Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons)

What makes Sport and Exercise Science at Worcester special?

Sport and Exercise Science (SES) is a single honours course which provides students with an excellent combination of research based theoretical knowledge supported with the development of practical skills to help prepare students for employment in both the field of Sport and Exercise Science and other careers.

In the National Student Survey (2022) 100% of our students were satisfied with the course and according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey data, completed 15 months after graduation,100% of our students are employed or are furthering their studies with higher qualifications. Worcester has a proven record of excellence in the field of sport and exercise science and this course will interest students with an enthusiasm for the science behind sport, exercise and health. Accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science (BASES) and taught by experts who are both research active and practically working in the field, the course provides an insight into the scientific study of sport, with strong links to theoretical concepts and applied practice across a range of relevant environments and populations. These include working with elite, youth athletes and para-athletes, older / ageing adults, and clinical populations such as cardiac rehab, exercise prescription, extreme environments.

You will study the 3 key science discipline areas of Psychology, Physiology and Biomechanics with opportunities to focus on other discipline areas including Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning and Performance analysis. There is a strong employability thread to the modules at all levels which cumulate in a final year work-based learning opportunity. We are confident that this focus on employability is linked to our exceptional employability statistics. The course includes theoretical, practical and vocational elements and students will experience a range of teaching environments and benefit from a variety of assessment methods. The School of Sport and Exercise Science has links with universities throughout Europe, China, Japan, USA, New Zealand and Australia and you will have the opportunity to study for one semester abroad.

You can find out more about the news and research from the BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science staff and students in our latest newsletter.

Overview

Key features

Exciting modules covering psychology, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, strength and conditioning and performance analysis. You are provided with some choice in your timetable in the second and third year of the course.
Highly motivated, expert staff who actively work in the field, and/or contribute to the research of, Sport and/or Exercise Science.
Opportunities to be involved in practical laboratory work during modules.
Great work-based learning and employability skills preparing you for employment and life beyond University.
Top quality facilities including University Arena, two 3G Astro’s, Strength and Conditioning Suite, Fitness gym, sport science laboratories and an outdoor educational site.
Opportunity to progress to our Masters courses, discounts offered to our graduates.

Register your interest

Enter your details below and we will keep you up to date with useful information about studying at the University of Worcester.

Entry requirements

What qualifications will you need?

104

UCAS tariff points

Entry requirements

104 UCAS Tariff points (for example, BCC at A Level).

An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) may be 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 http://www.ucas.com

The structure of the course is excellent, with discipline specific and multi-disciplinary modules - both of which are what employers look for in newly qualified sport and exercise scientists.

Helen Gravestock, Sport & Exercise Science BSc

Course content

What will you study

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 Introduction to the Scientific Study of Sport, Exercise & Physical Activity Foundations of Human Movement Psychology of Sport, Exercise & Physical Activity Physiology of Sport, Exercise & Physical Activity	Optional Exercise Training and Prescription Professional Skills for Sport & Exercise Scientists Option modules from the Centre for Academic English and Skills
Year 2	Mandatory Creating Successful Research in Sport & Exercise Science Scientific Underpinnings of Sport Performance Scientific Underpinnings of Physical Activity, Exercise and Health Industry Skills for Sport & Exercise Scientists	Optional Nutrition for Sport & Exercise Introduction to Strength and Conditioning Performance Analysis Option modules from the Centre for Academic English and Skills
Year 3	Mandatory Sport & Exercise Science Independent Research Project Work-Based Learning (Sport and Exercise Science Placement)	Optional Psychological Considerations for Sport, Exercise & Health Biomechanical Analysis of Sports Techniques Physiological Support of the Elite Athlete Clinical Exercise Physiology Advanced Sports Nutrition Advanced Training & Conditioning The Sport Entrepreneur Applied Performance Analysis

Year 1

Mandatory

Introduction to the Scientific Study of Sport, Exercise & Physical Activity
Foundations of Human Movement
Psychology of Sport, Exercise & Physical Activity
Physiology of Sport, Exercise & Physical Activity

Optional

Exercise Training and Prescription
Professional Skills for Sport & Exercise Scientists
Option modules from the Centre for Academic English and Skills

