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What makes Sport and Exercise Psychology at Worcester special?

Sport and Exercise Psychology equips you with the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills associated with the study of the ‘mind-body interaction’ in sport. The course has been developed to give you an understanding of the role of psychology within sport and exercise, across both team and individual sports and at different levels of competition and participation. 

At Worcester our courses have been designed to develop you as the psychologist of the future. From innovative and career-focussed assessments to understanding the challenges global societies will face in the future, your course will equip you with the skills and aptitude to make a difference.

Whatever your course (business, clinical, counselling, forensic, health, psychology or sport and exercise psychology), you will be taught by specialist practitioners whose work is underpinned by contemporary research. All courses are also accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), putting you in a great position when you’re starting your career.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • You will experience a range of teaching environments including the Sport Psychology laboratory, lecture theatre, fitness suite, sports centre and sports field
  • A welcoming, professional community of students and lecturers, including the Worcester Psychology Society, with guest speakers, group trips, social nights and a peer mentoring scheme
  • A personalised learning journey; choice of modules, skills development and personal and academic tutoring based as much on your career as your studies
  • Modules and assessments designed with an emphasis on experiential learning which will help you be an active and passionate learner and to understand the challenges global societies will face tomorrow and how psychology plays a role in addressing these
  • ‘Assessments for life’ designed to reflect the key skills that employers of psychology graduates value helping to increase your employability prospects and making you prepared for today, tomorrow and beyond
  • Innovative and cutting-edge modules delivered by practitioners working in their specialist fields through research inspired and practitioner-based teaching

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British Psychological Society accredited logo

Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

You will have the opportunity to gain Graduate Basis for Chartership Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society – your first step to a career as a psychologist.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

112
UCAS tariff points

Entry requirements

112 UCAS Tariff points (for example, BBC at A Level)

GCSE English and Maths at grade C/4 or above

A Criminal Records Bureau disclosure is required for some modules.

Other information

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk for advice. 

Further information about the UCAS Tariff can be obtained from the UCAS website.

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Course content

Course content

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative. 

Year 1

Mandatory

  • Introducing Psychology
  • Investigating Psychology
  • Professional Skills and Practice
  • Applied Psychology 1: Performance, Health and Wellbeing

Optional

Year 2

Mandatory

  • Cognitive Neuroscience and Biological Approaches
  • The Individual and the Social World
  • Research Skills in Psychology

Optional

Year 3

Mandatory

  • Psychology Research Project
  • Counselling Skills in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Psychological Considerations for Sport, Exercise and Health
  • Contemporary Issues in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Optional

  • Business Psychology
  • Coaching Psychology
  • Positive Psychology
  • Cyberpsychology
  • Living with Long Term Conditions
  • Social Cognition & Emotion
  • Understanding Trauma & Violence
  • Work Based Learning

Psychology at Worcester - A student's view

Renee Powell

Renée Powell

Renée Powell moved to Worcester from another university, enticed by its outstanding netball programme and within months was selected for the English Universities national team. Throughout her studies, she spent hours on court training and playing for both the University’s first team as well as being part of the Under 21s squad for the University’s professional Superleague franchise, Severn Stars. In late 2021, she was selected for the English Universities squad.

Renée was assisted by the University’s Sports Scholarship programme, which gives elite athlete students financial and academic support, as well as access to specialist lifestyle advice and support services like physiotherapy, nutrition, strength and conditioning, and psychology.

Now she is graduating with a First Class Honours in Sport and Exercise Psychology. She is now planning to spend the next year working before continuing her studies with a Masters in Sport and Exercise Psychology or Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Read Renée’s full case study here.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

Students are taught through a combination of different learning and teaching methods. Lectures allow for the presentation and introduction of key topics, including both traditional and contemporary sources, which allow students to begin their learning. This is then supported by seminars that enable the discussion and development of an understanding of topics covered in lectures. Subject-specific skills are the focus of practical classes and workshops (for example, understanding statistical data analysis).

The course also has a keen focus on experiential learning, as there is good evidence that this can greatly enhance the student learning experience. Therefore, such methods will be used such as problem-based learning, whereby students will apply theory and content from psychology to address real world, global issues (e.g. the role of AI in the workplace, tackling climate change and global pandemics). Such global issues will be themes that run through the course, and as such will be covered elsewhere in other learning and teaching.

Furthermore, the role of research in the learning and teaching methods of this course will be central to all areas. Such research-informed teaching and learning will include practical research classes where students put into practice research methods they have learnt as well as focusing on research in directed study, group activities, assessments and problem-based learning.

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip them for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement.  A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services, and also the Personal Academic Tutoring system enables students to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help them to flourish and be successful.

