Sport and Exercise Science

Ever wondered how you can work out the force generated when performing a bench press? Or how much force is generated by an athlete at the start of a 100m sprint? This module will introduce you to the ways sports scientists can use maths and physics to better understand sport and exercise performance.

Through a mixture of lectures, seminars and practical lab classes, you’ll discover the basic mechanical principles of human movement and their applications to sports performance and exercise. You'll be able to apply theoretical biomechanical concepts to sporting scenarios, which will help you gain the foundational knowledge you’ll need for a career as a sport and exercise scientist, whether in an applied setting or in teaching or coaching.

Why do some athletes thrive under pressure, while others crumble? Why does motivation change across differing environments like sport, school or work? And what separates elite from novice performance? Sport and exercise psychology is an exciting discipline which seeks to understand what factors influence how individuals think, feel and behave.

You’ll consider key psychological theories and how they relate to sport and exercise contexts. Furthermore, you’ll also develop a personal and professional understanding of how cognitive and social factors impact group and individual behaviour. This knowledge will help you support athletes to get to the next level in their game and achieve new heights.

The extensive benefits of living an active life are well understood, so why do so many people still choose not to participate in sport and exercise? Lots of us enjoy either playing or watching performance sports and prioritise exercise for health, or incorporate functional physical activities into daily life. These activities all fall within the framework of physical activity and sports participation, but why is the intersection and alignment of physical activity (in terms of health and performance) so important? This module will cover the fundamentals of training principles, consider how to tailor these to meet individual needs, and look at barriers and enablers that affect participation.

You’ll consider how to support the population to be more active by examining real-world examples of activity promotion campaigns. You’ll examine national and international sporting initiatives and you’ll have the chance to design creative approaches which address unmet needs in sport and physical activity access to promote wider engagement and remove barriers to sport participation.

What does it mean to be at the cutting edge of science? Evidence-based practice is the idea of making professional decisions based on what is proven to be effective. But how do we know if something is really ‘effective’? The answer is through scientific research.

Using examples of contemporary scientific research across the fields of sports performance, therapy and rehabilitation, and health, you’ll compare different methods of scientific testing. You’ll also determine what we consider ‘best practice’ and examine the challenges and limitations associated with conducting research with human participants.

You’ll get to grips with research terminology, start to understand how research studies are designed, and discover how data can be analysed. You’ll learn to dissect information, determine what is credible evidence and gain an understanding of the implications and impact of research findings in an applied context. Practical and seminar sessions will provide hands-on experience in conducting applied research and effectively communicating scientific information and results to drive improvements in sport and exercise science as a field.

Exercise physiology is the study of the physiological responses and adaptations that occur in response to acute or chronic exercise. In this introductory module, you will gain an understanding of the core principles of anatomy and physiology including the structure and function of different physiological systems, the maintenance of homeostasis, and the adaptation of the human body to exercise. You'll become equipped with core and essential knowledge that underpins a range of other sport and exercise science modules that you will study throughout your academic career. 

Sport and Exercise Nutrition is the study of how dietary intake and nutritional strategies influence sport and exercise performance, responses and adaptations. In this introductory module, you will deepen your understanding of dietary nutrients, exercise metabolism, and how nutritional composition of the diet can influence sport and exercise performance. You'll become equipped with core and essential knowledge that underpins a range of other sport and exercise science modules that you will study throughout your academic career.

Understanding how the human body responds to exercise is fundamental when striving to improve performance. Building on your knowledge of human physiology, you’ll explore the body’s responses to both acute and chronic exercise, learning concepts relating to both aerobic and anaerobic performance, and the impact of fatigue on physiological processes.

You’ll discover the key physiological factors that determine and limit exercise performance in humans, and examine approaches to improve performance. Practical and seminar sessions will support and reinforce your understanding of the theoretical concepts, enabling you to apply your knowledge and master a range of laboratory techniques and methods that can be used to evaluate physiological responses to exercise.

