Course description

Could you inspire and motivate people to pursue healthier lifestyles? This degree equips you for a fulfilling future in health and exercise promotion.

• Prepare for a professional career in the wider exercise and health sector
• Choose an innovative programme with a distinctive multidisciplinary approach
• Enjoy unique work placement opportunities and build your network of contacts with our partner, the Derby City Move More Consortium, as well as many more local organisations, such as Disability Opportunities in Sport UK who run specialised basketball classes for individuals with varied disabilities classes for individuals with learning disabilities and mental wellbeing
• Gain practical experience working in different settings and with different clients
• Strengthen your CV by achieving additional qualifications: level 2 gym instructor qualification  and level 3 personal trainer qualification

This course has been designed and developed in collaboration with Derby City Council to provide you with the holistic skills you need for a career in all aspects of health and exercise promotion.

Physical Activity, Nutrition and Health at Derby

This specialist degree will equip you with the skills needed to make a real impact on improving health and wellbeing in today's society. You will also gain additional qualifications in gym instruction and personal training.

You'll explore the importance of physical activity and nutrition in preventing and managing disease, as well as promoting optimal health. You'll enjoy inspirational work placement opportunities with local partner organisations such as Move More Derby, Livewell Consortium and Sporting Futures. You'll draw on the latest scientific evidence, some of which is being developed by our own researchers.

The skills you will gain will help bring about positive change in individual attitudes to exercise and nutrition, and contribute towards meeting ambitious government and local authority targets for reducing inactivity.

Expert staff

You'll be taught by a range of staff who have extensive knowledge in the area of physical activity, nutrition and health including:

• Dr Stuart Mourton (Programme Leader): Stuart is a professional member of BASES. He also undertakes research in the area of motor control, skill acquisition and cognitive functioning. Outside of his roles at the University, he volunteers with Special Olympics and works with the SO West Midlands ski group.
• Dr Clare Roscoe: Clare is passionate about the physical activity levels of both children and adults. Her research interests are predominantly based on physical activity levels and fundamental movement skills in British preschool children. She has previously been involved with the 'Derby A City on the Move' project, which was funded by Sport England and aimed to encourage inactive people in Derby to take part in sport.
• Dr Corinna Chidley: Corinna spent several years working in the elite sports industry and brings a wealth of applied experience into the classroom. She also undertakes regular applied nutrition work through the University's Human Performance Unit helping athletes reach their performance goals. Her research is predominantly focused on the relationship between sport and exercise and immune function.
• Dr Andy Pringle: Andy has over 25 years of experience working in Higher Education and five years of experience working in the NHS as a health promotion specialist. Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and a NICE Guidelines Implementation Expert. He has led a number of national evaluations of multi-site physical activity programmes including those for the Premier League, Department of Health and Sport England.
• Dr Ruth Ashton: Ruth teaches in the areas of exercise physiology and physical activity and health. Her current research focuses on exercise in adults with chronic diseases, in particular those diagnosed with cancer or cardiovascular disease. Her research looks at how exercise can be an adjunctive therapy to conventional treatment to improve overall health and quality of life.
• Dr Joel Chidley: Joel has a great depth of knowledge in a range of outdoor sports and activities which he brings to the classroom. He has two key interests which are physical activity behaviour, from a health perspective, and adventure sport performance.
• Dr Shuge Zhang: Shuge is a professional member of BASES, ECSS, FEPSAC, and has contributed to writing many pieces for prestigious academic journals, such as Psychology of Sport & Exercise, Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology, European Journal of Sport Science, and Personality and Individual Differences. His work has contributed to the understanding of the personality factors and the associated psychological process underpinning physical activity and offered implications for exercise and health promotion.

Influential research

Many of our staff are actively involved in research, undertaking influential studies that are breaking new ground in their discipline including topics such as:

• Nutrition and metabolism
• Respiratory systems
• Balance control
• Measuring physical activity in preschool children
• Covid recovery
• Inequality in physical activity

Dr Mark Faghy, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, is part of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise Is Medicine committee. This partnership will enable you to engage with other students and academics from affiliated institutions around the world and brings to life teaching, knowledge exchange and research opportunities that are promoted through the ACSM.

How you will learn

You’ll learn through a variety of lectures, seminars, practical’s, and technology enhanced innovative learning solutions. You’ll be involved in physiology testing, psychology-based case studies relating to exercise, whilst learning cardiometabolic health assessment techniques. In addition, you will also acquire essential work-based skills and knowledge through regular work placements with Derby City Move More Consortium and other local organisations/companies.

"Placement is a perfect opportunity to enrich yourself with new knowledge - you'll see how the world works. You'll meet new people and you'll gain and improve your skills and abilities useful for both study and life. It can open the door to your future career."

Assessment

You will be assessed on your knowledge, understanding, and applied practical and research skills through a range of well-balanced assessment methods. These include oral presentations, written assignments, practical’s, exams and research projects. Assessments will take place in our specialist facilities and will give you with the skills required for future employment.