Introductory modules will cover the foundations of the science behind sport and exercise - exploring how the human body functions from the cellular level to the whole organism.
Teaching will be a mixture of classroom-based sessions and laboratory practicals. In the Professional Development Portfolio, you’ll complete a first aid qualification.
Mechanics for Sport and Exercise Science
This module provides a mathematical foundation for understanding and characterising movement of both the body and sports equipment such as balls and other projectiles. It will cover forces and moments around joints, acceleration and inertia, and linear and rotational motion.
Human Physiology
In this module, you will be introduced to the physiology of major systems such as cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal, including some aspects of drug action. This module will allow you to understand your biochemical and genetics knowledge in the context of the intact organism. This module includes lectures and laboratory classes.
Genes, Molecules and Cells
This module combines lectures and laboratory classes and introduces you to the structure and function of significant molecules in cells, and the important metabolic processes which occur inside them. You will study, amongst other topics, protein and enzyme structure and function, the biosynthesis of cell components, and the role of cell membranes in barrier and transport processes. You'll examine how information in DNA is used to determine the structure of gene products. Topics include DNA structure, transcription and translation and mutation and recombinant DNA technology.
Core Skills in Sport and Exercise Science
This module will provide the opportunity to study the fundamental principles in:
- Exercise Physiology - including basic cardio-respiratory and muscle responses to exercise, nutritional requirements of exercise, and the basic anatomy of the heart and lungs.
- Psychology – including fundamentals of individual and population group processes in sport and exercise
- Functional Anatomy - focussing on the integration of the anatomy of bones, joints, muscle, ligaments and tendons with the biomechanics of human movement.
This module also focusses on developing core skills required by sport and exercise scientists in scientific writing, experimental design, data handling and analysis, and scientific presentations.
Professional Development Portfolio (mandatory for all students)
All students will be required to complete a Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) during their three year study in Nottingham. This mandatory portfolio will include successful completion of a first aid course in year one, undertaking short-term work placements within the University and UK, and obtaining national sport coaching qualifications of their choice.
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the
module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on Wednesday 26 October 2022.
Study the four main branches of Sport and Exercise Science (Physiology, Anatomy, Biomechanics and Psychology).
Work for the Professional Development Portfolio will progress, with the potential for you to undertake a coaching qualification and/or placements.
Functional Anatomy of the Musculoskeletal System and Applied Sports Medicine
This module will focus on specific muscles and muscle groups in the upper and lower limbs and relate this to function. The related osteology and important structures such as ligaments and tendons will be studied. There will also be the opportunity to study imaging modalities such as ultrasound. This knowledge will be integrated with fundamental aspects of prevention and treatment of sport- and exercise-related musculoskeletal injury and relevant medical conditions.
Sports and Exercise Biomechanics
Motion of the body is extremely complex in sporting activities. This module develops skills in measuring the motion and performance of the body using cutting-edge motion analysis equipment. Examples will be used to illustrate the applications of these techniques in assessing and understanding motion, characterising style and technique and monitoring injury.
Applied Sports Psychology
This module will cover psychological approaches to maximising training adaptations and enhancing performance in humans. It will also focus on psychological and behavioural risk factors and treatment interventions for optimal rehabilitation from injuries.
Cardiorespiratory and Environmental Physiology
This module will explain how the heart and lungs operate within an integrated system and enable students to understand the effects of acute exercise and chronic training on this system. This module will also focus on how the human body reacts, and potentially adapts to, environmental stress including extreme cold, heat and altitude.
Muscle Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism in Exercise
This module is designed to enable you to develop a strong understanding of how the human body responds acutely to exercise and adapts to chronic physical training, with particular emphasis on skeletal muscle. It will also focus on the interaction between nutrition and energy metabolism and the impact of nutrition on exercise performance. This knowledge will be integrated with the fundamental aspects of the anatomy of the human gastrointestinal system.
Professional Development Portfolio (mandatory for all students)
All students will be required to complete a Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) during their three year study in Nottingham. This mandatory portfolio will include successful completion of a first aid course in year one, undertaking short-term work placements within the University and UK, and obtaining national sport coaching qualifications of their choice.
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the
module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on
In the final year, you will continue to specialise through core modules in the major disciplines of sport and exercise science.
Advanced optional modules will also be available for you to choose from. It's a great opportunity to study a topic you already have a prior interest or something new.
Research Methods and Statistics
This module will equip students with a variety of research methods relevant to their upcoming research project. The importance of correct study design will be emphasised, as well as the ethical considerations when conducting human experiments. Data and statistical analysis techniques appropriate to sport and exercise research will be explained, as well as their importance when deciding on study design.
Applied Exercise and Health Psychology
This module will focus on psychological and behavioural approaches to promoting physical activity at individual and population group level.
Exercise Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism in Health and Disease
This module will enable students to develop a strong understanding of metabolism in the promotion and maintenance of human health, including aspects of muscle, heart, liver and adipose tissue metabolism. It will also cover the role of diet in the development, prevention and treatment of disease.
Clinical Biomechanics
This module expands on your understanding of skeletal tissue mechanics and physiology to identify the mechanisms of common sports injuries explaining injury thresholds and how these are determined. The concept of injury criteria will be introduced and used to illustrate how sports equipment and rule changes can be optimised to minimise the risk of injury.
Project and Dissertation
This is a year-long level three module. You will undertake detailed research on a chosen topic in anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, or psychology with close supervision from an academic member of staff. Each project will involve collection of experimental data, their analysis and interpretation in the context of previous published work, and the completion of a written dissertation.
Optional advanced modules
Four from the list below are required:
Biology of Ageing
The success of modern medicine has resulted in significant increases in the average human lifespan. This module will focus on the mechanistic basis of human ageing and progression to chronic age-related disease and will consider the role and potential for exercise and pharmacological interventions in offsetting age related decline.
Cardiovascular Adaptation and Control in Exercise and Disease
This module will explain how the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are affected by common diseases, such as atherosclerosis, COPD and heart failure, and how exercise is central to the quality of life of these patients. The module will examine the mechanisms underlying prevention of such diseases via increased physical activity, as well as the effect of exercise in managing disease.
Nutrition and Exercise in Epidemiology and Public Health
This module will focus on the impact of evidence-based medicine related to nutrition, exercise and physical activity and how it is used to inform public health recommendations and national clinical guidelines for the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases.
Physical Inactivity, Health and Chronic Disease
This module will cover the fundamentals of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour, and its relation to health and chronic disease with particular focus on measurement methods, evidence-based practice and preventative healthcare, and the physiological responses of the human body in health and chronic disease.
MRI in Sport and Exercise
This module will enable students to gain a broad knowledge on the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Sport and Exercise Science research with focus on multiple MRI techniques used for brain, cardiac, knee, body composition and muscle function.
Drugs in Sport and Exercise Science
This module will cover the use and abuse of drugs in the context of sport, exercise and non-medicinal use, and will introduce key concepts, mechanisms of action of different classes of drugs, their metabolic and ergogenic effects and the health risks associated with their use.
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the
module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on