Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences>Courses>Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage - BSc (Hons) Degree

Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage - BSc (Hons) Degree

Entry Year

The BSc (Hons) Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage (SCRAM) degree at Cardiff Met provides you with the underpinning knowledge and practical application within the fields of strength and conditioning, sport rehabilitation and sports massage. On the programme you’ll also explore underpinning knowledge from the sports science disciplines of physiology, psychology and biomechanics. This balanced, multi-disciplinary approach provides you an in-depth understanding of training, as well as exercise and manual therapies for performance-enhancement and rehabilitation.

Work-based learning is a key element of the programme, to enable you to apply your knowledge from the programme in real-world settings and to gain value experience to use as a foundation for future employment.

Furthermore, the learning outcomes for modules across the programme are clearly linked to the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) competencies leaving you well placed to pursue this independent professional accreditation upon graduation. The programme is also approved by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as part of the Education Recognition Program, providing a basis of knowledge for you to pursue the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification. The University provides you with the opportunity to gain standalone ITEC qualifications in sports massage that are linked to the completion of appropriate modules. Finally, the programme leaves you ideally placed to pursue the BASRAT accredited MSc in Sport rehabilitation at Cardiff Met.

Foundation Year

This degree can be studied as a three-year full-time degree or a four-year full-time degree that includes a year of foundational study. Our foundation year is intended to prepare you for your subsequent years of studying, offering you the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence.

The foundation year will be relevant to​:

  1. ​Students who aspire to enrol onto the first year of a science-based honours degree programme within the Cardiff School of Health Sciences, who have not achieved the standard entry requirements to enter at year one of the chosen degree.
  2. Students who have not studied subjects that provide the necessary background within the scientific disciplines required to enter at year one of the chosen degree.


Find out more about the foundation year​​.

Please note: You will need to apply using a specific UCAS code if you wish to undertake the 4 years including foundation. Please refer to Key Course Information at the bottom of this page.

​​Course Content​

The BSc (Hons) Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage (SCRAM) degree is set up as a triangle with a broad base of foundational concept undertaken in years 1 and 2 before you focus upon a specialised area of study in the final year. This model ensures that you are able to act as part of a multidisciplinary team regardless of your future career specialism.

In the first year of study you will undertake six compulsory modules. Throughout these modules’ you will explore key concepts in the field of strength and conditioning, musculoskeletal anatomy, the rehabilitation process and patient assessment as well as foundational theory and practice linked to a L3 qualification in Sport Massage. You will also undertake modules to facilitate your transition into studying at a university level, investigate Sport and Exercise Science theories as well as having opportunities to gain recognised vocational coaching and professional industry relevant qualifications.

Level 4 (year one)

  • Research and Scholarship*
  • Professional Development
  • Musculoskeletal Anatomy
  • Anatomy and Clinical Assessment
  • Foundations in Strength and Conditioning
  • Introduction to Sport Massage and Soft Tissue Practices
  • Foundations of Sport and Exercise Science
  • Injury Pathology and Assessment

Options:

  • Dwyiethrwydd*


The second year builds upon the first year helping you to further explore theories that underpin the core areas of strength and conditioning, sport rehabilitation and sport massage whilst also gaining greater focus on the application of this knowledge. There are additional modules that aim to develop a greater understanding of the research process, sport and exercise science concepts and importantly content that aims to develop entrepreneurial skills and attributes that are so important within the industries aligned to SCRAM. There are also opportunities to gain a recognised L4 qualification in sports massage.

Level 5 (year two)

  • Research Design and Practice*
  • Strength and Conditioning Coaching
  • Principles of Sports Injury Rehabilitation*
  • Injury Pathology and Rehabilitation
  • Sports Massage and Soft Tissue Practices
  • Enterprise in Sport and Health
  • Multidisciplinary approaches to Sport and Health


The final year of study enables you to focus up one or two areas of the SCRAM programme, ensuring that you develop advanced knowledge and application in a field that aligns to your future career aspirations. You be able to undertake work-based learning placements and engage in a major project in your chosen field of study alongside your chosen subject-specific content. The final year focuses upon developing you as an independent, driven learner that can take control of your learning and ensure that this aligns with your first step into graduate employment or further study. Mentoring is a significant part of the final year of study to allow individualised support in the development of your skills as an academic and practitioner within the fields aligned to SCRAM.

