2023/24 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences

Total credits: 360

Entry requirements:

A-level: AAAB, including a science subject (science subjects: Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics and Physical Education). Critical Thinking and General Studies excluded.
Applicants taking a Science A-level (in England) will be required to achieve a pass in the practical element in addition to the standard A-level grade requirement.
- IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in any component or equivalent English language qualification.

School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme:

School of Biomedical Sciences

Examination board through which the programme will be considered:

School of Biomedical Sciences

Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups:

Biosciences benchmark, adapted to be appropriate to Sport and Exercise Sciences programmes, incorporating elements of the benchmark for Hospitality, Sport, Leisure and Tourism

Programme specification:

The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme in 2022/2023 or before. For students entering the programme from September 2023 or after, you can find the details of your programme: BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences (For students entering from September 2023 onwards)

Sport and exercise sciences has an important role in our current society, ranging from improving sports performance in elite athletes to reducing the burden of disease associated with physical inactivity. By improving our understanding of how the body and mind respond and adapt to exercise, we can develop new research-based approaches to enhance performance and health.

Your Course

In the first year of your programme, you will be provided with a broad knowledge and understanding of the principal body systems, processes and functions in health and disease, and gain hands-on practical experience of the experimental approaches used to generate this knowledge. The course will initially cover structure and function of physiological systems and how these can be disturbed by exercise or disease. You will also look at physiological and psychological responses to exercise, the biomechanics of exercise and training alongside how sensory and motor control of movement can be tested and measured. You will continue to explore these concepts in an applied way, looking at energy balance and nutrition and how these can affect exercise and training. You will have the option of studying further, more specialised areas such supporting injured athletes, human nutrition and sports analytics or leadership and teams.

As you progress through your course, you will have the opportunity to discover and explore individual areas such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor control, and sport and exercise psychology. You will explore how these can be applied across a range of settings to optimise sports performance, improve health and disease outcomes, and inform rehabilitation strategies.

You will be part of an investigative-based inspirational and engaging learning experience, informed by cutting edge research undertaken in these areas at Leeds, delivered by the world leading academics undertaking this research.

You will gain an integrated knowledge of the of how the body and mind respond to and learn from, the particular demands placed on them during sport and exercise using current techniques and methodologies. You will be involved in active learning approaches including critical thinking, creative problem solving, team-working and mini-projects to progressively develop the key skills and attributes required by sports and exercise science graduates. You will be assessed using many tasks or activities undertaken in the workplace.

Towards the end of your programme, you will undertake a capstone or culminating research project, where you lead the research alongside an academic mentor and this opportunity will bring together the knowledge, skills and attributes developed throughout your degree and apply it to a problem, which could be research based, industry linked, clinical or an alternative, creating a solution to this problem. An opportunity to show case your knowledge and skills to potential employers.

Our World

Our focus is to train the next generation of thinkers, innovators and leaders, equipped to make a positive difference in a complex and ever-changing interconnected world, you will develop global cultural awareness, by exploring some of the grand challenges or UN Sustainable Development Goals facing humankind in partnership with students from different backgrounds, cultures or lived experiences within an inclusive learning environment. You will use your knowledge and skills to create solutions to local and global challenges, be able to explain the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion relevant to sport and exercise sciences, demonstrate ethical awareness and competencies and complete creative problem-solving activities.

Your Future

Our focus will be on making you workplace ready, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes required to succeed in whatever career you choose to go onto, able to contribute ethical solutions to the complex problems facing humankind. Throughout your studies, you will complete workplace tasks and activities undertaken in employment. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary team environments and contribute positively and flexibly to a team output. You will also be able to communicate scientific and other information to specific audiences and in relevant and varied formats. This will equip you with the necessary skills for employment or to go onto future studies relevant to your career of choice.

Year1 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Candidates will be required to study 120 credits

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Optional modules:

Basket 1: Candidates will be required to study 1-2 modules from the following list of optional modules:

Basket 2: Candidates can study one module from the following list of optional modules if they have taken only one module from basket 1

Discovery modules:

Candidates can take 0-10 credits of Discovery modules in Semester 2

Year2 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Candidates will be required to study 120 credits.

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study up to 30 credits and a maximum of 40 credits of optional modules.

Remember that your credits must be balanced evenly (60/60) with a maximum of 70 credits in one semester being permitted.

- Students who choose to study 10 credits of LEED modules (LEED1xxx) must be aware that they are required to pass 100 credits of Level 2 modules in order to progress to Level 3.
Modules not coded SPSC or FOBS must be checked to ensure that you have the required pre-requisites and that they fit into your timetable..