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Would you like to use scientific principles to boost the performance of elite athletes? Or improve the health of the injured and elderly? This degree allows you to become a qualified practitioner in the fast-growing field of sport and exercise science.
Overview
At Kent, our lecturers have top-level experience in sports training, treatment of injuries and rehabilitation, and sport psychology. You work with our experts to gain a good mix of theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice. Our community of clients ranges from Olympians and Paralympians to members of the public, including the elderly and frail.
Sports Science students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
Our degree programme
You apply scientific principles to many aspects of sport, fitness and exercise. Topics include: anatomy, physiology, the principles of training, exercise prescription, sports nutrition and sports psychology.
Overall, this degree allows you to gain the skills you need to become a well-rounded practitioner in the field. In your final year, you can choose modules that allow you to specialise in areas of interest.
You learn through:
- traditional lectures and seminars
- laboratories providing problem-based scenarios
- professional experience, working with clients in our on-site clinic.
Study facilities
Our laboratories are based in the £11 million development at Medway Park, a regional centre of sporting excellence. They include the latest equipment, such as our:
- environmental chamber, which can recreate the atmosphere in the Brazilian jungle or at the top of Everest
- anti-gravity treadmill, originally developed to help NASA astronauts to exercise in space
- cycling and rowing ergometers to measure anaerobic capacity
- isokinetic dynamometer to measure muscle and joint function
- brain and muscle stimulators
- 3D motion video analysis
- imaging and treatment ultrasound
- gait analysis and force pedals
- blood testing and gas analysis equipment
- rehabilitation gymnasium.
You also have access to:
- print and electronic resources in the library related to your subject
- the Student Learning Advisory Service, which provides workshops and guidance on general study skills.
Sporting community
There is a thriving sports scene for students. Sports clubs at the Medway campus include athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, kickboxing, rowing, taekwondo, Thai boxing and volleyball, plus women’s netball and men’s futsal and rugby.
With our free shuttle bus, it’s also easy to join the sports clubs on the Canterbury campus. These include American football, archery, boxing, caving, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, cheerleading, fencing, floorball, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, karate, kendo, korfball, kung fu, lacrosse, mountaineering, sailing and windsurfing, skydiving, snooker and pool, snowsports, squash, swimming, surfing, tennis, trampolining, ultimate frisbee and women’s rugby.
Our professional network
Within the School, we have many links to sporting bodies and work with organisations such as:
- the NHS
- RFU (governing English rugby)
- English Institute of Sport
- British Cycling
- UK Sport
- World Anti-Doping Agency
- UEFA
- Team Sky
- UK Sport
- Ministry of Defence
- companies such as Science in Sport.
Sports scholarships
If you are already competing at county level or equivalent, you can apply for a sports scholarship from the University. One of the School’s best-known graduates is Olympic gold medallist, Susannah Townsend. During her time at Kent, she had a sports scholarship and played for Canterbury Hockey Club (where she continues to play midfield).
Your options
In your final year, you can choose optional modules that allow you to specialise, perhaps with a particular career in mind. You also have the option to gain extra professional experience by working on placement in the sports and leisure industry, or supporting ‘centre of excellence’ athletes.
And don’t forget – at Kent you can always enhance your degree by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
Independent rankings
Sports Science at Kent was ranked 13th in The Complete University Guide 2017.
For graduate prospects, Sports Science at Kent was ranked 8th in The Guardian University Guide 2017. Sports Science students who graduated from Kent in 2015 were the most successful in the UK at finding work or further study opportunities (DLHE).
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
Teaching involves practical laboratory and sports-based sessions, lectures, small group seminars and private study. You will have a number of lectures and practical sessions and a series of seminars each week – depending on the optional modules you select. You may also be required to spend time developing your practical skills and experience in placement or event situations.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- provide a multi-disciplinary education
- prepare students to meet the challenges of an expanding and rapidly-changing sports industry, while providing them with a wide choice of careers paths.
- provide the skills to promote the health and performance of an individual or a group using a multidisciplinary approach
- enable a critical knowledge and understanding of the sport sciences
- make students aware of current research within sport and exercise science
- provide a curriculum supported by scholarship, research and intellectual debate.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- anatomical and physiological principles
- the human response to exercise
- the theoretical basis of qualitative and quantitative research
- the nutrition required to perform at an optimum level
- the ability to evaluate physical capacity and exercise training programmes
- the nature of skill and models relating to the acquisition and performance of motor skills
- exercise prescription for a range of population groups
- social processes which influence individual and group behaviour and participation/performance in sport.
Intellectual skills
You gain the intellectual skills to:
- engage in academic study including critical evaluation
- plan, execute and communicate a piece of independent work that requires a critical engagement with relevant data
- solve familiar and unfamiliar problems in order to develop reasoned arguments and challenge assumptions
- self-appraise and reflect on practice
- recognise and respond to moral, legal, ethical and safety issues that relate to your studies.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in the following areas:
- relating the concepts of anatomy, physiology and metabolism to the body’s response to exercise
- practical skills in the physiological interpretation of data from fitness testing
- the appraisal and evaluation of the effects of sport and exercise interventions
- the ability to analyse, interpret and show critical judgement in the evaluation of the sport sciences.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in:
- communication, presentation, numeracy and IT
- interactive skills and group-work
- problem solving
- self-appraisal and reflection on practice
- how to plan and manage your own learning.
Careers
You graduate with a range of professional skills. To help you to appeal to employers across a range of careers, you also develop transferable skills in:
- computing and IT
- analysing data and problem solving
- writing and communicating well.
Graduate destinations
Our graduates have gone on to work in:
- sports science support for elite athletes
- the NHS in physical activity, exercise referral or health promotion
- health and fitness clubs
- sports development as coaches
- national governing bodies
- community leisure centres
- professional sports teams
- sporting organisations (training athletes)
- teaching
- biomedical sciences.
Professional accreditation
Graduates may [QUERY] be able to apply for accreditation from the Register of Exercise Professionals and also have the option to take an exam for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health Fitness Instructor qualification.
Help looking for a job
The School has an excellent reputation and many links to professional bodies. This network is very useful to students when looking for employment.
The University also has a friendly Careers and Employability Service which can give you advice on how to:
- apply for jobs
- write a good CV
- perform well in interviews
Independent rankings
For graduate prospects, Sports Science at Kent was ranked 8th in The Guardian University Guide 2017.
According to Which? University 2017, the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £18K.
What our graduates say
“My typical day consists of physiological testing, coaching athletes and applying sports science in a commercial setting.”
Ciaran O’Grady
Sport and Exercise Science graduate
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 plus GCSE Mathematics grade C |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 at HL including Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Mathematics/ Sport, Exercise and HEalth Science 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 | ||
| Part-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.