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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.
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.
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 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.
Your year in industry takes place between your second and final year of your degree programme, giving you invaluable work experience. This greatly enhances your CV and employability while giving you the opportunity to apply your academic skills in practical context. It also gives you an idea of your career options after graduation. Most placements are paid opportunities, and there may be the possibility of a job with the same company after you graduate.
It is also possible to take this degree as a three-year programme. For details see our Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons).
Our laboratories are based in the Chipperfield Building in the Canterbury campus. They include the latest equipment, such as our:
Our environmental chamber, which can recreate the atmosphere in the Brazilian jungle or at the top of Everest, is based on the Medway campus.
There is a thriving sports scene for students at the Canterbury campus. Team Kent, funded by the Students' Union, run more than 60 different clubs including; athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cricket, football, cheerleading, lacrosse, caving, taekwondo, rowing, hockey, football, rugby, equestrian, korfball, table tennis, judo and volleyball, plus ultimate frisbee.
The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences has links to many sporting bodies. It works with companies such as Science in Sport and Team Sky, and with organisations such as:
If you are already competing at county level or equivalent, you can apply for a sports scholarship from the University. One of our 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).
You are more than your grades
At Kent we look at your circumstances as a whole before deciding whether to make you an offer to study here. Find out more about how we offer flexibility and support before and during your degree.
Please contact the School for more information at study-sports@kent.ac.uk.
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Some typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice. Please also see our general entry requirements.
If you are an international student, visit our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country, including details of the International Foundation Programmes. Please note that international fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.
Please note that meeting the typical offer/minimum requirement does not guarantee that you will receive an offer.
BCC including grade B in an appropriate subject (eg Biology, Chemistry, Sport, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Statistics, Mathematics, Applied Science)
Mathematics grade C
The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis.
If we make you an offer, you will need 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.
Distinction, Merit, Merit in a Sport or Science related subject.
34 points overall or 15 at HL including Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Mathematics, Sports, Exercise and Health Science 5 at HL or 6 at SL and Mathematics 4 at HL or SL.
Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average including 60% in Fundamentals of Human Biology and 60% in Life Sciences plus 50% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics.
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you do not meet our English language requirements, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
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Duration: 4 years full-time
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
The year in industry gives you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. It is your responsibility to find a placement, but we will help and support you through this process and while you are there.
Please note that acceptance onto the course is not a guarantee of a placement. The responsibility of finding a placement is on the student, with help and support from the department. If you cannot find a placement, you will be required to change your registration for the equivalent BSc (Hons) programme without the year in industry option.
The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
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.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.
Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.
Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
All students who are part of the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences will receive a complementary Hoodie once they have started the course.
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
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.
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
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.
Methods of assessment vary depending on the module but predominantly involve coursework, observed assessment, practical tests and, where appropriate, clinical assessments. Some modules are assessed via written exams.
For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours. The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules. Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.
The programme aims to:
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
You gain the intellectual skills to:
You gain subject-specific skills in the following areas:
You gain transferable skills in:
All University of Kent courses are regulated by the Office for Students.
Based on the evidence available, the TEF Panel judged that the University of Kent delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It is of the highest quality found in the UK.
Please see the University of Kent's Statement of Findings for more information.
Sports Science at Kent scored 93% overall in The Complete University Guide 2021.
Over 95% of Sports Science graduates who responded to the most recent national survey of graduate destinations were in work or further study within six months (DLHE, 2017).
Our graduates have gone on to work in:
The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences 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:
To help you to appeal to employers across a range of careers, you develop transferable skills in:
You can also enhance your degree studies by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as learning a language or volunteering.
Graduates may 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.
For graduate prospects, Sports Science at Kent was ranked 11th in The Complete University Guide 2018, 13th in The Guardian University Guide 2018 and 14th in The Times Good University Guide 2018.
According to Which? University (2017), the average starting salary for graduates of this degree is £18,000.
If you are from the UK or Ireland, you must apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not from the UK or Ireland, you can choose to apply through UCAS or directly on our website.
Find out more about how to apply
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
Discover Uni is designed to support prospective students in deciding whether, where and what to study. The site replaces Unistats from September 2019.
Discover Uni is jointly owned by the Office for Students, the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Scottish Funding Council.
It includes:
Find out more about the Unistats dataset on the Higher Education Statistics Agency website.