Program Overview

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There is a growing demand for sports therapists in the UK. With our state-of-the-art facilities, science-based approach and focus on employability and self-development, our BSc Sports Therapy provides you with the knowledge and skills to become a sports therapist who can practice in various professional settings. Upon graduation you will be eligible to register for full membership of The Society of Sports Therapists. Alongside your timetabled classes and independent study, you will complete between 200 and 250 hours of placement. Some of these hours will be in our Sports Therapy Clinic, where you will consult with performance scholars, students, staff, and members of the public under the guidance and supervision of experienced sports therapy practitioners. You’ll also be given the opportunity to work with a variety of sports clubs and teams, ranging from recreational to elite levels. The school will contribute up to £250 for external placement travel expenses. Being part of our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences you will join a community focused on sports and exercise science, sports therapy, sports performance and coaching, sport and exercise psychology and physiotherapy. We bring together our internationally recognised research, share knowledge, and enhance placement and vocational opportunities for our students and graduates. We offer you one of the best student experiences around. You experience a lively, informal environment with many possibilities to pursue your own interests.

Sport scholarships

Our Performance Sport Scholarship programme has been created for talented athletes playing at regional, national or international level, and offers a range of benefits. We want students competing in our focus sports (basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and rugby 7s), as well as other team sports and individual athletes, to contribute to our performance sport programme. Our scholarships can include fee discounts of up to 100%, offered to athletes who demonstrate sporting excellence. Athletes who are awarded the scholarship will receive a host of other benefits, including free kit, access to state-of-the-art facilities, performance coaching, the option to live in our Athlete Village (accommodation fees may vary) and a support package valued up to £1,500. These benefits are designed to help athletes focus on their training, and development, and to enable them to reach their full potential alongside their studies.

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Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Society of Sports Therapists. Why we're great.

• Take advantage of having easy access to our ultramodern and well-equipped Sport Arena and lab facilities.
• Work with elite athletes and gain experience in our renowned Human Performance Unit.
• 92% of our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2023).

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Study abroad

Your education extends beyond the university campus. We support you in expanding your education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The four-year version of our degree allows you to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course. Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. If you spend a full year abroad, you'll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won't pay any tuition fees to your host university.

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Placement year

Alternatively, you can spend your third year on a placement year with an external organisation. These are usually sports teams or clubs and provide the opportunity for you to apply your academic knowledge in a practical working environment and develop your personal skills. Organisations our students have recently been placed with include West Ham United Football Club, Colchester United Football Club, Colchester Rugby Club and Royal Hospital School. If you complete a placement year, you'll only pay 20% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year.

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Our expert staff

We offer a lively, friendly and supportive environment with research-led study and high quality teaching. We are 23rd in UK for research power in sport and exercise sciences (Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021).

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Specialist facilities

Our School is based in our Sport Arena at our Colchester Campus, where we have a range of specialist clinical laboratories and IT facilities to assist you with the effective learning and acquisition of new skills. You also have access to five fully equipped Sports Science laboratories, state-of-the-art analytical equipment, and access to the equipment used by the Department of Psychology's Centre for Brain Science. We offer excellent physical and online resources in terms of libraries, computer labs, datasets, archives and other research materials. You can take advantage of our links with the Institute of Social and Economic Research, which conducts large-scale survey projects, many for Government, EU and other public agencies, and has its own library. The UK Data Archive is also based at our Colchester Campus and stores national research data.

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Human Performance Unit

The Human Performance Unit (HPU) has been used by professional athletes and sports persons from a range of disciplines, including Team GB athletes participating in the London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and players from our local Colchester United Football Club. The HPU supports student teaching and research across all degree types. Our undergraduates in sports therapy, sports performance and coaching, and sports and exercise science use the HPU for some of their modules, with both beginners and professional sports persons recruited to take part. This gives students experience in managing the practical physiological tests, as well helping them develop soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Additionally the HPU supports a range of placement activities. Our Masters students can take a 12-week placement, while undergraduates have the option to use the HPU during our optional Placement Year. Along with continuing the work with individual athletes, students who have a placement year as part of their course also assist with sports science workshops held at the HPU for local schools. These workshops are tailored to the National Curriculum for PE, and give our students experience of working with teachers and young people. Find out more about the services the HPU offers.

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Your future

Graduates will be eligible to register as a sports therapist with the Society of Sports Therapists working as an independent private practitioner, with a team or in a sports and leisure club. There is an increasing emphasis on the use of exercise in health promotion which offers other opportunities . The course also prepares students for postgraduate study, which could be in a range of areas including sports science, other healthcare professions (including nursing and physiotherapy) or teaching (PGCE teaching qualification) for example. We also work with our University's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities. "I have really enjoyed the structure of my course and love my practical modules; I get to apply what I’ve learnt and it’s very engaging. Last year, I was lucky enough to study abroad at Brock University in Canada. I was able to experience a new culture and gain an insight into how they practice sports therapy. I had the opportunity to work with their basketball team’s sports therapist and helped treat players during and after their games. I am really grateful for the experience, because I had the chance to travel the world and make lifelong friendships. I would strongly encourage all students to do a year studying abroad!" Hopkins Langlah, BSc Sports Therapy student