Sport and Exercise Science
Sport and exercise science is the application of scientific principles to human movement, physical performance and health. It draws on physiology, psychology, biomechanics and nutrition to understand how the body responds to exercise and how those responses can be optimised for both athletic performance and general health. As a discipline it addresses questions ranging from the energetic demands of elite sport and the mechanisms of fatigue to the health benefits of physical activity across the population, and its graduates work in settings that span high-performance sport and community health promotion.
At York St John University, this part-time programme includes a foundation year, a placement year and a year abroad alongside work placement opportunities throughout, giving you both additional academic preparation and extensive practical and international experience. You will apply sport science principles in a practically oriented degree, working in specialist spaces to develop the skills that exercise scientists use to support athletes and promote healthy living in the general population. The programme is designed to equip you for a career in the elite sport industry or in community settings where sport science principles are applied to improve the health and wellbeing of diverse populations.
Sport and exercise science graduates work across a wide range of settings. Elite sport organisations, national governing bodies, professional sports clubs, sports medicine clinics, fitness and leisure organisations, public health departments and community health programmes all employ sport and exercise scientists. Strength and conditioning, sports performance analysis, physiological testing, lifestyle coaching and sport injury rehabilitation are all roles that draw on the knowledge this degree develops.
Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in sport and exercise science, strength and conditioning, sports medicine or a related clinical specialism, while others pursue professional qualifications in personal training, strength coaching or sport psychology.