Curious about studying Sport and Exercise Science - BSc (Hons)at Birmingham City University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
City South Campus, Edgbaston
Full Time
Sep 2026
3 Year
Our Sport and Exercise Science course will equip you with the skills to become a practitioner in the sport and exercise industry; either helping leading athletes to achieve their potential, or working with members of the public to achieve their goals. By studying this course, you’ll split your time between our recently extended £71 million campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and the world-class Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham which contain our state-of-the-art sport and exercise laboratory, sports therapy rooms, cutting-edge resources and a designated sports area. The Stadium was home to the Commonwealth Games in summer 2022, and the University is investing an additional £5m in areas across both main stands which will be home to our students. The course explores the science of sport and exercise, considering how disciplines such as physiology, psychology and biomechanics can be applied in the context of sports performance, physical activity, health and wellbeing. You will study a range of discipline-specific and multi-disciplinary modules, equipping you with a diverse range of perspectives that will enrich your learning and enhance your career opportunities. It won’t just be about sport - you'll be looking at different aspects of health and people at opposite ends of the health spectrum. Sport and exercise is a large and expanding global industry and levels of fitness and participation in physical activity are significant issues on the political agenda. Therefore, you’ll be trained to respond to the challenges facing society today, by exploring the profession and it's disciplines in encouraging and supporting greater physical activity. Endorsed by the British Association for Sport and Exercise Science, the professional body for sport and exercise science, our practice-led course is full of relevant, fresh information and insight that you can take into the work environment and make a positive contribution to modern society.
This module will introduce the academic skills required for studying Sport and Exercise in Higher Education, and to the resources needed to support academic and personal development. The skills and resources introduced in this module will be used throughout the course, and after successful completion of studies, to enable lifelong learning as a competent and autonomous practitioner. The module will introduce the research process and consider how knowledge is generated in an applied manner for Sport and Exercise Science, Sports Therapy, and Sports Coaching and Physical Education disciplines. Students will be provided with skills in relation to finding appropriate sources of information relating to their area of study and be able to read and understand these effectively. There will be a focus on the scientific method, academic writing skills, data collection and analysis skills.
This module aims to develop the student as a practitioner in Sport and Exercise Science. It will cover practical, interpersonal, and transferable skill development. The module will introduce the concept of interdisciplinary teams and students will be introduced to the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively within the disciplines of physiology, nutrition, psychology, and biomechanics, to solve a variety of problems related to sports performance, exercise, and health. The module has a focus on being able to write an effective CV in relation to working within the field of Sport and Exercise Science. The content will include employability skills such as development of an industry-specific CV, personal development planning, and goal setting. The module will also cover important laboratory and field-testing practical skills.
This module considers the application of the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology of the human body, to real-world sport and exercise settings. There will be a strong focus on musculoskeletal anatomy, The delivery is contemporary in design, whereby the lectures are pre-recorded in the form of online videos. These lectures are supported by practical sessions where the student can apply their knowledge with a life size skeleton, whilst sessions in physiology enable the measurement of physiological parameters and the examination of the physiological responses to exercise.
This module aims to consider the underpinning biochemistry and physiology of nutrition for health, exercise, and sports performance. Students will also explore the link that nutrition has to a variety of sport, exercise, and health settings, providing fundamental knowledge for further study at level 5 and 6. This module will also present core practical competencies required in sport and exercise nutrition. Nutrition-related measurements including energy balance (intake and expenditure), anthropometrical assessments (body composition), and methods of assessing dietary intake are taught. Practical sessions involve a variety of laboratory and field techniques that are relevant to employability in Sport and Exercise Nutrition.
The primary purpose of this module is to introduce students to the mechanical principles that govern human movement and thus equip them with the ability to observe, measure, and understand human movement, is controlled, and effected. The module covers basic concepts, variables, and parameters associated with linear and angular kinematics, and kinetics of human movement, and its scope ranges from governing mechanics through to general and specific application within sport, exercise, and health. The module will be taught in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, with hands-on experience of working with advanced technologies such as motion capture, force instrumentation, and electromyography systems. Students will also be provided with technology enhanced training to become proficient with selected specialist software. The module has a strong focus on providing opportunities for the enhancement of a variety of fundamental and academic key skills such as numeracy, literature searching, referencing, data analysis, report writing, independent study skills, working in small teams, and planning and time management.
This module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of important theories and concepts involved in Sport and Exercise Psychology. This module will provide a sound knowledge base of existing psychological theories, psychological factors affecting sport and exercise behaviour, and the psychology of participation, in relation to evidence-based practice. The lectures and seminars will present key concepts and will be complimented by self-directed learning activities, where appropriate. Seminars will provide opportunity for more interactive forms of learning, such as group-based discussions and small group activities. Practical classes will allow for hands-on experience of collecting and analysing experimental data, where psychological concepts will be explored and researched in sport and exercise contexts.
