BSc Hons in Health Science and Physical Activity

Course Code : SG_SHEAL_H08

Are you interested in promoting physical activity in children? Would you like to facilitate people to lead healthier lifestyles? Would you like to examine risk factors contributing to our obesity epidemic? If you answered yes to these questions then this might be the course for you!

The proposed new B.Sc (Hons) Health Science & Physical Activity focuses on the roles and benefits of physical activity, exercise, recreational and elite sport and lifestyle management, while also providing a strong academic base in the foundations of health science, health promotion and public health. The programme is underpinned by scientific principles and applications of health related knowledge and skills to address the promotion, maintenance and enhancement of health, physical activity and the broader determinants of health.

In today’s complex health and wellness system, there is increasing demand for specialist health promotion personnel with specialist skills to improve and maintain health and physical activity levels. Physical inactivity and its associated risk factors to individuals and global health remains a pressing public health issue. This honours degree involves students specialising in physical activity promotion, prescription and planning, delivery, and evaluation related competencies for various physical activity intervention types across the lifespan.

Students will also study a broad range of health issues from mental health to alcohol use and from sedentary lifestyles to sexual health. Core settings include the role of the community, health services, educational, work place and family sectors in promoting health improvement of populations.

This unique degree will equip graduates with both health science and specifically physical activity skills relevant to the broad range of physical activity categories across the physical activity continuum from physical activity promotion for activities of daily living (ADL’s) through to elite sport testing and prescription.

DepartmentCodeAward
Life Sciences SG447 Honours Degree Abinitio
2016 POINTS
330*
NFQ LEVEL
8
DURATION (YRS)
4

*New Common Points Scale

The new Leaving Certificate Common Points Scale from 2017 is not directly comparable with the scale that was in existence from 1992 to 2016.

Download the Grading Scale from www.transition.ie.

Applicants should list their CAO course choices in genuine order of preference and they will be offered the course highest up on their list that they are deemed eligible for, if any.

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements for CAO 2017 courses at ITSligo are available for download below:

A science subject at Leaving Certificate is not a requirement for this course.

Successful applicants for this course will be required to undergo Garda vetting and a medical evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to identify students with special exercise requirements. This information is strictly confidential and any offer made will not be withdrawn on the basis of medical information supplied.

Hepatitis B vaccination will be required for work placement.

Career Opportunities

The programme is specifically designed for students who wish to advance themselves in the important area of the health sciences with specific focus on specialist physical activity-related skills and knowledge. Graduates will also be competent is a wide range of public health and health promotion related areas. This course is designed to help students pursue careers within the following sectors:

  • Physical Activity Promotion
  • Health promotion
  • Public health
  • Physical activity specialists across the physical activity spectrum
  • Exercise / Sport / Fitness industry related work including sports development
  • Exercise Physiology Testing Exercise / Physical Activity prescription
  • Health Related Research Population Health with specific focus on Physical Activity
  • Health Settings related work
  • Health Improvement
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Policy Development / Planning
  • Implementation /Evaluation of Health related initiatives within the private, public or non-profits sectors

What are my further study opportunities?

Students may pursue both level 9 Masters and level 10 PhD research studies within the School of Science following completion of this award or in other institutions and Universities by application

Graduates may choose to pursue Masters programmes in Exercise Physiology, Clinical Physiology, Physical Activity, Health Promotion, Public Health, Epidemiology and other specialist health related fields

What subjects will I study?

Did you know?

In Ireland the Health Ireland Council havejust published our first ever Physical Activity Strategy! The document “Get Ireland Active! - The National Physical Activity Plan for Ireland” (Healthy Ireland, 2016) sets out 60 action areas we are striving to achieve over the next decade to make Ireland more active!

Check out www.getirelandactive.ie for more details.

Who do I contact?

Admissions Office
T: 353 (0) 71 931 8510
E: admissions@itsligo.ie

Dr Ken Monaghan, Lecturer, School of Science

T: 353 (0) 71 915 5222