Andrew Stevens

Why I chose Surrey

I chose Surrey because I felt the course was best suited to what I wanted to get from university, compared to many other sport science courses Surrey is a lot more applied and due to the smaller year sizes you get a lot more practical experience compared to Loughborough and Bath.

I attended an open day, it helped inform my decision, it was a nice campus but the staff are what convinced me that Surrey was the right choice for me. They were welcoming, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable, which was incredibly comforting as a student looking at universities. Additionally, getting to see all of the wonderful facilities on offer was great.

I thought Surrey was nice, the main campus itself was lovely with the lake and lots of green space surrounding the main buildings. All of the student helpers were very welcoming and the layout of tours and department talks were all extremely organised. I realised that this is the place I wanted to be.

My course

I really enjoy the practical sessions, both in the labs and on the field. It massively helps with the transfer of learning; I don’t think I would have retained half the information I have if it hadn’t been for the practical sessions relating to that week’s lectures. That’s the beauty of Surrey, and having a much smaller cohort, you get all the hands-on experience you need to prepare yourself for work.

The academic staff on the BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science course are all excellent, Ralph and Julie, the course directors, are always very supportive and happy to answer any questions we may have. They are supported by multiple lecturers who obviously love their subject area and make it a lot easier to learn. They are always happy to help and will take a look at work or meet you to go through sections of the course you may be struggling with.

Surrey is great, the people and the environment make you believe you’re part of something amazing.

My placement

I am currently on my Professional Training placement at the University of Bath, working within Team Bath and the Sport and Medical Department. I am mainly involved with the men’s first team rugby squad at the University, I assist medially on match days and in training sessions with strapping and first aid cover. Additionally, as well as my rugby commitments, I have rotations that I have to complete with nine weeks spent each on S+C, physio and physiology, this means that I am exposed to lots of different sports and all the different disciplines.

I would 100% recommend a placement as it gives you a platform to gain valuable experience that you can use effectively in the workplace. Additionally, it makes you more employable by making you stand out from the crowd.

I learnt how to apply my knowledge both as a practitioner and how to communicate this with athletes, as they are totally different experiences. I have learnt how a multidisciplinary team works together and how to best utilise each section of the team in order to get the best results.

"I would 100% recommend a placement as it gives you a platform to gain valuable experience that you can use effectively in the workplace."

My life at Surrey

I’m a member of the Tennis Club, have played 3rd and 4th Team Tennis, and was Fitness Captain. All of these roles and interactions with the Tennis Club and the other sports teams has enhanced my confidence and has given me a lot more experience that definitely helped me obtain my placement. Additionally it helped me make friends, gain a great social life and improve my tennis since joining the University.

The facilities at Surrey Sports Park are phenomenal, as a student athlete it is great to be able to train in good facilities and for a fairly reasonable price. Having said that, the best thing about Surrey has to be being part of a club and the social life that comes with it, the clubs are all very active socially and are always arranging bar crawls and other socials.

My career and development

I would say that I’m a much more confident, well-rounded individual than when I started at Surrey. This is partly down to the experience of university, but also due to the nature of my course, which lends itself to making you an independent and competent practitioner.

Find out more about our sport and exercise science course