Careers

Sport professionals are increasingly in demand. After graduating, you’ll possess a wide range of scientific, academic, and professional skills highly valued in the sport and health sectors.

You’ll have a strong understanding of physiology, psychology, biomechanics, and nutrition, with the ability to apply this knowledge in both athletic and public health settings. You’ll be skilled in conducting scientific assessments, analysing data and delivering evidence-based programmes. Your communication, ethical practice and problem-solving abilities will enable you to work effectively with diverse populations. You’ll also be confident in research, critical thinking, independent learning, time management and digital literacy. These skills prepare you for successful careers in sport science, health promotion, performance coaching and further academic or professional development.

Graduation doesn't have to be the end of your time with us. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Sports Masters degree. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

What can you do with a Sport, Exercise and Health Science degree?

How can ARU help with my employability and career development?

Teaching and modules

The blend of hands-on learning in our CASES Endorsed Labs with the flexibility to study online in your own time, is what makes this course so unique

Dr Andrew Morrison

First you’ll build a strong foundation through key topics like biomechanics, physiology, psychology and research methods. You’ll explore physical literacy, sports coaching and youth physical development through a mix of theory, practical sessions and real-world case studies.

You’ll learn physiological profiling for strength, power and endurance, and psychological profiling of athletes. Nutrition for health and exercise is covered alongside biomechanics focusing on motion analysis, training design, exercise medicine, sport psychology and physiological adaptations. You’ll explore applied skills like nutrition strategies, training programming, psychological interventions and health-related exercise.,/p>

Throughout this course, you’ll develop critical employability skills like collaborative work, data analysis, research, communication and applied practice.

What will I study?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1

Multidisciplinary Sport and Exercise Science 1 (30 credits)
Measurement and Evaluation in Human Performance (15 credits)
Introduction to Sport Coaching and Development (30 credits)
Multidisciplinary Sport and Exercise Science 2 (30 credits)
Sport-Specific Athlete Testing (15 credits)
Professional Development - Level 4
Into ARU

Year 2

Practical Competencies in Biomechanics (15 credits)
Physiological Profiling for Strength and Power (15 credits)
Applied Research Skills (15 credits)
Nutrition for Health and Exercise (15 credits)
Advanced Topics in Sport Psychology (15 credits)
Physiological Profiling for Endurance (15 credits)
Biomechanics: Analysis of Motion (15 credits)
Professional Development - Level 5
Ruskin Module (15 credits)

Year 3

Performance and Exercise Nutrition (15 credits)
Physiological Basis of Training (15 credits)
Exercise Medicine (15 credits)
Applied Sports Psychology (15 credits)
Physiological Responses to Training (15 credits)
Contemporary Issues in Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology (15 credits)
Advanced Work Placement (30 credits) *
Undergraduate Research Project (30 credits) *

Module details

It's possible to study this course part-time. You'll take the same modules as BSc/BA (Hons) students, but sometimes in a different order or in different years.

As a part-time student you'll typically study for twice as long as full-time students; for example if the BSc/BA (Hons) course takes three years, you can expect to study over six years, though for some courses the part-time length may differ.

How does online learning work?

What happens during the residential sessions?

When and where do residential sessions take place?

How is Sport, Exercise and Health Science assessed?

What equipment will I need?

Who teaches Sport, Exercise and Health Science at ARU?

At ARU, you’ll learn from expert staff including practising sport therapists, coaches, psychologists, nutritionists and conditioning specialists. There’s the chance to hear from world-leading guest speakers too, through our Excellence in Sports seminars.

Dr Andrew Morrison
Interim Deputy Head of School
Professor Dan Gordon
Professor in Exercise Physiology
Dr Francesca Cavallerio
Senior Lecturer
Dr Sanjoy Deb
Associate Professor
Dr Matt Jewiss
Senior Lecturer
Dr Ash Willmott
Associate Professor

Facilities

For Cambridge residentials, you’ll be based in our Cambridge Centre for Sports and Exercise Sciences, with facilities accredited by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES).

The Centre includes:

five dedicated laboratories (cardio-respiratory physiology, metabolic and anaerobic physiology, body composition, biomechanics and strength and conditioning)
electrocardiography (ECG)
icon Motion analysis system and Kistler force plates
Wireless Electromyography (EMG)
near infrared spectroscopy for monitoring of blood oxygenation
body composition systems
isokinetic dynamometer for the assessment of muscular strength
heat chambers
an array of ergometers: treadmills, cycles and rowers
GPS monitoring technology
breath-by-breath oxygen-analysis systems
haematology suites
accelerometers.

Take a guided tour and meet our students.

Learn how to measure fitness and performance at the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Learn how to interpret fitness and performance test results.
Learn how to work safely, effectively and professionally.
Collect, analyse, draw conclusions and make recommendations from data.
We'll always provide you with opportunities to become the best you can be.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirements

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

International students

English language requirements

Contextual offers

Fees and funding

UK students

£9,535 UK students starting 2025/26 (full-time, per year)

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

£4,767 UK students starting 2025/26 (part-time, per year)

Part-time course fees assume that you’re studying at half the rate of a full-time student (50% intensity, or 60 credits per year). Course fees will be different if you study over a longer period, or for more credits. All fees are for guidance purposes only. Your offer letter will contain full details of credits and fees, or you can contact us if you'd like more information.

If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now.

If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year.

You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate.

For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5:

If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month
That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45.

What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back.

For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page.

This information also applies to:

Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

International students

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Sport, Exercise and Health Science

BSc (Hons)

4 years part-time

Careers

Teaching and modules

BSc (Hons)

4 years part-time

Facilities

Entry requirements

BSc (Hons)

Important additional notes

4 years part-time

Important additional notes

International students

English language requirements

Fees and funding

BSc (Hons)

4 years part-time

BSc (Hons)

4 years part-time

Apply for Sport, Exercise and Health Science

UK students

Part-time courses

International students

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