Sport and Exercise Sciences with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

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This is a four-year version of our popular BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences course, with an integrated foundation year. Equip yourself with the skills and knowledge needed to work in the exciting sport and leisure sector. Specialise in coaching or deepen your knowledge of sport and exercise physiology, psychology, biomechanics, personal training, performance analysis, treatment of sports injuries.

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Overview

This is the broadest of our suite of sports courses.

You will gain practical experience in the fields of psychology, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition and injury rehabilitation. You will combine these disciplines to analyse and develop strategies to optimise performance in sport and exercise, which will be supported by our excellent teaching team.

Why us?

Our Sport Sciences courses are 17th in the UK (Guardian University guide 2024)
This course enables students to work with cutting-edge state-of-the-art resources to develop their knowledge and skills in applied areas of sport and exercise sciences
We are a University that is nationally recognised for supporting learners particularly from non-traditional backgrounds and many students come to us with no formal qualifications but with valuable work experience

We have great links to clubs in the local area, including Sunderland Association Football Club and Durham County Cricket Club
There is an option to apply to the Elite Athlete Bursary Scheme

Course structure

Our teaching methods are designed to develop not only your knowledge but also skills that enhance employability. Methods include small group work, practical activities, workshops, lectures, tutorials, computer-based learning, presentations and independent learning.

As well as assessments that count towards your degree, there are also on-going assessments for feedback and consolidating your learning. Assessment methods include essays, reports, practical work and presentations.

Foundation year

The Sport, Physical Education and Rehabilitative Therapies Integrated Foundation Year includes five modules:

Core:

Foundations of Sport, Physical Education and Rehabilitative Therapies (40 credits)
Practical Skills and Applications (20 credits)
Foundation Project (20 credits)
Essential Study Skills (20 credits)

Optional (choose one):

Academic and Professional Success (20 credits)
Practical Statistical Skills (20 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Working in a Sport, Exercise and Coaching Context (30 credits)

Ready to build skills that help you succeed at university and beyond? You'll understand the importance of learning and development for continued lifelong success.

Want to know about the different jobs in sport, exercise, health, or education? You’ll explore varied roles and find out what kinds of careers are out there. Plus, you’ll learn what employers expect and how to present yourself like a true professional.

You’ll also get 50 hours of work experience in sport, health, fitness, or education. This hands-on placement helps you visualise your future career depending on your interests.

Physiology of the Human Body (30 credits)

You’ll start by learning the basics of human physiology and nutrition – how your body systems work and how they respond during exercise.

In physiology, you’ll focus on how your body reacts right after exercise. For nutrition, you’ll learn the key principles about healthy eating and how to check someone’s nutritional health.

You’ll also practice important skills like carrying out simple tests on the body and nutrition, and learn how to explain the results clearly.

Coaching Science and Psychological Skills (30 credits)

This module covers everything you need to know about coaching – from basic skills and history to sports psychology and how technology helps coaches today. Each week builds on what you’ve learned, giving you a full picture of sports coaching and the theory behind it.

You’ll explore important ideas like motor skills, communication, practice, and feedback. You’ll also look at how coaches help athletes grow over time and how psychology can boost performance.

You’ll learn how to use these ideas to understand and improve athletes’ performance. Finally, you’ll work with your classmates to create and give a group presentation.

Kinesiology and Biomechanics of Human Movement (30 credits)

You’ll build your knowledge of human anatomy and movement by studying the upper limbs, lower limbs, trunk, and neck through hands-on activities. You’ll learn to identify key bones, muscles, and nerves using anatomical models, images, virtual tools, and real people.

You’ll also learn how to break down how the body moves using basic biomechanical principles. This means understanding how joints and muscles work together during normal and abnormal movements.

On top of that, you’ll practice important skills like talking with clients and doing physical assessments – skills every health and performance professional needs.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Professional Identity and Practice (30 credits)

You’ll learn what it means to be a professional in sport and exercise. This includes understanding your role and how research helps you grow. You’ll also get real work experience through a placement that matches industry standards.

During the course, you’ll work towards skills needed to become a Level 3 Personal Trainer or Strength and Conditioning coach. These are important qualifications if you want to work in fitness and sport.

You’ll also discover how learning and developing new skills doesn’t stop after university – it’s a lifelong process.

Physiology for Sport and Health (30 credits)

What kind of athlete or client would you want to work with? You’ll learn the basics of exercise physiology and how it helps in training for sport and fitness. We’ll look at how exercise affects your heart, lungs, muscles, and metabolism, and how your body adapts over time with training.

You’ll study these changes from two sides – how they help everyday health and how they improve elite athletic performance. You’ll also practice strength and conditioning skills used by both regular people and top athletes.

You’ll get hands-on experience with advanced fitness tests in the lab and outside, then use what you learn to work on real case studies. You’ll practice analysing client needs, running tests, and creating training plans.

Sport and Exercise Psychology (30 credits)

What part of sport psychology interests you the most? How would you support an athlete facing stress? This module helps you understand how sport psychology can boost athletes’ performance and support their mental health. You’ll learn how motivation, goal-setting, and confidence help athletes achieve their best.