You’ll learn how to handle, process and interpret the data you collect to inform your understanding of physiological determinants and approaches to improve exercise performance. This will help you develop the ability to apply physiological principles to practical situations.

How can sport and exercise professionals apply psychological theories and concepts to understand their athletes and clients? In this module, you’ll learn how to bridge the gap between theory and practice, using real-world scenarios to tackle sport and exercise participants' issues.

Based on supporting literature, you’ll design an appropriate intervention strategy to enhance performance or encourage behavioural change. You’ll also gain a critical understanding of the strengths and limitations associated with psychological research and theory, and learn to appreciate the link between theory and applied sport and exercise behaviours. This will allow you to act professionally and effectively in the field of sports psychology, helping athletes break down mental barrier to performance.

What does it take to be a well-rounded scientist in the fields of sport and exercise performance, therapy and rehabilitation, and health? How would you go about designing a study, collecting the data, and analysing the results? How will the knowledge you develop improve our understanding?

In this module, you’ll gain an understanding of research methods typically used in a sport and exercise and/or a therapy and rehabilitation setting. You’ll develop the ability to select, employ and interpret statistics in your research. This knowledge is central to being an effective sports scientist, sports therapist or rehabilitator. 

By the end of this module, you’ll understand the fundamentals of forming a feasible and appropriate study. You’ll also have the tools and techniques you’ll need to conduct independent research in the final year of your degree.

The way an athlete moves is fundamental to how they perform in their chosen sport. As a result, the analysis of biomechanics is a key part of a sport scientist's toolkit as it allows athletes to improve performance and remain injury-free. 

In this module, you’ll apply biomechanics to sporting performance. You’ll learn biomechanistic principles in practical settings using a range of specialised equipment, such as a force plate and computer-based motion analysis. This will help you understand and compute angular kinematics and kinetics. You’ll become proficient in understanding and using specialised biomechanical hardware and software to process and analyse a typical human movement task. 

By the end of the module, you’ll be able to demonstrate the work of a sport and exercise biomechanist and you’ll have the practical and analytical skills used across a wide range of sporting disciplines and sports industries.

With the ever-growing advancements in sports performance and technology, the importance of delivering feedback to athletes is paramount. But in a sport science environment, what is this feedback based on, and how is it used to support athletes?

You’ll explore the rapidly emerging discipline of sport performance analysis, learning about how the limitations of human memory can cloud feedback processes, and how performance analysts can bridge the gap between coach and athlete memory and performance. You’ll master the fundamentals of notational analysis (focusing on technical and tactical performance) and work-rate analysis in sport, whilst considering the reliability of your feedback processes and data, and in doing so you’ll gain valuable and transferable skills in data presentation and analysis and become proficient in sector-standard performance analysis software.

Through this, you’ll be able to recreate the work of an analyst in a sport-science environment and discover what it takes to become a proficient performance analyst in a professional and elite sport setting.

Athletes, coaches, and the general population engaging in physical activity, need to be aware of the importance of sport and exercise nutrition for supporting their health and training needs.

You’ll develop an advanced knowledge of the nutritional needs of individuals engaged in different modes of physical activity and exercise. Using evidence based nutritional guidelines, interventions, and strategies, you will consider the theory and practical application of sports nutrition evidence, and how it should be tailored to the individual rather than one size fits all.

You'll also gain a critical awareness of evidence-based sources when considering the applicability of sports foods, supplements and ergogenic aids in an individual's diet. You'll develop understanding, applied knowledge and skills that are essential to both the sports scientist and practitioners, setting you up for an exciting and successful career in sports and exercise nutrition.

Sport and physical activity is for everyone, and the way we choose to participate and perform changes through our life course.

When it comes to physical activity and sport, there is no ‘one size fits all’, and diverse guidelines exist to meet the specific needs of children, youth, females, pregnancy, disability, adults and older adults.

Each week you will examine a different life course stage, and you will consider specific physical activity and training modifications that can be applied to maximise health, fitness and performance potential according to individual goals and needs. You’ll explore the physiological, biological and psychosocial changes we all experience throughout our lives and learn how to consider these when we are working with people from all stages of their own lives.

