Key Facts
About the Course
The huge popularity of sport and fitness means clinical exercise therapists are much in demand. This course gives you the skills to use exercise, physical activity and therapeutic treatments to promote health and fitness as well as help rehabilitation after an injury.
The course aims to provide you with the skills and knowledge to progress into a career as a graduate clinical exercise therapist (GCET). As a Higher Education Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), we have developed the course to align with the relevant professional standards you need.
Course units explores relevant fields such as physiology and anatomical structure, and includes units on sports massage, manual therapies and the management of sports injuries. In your final year, you undertake a research project of your choice and can also follow a specialism with a range of optional units.
Why choose this course?
- Apply your knowledge and skills while completing a minimum of 150 hours on practice placement in a range of different environments
- Benefit from guidance from practising therapists, coaches and injury-rehabilitation professionals as well as academic staff
- Build your skills in planning and conducting your own research as well as in reading and interpreting other researchers’ work
- Learn wider transferable skills relevant to a range of career options
- As a graduate, enter degree-level employment within the field of health, fitness, sports and exercise medicine in the public sector (NHS) or private sector (health clubs and clinics)
- Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year in industry (see below), gaining experience and making contacts for the future
- If you need a step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the undergraduate degree
We support you every step of the way
We offer a Merit Scholarship, worth £2,400* over 3 academic years, which is awarded to those who can demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, through scoring 112 UCAS tariff points or more for UK and EU applicants.
We also offer a range of financial support for those of you applying from outside of the UK and EU.
Clinical Exercise Therapy with Professional Practice Year - BSc (Hons)
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
Clinical Exercise Therapy with Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
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, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
Unit Information - What will I learn?
Units
- Anatomy And Biomechanics (SPO049-1) Compulsory
- Gym Instruction (STH009-1) Compulsory
- Human Physiology (SPO084-1) Compulsory
- Normal Anatomical Structure And Function (STH010-1) Compulsory
- Reading And Interpreting Research (STH002-1) Compulsory
- Sports Massage (STH007-1) Compulsory
- Structural Assessment And Professional Practice (STH008-1) Compulsory
- Altered Anatomical Structure And Function (STH005-2) Compulsory
- Management Of Lower Extremity Injuries (STH012-2) Compulsory
- Management Of Upper Extremity Injuries (STH013-2) Compulsory
- Manual Therapies (STH007-2) Compulsory
- Physiology For Training (STH008-2) Compulsory
- Planning And Conducting Research (STH009-2) Compulsory
- Work Based Learning (STH011-2) Compulsory
- Activity To Promote Health And Wellbeing (STH003-3) Compulsory
- Clinical Exercise (STH007-3) Compulsory
- Corrective Exercise (STH009-3) Compulsory
- Dissertation For Sport Science And Physical Activity (SPO051-3) Compulsory
- Practice Placements And Business (STH011-3) Compulsory
How will I be assessed?
Our students say our courses, teaching and support are a winning combination, that’s why we are 51st out of 122 for Sport in the Guardian University Guide 2022.
We’re 12th for employability because our courses get you a degree-level job.
We have more one-to-one time for you which is why we are in the top 10 for staff/student ratio.
Entry Requirements
To learn more about the following UCAS entry requirement tariffs:
- 80 – 96 tariff points
- 96 – 112 tariff points
- 112- 120 tariff points
and information on qualifications to achieve those points visit beds.ac.uk/entryrequirements
You can check your qualifications are valid for UK universities through the UCAS Tariff Calculator
For International and EU entry requirements please visit your country page
Don't forget you may be eligible for one of our scholarships or bursaries
Entry Requirements
Applying from the UK?
To learn more about the following UCAS entry requirement tariffs:
- 80 – 96 tariff points
- 96 – 112 tariff points
- 112- 120 tariff points
and information on qualifications to achieve those points visit beds.ac.uk/entryrequirements
You can check your qualifications are valid for UK universities through the UCAS Tariff Calculator
Applying from outside of the UK?
