The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Social Sciences is the key provider of sport, health and education students and employees across Kent. It offers a wide variety of educational and research opportunities, within Physical Education, Sport & Exercise Science. I hope that this is the beginning of a long association with the University which will continue after you have completed this course, to support your developing career in the future.

The University has great facilities, including: The University Sports Centre with double sports hall, exercise studio, fitness suite and performance analysis room; Polo Farm Sports Club which includes indoor sports facilities with specialist teaching space for academic courses and venue for netball, cricket and hockey teams; and access to the Verena Holmes building with laboratories used to measure and assess sporting performance. Alongside the academic study of sport, there will be the opportunity to engage with university clubs and organisations to meet new friends and support your wellbeing.

The University also offers a Sports Scholarship Scheme for a range of abilities and interests. Please follow this link to apply: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/christ-church-sport/sport/sports-scholarships/sports-scholarship-scheme.aspx

Modules

All your modules across semester 1 and semester 2 in the Foundation Year are core so that you can gain a broad and balanced foundation from which to build your knowledge, skills and understanding as you progress through your learning journey at Canterbury Christ Church University.

• Orientation to Foundation Year Studies
• Practical Studies in Sport and Exercise
• Scientific Skills in Sport and Exercise
• Introduction to Physical Education
• Key Concepts in Kinesiology
• Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Sport and Exercise

A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance will be required for this course. Further information on this and how to complete the clearance can be found here.

Social media

Social media can help you keep up-to-date with activities at the University. Here are a few University feeds to look at and follow:

• @PhysEd_CCCU
• @christchurchsu
• @CCCUSport

We have a very active PE community Facebook page which can be found at –Physical Education at CCCU.

These electronic resources will give you an insight into both physical education, sport and physical activity, and keep up-to-date in your field:

• @afPE_PE
• @YouthSportTrust
• https://twitter.com/Active_Kent

Visiting these websites will help you start becoming familiar with current policies on physical education, sport and physical activity.

Websites:

• Department for Education
• Department of Health and Social Care
• English Federation of Disability Sport

Also don't forget to check out our Faculty Instagram pages!

 Community

On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!

CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 18th September 2024. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.

We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.

You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friends here.

If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.

We have had significant investment in both hard copy texts and electronic resources through our University library which is highly rated by our PE and Sport and Exercise Science students. We usually tell students to wait until they commence their studies at University to make decisions about buying texts.

It is useful to note that the University Bookshop offers 10% discount on most titles in print and have some price-beating book bundles. They also price match Amazon on core texts recommended in the module handbooks you will receive when you start in September. We also advise you to look at the second-hand book market.

Pre-Reading/ Learning Suggestions:

Government documentation and research reports are a valuable source for deepening your subject knowledge and understanding. Examples are:

• https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage
• The National Curriculum

Youth Sport Trust (2022) PE and School Sport in England: The Annual Report 2022. Available at: https://www.youthsporttrust.org/media/nkvorv5v/yst_pe_school_sport_report_2022_final_revc.pdf (Accessed: 04 June 2026)

Some key books/readings include:

• Capel, S., Cliffe, J., Lawrence, J. (2021) Learning to teach physical education in the secondary school: a companion to school experience. 5th edn. London and New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
• Fletcher, T., Ní Chróinín, D., Douglas G., and Beni, S. (eds). (2021) Meaningful physical education: an approach for teaching and learning. Milton: Taylor & Francis Group.
• Houlihan, B. (Ed.). (2008) Sport and Society: A Student Introduction (2nd edn). London: Sage.
• McGinnis, P. (2005) Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise (2nd edn.). Champaign, Illinois:Human Kinetics.