Course description

Prepare for a career where you can help athletes boost their performance and remain in peak condition. This course gives you highly specialised knowledge and advanced practical skills.

• Gain an edge by taking a foundation year as part of a four-year study programme to achieve your BSc (Hons) qualification
• Choose this route if you plan to change your career or want to explore a subject that is new to you
• Take your first steps towards professional accreditation in strength and conditioning
• Gain experience in the most up-to-date training methods and techniques
• Harness state-of-the-art technology in our dedicated strength and conditioning suite with its VICON 3D motion capture system
• Benefit from our longstanding partnerships with the likes of Derby County FC, Derbyshire County Cricket Club and Burton Albion FC
• Enhance your employability with opportunities to undertake work placements, shadow the professionals, go on fact-finding visits and enjoy masterclasses delivered by leading figures in the field

This far-sighted new course equips you for a career centred on maximising athlete performance, reducing the risk of injury and devising effective rehabilitation regimes. This is a field where technology and research are constantly evolving, so we keep you up-to-date with the latest developments.

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.

Join a new generation of sport specialists

Our course is specially designed to meet a growing demand for strength and conditioning specialists who are also skilled in injury rehabilitation and risk reduction. It has been launched at a time when greater collaboration is needed between sport science experts and medical or injury management teams.

We introduce you to the most up-to-date practices, techniques and applications so that you are fully prepared for a range of career roles in the sports industry.

See the professionals in action

We’re committed to delivering a first class student experience, so we draw extensively on our thriving partnerships with sports organisations such as Derby County FC, Leicester City FC, Burton Albion FC, Leicester Tigers Rugby Club, Derbyshire County Cricket Club, Derventio Swimming Club and the Derbyshire Institute of Sport.

There are opportunities to go on fascinating visits to see the professionals in action. One example was a trip to Perform at St George’s Park where students learned how hydrotherapy can be used to aid athlete rehabilitation and recovery.

Our collaborations also pave the way to rewarding work placement opportunities. You could begin by observing and shadowing professionals working in the strength, conditioning and rehabilitation arena, then advancing to a more hands-on role as your experience and confidence grows. One Derby student, for instance, secured a Strength and Conditioning Internship at Sheffield United FC.

Cutting-edge resources

A bespoke  is among the many state-of-the-art facilities in our new £10.8m . It incorporates a VICON 3D motion capture system and integrated Kistler Force Plates. Here you can build your practical and coaching skills in weightlifting, prehabilitation and metabolic conditioning while also becoming familiar with session planning and delivery.

You’ll also discover up-to-the-minute equipment for testing and measuring the parameters of health and fitness in our sport and exercise facilities and our biomechanics laboratory. We introduce you to a broad range of computer software packages for statistical and movement analysis too.

Throughout your studies you can make full use of all the facilities at our award-winning Sports Centre, which boasts a main hall, fitness gym, studios, squash and badminton courts, an internal climbing wall, sprint track, changing rooms, treatment rooms and a café.

High-quality, relevant teaching

Actively involved in research, high-performance sport and applied sport science consultancy, our staff will give you all the expert support you need to fulfil your ambitions. They are accredited professionals who belong to leading bodies such as the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association and the Society of Sports Therapists.

You will also hear from established sports practitioners who deliver masterclasses offering vital pointers to foster your employability skills and maximise your chances in the graduate job market.

How you will learn

Teaching and learning will take place in our new £10.8m, state-of-the-art sport centre, equipped with a bespoke strength and conditioning suite and 50m running track with motion analysis. Further sport science facilities will be used to ensure students gain the required knowledge and skills to work in the applied arena of strength, conditioning and rehabilitation.

Assessment

Assessments will employ a combination of theoretical and practical assignments, such as case study presentations, field based assessments, written coursework, and professional discussions. This variety of assessments will enable learning and assess necessary skills required in future employment.