Take your first step towards your career in Sport.

The Sport Foundation Year will provide you with all the skills and knowledge you’ll need to take the next step into a Sport degree at Northumbria University.

It’s a brilliant opportunity for students who are unsure of what their career in sport will look like. Students will learn about the different facets of sport, helping them to realise their ultimate career goal and choose the next step that’s right for them. Our graduates work for top organisations like Man Utd. F.C. and Nike Ireland, and we’re also the only University offering this course in North East England.

The foundation year will:

• Provide students with academic skills required for higher level study;
• Foster a basic understanding and knowledge of key principles and professions within sports disciplines.
• Boost confidence in University study and life on campus.

Upon successful completion of the Sport Foundation Year, you will be able to automatically progress onto:

• BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
• BSc Hons Sport Coaching
• BSc Hons Sport Management
• BSc Hons Sport, Exercise and Nutrition

Why choose Northumbria to study a Sport Foundation Year?

• Sport Science at Northumbria is ranked top 20 in the UK (Times Good University Guide, 2024).

• Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th for research power in the UK (REF, 2021). This is a rise of 21 places compared to 2014 – the largest rise in the sector.

• Over 91% of students studying Sport and Exercise Science at Northumbria believed their course was well organised (NSS, 2023).

How will I learn during this Sport foundation year course?

Through links with Northumbria Sport, you have the opportunity to undertake volunteering and to experience a range of practical sports. The programme allows you to gain knowledge and competence in key themes within sport to support you in vocational roles, and to help you to decide which undergraduate degree is best for you.

The programme is also in line with the University’s mission to offer opportunity, relevance and enhanced employability in sport through innovative and challenging learning and teaching.

This year-long course comprises two semesters (September - December and January – May) and six modules. Modules, which are varied in content and teaching style, include ‘Essential Skills for Studying Sport’ and ‘Volunteering in Sport’.

Whilst the majority of the course content will be taught in a traditional classroom setting, students will receive around 30 hours of practical teaching in a variety of settings, including the state-of-the-art Sports Central.

We also invite guest speakers who currently work in industry to pass on their knowledge, advice and wisdom to you. They’ll also give you a real-life case study, which you’ll need to resolve in real-time, giving you a taste of your future career in sport.

Who teaches the Sport foundation year course?

The programme is delivered by an experienced team of research active and practitioner based academics who come from diverse professional backgrounds. You will therefore benefit from cutting-edge teaching and research alongside tutors who are able to support you in making links with ‘real-world’ practice in a range of settings.  

The International Federation for Gymnastics, the Rugby Football Union, Sport England, British Gymnastics, the Youth Sport Trust, the English Federation for Disability Sport, British Tennis, British Equestrian Federation, British Rowing and Football League Education have all benefited from the expertise of Northumbria staff.

This experience means that you’re never just getting theory. Our staff have tested what they teach you at the highest possible level.

Where will I learn during my foundation year?

Our campus sport facilities have been described as being some of the best in the country. We boast facilities for teaching and learning that rival any in the World, predominantly housed in Sport Central, a £30 million pound purpose-built sports building.

Facilities at Sport Central include an indoor 40-metre sprint track, a range of state-of-the-art sport science laboratories and an environmental chamber.

And all this is happening in one of the UK’s great sporting cities, where you’re surrounded by nationally and internationally recognised sports organisations. We involve the sporting community of Newcastle and the North East wherever we can in your learning experience.

How is research applied to teaching throughout my course?

Northumbria has an unrivalled reputation for sport and exercise science research power in the North East. You’ll learn from sport science experts who are internationally acknowledged for their research.

A research rich culture is a strong philosophy of this programme and teaching on the modules promotes a ‘research rich’ learning approach, which encourages you to become an active inquirer and problem solver.

Research active staff share their knowledge and expertise, and students are encouraged to become involved in research projects throughout their three years.