- About postgraduate study
- Part-time study
- Courses
- Faculties
- UK students
- EU students
- International Students
- How to apply for your course
- Handy Hints
- Open Events
- Student Recruitment
- Money Matters
- About Us
This course combines a sound understanding of sport and exercise science with knowledge of the fitness industry, offering the opportunity to gain vocational qualifications that are recognised by a wide range of professional bodies in the fitness industry, including the Registrar of Exercise Professionals (REPs).
Theoretical, vocational and practical elements combine to offer a comprehensive understanding of sport science, which underpins gym-based work and personal training, as well as an understanding of the rapidly growing area of exercise-referral. Many staff are recognised nationally and internationally for their work and experiences, and there is ample opportunity to benefit from this through our close, supportive environment at the Bedford campus, which is not always possible in larger institutions.
As the course progresses, it is possible to specialise in either sports psychology or biomechanics, whilst maintaining a study of exercise physiology. Recent multi-million pound investments in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities mean that students benefit from high quality opportunities to engage in experimental work. The laboratories have a range of scientific equipment that includes an environmental chamber, and equipment for the measurement of oxygen uptake, speed, reaction times, strength, power and body composition, as well as a muscle cellular and molecular biology laboratory.
This was one of the first undergraduate courses in the country to embed vocational qualifications alongside a wider theoretical framework. It is a distinctive programme that blends vocational, practical and theoretical elements, including gym based work, exercise referral schemes and personal training.
Graduates of this course have gone on to work in the health and fitness industry and the National Health Service, in roles relating to health promotion and exercise intervention. A number of our recent graduates have embarked on PhD study.
During this course you will:
Areas of study you may cover on this course include:
The BSc.(Hons) Sport Science and Personal Training programme is aimed at enabling you to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding of the events industry and, at the same time, the personal attributes of self motivation and drive to enable you to gain entry to satisfying and stimulating career paths.
Specifically, the course aims are to prepare you to:
In addition to the general support supplied by the University in relation to e.g. childcare, disability advice, international student support, financial support etc., specific support for the course can be divided under two headings:
Academic / Programme Support
- Whether students are on the right programme
- Whether students are taking the right units
- Whether a students results are correct
- Whether students are entitled to APEL or APL
- Whether students have the necessary handbooks, and an induction schedule
- Whether a student has a missing grade because of a fault in the University system or as a result of a student related problem (i.e. failure to submit an assignment)
This type of advice will be available throughout the year, and the Academic Director, alongside the academic advice of the Course Leader, Personal Tutor, or academic advice team (such as the staff of the Bedford Registry) are the first points of contact if any of the above becomes a problem.
However, if you have issues to do with a particular unit of the course, then the Unit Leader is likely to be the first point of contact, rather than the Academic Director.
However, the Academic Director may need to be involved if the Unit Leader cannot answer your query.
Further to this, learning support is available to all students through the Professional Academic Development (PAD) programme delivered through the student support team.
Other areas of support generally available through the University include issues related to faith, financial difficulties, sport, and health and well being.
Throughout the course, you will frequently be asked to work in groups of varying sizes.
From very early in the course, you will be working in collaboration with others and issues of responsibility, trust, and flexibility will be addressed as central to your academic and professional development.
At each level of the degree, you will be required to work with others either in the preparation of a seminar, a group presentation or a reflection upon the work of others. At Level 1, group tasks will be structured by the tutors; as the course progresses, you will be given more independence in the development of structures which suit the particular requirements of the task.
An initial session on career options is offered by the team from the Centre for Personal and Career Development at Level 1, which allows you to explore all the options available at the University to support career choices. At Level 2, you will be expected to enhance your career-related and employability skills through interactive exercises, group activities and individual reflection. These processes are often problematic and unnatural to people, differing to experiences in more traditional subject based units. The focus falls on you to reflect on your own approaches, learning styles and skills; no textbook shows what works best for you, thus a degree of self discovery is required and you should be in charge of the process. Again, you can be guided by the SOAR principles outlined above in terms of your thinking about what career aspirations you may have and how you may achieve them.
You will be encouraged to ask appropriate questions and increase the use of feedback that you receive. We also encourage critical thinking, coinciding with the transition to less tutor led and greater peer and self feedback, and management of tutor. At Level 3, you will be encouraged to make use of the new Careers drop in Centre at the Polhill campus.
The Careers Tutor will also provide a number of drop in sessions embedded within a selection of third year units.
Career:
Further study:
University of Bedfordshire Postgraduate degrees such as:
The course can also lead on to some conversion postgraduate courses such as:
Additional:
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
The course will follow the general guidelines set out by the University policy on disability.
