Program Overview

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Sport and Exercise Sciences BSc (Hons)

Overview

This is the broadest of our suite of sports courses. You will gain practical experience in the fields of psychology, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and injury rehabilitation. You will combine these disciplines to analyse and develop strategies to optimise performance in sport and exercise, which will be supported by our excellent teaching team.

Why Us?

• This course is accredited by The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences
• Our Sport Sciences courses are 17th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2024)
• This course enables students to work with cutting-edge state-of-the-art resources to develop their knowledge and skills in applied areas of sport and exercise sciences
• We have great links to clubs in the local area, including Sunderland Association Football Club, Durham County Cricket Club, and DMP Sharks Women’s Rugby Club
• There is the option to apply to the Elite Athlete Bursary Scheme

Course Structure

Our teaching methods are designed to develop not only your knowledge but also skills that enhance employability. Methods include small group work, practical activities, workshops, lectures, tutorials, computer-based learning, presentations, and independent learning.

As well as assessments that count towards your degree, there are also on-going assessments for feedback and consolidating your learning. Assessment methods include essays, reports, practical work, and presentations.

Modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

• Academic and Professional Development (20 credits)
  • In this module, you’ll develop essential skills for academic success and future employability. You’ll increase your awareness and understanding of the processes involved in learning and professional development for continued lifelong learning. You’ll gain an industry-recognised qualification, for example, fitness instructor, sports massage, or First Aid, developed in line with current government standards for vocational qualifications and complete 50 hours of work-related experience.
• Introduction to Sport and Exercise Physiology and Movement Analysis (20 credits)
• Introduction to Motor Skills and Sport and Exercise Psychology (20 credits)
• Introduction to Athlete Testing (20 credits)
• Introduction to Nutrition (20 credits)
• Sport and Health in the Community (20 credits)

Year 2 (national level 5):

• Core modules:
  • Research and Professional Development (20 credits)
  • Physiology of Fitness Training (20 credits)
  • Motivating Physical Activity (20 credits)
  • Biomechanical Analysis of Human Movement (20 credits)
• Optional modules – choose two:
  • Injuries and Rehabilitation (20 credits)
  • Performance Analysis (20 credits)
  • Nutrition in Health and Disease (20 credits)

Final year (national level 6):

• Core modules:
  • Applied Project (40 credits)
• Optional modules – choose four:
  • Sport and Exercise Physiology (20 credits)
  • Sport and Exercise Psychology (20 credits)
  • Strength, Conditioning and Prehabilitation (20 credits)
  • Exercise and Diet Behaviour (20 credits)
  • Exercise for Special Populations (20 credits)
  • Sport Psychology (20 credits)

Facilities

Sunderland's outstanding facilities include laboratories with the latest fitness equipment and technology.

• CitySpace
  • Our City Campus features a state-of-the-art facility called CitySpace. Students use this facility for teaching and the space includes:
    • Sports hall
    • Fitness suite/gym
    • Strength and conditioning room
    • Injury prevention and support suite
    • Climbing wall
• Clinical Biomechanics Lab
  • Used by students across a range of Sport courses, our Clinical Biomechanics lab contains equipment that measures motion, muscle activity, and forces on the body during high-intensity sports and the activities of daily living.
  • Facilities include:
    • 3D motion capture systems including Vicon systems and Xsens motion capture suits
    • Software such as Kinovea and LongoMatch software to capture live-action images for match tagging and coaching feedback
    • Movement tracking tools such as Actigraph and Catapult
    • Delsys Trigno electromyography equipment to see how the muscles of the body are working
    • Kistler force platforms and Batak reaction walls to analyse sporting performance
    • Novel Pedar systems to analyse foot pressure
• Human Performance Lab
  • This lab is used for advanced clinical health and exercise research, with gas analysis, cycle ergometers, and treadmills for fitness testing. The AlterG treadmill allows assessment of running in a low-gravity environment to understand physical responses during rehabilitation and training.
  • There is also an environmental chamber within the teaching space which is used to assess physiological response to heat, humidity, and altitude.
• Human Physiology Lab
  • The facility is used for cardiovascular exercise testing and health and fitness-related components. You will have access to gas analysis; cycle ergometers for fitness testing and a variety of blood marker testing.
• Anatomy
  • Anatomy is taught by experienced staff in a specialist clinical lab using skeletons, anatomical models, Anatomage Table, 3D software, online material, and human subjects. You will learn techniques for sports injury rehabilitation, including the use of sports massage and ultrasound equipment.

Entry Requirements

Our typical offer is:

• Qualification | Minimum grade
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  Irish Leaving Certificate | 112 UCAS points – Students must have H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths & English.
  QQI/FETAC 5| Pass profile overall. For entry, we also require H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths and English from Irish Leaving Certificate

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at for further advice.

Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you to study with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and Finance

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

• £9,535 if you are from the UK/Europe
• £16,500 if you are an international student

*Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

Read more about EU fees and funding in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career Ready

Sunderland’s strong links with regional and national sporting organisations, local hospitals and authorities, and health and fitness centres help you get to know potential future employers. You will also gain first-hand experience of how Sport and Exercise Sciences can be applied in working environments. There is a major focus on career planning for both employment and further study at all stages in the Sport and Exercise Science course. You will be prepared for supervised experience, the initial stage in the process towards becoming a professionally recognised Sport and Exercise Scientist accredited through the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).

Vocational Qualifications

We are working towards reaccreditation from the professional development body for the Sport and Physical activity sector in the UK, to award vocational qualifications (related to the health and fitness industry) to students who successfully complete specific modules and additional assessments.

Career Options

Potential employers for graduates of this course include sports clubs, national sports associations, sports and leisure companies, recreation services, local authorities, health bodies including the NHS, schools, and colleges. Many of our graduate sport and exercise scientists go on to provide clinical support services to health or medical professionals working in a variety of specialities.

During the course, you will be encouraged and supported to begin the process of supervised experience through BASES.

Job roles include the following (some require further training):

• Sport and Exercise Scientist
• Performance Analyst
• Sports Psychologist

Meet the Team

• Eddie Bradley
  • Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics
• Elisabeth (Lisa) Board
  • Associate Head of School of Sport, Health, and Performance
• Bob Hogg
  • Senior Lecturer in Biomechanics and Performance Analysis
• Ivan Whitfield
  • Senior Lecturer in Sport Rehabilitation Therapy and Conditioning

View all staff for BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences

Related Courses

• BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences with Integrated Foundation Year