BSc (Hons) — 2026 entry Sport and Exercise Science
Study sport and exercise science at Surrey, where you’ll learn to maximise sports performance and improve general health and wellbeing. You'll learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including Surrey Sports Park, and have the option to do a placement year to give you a head start in your career.
Gain industry experience through our Professional Training placements scheme and spend up to a year working for an employer such as a sports club, performance laboratory or nutrition company.
Learn in a range of facilities including our human movement lab, exercise physiology lab, strength and conditioning suite, and Surrey Sports Park – a hub for elite athletes and sports teams.
Complete nationally recognised gym instructor and personal training qualifications as part of your course, without any extra cost.
Apply for one of our sports scholarships, designed for individuals with exceptional sporting ability, to help support your studies.
We’re preparing you for the future by integrating AI into every course, building digital skills, confidence and creativity that employers value in tomorrow’s workplace.
For sports science in the Guardian University Guide 2026
7th in the UK
For sports science in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
14th in the UK
Our Sport and Exercise Science BSc is ranked 14th in the UK for overall student satisfaction* in the National Student Survey 2026
*Measured by % positivity based on Q1-24 for all providers listed in the Guardian University Guide league table, 'Sport and exercise sciences' grouping.
“ At Harlequins Rugby Club, our primary focus is offering the best possible support to our players. Our partnership with the University of Surrey aids our club while providing budding sports scientists with a solid practical foundation. ”
What you will study
In your first year, you’ll study topics including anatomy, biochemistry, fitness and health, physiology, kinesiology, and skills acquisition, ensuring you have a solid foundation upon which to build the rest of your degree.
During your second year, you’ll apply your knowledge in a sporting context, incorporating perspectives from physiology, nutrition, psychology, biomechanics and management, with the opportunity for interdisciplinary application and the development of discipline-specific practical skills.
In your third year, you’ll select two optional modules, exploring topics such as advances in nutrition, biological rhythms, exercise referrals and prescriptions, and human movement and rehabilitation.
You’ll also complete a research project, bringing together all the practical, analytical and presentation skills you’ve developed. Current projects include:
The impact of the menstrual cycle on strength and power: both perceived and measurable
Insect vs animal protein for building muscle mass
Exploring cultural variations in team preferences: A mixed-methods study of British, Singaporean, and Japanese athletes.
Professional recognition
BSc (Hons) - British Association of Sport and Exercise Science (BASES) Recognised by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) for the purposes of endorsement by the BASES Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme (BUES).
BSc (Hons) - Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) Endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
Additional practical skills development
To help you gain even more practical experience in our facilities, we also have a range of optional extracurricular opportunities that you can get involved with, including helping with athlete support, patient exercise referral, research project development and delivery, educational workshops and outreach projects.
Foundation year
If you don’t meet our entry requirements, you might still be able to apply for this degree with a Biosciences Foundation Year. This is an extra year of study to develop your skills and make it easier for you to get started at university. On successful completion of your foundation year, you’ll be ready to progress to the first year of your degree.
To see what modules you’ll be studying, refer to the foundation tab in the 'course structure' section.
The academic year is divided into two semesters of 15 weeks each. Each semester consists of a period of teaching, revision/directed learning and assessment.
The structure of our programmes follow clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes.
Please note: Thefull module listing for the optional Professional Training placement part of your course is available in the relevant programme specification.
Modules
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Modules are subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.
The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff.
New for 2026 entry: At Surrey, we want you to be a future-ready graduate. That’s why all our courses will offer at least one module that integrates and teaches AI tools in discipline-specific ways. You’ll develop the digital skills that employers are looking for and get comfortable with the tech of the future.
We use a variety of methods to assess you, including:
Coursework
Essays
Examinations
Practical write-ups
Presentations
Practical skills assessments.
General course information
Contact hours
You’ll have approximately 24 contact hours each week.
Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.
Timetable
New students will receive their personalised timetable during Welcome Week. In later semesters, at least one week before the start of the semester.
Scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday), with part-time classes normally scheduled on one or two days. Wednesday afternoons tend to be for sports and cultural activities.
This course is based at Stag Hill campus. Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught.
Some modules on this course will be taught at Surrey Sports Park, which is located on our Manor Park campus.
We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.
94%
Employability
Of our biosciences graduates are in employment or further study within 15 months of graduating (Graduate Outcomes 2026, HESA)
This course is accredited by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), which means that on successful completion of your studies, you’ll have the academic requirements needed to start your career. We’re also endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), meaning you’ll complete nationally recognised gym instructor and personal training qualifications as part of your course, without any additional cost. You’ll also have the option to specialise further and work with people with long-term conditions.
You’ll benefit from discounted CASES and CIMSPA membership, which gives you access to graduate job opportunities, online professional development learning materials and a quarterly newsletter, so you can keep up to date with any changes within the field.
Where do our students go?
With a sport and exercise science degree, you could take a role such as:
Athletic development coach
Exercise referral specialist
Health and wellbeing physiologist
Health screening practitioner
Strength and conditioning coach.
Our alumni can be found in commercial, charity and public sectors across the UK, with recent graduates working for:
Burnley Football Club
Manchester United Football Club
Nuffield Health
The English Institute of Sports
The University of Bristol.
With the critical thinking, analysis, problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills learnt throughout the course, some graduates have sought alternative careers in the food and retail industries. Many students also use this course to apply for further study, including postgraduate research and PGCE physical education programmes.
