BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science Bachelor's degree at the University of Salford
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science at University of Salford combines core theory, research and methods, applied practice, and specialist options, culminating in an independent project and professional skills development.
About this course
This course aims to develop your skills in analysing and evaluating performance and providing interventions within the traditional (including exercise physiology, psychology, biomechanics and nutrition) and the contemporary sports science disciplines (such as performance analysis and strength and conditioning). From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Salford. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Sport and exercise sciences graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 50% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £22,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Sport & Exercise Science, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 80% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 6 modules
- Bioenergetics and NutrientsCore
Module details
Gain a fundamental understanding of energy metabolism and nutrition in human performance. This module provides a strong foundation for advanced study in metabolism, energetics, and nutrition.
- Digital Tools and Skills for Sport and Exercise ScienceCore
Module details
This unique module supports your transition into higher education, focusing on study skills, digital literacy, and career exploration. You will explore AI and digital tools that enhance learning and their relevance to sport and exercise science careers.
- Human PhysiologyCore
Module details
Investigate the function of major organ systems and how they regulate homeostasis. Using cutting-edge lab equipment, you will develop practical skills to analyse physiological adaptations as true physiologists do in the world sport and exercise science.
- Introduction to Sports BiomechanicsCore
Module details
Learn core principles of mechanics and biomechanics, collecting and analysing movement data to optimise human performance. You will learn how to collect, analyse, and interpret basic biomechanical data in relation to sports performance and understand the application of these principles to optimising human performance.
- Introduction to Sport PsychologyCore
Module details
Explore key psychological theories related to motivation, confidence, and individual differences in sport. You will examine how psychological factors influence performance and apply research to real-world sporting contexts.
- Principles of Training: Health and PerformanceCore
Module details
This module covers key training principles for sports performance and health. You will study exercise prescription, movement analysis, and foundational anatomy. You will explore the development of cardiovascular fitness, strength, power, speed, and flexibility, applying these principles to enhance athletic performance.
Year two 7 modules
- Applied Strength and ConditioningOptional
Module details
This module provides you with an applied understanding of the theoretical principles of training to enhance athletic performance.
- Biomechanics and Performance AnalysisCore
Module details
Apply biomechanics and performance analysis concepts to assess and improve sports performance. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, you will gain hands-on experience in data collection and analysis.
- Exercise PhysiologyCore
Module details
Build on first-year foundations to explore the acute and chronic physiological responses to exercise. You will examine cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, metabolic, and neuroendocrine adaptations and assess factors that limit performance through practical, lab-based experience.
- Lifestyle Medicine 1Optional
Module details
Explore health and exercise applications beyond performance settings. This module focuses on exercise as a tool for optimising health and preventing disease, preparing you for roles in public health and preventative medicine.
- Psychological Assessment and Strategies for AthletesCore
Module details
This module will focus on psychological assessment and strategies for athletes. You will explore key needs analysis methods used to understand athletes' psychological needs. Additionally, you will examine psychological strategies that athletes can apply to enhance their mental performance and overall athletic success.
- Research Methods and Study DesignCore
Module details
Develop essential research skills for both academic and professional contexts. You will learn to design studies, critically evaluate evidence, and apply statistical analysis to interpret research outcomes through both theoretical and practical sessions.
- Sports NutritionCore
Module details
Gain a strong theoretical and applied understanding of sports nutrition. This module explores the principles of nutritional strategies, from recreational athletes to elite performers, ensuring optimal fuelling for performance and recovery.
Year three 7 modules
- DissertationCore
Module details
Undertake an independent research project on a topic of your choice, working closely with a supervisor. You will develop expertise in research design, data collection, analysis, and synthesis, demonstrating critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for professional practice.
- PlacementCore
Module details
Gain practical experience in a vocational setting, applying sport and exercise science theories to real-world challenges. You will develop transferable and industry-specific skills, enhancing your employability while reflecting on evidence-based practice.
- Applied Sport and Exercise PracticeCore
Module details
Integrate your knowledge of physiology, nutrition, biomechanics, and psychology to enhance sports performance. You will critically assess an athlete's needs and apply interdisciplinary approaches to support performance development.
- Advanced Strength and ConditioningCore
Module details
Build on previous strength and conditioning knowledge to refine your expertise in training elite athletes. You will apply the latest research in real-world settings to develop advanced programming and coaching strategies.
- Advanced Performance AnalysisCore
Module details
Develop the skills to operate as a performance analyst in elite sport. Using industry-standard technology, you will assess, monitor, and enhance athlete and team performance through data-driven insights and strategic feedback.
- Lifestyle Medicine 2Optional
Module details
Build on your knowledge from Lifestyle Medicine 1 by exploring the impact of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. You will examine their causes, risk factors, and how lifestyle interventions, physical activity, nutrition, and holistic approaches, compare to medical treatments in improving health outcomes.
- Advanced Topics in Exercise PhysiologyOptional
Module details
Explore physiological and environmental factors affecting athletes.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course develops your skills in analysing and evaluating performance, and designing interventions in both established and emerging areas of sports science. You'll usually start with foundational knowledge in anatomy, exercise physiology, sport psychology and practical coaching. In your second year, you'll move into biomechanics, training physiology and research methods. You'll then progress to specialist options, such as strength and conditioning, nutrition, rehabilitation, sport psychology or PE teaching routes, alongside applied placement experience and a final research dissertation. Throughout, you combine classroom learning with practical sessions and lab work to evaluate athlete performance and design evidence-based programmes.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-levels or equivalent qualifications. Most recent entrants held A-levels or equivalent, with typical UCAS tariff scores of 160–175 points. You should be interested in the science underpinning sport and exercise, and keen to develop both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in this field. The course is designed for those considering careers in sports science, exercise physiology, coaching, or related professional roles.
Careers & job market
Across Sport and Exercise Science courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 62% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. National earnings data shows graduates typically earn £22,000–£30,000 at the 15-month point, rising to £23,375–£33,000 after five years.
University & format
The University of Salford is a public university founded in 1896, located in Salford. This BSc (Hons) is a full-time 3-year degree taught in English. As a recognised UK degree-awarding body, it is nationally recognised. The university received a Silver award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 90% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| a Baccalaureate | 5% |
| an Access course | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Salford →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Sport & Exercise Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £22,000 | £20,000 – £23,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £21,500 | £15,500 – £26,000 | 85 |
| 5 years after | £28,000 | £22,500 – £32,000 | 80 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sport & exercise science · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Sport & Exercise Science nationally
National figures for Sport & Exercise Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Sport & Exercise Science courses at the same study level.
Compared with 915 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Therapy professionalsSOC 2020 222 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,338
- Sports and fitness occupationsSOC 2020 343 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £13,819
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 100; response rate: 50%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Sport & Exercise Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Sport & Exercise Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Sports clubs & NGBs
- Leisure providers
- Schools
- The NHS
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Sport & Exercise Science graduates.
Sport CoachAspire PeopleSport Science LeadBiolyz FlexCoBTEC Tech Awards Sept 22 - Sport - ExaminerPearsonEquine Vet: Independent Clinic for Leisure & Sport HorsesBritish Veterinary LGBT+Learning Mentor (PE/Sport)Prospero TeachingCasual Youth Worker: Sport, Community Growth & BelongingActive Herefordshire & WorcestershireIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £22,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.7 out of 10: NSS 91.3% · in work or study 90% · continued 80%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Salford
Biological and sport sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Salford University
10 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Sport & Exercise Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Salford from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Salford; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Salford’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Salford and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Salford
Common questions
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