The Sport and Exercise Science programme is built around two main pillars. Firstly, ensuring students are knowledgeable in the underpinning scientific disciplines of physiology, biomechanics and psychology and secondly, how knowledge and skills in these disciplines can be applied to the sport and exercise context. Each discipline is introduced in year 1 and this is built on in year 2 with compulsory modules that ensure a breadth of knowledge and understanding along with an appreciation of how the disciplines can combine to address sport and exercise-related problems. The final year of study enables you to focus on one or two of these disciplines ensuring that you develop advanced knowledge and application in a field that aligns to your future career aspirations.

Additionally, the Sport and Exercise Science programme explores the continuum from competitive sport through to exercise and physical activity. This will help you gain an appreciation of the different motivators for sport and exercise as well as the different training demands and responses and the different roles sport and exercise play within different populations. Years 1 and 2 introduce these different contexts from a disciplinary perspective with a final year option to focus on sport or exercise as a main theme.

In addition to the main disciplinary modules you will also undertake modules to facilitate your transition into studying at university level, develop your critical research and science skills, investigate other disciplines allied to sport and exercise science (e.g. sports nutrition, strength and conditioning and exercise referral) as well as having opportunities to gain recognised vocational and professional industry relevant qualifications.

You will able to undertake a major project in your chosen field of study alongside your chosen subject-specific content. The final year focuses upon developing you as an independent, driven learner that can take control of your learning and ensure that this aligns with your first step into graduate employment or further study. Mentoring is a significant part of the final year of study to allow individualised support in the development of your skills as an academic and practitioner within the fields aligned to sport and exercise science.

Effective learning, teaching and assessment methods underpin the educational aims and the learning outcomes of all of our programmes and modules. Learning and teaching methods within the sport and exercise science programme may include lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, laboratory-based practical sessions, guest speakers and industrial visits. Our Virtual Learning Environment is also an integral aspect of the learning package that supports the needs of our students.

Lead lectures introduce key topics and concepts, whilst seminars, tutorials, workshops and practical laboratory sessions focus on the application of key concepts with the aim of enhancing the student experience and engagement. You will also meet tutors on a one to one basis. As a school, we work hard to provide student-centred learning opportunities that deliver a high quality and flexible learning environment.

Learning and teaching methods emphasise and facilitate the development of your critical reasoning, and encourage the integration of practice and theory. Throughout your programme, you will experience both tutor-led learning and self-directed methods of learning, increasing independence and reflection and encouraging you to develop a positive attitude toward lifelong learning.

Our teaching and learning methods embed the Cardiff Met 'EDGE' (Ethical, Global, Digital and Entrepreneurial) skills and you will be well equipped to demonstrate graduate attributes expected of you in an increasingly competitive world of work. We aim to help you to develop into scientists, reflective professionals and critical scholars.

In your sport programme at Cardiff Met, you will encounter a learning experience from induction to graduation that is coherent and develops your identity within your programme of study.

Specific features of the learning experience of the learning experience on Sport and Exercise Science include: 

• Internationally renowned researchers that are integral to the learning package offered to our students. 

• World-class sport and exercise science laboratory facilities and equipment to enhance the student learning experience. 

• All aspects of Learning and Teaching utilise the most recent research literature and professional standards (e.g., BASES, CIMSPA, REPS). Widely recognised as an applied sport and exercise science degree and endorsed by BASES, the professional body for sport and exercise science. ​

The assessment strategies for each module vary to ensure that most appropriate method is implemented for your area of study. Modes of assessment are designed to both enhance your learning experience and to acknowledge that you have fulfilled the learning outcomes linked to each module. Assessment also ensures that you have achieved the standard required to progress to the next stage or to qualify for an award (as articulated by the FHEQ and CQFW). Assessments support your learning experience by providing opportunities for you to engage in formative and summative assessments to test your knowledge, ability, skill, and critical understanding. The undergraduate modules are assessed by a combination of assessment types. For example:

• written coursework
  
• poster presentations 
  
• oral presentations
  
• portfolios
  
• seen and unseen exams
  
• practical skills
  
• other activities designed to assess, develop, and enhance academic and employability skills.
  

You will be expected to complete a final project as part of the assessment of your honours degree.  Final projects are major pieces of work that may be a research, innovation, consultancy or community project.  

