BSc (Hons)Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science

Core modules

Exercise Instruction and Coaching

Providing you with the technical knowhow, practical expertise and the latest industry research, this module is the perfect start on your way to a career in health and fitness. It provides an essential basis for you to become a qualified fitness professional where you will develop your ability to plan and deliver safe and effective gym sessions.

Functional Anatomy and Physiology

The module introduces you to the anatomical and physiological principles of the human body and how they enable exercise to be undertaken. In addition, you will investigate scientific principles of human movement.

Population Health

In this module you will learn why the places where people are born, grow, live, work and age impact health and create significant and unfair differences in health outcomes. We will ask how can we ‘create’ health and would a fairer society improve the health of the population?

Human Nutrition

On this module you’ll learn about the link between nutrition and health and exercise, how to analyse a diet, and make healthy-eating recommendations. On successful completion of this module, you will receive an Association for Nutrition (AfN) Certificate in Intermediate Nutrition Essentials for Fitness and Leisure. (Please note, this is a certificate of completion of the module and does not qualify students for certified AfN status, nor does it enable students to join the register as an ANutr)

Health and Exercise Psychology

Have you ever wondered why, when faced with similar psychological challenges and stressors, some individuals seem to remain well and thrive, whilst others become sick and vulnerable to poor health, illness and disease? This exciting module will examine the stress-illness/health link and you will work towards answering the fundamental questions surrounding why we get sick, what makes us healthy and what we can do about it.

Applied Research Methods in Sport, Health and Exercise Science

You will learn how to investigate discipline specific problems or issues using both quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry. Leading into your final year Project, you will begin to form your research idea or work placement.

Core modules

Obesity and Weight Management

This module will allow you to explore the numerous and complex factors that can cause obesity. You will learn how to measure body composition and dietary intake in order to calculate individualised energy and dietary needs with the aim of supporting clients with their weight loss and food choices. This module also includes training in Motivational Interviewing.

Applied Exercise Science

Graduate personal trainers, exercise rehabilitation practitioners, and industry experts often discuss the latest research; commonly the differences in physiological responses following testing and training methods. This module will study exercise science techniques such as strength testing (isometric, isokinetic and isoinertial), muscle mass measures (ultrasound), aerobic fitness (VO2 max/peak), electromyography, and electrocardiography.

Personal Training

With the increase in the availability of an almost endless range of training methods this module will provide you with the knowledge and practical skills required to design and deliver a bespoke evidence-based personal training programme to clients with a range of exercise goals. You will have the opportunity to gain a Diploma in Personal Training.

Soft Tissue Therapy

This module will provide you with the knowledge and practical skills required to carry out effective client-focussed soft tissue treatments to enhance performance and aid recovery from injury. You will gain practical hands-on experience of preparing, performing and evaluating soft tissue therapy treatments. Additionally, you have the opportunity to gain a Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy.

Applied Research Methods in Sport, Health and Exercise Science

You will learn how to investigate discipline specific problems or issues using both quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry. Leading into your final year Project, you will begin to form your research idea or work placement.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Exercise Referral

This module is important because it addresses key skills and knowledge required for working in health promotion, exercise rehabilitation, and personal training. You will study the causes and pathophysiology of disease, how to risk assess referred patients, and how to plan and deliver exercise rehabilitation programmes, while working in our rehab clinic, and opting to gain an Exercise Referral Diploma along the way.

Strength and Conditioning

This module will teach you the fundamental knowledge and skills of developing key fitness characteristics of athletes in a variety of sports. Topics covered will include screening and monitoring athletes, developing strength, power, speed, agility, flexibility and mobility, energy systems conditioning, and how strength and conditioning is effectively integrated into an athlete’s programme.

Core modules

Obesity and Weight Management

This module will allow you to explore the numerous and complex factors that can cause obesity. You will learn how to measure body composition and dietary intake in order to calculate individualised energy and dietary needs with the aim of supporting clients with their weight loss and food choices. This module also includes training in Motivational Interviewing.

Applied Exercise Science

Graduate personal trainers, exercise rehabilitation practitioners, and industry experts often discuss the latest research; commonly the differences in physiological responses following testing and training methods. This module will study exercise science techniques such as strength testing (isometric, isokinetic and isoinertial), muscle mass measures (ultrasound), aerobic fitness (VO2 max/peak), electromyography, and electrocardiography.

Developing Healthy Places

This module will further develop your understanding around Health Promotion, that health is created in the places we live our daily lives, and that the places we are born, grow, live work and age, are the most influential factors on our health. In this module you will also design and deliver a Public Health project aimed to improve the health of the students and staff within the University.

Exercise Referral

This module is important because it addresses key skills and knowledge required for working in health promotion, exercise rehabilitation, and personal training. You will study the causes and pathophysiology of disease, how to risk assess referred patients, and how to plan and deliver exercise rehabilitation programmes, while working in our rehab clinic, and opting to gain an Exercise Referral Diploma along the way.

Applied Research Methods in Sport, Health and Exercise Science

You will learn how to investigate discipline specific problems or issues using both quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry. Leading into your final year Project, you will begin to form your research idea or work placement.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Personal Training

With the increase in the availability of an almost endless range of training methods this module will provide you with the knowledge and practical skills required to design and deliver a bespoke evidence-based personal training programme to clients with a range of exercise goals. You will have the opportunity to gain a Diploma in Personal Training.

