Lancaster University’s BSc Sports and Exercise Science is one of the first in the UK to be delivered by a medical school. Lancaster Medical School is recognised for its subject expertise, supportive community and satisfied students. This is your chance to study sports and exercise science within an academically rigorous environment and to combine scientific knowledge with professional practice.
You will explore the science behind human performance in sports, exercise and health. The course balances scientific focus with employability, so you will study anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and psychology alongside subjects such as nutrition, digital technologies in sport and exercise, and data analysis.
The mix of lectures, workshops and laboratory sessions also includes valuable experience of sports and exercise science research. You may find yourself analysing warm-up strategies to prevent injury, developing effective training and nutritional approaches for high-performing athletes, or assessing the effects of exercise for weight loss in obese people. You will also be encouraged to consider the increasing prominence of exercise and physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle, and to engage with current debates on public health and disease management.
You will be taught by Lancaster Medical School’s research-active academics with expertise in sports and exercise science, plus specialists ranging from bioscientists and clinicians, to sports nutritionists and public health experts.
Our Human Performance Laboratory gives you access to specialised sports facilities featuring cutting-edge technology used by today’s elite athletes. You will learn anatomy using Lancaster Medical School’s life-size anatomical models and benefit from access to Lancaster University’s £4m life science teaching laboratories.
Using our state-of-the-art equipment, you will gain the skills to capture and analyse physiological and biomechanical data to better understand human performance and activity. You will learn how to act to enhance performance and activity - whether for competition or disease management - and how to provide feedback to an athlete, a patient or member of the general public.
In your first year, you will begin to explore the science behind human performance in sports, exercise and health through a broad range of core modules. The degree content covered in year one offers you the opportunity to complete an industry-recognised fitness qualification.
In your second year, you begin to tailor your degree to your own interests or career aspirations by choosing to study an optional module in either Exercise Medicine (health performance) or Sports Medicine (athletic performance).
In year three, you will make a unique contribution to sports and exercise science research and undertake a research project on a topic of your choosing. You will also finalise your professional practice programme by delivering a sport and exercise science-based event.
Our students show you Sports and Exercise Science's focus on people - in sports and beyond, how they are supported and nurtured by our academic team, and how studying at Lancaster has given them the confidence to take their studies wherever they want.
Sports and Exercise Science EXPO2024
EXPO2024 is the last part of final-year module MED340 Professional Practice. Students are required to work in groups to communicate a specific idea in the field of Sports and Exercise Science to a diverse audience. In these films, our students show a variety of themes and ideas covering health, fitness, and beyond.
An introduction to EXPO2024
Module lead and Director of Outreach, Dr Sarah Powell, introduces Sports and Exercise Science EXPO2024.
Mind the Gap
In this film, our students explore the STEM gender gap, and look at what equity for women in sport would mean.
Be your best you
In this film, our students contrast what 'being your best you' means in the context of health versus how we might perceive what our 'best' is.
Out of sight, out of mind
Students talk about the dangers of concussion in sport.
Who Dares Wins
In this film, students talk about what you can do with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science.
The Sixth Sense
Students here talk about the 'sixth sense' or proprioception - the way we understand our body's position in space.
Careers
A BSc Sports and Exercise Science from Lancaster University will open doors to a career in the sports industry, health environment or beyond. It could lead to employment in the private and public sectors, including the NHS, local authorities, national sport organisations, education, professional sports clubs, public sports and recreation facilities, and the community.
You will benefit from Lancaster Medical School’s excellent connections with clinicians, practitioners, and professionals working in both the health and sports domain; experience of working with athletes and members of the wider community; and an opportunity to gain a fitness qualification alongside your degree. You will be encouraged and supported to engage in professional development opportunities across all three years, All of this will help you to make professional connections, build practical experience, and get a head start on your chosen career.
Potential roles include: exercise physiologist, biomechanist, sports psychologist, strength and conditioning coach, health promotion specialist, personal trainer, performance analyst, and sports development officer. Alternatively, if you wish to continue your education, you could progress to a discipline or career-specific master’s degree in areas such as exercise physiology or subjects allied to sports science, or to a PhD and a career in research.