Year 2

Mandatory

Creating Successful Research in Sport & Exercise Science
Scientific Underpinnings of Sport Performance
Scientific Underpinnings of Physical Activity, Exercise and Health
Industry Skills for Sport & Exercise Scientists

Optional

Nutrition for Sport & Exercise
Introduction to Strength and Conditioning
Performance Analysis
Option modules from the Centre for Academic English and Skills

Year 3

Mandatory

Sport & Exercise Science Independent Research Project
Work-Based Learning (Sport and Exercise Science Placement)

Optional

Psychological Considerations for Sport, Exercise & Health
Biomechanical Analysis of Sports Techniques
Physiological Support of the Elite Athlete
Clinical Exercise Physiology
Advanced Sports Nutrition
Advanced Training & Conditioning
The Sport Entrepreneur
Applied Performance Analysis

four women in a boat rowing on the water

woman on a brown horse jumping a blue obstacle

Teaching and assessment

How will you be taught?

Teaching and Learning

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

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and laboratory practicals. Lectures will provide students with the fundamental knowledge and key concepts required for the degree. Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures, and laboratory practicals are focused on developing subject specific skills and applied individual and group project work. You will study physiology, psychology and biomechanics, as well as modules that explore the way in which these disciplines interact to affect both sporting performance and health. We aim to provide a learning context that will explore the full potential of all participants and encourage excellence in both theory and practice. You will also gain a thorough grounding in the investigative and research techniques required in order to work effectively in this field.

The expertise of the staff includes sports coaching and teaching, match analysis, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports motivation and sports development. Students may have opportunities to take part in research projects. In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least 4 occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course.

You use industry-standard software and have access to laboratory and computer facilities throughout the course.

Contact time

In a typical week students will have around 12-16 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:

1-2 hours of lead lectures
2-3 hours of laboratory practicals or seminars

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 24-28 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, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations.

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

You 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 senior academics with research and consultancy experience, postgraduate students' laboratory technical staff and demonstrators. In addition you can expect to receive sessions with guest lecturers who are currently engaged in Sport and Exercise science activities outside of the university.

Teaching is informed by the research and consultancy, and the majority of course lecturers have 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

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 written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as written essays and reports, written, oral and practical exams, oral and poster presentations and a final year independent studies project.

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

4 x exams
1 Practical exam
3 Poster presentations
2 Oral presentations
5 Written assignments

Year 2:

2 x exams
2 Practical exam
2 Poster presentations
3 Oral presentations
6 Written assignments

Year 3:

1 Poster presentations
4 Oral presentations
7 Written assignments
1 Independent Research Project of 4000-6000 words

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 will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. Below are a selection of the teaching team, and you can see the full team by visiting our Sport staff profiles listing.

Dr Andrea Faull-Brown

Dr Faull-Brown has a breadth of applied and research experience in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology spanning over 15 years, working with both non-disabled athletes and those with a physical disability. Her experience ranges across all level of competition working with coaches and athletes of Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth Games standard, with the highlight of her career being working the GB Women’s Wheelchair Basketball team in their preparations for Rio 2016. Having supported athletes from Beijing in 2008 through to Rio in 2016 is a testament to her career in Applied Sport Psychology at the highest level and this experience is brought into the classroom to help educate the future generation of practitioners.

Andrea has seen the successful growth of the course provision and student numbers on these courses. She is particularly passionate about supporting students in terms of their ability to achieve and fulfil their potential and prides herself on a strong working relationship with the other staff in her team.

Dr Jennifer Joyce

Dr Jennifer Joyce is the course leader for the Sport and Exercise Science course and her passion lies in nurturing the talents and aspirations of her students to ensure they reach their full potential. She is deeply committed to supporting students in their personal and professional growth and enjoys supporting students to develop the resilience needed to succeed in their academic journey.

Dr Matthew Cook

Hi, I’m Matthew Cook, and I teach Sports nutrition, exercise physiology and research methods here at the University of Worcester. You can usually find me in the exercise physiology laboratory collecting data for sports nutrition experiments, most probably using blackcurrant.

Dr Ben Duncan

Ben teaches across a range of sport science modules in both exercise and health and sport focused modules. Ben has a particular interest in environmental physiology and endurance performance.

