Careers and connections in Sport and Exercise

Undergraduate

Whether you want to analyse physical performance, support sporting professionals, or improve fitness in others, sport and exercise offers a wide, diverse choice of rewarding careers.

Our graduates make a positive impact on the world. From helping nations and teams win international medals to using sport in the community to improve the lives of ordinary people, including children and the elderly, and rehabilitating injured players.

Capitalising on our network of international partners and industry contacts, courses bridge your academic learning with hands-on experience of what is happening in the real world. We offer guaranteed real-world work experience and work-related training sessions and scenarios.

You will be taught the latest theory, practice and insight – including our own world-leading research – by a teaching team of sport educators and industry practitioners. Our experienced visiting fellows, for example, currently include performance swimming coach Louise Graham and sport coaching and exercise scientist Ian Freeman, among others. The quality of teaching is evidenced by accreditation from leading industry bodies, including the Society of Sports Therapists and BPS, endorsement from BASES, and BUCS participation.

Explore our courses in Sport and Exercise

Your career

Our graduates have launched successful careers in job roles including:

  • Sports Therapist
  • Massage Therapist
  • Performance Analyst
  • Match Analyst
  • PE Teacher
  • Head of PE
  • Sports Coach
  • Sports Development Officer
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • Sports Scientist
  • Personal Trainer
  • Cardiac Physiologist
  • Exercise Psychologist
  • Performance Consultant
  • Athlete Career and Education Advisor
  • Wellness Coach

Matt Roach

Graduated 2015

After personal injury ended dreams of a professional football career Matt entered into sports therapy and now works for MK Dons rehabilitating injured players.

Matt's story

Work experience

Through internships, volunteering opportunities or UK and overseas study or work placements, you can test your skills, boost your knowledge and learn to appreciate the changing nature of real working environments. Past students, for example, have travelled as far as the US and Japan.

Guest lecturers offer additional opportunities for networking and new knowledge. Previous speakers have included Manchester United FC Coach Mike Phelan and Head of Coaching at Brighton and Hove Albion FC Nick Levett. Past topics have ranged from why guilt should not be a motivating factor for exercise to why the talent pool for elite sports coaches should extend beyond former elite athletes.

Explore our courses in Sport and Exercise

My main goal is to become a football coach within an academy and I feel the connections and knowledge I am gaining from this course will enable me to seriously fulfil my ambition. Working in football is a very competitive environment and I believe the recognition of completing a sport related degree from University of Staffordshire and the practical experience will help to make me stand out as an applicant.

Stephen Coates

Sport and Exercise graduate

Our students

The best parts of studying Sport Science at University of Staffordshire was gaining a hands-on experience, whether that was operating equipment in the physiology and biomechanics labs or coaching new skills to a group of students.

Megan Goodfellow

Student, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science

I would 100% recommend this degree – it's completely tailored to being a PE teacher and if you know that’s what you want to do, I’d do it because it’ll give you all the professional development you need – all the coaching stuff you need and the teaching side of it.  

Emily James

BSc (Hons) Physical Education and Youth Sport Coaching

Our friendly enquiries team are on hand to answer any questions you may have about your course, life at University of Staffordshire and much more.

in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021