BSc (Hons)
Exercise and Fitness Management
Vocational training for the health and fitness industry
Course Overview
Why take this course?
This academic degree will provide you with the key scientific underpinning in exercise and fitness combined with the practical vocational qualifications to enter directly into the health and fitness industry. If you are interested in understanding the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology and want to develop the specialist management knowledge required for careers within this area, then this is the course for you.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Use specialist facilities, including one of the largest swimming flumes in the country
- Organise and market events in the local community such as the Great South Run
- Work with expert staff who are accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists, British Psychological Society and Health and Care Professions Council
What opportunities might it lead to?
With sound industry-relevant academic knowledge and vocational qualifications as well as the ability to communicate in a professional and approachable style, this course will aid your chosen career in the fitness industry.
Specifically, the course provides entry to the Register of Exercise Professionals Level 3 (REPs), which is the independent public register for qualified professionals endorsed by SkillsActive. Membership of REPs is a requirement of the Fitness Industry Association (FIA) Code of Practice and assures employers that you have the appropriate skills to do the job.
Here are some routes you can pursue:
- personal training
- sports coaching
- leisure industry management roles
- event management
- further postgraduate study
We ran a sports festival for local schools and even worked with the London Irish Rugby team. The experience at Portsmouth has been brilliant.
Sindre Grodem, sport and exercise student
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- C602
- Duration
- 3 years full time, 6 years part time
- Entry
Subject to approval
280 points to include 180 points from 2 A levels or equivalent, with 80 points from a Science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, PE, Psychology or Sports Studies).
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man part-time students: £3,000 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
International part-time students: £5,250 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.Please note an additional fee of £200 per year (for the first 2 years) for those who wish to take the professional body (REPs) Level 2 and 3 vocational qualifications.
- Contact
- sci.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 5550 - Department
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science
Subject:
Sports Science
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Looking at the theory then putting it into practice
- The challenging yet supportive environment in which to study
- Use of some of the best facilities in the country that are not just for research purposes
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
The course aims to promote an understanding of the inter-disciplinary nature of exercise and fitness via both theoretical and practical applications. In the first year you are taught a variety of core subjects in the main disciplines of exercise, fitness and management.
Core units in this year include:
- Introduction to Sport and Exercise Physiology
- Coaching Principles
- Sports Events Organisation
- Introduction to Fitness Training and Assessment
- Introduction to Kinesiology and Biomechanics
- Research Methods 1
You will also have the option to take the REPs Level 2 Gym Instructor vocational qualification.
Year two
As you progress through the course you will also study units that include vocational qualifications embedded into them such as first aid and personal training.
Core units in this year include:
- Sport and Business Management
- Nutrition for Health Fitness and Sport
- Advanced Fitness Training and Assessment
- Research Methods 2
Optional units in this year include:
- Psychology of Sports and Exercise
- Sport and Exercise Physiology
- The Science of Injury and Rehabilitation
- Managing People in Sports Organisations
You will also have the option to take the REPs Level 3 Personal Trainer vocational qualification.
Year three
In your final year one of the main focuses will be on your final year project. You will also have a selection of optional units based on preparing you for professional roles within the health and fitness arena.
Optional units in this year include:
- Physical Activity Prescription and Promotion
- Event Management in Sport
- Professional Practice in Sports Psychology
- Physiological Approaches to Training and Assessment
- Professional Development
- Professional Practice in Sports Marketing
- Professional Practice in Sports Education
Teaching and Assessment
You will experience a variety of teaching approaches, chosen to cater to individual learning styles. These include lectures, seminars, laboratories, tutorials and educational visits. You’ll also have access to additional learning resources provided via our Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle), including practise quizzes, further reading, interactive tasks and discussion forums. Furthermore, our dedicated staff will provide an enjoyable and interactive environment, in addition to valuable tutorial support throughout your studies.
How are you assessed?
We employ a varied assessment strategy and assess you throughout the course. Here’s how:
- client reports
- essays
- lab and/or business reports
- individual and/or group presentations
- poster presentations
- exams
- practical exercises
- event organisation
- project reports
Tutor's view
Dr Chris Mills
Exercise and Fitness Management
My course is dedicated to providing you with the key scientific underpinning in exercise and fitness as well as the practical vocational qualifications to enter directly into the health and fitness industry. The embedded Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) qualifications ensure you maximise your chances of gaining employment in this job sector.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Learning Environments
We offer many facilities including sports halls and a 100-station gym
UP for Sport
Take on volunteer coaching opportunities
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
Learning Environments
You will benefit from plenty of indoor space for practical activities. Along with our many specialist labs, dedicated seminar spaces and interview rooms, the Department is located next to the University’s Nuffield Sports Centre and very near to the University’s St Paul’s Sports Centre. These two centres offer many facilities including sports halls, a 100-station gym, squash courts and fitness studios, all located at the heart of the University.
UP for Sport
Share your sporting skills through our UP for Sport scheme. Take on a volunteer coaching opportunity in the local community to boost your CV and gain formal qualifications. You will also have opportunities to attend education visits to local health and fitness providers.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
On completing your studies, you can expect to find successful careers in the fitness and leisure industries, as personal trainers, gym instructors, coaches or assistant managers. The business skills you will develop on this course will also enable you to consider a wider range of roles, for example technical or administrative posts in leisure centres or with local authorities.
With experience and further down the line, you could also opt to set up your own business in personal training, or run sports camps or event management consultancies. Alternatively, postgraduate options in exercise or management courses are also an available option.
Roles you can go on to include:
- personal trainer
- sports coach
- gym instructor
- event management consultant
- local authority sports coordinator
Work experience
We ensure that employability skills, work-related learning and educational visits are fully integrated within the course and embedded into many of the units.
The key units linked to the REPs qualifications (and the National Occupational Standards for Exercise and Fitness) are intended to be as vocational as possible, providing training in a similar environment to that experienced in the health and fitness industry. We also have a specialised Employability group aimed at assisting you to gain appropriate work-based experience.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more