Upon completion, you'll be equipped to provide relevant and tailored recommendations to individuals to support health improvement, training for performance, and lifelong participation. Improving your ability as a practitioner and supporting more people getting involved in sport for health.

Global healthcare systems are increasingly challenged by populations living longer and living in poor health. What if some health conditions could be easily prevented before they were diagnosed?

You’ll attempt to answer this question and provide solutions, deepening your understanding of the role physical activity and other lifestyle factors play in the prevention of a range of chronic cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic and mental health conditions.

You will be able to identify key risk factors, explain the physiological underpinning for how conditions develop, and explore how physical activity can be employed in the prevention and pre-clinical management of these conditions. Using evidence-based practice, you’ll tailor physical activity for the benefit of different conditions, whilst considering some of the key contraindications and concurrent health challenges that pre-clinical populations may face. Finally, you will evaluate current public health messaging and guidance for target audiences, and apply your own knowledge and the latest research to develop guidance, resources and solutions of your own.

The culmination of your undergraduate degree, your dissertation allows you to showcase the skills you have developed during your studies, and comprehensively engage with a topic you’re interested in and passionate about.

You’ll design, conduct and complete an extended piece of independent research in the specialist area of sport, exercise and/or health. After identifying an appropriate research question, you’ll develop your knowledge by forming a search strategy, reviewing the literature and critically evaluating the current body of research. You’ll apply your understanding of research methods to design an experimental approach and collect data. You’ll then analyse, present and report using scientific communication methods.

Our lecturers will support you to plan, manage and disseminate the project. However, you’ll lead the majority of the project, guided by a project supervisor. Your supervisor will advise you on methodology, analysis and presentation, and will create an environment which will cultivate independent work and thinking. During your dissertation, you’ll develop skills that will benefit you in various settings including postgraduate study, research or other career pathways. - and your dissertation itself is a fantastic example of your knowledge and skills to show employers.

Motion capture technology and the techniques of quantitative analysis are relatively new and still evolving. How can we use mathematical modelling to determine whether an individual has recovered well from an injury, improved functionality post-surgery, or improved in their technique or overall health? How can you then relay this information in an academic manner?

You will develop an understanding of theoretical and experimental approaches to biomechanical analyses underpinned by the relationships between forces, motion, and the human musculoskeletal system during dynamic activities. You will be confident in collecting your own data within a typical biomechanics laboratory setting and report your study’s design and findings in the form of a viva-style poster presentation. The skills and knowledge you develop through this module will prepare you for an exciting and successful career in the world of biomechanics; whether that be in academia, research, applied settings, and/or working with relevant technology industries, the choice is up to you.

The limits to human physical performance are multifaceted and often depend on the individual, the exercise they are doing, and the environment in which the performance takes place. Understanding what these limits are, how they might be overcome, and then being able to communicate this information in an accessible way is a crucial element in supporting athletes to optimise their performance.

Drawing on the research and practice from internationally recognised experts in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, you will develop your knowledge of physiological systems that limit human performance, practice using the tools and techniques that can identify these limitations and be challenged on how to communicate this information to a non-specialist audience. Join the next generation of experts in understanding limits to human performance, and how best to manage performance across all levels.

Sport and exercise psychologists play a pivotal role in supporting wellbeing and performance. Indeed, many elite athletes have stated that their Sport and Exercise Psychologist is one of the most important members of their team.

Throughout this module, you will discover why that is. You’ll consider the roles and responsibilities of applied practitioners, and the ethical and professional dilemmas that emerge. You will understand and appraise evidence-based approaches to practice.

Ultimately you will design your own intervention to address a specific client need, applying best practice within the profession models of best practice. Through conducting intake interviews, you’ll establish an understanding of the client, the issue they are facing, their sport or physical activity aspirations, and other relevant history, to formulate and plan appropriate intervention strategies. Through this process, you will gain an understanding of the importance of building rapport and establishing working alliances with clients, as well as developing insight into how a sport and exercise psychologist may work – how they may work most effectively.