This module aims to provide an insight into the strategies that can be used to analyse and profile an athlete in a valid and consistent manner to help inform training and competition/match-play outcomes. Topics relating to Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Fitness Testing, Biomechanics, and Notational Analysis will be explored, and specific focus is placed upon the process of conducting a comprehensive ‘Needs Analysis’ for an individual, including physical, tactical, technical and bioenergetic elements. Objective analysis of athlete status and performance is achieved through the collection of real-time data, which will be analysed and reported in a useable manner. The means by which performance analysis data can be used to enhance training interventions, augment learning, and improve decision-making in competitive situations will be the focus of discussion in sessions. The evidence base for this module is drawn from professional guidelines and accreditor requirements for the International Society of Performance Analysis of Sport (ISPAS) and British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).
This module will prepare students for the Independent Research Project at level 6. The module will provide scenarios and conditions that will improve students’ ability to interpret and critique research, as well as make logical conclusions. Learning and teaching will be carried out on aspects such as how to answer research questions by analysing and presenting data, and a variety of ‘soft skills’, such as organisation and communication are developed.
This module focuses upon the application of evidence of physiological mechanisms and assessment to help inform exercise/ physical activity implementation. There will be a strong focus on conducting physiological assessment in practical/ laboratory sessions through a range of relevant tests that are appropriate to athletic populations and public health. The underpinning rationale for these tests, the validity and reliability considerations, as well as the application of the information acquired will be discussed within lectures and seminars. Evaluation and reflection upon physiological assessment and the application of the information, using associated physiological mechanisms and relevant evidence will also be explored. This module requires participation in a large amount of group work which will help to develop a range of interpersonal skills and is reflective of the Sport and Exercise industry.
This module will provide the foundations that underpin Strength and Conditioning practices. The use of biomechanical tools, such as force plates, EMG, and cameras to analyse technique during athletic tasks will be taught, and then applied to physiological theory to help understand how technique impacts performance. Knowledge of Physiology and Biomechanics will be applied so that the student can make training recommendations, informed by scientific evidence.
This module aims to provide a more advanced understanding of the psychological issues, techniques, and skills that are relevant to individuals in sport and exercise contexts. The module will provide an understanding of evidence-based psychological skills and techniques for the promotion of health, well-being, and sporting performance. During the module, important aspects of ethical conduct and other professional competencies (e.g., reflective practice, professional philosophy) needed to be a sport and exercise psychology practitioner will be explored.
This module will consider the link between nutrition, training, and competition for sports performance. Empirical study of the effect of nutritional strategies on sports performance across a range of performance types (e.g., strength, power, endurance) and the efficacy of the nutritional strategies will be examined in relation to critically evaluating findings of previous studies. This module will also consider the role of both nutrition and physical activity in health, and how these are integrated in the aetiology, management, and prevention of nutrition-related diseases. There will also be a consideration into the effects of disease processes on both diet and nutrition, as well as exercise and sport performance. The assessment activities require students to demonstrate a range of skills, including the ability to translate evidence-based research into practical advice for a client, creativity, scientific writing skills, and the ability to analyse data.
Students may opt to complete the Professional Placement Year, whereby they will need to complete a minimum of 1200 hours with a professional sports team or club. As part of this year, they will complete a SWOT analysis, formulate learning outcomes, and regularly reflect on their practice and development of skills in relation to the goals / outcomes set. There are quarterly student reflections and supervisor feedback, alongside reviews with the placement lead to ensure the placement is meeting the requirements of the course. The completed documentation will need to be submitted and will receive a pass/ fail grade.
This module provides the opportunity to design and carry out a substantive piece of independent research, which is focused on the student’s interest. This in-depth, self-managed study will encourage the examination of a critical issue from a particular sector or discipline. The skills, knowledge, and experience that students have gained from level 4 and 5 will be important in this module. The core learning within this module will involve independent work, and this will be supported by regular tutorial sessions with a project supervisor. The use of the department’s state-of-the-art facilities will be available to students to use for their projects. There may also be the opportunity to work with selected external partners.
In this module theoretical and practical knowledge will be applied as to how different environments affect human function, in reference to both performance and health. This module considers the human capability to exercise in, tolerate, and adapt to, the conditions encountered in various environments. The skills gained in this module will support students to advise individuals/teams on the necessary preparations to perform in extreme environments on placements or future employment. As the international athlete is a growing concept, this module ensures contemporary knowledge is covered on how to best support them in difficult environments. Data collection skills within the human performance laboratory will be enhanced in this module.
This module aims to develop an understanding of exercise prescription for those with health conditions, so an understanding of how a programme can be designed, monitored, and adapted for specific individuals can be developed. Knowledge of a range of health conditions and how exercise/ physical activity may be beneficial is explored, enabling the student to identify, agree, and review goals to help ensure realistic client achievements. This module will cover appropriate assessment and monitoring of individuals, as well as the management of risk that may arise from exercise/physical activity participation. The means to promote a range of exercise/physical activity opportunities in accordance with current initiatives, as well as the needs and health status of an individual, will also be explored. The development and application of strategies to enhance adherence and promotion of the development of healthy behaviours and long-term positive well-being for those with health conditions will be taught.
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