Rehabilitation and Exercise Science
Rehabilitation and exercise science is a discipline that bridges the gap between the clinical world of physical rehabilitation and the scientific study of human movement, exercise physiology, and the role of physical activity in health. It examines how people recover from injury, illness, and surgery, and how exercise can both support that recovery and prevent future deterioration. As populations age and the burden of chronic disease grows, professionals who understand how to design and deliver evidence-based exercise and rehabilitation interventions are increasingly valuable across healthcare and community settings.
The three-year full-time Rehabilitation and Exercise Science programme at Keele University is one of a handful delivered within a Faculty of Medicine in the UK, which means you study within an academically rigorous environment that brings together scientific knowledge, hands-on practical experience, and professional practice. You will explore the vital contribution that rehabilitation and exercise make to restoring and promoting physical and psychological wellbeing, studying exercise physiology, musculoskeletal health, neurological rehabilitation, physical activity behaviour change, and the measurement and assessment skills that underpin evidence-based practice. A year abroad gives you the opportunity to experience rehabilitation and exercise science in a different national health context, broadening your professional perspective.
The programme supports you to develop the real-world skills required to work confidently with individuals across a wide range of rehabilitation, exercise, and health settings.
With a typical entry tariff of 104 points, the programme is accessible to students who bring scientific curiosity and a genuine interest in human health and movement. Graduates pursue careers in clinical exercise science, physiotherapy-adjacent roles, sports rehabilitation, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, health promotion, and community exercise provision, as well as going on to postgraduate study in physiotherapy, exercise science, or clinical exercise physiology.