Sport and Exercise Therapy

Sport and exercise therapy is a clinical discipline concerned with the prevention, assessment, and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, primarily in the context of sport and physical activity. Sports therapists work with athletes and active individuals across all levels, from recreational players to elite performers, helping them to manage injury, recover effectively, and return to activity safely. The discipline draws on anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and clinical practice, combining the scientific understanding of how the body works with the practical skills to intervene when it is injured.

This part-time programme at York St John University develops the knowledge, understanding, and practical skills required to work effectively as a sports therapist. You will learn to reduce the risk of injury through screening, conditioning, and education; to assess and treat injuries using manual therapy and other clinical techniques; to design and deliver rehabilitation programmes; and to support athletes in returning to sport after injury. The programme includes a foundation component for those who need to build their scientific foundations before the degree proper, a sandwich year that places you in a professional clinical context for an extended period, and work placement activity embedded throughout.

This combination of academic preparation and supervised clinical experience is central to developing the competence and confidence the role requires.

Graduates work as sports therapists in professional and semi-professional sport, in private practice, in leisure and fitness settings, and increasingly in NHS and healthcare environments. Many work on a self-employed basis, developing client lists alongside other employment. The degree also provides a strong foundation for further study in physiotherapy, osteopathy, sports science, or strength and conditioning, and some graduates go on to postgraduate qualifications in these areas to expand their clinical scope.

Registration with relevant professional bodies supports career development and public recognition of the qualification.