Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons)
Study level: Undergraduate
This course provides the opportunity to learn how the healthy human body works during exercise and how sport and physical activity promote health.
Course option
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
UCAS codes
C600
Start date
September 2023
Course overview
Preparing you for a variety of graduate level career options in industry, professional sport, health and education, this degree course aims to provide you with a strong scientific understanding of human physiology, psychology, anatomy, biomechanics and biochemistry.
- This course is designed to be hands-on, with a range of approaches to teaching including problem-based learning, case studies and laboratory classes, which aim to blend scientific rigour with practical and professional experience and knowledge
- Alongside an appreciation of the physiological, psychological and biomechanical factors influencing human performance, our course aims to help you develop effective listening, verbal and non-verbal communications skills through the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of situations directly related to applied sport and exercise science
- We aim to develop your expertise and practical ability to prescribe exercise programmes, then evaluate and monitor their effectiveness on the human body.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- Enjoy specialist laboratories for sport science, biomechanics, strength and conditioning and a gait analysis track4.
- You’ll be taught by staff with a broad range of academic and professional experience, many of whom have worked with a range of health initiatives, professional athletes and clubs (staff may be subject to change).
- Our strong employer links2 include local professional sports teams, schools and NHS clinical services, such as cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, aiming to increase your employment opportunities following graduation.
- Our employability module enables you to have hands on experience making a difference to public health in the community2.
Accreditation and professional recognition
The degree is accredited1 and recognised by the following bodies:

British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences
This course is endorsed by BASES – the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, for the 2023/2024 intake. BASES endorsement is awarded to courses that meet criteria covering the necessary foundation of sport and exercise science knowledge, technical skills and professional development competencies required to succeed in the profession. When reviewing a course, BASES considers the curriculum, the practical experience gained by students and the resources and facilities of the institution.
Talk to your lecturers, talk to the staff here because they have so much expertise in their areas. I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for Coventry University.

What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
You will engage in a number of innovative teaching and learning approaches in face-to-face lectures, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions.
In addition, you will be required to engage in a range of self-directed tasks supported by our virtual learning environment – these are aimed at developing independent learners. A range of teaching and learning strategies such as flipped classroom sessions, gamified classroom sessions, assessment for learning, discussion boards, technology enhanced learning, storyboarding, debates, collaborative learning sets and a range of other techniques to allow you to actively engage in and reflect on your learning. This approach aims to foster creativity, innovation, deeper learning, improved motivation, increased curiosity and improved attainment.
Teaching contact hours
Depending on the year of study you will typically have between 9-18 hours of structured weekly teaching and learning hours which may include activities such as workshops, laboratories, online tutorials, seminars and lectures. This will be supported by a weekly course programme hour with your tutors. In addition, you will be expected to undertake around 18 hours of self-directed study each week.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include:
- Phase tests
- Essays
- Group work
- Presentations
- Reports
- Projects
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.
International experience opportunities
Our international placement option allows a full-year work placement, which can be taken abroad, or you can undertake a study year abroad2. The university runs several schemes to allow you periods of overseas study or work experience.
The School of Life Sciences has current research links with Canada, Brazil and Australia, and students may have the opportunity to progress to postgraduate study with these collaborators. Teaching staff also ensure that they bring their internationally rated research expertise into their teaching. You will also have opportunities to challenge yourself in a range of community and academic projects, both locally and internationally. These international opportunities include collaborative online learning with students at established overseas partner universities and field trips in which you will work within a team to plan and deliver sporting events (subject to availability).
Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements are therefore not guaranteed2.
There are opportunities to get experience through placements that staff are able to provide with their links, which will give a variety of experiences and develop skill sets required during your job searches.

Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.
Fees and funding
2023/24 Tuition fees
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £9,250 per year | Not available |
EU | £9,250 per year with EU support bursary** £18,300 per year without EU support bursary** |
Not available |
International | £18,300 per year | Not available |
If you choose to do a work placement, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationary, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
The following are additional costs not included in the fees3:
- Any optional training course and assessment fee to gain related qualifications
- Any optional overseas visits and field trips: £400+ per trip
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
**EU support bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in-line with that of UK students. Students studying a Degree with a Foundation Year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
-
How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
This course is delivered at Coventry University main campus, primarily in the Alison Gingell Building.
You will benefit from the outstanding facilities for sport and exercise sciences in the purpose built Alison Gingell building, including extensive sport and exercise science laboratories, gait analysis track and environmental chamber4.

Sports Therapy Clinic
The Sports Therapy Clinic is run by final-year Sports Therapy students under the supervision of qualified staff, with second-year students providing a supervised massage clinic twice a week.

Strength and conditioning suite
Our multi-purpose suite is equipped with multiple Olympic lifting platforms, a 20m gait analysis track, an anti-gravity treadmill and a 3D motion capture system.

Environmental chamber
Our environmental chamber helps us to test the effects of a wide range of environmental conditions, such as temperature and barometric pressure, on the human body.
Careers and opportunities
The multi-disciplinary and applied nature of this degree course aims to prepare you for a potential future career in sport or exercise, including scientific support, exercise training, health promotion and rehabilitation.
On successful completion, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate the key skills of a sport and exercise scientist: reflective practice; evidence-based practice; interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary practice; generic and specialised practical skills; health and safety (e.g. good laboratory practice) and ethical considerations.
- Research, critique and present scientific information to scientific and other recipients.
- Demonstrate problem solving and apply scientific information.
- Design and implement scientific investigations, including data collection, analysis and interpretation.
The leisure industry is a major employer in the UK and many of our previous graduates have gone into managerial and service delivery roles in leisure and health centres, as well as teaching and research. Graduates who are more interested in the medical and health applications of exercise science can choose to go on to work within cardiac and other rehabilitation teams within the NHS, or with local councils within sports development or exercise for health schemes.
Where our graduates work
Some of our previous graduates have gone on to work with sports teams including Coventry City FC and British Cycling.
Further study
We have a range of postgraduate courses that graduates would be well prepared to progress onto, enabling them to gain specialist skills relating to development of teaching, sporting potential or lifelong physical activity. PGCE courses allow entry to teaching careers and our more specialist MSc programmes in sport provide opportunities for graduates to develop skills in a more specific area of study.
I cannot recommend doing a placement enough - it is so worth doing. I have enhanced my professional development, made contacts for life, built up my CV and made some unforgettable memories too. I have learnt a great deal and my professional skillset has developed significantly.

How to apply
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UK students
Full-time students applying to start in September 2023 can apply for this course through UCAS from 6 September 2022. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
Part-time students should apply directly to the university.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
-
International students
International codes:
HLSU245Full-time students applying to start in September 2023 should apply directly to the university.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
-
Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2023/24 contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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