Sport and Exercise Science

Sport and exercise science applies the methods of physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and nutrition to understanding how the human body performs and adapts during physical activity. It is a rigorously empirical discipline, grounded in laboratory and field-based measurement, and it has transformed how athletes train, how coaches make decisions, and how exercise is understood as a tool for health and wellbeing. Specialising in performance sailing adds a distinctive dimension: sailing places unique physiological and psychological demands on the body, requiring balance, strength, endurance, reaction speed, and the ability to perform under unpredictable conditions.

At the University of Chichester, this highly practical degree follows a dedicated pathway in performance sailing, giving you the opportunity to develop your scientific knowledge alongside specialist expertise in the physiology and biomechanics of the sport. You will study the science of human performance, exploring how training produces adaptation, how nutrition supports exercise, how psychological factors influence performance, and how these principles apply specifically to sailing. Laboratory and field-based work are central to the programme, ensuring your learning is grounded in practical experience.

The programme runs over three years full-time.

Graduates of sport and exercise science programmes with a performance sailing pathway pursue careers in sports coaching, performance analysis, strength and conditioning, sports science support, and sailing development. The scientific training also opens routes into sport and exercise in broader contexts, including health promotion, rehabilitation, and public health. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in sport science, physiotherapy, or coaching, and the specialist sailing expertise is particularly valued in high-performance and national governing body contexts.