance and neuromuscular control tailored to athletic populations.
• Sports-specific management including acute and chronic injury care, concussion basics, return-to-play protocols and on-field assessment principles.
• Clinical reasoning and decision-making with an emphasis on integrating research evidence, patient values and contextual factors.
• Professional issues and service delivery such as multidisciplinary team work, ethics in sport, telehealth/remote care, and working with sporting organisations.
• Research methods and critical appraisal to enable application of current evidence to clinical practice and to support further postgraduate study.

Teaching is delivered online through lectures, case-based learning, practical demonstrations (video and virtual simulation), discussion forums and assessed assignments. The course is designed for clinicians, so content emphasises translation to everyday practice; some programs may recommend or include workplace-based activities or clinical case submissions to demonstrate applied competence.

Entry requirements

Applicants are usually required to hold an undergraduate degree in physiotherapy (or an equivalent qualification) and to be a registered physiotherapist in their relevant national/provincial regulatory body (for example, AHPRA registration for those practising in Australia). Prior clinical experience in physiotherapy is normally expected; many successful applicants have at least a couple of years of post‑graduate clinical practice in musculoskeletal or sports settings.

Typical application materials include a curriculum vitae, evidence of professional registration, academic transcripts and a brief statement outlining clinical experience and professional goals. Applicants whose primary qualification was completed outside the country of practice may be asked to provide evidence of equivalence or additional documentation as part of the admission process.

Career prospects

Graduates use this qualification to strengthen their clinical practice and to pursue roles such as senior or advanced practice physiotherapist in private practice, multidisciplinary sports clinics, community health services and with sporting organisations at local, state or national levels. The program is valuable for physiotherapists who provide care to athletes, work in high-performance environments, or who want to take on leadership roles in exercise-based rehabilitation programmes.

Other common pathways include progressing to further postgraduate study (for example a master’s qualification or clinical specialty training), engaging in research or education roles, or expanding practice into allied roles such as consultancy to sporting teams, workplace injury prevention programmes, and performance support services.

Why study at Australian Catholic University

Australian Catholic University brings a clinical and values-driven approach to allied health education, emphasising evidence-based practice, person-centred care and ethical professional conduct. The university’s physiotherapy staff have clinical, research and teaching experience in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy and are engaged with community and sporting partners, which supports authentic learning and professional relevance.

ACU’s online delivery is designed to be flexible for working clinicians, combining structured learning with opportunities to apply new skills directly in clinical settings. Students benefit from academic support services, access to current research, and a network of peers and supervisors that can assist in career development within sports and exercise physiotherapy.