Sport & Exercise Science BSc (Hons)
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UCAS Code: C604|Duration: 3 years|Full Time|Hope Park
UCAS Campus Code: L46
Accredited|Work placement opportunities|International students can apply|Study Abroad opportunities
About the course
Develop the skills and knowledge needed for a career in sports performance or public health with our Sport and Exercise Science course, endorsed by the British Association of Sport & Exercise. This applied and interdisciplinary programme provides a comprehensive view of performance and health.
You will learn from tutors who are active researchers in Sport and Exercise Science within our state-of-the-art Health and Sport Sciences complex. The course offers a hands-on learning environment where you will develop skills to assess physiological, psychological, and biomechanical aspects of sports performance and health. Small-group learning supports the development of practical skills essential for your future career.
By the end of the Sport and Exercise Science degree, you will be equipped to confidently design strategies to enhance sports performance and improve health in inactive or diseased populations.
Course structure
Teaching on the Sport and Exercise Science course is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, laboratory and field sessions, and tutorials. Lectures bring all students together, while seminars, laboratory, and field sessions are held in smaller groups of around 25 students. Tutorials typically involve 15–20 students, allowing for more personalised support and guidance.
In the first year of the Sport and Exercise Science degree, students receive approximately 12 hours of teaching per week, which reduces to around 10 hours in the second and third years. In addition to scheduled teaching, students are expected to dedicate roughly 30 hours per week to independent study, including group work to prepare for collaborative assessments.
Accreditation
Recognised by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) for the purposes of endorsement by the CASES Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme (CUES).
This course is endorsed by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), the professional body for sport and exercise sciences in the UK. You can read about the benefits of choosing a CASES-endorsed degree course on the CASES website.
Assessment and feedback
A wide variety of coursework assessments is used on the Sport and Exercise Science course to enable all types of learners to excel and prepare for future careers. Assessments include individual and group presentations, laboratory reports, portfolios, case studies, essays, practical tests, and exams, evaluating both subject-specific knowledge and key transferable “soft” skills essential for employability.
In the final year of the Sport and Exercise Science degree, students complete a research dissertation worth 25% of the final-year grade on a topic of their choice. While guided by a tutor and usually related to other areas of study, students have significant independence in selecting their research focus. Some dissertations have been presented at Sport and Exercise Science conferences and recognised internationally as important contributions to the field.
Students are supported throughout the assessment process, with marking criteria provided in advance and dedicated teaching sessions to clarify assessment requirements. After submission, comprehensive online feedback is provided for every piece of coursework, which can be accessed and saved for future reference.
Curriculum overview
The Sport and Exercise Science course is structured to build essential, foundational knowledge during the first year, with increasing specialisation in years two and three. At each level, students can select specific modules, allowing them to tailor their learning and focus on areas of personal and professional interest.
Year One
Core Studies in Sport and Exercise
This module provides a solid foundation in research skills and sport psychology for students on the Sport and Exercise Science course. You will study the basics of designing a study, collecting and analysing data, and presenting findings. Within sport psychology, key theories such as motivation, confidence, and personality are examined in relation to their impact on participation and performance.
Fundamentals in Sport and Exercise Anatomy and Physiology (Single Honours only)
Students will study the fundamentals of anatomy, physiology, and movement science using a systems-based approach. Topics include the lungs and gas exchange, the heart and cardiac function, and muscle physiology. Practical laboratory classes provide opportunities to develop key skills and apply theoretical knowledge to real-world settings.
Fundamentals in Movement, Health, and Performance (Single Honours only)
This module explores the relationship between human movement and sports performance. Students will study motor control to understand how skilled movements are produced, learned, and developed. Biomechanics is used to quantify human movement through kinematic and kinetic approaches, including 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.
Additionally, students will study energy metabolism and nutrient processing, exploring how different substrates impact health and performance. Components of teaching and coaching are also covered, focusing on talent identification, development, children and young people, and community coaching. Approaches such as Teaching Games for Understanding are used to support learning in both coaching and teaching contexts.
Fundamentals in Sport and Exercise Science
This module introduces students to the core concepts of Sport and Exercise Science, providing a broad overview of the discipline and laying the foundation for specialised study in subsequent years.
Year Two
In your second year of study you will broaden your knowledge and understanding across a range of the following sub-disciplines with an opportunity to focus your learning on areas of interest.
Sport Psychology*
Students on the Sport and Exercise Science course will study applied aspects of sport psychology, including aggression, attribution, and coach-athlete relationships.
Physiology of Exercise Training
This module focuses on cardiac and aerobic physiology, exploring adaptations to exercise training and measurement of key parameters such as cardiac output, lactate threshold, and maximal oxygen uptake. It provides a foundation for understanding functional decline in disease and the basis of training intensity distribution for aerobic performance. Laboratory-based workshops allow students to take direct measurements of cardiac and aerobic function.
Training Programme Design
Students will learn the principles of effective training programme design and evaluation to maximise performance outcomes. The module covers strength, speed, and agility training and their integration within a comprehensive training plan. Practical field sessions support learning by demonstrating best practices in measuring performance parameters.
