Bachelor of Science (Honours) Physical Activity and Health Science

Why take this course?
This is a unique course primarily due to the multidisciplinary approach to physical activity and nutrition for public health. No existing course within the Republic of Ireland produces graduates with an in-depth knowledge of both physical activity and nutritional interventions, while bringing together the social, behavioural, biological and biomedical sciences to facilitate the development and improvement of existing interventional techniques.

Being physically active and having a healthy diet are important for people of all ages to maintain their health and wellbeing. As the number of people with diseases associated with physical inactivity and poor nutrition increases, the roles of exercise, physical activity and dietary behaviour in health promotion are gaining more importance.

This programme draws upon expertise from psychologists, dieticians, exercise and sport scientists and public health professionals to provide you with the knowledge and skills to improve the general health of various sectors of society using exercise programmes, physical activity and nutrition.

If you would like to be part of the national and local effort to improve the health and wellbeing of this country then this is the course for you.

What will I experience?
?In year 3, students undertake a 4-month placement between early January and late June, 35 hours per week.

What opportunities might it lead to?
?There are several career pathways open to you as a graduate of this degree. These include the following:

Employment with Health and Fitness Centres/GP Exercise Referral Schemes, Fitness Consultant/Personal Trainer (Physical Activity and Health), Employment within large multinational companies based in Ireland as Physical Activity and Health Intervention Coordinators/Physical Activity and Health Coach for employees.

Potential employment within hospitals/primary care centres as Physical Activity and Health Intervention Coordinators, Community Wellness Programme Coordinator, Lifestyle Manager, Health Promotion Consultant/Policy Officer (both public and private sectors, NGOs – e.g. Principal Officer – Department of Health and Children), Physical Activity Coordinator/Administrator (within the HSE or other bodies), Health Promotion Officer – Charitable Trusts and Voluntary Organisations – Irish Heart Foundation, Sports Development Officer (e.g. within Local Sports Partnerships or Sporting Organisations), Exercise and Physical Activity Coordinator for Active Retirement Groups, Youth Services/Clubs Exercise and Physical Activity Programme Coordinator, Special Needs Physical Activity Programme Coordinator, Project Manager – Implementation National Task Force on Obesity (HSE).

Additional Information
Graduates can transfer to a wide range of postgraduate programmes at both MSc and PhD levels in AIT, nationally and internationally. An honours degree is an effective basis for postgraduate training and research leading to Master’s and PhD (Level 9/10) qualifications.

All students on this programme must undertake vetting procedure through the National Vetting Bureau prior to commencing their work placement. Failure to disclose previous convictions will result in students being dismissed from the programme. Previous convictions, depending on their nature, could result in student dismissal from the programme.