BSc (Hons) PE and Sports Coaching (including a Foundation Year) Bachelor's degree at the University of Chester
BSc (Hons) PE and Sports Coaching (including a Foundation Year) at University of Chester. You'll develop specialist knowledge through options you can tailor to your interests, whether that's coaching methodology, exercise physiology, psychology or performance analysis, before completing an independent project that brings…
About this course
BSc (Hons) PE and Sports Coaching (including a Foundation Year) is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Chester, based in Chester Parkgate Road/Kingsway/Riverside/Queen's Park Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Biological and sport sciences graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 75% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,000. (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: 10; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 66% (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.
Foundation Year 3 modules
- Psychology and Behavioural ScienceCore40 credits
Module details
This module introduces students to psychology and behavioural science, examining how these disciplines help increase understanding of human thought, emotion, and behaviour in diverse contexts. It will explore both foundational psychological theories and applied behavioural science approaches relevant to areas such as health, sport, criminology, and social behaviour.
- The Human Body, Health and DiseaseCore40 credits
Module details
The module will explore how perceptions, personal circumstances and technology can shape our health. You will investigate areas such as technology, health promotion and inequality and how these can impact individual health experiences and outcomes, as well as considering models of health that inform belief systems. You will also examine the role of biological concepts in the way our bodies' function.
- Leadership, Coaching and Change ManagementCore40 credits
Module details
This module explores the principles and practices of leadership, coaching, and change management within diverse professional contexts, including education, social work, sports management, policing, and business. Students will build self-awareness, develop coaching and leadership skills, and learn how to manage individual, team, and organizational change effectively.
Year 1 11 modules
- Introduction to PE and Sports CoachingCore40 credits
Module details
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the theory underpinning effective practice within teaching and sports coaching and develop your skills in the planning, delivery and evaluation of lessons/sessions. You will have the opportunity to apply theoretical content, such as teaching/coaching styles, phases of learning and learning styles, and methods and types of practice, in practical sessions through the teaching/coaching of peers.
- Sports Science for Teachers and CoachesCore40 credits
Module details
The aim of this module is to provide students with knowledge and understanding of introductory content from relevant sports science sub-disciplines. Students will gain theoretical knowledge and practical understanding and application of aspects of physiology, biomechanics, performance analysis, sport psychology and sociology relevant to PE and sports coaching.
- Principles of PEOptional20 credits
Module details
This module focusses on the fundamental principles and issues surrounding the teaching of PE in an educational context. It aims to give you the opportunity to explore, understand and apply the knowledge, skills and concepts underpinning a successful career in this sector.
- Principles of Sports CoachingOptional20 credits
Module details
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the principles that underpin sports coaching including models and frameworks developed for understanding coaching as a process. You will examine coaching philosophy and the role of the coach, as well as differentiate between participation and performance coaching.
- German: Communication in PracticeOptional20 credits
Module details
This module enables students with A-Level German or equivalent to further develop their grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.
- French: Communication in PracticeOptional20 credits
Module details
This module is designed for students that have completed A-Level or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.
- Spanish: Communication in PracticeOptional20 credits
Module details
This module is designed for students that have completed an A-Level or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.
- Chinese: Intermediate Language DevelopmentOptional20 credits
Module details
This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE in Chinese or equivalent. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.
- French: Intermediate Language DevelopmentOptional20 credits
Module details
This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.
- Spanish: Intermediate Language DevelopmentOptional20 credits
Module details
This module is designed for students that have completed GCSE or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.
- Subsidiary Language for BeginnersOptional20 credits
Module details
This module provides the opportunity to study a new language from scratch and introduces you to basic grammar, vocabulary and cultural contexts. You will apply the language to practical situations using both oral and written skills.
Year 2 1 modules
- Practical PE and Sports CoachingCore40 credits
Module details
This module aims to develop your fundamental knowledge of the components of teaching and coaching, applying this to different populations e.g. more able, elite, novice performers, people with disabilities. You will demonstrate practical application of teaching and coaching strategies to enable you to engage in critical reflection of your own and others' practice. You will use performance analysis tools to assess your own behaviours and individual/team performances.
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 theory and applied practice in sport and exercise science, with scope to pursue coaching pathways including PE teaching. You'll usually begin with foundations in how the body moves and responds to training, sport psychology, and practical coaching skills. Year 2 typically progresses to biomechanics, physiology of training and research methods. In Year 3, you'll choose specialisations such as strength & conditioning, sport psychology, nutrition, rehabilitation, coaching, or PE teaching routes, alongside applied placement work with teams, clients or schools, and a final independent research project. The Foundation Year prepares you for university-level study if your prior qualifications fall below standard entry.
Who it's for
You're suited to this course if you have a genuine interest in sport and coaching, possess curiosity about how bodies and minds perform, and want to understand the science underpinning athletic development. You'll thrive if you enjoy both practical, hands-on work, whether coaching or conducting lab-based studies, and the analytical side of research and evidence-based practice. This course suits people who want to move beyond intuition into substantive, informed practice, and who are willing to engage with theory that challenges and deepens your coaching perspective.
Careers & job market
Across Sport & Exercise Science courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Of those working, 62% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing postgraduate study. Graduate earnings nationally begin at £22,000–£30,000 shortly after graduation, rising to £23,375–£33,000 within five years. Career routes include coaching at various levels, sports science support, exercise prescription, further study, and related roles in health and performance sectors.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Chester, a university founded in 1839 with campuses across Chester including Parkgate Road, Kingsway, Riverside and Queen's Park. Teaching is in English. The degree is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and the University holds Silver for teaching quality under 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.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
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 | 77% |
| another higher-education qualification | 17% |
| Other | 3% |
| a Baccalaureate | 1% |
| an Access course | 1% |
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 (code C695). 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Chester →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 | £24,000 | £21,500 – £27,500 | 10 |
| 3 years after | £21,000 | £17,000 – £25,500 | 230 |
| 5 years after | £26,500 | £22,500 – £31,500 | 240 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 10; 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: 10; 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.
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 30% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
- Sports and fitness occupationsSOC 2020 343 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £13,819
- Skilled trades occupationsSOC 2020 5 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,241
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
- Caring personal servicesSOC 2020 613 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £23,668
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
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
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,000. 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 8.1 out of 10: NSS 81% · in work or study 95% · continued 66%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Chester
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 Chester Parkgate Road/Kingsway/Riverside/Queen's Park Campus
1,406 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 Chester from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £14,950 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 Chester’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 Chester and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Chester
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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