You’ll start by figuring out what athletes need from an initial assessment, then create and try out ways to support them. You’ll also learn how to deal with challenges like stress in high-pressure scenarios, motivational strategies, and tricky ethical dilemmas.

Using real case studies and role-play, you’ll explore how psychology and sport science work together. You’ll also focus on taking care of your own wellbeing, with an emphasis on self-care and professional supervision.

Analysis of Human Movement for Sport and Performance (30 credits)

This module builds on previous learning about how the body moves. You’ll take a closer look at how muscles, joints, and nerves work – especially how they affect injuries, recovery, and performance in sport and exercise.

You’ll learn how to measure and study movement in real sporting situations. You’ll use tools like video and GPS tracking to collect useful data and give clear feedback to help people move better and perform at their best.

You’ll even get to work with real sports teams, using your new skills to study their performance and help coaches make smart decisions.

Final year (national level 6):

Core module:

Applied Project and Professional Development (30 credits)

This module will bring together everything you’ve learned to complete two projects. One is a research project, and the other is a work placement project. Both help you connect your academic skills to real-life problems and give you the chance to showcase your knowledge and skills.

For your research project, you’ll choose a topic you care about, plan how to study it, collect your own data, and share your findings. You’ll even present your work at a Research Conference –possibly in front of the public and future employers.

For your placement project, you’ll work with a real employer on a problem that matters in the workplace. You’ll agree on a project, complete it during your placement, and reflect on what you’ve learned and how it helps your future career.

Optional modules – choose three:

Applied Sport and Health Physiology and Nutrition (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll explore how nutrition and the body work together to boost sports and exercise performance. You’ll learn how food, supplements, and different environments – like heat, cold, or high altitudes – can affect how we train, compete, and recover. Ever wondered what athletes should eat before a big game, or how training in the heat changes your body?

You’ll look at topics like how protein helps build muscle, how to fuel your body during competition, and how exercise in extreme weather affects performance. You’ll also explore how different groups – like child athletes, older adults, female athletes, or people with disabilities – have unique nutrition and health needs.

You’ll get hands-on by designing ways to test how different factors impact health and performance. You’ll also learn to explain complex ideas in a simple, and clear way.

Applied Psychological Skills (30 credits)

This module helps you turn psychology theory into real-world practice. You’ll learn how to handle tricky mental challenges that come up in sport and exercise – like staying calm under pressure or helping others stay motivated and confident.

You’ll build on the skills you learned earlier in your degree and start using them like a pro. You’ll explore how coaching, psychology, and athlete wellbeing all connect. Want to be a performance coach or study sport psychology further? This module will help you get there.

You’ll learn by working on real-life examples – like how to support a team during tough times or help an athlete bounce back from setbacks. You’ll use case studies, role plays, and group work to design plans that truly help others. How would you help an athlete struggling with confidence or pressure?

Applied Biomechanics for Training, Performance, and Health (30 credits)

How would you feel about helping someone improve their performance or avoid injury? This module builds on what you’ve already learned about how the body moves and how strength and conditioning help with performance. You’ll dive deeper into biomechanics – the science of how the body moves – and learn how to use special equipment to carry out real tests and experiments.

You’ll look at strength and conditioning through a biomechanics lens, exploring how movement affects performance, injury, and health. You’ll study how the body adapts to different types of training and how biomechanics plays a role in everyday tasks, sport, and recovery.

You’ll take on the role of a biomechanics expert by working with a real client. You’ll carry out a full movement assessment, give a clear diagnosis, and share useful feedback – just like you would if working for a top sports institute or professional team.

Clinical Exercise Physiology (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll learn how to safely support people with long-term health conditions through exercise. You’ll practise how to check if someone is ready to exercise, understand their health needs, and plan safe and helpful workouts based on science. You’ll also build skills in caring for people in a kind and supportive way.

You’ll explore conditions like heart disease, asthma, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and even cancer. You’ll also look at how mental health affects physical health and learn how to help people make healthy changes that last.

You’ll work on your communication skills so you can work well with patients and other health professionals. You’ll also learn how to analyse research and apply it in your own practice.

Biodex Room 360
Our City Campus features a state-of-the-art facility called CitySpace. Students use this facility for teaching and the space includes:
- Sports hall
- Fitness suite/gym
- Strength and conditioning room
- Injury prevention and support suite
- Climbing wall
View our AccessAble accessibility guide for CitySpace.
CitySpace
Used by students across a range of Sport courses, our Clinical Biomechanics lab contains equipment that measures motion, muscle activity and forces on the body during high intensity sports and the activities of daily living.

Facilities include:
- 3D motion capture systems including Vicon® systems and Xsens® motion capture suits
- Software such as Kinovea® and LongoMatch® software to capture live action images for match tagging and coaching feedback
- Movement tracking tools such as Actigraph® and Catapult®
- Delsys® Trigno electromyography equipment to see how the muscles of the body are working
- Kistler® force platforms and Batak® reaction walls to analyse sporting performance
- Novel® Pedar systems to analyse foot pressure
View our AccessAble accessibility guide for the Clinical Biomechanics Lab.
Clinical Biomechanics Lab
Clinical Biomechanics Lab 360
Clinical Rehabilitation & Exercise Therapy Suite 360
This lab is used for advanced clinical health and exercise research, with gas analysis, cycle ergometers and treadmills for fitness testing. The AlterG© treadmill allows assessment of running in a low gravity environment to understand physical responses during rehabilitation and training.