The nature of the sport and exercise science programme requires students to demonstrate both theoretical (evidence-based practice and critical thinking) and applied (practical, intervention development and referral skills), and therefore assessments within sport and exercise science modules include both theoretical assessments and practical assessments in applied settings.

The Sport and Exercise Science programme seeks to develop your employability from three perspectives. Firstly, as a graduate with a high standard of graduate skills developed through the Cardiff Met EDGE philosophy which supports you to thrive in the modern world. Throughout your degree you will experience a range of opportunities to develop your ethical, digital, global and entrepreneurial competencies through problem-based learning, real-world industry case studies and practical work experiences on-, and where appropriate, off-campus. Throughout your time at Cardiff Met we will ensure that you get a range of opportunities to develop transferable graduate skills such as communication, team work and leadership. Secondly, to develop you as a scientist, you will be encouraged to think and write critically; frame and present a reasoned argument; collect, collate, analyse and interpret data; and design, implement and evaluate an evidence-based intervention or programme. Finally, you will develop the necessary subject-expertise to become an effective sport and exercise science practitioner in your chosen field.

During your first year of study you will get the opportunity to undertake technical qualifications in a range of industry relevant areas including sport coaching, exercise referral, fitness training, safeguarding and doping. These opportunities will ensure that you have the appropriate qualifications and experience to prepare you for many work opportunities after graduation. We will also support you to seek opportunities to work or study abroad. Students who have graduated from the Sport and Exercise Science programme have gone on to work in careers both within and beyond the sport and exercise Industries.

Recent graduates from sport and exercise science are now working with professional sports teams, academy sports teams as well as with national governing bodies of sport. Many students also pursue opportunities in private practice, clinical environments or in the military, emergency services and fitness industry settings. Other students have continued onto further Master’s level study in the field of sport and exercise science or related disciplines such as sports nutrition, sports performance analysis, physiotherapy or strength and conditioning. Others have then further progressed to doctoral level studies towards careers as researchers or academics.

Applicants should normally have five GCSEs including English Language (or Welsh First Language), Maths* and Science at grade C or above (grade 4 or above for applicants holding newly reformed GCSEs in England), plus 120 - 128 points from 3 A levels (or equivalent).  Typical offers may include:

• A Levels: 120 - 128 points to include grades BB; grade B to be in a Science subject (acceptable Sciences include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, PE/Sport Studies, Psychology, Mathematics or Social Biology). Welsh Baccalaureate – Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate will normally be considered as a third subject
• RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma with DDM overall in a Science or PE subject
• VTCT Extended Diploma in Sports Studies grade DDM overall
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 120 - 128 points from Highers to include 3 x H2 grades; one in a Science subject (minimum grade considered at Higher is H4)
• Scottish Advanced​ Highers: 120 - 128 points with grades CC
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: Pass with 15 credits with Distinction and 30 credits with Merit
• Applicants should also, preferably, ha​ve a strong sporting profile

 *For Welsh applicants sitting the reformed Mathematics GCSE, we will accept either GCSE Mathematics or Mathematics – Numeracy.

Applicants are normally made an offer based on the details above. Typical offers will be made within the tariff range detailed above and will be based on the strength of your overall application, including your academic and sporting profile. For applicants who are only undertaking 2 A levels (or equivalent) or are not predicted to meet the standard tariff offer above, applications will be considered based on the strength of the whole academic profile and we may issue a graded offer in lieu of an offer using the UCAS Tariff.

Sport Applicant Days
Successful applicants will be invited to a Sport Specific Applicant Day as part of the application process. For more information about Sport Open and Applicant Days, please click here.

Successful applicants are expected to give first priority to the university sports teams throughout their undergraduate careers. 

Selection Procedure 
Selection is based on the receipt of a completed UCAS application and attendance to a Sport Applicant Day.

How to Apply
Applications for this course should be made online to UCAS at www.ucas.com. For further information please visit our How to Apply pages at www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply.

Part-time applications should be made direct to the University at: www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/selfservice

Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer into year 2 & 3

If you are interested in transferring credit from another institution to study at Cardiff Met for a course which accepts entry for year 2 and/or 3, you can find further information on this and information on how to apply on the RPL page. Please contact Admissions for any queries that you have on RPL.

Mature Students

A mature applicant is anyone over the age of 21 who didn't go to university after school or college. Cardiff Met welcomes applications from mature applicants and further advice and information can be found here.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the Programme Support Team:
Email: CCProgadmin@cardiffmet.ac.uk