You’ll benefit from hands-on learning in our dedicated sport and exercise science (SES) facilities, including our human movement laboratory, our physiology laboratory, and our strength and conditioning suite. You will also be taught in our £12.5 million Innovation for Health Learning Laboratory, where you'll practise your wet-lab skills. Our labs are fitted with the latest industry equipment, which you’ll use to complete gas analysis, conduct western blots, measure bioelectrical impedance, and monitor biomechanics and movement.
You’ll also have practical classes at Surrey Sports Park (SSP), a hub for elite athletes and teams like Harlequins FC and Surrey 89ers. SSP boasts an Olympic-size swimming pool, netball, hockey and football pitches, a basketball hall, climbing walls and fitness suites. It is also home to the Surrey Human Performance Institute, where some of your sessions will be taught.
In our SES labs, you’ll have access to specialised exercise equipment, such as cycle ergometers, treadmills, Olympic lifting platforms, force plates, a linear position transducer, an optical measurement system, isokinetic dynamometers, and a sports vision trainer (SVT) hand-eye coordination device.
The time you spend in our facilities will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with sport and exercise sciences methodology and develop practical experience that’s essential in a sports career and valued by a wide range of employers.
Applicants will need to meet our GCSE Maths and English requirements in addition to the A-level grades. We are also able to consider applicants with a variety of domestic and international qualifications including BTECs and the International Baccalaureate. Please see our equivalencies guide for more information.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
International Foundation Year
If you are an international student and you don’t meet the entry requirements for this degree, we offer the International Foundation Year at the Surrey International Study Centre. Upon successful completion, you can progress to this degree course.
We normally make offers in terms of grades however complementary non-academic achievements and experiences will also be considered.
If you are a suitable candidate you may be invited to an offer holder event. During your visit to the University you can find out more about the course and meet staff and students.
We recognise that many students enter their higher education course with valuable knowledge and skills developed through a range of professional, vocational and community contexts.
If this applies to you, the recognition of prior learning (RPL) process may allow you to join a course without the formal entry requirements or enter your course at a point appropriate to your previous learning and experience. There are restrictions on RPL for some courses and fees may be payable for certain claims.
Contextual offers
Did you know eligible students receive support through their application to Surrey, which could include a grade reduction on offer?
Explore UKCISA’s website for more information if you are unsure whether you are a UK or overseas student. View the list of fees for all undergraduate courses.
Students with Tuition Fee Loan: the Student Loans Company pay fees in line with their schedule.
Students without a Tuition Fee Loan: pay their fees either in full at the beginning of the programme or in two instalments as follows:
50% payable 10 days after the invoice date (expected to be during October to November of each academic year).
50% in January of the same academic year.
The exact date(s) will be on invoices. Students on part-time programmes where fees are paid on a modular basis cannot pay fees by instalment.
Sponsored students: must provide us with valid sponsorship information that covers the period of study.
Additional costs
Safety equipment and/or uniform: £79 – the equipment pack includes laboratory coat, laboratory glasses, laboratory books, pen and bag. The exercise kit includes t-shirt, polo shirt and shorts. You are also responsible for the costs associated with maintaining/washing your kit.
Scholarships and bursaries
Discover what scholarships and bursaries are available to support your studies.
We have thousands of placement providers to choose from, most of which offer pay. So, become one of our many students who have had their lives and career choices transformed.
Statistics
Placement Statistics
92%
of students who did a placement entered into graduate level employment*
80%
of placements are paid, with 60% paying between £18,000 - £30,000
48%
of our students have been offered a graduate role from their placement provider**
*Graduate Outcomes 2025, HESA
**Professional training year returners survey 2024
Sport and exercise science placements
You can choose to work for a range of employers, including sports clubs, sports performance laboratories, health organisations, nutrition companies and academic institutions, to practise and enhance your skills.
Previous students have gained placements with:
AFC Wimbledon
Bristol City Football Club
British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association
Christ Hospital School
Club LaSanta
Guildford City Swimming Club
Harlequins FC
Hawkeye
Houston SaberCats
Macmillan Cancer Support
Surrey Sports Park
Team Bath
Texas A&M University
University of Copenhagen
University of Wollongong
West Ham United Football Club.
We also have an extensive number of partner institutions that offer placements exclusively to Surrey students, giving you access to research laboratories across the world. Explore your options via our search tool and find out more about our current partner universities and organisations.
Applying for placements
Students are generally not placed by the University. But we offer support and guidance throughout the process, with access to a vacancy site of placement opportunities.
"I began my placement not really knowing what area I wanted to go into but came out with a direction, obtained a masters in that area and now have the role of Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Surrey Scorchers."
Jamie Wilkinson Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) Graduate profile
Study and work abroad
Studying at Surrey opens a world of opportunity. Take advantage of our study and work abroad partnerships, explore the world, and expand your skills for the graduate job market.
The opportunities abroad vary depending on the course, but options include study exchanges, work/research placements, summer programmes, and recent graduate internships. Financial support is available through various grants and bursaries, as well as Student Finance.
Perhaps you would like to volunteer in India or learn about Brazilian business and culture in São Paulo during your summer holidays? With 140+ opportunities in 36+ different countries worldwide, there is something for everyone. Explore your options via our search tool and find out more about our current partner universities and organisations.
Apply for your chosen course online through UCAS, with the following course and institution codes.
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Disclaimer
This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.
Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.
It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer.
