XNB472 Sport and Exercise Science Practicum 2


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Unit Outline: Summer 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:XNB472
Credit points:12
Pre-requisite:XNB470
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

This unit allows you to undertake a minimum of 140 hours at an external practicum site. This practicum focuses on interacting with clients looking to improve their health, fitness, wellbeing, or performance. Engaging in this unit will expose you to the scope of practice of an Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES) and is the second of two WIL opportunities you will engage in to fulfil the practicum requirements necessary to achieve this professional accreditation.

This is a designated unit which is essential to your course progression. Designated units include professional experience units, units requiring the development of particular skills, and units requiring demonstration of certain personal qualities. If you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit, you may be excluded from enrolment or will be put on academic probation. If you fail a designated unit twice within your course, you may be excluded. Supplementary assessment is not available on designated units.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Apply advanced sport and/or exercise science knowledge and understanding as appropriate to the placement context
  2. Demonstrate advanced technical skills and competence in practical situations as appropriate to the placement context
  3. Develop and exhibit an advanced range of ‘soft’ skills, including interpersonal communication, to perform independently or collaboratively and facilitate effective engagement in diverse settings
  4. Practice per the ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice
  5. Engage in critically reflective practice, planning and action for ongoing learning

Content

Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) stipulates that you must complete a minimum of 140 hours of sport or exercise science practicum placement during your degree. At least 80 of these hours must be related to exercise assessment, prescription, and delivery, while the remaining hours may be in any area that reflects the ESSA Exercise Science standards. Some examples of these areas include coaching, skill acquisition, sports first aid or trainer, match/performance analysis, and anthropometry. Typically, the practicum placement will be competed in gymnasiums, sporting clubs, or schools.

Specific skills and graduate capabilities you will develop include:

  • Knowledge and skills relevant to an Accredited Exercise Scientist
  • Critical, creative, and analytical thinking, and effective problem-solving
  • Effective communication in a variety of contexts and modes
  • The capacity for life-long learning
  • The ability to work independently and collaboratively
  • Characteristics of self-reliance and leadership

Learning Approaches

Practicum allows you to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application in professional work environments. Adopting a professional mindset is critical to your development whilst on placement. Such a mindset requires you to demonstrate suitable knowledge, understanding, and skills and to be a critical and discerning learner and accept that feedback is imperative for your growth as a skilled and reflective practitioner.

Your placement allocation is overseen by QUT staff and may occur in collaboration to accommodate your needs. Placement allocations are subject to change, and you must be flexible to accommodate any alterations. You may be required to attend placement across geographical locations within and outside the Brisbane metropolitan area. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Supervisors will be expected to provide you with regular, considered, and informative feedback. Formal feedback will be provided via the Midpoint Self-Evaluation and Endpoint Supervisor Evaluation tools. It would be expected that if you are at 'risk of failing' your placement, you would have received explicit feedback during the collaborative completion of your midpoint self-evaluation and been provided with specific strategies to improve.

Relative to other assessment tasks associated with practicum, you will receive timely feedback from assessors and be given opportunities to modify responses if you do not attain a grading of 'satisfactory'.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment component of the unit is through a:

  1. Practicum Performance Evaluation
  2. Record of Student Engagement
  3. Logbook


All tasks are assessed as either being satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Students will need to receive a grading of satisfactory for all the assessment items in order to pass the unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Practicum Performance Evaluation

At the midpoint of your practicum, you will complete a self-evaluation with mandatory input from your supervisor. You will receive explicit feedback on your performance and be provided with specific strategies to address areas that need improvement. Your supervisor will complete an online evaluation of your performance against a set of criteria at the end of the practicum. It is expected that you and your supervisor will have an opportunity to discuss your results in depth.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is NOT authorised during this assessment. Unauthorised use may be treated as a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and appropriate penalties imposed.

Weight: 0
Length: ~300 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Practicum end
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Assessment: Record of Student Engagement

The Record of Student Engagement details the total number of practicum hours and the nature of the activities undertaken. Additionally, it requires you to reflect on how your practicum enhanced your professional capacities as an exercise scientist.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details page for specific guidelines.

Weight: 0
Length: ~800 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Practicum end
Related Unit learning outcomes: 3, 4, 5

Assessment: Logbook

The practicum logbook will enable students to record the activities undertaken while on placement and the time devoted to them.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details page for specific guidelines.

Weight: 0
Length: ~6-8 pages
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Practicum endpoint
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 3, 4

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Coombes, J., & Skinner T. (2015). ESSA's Student Manual for Health Exercise and Sport Assessment. Elsevier.

Risk Assessment Statement

You should be aware of and abide by the health and safety requirements of the workplace. You are expected to undergo any induction or other training provided in the workplace for employees or visitors to the workplace as appropriate. See the Faculty Workplace Integrated Learning Canvas site for further details about prerequisite practicum requirements, including vaccination, working with children and Queensland Health expectations. You are responsible for ensuring that all mandatory documentation submitted to WILS is current and complies with current unit requirements.

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

XN50 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science

  1. Design and deliver exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of contemporary sport, exercise and health contexts.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Record of Student Engagement, Logbook
  2. Apply problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning to implement, analyse and evaluate evidence-based interventions for diverse clients and stakeholders.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Record of Student Engagement, Logbook
  3. Communicate and collaborate to transfer complex knowledge to clients and health professionals in a culturally safe manner.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Record of Student Engagement, Logbook
  4. Apply knowledge and skills within the professional, legislative, and ethical standards of practice.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Record of Student Engagement, Logbook

XN55 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (Honours)

  1. Design and deliver advanced exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of contemporary sport, exercise and health contexts.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Logbook
  2. Critically apply problem-solving, innovative thinking, and analytical reasoning to develop, implement and evaluate evidence-based interventions for diverse clients and stakeholders.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Logbook
  3. Communicate and collaborate effectively using a range of written, oral and digital formats to transfer complex knowledge to clients and sport and exercise professionals in an inclusive and culturally responsive manner.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Record of Student Engagement, Logbook
  4. Uphold the professional, legislative, and ethical standards of sport and exercise science expected of learner practitioners.
    Relates to: Practicum Performance Evaluation, Record of Student Engagement, Logbook