Level 6 (year three)

Compulsory

  • Final Project*
  • Industry Placement*
  • Applied Case Study

Options (two from three)

  • Advanced Strength and Conditioning
  • Advanced Rehabilitation and Injury Management
  • Advanced Sports Massage & Soft Tissue Practices​

*modules available through the medium of Welsh

Learning & Teaching

Effective learning, teaching and assessment methods underpin the educational aims and the learning outcomes of all of our programmes and modules. Learning and teaching methods may include lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions. Our Virtual Learning Environment is also an integral aspect of the learning package that supports the needs of our students.

Lead lectures introduce key topics and concepts, whilst seminars, tutorials, workshops and practical sessions focus on the application of key concepts with the aim of enhancing the student experience and engagement. You will also meet tutors on a one to one basis. As a school, we work hard to provide student-centred learning opportunities that deliver a high quality and flexible learning environment.

Learning and teaching methods emphasise and facilitate the development of your critical reasoning, and encourage the integration of practice and theory. Throughout your programme, you will experience both tutor-led learning and self-directed methods of learning, increasing independence and reflection and encouraging you to develop a positive attitude toward lifelong learning.

Our teaching and learning methods embed the Cardiff Met 'EDGE' (Ethical, Global, Digital & Entrepreneurial) skills and you will be well equipped to demonstrate graduate attributes expected of you in an increasingly competitive world of work. We aim to help you to develop into reflective professionals and critical scholars.

In your sport programme at Cardiff Met, you will encounter a learning experience from induction to graduation that is coherent and develops your identity within your programme of study.

Specific features of the learning experience of the learning experience on Sport Conditioning Rehabilitation and Massage (SCRAM) include:

  • Internationally renowned researchers and coaches that are integral to the learning package offered to our students.
  • World-class, SCRAM specific facilities to enhance the student learning experience.
  • All aspects of Learning and Teaching utilise the most recent research literature and National Occupational Standards (e.g., UKSCA, NSCA, SMA, BASRaT, National Governing Body, NGB, coaching qualifications).
  • Widely recognised as one of the flagship strength and conditioning, rehabilitation and massage programmes in the UK, and one of the only programmes to utilise a multidisciplinary approach.

Assessment

The assessment strategies for each module vary to ensure that most appropriate method is implemented for your area of study. Modes of assessment are designed to both enhance your learning experience and to acknowledge that you have fulfilled the learning outcomes linked to each module. Assessment also ensures that you have achieved the standard required to progress to the next stage or to qualify for an award (as articulated by the FHEQ and CQFW). Assessments support your learning experience by providing opportunities for you to engage in formative and summative assessments to test your knowledge, ability, skill, and critical understanding. The undergraduate modules are assessed by a combination of assessment types. For example:

  • written coursework
  • poster presentations
  • oral presentations
  • portfolios
  • seen and unseen exams
  • practical skills
  • other activities designed to assess, develop, and enhance academic and employability skills.


You will be expected to complete a final project as part of the assessment of your honours degree. Final projects are major pieces of work that may be a research, innovation, consultancy or community project.

The nature of the SCRAM programme requires students to demonstrate both theory (evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning) and application (clinical, practical and coaching skills), and therefore assessments within SCRAM modules include both theoretical assessments and discussions alongside practical assessments in applied settings.

Employability & Careers

The Cardiff Met EDGE supports you to thrive in the modern world. Throughout your degree you will experience a range of opportunities to develop your ethical, digital, global and entrepreneurial competencies through problem-based learning, real-world industry case studies, integrated work experiences on campus and opportunities for work-based learning placements off campus. We will ensure that you get a range of opportunities to develop transferable skills such as communication, team work and leadership.

