Sports Exercise Rehabilitation
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.
How to apply Register for open day Chat to us/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/03-courses/sport/bsc-sport-and-exercise-therapy.jpg)
UCAS Code
Start Date
September 2026
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Code
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
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.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
You’ll start your clinical studies with pitch-side first aid and basic life saving, functional anatomy, plus an introduction to clinical assessment, screening and soft tissue techniques.
You’ll gain experience working with our university sports teams and through our popular sports massage clinic.
Learn to assess a range of movement, test muscle strength, palpate anatomical landmarks and develop a working knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy and pathology.
Learn movement screening theory and practice, sports injury prevention, and recovery methods. Develop basic first aid skills and soft tissue injury management.
Develop anatomical language and deepen your understanding of human musculoskeletal anatomy, crucial for exercise physiology and biomechanics.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh.
A deep dive into areas of measurement, data retrieval, analysis and interpretation, health and fitness assessment, and exercise prescription.
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.
At level five, you’ll learn how to assess and diagnose injuries to the spine and peripheral joints, use several treatment methods to reduce pain and improve range of movement and function.
By the end of your second year, you’ll be competent in early to intermediate-stage rehabilitation.
Master clinical assessment. Interpret findings using subjective and objective methods, specialist musculoskeletal testing and functional assessment.
Build knowledge of safe and effective treatment methods for musculoskeletal injuries. Learn manual therapy for joint issues, advanced soft tissue techniques, and neural techniques.
Develop an understanding of early and intermediate rehabilitation for common musculoskeletal injuries. Topics cover tissue mechanics, stress-strain curves, and exercise selection/prescription.
Explore the interplay between exercise and the cardiovascular system. Gain insight into cardiovascular physiology measurements and proficiency in performing them.
This module is available to study fully in Welsh.
Build on your research skills, expanding your understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods. Deepen your appreciation for various research approaches.
Develop your understanding of sports and exercise injuries and biomechanical elements to movement for angular kinematics and kinetics.
Understand the physiological and medical issues of special populations’ physical activity. Design and assess personalised exercise programs for diverse needs.
Complete an independent research project alongside a range of placements to gain valuable industry experience.
Expand your rehab knowledge and develop sports trauma management skills. Combine clinical study with BASES-endorsed modules to develop broad and transferable skills.
Gain 250 hours of supervised clinical practice. Assess strengths, plan your career, prepare for applications and interviews, developing into an autonomous practitioner.
Learn to address life- and limb-threatening sports injuries. Study advanced trauma life support, airway manoeuvres, bleeding management, cervical spine injury assessment, and emergency action planning.
Boost your practical skills in late-stage rehabilitation and understand how to make objective return-to-play decisions. Focus on prescribing speed, acceleration and plyometric exercises as well as injury prevention strategies for individual and team sports.
You’ll have the freedom to design and conduct an independent study and critically evaluate scientific data and literature.
Explore the exercise-cardiovascular system relationship. Gain an understanding of cardiovascular physiology measurements and proficiency in conducting them.
Learn how Newton’s laws apply to angular kinematics and kinetics, mechanics, and energetics of walking and running. Develop your analytical skills using Quintic Biomechanics software.
Learn the essential scientific knowledge for delivering effective strength and conditioning programs.
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
Supported by experienced staff and a dedicated Clinical Skills Tutor, you will work with real patients, helping you develop and evidence the competencies required to become a graduate sport therapist.
You will be assessed through a combination of practical and theoretical methods designed to reflect real-world practice. This includes practical exams to demonstrate clinical skills, alongside written exams, coursework, portfolios, and presentations.
In your final year, you will complete 250 hours of placement, either internally or externally. Throughout the course, you will have regular opportunities to build placement hours through the university’s sports massage and injury clinic, as well as supporting pitch-side at external events.
Work placement is central to all levels of this degree. At level 4, you’ll support university sports teams as pitch-side first aiders and practice your new skills in our massage clinics. You’ll gain valuable experience on placements with partners at level 5 and 6, supervised by experienced therapists. Extra opportunities have included covering events like the London to Paris cycle, with all expenses paid. Our staff's experience with professional, semi-professional and international sport and other professional clubs provides valuable industry connections.
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.
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Admissions Advice
We're here to help. Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch and we'd to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online
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Sports Exercise Rehabilitation
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Full-time, 3 years
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September
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Pontypridd
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Sports Exercise Rehabilitation
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Full-time, 3 years
-
September
-
Pontypridd
-
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