You will also develop the transferable skills that all employers seek - the ability to think critically, communicate, work in teams, carry out your own research, competently analyse data, operate in a commercially aware manner, plan strategically and demonstrate technical fluency. The wide scope of Lancaster's sports and exercise science degree means that you will be practiced at looking at issues from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring you not only gain a highly reputable degree, you also graduate with the relevant life and work based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award which offers you the opportunity to complete key activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development. Visit our Employability section for full details.
Entry requirements
Grade Requirements
A Level ABB
Required Subjects A level grade B in one science from the following: Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Further Mathematics, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Sports Science.
GCSE Mathematics grade B or 5, English Language grade C or 4
IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.
Other Qualifications
International Baccalaureate 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects, including 6 in one Higher Level science from the following: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, Sports, Exercise and Health Science.
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction, Distinction, Merit in Applied Science, Sport and Exercise Science, or Sporting Excellence and Performance.
We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualifications. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.
Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
Technology use in sport, exercise and health has steeply increased in the last few years, aided by technological advancements in software, hardware and data processing power. Indeed, the overall market for wearable technology is expected to grow from 113.2 million units sold in 2017, to 222.3 million in 2021 (IDC, 2017). The benefit such technology development brings can be very useful in providing support to athletes and clients, but it does not come without limitations or aspects that require a deeper understanding of ‘how it works’ to ensure accurate results.
This module will cover such technologies (e.g. wearables), what the data obtained can tell us and any caveats with it. It will afford students the opportunity to explore relevant technologies and develop an argument for their use.
This wide-ranging module provides an engaging introduction to Sports and Exercise Science, including its history, growth and future. It’s your chance to learn about the overarching role of Sports and Exercise Science in public health, disease management, elite performance, and recreational sports and activities. You will gain an awareness of research, professionalism and potential career opportunities as we educate, excite and inspire you. As you embark on your academic and career journey within this exciting field, we’ll also ensure that you understand and adhere to professional conduct requirements.
The lecture series is accompanied by workshops based around the role of Sports and Exercise Scientists. The combination of lectures, workshops, and Human Performance Laboratory sessions provides you with an insight into Lancaster’s various learning environments and to the way we will put theory into practice. The Human Performance Laboratory sessions will focus on working safely in the Sport and Exercise Sciences.
This module is an introduction to the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The first five lectures of the module will examine the main components of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the way eukaryotic cells are organized into tissues. The techniques used to study cells will also be reviewed. The next two lectures will look in detail at the structure and function of mitochondria and chloroplasts and the chemiosmotic theory. This will be followed by a lecture on the way cells are organised into tissues. The final four lectures will cover reproduction in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the eukaryotic cell cycle. The lectures are supplemented by two practical sessions, the first on light microscopic technique and the second covering organelle isolation
How does a tennis player who is behind in a match keep focussed and fight back to win the match? Why do 100m sprinters visualise in their mind the race they are about to take part in? Why is breaking a bad habit, perhaps not taking exercise, so difficult?
These are important questions in Sports and Exercise Science and in this module you’ll get a chance to explore these topics as you examine theories of behaviour change along with studying motivation, visualisation and the effects of pressure on athletic performance.
This interactive and engaging module is your chance to get to grips with human physiology in the context of sports and exercise. Combining a lecture series with sessions in the Human Performance Lab, we will balance theory and practice to develop your understanding, and explore the integration of multiple physiological systems in response to exercise.
During your time in the Human Performance Lab, we will consider the ways in which physiological monitoring and analysis can be used to understand how these systems respond and adapt to the demands of different modes of exercise. You will carry out resting, submaximal and maximal tests using treadmills and static cycle ergometers. You will use heart rate monitors to evaluate workload, gas analysers to determine oxygen uptake, and blood sampling to assess changes in lactate levels to name a few. Your practical skills will be observed and you’ll complete a competency log ahead of a practical assessment.
By the end of the module you will also know what the requirements are for carrying out physiological measurements and tests, how to record data from those tests, and, how to analyse and present that data in a laboratory report.
Throughout the module you will complete a weekly online test, which will help you to spot any gaps in your learning and to feel good about the knowledge that you’ve already secured.
Driven by practical experience, this module provides an overview of how exercise science contributes to prescription in varying populations. Interactive and highly applied lectures will provide you with the opportunity to learn the underpinning theory and associated research surrounding the key components of exercise programming, training principles and techniques. Supported by practical workshops alongside qualified fitness professionals, your skills in instruction, delivery, adaptability and progression of a programme will increase. This gives you a genuine opportunity to put theory into practice.
