Sport and Exercise Science (With Foundation Year) Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Our sports science courses rank 6th in the UK in their subject field for career prospects (The Guardian University Guide, 2026).

If you are fascinated by the science behind sport and exercise performance, this course gives you the opportunity to learn from and be part of a world-leading research team, using state-of-the-art equipment and facilities in a high-performance environment. The course combines scientific knowledge and sports performance with lab work, and offers specialist units in biomechanics, exercise physiology and social psychology, to name a few.

Foundation Year\
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an undergraduate course, taking a Foundation Year can provide a fantastic entry route to a degree-level qualification. The Foundation Year supports you to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy while exploring a range of subject-specific content so you are fully prepared for the core three-year course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your degree.

Course accreditation/industry endorsement\
This course is endorsed by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), allowing you to work towards CIMSPA professional standards in gym instruction, personal training and working with people with long-term conditions.

Facilities and specialist equipment\
Six CASES-accredited laboratories\
Environmental chamber\
Biochemical analysis laboratory\
Mechanical treadmill\
Expired gas analysis\
Hydrostatic weighing tank\
Biomechanics labs with 3D camera system\
Echocardiogram machine\
Purpose-built strength and conditioning facility with Olympic weight room\
State-of-the-art gym with free membership for students\
Fully supervised, on-site sports therapy and rehabilitation centre with a sports injury clinic, open to staff, students and external athletes/clients

Career-powered links\
We are official partners of Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC as well as other sporting organisations in the region such as Bedford Tigers RLFC, MK Dons, Cricket East and Be Active, giving you opportunities to build your employability through work placements. We are also an Educational Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

Your student experience\
Learn in a high-performance environment with a leading sport-performance team offering research opportunities and skills development rare to the UK.

Be part of a team working on prestigious projects for elite sports teams, governing bodies and government initiatives.

Gain valuable work experience at our on-site [Community Exercise Clinic](https://www.beds.ac.uk/human-performance-centre/exercise-clinic/) and [Human Performance Centre](https://www.beds.ac.uk/human-performance-centre/), which offers testing to sports people, teams and the general public for fitness, flexibility and body composition assessments.

Take up opportunities for placements with our official partners Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC as well as other sporting organisations such as Bedford Tigers RLFC; MK Dons; Cricket East and Be Active.

Enhance your learning through field trips to destinations such as St George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent, the home of England Football; Luton Town FC; Northampton Saints physio centre; and King’s College, London's anatomy rooms.\
Hear from guest speakers who attend our ISPAR seminar series. Previous speakers have included Tom Bromley (MK Dons); Jack Wells (PGA); Akash Modhwadia (Strength and conditioning coach at MK Dons); Marsha Brierley (Behaviour Change Practitioner at Buckinghamshire Public Health).\
Benefit from the support of your own personal academic tutor throughout your student journey.