Sport and Exercise Science
Sport and exercise science is a wide-ranging topic area and covers sports performance, training and nutrition through physiological, psychological and biomechanical interpretation of research, whilst attempting to understand and improve performance in all sporting individuals.
Sport and Exercise Science courses
Our courses focus on how physical activity and nutrition can improve the lives of unhealthy and diseased populations.
This area of clinical exercise physiology is becoming ever more popular for research and career prospects, with the development of obesity and the realisation that physical activity and lifestyle can have such important health implications.
We are one of the first universities in the country to offer a degree in this area, with a history extending back over 20 years.
Find out more about our sport and exercise science courses
Laboratories
There are six sport and exercise science laboratories on campus incorporating a modern range of instrumentation to measure human responses to exercise.
You will gain hands-on practical experience and have the chance to use the laboratories regularly throughout your degree.
The time spent in the laboratories will increase as you progress through the course. As a third year student, you could use the laboratories for approximately 20 hours a week.
As well as having access to the sport and exercise science laboratories, you will gain practical experience of sport and exercise science whilst studying with us.
Find out more about our laboratories
Extracurricular activities
There are a number of extracurricular activities for you to participate in during your time studying with us. These include helping with consultancy projects and field trips.
Marathon Support Unit
Second year students have supported athletes through the marathon support unit. In a team of three, students were responsible for writing a training programme for a marathon runner alongside the sport and exercise science consultancy department.
Find out more about the marathon support unit
Healthy Lifestyle programme
Students also have the opportunity to assist with the healthy lifestyle programme. This is a 12-week exercise programme designed to educate clients about physical activity and their lifestyle choices for the future. There is the opportunity to work with members of the public while applying the theory learned throughout your studies at university.
Find out more about the healthy lifestyle programme
Cardiac rehab unit
The cardiac rehab unit is a project where students have the opportunity to work with patients who have had a heart attack to provide cardiac rehabilitation through specialist training programmes.
Other activities students get involved with have included a sleep deprivation study. In the third year students completed a 30 hour sleep deprivation, undertaking tasks to identify how cognitive skills and moods change with sleep deprivation.
Overseas field trips
There will be a chance for you to take part in bi-annual field trips overseas alongside your course.
In April 2013, 26 university students and five staff will be going to Cuzco, Peru to complete physiological/medical research on the human responses to altitude exposure after heat and hypoxic acclimation at sea level.
Find out more about the Peru trip
Brecon Beacons
There is the Brecon Beacons expedition where, as part of the Expedition Physiology and Survival Medicine module, students test their expedition and survival skills in the Welsh mountains.
Outdoor adventure
Students also have the chance to go on an outdoor adventure trip in Bude, Cornwall.
This five day programme includes activity skills and techniques such as canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, surfing and windsurfing and incorporated problem solving, team building and physical challenges.
There is also a series of theoretically based evening lectures related to the activities covered and gained National Governing Body coaching and performance awards.
Professional and industry links
Our laboratories are accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and English Institute of Sport (EIS).
If you study the undergraduate ‘with PE' route you will have the opportunity to direct your career towards teaching physical education.
We have forged strong links with industry through a series of placement modules, research and consultancy.
Academic staff at the school have substantial industry experience and contacts.
Placements
Our placements give you the opportunity to use practical skills, gain hands-on experience and make industry contacts.
Previous placements include Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club and Sussex County Cricket Club.
Other placements have been in the field of exercise referral and cardiac referral.
Graduate outcomes
A degree in sport and exercise science can lead to a wide range of careers. Many of our graduates go into sport or exercise related roles.
Positions include strength and conditioning coaches at professional clubs, sports psychologists, sports development managers, nutritionists and exercise professionals based at hospitals or within clinical populations.
Sport and exercise science alumni include Peter Keen, director of performance at UK Sport and Dr Stephen Ingram, head of physiology at the English Institute of Sport (EIS).
Examples of roles graduates could undertake include:
- hospital-based cardiac / exercise physiologist
- sport physiologist
- sport psychologist
- BUPA physiologist
- sport science development officer
- exercise referral scheme coordinator
- physical exercise and science teacher
- strength and conditioning coach
- development officer
- university lecturer
Other students find graduate careers outside of sport, through employability and general skills developed within the degree. These include physiotherapy, finance, sports marketing and medical sales
Research
The university has been the starting point and home for many productive scientists, recognised nationally and internationally.
Find out more about our sport and exercise research.
We were the top sport-related institution in the south-east of England in the most recent RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) in 2008.
One of our researchers gained national recognition for developing computer programmes to help cricket batsmen cope better with fast bowlers.
Find out more about how virtual cricket is helping cricket batsmen.
The BBC's Horizon science programme has also filmed at the School of Sport where research is unravelling the mystery of how the brain determines how much exercise we are capable of.
Find out more about this research.
Sport and exercise science research at the School of Sport has benefitted from funding by the Scientific Research Initiative Fund to develop our research laboratories and equipment.
