Strength and Conditioning
Led by industry experts, our Strength and Conditioning degree provides you with comprehensive training endorsed by the NSCA (National Strength & Conditioning Association) and IUSCA (International University Strength and Conditioning Association). Benefit from practical experience at USW Sport Park and earn valuable CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity) qualifications, which will help push you to success in elite sports coaching.
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Key Course Details
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UCAS Code
62B1
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Start Date
September
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Location
Pontypridd
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Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£9,535*
International students
£16,200*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
-
Start Date
September
-
Location
Pontypridd
-
Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£785*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Prepare for a career in sports coaching with our Strength and Conditioning degree and gain the skills and techniques sought by elite teams.
DESIGNED FOR
Created by global industry leaders, our BSc Strength and Conditioning offers you the perfect blend of science, practice, and coaching expertise. Tailored to meet professional standards, it provides you with the skills needed for career success in the field of strength and conditioning.
Accredited by
- Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)
- National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
- International University Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA)
Career paths
- Strength and Conditioning
- Rehabilitation
- Personal training
- Blue Light Services
- Teaching
- Corporate wellness
- Entrepreneurship in the strength and conditioning sector
Skills taught
- Critical thinking
- Communication
- Creative problem solving
- Proficiency with statistics and data
- Research
Course Highlights
Module Overview
This course introduces you to strength and conditioning, essential for boosting athletic performance and fitness. You will gain scientific knowledge alongside coaching techniques, practical skills, and hands-on experience. Through theory and practice, you will design and deliver effective training programmes.
Year one
- Essentials of Resistance Training
- Athletic Development
- Anatomy and Physiology*
- Coaching Speed, Agility and Endurance Development
- Coaching the Fundamentals of Strength and Conditioning
- Introduction to Screening, Prevention and Recovery
Year two
- Designing and Administering Strength and Conditioning Programmes
- Weightlifting
- Sports Nutrition
- Monitoring, Testing and Evaluation in Team Sports
- Research Methods
- Rehabilitation of Sports and Exercise Injuries (Optional)
- Sport Placement*(Optional)
- Exercise for Special Populations (Optional)
Year three
- Topical Issues in Strength and Conditioning
- Applied Science in Strength and Conditioning
- Coaching Special Populations
- Applied Professional Project (Online) (Optional)
- Dissertation (Optional)
- Work Based Learning* (Optional)
- Advanced Rehabilitation of Sports and Exercise Injuries (Optional)
*These modules can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
In Year One, you will learn effective resistance training, plan long-term athletic development, and gain an overview of key physiological systems. You will also explore coaching for speed, agility, and endurance, understand the scientific principles of strength and conditioning, and study movement assessment, injury prevention, and recovery.
Essentials of Resistance Training
Learn about the theory behind resistance training, focusing on how to effectively train individuals.
Athletic Development
Discover how to plan training over time and develop athletes long-term. You will cover essential movements for better performance.
Anatomy and Physiology*
Gain a broad overview of the major physiological systems including musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Coaching Speed, Agility and Endurance Development
Explore factors that may limit speed, agility, and endurance in sports. You will investigate what each component requires for optimal performance in different sports settings.
Coaching the Fundamentals of Strength and Conditioning
Gain an introduction to the scientific principles underpinning strength and conditioning.
Introduction to Screening, Prevention and Recovery
Study theories and practices for assessing movement, preventing sports injuries, and aiding recovery.
In Year Two, you will learn about weightlifting coaching, and study sports nutrition. You will examine monitoring and testing in team sports and explore research methods. Optional modules include rehabilitation, exercise for special populations, and a sports placement for hands-on experience.
Designing and Administering Strength and Conditioning Programmes
Explore the importance of planning and managing programmes effectively, including the necessary philosophies to do so.
Weightlifting
Develop practical skills in weightlifting, including coaching progressions. You will focus on performance analysis, monitoring, and effective training programming.
Sports Nutrition
Study popular and emerging nutritional strategies to enhance exercise and sports performance.
Monitoring, Testing and Evaluation in Team Sports
Build on your first-year knowledge, allowing critical examination of the scientific basis for testing and monitoring team sport athletes.
Research Methods
Learn about the significance of research in academic and professional settings. Raise your understanding of various research approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method designs.
Optional modules:
Rehabilitation of Sports and Exercise Injuries
Study and gain a critical understanding of early and intermediate rehabilitation of common sports injuries and illnesses.
Sport Placement*
Apply and enhance your learning through work experience in sports settings.
