Sport and Exercise Science

Sport and exercise science applies the methods of biology, physiology, psychology and biomechanics to understand human physical performance and the effects of exercise on the body and mind. It is a discipline concerned with fundamental questions about how the body works under physical stress, how training adaptations occur, how injuries arise and are prevented, and how psychological factors influence physical performance. It also engages with broader questions about physical activity, public health and wellbeing across the lifespan.

At Abertay University, this four-year full-time programme takes you through the core sciences that underpin the field. You will study exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology, research methods and data analysis, learning to apply scientific thinking to practical problems in sport and health. The programme includes a year abroad, offering you the opportunity to study at a partner institution overseas and broaden your understanding of how sport and exercise science is practised in different cultural and institutional contexts.

You will develop both laboratory skills and the capacity to critically evaluate scientific literature, building a rigorous foundation for work in applied settings or further research.

Graduates from sport and exercise science programmes work across a broad range of settings. Performance sport organisations, elite and community coaching environments, strength and conditioning, fitness and health promotion, sports rehabilitation, physical education and sports development all provide career routes. Research and academic careers are also open to those who proceed to postgraduate study, with masters and doctoral programmes in exercise physiology, sport psychology, biomechanics, public health and related areas providing natural next steps.

The analytical and scientific skills the degree develops are also valued in health services and in industries where understanding physical performance and human behaviour matters.