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Sport and Exercise Sciences

Entry requirements


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About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Sport and exercise sciences

Are you fascinated by the relationship between exercise, performance and health? Would you like to embark on a BSc that is aligned with industry developments and the latest research?

Here at Durham, our expertise across the Department prepares you to tackle traditional and emergent sport and exercise problems from a variety of academic disciplines and perspectives. With a curriculum developed and delivered by an academic team actively involved in research, you’ll build a firm foundation of knowledge in traditional sport, exercise and health sciences (taking in physiology; psychology; physical activity, nutrition and health).

The course also offers the flexibility to select modules from e.g. the Sociology of Sport, Sport, Health and the Environment, and Sports Development, so you develop a broader, more holistic knowledge base across the wider field of sport and exercise. In addition, our focus on employability provides opportunities for you to develop your skill set and take sport and exercise placement modules, as well as open modules from across the University. You can also apply to add an industry placement year or a study year abroad to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four.

The final-year dissertation is an opportunity to engage in deeper investigation of a sport or exercise topic that particularly interests you.

Our approach to learning, teaching and assessment links academic knowledge with real-world examples and practices in sport, exercise and physical activity. This is brought further to life in the Human Performance Laboratory which is equipped with the latest in performance technology.

Studying Sport and Exercise Sciences you will develop intellectual capacities and personal qualities, while acquiring a broad range of practical, professional and employability skills that can be applied to a range of careers in the sport and leisure sector and beyond. Our students graduate with the skill set to take on a challenging role in a growing industry.

Modules

Year 1
Core modules:
Critical Skills for Sport and Exercise Sciences develops the essential skills required for degree-level study in the sport and exercise sciences, as well as the workplace. You will develop skills in personal effectiveness, verbal and written communication, critical thinking and problem-solving, information and research, numeracy and digital literacy.

Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology familiarises you with major theories, intervention strategies and methods of data collection used in the field of sport and exercise psychology.

Introduction to Anatomy and Exercise Physiology familiarises you with the basic anatomical and physiological functions of the human body in the context of exercise. The module includes an examination of the cellular, nervous, musculoskeletal, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and thermoregulatory systems.

Year 2
Core modules:
Contemporary Research in Sport and Exercise Sciences develops conceptual knowledge and understanding of the qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods used in sport and exercise sciences. This includes an understanding of ethics, designing a research study, collecting and analysing data and developing abilities in statistical analysis.

Advanced Sport and Exercise Physiology increases your understanding of the current methods used to enhance athletic performance in an applied setting. Using a mix of taught and laboratory sessions you will investigate areas such as hydration; the validity and reliability of laboratory and field-based testing; lactate threshold testing; maximal and sub-maximal exercise and power and strength adaptations through training.

Advanced Sport and Exercise Psychology examines the psychological theories behind participation in sport and exercise. You will develop a critical awareness of the strengths and limitations of psychological research and theory, and apply this knowledge and understanding in a real-world context. The module covers stress and resilience; mental health and well-being; and evidence-based interventions in sport and exercise. By the end of the module, you will develop the skills required for effective one-to-one psychological consultations.

Year 3 (Year 4 if undertaking a placement or year abroad)
The Dissertation is a detailed and critical examination of a relevant area of sport and exercise sciences. It develops your ability to plan and manage your own learning and provides you with an opportunity to research a specific topic in greater depth and present your findings and conclusions. The 6,000–8,000-word dissertation, supported by a 750-word critical reflection, is worth one-third of your final-year marks.

Applied Exercise Physiology in Sport and Health applies your previous learning to critically examine the role of exercise and physical activity in a variety of populations, from elite sport performance to clinical populations. You will cover the principles of exercise prescription; the role of exercise and physical activity in the management of health and performance; advanced assessment and support of clinical and athletic performance; and the underpinning physiology of health and performance.

Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology applies your acquired sport and exercise psychology knowledge to complex sport performance and physical activity/health contexts. You will develop a critical understanding of the application of psychological sciences within complex and dynamic, and often politicised, consultancy contexts, such as high-performance sport and other health and exercise settings. Attention is also given to issues of ethical and professional conduct in the practice of sport and exercise psychology.

Assessment methods

Your degree will be assessed through a combination of coursework and practicals, which may include psychological profiling of sport performers, presentations, and reports on physiological testing undertaken in our Human Performance Laboratory.

Methods of assessment vary between modules and have been designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of course material, test critical thinking skills, enhance written and oral communication skills, and assess your ability to relate your learning to real-world issues within sport and exercise settings.

The final-year dissertation project enables you to undertake in-depth exploration of a specific topic that you are passionate about, the dissertation makes up one-third of your final-year marks.

The Uni


Course locations:

College allocation pending

Durham City

Department:

School of Applied Social Sciences

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What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

74%
Sport and exercise sciences

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Sport and exercise sciences

Teaching and learning

78%
Staff make the subject interesting
87%
Staff are good at explaining things
76%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
78%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

70%
Library resources
76%
IT resources
75%
Course specific equipment and facilities
63%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

93%
UK students
7%
International students
60%
Male students
40%
Female students
72%
2:1 or above
14%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A*
B
A

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Sport and exercise sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£17,652
med
Average annual salary
98%
med
Employed or in further education
56%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

21%
Sports and fitness occupations
15%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
12%
Teaching and educational professionals

One of the fastest growing subjects in the country, the number of sports science graduates went from under 3,000 in 2003 to over 10,000 in 2013. Numbers have fallen slightly since 2015, but we still have over 9,000 graduates in the subject. However, the good news is the country's appetite for good health and fitness - and the adaptability of graduates in the subject - means that sports science grads are less likely than average to be out of work. Sports science graduates, not surprisingly, tend to get jobs in sport, fitness and health - coaching and teaching especially - but they're found all over the economy. Management and business are also popular options for graduates from this subject — and sports science graduates are particularly found where drive, determination and physical fitness are an advantage.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Sport and exercise sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£20k

£20k

£25k

£25k

£32k

£32k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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