Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
2026 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science / Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) |
| Course Credit Points | 42 |
| Deakin course code | D467 |
| Course version | 1 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2026 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Online | No |
| Duration | 5 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2026 This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2026 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 117808K Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7/8 |
| Supplementary Information | New course from Trimester 1, 2026. Enrolment in Trimester 3 study periods is compulsory to complete this course. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
This unique double degree offers the opportunity to combine expertise in exercise and sports performance with essential engineering principles. Gain hands-on experience in designing and developing products and solutions for challenges in rehabilitation, biomedical technologies and sports engineering. If you are passionate about sport and exercise and ready to push your boundaries, this course will empower you to innovate at the intersection of sport, biomechanics, technology and design.
Understand how exercise impacts human health and performance, alongside the anatomy and physiology of human motion. With a major in mechanical engineering, you will contribute to the creation of products from sports equipment to athletic wear – integrating engineering expertise to optimise design and functionality. Industry experience embedded in each degree ensures you graduate equipped with practical skills in both disciplines, preparing you for exciting career opportunities.
Ready to engineer the future of sports and health technology?
Become a leader in your field by studying at the #1 sport science school in the world.* With Deakin also ranked #1 in Australia for textile science and engineering,^ you'll be learning from the best. Build your skills in world-class facilities including the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus’ Elite Sports Precinct, supporting the activities of a wide range of athletes and opening the door to exciting placement opportunities. At our Melbourne Burwood Campus, the Specialised Indoor Exercise and Sport Science building gives you access to some of Australia's most advanced sport and exercise facilities, including a climate chamber and biomechanics and motor learning laboratories. Meanwhile, Deakin’s engineering students have access to comprehensive additive and digital manufacturing laboratories, mechanical testing and evaluation, high-end computing facilities for 3D design, modelling and simulation, and immersive monitoring and visualisation environments.
This course provides ample opportunity for hands-on learning and practical experiences. Half of your engineering studies focus on project- and design-based learning, where industry-informed challenges and real-world projects shape your education. The other half builds the foundational and specialist knowledge needed to tackle these challenges, ensuring you graduate with the skills and confidence to step straight into the workforce. You will also gain 30 to 60 days of engineering professional placement in an approved host organisation, complemented by 220 hours of work placement through the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science – more than any comparable accredited program in Victoria. These placements span elite sporting clubs, state and national sporting organisations, health and fitness providers and rehabilitation services, ensuring you graduate job-ready with a competitive edge.
Upon completion, you will graduate with a degree that sets you apart in the current job market – equipped with the practical and professional experience to lead in your chosen field. Your knowledge of the scientific principles underpinning physical activity, exercise and sports science, paired with your technical proficiency in mechanical engineering, will prepare you for niche careers while also ensuring a diverse skill set. With increased demand for active lifestyles, digital fitness solutions and performance-enhancing technology, this degree gives you everything you need to shape the future of sport and human performance.
* ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments 2021-2025.
^ ShanghaiRanking 2024 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
Indicative student workload
You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Professional recognition
The Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) is currently not professionally accredited. Deakin will be seeking accreditation from Engineers Australia and Exercise and Sports Science Australia and will update all students once professional accreditation has been approved.
Career opportunities
Graduates of this double degree will be well placed to work in the fields of mechanical engineering and exercise and sports science, or in roles where both disciplines intersect. With a strong foundation in both biomechanics and mechanical systems design, you’ll be prepared for a range of careers in emerging and established sectors. Potential roles include:
- Mechanical design engineer – specialising in the development of high-performance sporting equipment, wearable devices or rehabilitation technologies.
- Product development engineer – creating innovative solutions in sport, health and wellness, or recreational technology industries.
- Biomechanical engineering assistant – supporting research and product development focused on human movement, ergonomics and assistive technologies.
- Wearable systems engineer – contributing to the design and integration of sensors and electronics in wearable health and performance devices.
- Testing and standards engineer – ensuring the safety, durability, and compliance of sports and fitness equipment through rigorous testing processes.
- Innovation engineer – working with start-ups, R&D labs or sporting goods companies to drive new product concepts from prototype to production.
This double degree also opens doors to postgraduate research or further specialisation in areas such as biomechanics, sports engineering or health technology design:
- Performance technology coordinator – supporting elite sporting teams or institutes by managing and maintaining performance tech (e.g. motion capture systems, force plates, sensors).
- Applied biomechanics analyst – working with sports scientists and coaches to interpret biomechanics data and translate it into training or equipment recommendations.
- High performance operations analyst – supporting performance programs with data, equipment logistics and process optimisation – ideal for someone with a systems mindset.
- Sports innovation coordinator – embedded within sporting organisations to identify and integrate emerging technologies (hardware/software) that enhance performance or efficiency.