Soft Tissue Therapy

This module will provide you with the knowledge and practical skills required to carry out effective client-focussed soft tissue treatments to enhance performance and aid recovery from injury. You will gain practical hands-on experience of preparing, performing and evaluating soft tissue therapy treatments. Additionally, you have the opportunity to gain a Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy.

Placement Year

Between years two and three of your course, you'll be able to take a year out from studying to work within your chosen industry gaining valuable work experience. The course team and our careers service will help you with finding a placement.

Core modules

Innovative Personal Training and Business

The module serves to equip students with the skills and competencies to develop a personal training brand and business strategy in what is fast becoming a digital industry. Students will be expected to critically analyse current personal training business models to inform the development of their own personal training niche, brand and business. This module is essential if you are serious about being a PT and carries with it the Level 4 Diploma in Personal Training.

Advanced Health and Exercise Psychology

Understanding behaviour change is crucial if you are to be successful at supporting people to live healthier lifestyles. In this module you will learn about health behaviour change and approaches to understanding, predicting, and changing health behaviour. Do behaviour change interventions really work and, if they do, how can they be best implemented?

Individual Project

This module will provide you with an opportunity to gain experience of undertaking a degree-related individual project. The work will need to be underpinned by subject-specific research and theory, and will demonstrate how it is contributing to the existing body of knowledge relating to that area of interest. You can choose between a traditional Dissertation or carry out your research in the workplace and choose a Work Based Project.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Applied Strength and Conditioning

Developing on from your second year module you will form an appreciation for the role of an strength and conditioning coach whilst increasing your skills and confidence at delivering performance programmes for athletes. You can gain a level 4 Diploma in Strength and Conditioning and will put yourself in a strong position to move on to full UKSCA Accreditation.

Applied Soft Tissue Therapy

This module will encourage you to analyse the way in which you assess and treat clients so that you are able to truly individualise your treatment plans to effectively address injury, tissue dysfunction and post injury complications. You will have the opportunity to gain a Level 4 Diploma in Soft Tissue Therapy.

Clinical Exercise Rehabilitation

Progressing from ‘Exercise Referral’ you will investigate further the science of long-term disease and disease management. You will investigate the theory and practice of exercise rehabilitation such as cardiac, stroke and cancer rehabilitation and you will hone your skills in our exercise labs with referred patients from local hospitals and charities. You can gain the CIMSPA L4 in Cancer Rehabilitation if you choose.

Sports Nutrition

The importance of good nutrition and hydration for sport and exercise has grown in popularity. This module will enable you to understand the scientific theory of the field, combined with the practical expertise, to apply sports nutrition to improve performance in a wide variety of sporting and exercise disciplines.

Lifecycle Nutrition and Health

This module will explore the role of diet and nutrition in supporting growth, development, and health throughout the lifecycle. You will learn the role of nutrition in the aetiology and prevention of nutrition-related disorders and chronic disease. The module highlights the potential influence of early diet and food choice on health throughout the lifespan.

Core modules

Clinical Exercise Rehabilitation

Progressing from ‘Exercise Referral’ you will investigate further the science of long-term disease and disease management. You will investigate the theory and practice of exercise rehabilitation such as cardiac, stroke and cancer rehabilitation and you will hone your skills in our exercise labs with referred patients from local hospitals and charities. You can gain the CIMSPA L4 in Cancer Rehabilitation if you choose.

Lifecycle Nutrition and Health

This module will explore the role of diet and nutrition in supporting growth, development, and health throughout the lifecycle. You will learn the role of nutrition in the aetiology and prevention of nutrition-related disorders and chronic disease. The module highlights the potential influence of early diet and food choice on health throughout the lifespan.

Healthy and Sustainable Futures

This module explores contemporary health issues that face society at a time of increased geo-political turbulence, widening inequality and recovery from a global Pandemic. We will ask the question, is Public Health able to address the underlying causes of an ageing population, rising levels of obesity and loss of wellbeing?

Individual Project

This module will provide you with an opportunity to gain experience of undertaking a degree-related individual project. The work will need to be underpinned by subject-specific research and theory, and will demonstrate how it is contributing to the existing body of knowledge relating to that area of interest. You can choose between a traditional Dissertation or carry out your research in the workplace and choose a Work Based Project.

Optional modules

Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Applied Soft Tissue Therapy

This module will encourage you to analyse the way in which you assess and treat clients so that you are able to truly individualise your treatment plans to effectively address injury, tissue dysfunction and post injury complications. You will have the opportunity to gain a Level 4 Diploma in Soft Tissue Therapy.

Advanced Health and Exercise Psychology

Understanding behaviour change is crucial if you are to be successful at supporting people to live healthier lifestyles. In this module you will learn about health behaviour change and approaches to understanding, predicting, and changing health behaviour. Do behaviour change interventions really work and, if they do, how can they be best implemented?

Sports Nutrition

The importance of good nutrition and hydration for sport and exercise has grown in popularity. This module will enable you to understand the scientific theory of the field, combined with the practical expertise, to apply sports nutrition to improve performance in a wide variety of sporting and exercise disciplines.