During the application process, disabled students will be able to discuss their needs with individual members of the academic staff, and staff from the Disability Advice Team. In relation to related courses in the Department, it has normally been the case that disability has not proved an obstacle to students participating hence no major issues are envisaged concerning disability and the course. The only possible concern is in relation to field visits. However, there is no proposed residential aspect to these visits they will be on a day visit basis only. Some students express concerns regarding the practical assessments that are a feature of this course. This again is rarely an issue as SkillsActive make allowance for reasonable adjustments to practical assessments. This may, for example, include the use of a demonstrator in assessments if appropriate.
Communication
To help with the development of this, you will participate in a range of activities requiring you to communicate orally and in written forms. You will learn the communication skills necessary to articulate yourself (e.g. your individual aims, skills and experience) in appropriate forms. At all levels, you will work collaboratively with a number of different groups of people in a range of contexts, and will be required to use the written word in order to communicate ideas for a variety of different purposes.
At Level 1, in all units, there will be opportunities for you to take part in discussions about different subjects, and read and obtain information from a variety of sources. You will also be introduced to scientific writing skills and have an opportunity to inform your communication skills by reading a variety of resources.
At Level 2, you will write two different types of documents about straightforward subjects and one piece of writing will be an extended document (UoB / QCA Key Skills Descriptors). In addition, at Level 2, you will develop your skills as an academic researcher in order to enable you to articulate ideas and theoretical perspectives in written and practical form (Research Skills in Sport and Exercise Science).
At Level 3, you will read and synthesise information about complex topics and make a presentation about a complex subject, using at least one image to illustrate complex points and one of these documents should include at least one image. At this third level, you will undertake an independent research project which will involve a lengthy written submission on a topic of your own choice (Dissertation).
Information Literacy
To help with the development of this, you will participate in workshops, tutorials and developmental research projects in order to familiarize yourself with a wide range of resources which can support your studies.
At Level 1, you will be introduced to the library and laboratory resources in workshops embedded within units (e.g. Introduction to Exercise Physiology). A series of project based tasks will ensure that you feel confident using the library catalogue, BREO, databases, search engines and reference resources available through the internet. You will also be introduced to the assessment of source material as an integral component of your research. All units will make use of BREO for posting resources, and are likely to use discussion boards, blogs, group pages, wikis and course announcements.
At Level 2, in addition to formal teaching on methods of data gathering, you will be required to work more independently and confidently with the library and use the database resources at your disposal. You will be expected to source materials above and beyond the unit reading lists, and to undertake methodical literature searches as a part of this research process. You will provide bibliographies and reference sources for essays and be familiar with a range of research resources appropriate to the study being undertaken. You will feel confident in the use of digital technology as a resource.
At Level 3, you will plan and submit a project based on a topic of your choice (Dissertation). Alongside your academic research, you will be using these skills to explore possible employment options within the area of Sport and Exercise Science and the Health and Fitness Industry, and familiarizing yourself with networks, funding opportunities and organizations which will be central to your success as a practitioner.
Research and Evaluation
To help with the development of this, you will undertake a range of research tasks either within the context of developing your academic or practical knowledge. The research tasks will vary according to the type of work being undertaken and you will need, therefore, to be adept at understanding the skills involved in sourcing, selecting and utilizing appropriate material. In every practical process you embark upon, you will be expected to plan and execute a methodical research process in order to develop your practical skills, and your ability to critically evaluate methods and data. You will be introduced to a range of research skills including literature searches and critical reading, practical field based activities including questionnaire and interview design and conduct, as well as the analysis of findings from the use of such techniques in the field.
At Level 1, you will be introduced to the importance of research material that the exercise sciences demand in all units of study. You will make use of practical research skills where you will use the library catalogue, access reference resources and databases in hard copy form and also electronically. In addition to actually using the practical research skills, this process will be designed to develop your skills to critically evaluate a variety of source materials.
At Level 2, you will receive formal teaching on research methods. These units will provide you with information concerning a range of research approaches and techniques relevant to the field of study. It will also develop your ability to work more independently as a researcher, and to begin to formulate questions and fields of enquiry. These skills will not only be necessary as preparation for you to undertake your independent research at Level 3 (Dissertation), but should equip you with the skills to critically evaluate your work as a potential practitioner.
At Level 3, you will undertake an independent research project on a topic of your own choice. Your research will be ongoing throughout the year and you will be expected to be able to source relevant material quickly, assess and synthesize findings, link to theory where relevant and consider practical applications of your research.
Creativity and Critical Thinking
To help with the development of this, you will be introduced to ideas on creativity and critical thinking early in the course. The course will present a range of concepts and theories relating to critical analyses and creative processes in the relevant areas of the course. You will be encouraged to develop your critical thinking abilities and apply this through critical responses via comparative analysis, both orally and in written form.
At Level 1, the emphasis will be upon the idea of critical evaluation of information. Using creative abilities and developing critical thinking skills will be a feature of the Exercise Principles and Practice 1 unit where you will have opportunities to offer creative solutions to a number of case study based questions and critically reflect on how fitness professionals should react to specific situations.