The focus of assessment will be to consult with a client and deliver an appropriate individualised evidence-based exercise programme.
This module explores the science behind the structure and function of systems within the human body. Specifically, you will learn about the nervous, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems and discover their role in the contexts of sport, exercise and health. Taught sessions involve lectures that provide the fundamental principles, and interactive workshops and practicals that enable students to develop skills in problem solving and applied practice. This blend of theory and application will support learning on other modules across the programme.
The assessment comprises an applied movement analysis, requiring the use of information from a variety of resources. You will also complete weekly online tests, which will help you to consolidate learning, and an exam covering all aspects of the module at the end of the year.
In this module students will learn the functions of several endocrine (hormone-producing) glands in lectures and workshops, such as the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands. Students will then explore the underlying chemistry behind what makes exercise possible, our metabolism. Students will explore the links between nutrition and energy provision, how chemical reactions take place to increase skeletal muscle mass (anabolism), and finally explore how metabolism is linked to health, performance and even the ageing process.
Students will be assessed through a combination of weekly online multiple choice tests, a piece of coursework on hormonal control, and an exam covering the metabolism aspect of the module.
This module will explore the foundations of general and sport nutrition, providing you with the knowledge and skills to analyse and review a diet diary and provide appropriate dietary advice to a self-selected case study.
Your learning will involve lectures, workshops examining dietary assessment methods, computer-based sessions using dietary analysis software and testing in the Human Performance Laboratory. You will learn how to calculate energy requirements for different activities and populations in both a sport and health context.
The assessment for this module includes the production of a dietary analysis report from a client diet diary. You will work with the client to capture the data and will analyse and interpret the data. You will draw on your knowledge to form recommendations and client goals.
You will complete a weekly online test ahead of an end of year exam.
In this module, students will explore the chemistry of some of the most important molecules to life, including water, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The module begins with an overview of basic chemistry for example atomic structure, bonding, pH and molecular shape. It looks at the properties of water and how these enable water to support life. The structure and bonding within nucleic acids, proteins and carbohydrates are explored with emphasis upon how this is related to function within a cell. Finally, the structure and functions of lipids are described, with emphasis upon the role of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates in biological membranes.
Workshops on this module enable use of RasMol molecular modelling software, making molecular models and problem-based learning.
This captivating module provides you with a strong foundation of knowledge in biomechanics. You will learn underpinning theory, and how biomechanical assessments are used in sport and exercise. This module includes a combination lectures, workshops and practicals in which you will explore the science around how and why the human body moves as it does. You will learn about biomechanics from the perspectives of performance enhancement and injury reduction, drawing on an understanding of how human movement changes in response to the demands of exercise and sport.
To align with the applied skills you will learn, the assessment provides you with the opportunity to showcase your competency in conducting a biomechanical assessment with a client. You will also complete a written portfolio on biomechanical assessment, and weekly online tests to consolidate learning.
Our highly engaging professional practice module is an excellent opportunity to gain the academic knowledge, skills and values to progress in the sports and exercise sector.
Workshops will follow two themes where students will work collaboratively and engage with their peers while applying theoretical principles to applied practice using appropriate software:
Sound academic practice: effective literature searching, referencing, critical reading, scientific writing, time management, group work, presentation skills and reflection practices.
Basic principles of experimental design: research study design, hypothesis testing, and data entry, analysis and presentation using statistical software.
Throughout the module you will complete assessment tasks to improve your scientific and concise writing style, refine your ability to search literature and reference appropriately, reflect on your presentation and communication skills, and critically apprise published experimental research.
This module ends with an analysis of your personal academic development throughout the first year of the degree programme and designing a plan for progression. The professional practice module continues to run throughout your degree with a moving focus towards professional development and public engagement.
This contemporary module will engage you in three public health challenges that directly relate to the sport and exercise sciences and complement modules in psychology, nutrition, exercise prescription and assessing technologies. You will gain an awareness and understanding of health inequalities, identifying the need to get people active, discussing the challenges faced by people living with obesity, and ensuring our ageing population live better for longer.
