Overview
If you see yourself turning your passion for sport and exercise into an exciting global career, this BSc (Hons) Sport, Health, and Exercise Sciences dual degree course is for you.
Based in Portsmouth and Perth, Western Australia, you'll explore areas such as sports psychology, biomechanics and exercise physiology, and develop skills to help everyone – from elite athletes looking to set new records to those who play sports for fun – get the most out of exercise.
You'll experience another culture, get access to further expertise and high-tech equipment, and gain an international perspective that will help set you apart when you embark on your career.
Advantages of dual degrees
This course is a dual degree (also known as a double degree).
When you complete the course successfully, you'll have 2 degrees:
- BSc (Hons) Sport, Health, and Exercise Sciences from the University of Portsmouth
- BSc International Exercise and Sports Science from Edith Cowan University
Dual degrees allow you to achieve 2 degrees in 3.5 or 4 years rather than 6 years.
You'll benefit from a global education experience and the high-calibre teaching expertise, latest research and modern facilities at 2 universities. You'll also develop a more comprehensive knowledge of global sport and exercise science than on a single degree and gain an understanding of different cultures, which will help you work more effectively with people from different backgrounds.
All of this will help you stand out in a competitive job market after you graduate.
Location
You'll be based in Portsmouth in years 1 and 2, and for 6 months at the end of the course. You'll spend year 3 in Perth, Western Australia at Edith Cowan University.
You'll get support with travel arrangements, visas, finding accommodation and accessing loans and other funding that can help pay for your study and living costs when you're in Australia.
Edith Cowan University is one of the top 100 young universities in the world one of the top 100 universities in the Asia-Pacific regions (Times Higher Education 2019 and 2020). The Good Universities Guide 2021 gives the University 5 out of 5 stars for its learner resources, student support, teaching quality and overall experience.
Like Portsmouth, Perth offers a mix of city and outdoor living. It's a great base for exploring Western Australia and beyond.
Course Highlights
- Build practical experience using industry-standard tech in our labs, including an immersion pool and swimming flume, motion capture systems and climatic chambers for manipulating temperature, humidity and altitude – one at sub-zero temperatures for polar preparation
- Explore new aspects of sport and exercise science while studying in Australia, such as clinical and rehabilitation techniques essential for careers in healthcare
- Be able to get specialist qualifications that match your career aspirations in areas such as first aid, coaching and gym instruction
- Put what you learn into practice using links to local sports and healthcare providers
- Learn from expert staff who are actively engaged in research projects that inform the future of sport and exercise science
Careers and opportunities
Sport, health and exercise science focuses on the scientific principles behind exercise performance. It combines physiology, psychology, biomechanics and nutrition management skills to examine the relationship between exercise and the human body, revolutionising the way sportspeople train and condition themselves.
A report by The Physiological Society found that over the course of their careers, sport and exercise science graduates earn on average £667,000 more than their non-graduate peers. What's more, the experience you gain during your year at Edith Cowan University in Australia will be invaluable to your employment prospects.
As part of this thriving industry, you'll have the skills to develop and rehabilitate athletes of all ages, or take a non-scientific career route such as teaching, sports journalism, sports marketing or advertising.
You could also study sport, health and exercise science further at postgraduate level, such as with our Sports Performance MSc or Human and Applied Physiology MSc.
When you graduate, you could work in areas such as:
- health and fitness training
- teaching and education
- strength and conditioning
- sports therapy
- physiotherapy
- sport science support (UK Sport, EIS, professional clubs)
- cardiac rehabilitation
- postgraduate study or research
Roles you could take on include:
- PE teacher
- fitness instructor
- NVQ coordinator
- sports development officer
- sports and exercise scientist
- sports therapist and physiotherapist
- cardiac rehabilitation technician
- clinical exercise psychologist
