University of Derby
UCAS Code: C631 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
At least a Grade C at A Level (or equivalent) from a Science subject, which can include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Education or Psychology
Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits with 45 at Level 3. Must include passes in compulsory L3 subjects
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE Maths and English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
T Level in Science
UCAS Tariff
We encourage you to outline all your qualifications and achievements in your application to provide us a full picture. Your offer will typically be based on your predicted and/or achieved grades from full level 3 qualifications or above e.g. A levels, BTEC Ext Diploma, Access to HE, etc. Any subject specifics are outlined below in the A-levels section, and these specifics are applicable across all equivalent qualifications. A strong application/performance and appropriate experience will be taken into account where typical criteria is not met.
About this course
**Prepare for a successful career in a rapidly growing area of sport. We will equip you with highly specialised skills for professional roles in strength and conditioning, rehabilitation and injury risk reduction.**
**KEY FEATURES OF THE COURSE:**
- **IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE:** Experience the latest training methods and applications to help athletes maximise their performance, return from injury and the threat of injury. You’ll study core modules in strength and conditioning and rehabilitation to provide you with specialist knowledge, combined with optional modules.
- **WORK-READY:** To ensure you’re well prepared for employment, you’ll use our links with industry to go on mandatory work placements in your first and second year, followed by an optional placement in your third year.
- **PROFESSIONAL CREDIBILITY:** The course prepares you for UK accreditation as a strength and conditioning practitioner. Our curriculum is aligned to guidelines set out by the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) so that you can achieve this professional recognition which is important for your career development.
- **ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY:** Develop your skills in in our bespoke strength and conditioning suite which includes a VICON 3D motion capture system and integrated Kistler Force Plates. In addition to these facilities, we have a well-equipped physiology laboratory, and a separate biomechanics laboratory containing the latest equipment for movement analysis.
- **ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:** Take advantage of opportunities to gain additional vocational qualifications, such as various coaching and first aid awards throughout the course.
- **EXPERT TEACHING:** Our teaching team include accredited professionals who will provide you with high-quality teaching and support. They are actively involved in research, high-performance sport and applied sport science consultancy. They are also members of leading professional bodies, including the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association and the Society of Sports Therapists.
**WHAT YOU'LL COVER:**
- In your first year, you'll learn the key principles which underpin sport performance including principles of training, physiology and sports biomechanics. You will then go on to develop essential knowledge about the science behind human strength and conditioning, exploring injury rehabilitation methods and performing assessments and testing on athletes in our laboratories. In your third year, you will learn a range of topics from sport science through to advanced athlete testing and assessment.
**HOW YOU'RE ASSESSED:**
- Assessments will employ a combination of theoretical and practical assignments, such as case study presentations, field-based assessments, written coursework, and professional discussions.
**YOUR CAREER:**
- This course offers a solid platform for employment in areas such as elite and participation sport, strength and conditioning, rehabilitation and sport coaching. You can also consider taking your qualifications to the next level with postgraduate study.
**STUDY OPTIONS**
- This course is available with a Foundation Year option.
- This course is also available with an Industrial Placement Year.
Tuition fees
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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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
£16k
£21k
£24k
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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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
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Course location and department:
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the 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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