FdSc Strength, Conditioning and Sports Nutrition Foundation degree at University College Birmingham
FdSc Strength, Conditioning and Sports Nutrition at UCB. Strength and conditioning underpins modern athletic performance and public health. This Foundation degree equips you to bridge theory and practice, combining biomechanics, nutrition science and evidence-based conditioning methods.
About this course
FdSc Strength, Conditioning and Sports Nutrition is a Foundation degree (FdSc) at UCB. It runs 2 years, studied full-time.
For Sport and exercise sciences graduates from this provider, 65% 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)
Stronger evidence Published sample: 260. Cohort 2021-22. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 65% (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 1 6 modules
- Academic DevelopmentCore
Module details
This module will aim to facilitate your transition from FE or an alternative learning pathway to HE via a structured delivery of academic study skills related specifically to your Strength, Conditioning & Sports Nutrition programme.
- Anatomy for Strength and ConditioningCore
Module details
You will be introduced to the basic anatomical structures of the body to include bones, ligaments, muscles and tendons. Knowledge of the human body will be applied to strength and conditioning activities to develop your knowledge regarding the anatomical structures involved in conditioning.
- Exercise PhysiologyCore
Module details
This module will provide you with underpinning knowledge about the physiological processes that occur within the human body as a result of strength and conditioning training.
- Practical Strength and Conditioning Principles ICore
Module details
This module will provide you with an important foundation of practical strength and conditioning activities to build on in the second semester. You will learn to coach basic lifts as well as some speed, and plyometric drills.
- Practical Strength and Conditioning Principles IICore
Module details
This module enables you to apply your skills and knowledge gained in the Practical Strength and Conditioning Principles 1 module into coaching individual athletes. You will develop the skills to effectively coach in a one to one setting with the aim of improving an individual's physical capacity and/or motor skills. The skills developed during this module will be key to a successful career as a Strength and Conditioning Coach.
- Principles of NutritionCore
Module details
On this module you will learn some of the fundamental principles of human nutrition. The content will focus on different body systems involved with energy metabolism and the dietary requirements for a healthy individual.
Year 2 6 modules
- Field-Based ConditioningCore
Module details
Following the gym-based focus of year 1, this module develops the ability to offer effective training in a variety of sport specific settings, i.e. pitch based, running track or sports court. You will develop the skills to administer conditioning activities and monitor athlete progression in both one to one and group scenarios.
- Injury Prevention and RehabilitationCore
Module details
You will explore the use of effective strength and conditioning strategies to help to rehabilitate injury and prevent future injuries from occurring. The primary focus will be on the return to play phase of rehabilitation, making use of knowledge gained in previous modules to effectively analyse sporting movements and prescribe suitable rehabilitation and prevention strategies.
- Psychological Priciples of Strength and ConditioningCore
Module details
The aim of this module is to investigate the role of sport and exercise psychology in different sport discilpines and environments. You will be challenged to consider how psychological knowledge, theories, and principles can be disseminated to key stakeholders within strength, conditioning, and nutrition environments within sport. You will analyse and review the area of sport psychology focusing on key areas such as motivation, personality, learning and aggression. Here, you will examine the rol
- Research for SportCore
Module details
You will be introduced to the management and application of research, looking at using primary and secondary research tools and techniques through various research activities. You will establish research aims, objectives, research methods and how to collect both qualitative and quantitative data for use in your own research.
- Sport and Exercise NutritionCore
Module details
You will examine the nutritional needs of athletes and those undertaking substantial exercise programmes, exploring the importance of nutrition in achieving health and performance. Other topics addressed will include exercise and metabolism, energy generation, hydration and vitamin and mineral needs for athletic performance.
- Sports BiomechanicsCore
Module details
You will develop the skills required to effectively break down key sporting movements into their component parts, enabling you to successfully prescribe suitable conditioning activities to enhance performance.
Year 3 4 modules
- Applied Strength and ConditioningCore
Module details
You will apply the knowledge and skills gained from the first and second years' of study to put together an effective programme of exercise for an athlete. This will include long term athlete monitoring strategies.
- Nutrition for PerformanceCore
Module details
You will explore advanced concepts in sports nutrition and look at the application of diet in response to individualised sport specific needs through the assessment of anthropometry and caloric assessment. You will analyse the use of contemporary and emerging diets within sport such as the Palaeolithic diet, ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting practices.
- Sport and Nutrition ProjectCore
Module details
You are required to select a research question or topic aligned to your profession, formulate the best way to answer the question, and present your written findings in both a written and presentation format (poster presentation).
- Work Based Learning for SportCore
Module details
The aim of the module is for students to gain work based experience within the sport and fitness industry. The experience will allow the students to further enhance both their career specific skills and transferable skills. Throughout the work based learning module students will have the opportunity to experience and observe a variety of different practices. The module further aims to develop the student's ability to analyse the work based experience, with the use of reflection models. In additi
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 combines strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, and applied coaching science. You'll usually start with the foundations of exercise physiology, anatomy and sport psychology, then move through practical skills, biomechanics and training prescription. In your second year, you'll study research methods and physiology of training, preparing you for specialisation. A course like this typically progresses towards specialist pathways in areas such as strength and conditioning, sport psychology, nutrition, rehabilitation, coaching or PE teaching routes, culminating in applied placement work and an independent research project.
Who it's for
You're interested in the science behind athletic performance and human physiology, and you want a qualification that leads directly into practice. You're comfortable with research methods and data interpretation, and you're drawn to hands-on work, whether that's in a gym, with a sports team, or in performance support roles. You'll thrive on a two-year, full-time course where theory informs what you actually do, and where you develop real professional skills alongside the knowledge. This course suits you if you're organised enough to manage independent project work but prefer structure and mentorship to self-directed study alone.
Careers & job market
Across Sport & Exercise Science nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of completing their degree. Among those working, 62% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. Starting salaries typically fall between £22,000 and £30,000; after five years, graduates report earnings in the range of £23,375 to £33,000. These figures come from national Graduate Outcomes and Longitudinal Educational Outcomes data, not a guarantee for any individual. The strength-conditioning and sports nutrition sector values applied experience, so internships and freelance project work during your course can shape your early career prospects.
University & format
This Foundation degree is studied full-time over 2 years at University College Birmingham, a university established in 1957 located in Birmingham. Teaching quality has been assessed as Silver by the Office for Students' TEF 2023. The course is taught in English and leads to the FdSc award, a nationally recognised qualification from a UK degree-awarding body.
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.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
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 (code C610). 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 UCB →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 | £17,500 – £25,000 | 260 |
| 3 years after | £16,500 | £9,500 – £24,000 | 20 |
| 5 years after | £21,000 | £15,500 – £29,500 | 20 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 260. Cohort 2021-22.
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. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 260. Cohort 2021-22. 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.
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
- Caring personal servicesSOC 2020 613 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £23,668
- Leisure, travel and related personal service occupationsSOC 2020 62 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £22,297
- Protective service occupationsDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
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: 35; 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
65% 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 7.8 out of 10: NSS 88.1% · in work or study 65% · continued 80%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University College Birmingham
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 University College Birmingham
5,216 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 UCB from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by UCB; 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 UCB’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 UCB and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at UCB
Common questions
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