Course description

The highlights

• This course covers three key areas: rehabilitation and training, physical activity and health, and clinical exercise physiology. It will prepare you for a variety of careers within clinical exercise science, including roles in clinical rehabilitation, clinical exercise physiology, health, and wellbeing
• You’ll gain valuable experience in clinical settings and develop your applied skills through a placement
• You'll explore clinically based research and conduct your own research project in an area that interests you
• Our academics are leading experts in clinical exercise science, and there is a thriving community of postgraduate sport and exercise science students here
• If you don't want to take the full masters, you can choose to gain a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma instead

Clinical exercise science is a growth area

The role of the clinical exercise scientist is relatively new but increasingly important nationally and internationally. These specialists draw on the skills, knowledge, and underlying principles of sport and exercise science, in order to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Clinical exercise scientists are often involved in helping people manage long-term health conditions or recover from serious illness.

In its 2019 report, 'National Health Service – Five Year Forward View', the UK Government recognised the need for effective collaboration between the clinical exercise sciences and the NHS. It sees this as a way to address increasing public health challenges and to relieve pressure on the NHS — particularly within hospital and community settings. The Covid-19 pandemic then pushed population health and wellbeing into the spotlight like never before, and this further accelerated the growth of clinical exercise science.

Preparing you to enter the profession

This masters enables you to make the most of these new job opportunities, by developing your current understanding of human function and behaviour so you can improve people's health outcomes and quality of life. We focus on giving you real-world learning opportunities that develop your intellectual, analytical, and critical skillsets.

You will develop a unique understanding of the role and importance of a clinical exercise scientist and obtain first-hand experience in clinical and community settings. We’ll also encourage you to take part in training and development opportunities that will increase your knowledge and understanding of effective practice and prepare for your future career.