Physical activity has an important function in the management of many clinical conditions. You’ll learn how the health, wellbeing and quality of life benefits of being active can help to manage, treat and even reverse some chronic conditions.

What kind of activities can clinical populations take part in? How can activities be adapted to make them safe and manageable? You’ll discover how to safely perform appropriate exercise tests, how to interpret test results and use them to develop suitable physical activity prescription based on disease specific guidelines and research evidence. You will explore innovative approaches to therapeutic exercise training for cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, cancer, and neurological disorders. Building on your prior knowledge, you’ll develop tailored exercise prescription which utilises principles of training, accommodates disease limitations and medications, and expand your thinking to address the bio-psychosocial and adherence challenges in clinical groups.

Sports Performance Analysis is a rapidly developing area of Sport and Exercise Science and is used to examine the tactical, technical and/or physical aspects of performance, collected during training or match competition.

From an applied perspective, Sports Performance Analysis is used to support a variety of different processes within amateur and professional sports. This may include: opposition analysis, individual player development, post-match analysis, recruitment analysis, amongst others. As a consequence of the growth and prominence of Sports Performance Analysis there has been a significant increase in performance analysis-related job opportunities within the sport sector.

Subsequently, the content you learn is designed to reflect industry needs, extending the Stage 2 Performance Analysis in Sport module by developing core practical competencies and skills required for effective performance analysis at both an individual and team level. You’ll develop your knowledge within a theory-to-practice context, centred around practical skill development and informing these practices through academic and applied evidence. These skills include developing performance analysis systems, sport-specific knowledge and understanding, video and data analysis, the coach-analyst relationship as well as effective presentation and communication of information.

An industry placement is the perfect opportunity for you to explore a future career pathway in an applied field. Utilising the theoretical knowledge gained from your studies to real-world scenarios, you will gain professional experience which will enhance your employability skills as well as deepen your understanding and application of theoretical concepts in the workplace.

You will become integrated into the work environment, shadowing and interacting with professionals in their field, and taking on core responsibilities with the support of an experienced supervisor who will provide continued mentorship and support. In this work environment, you will utilise concepts and competencies gained during your degree to address regular organisational challenges and solve problems and reflect on your personal and professional strengths and areas for development.

After your placement, you will have boosted your employability through developing important transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, and problem-solving. The experience and network gained from this opportunity will make you stand out to employers and kick-start your career.

The role of an applied practitioner in sport and exercise science draws together key aspects of physiology, nutrition, biomechanics and psychology to improve sporting performance.

You will explore advanced topics and professionalised concepts for applied practitioners in sport and exercise science. Through critique of recent applied research and practical laboratory work, you will examine issues related to athlete sports and exercise performance and methods to enhance performance through intervention.

The knowledge you gain will enable you to evaluate the role of an accredited applied sport and exercise scientist and develop the practical skills required to work with a range of athletes across different sports. Where that is, is up to you.

Why is strength and conditioning of key importance for athletic development and in maximising physical performance? Drawing on contemporary and traditional research, you will critically analyse the scientific principles of strength and conditioning, then apply those principles into practical coaching delivery.

You will consider and evaluate a range of contemporary and traditional training approaches, to determine best practice for a range of athletes across different sports. Finally, you will consider how coaching skills and delivery styles could impact athlete development and reflect on your coaching delivery to optimise effectiveness and develop sector-wide professional skills.

How do we prepare athletes to succeed at the very top level of sport? You will evaluate and integrate various testing and monitoring approaches with different populations and interpret that data to determine an optimal programming approach.

You will consider the technical models for compound and Olympic lifting modalities, and critically analyse the effects of biomechanical deviations on performance. Programming and coaching adjustments for a range of different populations will be considered. Finally, you will apply best practice in coaching delivery, and reflect on your own delivery of training programme, in an applied setting, to build transferable professional skills to help you launch your career.