BSc (Hons)Sport and Exercise Science

Core modules

Leadership Through Sport

During this module you will learn about key definitions, theories and concepts of leadership including: leadership styles, theories of learning, becoming a leader, creating an environment, reflective practice, leading individuals and teams, how to develop athletes and safe and inclusive practice.

Foundations of Fitness

In addition to learning the theories that underpin the subject of fitness in sport, you will engage with various topics and learning styles and opportunities.

The Sports and Football Industry

This module will introduce you to the wider sport, health and football industry and enable you to focus on the environments that relate more closely to your chosen degree in sport, health, or football.

Fundamentals of Sport Business Management

Studying this module will provide you with a broad overview of the sport business and will enable you to develop subject-specific knowledge in several key areas such as operations, management, finance and marketing.

Volunteering in Sport

The module will focus on the personal and professional development opportunities available to enhance the key attributes that employers demand, covering both customer-facing and business-facing experiences.

Sport in the Contemporary World

In this module will focus on the contemporary issues in sport. Teaching and learning will be led by issues highlighted in the academic arena, trade press and general media.

Core modules

Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise

This module will introduce you to the fundamentals of biomechanics. These include but are not limited to linear kinematics and kinetics and angular kinematics and kinetics. Understanding these biomechanical principles will allow you to apply them to sport and exercise in relation to human movement.

Exercise Instruction and Coaching

This module forms a large proportion of the competencies required in becoming a qualified fitness instructor. If you are already qualified and working in the industry, this module will also elevate and enhance your skills, knowledge and technique and take you to the next level in both competence and professionalism.

Functional Anatomy and Exercise Physiology

The module aims to introduce you to the anatomical and physiological principles of the human body and how they enable exercise to be undertaken.

Research Methods in Sport, Health and Exercise Science

This module will orientate you in the key skills associated with that of an “informed citizen”. You will be encouraged to demonstrate the steps required to undertake a small-scale health and exercise-related research project.

Skill Acquisition and Motor Learning

In this module you will learn how our body and mind take in information from the environment to execute sporting skills. Examples of this include how our eyes pass information from the environment to the brain or how our memory systems work.

Sport and Exercise Psychology

During this module, you will cover topics relating to both sport and exercise psychology. You will explore how different psychological constructs e.g., confidence and motivation, impact sporting performance. You will also learn about how psychological principles can explain how individuals adopt and maintain more healthy and physically active lifestyles.

Core modules

Applied Research Methods in Sport, Health and Exercise Science

On this module, you will learn how to investigate discipline specific issues using both quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry. Building on the work covered at level 4, you will demonstrate how to formulate an ethically sound and objective research question based on a comprehensive review of the literature.

Applied Techniques in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics

This module will further your understanding and proficiency of the tools used to acquire biomechanical data and assess fundamental human movements. You will investigate underpinning theory concerning the protocols used, as well as gain practical awareness of related software and techniques.

Assessment and Programme Development in Sport and Exercise Psychology

You will learn about relevant theoretical perspectives, concepts and frameworks within sport and exercise psychology. We will explore the importance of ethics and other professional skills needed to be a sport and exercise psychologist. You will learn a range of profiling and assessment strategies and gain first hand experience of using these when working with your client.

Physiological Testing in Sport and Exercise

This module builds upon the knowledge learnt in level 4 and develops this further through the application of knowledge to sporting and exercise environments. You will be introduced to the critical processes of writing a needs analysis, data collection and appropriate testing protocols for a range of clients, athletes, and sports.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Mind-Body Connections

In this module you will learn about the interconnection between psychology and physiology within the sport and exercise domain and how these mind-body connections may influence how we think and behave.

Performance Analysis

You will develop the key skills to capture, analyse and review the technical and tactical elements of performance. Methods of increased reliability, accuracy and validity are central to the learning material. You will be exposed to a range of practical issues in conducting performance analysis.

Soft Tissue Therapy

The module will encourage you to evaluate the phases of musculoskeletal assessment to plan and apply client-specific soft tissue treatments.

Strength and Conditioning

This module will teach you the fundamental knowledge and skills of developing key fitness characteristics of athletes in a variety of sports. Using appropriate techniques learned within the module, these skills can improve the athletes’ performance through identifying and correcting dysfunctional movements, appropriate planning, implementation, coaching and monitoring of future training interventions.

Placement Year

Between years two and three of your course, you'll be able to take a year out from studying to work within your chosen industry gaining valuable work experience. The course team and our careers service will help you with finding a placement.

Core modules

Individual Project

This module will provide you with an opportunity to gain experience of undertaking a degree-related individual project. The work will need to be underpinned by subject-specific theory and will demonstrate how it is contributing to the existing body of knowledge relating to that area of interest.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Applied Performance Analysis

Students will further develop an in depth understanding of biomechanical analysis of sport and underpin relevant concepts of notational, time-motion, and computerised analysis through a theoretical and practical approach. Fundamental to the module is the comprehensive understanding of how performance analysis is effectively integrated into an athlete’s programme.

Applied Soft Tissue Therapy

This module will encourage you to analyse the way in which you assess and treat clients so that you are able to truly individualise your treatment plans to effectively address injury, tissue dysfunction and post injury complications.

Applied Strength and Conditioning

This module will provide the opportunity to develop your confidence and coaching skills whilst applying your knowledge and understanding of sports-specific physical development. Using appropriate techniques learned within the module, you will have the ability to improve an athletes’ performance through a co-ordinated use of technology and gym-based equipment to plan, prepare and monitor performance.

Physical Education and Learning

By the end of the unit, you will be able to use a variety teaching strategy to support your planning and delivery, striving to teach more independently with confidence.

Professional Practice in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics

This module will further your understanding and proficiency of the tools used to acquire biomechanical data and assess fundamental human movements. You will investigate underpinning theory concerning the protocols used, as well as gain practical awareness of related software and techniques.

Professional Practice in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Within this module you will learn about contemporary issues within sport and exercise psychology. You will learn practical transferable skills that you can use within a range of sport and exercise environments. You will develop professional competencies such as reflective practice.

Professional Practice in Sport and Exercise Physiology

This module will require you to apply the exercise physiology knowledge learnt at levels 4 and 5 to a host of different contexts. You will learn how to safely and ethically oversee baseline testing and training of individuals from across the health continuum.

Sports Nutrition

On this module you’ll learn about the link between nutrition and sporting performance covering topics such as energy, macronutrients, micronutrients and hydration.