Sport and Fitness BSc(Hons) top-up degree

Intro

Our Sport and Fitness top-up degree is a springboard for careers in coaching, health promotion, fitness assessment and beyond.

It builds on relevant foundation degrees or Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and focuses on the application of science to vocational settings.

You will choose options allowing you to specialise in areas such as physiology, nutrition and performance analysis. There are also practical sports modules for those interested in physical education.

As part of the course, you take an extended work placement that allows you to apply your theoretical knowledge and gain professional experience. Previous students have worked in health and fitness clubs, sports clubs, PE departments and leisure centres.

Teaching a balance of knowledge and skill, the Sports and Fitness BSc(Hons) is perfect if you're looking to speed up your career development and make headway into the industry.

We are one of just 10 institutions nationally, selected by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), to become a CIMSPA Higher Education Partner. We are part of their pilot programme to develop CIMSPA endorsed and quality assured degree programmes to improve students’ employment prospects. The partnership also offers many benefits for students studying this course.

Key facts

Location Eastbourne

UCAS code C602

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

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Course content

Course structure

The only compulsory module of the Sports and Fitness top-up degree is Applied and Integrated Vocational Studies, which includes your work placement and ensures your exposure to professional environments. You may choose from the remaining modules according to personal interest.

Modules

Applied and Integrated Vocational Studies

Options*

Applied Sport Psychology
Applied Exercise and Health Psychology
Physiological Aspects of Exercise, Nutrition and Health
The Physiology of Training and Performance/The Study of Physical Training
Injury and Rehabilitation in Sport and Exercise
Expedition Physiology
Advanced Strength and Conditioning
Advanced Performance Analysis
Exercise, Sport and the Brain
Sports Nutrition

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, we will inform you of any improvements or innovations to the curriculum through our admissions portal.

Staff profile

Dr Nicholas Smeeton

Principal lecturer

Nick lectures in a range of topics including sport and exercise psychology, motor behaviour and research methods.

His own research focuses on the training of anticipation and decision-making skills in academy football players and young elite tennis players.

Nick has also worked with professional athletes as a performance enhancement specialist.

Careers

The course prepares students to enter the workforce with evidence of relevant experience, practical skills and intellectual knowledge related to sport and fitness. Employment opportunities include fitness instruction, personal training, coaching, sports science support, health promotion and sports development. Graduates can also progress to further study at masters level in sport or exercise-related areas.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Foundation degree/HND
60% or merit grade from a foundation degree or HND in an appropriate subject. In addition, students must have passed the following modules as part of their foundation degree/HND:

work placement/experience type module (min 15 CATS credits)
level 2 module (min 15 CATS credits) in sport or exercise physiology
level 2 module (min 15 CATS credits) in sport or exercise psychology
one module each (min 15 CATS credits), ideally level 2, for two of the following areas: sport and/or exercise biomechanics, nutrition, sports/exercise coaching, sports/exercise development/policy.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Other
DipHE (240 CATs credits) or equivalent from BSc Sport and Exercise Science or similar. Accredited prior learning (APEL) may also be considered.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 14,604 GBP

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, while studying a course in the School of Sport and Service Management are listed here.

DBS checks, where required, are included in the fees.
For all journalism students there are professional body examinations from the National Council for Training of Journalists. The university pays for your first attempt at each examination and this cost of around £400 is included in the course fees. But if you don’t pass an exam you will be responsible for resit fees, at an average cost of £45 per examination.
UK-based field trips are available in some option modules in the final year. You do not have to take these option modules to complete the degree programme. Where a field trip is present costs are covered but you are expected to make a contribution towards food. Typically this is £50.
For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your living costs and travel. Physical Education (QTS teacher training) students can claim travel costs to their school placement.
The school runs a number of day trips which students do not pay for. There may be some food and drink costs and you should budget around £30 per year.
All work is electronically submitted. You may need to provide a printed copy of your final dissertation. Estimated cost £5 per student in the final year.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

Easy-going Eastbourne

The South Downs National Park, the bustling town centre and the beach with the pier, prom and bandstand are all within a 15-minute walk of our Eastbourne campus. Officially the sunniest place in the UK, Eastbourne has loads on offer: a year-round calendar of sporting events, the independent shops and cafes of Little Chelsea, music and arts festivals, theatres, galleries, great restaurants and high street shopping.

Every June, leading tennis players descend on Eastbourne for one of the main warm-up tournaments for Wimbledon. One of the UK's biggest free extreme sports festivals, Beach Life, takes place on the seafront in July, bringing hi-octane action on land and sea. The international airshow Airbourne is another summer highlight.

Every autumn our students and staff participate in and support the Beachy Head Marathon, one of the UK's largest off-road marathons with challenging climbs and descents along the Seven Sisters.

The beach and the South Downs provide sports opportunities including horse riding, mountain biking, paragliding, sailing, canoeing, body boarding, kayaking, windsurfing and kite surfing.

The Towner Art Gallery has world-class exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and entry is free. Eastbourne also has four theatres, two cinemas and hosts a varied programme of arts and music events throughout the year.

It's only 90 minutes by train from Eastbourne to central London and less than 40 minutes to Brighton. There are also daily direct trains to Ashford International and Gatwick Airport.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Eastbourne campus

Our campus is within 15 minutes' walk of the beach, South Downs National Park and the Eastbourne's busy town centre. There are excellent sport and exercise facilities, social sites and on-site halls of residence.

Sport and exercise, events, hospitality, journalism, nursing and midwifery, physical education, physiotherapy, podiatry and tourism students are all based here.

Specialist learning facilities include accredited exercise physiology laboratories, a newsroom, clinical simulation suites, culinary arts studio, and the Leaf Hospital podiatric clinic and occupational health studios. Campus learning facilities include the Queenwood library, computer rooms, a media centre and a learning and technology suite.

Sports facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, sports hall and gym, artificial outdoor pitch, dance studio and climbing wall.

Eastbourne Student Centre provides services including careers, volunteering, counselling and wellbeing, student advice, disability and dyslexia support and chaplaincy.

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Accommodation

Eastbourne

All offer holders for Eastbourne-based courses are guaranteed an offer of university-managed accommodation.

Welkin halls
Located in the Meads area of Eastbourne, right next to the Students' Union and Student Services, Welkin halls are a short walk or bike ride to other areas of the campus.

Ensuite halls with a choice of room and flat sizes.
Breakfast and an evening meal are provided from Monday to Friday during term-time, this is included in your rent. You have access to shared, fully equipped kitchen facilities.
Rent also includes all utilities, 24/7 staff cover, contents insurance, cleaning of communal areas and off-peak access to university fitness facilities including a 25m pool.

Unihomes
A unihome is a student house which the university manages on behalf of a private landlord. This option can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other life commitments.

Rent includes all utilities, broadband, contents insurance, cleaning of communal areas.
Generally shared bathroom with a variety of locations, room and house sizes. Some unihomes offer off-road parking.

Find out more about unihomes and university halls accommodation.

Private renting
Eastbourne offers good choice when it comes to student accommodation.

There’s a good supply of affordable, high quality private rented accommodation and plenty of support and advice from us if you choose this option. Your first stop should be our studenthomes database. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards.

Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Student accommodation in Eastbourne

Student bedroom in Welkin halls

Modern kitchen in Welkin Halls

Maps

Eastbourne campus map

Stay in touch

There aren't any events for this course right now. Register your interest and we'll let you know when booking for the next event is open.

Let me know when I can visit

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Programme specification

The programme specification is the official university document for each course. They are updated each year, and give a very detailed breakdown of what your course might look like.

Programme specification