Taught sessions will consist of interactive lectures and classroom-based workshops where you will be creative and develop key skills to discuss current and future public health initiatives. You will also enhance your ability to understand epidemiology and interpret statistics, whilst effectively presenting complex information using simple to understand statements - essential for successful public engagement and a valuable employability skill.
You will be assessed by creatively designing material to inform the public about particular health challenges and solutions, as well as developing your group presentation skills. Throughout the module, you will complete a weekly online test, which will direct you to find information from key public health sources.
Core
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Biomechanics II builds on previous knowledge and skills developed around the area of Biomechanics. Students will explore in more depth how muscle performance affects our day to day life, whether this is being able to walk to the shops or achieve a personal best in a competition, how to assess that performance in both laboratory and field settings, and how to interpret the data in a meaningful way. The work will be completed in the Human Performance Laboratory as well as using real data in seminars and workshops, where students will get a flavour of how we conduct and present research in Biomechanics. The module provides the perfect stepping stone for getting more excited with Biomechanics and preparing students for further engagement with the area, should they wish to do so.
This module allows the opportunity for students to engage with hot topics and current debates within sport and exercise science, across all the core disciplines of physiology, nutrition, psychology and biomechanics. You will develop the skills and confidence to review both sides of a number of controversial topics, build and defend a strong argument in a cohesive learning environment. This provides a dynamic approach to developing the ability read, listen, write and think critically, all of which are key skills for the final year of the degree.
You will be assessed via contributions to a collaborative learning environment, a short written critical review, and a live debate. A highly valuable and interactive approach that is intended to excite you to want to learn more.
Following year one modules in physiology and nutrition, this takes your knowledge and application of skills to the next level by focusing on the measurement and evaluation of physiological responses to exercise and related environments. The module will take you beyond stand-alone physiological tests and provide a more experimental approach to your learning and start to apply the content to real-world sport and health scenarios.
You will delve deeper into energy systems and metabolic processes, find out more about the determinants of exercise performance, fatigue and recover and have fully grasped the integrated nature of exercise physiology to suitably prepare you for final year modules. You will learn how to conduct tests that determine lactate threshold, as well as using multiple different protocols to determine VO2max and investigating the effect of commonly used nutritional supplements. The module will introduce you to a variety of both laboratory and field-based assessments.
You will further your year one practical skills by continuing to add to your competencies and practical workbook/portfolio and laboratory report writing will have a more experimental focus, showcasing your understanding of protocol selection. The nature of the module will have helped to further develop your ability to analyse data and interpretation, which will feature in the module examination.
This module focuses on you and your professional development, to ultimately place you in a stronger position upon graduation. We are committed to ensuring you start thinking about and planning your career pathway, which can often be daunting, but it is highly beneficial to make some progress on this during your second year.
Working alongside a specific job specification, you will set out a professional development plan, engage in professional development opportunities and complete valuable employment-related assessments. Taught sessions are interactive and task-based to ensure you have something tangible to take away each week that moves you one step further towards your ideal job. Professional development opportunities can be advertised to you, but you are equally encouraged to seek your own. Examples include work placements, shadowing opportunities, volunteering, providing sport science support to university sports team, engaging as a research participant or assistant, attending conferences.
This module will examine how to identify different types of data, how to interpret experimental plans and approaches, to select an appropriate statistical approach to interrogate data. This is essential for a successful career in Sports Science and is relevant to any career in which data analysis is required.
Your learning will take place in lectures and computer lab. The lecture sessions are used to discuss approaches to data analysis and to introduce analytical concepts, while the computer lab sessions are used to practice the use of analytical software to use example data from the field of sport and exercise sciences. You’ll get experience of using several tools for data analysis, including packages which are freely available and which you can use following graduation in any role as there is no need to purchase or license specific software packages.
You will be assessed through a combination of weekly online tests, to check your knowledge, coursework for which you will complete statistical tests on model data and an end-of-year exam.
The module content will include social, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional processes that operate in sport and exercise environments. Indicative topics related to social processes include team and interpersonal dynamics. For cognitive processes, indicative topics include cognitive training and the relationships between sensory deprivation and participation in sport and exercise. For behavioural and emotional processes, indicative topics include body image, identity, exercise addiction, and eating disorders. The focus of the model is on applying course content to real world situations. For example, students will examine how social, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional processes interact to influence skill execution, performance, and wellbeing in athletes and exercise participants.