Dr Dan Eastough

Dan Eastough is a Principal Lecturer and long-standing member of the Sport and Exercise Science team specialising in Biomechanics, Motor Control and Human Movement. He has a particular interest in Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and in the optimal use of IT, digital devices and educational platforms to improve the learning and teaching experience for both staff and students. A now retired Martial Arts practitioner, coach and fitness instructor, he brings a wealth of real-world experience in training and coaching to his theoretical and practical sessions.

Chris Hughes

Chris completed his undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University in 1995 specialising in Biomechanics and Notational Analysis, and stayed in Liverpool to progress to a teaching assistantship and eventually completing an MPhil in The Effects of Forefoot Morphology on the Kinetics and Kinematics of Locomotion. From Liverpool he moved to the University of Gloucester before settling in Worcester. Prior to his career in Sports Science he completed a degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at Southampton University, which explains his interest in the mechanical aspects of sport, from not only the body but through to the testing machinery and the equipment used.

Annie Lambeth-Mansell

Annie is a Senior Lecturer in SSES and has been a member of the team since 1999. Her area of expertise is in sports nutrition, having completed and MSc in Sports Nutrition, though she also teaches in physiology and research methods. Annie has published papers on the nutritional practices of elite female soccer players and pacing in mountain biking. She is a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) accredited sports scientist and frequently presents lectures and workshops on sports nutrition and physiological testing to local sports clubs and schools. A keen cyclist and mountain biker herself, Annie is passionate about all aspects of nutrition, supplementation and the science of optimal performance.

Dr Louise Martin

Students say: “Louise is really nice and caring, she listens to you when something is up and finds a solution to help me if I’m not feeling good or trying to help me understand my work so I know what I have got to do. She always has time if I need to speak to her but overall, she makes sure that you are ok and anything else is alright as well as how lessons are going.” (exceptional PAT award nomination, 2023)

Dr Jessica Mee

Having completed an BSc in Sport Science at the University of Brighton, Jessica undertook a PhD examining heat tolerance and acclimation in female athletes supervised by Dr Neil Maxwell and Professor Jo Doust within the Environmental Extremes Laboratory. Jessica worked as a technical demonstrator and visiting lecturer at the University of Brighton before joining the Extremes Research group at Bangor University as a lecturer in 2015. Dr Jessica Mee is now a Senior Lecturer in Physiology within the School of Sport and Exercise Science. Jessica’s research aims to enhance knowledge of females across the lifespan, living and performing in environmental extremes. Jessica is particularly interested in developing sustainable and accessible heat alleviation strategies that are simple to administer. Jessica’s teaching is strongly influenced by her research activities in environmental and female physiology. Jessica teaches on the BSc Sport and Exercise Science degree and MSc Applied Sports Physiology. Jessica is also accredited in the domains of research, support, and pedagogy by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science (BASES).

Dr Andy Renfree

Andy is Principal Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science and he teaches on subjects related to exercise physiology and interdisciplinary determinants of sport performance. He gained his PhD by using decision-making theory to explain the way in which intensity is regulated during self-paced exercise. A former middle-distance runner, he has won English Junior and Scottish Senior titles over 3000m and 1500m on the track.

Dr Julia West

Julia West has a keen interest in sport and performance. She played football for a number of years in the Women's premiership as goalkeeper for different clubs and earned her England University caps against America, Scotland and Wales.

As a keeper, Julia's perspective on football may be slightly different, if not interesting and she is happy to discuss this with all comers. Julia read her BSc in Sport from Brunel University, where she also successfully achieved an MSc in Sports Coaching. Having completed her PhD in situational motivation, which arose from observations within her goalkeeper coaching, Julia has now turned her attention to all things goalkeeper related.

Find your passion

Sarah Browne

“My favourite aspect of the Sport and Exercise Science degree was the diversity of the course’s content. The wide range of modules gave me the opportunity to discover my favourite discipline of then create a pathway that enabled me to pursue my key interests. One of my favourite aspects of the degree was the practical application it had to both sports performance and healthy lifestyles; this enabled me to not only gain an in-depth theoretical understanding but also practical experience both in the laboratory and on the field.

"The members of staff within the School of Sport and Exercise Science made the transition to higher education easy, always providing support and guidance when needed whilst also facilitating an engaging classroom which I really enjoyed being a part of. I now plan to continue my studies at a postgraduate level in pursuit of my ambition to become a sports science practitioner in high performance sport.”