There is also an environmental chamber within the teaching space which is used to assess physiological response to heat, humidity and altitude.

View our AccessAble accessibility guides for the Human Performance Lab:

Human Performance Lab 013 accessibility guide

Human Performance Lab 013A accessibility guide
Human Performance Lab
Human Performance Lab 360
The facility is used for cardiovascular exercise testing and health and fitness related components. You will have access to gas analysis; cycle ergometers for fitness testing and a variety of blood marker testing.

View our AccessAble accessibility guide for the Human Physiology Lab.
Human Physiology Lab
Human Physiology Lab 360
Across the Sunderland area you'll have access to the following sports facilities:
- 50m Olympic size swimming pool
- 95m artificial ski slope
- Warehouse climbing wall
- Football training pitches at Sunderland AFC’s Academy of Light
- Marine Activities Centre for sailing, canoeing, kayaking and powerboating
- LTA approved indoor tennis centre with 13 indoor and outdoor courts
- Floodlit athletics tracks
Sport facilities
Anatomy is taught by experienced staff in a specialist clinical lab using skeletons, anatomical models, Anatomage Table, 3D software, online material and human subjects. You will learn techniques for sports injury rehabilitation, including the use of sports massage and ultrasound equipment.

Access to our Anatomy building enables students to visualize the human structure in real life through human cadavers.

You will also examine balance and stability using our Biodex® stability and balance trainer and assess strength imbalances using our sophisticated Biodex® dynamometer and new BTE Primus® rehabilitation equipment. You can investigate how new techniques such as thermal imaging are being used in injury assessment with Flir® IR cameras.

View our AccessAble accessibility guides for Darwin Building.
Sports medicine and anatomy
The John Dawson Sciences Complex is based on our City Campus. It has benefitted from a multi-million-pound investment in modern facilities in recent years and continues to develop as our health sciences offer grows.

It is the central hub for many of our health sciences courses and is made up of a variety of teaching and learning spaces, including labs, problem-based learning classrooms, and facilities that encourage interprofessional learning. A lot of academic staff offices are based here, with an open-door policy in place.
The John Dawson Sciences Complex
Map and directions

Facilities

Sunderland's outstanding facilities include laboratories with the latest fitness equipment and technology.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you're perhaps a mature student who's been out of education for a period of time, or you've gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.

Eligible entry qualifications:

If you're unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us.

**If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade, you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number.

If English isn't your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is £9,535 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

If you're a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student, you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Please note, this course isn't available to international students.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements, and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

Sunderland’s strong links with regional and national sporting organisations, local hospitals and authorities, and health and fitness centres helps you get to know potential future employers. You will also gain first-hand experience of how Sport and Exercise Sciences can be applied in working environments. There is a major focus on career planning for both employment and further study at all stages in the Sport and Exercise Sciences course. You will be prepared for supervised experience, the initial stage in the process towards becoming a professionally recognised Sport and Exercise Scientist accredited through the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).

Vocational qualifications

We are working towards reaccreditation from the professional development body for the Sport and Physical activity sector in the UK, to award vocational qualifications (related to the health and fitness industry) to students who successfully complete specific modules and additional assessments.

Career options

Potential employers for graduates of this course include national sports associations, sports and leisure companies, recreation services, local authorities, health bodies including the NHS, schools and colleges.

During the course, you will be encouraged and supported to obtain National Governing Body Coaching Awards to support future development in the area. This will allow you to develop the skills required to become an effective coach across a range of activities.

Job roles include the following (some require further training):

Sports coach/instructor
Sports and exercise psychologist
Fitness centre manager
Teacher of PE

Meet the students

Related courses

BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing.

Page last updated: 21 August 2025

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Foundation year

Core:

Optional (choose one):

Year 1 (national level 4):

Working in a Sport, Exercise and Coaching Context (30 credits)

Physiology of the Human Body (30 credits)

Coaching Science and Psychological Skills (30 credits)

Kinesiology and Biomechanics of Human Movement (30 credits)

Year 2 (national level 5):

Professional Identity and Practice (30 credits)

Physiology for Sport and Health (30 credits)

Sport and Exercise Psychology (30 credits)

Analysis of Human Movement for Sport and Performance (30 credits)

Final year (national level 6):

Core module:

Applied Project and Professional Development (30 credits)

Optional modules – choose three:

Applied Sport and Health Physiology and Nutrition (30 credits)

Applied Psychological Skills (30 credits)

Applied Biomechanics for Training, Performance, and Health (30 credits)

Clinical Exercise Physiology (30 credits)

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Vocational qualifications

Career options

Meet the students

Meet the team — BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences with Integrated Foundation Year

Related courses

Contact