Exercise for Special Populations
Learn how regular physical activity can benefit various special populations, including the general population and those with Disabilities.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Year Three explores advanced strength and conditioning methods for diverse groups. You will deepen your understanding of scientific principles for effective programme planning. Optional modules such as Advanced Rehabilitation of Sports and Exercise Injuries develops practical skills in injury prevention strategies.
Topical Issues in Strength and Conditioning
Examine current topics of training methods and use a tailored approach to their application.
Applied Science in Strength and Conditioning
Deepen your knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics in training. This module helps students integrate knowledge for effective programme planning and evaluation.
Coaching Special Populations
Explore the performance challenges faced by special populations, including adolescent athletes, the elderly, Paralympic athletes, military personnel, and emergency services.
Optional modules:
Applied Professional Project (Online)
Gain experience and develop the skills needed for specific roles and responsibilities in the sports industry.
Dissertation
Design and conduct an independent study, critically evaluating scientific data and literature.
Work Based Learning*
Develop vocational skills of project management, independent learning and the delivery required of individuals within the sports industry.
Advanced Rehabilitation of Sports and Exercise Injuries
Develop practical skills in rehabilitation, decision-making for returning to play, and strategies to reduce injuries.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Course Highlights
How you’ll learn
Our undergraduate Strength and Conditioning course focuses on the practical skills you need for a career in the industry. You will take exams for theory, but hands-on assessments will cover tasks like designing programs for athletes. As a full-time student, you will study six modules each year, with a mix of lectures and practical sessions. You will also coach in our sports performance programmes during dedicated gym time. We use varied teaching methods, including workshops, to give you a rich learning experience. The extensive practical training you will gain is essential for your career in the field of strength and conditioning and is highly valued by future employers.
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Teaching Staff
We are not just academics; we are practising strength and conditioning coaches. Our course focuses heavily on practical sessions, held in clinical rooms and modern sports facilities. With a variety of placements and tutorials, you will gain essential experience to boost your employability. Supported by personal tutors, module tutors, programme directors and clinical supervisors, you will also have access to tutorial support and a peer mentoring system. Your learning will be supported by the latest research from our Performance Injury and Sport Therapy Research Group as you learn from leading academics in the field.
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Placements and work experience
Work placements are an essential part of developing professional expertise in strength and conditioning. The programme integrates practical experiences into the curriculum by providing internships and real-world data for students to work with. It prepares students for a career by tailoring the curriculum to meet the skills and characteristics sought by teams in the marketplace.
Students who have excelled in their studies on our strength and conditioning university course have undertaken placements with a range of professional organisations, including Cardiff City FC, Swansea City AFC, Cardiff Rugby, Dragons Rugby, Cardiff Dragons Netball, Cricket Wales, and Hockey Wales.
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Facilities
As a student on our Strength and Conditioning course, you will train at the USW Sport Park, fitted out with a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning centre boasting 12 lifting platforms and a full-size indoor 3G pitch, meeting FIFA Pro and World Rugby ‘22 standards. You will also have access to a performance analysis suite, outdoor pitches, and all-weather surfaces. In addition to the USW Sport Park, you will benefit from specialised anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics suites at our Glyntaf campus. Our top-tier facilities are extensively used by international professional teams, so you know you will be training with the best equipment.
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94% of students are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating from USW.
Sport Science is rated top in Wales for Teaching Quality and Student Experience (Times Good University Guide 2024).
Top in Wales
Sport Science at USW is top in Wales for Teaching Quality.
(Guardian University Guide 2025)94% of students are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating from USW.
Sport Science is rated top in Wales for Teaching Quality and Student Experience (Times Good University Guide 2024).
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
UCAS Points: 112 (or above)
Typical qualification requirements:
- A Level: BBC to include a Science subject or PE and to exclude General Studies
- BTEC: Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit in a relevant subject
- Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate: C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BB to include a Science subject or PE and to exclude General Studies
- Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma in Sport/Science with a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points.
Additional requirements include:
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 Workforce and Child Barring List and subscription to the DBS Update Service is required. (Overseas equivalent required for non-uk applicants).
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.
English 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 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing 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.
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.
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 love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.
Fees and Funding
£9,535
per year*£16,200
per year*£785
per 20 credits*Additional Costs
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
This fee includes £40 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee.
Cost: £55.42
Subscription required for each year of the course for a yearly fee of £13. Please note the service has to be joined within 30 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate.
Cost: £13
In Year 2 and 3 students will need to fund their travel and subsistence costs when on placement. Cost is dependent on placement location.
University Quality Assurance
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
Life at USW
Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.
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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.)
Advanced entry
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.
International admissions
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.