Careers

Where could it take you?

There are an increasing number of opportunities in the field of sport and exercise science, and this course prepares you for a wide range of careers.

Endorsed by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) the course is closely linked to the industry qualifications you're likely to need in your career.

You'll also have plenty of opportunities to gain coaching and industry qualifications alongside your degree. We give you the time, space and subsidies to choose from a huge range of nationally recognised courses.

Students will be supported throughout the degree to develop skills which are to be successful in future employment. These skills are developed in a distinctive employability pathway throughout the degree programme which culminates in a final year module focused on work-based learning with a 40-hour placement requirement to increase graduate credibility. Professionals in Higher Education view the employability focus in our course very positively and highlight the positive impact it has on graduate employability.

Some students continue with their studies on a postgraduate course. The School of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Worcester has popular MSc courses in Applied Sport Physiology and Applied Performance Analysis.

Employability is an important focus within our course here at Worcester and you might be interested in this resource that we have produced which talks all about careers and employability in Sport and Exercise Science.

Potential careers

Graduates from our BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science are successfully employed in a range of jobs in sport and or exercise, including:

Support roles within professional sport such as football, rugby or athletics.
Sports promotion within sporting governing bodies and national associations.
Sports Scientists with specialisms, e.g.; Nutritionist, Biomechanist, Sport and Exercise Psychologist (further postgraduate training is needed for these roles).
Athlete lifestyle advisor within sporting governing bodies.
Promoting and delivering physical activity within disability sports.
Further education to enter careers within allied health such as physiotherapy, dietetics or cardiac rehabilitation within the NHS.
Teaching within primary, secondary, further or higher education (further study and training required).
Graduate entry job schemes within business or finance.
Health promotion.

“The overall quality of the student learning experience in the BSc Sport and Exercise Science course at the University of Worcester is excellent and it is, without doubt, preparing students for employment in the sector. The course team have responded to the industry need for graduates to develop a variety of employability skills through the development of new employability modules and work-based learning”

Dr Joseph Costello (External Examiner for BSc Sport & Exercise Science)

Costs

How much will it cost?

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 2024/25 academic year is £9,250 per year. 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 2024/25 academic year is £16,200 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 2024/25 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. For more details, please visit our course fees page.
Additional costs	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. All Physical Education and Sports Coaching students are expected to wear School of Sport and Exercise Science branded sports kit. This includes a polo top, t-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt and costs approximately £85
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 Hall' at £131 per week to 'En-suite Premium' at £221 per week (2024/25 prices). For full details visit our accommodation page.
Sports Scholarships	At Worcester we are committed to supporting elite and talented sports performers who are dedicated to both sporting and academic success. Our sports scholarships are available for a range of team and individual sports. For further information, visit our sports scholarships pages.

How to apply

How do you apply?

Applying through UCAS

Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) C600 BSc/SES

UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry onto full-time undergraduate courses in Higher Education in the UK.

Read our How to apply pages for more information on applying and to find out what happens to your application.

UCAS Code

C600

Apply Via UCAS

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Admissions office

admissions@worc.ac.uk

01905 855111

Dr Jennifer Joyce

Admissions tutor

j.joyce@worc.ac.uk

01905 542632

What makes Sport and Exercise Science at Worcester special?

Overview

Key features

9th for Student Satisfaction

Register your interest

Our Sports courses are ranked in the top 25% of UK universities for overall student satisfaction (NSS 2022)

This course received 100% overall student satisfaction (NSS 2022)

What qualifications will you need?

Entry requirements

Other information

Book your place at an Open Day

What will you study

Year 1

Mandatory

Optional

Year 2

Mandatory

Optional

Year 3

Mandatory

Optional

How will you be taught?

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

Contact time

Independent self-study

Teaching staff

Assessment

Feedback

Programme specification

Meet The Team

Find your passion

Sarah Browne

Where could it take you?

Potential careers

Careers and Employability

How much will it cost?

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

International students

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

Additional costs

Accommodation

Sports Scholarships

How do you apply?

Applying through UCAS

UCAS Code

Get in touch

Admissions office

Dr Jennifer Joyce

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