Overview
Start your journey in sports science with a Sport and Exercise Science degree with Canterbury Christ Church University. Whether you want to delve into industries such as biomechanics, nutrition, or sport psychology, our exercise science degree will prepare you for a range of sectors with our inter-disciplinary course structure.
With a sport science degree from CCCU, you’ll grasp the fundamentals of exercise science. Focusing on psychology, biomechanics, sociology, and physiology, you’ll gain the necessary knowledge needed before exploring your specialism in the final year. Taking this multi-functional approach, you’ll become competent and confident in a variety of skills, including research-methods, client interaction, and understanding the varied factors when it comes to exercise science.
What’s more, you’ll be based in our state-of-the-art Verena Holmes building where we are home to industry-spec, state-of-the-art facilities. These include:
- Strength and conditioning lab
- Biomechanics lab
- Multi-purpose exercise studio
- Altitude Centre
- Physiology labs
- SportsLab
- Sport Therapy Clinic.
You’ll also have the opportunity to get involved with current research with our research-active team of lecturers. Recent research has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, BBC, and the New York Times.
Studying sport science at university will enable you to receive an in-depth, industry-focused education that prioritises both research and employability, which will open multiple opportunities for you upon graduation.
Our Sport and Exercise Science degree is endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) against the professional standards for Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer. SportsLab is accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.
Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation accreditations
British Association of Sports Rehabilitators
96%
of our students were satisfied with their teaching in the subject area of Sport and Exercise Sciences
National Student Survey 2025100%
of our Sport and Exercise Science students were in work or further study 15 months after finishing their course.
Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023An inclusive approach
At CCCU, we appreciate that you bring your own unique combination of achievements, experiences, and aspirations. We believe in recognising your full potential – not just your qualifications.
Each application is considered on its overall merits, including relevant work, voluntary, or professional experience. We are committed to fair, supportive, and inclusive decision-making.
If you have your results, you can apply now. You can also call us on 01227 926000 to discuss your options or register for a priority callback, and we’ll get in touch.
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Book a priority callbackModule information
As well as the core modules, you may also have the opportunity to study a number of option modules. Option modules will not be pre-selected for you. We provide examples of option modules. The availability of specific option modules may vary from year to year. The offer of an option will be subject to a minimum number of students choosing the module to ensure the appropriate student experience. The offer of option modules may also be affected by staff availability. It means we cannot guarantee the availability of a particular optional module. However, we will ensure you have a choice of option modules.
Core/optional modules
How you’ll learn
You will be taught through a combination of real and virtual lectures, seminars, practical sessions, labs, workshops and tutorials.
Seminars and tutorials in smaller groups will enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures and other sessions. In addition, you will meet with your personal academic tutor on a regular basis.
All courses are informed by the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2015-2022.
When not attending lectures, seminars, workshops or other timetabled sessions you will continue learning through self-study. Typically, this involves reading journal articles and books, undertaking research in the library, working on projects, and preparing for workshops, seminars, coursework and examinations. This work should equate to approximately 3-5 hours per week for each module you are studying.
Each module tutor will direct you towards specific readings and/or activities to complete before and/or after class to support your learning and development. Your allocated personal academic tutor will help you review your performance, and support your independent learning.
Your overall workload typically consists of 10-14 contact hours per week. You will also undertake 15-20 hours of independent learning and assessment related activity each week.
During each semester you will normally study three modules, so each module will have a 10-14 hour commitment per week.
Note: If you are completing the degree as a part time student the workload will be two thirds of this for one semester and one third for the other dependent on the modules you choose to study.
The teaching team consists of highly qualified academics, supported by a skilled technical team. They have a range of expertise and experience across the breadth of disciplines in science generally, and sport and exercise science specifically.
The majority of staff hold the highest academic qualification (doctorate), with a small number of staff working towards achieving this standard. Staff are research-active and many of the teaching team are at the forefront of their research fields in the UK and beyond. They have substantial experience in delivering research led and research informed teaching.
Postgraduate students sometimes assist in teaching and assessing some modules. However, experienced academics teach the vast majority of lectures and seminars.
One member of staff within the Section of Sport and Exercise Sciences broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest 100km treadmill run (6 hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds) – completed in our laboratory!
The degree in sport and exercise science explores key challenges around sport performance and health-related fitness, focusing on developing practical and applied skills alongside knowledge of contemporary theoretical concepts.Mathew BrownSport and Exercise Science Course Director
How you’ll be assessed
This Sport and Exercise Science course frequently provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Many modules contain practice, or formative assessments, or similar submissions for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Formative or practice assessments and submissions are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.
The formal, or summative, assessments on each module are planned to take account of two interdependent aspects - the acquisition of relevant theory/principles, and the development of both academic and practical skills.
Assessment methods include a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, presentations, your final year project (dissertation), and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.
Your future career
Our Sport and Exercise Science degree opens up roles in sport, physical activity and health, administration and research, and health and fitness publishing, as well as the expanding leisure industry.
In addition, it provides an excellent foundation for careers in the public sector, including the medical professions (cardiac rehabilitation, physiotherapy, health promotion, and medical sales), whilst both the armed and police forces have looked favourably upon our graduates.
Wherever your career aspirations lie, a Sport and Exercise Science degree will equip you with both the specific and generic knowledge and skills that may provide that essential ‘edge’ when trying to make a mark in today’s competitive job market.
Successful completion of the degree can open up routes into teaching, such as a PGCE (Physical Education), and will also prepare you for further postgraduate study at all levels through to PhD.
CCCU gave me a chance - they saw my potential based on the skills and experience I'd gained in the marines. Now four years later with a degree and MSc in Exercise Physiology I'm about to start a PhD.HarrySport and Exercise Science Instructor
Related courses
Fees
The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:
| UK | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £9,535 | £15,500 |
Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated. The fees represented here are for study with Canterbury Christ Church University. If you are looking to study at a partner institution, please visit their website for fees information.
Please read the 2025/26 Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding tuition fees and year on year fee increases.
Home (UK) Fees
The Government has announced that it will increase the tuition fee cap by 3.1%, in line with inflation, for the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to parliamentary approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 our undergraduate home tuition fees are expected to be £9,535.
Overseas/International Fees
Undergraduate / PGCE tuition fees for international students are not set by the UK Government.
- Read advice about funding your degree
- See information about the financial support available for undergraduate studies
- If you would like information about paying your fees, please contact accounts.receivable@canterbury.ac.uk
- For specific fee queries, please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk
Specialist facilities
As a student of Sport and Exercise Sciences, you will have access to our well-equipped laboratories that are used to measure and assess sport and exercise performance. You will also have the opportunity to work within our consultancy unit SportsLab, through which we work with professional athletes, conducting performance-related tests and using our expertise to help athletes boost their performance either as an individual or as a team.
Industry links
Our course, research and consultancy work are continually developed with consideration of advances and relevant stakeholder needs within the wider health and fitness industry.
Selected staff are accredited by or registered with the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), the British Psychological Society (BPS), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and/or the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Many members of the teaching staff hold coaching qualifications awarded by a range of national governing bodies.
Regulated by the Office for Students
The Office for Students (OfS) regulates Canterbury Christ Church University. The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England. It aims to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. Further details about its work are available on the OfS website.
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*We are advertising this course as ‘subject to approval.’ When we add new courses or update existing courses, we advertise the course as ‘subject to approval’. We do this to let you know the University still needs to agree to run the course. It is rare for a course not to gain approval, but it is not guaranteed. There may be changes to course and module titles, content and assessment, but we will tell you about these if there is a change. You can still apply to study a course subject to approval. We have prepared some questions and answers to tell you more.