At Level 2, you will be required to identify a problem and creatively come up with options for solving it, making changes to the plan where necessary (Research Skills in Sport & Exercise Science). In addition, you will be expected to build upon the creative solution of problems introduced in Level 1 (Exercise Principles and Practice 2).
At Level 3, the major unit where you will be required to be both creative and demonstrate your critical thinking skills will be in the Dissertation project. You will need to be able to critically assess a range of research approaches and techniques and select an appropriate approach for your project. In addition, the work introduced in Level 3 units will be more heavily weighted towards critical evaluation of previous research and synthesis of information by evaluating a number of research articles in a particular area.
During induction, you will be introduced to the concept of managing your learning. Time management, setting targets with clear deadlines and skills auditing form an important part of this process. This is followed through with Personal Tutors assessing the skills audit and directing you to appropriate student support. At Level 2 and 3, your Personal Tutor will meet regularly with you and assesses any recent marks, and any drops in performance that may have occurred. Again, the tutor will play a vital role in developing your reflective practices. You will also receive feedback on all of your coursework. It is important that you pick up your coursework when it becomes available, as the feedback will not only tell you why you received the grade you did, but it is vital in directing you as to where your strengths and weaknesses are, and ultimately how your work can be improved.
You will also be given the opportunity to develop personal approaches to study, building on strengths and eliminating weaknesses, and developing the ability to transfer learning from one context to another, following the SOAR (self awareness, opportunities, aspirations and results) process model at a number of points during the curriculum. This approach requires you be aware of:
Embedded within specific units, you will find what is known as Personal Development Planning. The Personal Development Planning (PDP) initiative and Progress Files are intended to prepare you better for the world of work, providing you with greater self reliance, self awareness, and the ability to adapt to future changes in the labour market, to reflect upon and monitor your performance, and identify your skills and training needs.
In your first year of study, you will be introduced to the use of Progress Files usually in the induction period. The Progress File is a document charting your development; it is made up of three parts:
You will be encouraged to use a number of portfolios in different units on the course, and you will need to set up a habit of reflecting on feedback from tutors and consider ways in which you might improve specific skills and/or build on the strengths demonstrated, preferably after each set of assessments. Much of the material for your Progress File will be generated through digital records (online blogs, discussion boards on BREO, and finally e-portfolios) as well as paper ones.
It will be your responsibility to maintain your Progress File but you will be supported in this by the generation of appropriate materials in units throughout the degree course.
In the Progress File, you will be expected to keep:
At the end of your studies, your Progress File will contain the information you need to draw on when making job applications and having successful interviews, because it will help you consider the wider relevance of the knowledge you have learnt and the skills you have acquired in the course of your studies.
Employers are often assessing not only your knowledge of the subject area and experience, but also value the set of attitudes and values which would support development of their company. We would like you to demonstrate and develop further these attitudes throughout your studies.
Lecturers expect that you will:
You are encouraged to think of your studentship as a professional placement, and just as most employees would not regularly turn up late for work, be disruptive in the workplace or fail to write a report on time, you should expect the same standards to apply in your time at this University. During your induction and initial few weeks, you will receive information on expected behaviour, assessment hand in deadlines and a timetable.
Laboratory skills and behaviour are introduced at Level 1 and should also be seen as a professional standard for you to adhere to. Getting into good habits early in your time at university is likely to pay greater dividends in the long term.
Good study habits are enforced by monitoring attendance. Attendance data is collected by the Faculty and is used to identify students who have failed to attend 3 consecutive sessions on any one unit. An intervention by letter, or email message will be used to let you know that you have been missed and to request an explanation. The language of competences, which are meaningful to employers and are requirements for candidates for employment will be explained to you and used as assessment criteria on a number of assessments. You will be given several opportunities to self assess and to develop strategies to improve these skills.
The code of ethical practice for the Fitness Industry sets out the standards of behaviour employers in the industry will expect. These standards are introduced early in Level 1 and you will be expected to read, understand and implement them whenever you are in the appropriate context. While the assessment of the code is formative, the explicit expectation to adhere to the standards both in your professional and student life will serve to underpin the increasing professionalism that is developing in the industry.
Students underperforming in any unit will be highlighted at the STAR board and you will be asked to see your Personal Tutor to determine an underlying cause, or to see where additional help can be sourced if required. To ensure that your work, particularly written reports does not contain plagiarized material, the online Turnitin plagiarism detection tool is used in all assessments, and will demonstrated to you to help you understand the issue. It is a requirement of the University that all written work is handed in both in hard copy and electronically through Turnitin. Both must be submitted by the relevant deadline.
Relevant ethical and legal issues will also be explored in a number of units and you will be required to consider the ethical aspects of your own project proposal in the final year (Dissertation).
This overall experience will hopefully allow you to develop a professional identity and set the standards of professionalism which will prove the benchmark for all your future work.
