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This leading, externally accredited BSc (Hons) degree programme in Sports Therapy is for motivated students with a strong interest in this fast-growing profession. The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences provides a first-rate experience for its students in an innovative environment, with enthusiastic and supportive staff. You are taught by leading researchers and practitioners in their field and learn to diagnose, treat and prevent sporting injuries.
Overview
In addition to honing your clinical skills, you learn how to exercise, train and rehabilitate people, ranging from young competitors to ageing adults, including elite athletes and those with chronic disease. Graduates from this degree may be eligible for voluntary registration with the Health Professions Council in the future.
The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences recently opened sports injury clinics and laboratories in an £11 million development at Medway Park. This centre of excellence houses some of the latest therapy equipment, giving you the opportunity to learn the latest techniques and interventions from our experts. You can put what you have learnt into practice by working under supervision in these sports injury clinics. In addition, the Medway campus has facilities specifically designed and equipped for sports therapy teaching, such as a new rehabilitation gym, teaching clinic and exercise testing laboratories. The School encourages a range of teaching methods, combining lectures and seminars with more innovative approaches, such as practicals, clinics and problem-based learning scenarios.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2014 86% of sports students at Kent were satisfied with the quality of their course. Sport at Kent was ranked 10th overall in The Times Good University Guide 2015 and 11th in The Guardian University Guide 2015.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
Teaching and assessment
The programme involves taking part in practical therapy sessions, clinical practice, designing training, small group seminars and private study. You are taught by a combination of lectures, practical sessions and seminars each week. You also spend additional time developing your clinical skills and experience through placements and in the student clinic.
The methods of assessment vary and predominately involve coursework, observed assessment, practical tests and clinical assessments. Some modules also feature written examinations.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- enable students to implement prevention strategies, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for injured athletes and exercisers
- provide students with a multi-disciplinary education and an insight into being part of a multi-disciplinary team in sporting environments
- present a valuable educational experience with the opportunity to learn through the integration of theory and practice
- ensure that our graduating sports therapists have developed the level of knowledge and professional competencies to meet professional regulatory requirements.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- anatomy, nutrition and physiological principles related to sports and exercise
- current developments in the practice and theory of sports therapy
- the theoretical basis of qualitative and quantitative research
- concepts of sport and exercise therapy relevant to becoming an autonomous sports therapist
- the underpinning theory of prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of sports injuries.
Intellectual skills
You gain intellectual skills in the following areas:
- academic study including critical evaluation
- how to plan, design, execute and communicate a piece of independent work that shows critical engagement with the relevant data
- the use of knowledge to solve familiar and unfamiliar problems in order to develop reasoned arguments and challenge assumptions
- self-appraisal and reflection on practice
- how to recognise and respond to moral, legal, ethical and safety issues related to sports therapy.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in how to:
- undertake competent, evaluative and reflective sports and exercise therapy
- make judgements from the verbal and physical presentation of an athlete
- apply and evaluate methods and techniques to prevent, treat and rehabilitate commonly-occurring sports injuries
- demonstrate safe, appropriate, confident and competent patient-handling skills.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in:
- communication, presentation, numeracy and IT
- interactive skills and group-work
- problem-solving
- the ability to self-appraise and reflect on practice
- the ability to plan and manage your own learning.
Careers
The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences was recently ranked in the top 5 in the UK for graduate employability. Graduates can immediately embark on a career as an accredited graduate sports therapist. Sports therapists can be employed or self-employed in, for example, a sports injury clinic, a sports club, National Institute of Sport, or with a professional team. Our graduates have gone into a range of careers including teaching, especially PE and/or science, physiotherapy, the NHS, physical activity or health promotion, health and fitness clubs, and sports development with local government authorities and national governing bodies of sport; or teaching/lecturing in a sport or exercise-related field.
Professional recognition
Graduates from this degree may be eligible for voluntary registration with the Health Professions Council in the future.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB including B in an appropriate subject (eg Biology, Chemistry, Sport, Physical Education, Statistics, Mathematics, Applied Science) |
| GCSE | C in Mathematics |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | 18 units at Distinction, Distinction, Merit in a sport or science subject |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 at HL including Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Mathematics 5 at HL or 6 at SL and Mathematics 4 at HL or SL |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.