Sport and Exercise Therapy
Combining medical expertise with the sports and exercise environment, this course offers budding Sport and Exercise Therapists the perfect balance of theory and hands-on experience.
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UCAS Code
C618
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
112
UCAS Code
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
112
Course overview
Prepare to work in the medical, performance, sports and exercise industries with our accredited degree at the unique Sport Park Campus. Learn to diagnose and treat injuries, work first-hand with athletes, and come away with vocational awards throughout your degree.
Aimed at students with an interest in working with sports and exercise injuries, this degree offers a holistic approach to musculoskeletal injury management. Gain practical experience through industry placements to give you a head start on your career and consolidate your learning.
In partnership with the Football Association of Wales, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, CIMSPA, CASES, UK International Soccer and EFL in the Community.
Our Partners
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We have a number of partnerships available, please see course overview for details.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
Build a strong foundation in sport, exercise and health, developing your knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychology and biomechanics.
You’ll also gain practical skills in exercise programming, assessment and injury management.
Build practical skills to design and deliver effective exercise programmes, while exploring exercise, nutrition and psychology and preparing for CIMSPA Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer qualifications.
Explore how the human body moves and responds to exercise, developing your understanding of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and psychology in sport and exercise contexts.
Develop your understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathology, applying this knowledge to musculoskeletal assessment and clinical reasoning through practical sessions and safe practice.
Develop practical skills in pitch side first aid, injury management, thermal modalities and soft tissue techniques, applying theory through practical sessions to build confidence and safe professional practice.
Deepen your understanding of assessment, treatment and rehabilitation across sport and exercise therapy.
You’ll develop practical skills and clinical reasoning to support safe, effective and evidence-based practice.
Explore musculoskeletal rehabilitation, developing practical skills to design and deliver evidence informed programmes while building research skills to support safe, effective professional practice.
Explore how exercise can support people living with long term conditions, developing your skills in tailored exercise programming, evidence-based practice and safe, effective exercise prescription.
Develop practical skills in manual therapy, electrotherapy and taping and strapping, while building your clinical reasoning to select, evaluate and reflect on safe, evidence-based treatments for musculoskeletal injuries.
Develop your understanding of anatomy, kinesiology and biomechanics, applying this knowledge to subjective and objective musculoskeletal assessments, clinical reasoning and safe, effective practice.
Gain expertise to design, deliver, and assess gym-based exercise programs for healthy populations. This module leads to CIMSPA Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer certifications.
Familiarise yourself with patients' perspectives on sports-related musculoskeletal injuries, developing empathy and teamwork skills within a multidisciplinary setting.
Develop advanced skills in rehabilitation, injury management and professional practice, applying research and clinical reasoning to real world situations.
You’ll gain the confidence and autonomy to support safe, effective practice.
Develop practical skills in sport specific rehabilitation and injury prevention, adapting programmes to individual progress and goals while supporting safe return to play, work or recreational activity.
Develop your research skills through independent study in sports therapy and rehabilitation, analysing evidence, communicating findings and applying research to support future professional practice.
Develop your clinical and professional skills through supervised sports therapy practice, gaining experience in assessment, treatment and rehabilitation while preparing for your future career.
Develop advanced skills in assessing and managing complex sports injuries, including acute and pre hospital care, while building the clinical judgement and autonomy needed for professional practice.
We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.
Teaching and Assessment
You’ll learn by putting theory into practice through practical sessions, workshops, digital learning and real-world clinical scenarios. You’ll explore different approaches to sport and exercise therapy, developing your problem solving, critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills. With support and feedback from your tutors, you’ll build practical skills and confidence, developing the independence to take ownership of your learning and prepare for a career in sport and exercise therapy.
You’ll learn through a mix of practical sessions, workshops, interactive teaching and digital learning, giving you plenty of opportunities to put your knowledge into practice.
You’ll work through real world clinical scenarios, developing your problem solving, critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills. Practical sessions will give you hands on experience in a supportive environment, helping you build your skills and confidence.
You’ll also use research, case-based discussions, simulation and independent study to deepen your understanding of sport and exercise therapy. Throughout the course, feedback, reflection and collaboration will help you take ownership of your learning and become an increasingly confident and independent practitioner.
You’ll be assessed through a mix of practical and academic work that reflects the skills you’ll use in sport and exercise therapy. This includes practical demonstrations, case studies, written assignments, reflective work, portfolios, research projects and placement assessments.
As you progress, you’ll take on more complex scenarios, building your clinical reasoning, problem solving and confidence in making evidence-based decisions. You’ll receive regular feedback to help you reflect on your performance and keep developing.
By your final year, you’ll bring your learning together through independent assessments that challenge you to apply your knowledge, think critically and demonstrate the professional skills needed for your future career.
You’ll gain valuable experience through a minimum of 250 hours of supervised clinical placement throughout the course. Placements give you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and practical skills in real world settings, working with patients and developing your confidence as a sport and exercise therapist.
As you progress, you’ll take on greater responsibility and develop your clinical reasoning, communication and decision making skills. At Level 6, you’ll have opportunities to work with real patients through student injury clinics, where you’ll assess and manage injuries under supervision. Placement experience will complement your taught sessions, helping you connect theory with practice and develop the skills, confidence and professional behaviours needed for a career in sport and exercise therapy.
USW’s Sports and Exercise Therapy degree features BASES-endorsed, state-of-the-art facilities at the Treforest Sport Park. These include an indoor FIFA-standard 3G pitch with GPS tracking, clinical teaching spaces, advanced rehab and testing equipment, plus all-weather and grass pitches used by local and professional teams.
Course Leader
Leighanne Kelly
Meet Leighanne Kelly, Course Leader for the BSc Sport and Exercise Therapy and an experienced Graduate Sport Therapist with a strong background in professional sport. Leighanne leads this hands-on course with a focus on real-world application, drawing on years of industry experience and evidence-based practice. Students are given a practical, hands-on learning environment, supported by a team of qualified sport therapists. Together, they create a collaborative and immersive experience designed to prepare students for professional practice.
Entry Requirements
Additional
The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on the Child & Adult Workforce and Child & Adult Barring List and subscription to the DBS Update Service is required. (Overseas equivalent required for non-uk applicants).
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
How to applyContextual admissions policyAsk us a question112 UCAS points or above
Typical qualification requirements
A Level:
BBC
Welsh BACC:
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BB at A Level to include one A Level in Science, Mathematics, Physical Education, Public Services or Psychology but to exclude General Studies
BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit in a relevant subject
Access to HE:
Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
International studentsPre-Sessional EnglishEnglish language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Fees and Funding
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment. *Obligatory
DBS Update Service
The course will include working with children and vulnerable adults, and so you will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check. Annual automatic renewal is recommended for £16 per year if purchased within the first 30-days of receiving the certificate. £49.50
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment. *Obligatory
DBS Update Service
The course will include working with children and vulnerable adults, and so you will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check. Annual automatic renewal is recommended for £16 per year if purchased within the first 30-days of receiving the certificate. £49.50
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Explore our facilities
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How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS
You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
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Apply direct
Sport and Exercise Therapy
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Full-time, 3 years
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September
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Pontypridd
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Apply direct
Sport and Exercise Therapy
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Part-time, 6 years
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September
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Pontypridd
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If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
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