Strength and Conditioning (With Foundation Year) Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

This innovative course is designed for those who want to train athletes to maximise their physical potential and improve their performance. You learn from leading professionals who teach you the skills you need to be a confident and well-informed strength and conditioning coach, while covering a wide range of sports science disciplines including anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology and nutrition. It is also one of the only courses in the UK to offer around £10,000-worth of additional qualifications at no extra cost.

Foundation Year\
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an undergraduate course, taking a Foundation Year can provide a fantastic entry route to a degree-level qualification. The Foundation Year supports you to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy while exploring a range of subject-specific content so you are fully prepared for the core three-year course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your degree.

Course accreditation/industry endorsement\
The course is endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), allowing you to gain additional qualifications in gym instructor; personal trainer; working with people with long-term conditions; S&C trainer; and graduate S&C coach. Once you complete your degree, you can apply for professional accreditation with the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA).

Facilities and specialist equipment

* Purpose-built strength and conditioning facility with Olympic weight room

* Sports therapy and rehabilitation MSK centre with sports injury clinic

* Six CASES-accredited laboratories with cutting-edge equipment such as an environmental chamber, Vald Performance light gates, force plates and a 3D motion-analysis system

* Human Performance Centre, giving students experience of working with athletes

* Gym

* Sports arena; multi-use games areas; and sports pitches

Career-powered links\
We are official education partners of Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC as well as other sporting organisations in the region such as Bedford Tigers RLFC, MK Dons, Cricket East and Be Active.

Your student experience\
Learn from leading professionals in the field who are UKSCA-accredited coaches. The team has worked with elite sports people, including GB Olympians, national organisations (such as the RFU and the FA) and professional sports teams.

Benefit from opportunities for work experience at our on-campus Human Performance Centre, which offers testing to sports people and the general public; community exercise clinic; Get Active; University BUCS team athletes; and as S&C support with the Talented School Athletes Scheme.

As well as placements with our official partners, Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC, you have opportunities to gain experience with other sporting organisations such as Bedford Tigers RLFC, Northampton Saints, MK Dons, Cricket East, Saracens, Northampton County Cricket Club, North Herts Knights Basketball, Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and the USA’s National Football League (NFL)

Enhance your learning through field trips to destinations such as St George’s Park, the home of England Football; Northampton Saints Rugby Club; and the anatomy rooms at King’s College London.

Hear from guest speakers and attend our ISPAR seminar series. Previous speakers have included Jack Wells (PGA); Akash Modhwadia (S&C coach at MK Dons); Mark Finney (former head of S&C at Northampton Saints); and Phil Pask (consultant physiotherapist for England Rugby).

Benefit from the support of your own personal academic tutor who will guide you throughout your student journey.

Our Bedford campus is a small, thriving academic community where academic staff get to know you well.