For International and EU entry requirements please visit your country page
Don't forget you may be eligible for one of our scholarships or bursaries
How will this course improve my career prospects?
Graduates can expect to enter graduate level employment within the field of health, fitness, sports and exercise medicine including exercise referral and injury rehabilitation.
The course also embeds wider transferable skills allowing graduates the option of achieving employment in the wider market at a similar level in private (health clubs, clinics, referral schemes) or public (NHS) employment.
Fees and Funding
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2022/23 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs.
See www.gov.uk/student-finance
The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.
See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2022/23 is £9,250 per year.
The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.
See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2022/23 is £13,500 per year. A prompt payment discount is available if you pay the full Year 1 fee before or at registration. There are also special scholarships available.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Fees and Funding
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2022/23 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs.
See www.gov.uk/student-finance
The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.
See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
EU
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2022/23 is £9,250 per year.
The University of Bedfordshire offers a number of scholarships and bursaries to help you finance your studies.
See www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2022/23 is £13,500 per year. A prompt payment discount is available if you pay the full Year 1 fee before or at registration. There are also special scholarships available.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by no more than inflation.
Extra Costs
School of Sport Science and Physical Activity facilities
The School of Sport Science and Physical Activity houses a multi-million pound, state of the art teaching and research sport sciences laboratory facility.
Facilities include six purpose-built British Association of Sport & Exercise Science (BASES) accredited sport and exercise science laboratories, a nutrition research kitchen, and two molecular and cellular physiology labs, which promote excellence in both teaching and research.
Sports Science Labs
Our specialist sports science labs give students a fantastic environment to develop their research skills and expertise, where a student can explore the biology of an elite athlete who could be performing simultaneously within the sports hall.
The state-of-the-art laboratories are purpose built for research and teaching in the fields of exercise and nutrition science. This includes specialised equipment and facilities for assessing human health risk and delivering exercise and diet interventions for health promotion.
Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Centre
Our Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Centre includes three clinical teaching spaces, a sports injury clinic, a rehabilitation room, a community exercise clinic and a private room for consultations and treatments.
Environmental chamber
Our environmental chamber is used for teaching, research and by top-class athletes in training for competition in different climates.
International standard sports arena
Our sports facilities include a gym, strength and conditioning suite, AstroTurf, grass pitches, outdoor basketball, tennis and netball courts, in addition to the International standard sports arena, which seats up to 400 spectators.
Aspire Gym
The Aspire Gyms offer a range of affordable membership options giving students exclusive use of a convenient campus-based fitness facility.
The Bedford gym facilitates state of the art cardiovascular equipment with smartphone compatibility as well as an extensive range of fixed resistance machines and a small free weights area. Changing rooms with showers and lockers are available for members to use.
How to Apply
Application for most full-time undergraduate and foundation courses is via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
We expect to receive UCAS applications between 1 September and 15 January for courses starting in the following academic year, but may consider applications received after this date should places be available.
Please contact admission@beds.ac.uk for further details.
All UK schools and colleges are registered with UCAS to manage their students' applications. Advice on how to submit your UCAS application is available from your school or college.
If you are not at school or college (including mature students) you should apply independently via UCAS
EU students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply via UCAS or direct using our admissions form
International students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country
You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
How to Apply
UK
Application for most full-time undergraduate and foundation courses is via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
We expect to receive UCAS applications between 1 September and 15 January for courses starting in the following academic year, but may consider applications received after this date should places be available.
Please contact admission@beds.ac.uk for further details.
All UK schools and colleges are registered with UCAS to manage their students' applications. Advice on how to submit your UCAS application is available from your school or college.
If you are not at school or college (including mature students) you should apply independently via UCAS
EU
EU students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply via UCAS or direct using our admissions form
International
International students applying for a full-time undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire should apply direct using our admissions form or via our representatives in your home country
You can also apply online
Find out more about how to apply as an International student