- Sports equipment development liaison – acting as a bridge between athletes, coaches and equipment manufacturers – translating user needs into product feedback and improvement.
- Technical services officer, sport science – assisting in the setup and running of biomechanics and physiology testing equipment in high-performance or research environments.
- Sport technology project officer – coordinating cross-disciplinary projects involving wearable tech, sensor integration, or training tech trials within sports organisations or startups.
- Rehabilitation technology support officer – supporting therapists and trainers by maintaining and adapting rehab and testing equipment used with injured athletes.
Participation requirements
Enrolment in Trimester 3 study periods is compulsory to complete this course.
Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
Articulation and credit transfer
Flexible entry into the course allows students to upgrade their qualifications and to obtain credit for previous studies/experience. Applicants with appropriate TAFE qualifications or other approved post-secondary studies may apply for Recognition of prior learning (RPL). Credit may be considered for skills obtained in the workforce or by informal means.
Equipment requirements
Students must have access to a suitable computer and a network connection. The learning experiences and assessment activities within this course may also require that students have access to a range of software. Access to high-cost specialist equipment is provided but students may be required to purchase minor equipment for particular unit(s) as detailed in unit site.
Alternative exits
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Mechanical Engineering major | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science |
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Design, develop, implement, manage and evaluate sustainable and innovative engineering solutions for real-world problems by integrating and applying well-developed knowledge and skills in natural and physical sciences, engineering and project management, and by showing concern for environmental, social and economic impact. Apply engineering and scientific techniques to study engineering problems, evaluate the benefits, risks and uncertainty associated with the use of specific engineering tools and techniques, and evaluate the effectiveness of designs and experiments that are used to determine a solution. Plan and execute practice- based projects to show capacity for advanced knowledge and skills in a discipline of engineering and thereby demonstrate the ability to research and continue professional development and scholarship. | Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility and well-developed theoretical and technical knowledge within the broad disciplines of exercise and sport science. |
| Communication | Effectively apply verbal and non-verbal communication skills by actively listening, speaking, reading, writing, and graphically representing an engineering position using appropriate means, considerate of the audience and viewpoint of others. | Demonstrate clear and accurate communication using a range of modes to select and deliver relevant information. |
| Digital literacy | Identify, select and use digital technologies and tools relevant to an engineering discipline to use, manage, generate and share information, evaluate its reliability, and use the information for engineering design, problem solving and research purposes. Demonstrate the ability to independently and systematically locate and share information, laws, policies and regulations that pertain to engineering practice. | Use a range of digital tools within exercise and sport science environments to accurately and efficiently locate, evaluate, and disseminate information, including the collection and analysis of data. |
| Critical thinking | Use knowledge of natural and physical sciences, and engineering skills and processes to identify and define problems in a variety of contexts and to study the nature and the impact of those problems. Apply critical and analytical thinking and judgment in evaluating data and information and integrating knowledge to develop new understanding, formulate appropriate and sustainable engineering design solutions and manage their implementation, operation and delivery ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. | Use information from multiple sources of evidence to inform decision making applied to exercise and sport science. |
| Problem solving | Evaluate and use established engineering principles and practice approaches to identify potential solutions to resolve complex, real-world engineering problems and realise solutions independently and collaboratively. Demonstrate innovative and creative approaches and solutions to engineering problems that are constrained by local, national, global, and contemporary issues and show capacity for planning, designing, executing, and managing engineering projects. | Independently deconstruct a range of real world and complex problems within exercise and sport science environments to formulate, execute and evaluate possible solutions. |
| Self-management | Proactively and critically self-assess and use reflection as a strategy for lifelong learning, professional development, and career thinking. Manage personal actions, priorities, and behaviours effectively in consideration of others, to ensure integrity in professional judgement and decision-making. | Demonstrate the capacity to learn and work independently, taking personal responsibility for actions and outcomes commensurate with priorities and timeframes established both personally and by others. |
| Teamwork | Demonstrate the value of trust by being a competent, reliable team member, who recognises and respects the roles and viewpoints of others, the fundamentals of team dynamics, and the value in pursuing expert assistance when required to nurture relationships that foster mutual engagement of others to collaboratively solve problems together. Work with, influence, and organise other people and resources to perform necessary work in accordance with a mutually agreed schedule, by applying the fundamentals of business and project planning, financial management, risk management, and human resources to an engineering context. | Consistently demonstrate professional behaviours while making effective contributions across a range of roles when undertaking collaborative work within intra- and inter-disciplinary teams. |
| Global citizenship | Value the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as diverse communities and cultures in a global context and situate own engineering practice by demonstrating commitment to safe, ethical and sustainable practices, and applying social, legal, and environmental responsibilities to exert a positive influence in the community. | Practise ethical and professional behaviours with an awareness of, and sensitivity to, diverse global and local perspectives in exercise and sport science. |
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science/ Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Mechanical Engineering major, you must pass 42 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- STP010 Career Tools for Employability (0- credit-point compulsory unit)
- SEJ010 Introduction to Safety and Project Oriented Learning (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- HSE010 Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety (0-credit- point compulsory unit)
- 15 credit points of core units from the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science H343
- 27 credit points of core units from the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – Mechanical Engineering major S467.
Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science (H343) and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (S467) must be satisfied.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Course structure
Exercise and Sport Science units
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| HSE010 | Exercise and Sport Laboratory Safety (0 credit points) |
| HBS109 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology |
| HSE102 | Functional Human Anatomy |
| HSE103 | Exercise Prescription and Delivery |
| HSE104 | Research Methods and Data Analysis in Exercise and Sport |
| HSE111 | Physical Activity and Exercise for Health |
| HSE113 | Human Growth, Development and Ageing for Exercise Scientists |
| HSE201 | Exercise Physiology |
| HSE202 | Biomechanics |
| HSE204 | Motor Learning and Development |
| HSE208 | Integrated Human Physiology |
| HSE302 | Exercise Programming ^ |
| HSE309 | Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Sport and Exercise |
| HSE312 | Exercise and Sports Science Practicum ^ |
| HSE323 | Clinical and Sport Biomechanics |
| HSE330 | Nutrition for Exercise Scientists |
^Indicates compulsory practicum core unit students need to complete in this course
Engineering (Honours) - Mechanical Engineering major units
Mechanical Engineering (unit set code MJ-S000194)
| STP010 | Career Tools for Employability (0 credit points) |
| SEJ010 | Introduction to Safety and Project Oriented Learning (0 credit points) |
| SEB101 | Engineering Physics |
| SEJ103 | Materials Engineering Project (2 credit points) |
| SET111 | Sustainable Design |
| SIT190 | Introduction to Functions, Relations and Graphs |
| SIT194 | Introduction to Mathematical Modelling |
| SEJ201 | Structural Design (2 credit points) |
| SEM200 | Machine Design (2 credit points) |
| SEM202 | Thermodynamics |
| SEM216 | Stress and Failure Analysis |
| SEM218 | Fluid Mechanics |
| SEP291 | Engineering Modelling |
| SED344 | Product Modelling and Design (2 credit points) |
| SEJ302 | Control Systems Engineering (2 credit points) |
| SEM302 | Advanced Stress Analysis |
| SEM313 | Manufacturing |
| SEM327 | Dynamics of Machines |
| SEJ441 | Engineering Project A (2 credit points) (capstone) ~* |
| SEJ446 | Engineering Project B (2 credit points) (capstone) ~* |
| SEM400 | Computational Fluid Dynamics * |
| SEL703 | Professional Practice ^ |
~It is recommended students undertake SEJ441 and SEJ446 in consecutive trimesters.
*Available at Burwood campus from 2027
^Students are encouraged to complete this unit in Trimester 3 of the third year of study. Must have successfully completed STP010 Career Tools for Employability (0 credit point unit). Available at the Burwood campus from Trimester 3, 2026.
Work experience
Through unit SEL703 Professional Practice, you'll gain industry experience by completing at least 30 to 60 days of practical work experience in an engineering workplace with assessment tasks designed to develop and enhance your understanding of the engineering profession, professional practice and continuing professional development, possible career outcomes, and the opportunity to establish valuable professional networks. More information can be found here: SEBE work integrated learning.
The Exercise and Sport Science component features compulsory practical experience through work-based practicum, so you can start your career before you graduate with hands-on work placement experience.
You have the opportunity to undertake hands-on experience in a variety of sporting, exercise or health environments. These may vary from local, state or national sporting organisations and professional sporting clubs; state and national institutes of sport; as well as health, fitness and exercise physiology rehabilitation providers. The roles can involve coaching, sport science, sports administration, sport management, exercise physiology and fitness, while many graduates have been offered subsequent employment based on their excellent practicum/fieldwork performance.
The units comprising of the practical experience outlined above are HSE312 Exercise and Sports Science Practicum (140 hours) and HSE302 Exercise Programming (80 hours).
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Research and research-related study
The key assessment of research and research skills in the programme is through the two linked 2 credit point units in the final year of the course. The first of these units is for students to develop a detailed research proposal and undertake preliminary proof-of-concept or testing of their experimental methods. The second unit is designed to undertake the proposed research and critically evaluate the outcomes of the project. The project is predominantly student-led with direction from an academic supervisor that has expertise in the research field.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.