Course description

Our foundation year will help you hit the ground running if you want to gain a respected honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science.

• Choose a four-year course featuring a foundation year for a strong start to your University of Derby studies
• Fulfil your ambition and potential: the foundation year is a smart move if you are planning a career change or are keen to explore a new subject area
• Explore the roles of biomechanics, physiology and psychology in sport performance
• Become skilled with the latest technology via our High Performance Resistance Training Facility, VICON 3D motion capture system and breath-by-breath analysis system
• Gain vital experience by applying for placements or internships: our students have worked with organisations like Derby County FC, Derbyshire County Cricket Club and Burton Albion FC
• Work alongside renowned sports scientists who are actively involved in research and consultancy
• Take the opportunity to achieve extra professional qualifications such as National Governing Body coaching awards

This is a challenging and action-packed course for anyone with a keen interest in the science behind sport and exercise.

Sport and Exercise Science - your questions answered

In the below video, Head of Discipline for Sport and Exercise Science, Andy Hooton, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Derby.

Sport and Exercise Science at Derby

This exhilarating course deepens your understanding of the science behind sport and exercise, so you’ll investigate the roles of biomechanics, physiology and psychology in sport performance.

We place great emphasis on helping you realise your career potential. You can tailor your studies to match your career plans by selecting modules in specialist areas such as nutrition, performance analysis, and strength and conditioning. Masterclasses delivered by sport and exercise science professionals will also give you insights into the employment opportunities which lie ahead.

Practical scientific skills lie at the heart of this degree. When you graduate, you will be fully equipped to test and measure health and fitness, using the latest computer software to analyse performance results.

Expert teaching

For inspiration with your research, you need look no further than our own team of highly qualified, enthusiastic and forward-thinking sport and exercise science staff, for example, Dr Mark Faghy and Dr Ruth Ashton are accredited Clinical Physiologists with the AHCS and RCCP. The team also includes accredited professionals who are members of leading bodies like BASES, NSCA, CIMSPA, The Physiological Society and the UK Strength and Conditioning Association.  

Dr Mark Faghy, is also 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.

You will receive high-quality teaching and support from lecturers who are actively involved in research, high-performance sport and applied sport science consultancy. They are pioneering wide-ranging research projects into topics such as performance profiling, injury rehabilitation, human balance control and neuromuscular fatigue.

Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

Industry experience

Having experience in the workplace makes a notable addition to your CV, so we support and encourage you to undertake placements and internships with sports clubs and other relevant employers.

Our students have broadened their professional perspectives on placements with the likes of Derby County FC, Leicester City FC, Burton Albion FC, Special Olympics, YouthSport Trust and Derbyshire County Cricket Club as well as local schools, hospitals and leisure centres. Some have secured employment thanks to their impressive performances on placement.

Our Sport and Exercise Internship Programme offers another exciting route for you to gain real-world experience as you prepare for life after study. You could apply for an internship supporting athletes at the local sports clubs which regularly approach us for assistance. Our students have performed key roles with organisations such as West Bromwich Albion FC and Team Derby.

Our growing links with sports organisations mean that, in future, we will be able to offer even more opportunities for you to boost your employability and build your professional networks in this way.

Specialist facilities

The multi-purpose sports centre includes a main hall, fitness gym with strength and conditioning area, studios, squash and badminton courts, an internal climbing wall, sprint track, changing rooms, treatment rooms and a café. It complements other facilities such as floodlit all-weather pitches and tennis courts.

As a Sport and Exercise Science student, you’ll also get to grips with the latest technology to test and measure the parameters of health and fitness in our biomechanics laboratory, harnessing a full range of computer software packages for statistical and movement analysis. In addition, we have a specialist suite for those following the strength and conditioning pathway, where you’ll discover some of the best lifting equipment available.

If you want to take part in recreational sport – whether new to you or as an elite performer – we have a 44-station fitness facility at our Kedleston Road site, equipped with Technogym and Wellness system technology.

Conduct your own research

One of the most important aspects of this course is the chance to undertake your own research into a sporting theme of your choice. Your independent study will take up a significant proportion of your final year and culminates in a one-day conference where you and your fellow students will present your findings.

Some of our students have even had the privilege to showcase their research work nationally at the annual BASES Student Conference. They have also secured coveted places on the University’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme (URSS) to carry out supervised research over the summer break. Such experiences will broaden your skillset and give you an insight not only into the value of sport research but also the career pathways it can open up. Nichola Davies, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science with Foundation Year student, became interested in research after volunteering to be a participant in various research trials, this encouraged her to apply for research internships at the University.

How you will learn

We take pride in the teaching and learning experience of our students. You’ll learn through lectures, practicals, and seminars, all of which take place at our Kedleston Road site.

Assessment

We have received particular praise from external reviewers on our innovative use of practical assessments, which take place in our new specialised facilities. These are carried out alongside written coursework, verbal presentations, and examination-style assessments to create a well-balanced assessment portfolio.