Optional
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This exciting module applies exercise science and exercise prescription to health and medical conditions. With the growing public health challenge associated with physical inactivity, as well as the convincing evidence that exercise is an effective disease prevention and treatment strategy, this module will appropriately equip students with the knowledge and skills to work towards a career in the health domain. Lancaster Medical School has a focus on improving population health via innovative methods and this allows Sports and Exercise Science to align closely with the wider vision of the Medicine programme.
You will learn about the role exercise plays in the prevention of risk factors associated with heart disease, as well as the use of exercise to improve blood sugar control in diabetes. You will discover how exercise can delay issues with bone health such as the importance of load-bearing activities in people with osteoporosis. You will gain in-depth insights into the pathophysiology, medications and exercise prescription across a wide range of conditions that are high on the UK and Global public health agenda, developing an adapted physical activity programme and engaging with real-life patients to raise awareness of the real-life barriers, facilitators and approaches to exercise medicine.
You will be engaged in lectures, interactive workshops and several focus groups with patients living with the health conditions you will learn about. Your knowledge and skills will be assessed by online weekly tests, a real-life patient case study and an end of year exam.
This module will develop knowledge of the injuries and pathologies present within elite Sport and examine prevention and treatment strategies for these conditions from musculoskeletal injuries to concussion to eating disorders in sport.
This module will include the assessment of sports injuries and how to monitor athletes who may be at risk through overtraining or other underlying pathologies. We will examine the performance benefits, and long-term consequences, of ergogenic aids, and the growing use of therapeutic use exemptions (TUE’s) within Sport.
Your learning will take place in lectures, workshops, and in the Human Performance Lab. You will be assessed through a combination of weekly online multiple-choice tests, to check your knowledge, a written report in the style of a research paper, and an end-of-year exam.
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This highly engaging module is an excellent opportunity to discover and develop skills in science communication: informing, educating and raising awareness of sports and exercise sciences with the public. The skills, knowledge and values gained through this module are directly relevant to applied work as part of a team and interacting with the public, leading directly to enhanced employability.
This module will provide you the opportunity to work collaboratively to design, critique and deliver a piece of science communication to a public audience with accompanying resources. The module will end with a reflective report to analyse the successes and challenges of the process, output and interaction.
A crucial part of your degree is the final year project during which you’ll have the opportunity to work with staff to undertake your own research project. You’ll be guided in doing this, and you’ll be able to apply all of the knowledge and skills you’ve developed as you undertake your original research project.
Your project will allow you to develop your research and time-management skills as well as your presentation and team working skills. In addition, it will allow you to undertake an investigation into a topic of your choice.
Optional
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This module will explore how the body responds in challenging environments and in response to other stressors such as disease. We will study how physiology is disrupted in extreme environments which might include thermal stress, altitude, hyperbaric environments, or during spaceflight. We will examine what can be done to mitigate any effects on exercise performance in extreme environments.
This module will focus on the diversity of sport, exercise and performance psychology practices and techniques in different applied contexts (e.g., sport, performing arts, and military environments). The students will gain insights into real-world applications of psychological processes, techniques, and tools and will consider some of the challenges associated with different psychological skill applications for individual athletes. Students will also explore how sport psychologists manage organizational culture and change, help improve pathways for athlete development, and contribute to enhancing athletes’ mental health.
This optional module offers a more in-depth look into the mechanics of human movement across different contexts (e.g. elite vs non-elite, injured vs uninjured, ageing populations). The module will challenge your critical thinking in an engaging and applied manner through lectures, workshops and practical sessions. Using your understanding of the discipline, you will advance your application of laboratory- and field-based biomechanical assessments via improved specificity in methodological design (i.e. what are the most appropriate tests for profiling ACL injuries in female athletes?).
The first assessment requires collaboration on a small-scale group research project. You will cover all aspects, from design through to data collection and dissemination in the form of a group presentation. This assessment provides autonomy, and the chance for you to demonstrate your skills as an applied biomechanist. Further assessment methods will test your data processing/statistical analysis skills, and your ability to critique the evidence-base relating to a specific domain.
