BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science (with a foundation year) Bachelor's degree at Staffordshire
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science (with a foundation year) at Staffordshire includes a foundation year, making it suitable for those whose prior qualifications fall short of typical entry standards.
About this course
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science (with a foundation year) is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Staffordshire, based in Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Sport and exercise sciences graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 70% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £25,000. (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: 4,405. Cohort 2021-22. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 60% (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 4 modules
- Biomechanics Of Human MovementCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Explore how your muscles, bones and nerves work together to create movement, and learn the essential principles that explain human motion. Through interactive and practical lab sessions, develop confidence using biomechanical equipment and software, learning how to collect, manage and analyse movement data safely and accurately. Gain insight into how biomechanics helps understand technique, performance and injury risk.
- Exercise PhysiologyCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Explore how the body's major systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular, and metabolic) respond and adapt to exercise and training. Learn how to assess and monitor physiological performance through hands-on laboratory and field-based activities, developing key skills in data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
- Exercise PrescriptionCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Explore the principles of exercise prescription and learn how to assess physical function to inform exercise selection and prescription. Cover topics such as physiological and biomechanical assessments, mobility and flexibility training, strength and power development, and cardiovascular conditioning. Develop exercise literacy and coaching skills to plan and deliver evidence-based programmes.
- Psychology Of Sport And ExerciseCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Discover what drives performance, participation, and wellbeing in sport and exercise. Introduces key psychological theories that shape how athletes, coaches, and exercisers think, feel, and perform, from motivation and confidence to stress, anxiety, leadership, and team dynamics. Explore how behaviour change and mindset can influence sporting success and healthy lifestyles, gaining hands-on experience in research design.
Year 2 4 modules
- Biomechanical Analysis Of Human MovementCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Develop understanding of how the body moves and how to measure it in real sport and exercise settings. Learn to use industry-standard biomechanical tools, both laboratory and field-based systems, to analyse walking, running, strength and conditioning movements, and sport skills. Learn how to interpret data, write clear biomechanical reports, and apply findings to coaching, teaching motor skills, rehabilitation, and exercise prescription.
- Physiology Of Training And Sports NutritionCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Consolidate learning of basic physiological and nutritional principles. Introduce more advanced physiological concepts, their appropriate testing and monitoring procedures and explore how physiological performance may be enhanced using nutritional supplements. Skills learned can be applied to real-world settings to improve sporting performance or exercise capacity for the elite or recreational athlete.
- Rehabilitation, Strength And ConditioningCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Learn how to plan and deliver rehabilitation and conditioning programmes for injured and uninjured high-performance athletes. Explore injury mechanisms, tissue healing, and performance testing, and learn how to design progressive exercise interventions that restore movement, build strength, and prepare athletes for high-level sport. Develop coaching skills and learn how to evaluate readiness for return to play.
- Teamwork And Leadership In SportCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Discover what makes teams tick. Dive into the psychology of groups and leadership in sport and exercise, exploring why some teams thrive while others fall apart. Get hands-on with real coaching scenarios, using video and transcript analysis to uncover the subtle interactions that shape motivation, cohesion and performance. Learn how evidence-based psychological principles can be used to create positive change.
Year 3 4 modules
- Applied Biomechanics In Performance And Strength And ConditioningCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Learn how biomechanics is used in real sport and strength & conditioning environments to improve performance and reduce injury. Learn how to analyse movement using tools such as force plates, motion capture, and high-speed video, and apply this to Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, sprinting and agility tasks. Develop practical skills to assess technique, interpret performance data and make evidence-based coaching decisions.
- Independent Investigational ProjectCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Design and carry out an independent research study in an area of sports therapy and rehabilitation that interests you. Plan, conduct, and report your findings, from reviewing literature and designing the trial methods to collecting and analysing data. Reflect on learning and present findings in a viva.
- Optimising Performance: Applied Physiology And PsychologyCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Blend sport and exercise physiology and psychology to give a complete understanding of how the mind and body work together in elite performance. Learn how to monitor and interpret physiological data, give professional feedback to optimise performance, and develop key psychological techniques such as imagery, self-talk, and relaxation to boost confidence and control anxiety.
- Sport And Exercise PlacementCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Gain 100 hours of invaluable, hands-on experience in a role directly matching your ambitions, whether that's in Strength & Conditioning, Teaching, or Sport & Exercise Science. Actively apply academic knowledge, tackle real-world challenges, and build a professional network. Sharpen crucial employability skills that employers demand.
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 degree equips you with both the scientific foundation and practical skills needed for a career in sport and exercise. You'll usually start with core modules in anatomy, exercise physiology and sport psychology, alongside practical coaching sessions. In your second year, you'll progress to biomechanics, training physiology and research methods, learning to test athletes and analyse movement. By year 3, you'll choose specialist options such as strength & conditioning, nutrition, rehabilitation, coaching or PE teaching routes, undertake an applied placement with teams or schools, and complete an independent dissertation based on original research. A foundation year precedes this structure, supporting your transition into university-level study.
Who it's for
This course suits students with a genuine interest in sport and exercise science who want a structured pathway into the field. The foundation year is particularly valuable if your A-levels or equivalent qualifications don't quite meet standard entry points. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent; typical entrants had a UCAS tariff of 160–175 points. You'll need to be comfortable with both practical work and academic study, as the course balances applied practice with research methods and theory.
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 graduate earnings data shows starting salaries of £22,000–£30,000 at 15 months; after five years, this rises to £23,375–£33,000. These figures reflect the broader labour market for the field, not a guarantee specific to this university. First-year retention stands at 80% across the cohort. Check the university's funding pages for bursaries and scholarships.
University & format
The BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science is delivered by the University of Staffordshire over 4 years full-time (including the foundation year), taught in English. The course is based at Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College. The University of Staffordshire, founded in 1971, is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and the course holds Silver status 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.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
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 | 75% |
| another higher-education qualification | 22% |
| a foundation course | 3% |
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 C601). 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 Staffordshire →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 | £25,000 | £22,000 – £30,000 | 4405 |
| 3 years after | £20,500 | £16,000 – £25,000 | 210 |
| 5 years after | £25,500 | £20,000 – £30,500 | 220 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 4,405. 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: 2021-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 4,405. 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.
- Science, engineering and technology associate professionalsSOC 2020 31 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,828
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Skilled trades occupationsSOC 2020 5 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £34,241
- Natural and social science professionalsSOC 2020 211 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £44,243
- Conservation and environment professionalsSOC 2020 215 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,520
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
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: 40; response rate: 65%. 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 £25,000. 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 84.6% · in work or study 90% · continued 60%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of Staffordshire
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 Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College
1,572 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 Staffordshire from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £17,085 / 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 Staffordshire’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 Staffordshire and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Staffordshire
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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