Exercise and Sport Sciences

Exercise and sport sciences apply the methods of biology, physiology, psychology and biomechanics to understand how the body moves, adapts and performs. The discipline is both academically rigorous and practically grounded, asking how we can help athletes train more effectively, how we can promote health across whole populations, and how physical activity shapes wellbeing across a lifetime. It draws on laboratory science, fieldwork and data analysis in equal measure.

At the University of Exeter you will spend three years exploring this breadth in depth. You will examine the physiological responses to exercise, from cellular metabolism to cardiovascular and respiratory function, and study how these change with training and with age. Biomechanics will teach you to analyse movement with precision, while sport psychology introduces the mental dimensions of performance and motivation.

Research methods and data interpretation run through the programme, giving you the skills to engage critically with scientific literature and to conduct your own investigations. A sandwich placement year is available, allowing you to combine professional experience with your degree and build a distinctive profile. A year abroad is also an option, adding international experience to the programme.

The course includes work placement opportunities, connecting academic study to practice in sport, health or research settings.

The careers available to exercise and sport science graduates span a wide range of sectors. Roles in sport science support, strength and conditioning coaching, and performance analysis are common pathways, as are positions in public health, exercise referral and health promotion. Many graduates move into physiotherapy, medicine or clinical exercise physiology through further study.

Research and academia are also well-trodden routes, with strong postgraduate provision in areas such as sport performance, health behaviour and applied physiology.