Sport & Physical Education BSc (Hons)
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UCAS Code: C601|Duration: 3 years|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
Studying Sport & Physical Education at Liverpool Hope University gives you the chance to explore how these areas shape lives in Liverpool, the North West, and beyond. Based at Hope Park, you’ll learn through a mix of practical sessions, applied theory, and real‑world experiences designed to build confidence, leadership and coaching skills. Small‑group teaching means you’re known as an individual, not just a number, and you’ll be supported to become the best version of yourself academically and personally.
You’ll dive into topics such as physical literacy, sport pedagogy, coaching practice, youth development, and the role of sport in communities. With access to specialist facilities and opportunities for placements, volunteering and study abroad, you’ll develop the knowledge and hands‑on experience needed for a future career in sport and education sectors across Liverpool and the wider UK.
This degree is ideal if you’re passionate about sport, enjoy working with people, and want a career that makes a positive impact.
Course structure
Teaching on the Sport and Physical Education course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and tutorials. Lectures bring all students together, while seminars are held in smaller groups of around 15–20 students, and tutorials typically involve no more than 10 students. The course also includes practical sessions both on campus and at Plas Caerdeon, the University’s Field Centre in Snowdonia National Park, Wales. Students have the opportunity for one-to-one meetings with their tutor each week.
Students pursuing a Sport and Physical Education degree as a single honours programme will have approximately 12 hours of face-to-face teaching per week. For those studying as a combined honours degree, first-year students have around 6 teaching hours per week.
In addition to scheduled teaching, students are expected to dedicate time to independent study each week, including group work to prepare for collaborative assessments.
Assessment and feedback
Assessment on the Sport and Physical Education course is designed to give all learners the opportunity to succeed. Coursework forms the majority of assessment and includes essays, reports, laboratory logs and diaries, portfolios, literature reviews, case studies, and presentations.
In the final year of the Sport and Physical Education degree, students complete a research dissertation, allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills on a topic of their choice. Combined honours students have the option to complete two smaller projects—one in each area of study—or a combined project spanning both degree subjects, co-supervised across departments.
Taught sessions outline the requirements and marking criteria for all assessments and are supported by dedicated drop-in sessions, ensuring students receive comprehensive guidance. After submission, written feedback is provided for every assessment, and students can discuss this feedback in detail with a tutor to enhance understanding and support future work.
Curriculum overview
The course is structured in a manner that allows the subdisciplines of sport to be studied in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary manner.
Single honours students will study ‘Core Studies in Sport and Physical Education’ alongside ‘Human Science for Sport’. Combined honours students will study ‘Core Studies in Sport and Physical Education’ alongside core studies in their other academic discipline.
The single honours course comprises of four 30-credit modules.
Year One
You will study the following:
Core Studies in Sport and Exercise
This module provides a solid foundation in research skills and sport psychology for students on the Sport and Physical Education course. You will learn the basics of study design, data collection and analysis, and presenting findings. Key sport psychology theories, including motivation, confidence, and personality, are examined in relation to their impact on participation and performance.
Fundamentals in Sport Management and Teaching
Students will explore the coaching, teaching, sociological, and management aspects of sport. The module covers the four main principles of coaching—talent identification, development, children and young people, and community—approached from both coaching and teaching perspectives, using learning methods such as Teaching Games for Understanding.
Practical sessions allow students to apply coaching and teaching principles in real-world settings. The sport sociology and management component addresses the codification and history of sport, the development of community sport, and the business and marketing aspects of the industry.
Fundamentals in Sport and Exercise Anatomy and Physiology
(single honours only)
This module introduces students to the fundamentals of anatomy, physiology, and movement science using a systems-based approach. Topics include lungs and gas exchange, cardiac function, and muscle physiology. Laboratory classes provide opportunities to develop practical skills and apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings.
Fundamentals in Movement, Health, and Performance
(single honours only)
Students study the relationship between human movement and sports performance, including motor control and the production, learning, and development of skilled movement. Biomechanics is used to quantify human movement through kinematic and kinetic approaches, covering work, power, force, speed, and velocity. Laboratory and field work support learning, while physical activity, inactivity, and health indicators such as body composition are also examined.
Year Two
In your second year, you will broaden your knowledge of sport and physical education through the sub disciplines.
In sport sociology, students on the Sport and Physical Education course will assess key contemporary issues such as the globalisation and commercialisation of sport. There is also a focus on the role of outside agencies, including the media, as well as the management and governance of sport.
In coaching and teaching, guidelines and strategies for promoting physical activity are investigated, with specific emphasis on the National Curriculum and school sport. The coaching element examines approaches to training for specific sports. Students will also take part in practical sessions focusing on athletics and health and fitness training to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings.
Sport psychology covers themes centred on health and wellbeing and their impact on sport performance, participation, and overall wellbeing. This includes theories of exercise behaviour, body image, and motivation and barriers to exercise. The motor control unit focuses on attention and its effect on both performance and learning.
