Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences>Courses>Sport & Exercise Science - BSc (Hons) Degree

Sport & Exercise Science - BSc (Hons) Degree

Entry Year

The BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science degree at Cardiff Met is accredited by the industry's professional body, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences [BASES] and focuses on the scientific basis of performance in sport and participation in physical activity and exercise. To fulfil BASES requirements, you will follow a dedicated pathway throughout the three levels that focuses on gaining an understanding of the core sport and exercise disciplines of physiology, biomechanics and psychology as well as exploring the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary aspects of Sport and Exercise Science with a high level of vocational relevance and experience.

As part of studying on the Sport and Exercise Science degree, you can also develop your knowledge and skills in an additional option theme of study based on either strength and conditioning, sports nutrition or exercise referral and fitness instruction with the opportunity to achieve additional vocational qualifications.

Throughout this Sport and Exercise Science degree you will gain practical experiences of laboratory-based activities as well as gaining opportunities to observe and be involved in applied practice. You will be afforded many opportunities to develop your practical contextual knowledge and skills in sport and exercise science, fitness testing, coaching, exercise prescription and performance settings.

​Course Content​

The Sport and Exercise Science programme is built around two main pillars. Firstly, ensuring students are knowledgeable in the underpinning scientific disciplines of physiology, biomechanics and psychology and secondly, how knowledge and skills in these disciplines can be applied to the sport and exercise context.

Each discipline is introduced in year 1 and this is built on in year 2 with compulsory modules that ensure a breadth of knowledge and understanding along with an appreciation of how the disciplines can combine to address sport and exercise-related problems. The final year of study enables you to focus on one or two of these disciplines ensuring that you develop advanced knowledge and application in a field that aligns to your future career aspirations.

Additionally, the Sport and Exercise Science programme explores the continuum from competitive sport through to exercise and physical activity. This will help you gain an appreciation of the different motivators for sport and exercise as well as the different training demands and responses and the different roles sport and exercise play within different populations. Years 1 and 2 introduce these different contexts from a disciplinary perspective with a final year option to focus on sport or exercise as a main theme.

In addition to the main disciplinary modules you will also undertake modules to facilitate your transition into studying at university level, develop your critical research and science skills, investigate other disciplines allied to sport and exercise science (e.g. sports nutrition, strength and conditioning and exercise referral) as well as having opportunities to gain recognised vocational and professional industry relevant qualifications.

You will able to undertake 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 sport and exercise science.

Year One

  • Research and Scholarship
  • Professional Development
  • Biomechanics of Human Movement
  • Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Physiology
  • Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Subjects Allied to Sport and Exercise Science


Year Two

Core modules:

  • Research Design and Practice
  • Issues in Sport and Exercise Science
  • Sport and Exercise Biomechanics
  • Sport and Exercise Physiology
  • Sport and Exercise Psychology

Options:

  • Nutrition
  • Fundamentals of Strength and Conditioning for SES


Year Three

Core modules:

  • Final Project
  • Interdisciplinary Sport and Exercise Science

Option modules:

  • Sport Biomechanics
  • Health and Rehabilitation Biomechanics
  • Physiology of Sport Performance
  • Exercise Physiology of Health
  • Sports Psychology
  • Exercise Psychology
  • Sport and Exercise Nutrition
  • Strength and Conditioning for SES

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 within the sport and exercise science programme may include lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, laboratory-based practical sessions, guest speakers and industrial visits. 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 laboratory 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 and 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 scientists, 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 and Exercise Science include:

  • Internationally renowned researchers that are integral to the learning package offered to our students.
  • World-class sport and exercise science laboratory facilities and equipment to enhance the student learning experience.
  • All aspects of Learning and Teaching utilise the most recent research literature and professional standards (e.g., BASES, CIMSPA, REPS). Widely recognised as an applied sport and exercise science degree and endorsed by BASES, the professional body for sport and exercise science.​

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 sport and exercise science programme requires students to demonstrate both theoretical (evidence-based practice and critical thinking) and applied (practical, intervention development and referral skills), and therefore assessments within sport and exercise science modules include both theoretical assessments and practical assessments in applied settings.

Employability & Careers

The Sport and Exercise Science programme seeks to develop your employability from three perspectives. Firstly, as a graduate with a high standard of graduate skills developed through the Cardiff Met EDGE philosophy which 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 and practical work experiences on-, and where appropriate, off-campus. Throughout your time at Cardiff Met we will ensure that you get a range of opportunities to develop transferable graduate skills such as communication, team work and leadership. Secondly, to develop you as a scientist, you will be encouraged to think and write critically; frame and present a reasoned argument; collect, collate, analyse and interpret data; and design, implement and evaluate an evidence-based intervention or programme. Finally, you will develop the necessary subject-expertise to become an effective sport and exercise science practitioner in your chosen field.

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 referral, fitness training, safeguarding and doping. These opportunities will ensure that you have the appropriate qualifications and experience to prepare you for many work opportunities after graduation. We will also support you to seek opportunities to work or study abroad. Students who have graduated from the Sport and Exercise Science programme have gone on to work in careers both within and beyond the sport and exercise Industries.

Recent graduates from sport and exercise science are now working with professional sports teams, academy sports teams as well as with national governing bodies of sport. Many students also pursue opportunities in private practice, clinical environments or in the military, emergency services and fitness industry settings. Other students have continued onto further Master’s level study in the field of sport and exercise science or related disciplines such as sports nutrition, sports performance analysis, physiotherapy or strength and conditioning. Others have then further progressed to doctoral level studies towards careers as researchers or academics.

Entry Requirements​ & How to Apply

Typical Offers

  • Tariff points: 128-136
  • 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: Minimum three A levels. Grades AB to include B grade in 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: DDM-DDD in Science or PE
  • T Level: Distinction in a Science subject.
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma: 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 30 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 H2 to include Science. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
  • Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades BC to include C grade in Science. Scottish Highers are also considered, either on their own or in combination with Advanced Highers.

If you do not meet the above entry requirement, we also offer a Foundation Programme which allows progression to Year 1.

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

​​​​​Accredited by:
The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences 

UCAS Code: C600

Place of Study: 
Cyncoed Campus

School:
Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences

Course Length:
Three years full-time.

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.

COURSE OVERVIEW | DEGREE HIGHLIGHTS
Degree Highlights

In this short introduction video, lecturer Rachel Lord tells us more about the degree in Sport & Exercise Science.

MEET THE TEAM
Meet the Team: Mike Stembridge

Meet Dr Mike Stembridge, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology at Cardiff Met, who shares his experience and passion for the subject.

Meet the Team: Rachel Lord

Meet lecturer on the Sport & Exercise Science degree, Rachel Lord, who shares her expertise and passion for the subject.

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.

STUDENT & GRADUATE EXPERIENCE
Blog
Learning to promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity matters within Sport and Exercise Science.

Hear how Nia worked with academics to enhance the awareness of EDI within Sport and Exercise Science.
Read more.

Blog
My Cardiff Met experience graduating with a first-class honours in Sport and Exercise Science.

From placement opportunities to focusing on specialist areas of interest, read more about India's Sport and Exercise Science experience.
Read more.

Blog
How Sport and Exercise Science set me up for my future career

Hear how Ellie secured a job straight after graduating from Sport and Exercise Science at Cardiff Met.
Read more.