This optional module has a strong applied, sport performance-related focus. It will cover topics that require the input of multiple sports and exercise science disciplines and afford you the opportunity to obtain an understanding of how a team of professionals work together to achieve maximum performance. You will be assessed via a case study, which will allow you to explore the demands of the sport / position, design an appropriate sport science support plan which you will present to staff and peers. You will enjoy the applied focus of the module as well as the ability to gain an understanding of the more practical challenges facing the sports and exercise scientists working in the field, and will be introduced to innovative ways of communicating with colleagues and athletes.
This insightful module is one of the year 3 options, providing you with the opportunity to continue on a health performance pathway. You will apply aspects of public health and exercise medicine to the design and evaluation of interventions for the general public and patient groups to promote positive changes. It is an applied and real-life module that equips you with the knowledge and skills required in an ever-growing employment field, to optimise health outcomes. Focus is likely to be on population groups where a public health concern exists such as weight management for obesity, and cardiac rehabilitation. Exciting insights will be shared by those engaged in intervention design and implementation so you will also learn from those "doing" it.
Taught sessions will consist of interactive lectures and classroom-based workshops where you will be putting tools and approaches used in real-life setting into action. The activities are authentic and applied to provide valuable insight as well as excite you about the prospect of working in this area. One example is the development of ideas for health interventions based from local community venues, discussing the need for prehabilitation services with a local surgeon, or a visit to a local cardiac care centre.
You will be assessed by evaluating an existing intervention, then working with a real-life scenario to design an intervention that utilises tools and approaches used in the field, as well as justifying this in a viva. An excellent set of learning and assessment methods that are transferable into the workplace.
Fees and funding
Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
College fees
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.
For students starting in 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.
Computer equipment and internet access
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
Study abroad courses
In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.
Placement and industry year courses
In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.
The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.
Home fees are subject to annual review, and may be liable to rise each year in line with UK government policy. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.
We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard tuition fee
Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard tuition fee
International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will be charged the same percentages as the standard International fee.
Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.
Scholarships and bursaries
You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.
You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:
Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.
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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.
A BSc Sports and Exercise Science from Lancaster University will open doors to a career in the sports industry or beyond. It could lead to employment in the private and public sectors, including the NHS, local authorities, national sporting associations, sports governing bodies, education, professional sports clubs, public sports and recreation facilities, and the community.
Sports and exercise science contributes 147,300 jobs to the UK work force.
Sport and Exercise Science Education, Impact on the UK Economy (2019)
A sports and exercise science student will earn £667,000 more in earnings across their working life compared to if they had a Level 3 education (equivalent to A Levels).
Sport and Exercise Science Education, Impact on the UK Economy (2019)
For every £1 that students invest in their education in sports and exercise science yields £5.50 in higher future wages.
Sport and Exercise Science Education, Impact on the UK Economy (2019)
Elite technology
Our brand new Human Performance Lab gives you access to specialised sports facilities featuring cutting-edge technology used by today’s elite athletes. These include our HP Cosmos treadmill, Biodex isokinetic dynamometer, Cortex online gas analysis system, electronically braked cycle ergometers, and our Optojump performance assessment system to name just a few.
In the Strength and Conditioning Room you'll have the opportunity to train to a high level of performance, with a GHD bench, ski ergometers, watt bikes, assault bikes, and Technogym skillmills, skillruns, skillbikes and skillrows.
Our students also experience teaching and learning in our outstanding biomedical science teaching labs. In your first year, you will use these to complete dissections as part of Fundamental Anatomy and will use these during practical elements of Molecules of Life and Cell Structure and Function that are studied alongside biomedical science students.
As well as a purpose built facility for your Sports and Exercise Science studies, you'll have access to the Lancaster University Sports Centre.
Facilities include a 25 metre swimming pool with eight lanes; a climbing wall and bouldering cave designed by mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington; a high-performance strength and conditioning room; sauna and steam rooms; a sports hall with eight badminton courts; four squash courts; and a state-of-the art 100 station gym.
The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
Our Students’ Charter
We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.
Undergraduate open days 2024
Our summer and autumn open days will give you Lancaster University in a day. Visit campus and put yourself in the picture.
Our historic city is student-friendly and home to a diverse and welcoming community. Beyond the city you'll find a stunning coastline and the picturesque Lake District.