In addition to the above, single honours students will study notational analysis, exercise physiology, and training and testing methods. Epidemiology of disease and exercise psychology are also covered to provide a deeper understanding of the scientific and applied aspects of Sport and Physical Education.
Year Three
In your final year of the Sport and Physical Education degree, you will refine your subject-specific research interests by completing a dissertation in one of the sub-discipline areas. This project is closely supervised by an expert, research-active member of the teaching team.
The taught component of the course places an increased emphasis on critical analysis. In sport psychology, you will study psychological skills training and how it can enhance preparation and sport performance. This is supplemented with a focus on mental health and wellbeing, including social support, effective career transitions, and perfectionism.
The sociology element examines contemporary issues in sport, including anti-doping within the context of sporting and government policies. Students will also assess key sporting events, such as the hosting and impact of mega events.
The coaching block explores diverse populations and the roles of the coach in supporting athletes, clubs, and sport governing bodies. Teaching-focused content is also covered, including behaviour management and the impact of effective progression, continuity, and differentiation on classroom practice.
Single honours students additionally study applied coaching science, including recovery and injury rehabilitation. Emphasis is also placed on the physiology of health, exercise testing and prescription, and advanced motor control.
Entry requirements
| A-Levels | BBC |
|---|---|
| UCAS Tariff Points | 112 UCAS Tariff points must come from a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent). Additional points can be made up from a range of alternative qualifications.
Find out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth, by using the Tariff calculator. |
| BTEC | DMM |
| Access to HE | 112 Tariff Points |
| IB | 26 points |
| Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 Tariff Points from Higher Level qualifications only |
| Welsh Baccalaureate | This qualification can only be accepted in conjunction with other relevant qualifications |
| T-Levels | Merit |
| Subject Requirements | No specific subject requirements |
International entry requirements
| Specific Country Requirements | Select your country |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.0 overall (with reading and writing at 6.0) and no individual score lower than 5.5. We also accept a wide range of International Qualifications. For more information, please visit our English Language Requirements page. |
Careers
A degree in Sport & Physical Education opens doors to a wide range of careers across Liverpool, Merseyside and the UK’s growing sport, health and education sectors. Graduates often progress into roles such as PE teaching, sports coaching, community sport development, youth work, health promotion, and fitness instruction, as well as broader roles in local government, charities and sport organisations.
Your practical experience, leadership skills and understanding of physical activity make you highly employable. Many students have placement opportunities with schools, sports clubs, community organisations and health providers, giving you valuable real‑world experience before graduation.
You’ll also have strong progression routes into postgraduate study. Popular options include PGCE Primary or Secondary (PE), MA Education, Sport‑related programmes, and specialist pathways in coaching, youth development or health. These routes prepare you for professional roles such as qualified teacher, youth practitioner, sport development officer or health educator.
Whether you want to teach, coach, support young people or promote active lifestyles across Liverpool and the North West, this degree gives you the skills, confidence and experience to thrive.
Enhancement opportunities
Work Placement Opportunities
You will have the opportunity to work with staff and partners of the University in a variety of sport and exercise settings with local and/or national organisations to develop their skills. Extra curricular opportunities include placement opportunities at primary or secondary schools. Students who have demonstrated a particular interest in elite sport have also previously been offered internships at local football and sports clubs.
Previous students reported that engaging in these authentic opportunities enhanced their employability and assisted in developing teacher training applications.
SALA
The Service and Leadership Award (SALA) is offered as an extra-curricular programme involving service-based experiences, development of leadership potential and equipping you for a career in a rapidly changing world. It enhances your degree, it is something which is complimentary but different and which has a distinct ‘value-added’ component. Find out more on our Service and Leadership Award page.
Study Abroad
As part of your degree, you can choose to spend either a semester or a full year of study at one of our partner universities as part of our Study Abroad programme. Find out more on our Study Abroad page.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2026/27 academic year are £9,790 for full-time undergraduate courses.*
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £9,790.
The tuition fees for the 2027/28 academic year will be £10,050 for full-time undergraduate courses.*
If you are a student from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, your tuition fees will also be £10,050
The University reserves the right to increase Home and EU Undergraduate and PGCE tuition fees in line with any inflationary or other increase authorised by the Secretary of State for future years of study.
Home students (UK)
*Tuition fees are subject to inflation-linked increases in line with government policy. Updated fees will be confirmed in line with the maximum fee cap set by the Government or the Office for Students (OfS) for each academic year. This means your fee may increase for each academic year of study, but only up to the maximum amount permitted for that year.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Additional costs
On top of your tuition fees, you will need approximately £200 to cover the cost of any fieldtrips and to buy core textbooks for the degree.
You will also need to consider the cost of your accommodation each year whilst you study at university. Visit our accommodation pages for further details about our Halls of Residence.
Scholarships
We have a range of scholarships to help with the cost of your studies. Visit our scholarships page to find out more.
International tuition fees
The International Tuition fees for 2026/27 are £15,225.
The International Tuition fees for 2027/28 are £16,000
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
This course is also available as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects:
Course Enquiry
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