Sport and Exercise Science

Sport and exercise science is the scientific study of how the human body responds and adapts to physical activity, exercise, and sport. It draws on physiology, biomechanics, and psychology to examine the mechanisms of athletic performance, the effects of exercise on health, and the psychological factors that influence motivation, performance, and behaviour change. The discipline has broad application, encompassing elite athlete support at one end and population-level public health promotion at the other, and its graduates are equipped to work across a wide range of sport, fitness, health, and performance contexts.

At the University of Hull this four-year programme includes a foundation year, providing a thorough scientific and academic grounding before the main degree begins. The foundation year is designed to build your confidence in the biological and physical sciences that underpin the degree, making the programme accessible to students who may not have studied all of the relevant sciences at A-level. Across the main programme you will learn how exercise affects the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems, how biomechanical principles govern movement, and how psychology shapes an athlete's performance and a population's engagement with physical activity.

The degree prepares you both to help athletes improve their performance and to use exercise as a tool for protecting and improving the health and wellbeing of the general public.

Graduates work as sport scientists, strength and conditioning coaches, personal trainers, performance analysts, exercise physiologists, and physical activity coordinators across sport clubs, gyms, schools, NHS services, and public health organisations. Many pursue further qualifications or postgraduate study in sport science, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, or physical education, particularly for roles in clinical or high-performance settings. The foundation year makes this programme a genuine route into sport and exercise science for students who are committed to the subject but need additional preparation.