Course description

Set yourself apart as an industry-ready sports therapist and rehabilitation specialist, fully prepared to go into practice after graduation. Starting your studies with a foundation year gives you all the support you need to excel.

• Choose the four-year degree incorporating a foundation year for a stimulating introduction to this crucial sphere of the sports industry
• Take a route which is designed especially for students considering a new career or who are keen to explore a new subject area
• Fulfil your ambitions on a course which sets high academic and professional standards, with accreditation from The Society of Sports Therapists
• Apply theory to practice by undertaking over 200 hours of clinical placements working under expert supervision
• Perfect your techniques in manual therapy, exercise therapy and sports massage to aid the rehabilitation process
• Go on exciting fieldtrips to major events where you can see sports therapists in action
• Take full advantage of the outstanding learning facilities in our new sports centre
• Learn from highly experienced staff who regularly provide professional consultancy services to elite track and field athletes, golfers and footballers

Sport Therapy and Rehabilitation at Derby

Clients and patients rely on sports therapists to help them reach optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports-specific fitness. As a professional working in this field, you’ll harness the principles of sport and exercise to help boost performance and develop injury prevention and rehabilitation programmes. You’ll also deliver assessments and treatments in a variety of recreational, training and competitive settings.

This course offers a powerful blend of science and practice. You’ll gain in-depth knowledge of anatomy and movement while covering the rehabilitation process in all its aspects, including manual therapy techniques, exercise therapy, and sports massage.  

Throughout, we introduce the latest research in this rapidly evolving discipline to help advance your practice as a therapist and ensure your work is informed by current thinking.

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.

Expert teaching

You’ll be inspired and motivated by a teaching team with substantial expertise in sports therapy and rehabilitation, as well as wide-ranging partnerships with sports clubs. Such is the reputation of our staff that they are often called upon to provide consultancy services for elite track and field athletes, golfers and professional footballers.

Thanks to our strong industry collaborations, our course features exciting opportunities for you to attend guest lectures, take part in demonstrations and undertake employer-led projects.

Action-packed learning

Your studies will be varied, inspirational and grounded in the realities of professional practice. No day is the same: you could be taking part in placements, heading off on fieldtrips, investigating real-world case studies, undertaking laboratory work or challenging yourself with problem-solving exercises.

Opportunities for work placements are a cornerstone of this degree, enhancing your career prospects and ensuring you are ready to practise effectively once you graduate. You could gain hands-on experience with private therapy clinics or University sports teams, working with clients under expert supervision. Your clinical placements will amount to more than 200 hours overall.

Our programme of fieldtrips is equally important in broadening your professional outlook. In the past, our students have visited sporting events such as 10-kilometre runs, half marathons and golf tournaments for a close-up view of the work of the sports therapist.

An accredited course

Many jobs within sports therapy and rehabilitation today require applicants to be registered with The Society of Sports Therapists. Because our BSc (Hons) Sport Therapy and Rehabilitation course is accredited by the Society, you’ll graduate with a highly regarded and nationally recognised qualification, together with a professional standing.

As the lead organisation for sports therapists in the UK, the Society gives its seal of approval to degrees which set high professional standards. When you start your course, you’ll therefore have the opportunity to become a member of the Society. Once you graduate, you’ll then be eligible to apply for full membership as a graduate sports therapist. This represents an important addition to your CV and will help you stand out when meeting potential employers.

Impressive sports facilities

Your learning experience and your social life at University will be enriched by the imposing facilities at our £10.8m Sports Centre. You can improve your practical know-how in our dedicated sport therapy clinical teaching rooms.

The centre also features 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. With floodlit all-weather pitches and tennis courts adding to the picture, it means there is a wealth of opportunities to take part in a diverse range of sports – for elite performers and beginners alike.

Sports Scholarships

The University of Derby is a sporting hub for talented athletes and coaches. We have a track record of improving the performance of our University sports clubs and we have created an infrastructure to provide support for talented athletes. We offer a Sports Scholarship programme that aims to help talented student-athletes realise their sporting potential while supporting them through their academic studies. We offer scholarships of up to £6,000 and provide tailored athlete-support packages delivered by an experienced multi-disciplinary Performance Sport team.

Join Team Derby

If you enjoy a challenge and would like to make the most of your own sporting passion and prowess, you could become involved with Team Derby which is the focal point for the University’s sporting community. It encompasses all aspects of sport, including courses, numerous sports clubs, the Athletics Union and sport development activities. You can also take part in the national BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) competitions.

How you will learn

You’ll learn through a combination of clinics, lectures, practical sessions, seminars, laboratories, workshops, tutorials, and guided self-study. During your study, you will complete a number of work placements in our real world learning labs and, using the knowledge, skills, and understanding you acquire, you’ll learn to evaluate research and use it to develop your clinical decision making skills and inform your practice as a therapist.

Assessment

The course assesses the professional, academic, and scientific skills considered key to becoming a research savvy, industry-ready sports therapist and rehabilitator. Assessments will include oral presentations, structured clinical examinations, written projects, problem solving exercises, laboratory reports, professional development work, exercise prescription tasks, essays, practical viva voce, and case studies.