Additionally, meetings with Personal Academic Tutors (PAT) are scheduled on at least four occasions in the first year. This will include two group sessions as part of modules, and individual meetings. Students are scheduled to meet their PAT’s on three occasions in each of the other years of a course.

Contact time

In a typical week, students will have around 10-12 contact hours of teaching.  The precise contact hours will depend on the optional modules selected and in the final year there is normally slightly less contact time in order to do more independent study. 

Typically class contact time will be structured around:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Tutorials
  • Use of course Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard) for online activities

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, students are expected to undertake around 24 hours of personal self-study per week.  Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online, and preparing coursework assignments and presentations.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources. 

Teaching staff

Students will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes staff from a range of psychology backgrounds including Sport and Exercise Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Occupational Psychology and with research specialisms such as emotions, evolutionary approaches to behaviour, positive psychology and individual differences.

Teaching is informed by research and consultancy, and the majority of lecturers on the course have (or are currently working towards) a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles

Assessment

A range of assessment methods are used to enable students to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes. Literacy and critical thinking around psychology is developed and assessed through assignments such as essays, literature reviews and critical reviews of journal papers. Quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis report writing assessments aim to develop skills such as problem-solving, research, organisation, planning, and effective communication. Effective and fluent written, oral and visual communication is enhanced further through assessments that use posters and PowerPoint presentations, video and webpage design; whilst the use of group work for assessment enables better team working and the development of leadership skills. Finally a number of modules use weblogs, e-portfolios and case studies to develop and assess a range of skills including reflection and independent learning.  

Furthermore the course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments.  Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade.  

Assessment methods include; Essay, Exam, Practical Report File, Reflective Log, Personal Development Plan, Psychology Applied Learning Scenario, Public Communication, Research Funding Bid, Literature Review, Research Proposal, Presentation (group and individual), Research Project, Poster Presentation, Case Study, Portfolio, Policy Briefing, Extended Essay, Workbook.

The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:

Year 1

  • 2 Essays
  • 1 Multiple Choice Exam
  • 2 Practical Report Files
  • 2 Reflective Logs
  • 1 Personal Development Plan
  • 1 Psychology Applied Learning Scenario

Year 2

  • 1 Public Communication
  • 1 Research Funding Bid
  • 1 Essay
  • 1 Literature Review
  • 1 Practical Report File
  • 1 Research Proposal
  • 2 Portfolios

Year 3

  • 1 Research Project
  • 1 Poster Presentation
  • 1 Case Study
  • 1 Workbook
  • 1 Extended Essay
  • 2 Reports
  • 1 Group Presentation

Feedback

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Programme Specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

Meet the team

You can find out more about our Psychology team from our School of Psychology staff profile webpage.

Careers

Careers

Before you start your Psychology degree, you'll probably want to know how it can help you into a fulfilling career. Here at Worcester, we've designed the whole Psychology curriculum around your future ambitions - and we support you in developing the skills that will open doors in a range of sectors, including health, business, counselling, forensics, education and sport. Communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, team working, and data collection and analysis are just some of the skills that will increase your appeal to employers.

We don’t just help you develop your skills we also provide opportunities for you to practice them, and help you understand your unique and personal ‘skills rucksack’. We work closely with the university's Careers and Employability team, arranging placements, both paid and voluntary, with many local and national organisations - including the NHS, the BPS, West Mercia Police Constabulary, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, Worcestershire County Council and HMP Aylesbury.

You can also take part in workshops devoted to CV writing, interview skills, recruitment and assessment techniques. And you'll have the chance to talk to guest speakers, and visit potential employers - as well as getting help to apply for work and postgraduate study.

Sports Psychology is a fast-growing discipline that is recognised as a professional specialism within Psychology and has chartered status. Graduates will be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS), (necessary for further professional training).

Sport Psychology is a professional chartered area of Psychology. This course could be used as a preparatory first degree for those students wanting to follow a career as a Sport Psychologist which requires further postgraduate study and supervised practice.

The course prepares students for a range of graduate careers with knowledge and skills appropriate for areas such as: sports psychology, sports coaching, police service, armed forces, fitness and health industries, sports training and general graduate careers.

Take a look at these external resources for more information on Psychology careers:

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Careers and Employability

Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors.

Find out how we can support you to achieve your potential
Costs

Fees and funding

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £9,250 per year (subject to changes in the government tuition fee cap).

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the academic year 2025/26 are £1,156 per 15-credit module, £1,542 per 20-credit module, £2,312 per 30-credit module, £3,083 per 40-credit module, £3,469 per 45-credit module and £4,625 per 60 credit module (subject to changes in the government tuition fee cap).

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Additional costs

We highly recommend student membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS). Student membership starts from £28.80.

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Traditional Halls' at £131 per week to 'Ensuite Premium Halls' at £228 per week (2025/26 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.

How to apply