The Diploma of Sport has been designed specifically to meet the current and emerging needs of the health and fitness professional by providing a strong academic and practical course that extends beyond the requirements of entry-level fitness certification courses.

Additionally, the Diploma of Sport encourages Fitness Trainers, Gym Fitness Instructors, Group Exercise Instructors, Aqua Fitness Instructors, Personal Trainers and Fitness Specialists to challenge them further by completing a Distance/Online learning and/or campus based course that is equivalent to a University Undergraduate standard.

WHY COMPLETE THE FIA DIPLOMA OF SPORT?

The most general goal of the Diploma of Sport is to develop your personal and vocational potential through interesting and demanding sequenced experiences in massage therapy and strength and conditioning. There are other broad goals that can be expressed as clear expectations of you to develop particular knowledge, skills and attitudes. These knowledge skills and attitudes are the objectives of the program and are achieved mainly through the sequence of modules in the subject areas, which translate them into more specific and measurable objectives.

By definition the health, fitness and strength and conditioning specialist uses an individualised approach to assess, motivate, educate, and train clients to meet their health, fitness and performance needs. To achieve this the strength and conditioning specialist must have a strong foundation in exercise science, which can be most effectively accomplished with a combination of formal training and work experience.

HOW IS THE COURSE OFFERED?

The Diploma of Sport is offered by a flexible delivery format, distance/online learning and/or a 40-week intensive campus based course (4 x 10 week terms – various days).

Students will also be required to attend the FIA campus for 4 x 10 week terms (various days). Additionally, Students will also be required to complete additional readings, weekly assessment tasks and Clinical Hours.

Students who enrol in the Diploma of Sport by Distance/Online Learning can commence the course at anytime.

Subjects can be selected individually and completed over a 10 week term period. Campus based students (intensive) will be required to complete all course materials in a set time.

Degree Pathways:

This professional course maybe used as a basis of admission into various university undergraduate courses.

For example:

ACU National recognises the Diploma of Fitness and Diploma of Sport run by Fitness Institute Australia (FIA). The FIA and ACU National have an articulation agreement where by ACU National recognises the courses mentioned above which assists entry into the Bachelor of Exercise Science for those students who have gained good results in the Diploma. Students can apply for credit for units studied once in the Bachelor of Exercise Science.

WHO SHOULD ENROL?

This course can be completed by anyone who wants to concurrently complete their Certificate III & IV n Fitness and is looking to expand their knowledge and skills in the sports and fitness industry. Students who have completed Certificate III & IV in Fitness with other Registered Training Organizations (RTOs) can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) by supplying all relevant details.

Students who complete the Diploma of Sport will be granted Advanced Standing into the Diploma of Remedial Massage.

What you receive:

You will receive all the materials required to complete this course. Textbooks and all assessment manuals are included, plus all campus based lectures and practical labs. You also have access to the student online tools for the duration of the course and assessment period.

At the completion of the course you will also receive a 12-month professional membership of FIA.

HOW AM I ASSESSED?

Students will complete a variety of flexible assessments both formal and informal.

For example:

> Tutorials online (a variety of tutorial assessments at student online)
> Formal (multiple choice) Exams for each subject completed at students online
> Senior First Aid Certificate
> Completion of a Professional Development Manual (in the workplace)
> Completion of a Skills Development Manual (in the workplace)
> Completion of the subject Professional Practice  - case studies (in the workplace)
> Completion of the subject Professional Practice  - internship (in the workplace)
> Completion of a Clinical Practice
> Completion of the subject Professional Practice  (Sport) in the workplace

WHEN CAN I GAIN EMPLOYMENT?

On completion of the all assessments students will be qualified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist/Sports trainer and eligible to gain registration and insurance from Fitness Australia as a Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer and with AMT as a Massage Therapist and gain insurance to work anywhere in Australia.

Electives (optional):                                                                              
> Group Exercise course (Fitness)
> Group Exercise course (Aerobics)
> Aqua Fitness course
> Pilates Fitness
> Yoga Fitness
> Case Management
> Massage Therapies 3 & 4

Additional Qualifications that can be gained (when completing one or more of the electives above):

> Children’s Trainer*
> Older Adult Trainer *
> Group Exercise Instructor (Fitness or Aerobics)*
> Aqua Fitness Instructor*
> Fitness Specialist
> Remedial Massage Therapist**

*Registration categories with Fitness Australia

**Registration category with AMT

WHAT ARE THE SUBJECTS IN THE DIPLOMA OF SPORT – STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST?

Students will complete al the subject material for Certificate III in Fitness and the Certificate IV in Fitness plus the following:

> Clinical Exercise Prescription

This subject will extend the student’s knowledge of exercise programming and prescription for clients with special needs. Specifically, it will focus on the knowledge required to design safe and effective exercise courses for clients within specific populations.

> Muscle Mechanics

This subject is designed to extend the knowledge of the student of the principles, concepts and applications of applied anatomy and muscle mechanics in relation to exercise prescription, the analysis of exercise activities and massage therapy.

> Physical Fitness Appraisal

This subject will give the student with the knowledge and understanding and a high level of skills for competent conduct of an extensive range of physiological assessment procedures for improved performance.

> Exercise Rehabilitation

This subject is designed to introduce the student to the diagnosis, treatment and management of exercise injuries. It focuses on the most common exercise injuries presented and the role of the fitness trainer/massage therapist in the rehabilitation process.

> Corrective Exercise Prescription

This subject is designed to introduce the student to assessing the client’s muscular strengths and weaknesses and prescribe strengthening and stretching exercises as well as massage therapies to alleviate any deviations under medical supervision.

> Sports Conditioning

This subject is designed to extend the knowledge of the fitness trainer in planning and programming for improved individual sporting performance or performance for sporting groups.

> Advanced Exercise Physiology

This subject is designed to extend the knowledge of the fitness trainer to the acute and chronic physiological functions in the performance of work and exercise in different environments.
 
> Sports Trainer

This subject introduces the student to role of the sports trainer in a sporting environment. It focuses on the identification of specific injuries, implementing first aid on the field and preventing injuries through adequate preparation of warm up, cool down and taping techniques.

> Massage Therapies 1 & 2

This subject introduces the student to working within a massage framework using Swedish Massage techniques and introduces the student to Remedial Massage.

> Training the Elite Athlete

This subject introduces the student to the training plans and methods for conducting strength and conditioning programs for elite athletes in a variety of sports. Through participation in this subject the student will understand the importance of training plans in conducting strength and conditioning programs for elite athletes, collate a series of training plans and training methods for a variety of sports and talk to high-level strength and conditioning specialists in a variety of sports.

> Motor Control and Learning

This subject examines the current theoretical principles of human motor control and skill acquisition. It examines the motor control system, the processes of underlying movement control, methods of assessing muscle and nerve function, posture and balance control and the development of coordinated movement patterns.

> Professional Practice (Sport)

Students will be required to attend a series of training sessions and game days for a variety of sports. They will assist in the support of the athlete while working with other medical staff and/or sports science staff. This will include leading warm up and cool down activities, providing massage where required, taping athletes as a prevention or rehabilitation of injuries, providing first aid or supervising strength and conditioning activities. Students will be assessed by a competency inventory performed on the job by a qualified assessor.

KEY Competencies in the Diploma of Sport (Athlete Support Services) SRS50406

Core Competencies (9)

Stream Competencies (2)

Specialisation Competencies (Select one specialisation)

Strength and Conditioning

Elective Competencies (5)