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Sport and Exercise Science with a Foundation Year

Entry requirements


A level

C,D,D

including any required subjects as listed in the relevant qualification section

The University welcomes applications from Access to Higher Education Diploma candidates for consideration. A typical offer may require you to obtain a proportion of Level 3 credits in relevant subjects at merit grade or above.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

Applicants should have grade C or 4 in Mathematics GCSE or a suitable equivalent level qualification.

80 Tariff points from your IB Diploma, including a HL subject from the following: Science subject, Sport, Psychology or Maths at 4, OR SL Science subject, Sport, Psychology or Maths at 6. Typically H5, H4, H4

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMP

including any required subjects as listed in the relevant qualification section

Scottish Higher qualifications are considered on an individual basis.

T Level

P

overall in Science with C or more in the core

UCAS Tariff

80

including any required subjects as listed in the relevant qualification section

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Sport and exercise sciences

**Are you passionate about sport and fascinated by the science behind it? Are you driven to make a difference through sport and exercise? Whether you're looking for a change of career, or may not have the scientific background or entry requirements for a degree in Sport and Exercise Science, our Foundation Year offers the opportunity to fill any knowledge gaps and build your confidence.**

This programme is designed for students who may not meet the requirements for direct entry to Stage 1 of our degree courses, and is an excellent conversion course for applicants who have shown academic ability in non-science subjects.

Our expert lecturers have vast research and applied experience in sports and exercise training, physiology, nutrition, biomechanics and psychology. Working with experts ensures you gain a good mix of theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice, in our first-class facilities and in the local community. We offer module options and placement opportunities which allow you to specialise and work towards your career goals and increase your employability.

**Reasons to study Sport and Exercise Science with a Foundation Year at Kent**
* Our foundation year offers you the flexibility to progress to degrees across our Division of Natural Sciences. You may choose a degree in Sport and Exercise Science, but equally you could opt for a degree within another area of Sport and Exercise Sciences, or Biosciences, Chemistry or Forensic Science.

* Our expert lecturers have top-level experience in their fields, having worked with the England Football team and Olympians, Science in Sport and Team Sky, as well as links with sports clubs and companies, the NHS and many sporting bodies.

* Enhance your learning experience in our excellent facilities, including cycling and rowing ergometers; 3D motion video analysis; blood testing and respiratory gas analysis equipment; a rehabilitation gymnasium; an anti-gravity treadmill and an environmental chamber.

* You will benefit from the wider Kent Sport facilities on our Canterbury campus, such as the fitness suite, dance studio and indoor halls and outdoor sports pitches - as well as our new Kent Sport Clinic, which will be the most comprehensive sports performance clinic in the South East.

* Team Kent, funded by the students’ union, runs more than 60 different sports clubs and our large green campus is a great place for morning/evening runs or cycling.

* If you have competed at county level you can apply for one of the University’s sports scholarships.

* Sports Science at Kent scored 88% overall in The Complete University Guide 2023.

* Our Sport and Exercise Science degree is endorsed by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).

**What you’ll learn**
* In your foundation year, you study compulsory modules in biology, chemistry and scientific methods, plus a choice of optional modules. On successful completion of the foundation year, you will have reached a standard above A level and so be fully equipped to tackle a BSc degree course.

* In your first year, you'll develop a knowledge of anatomical and physiological principles, the human response to exercise and a theoretical basis of qualitative and quantitative research.

* As you progress with your degree, you can select optional modules in nutrition, sport and exercise psychology, massage techniques, case study work around specialised issues in sport and exercise.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£22,700
per year
International
£22,700
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Kent

Department:

School of Sport and Exercise Sciences

Read full university profile

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.

76%
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

74%
Staff make the subject interesting
83%
Staff are good at explaining things
70%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
74%
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
83%
IT resources
83%
Course specific equipment and facilities
67%
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?

96%
UK students
4%
International students
69%
Male students
31%
Female students
66%
2:1 or above
11%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
D

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.

£20,000
high
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education
56%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Health associate professionals
13%
Sports and fitness occupations
7%
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.

£17k

£17k

£22k

£22k

£25k

£25k

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 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:

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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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here