During your first year of study you will get the opportunity to undertake technical qualifications in a range of industry relevant areas including sport coaching, exercise training & health and safety. These opportunities will ensure that you have the appropriate qualifications and experience to apply for one of the many work placement opportunities on offer both on and off campus. We will also support you to seek opportunities to work or study abroad. Work placements can give you a critical EDGE in gaining professional employment on graduation. Students who have graduated from the SCRAM programme have gone on to work in careers both within and beyond the Sport Industry.

Recent graduates from SCRAM are now working in professional sports teams, academy sports teams as well as with national governing bodies of sport. Many students also pursue opportunities in private clinical practice or in fitness industry settings. Other students have continued onto further study in the field of Physiotherapy or onto Master’s programmes such as the BASRaT endorsed MSc Sports Rehabilitation or MSc Strength and Conditioning and further progressed to doctoral level studies.​

Entry Requirements​ & How to Apply

Typical Offers

​The following requirements are based on typical offers relevant to entering year 1 of the degree.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, we also offer a Foundation Year​ which allows progression to Year 1 upon successful completion.

  • Tariff points: 120 - 128​
  • Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
  • GCSE: Five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy and Science.
  • English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
  • A level subjects: Three A levels. Grades BB to include Science.
  • Relevant subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, PE/Sport Studies, Psychology, Mathematics or Social Biology considered as the equivalent Science. Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate considered as a third subject.
  • BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: DMM – DDM in Science or PE.
  • T Level: Distinction in a Science subject.
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma: 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 30 Level 3 credits at Merit.
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 1 Higher Level Grade 6 and 1 Higher Level Grade 5. H6 in Science.
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: 3 x H2 to include Science. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades CC to include Science. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.​

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.


How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

Contact Us

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the Programme Support Team:
Email: CSSHSLTSE@cardiffmet.ac.uk

We endeavour to deliver courses as described and will not normally make changes to courses, such as course title, content, delivery, and teaching provision. However, it may be necessary for the university to make changes in the course provision before or after enrolment. It reserves the right to make variations to content or delivery methods, including discontinuation or merging courses if such action is considered necessary. Please read our Terms and Conditions for the full information.

Key Course Information

UCAS Codes:
C607 - 3-year degree
C67F - 4-year degree (including foundation year)​

Place of Study:
Cyncoed Campus

School:
Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences

Course Length:
Three years full-time or four years full-time including Foundation year.​

Also available part-time and can be up to eight years. The part-time students join the full-time students for all modules. Therefore most of the modules are completed between 9.00am and 6.00pm on weekdays.

Part-time fees:
Charges are per single module unless specified: undergraduate = 10 credits. Please contact the programme leader for further information on modules to be studied part-time and how this will affect fees.

MORE ABOUT THE COURSE
Degree Highlights

Principal Lecturer Rob Meyers, tells us more about the degree in Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage at Cardiff Met.

MEET THE TEAM
Meet The Team: Lucy Kember

Meet Lucy Kember, Programme Director on the BSc Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage degree at Cardiff Met, who shares her experience and passion for the subject.

STUDENT & GRADUATE EXPERIENCE

“I loved the breadth of knowledge that the course gave me across multiple disciplines. The practical application throughout the course was what I loved most. Being able to take your knowledge and hone your skills in each of the 3 course foundations was always extremely fun, engaging and provided just the right amount of challenge to grow. Since graduating, I have worked as a Personal and CrossFit Trainer. My most memorable opportunities came working for CrossFit’s Seminar Staff, teaching seminars around the UK and Europe, and working with Help for Heroes – helping veterans build a sense of belonging, community, and improving their mindset and physical well-being. My purpose to help people and inject positivity into their lives recently led me down a path to qualify as a Performance and Mindset Coach.”

Ash Phillips
Sport Conditioning, Rehabilitation & Massage - BSc (Hons) Graduate, and Performance and Mindset Coach

Student Blog
Our work placement experience

Eloise and Emma were able to secure work placements at Cardiff Blues whilst studying on the course.
Read more

Graduate Blog
Securing a job before graduation

Read how Eleri secured a job as a college lecturer before graduating from the SCRAM programme.
Read more

OUR FACILITIES
Sport Facilities

The University continues to invest in its world-class sporting facilities at the Cyncoed campus to enhance the performance and academic development of all our students.