Sports Performance Analysis
This module introduces the fundamentals of sports performance analysis, starting with notational analysis to evaluate the demands of specific events. Learning is integrated with Training Programme Design to develop students as interdisciplinary practitioners in Sport and Exercise Science.
Sport Biomechanics*
Through lectures and practical sessions in purpose-built laboratories, students develop skills in kinematic analysis, with a focus on gait analysis and muscle measurement.
Physical Activity, Health, and Health Promotion
Building on first-year study, students examine the relationship between physical activity and health, evaluating the effectiveness of health promotion campaigns aimed at increasing activity in diverse populations, including disability groups, minority communities, and workplace environments.
Sports Nutrition*
This module covers the foundational principles of carbohydrate loading before and after exercise and its impact on performance. Students learn practical techniques to quantify fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise and explore the controversial topic of fat-adaptation and sports performance.
Motor Control and Skill Acquisition*
Supported by seminars in the biomechanics laboratory, students study the interaction of perception, visuomotor control, and feedback in producing skilled performance.
Study Skills and Research Methods*
In preparation for the final-year research project, students develop skills in research proposal design, data evaluation, and statistical analysis. The module also supports career development by highlighting the importance of effective data analysis techniques for professional practice in Sport and Exercise Science.
*Single honours students only
Year Three
In your final year of study, you will have an even greater opportunity to hone your specific areas of interest and develop greater depth of knowledge across the following sub-disciplines.
Applied Sport Psychology*
Students on the Sport and Exercise Science course will explore advanced applications of psychological principles, including imagery, motivation, self-talk, and mental toughness.
Exercise, Cardio-Metabolic, and Respiratory Assessment*
This module examines the physiological mechanisms linking physical inactivity to disease and how exercise training can reverse these effects. Students will also study the principles behind cardiovascular measurement techniques, such as ECG, echocardiography, pulse-wave velocity, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to assess respiratory function.
Sports Nutrition*
Students will study the evidence and practical applications of diet and dietary supplementation, focusing on carbohydrate and protein intake to support sports performance and training adaptation. Key ergogenic aids are also evaluated for their potential to enhance exercise performance.
Sport and Clinical Biomechanics*
This module covers biomechanical assessment and treatments across various clinical conditions. Students will use motion capture and force-plate analysis to produce 3-D analyses of sports performance and technique.
Physical Activity, Exercise, and Health
Students examine best practices for prescribing exercise to promote health in diverse populations, including those with diabetes, osteoporosis, pregnancy, and children, supporting the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases.
Performance Analysis
This module introduces fundamental principles of sports profiling and race analysis, applying contemporary technology to evaluate and improve performance outcomes.
Motor Control and Skill Acquisition
Students will study what it means to be an expert skilled performer, including the role of practice, feedback, and pressure. Learning is integrated with Performance Analysis to further develop interdisciplinary skills in Sport and Exercise Science.
Paediatric Exercise Science
This module focuses on growth, development, physical literacy, maturation, and the physiology of training and overtraining in children and adolescents.
Sports Performance*
Focusing on aerobic performance, students develop a critical understanding of lactate threshold and critical power, including measurement, estimation, and their role in defining exercise intensity domains. The module also covers training programme design, considering factors such as screening, age, sex, recovery, sleep, and concurrent training.
Research Dissertation*
Students complete an independent research project to explore new findings in Sport and Exercise Science. Combined honours students complete two smaller research projects or may opt for a full dissertation combining elements of both subjects.
*Single honours students only
Entry requirements
| A-Levels | BCC |
|---|---|
| UCAS Tariff Points | 104 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. |
| BTEC | DMM |
| Access to HE | 104 Tariff Points |
| IB | 26 |
| Irish Leaving Certificate | 104 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
Graduates of Sport & Exercise Science often go on to work as Sports Scientists within elite and professional sport, work with clinical populations within the NHS or work on local initiatives to improve the sport provision, health and well-being of local populations. Each of these options provides a varied, rewarding and often exciting career. Our graduates are also in an excellent position to enter the teaching profession and go on to train the next generation of sport scientists.
Many of our graduates choose to go on to further study at postgraduate level, such as Masters or PhD; our course providing the ideal basis on which to do so. Some graduates take this route as a means to further training, such as physiotherapy. Alternatively, you may consider further study as a means to enter a career in research and academia.
Graduates in Sport & Exercise Science also have excellent teamwork skills, are numerate, skilled in handling data and understanding complex ideas and arguments. Therefore our graduates often enter careers in Business, Management and Consultancy.
Enhancement opportunities
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 £9,535* 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 £9,535*.
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.
*subject to Council approval.
Additional costs
On top of your tuition fees, you need approximately £250 to purchase key textbooks during the course of your degree and £25 for a course polo-shirt to be worn during practical sessions (additional branded course clothing is available for purchase).
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 £14,500.
Visit our International fees page for more information.
Course combinations
This course is also available as a Combined Honours degree with the following subjects: