Sport and Exercise Science with a Foundation Year

Sport and exercise science is the rigorous scientific study of how physical activity affects the human body and what this means for performance, health, and wellbeing. It draws on physiology, biomechanics, and psychology to understand the mechanisms by which exercise produces its effects, from cardiovascular adaptations in endurance athletes to the psychological factors that determine whether individuals adhere to physical activity programmes over the long term. The discipline is relevant across a spectrum of applications, from optimising elite sport performance to using exercise as a therapeutic tool for people managing chronic disease.

At Kent this part-time programme, which includes a foundation year, is designed to be accessible to students who need additional academic preparation or who are balancing study with other commitments. The foundation year introduces the scientific foundations of the discipline and builds the study skills and academic confidence needed for degree-level work. Once you progress to the main programme, you will study core scientific areas including physiology, biomechanics, and sport and exercise psychology, developing both the theoretical understanding and the practical skills needed to apply this knowledge in professional contexts.

Laboratory sessions, applied projects, and real-world tasks are central to the programme.

You will develop the ability to design and evaluate sport and exercise interventions, to interpret scientific literature, and to communicate findings to a range of audiences, all of which are skills that professional roles in this field require.

Graduates move into careers in sport and exercise science, performance analysis, strength and conditioning, sport development, health and fitness, exercise referral, and related healthcare roles. Many continue to postgraduate study in sport science, physiology, or public health.