Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Strength and Conditioning

at University of Bedfordshire - Bedford Campus United Kingdom

Study with one of the country’s most established providers, learning from an academic team at the cutting edge of teaching and research, on a course that’s your springboard to a career in the field of sport and physical education.

Combining theory of teaching with practical activities, this wide-ranging degree teaches you lab-based skills that develop your understanding of human performance while also focusing on sport psychology, in areas such as behaviour and motivation.

Other areas covered by the course include exercise practice; sport pedagogy; physiology and health; physical activity and social inclusion; physical activity and health interventions; and professional development. Opportunities for relevant work experience are embedded into the course and there is also the option to take a sandwich-year placement.

Why choose this course?

• Gain an understanding of teaching and coaching that gives you a skill set transferable across multiple career fields
• Develop research and analytical skills in your final-year professional study
• Choose either a BA or BSc degree route, giving you a unique chance to specialise
• A fitness qualification endorsed by Skills Active is embedded into the course, allowing you to enter onto the Register of Exercise Professionals Level 2
• Benefit from teaching that puts your future employability at the heart of the course: 97% of our graduates are in work or study six months after finishing
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year in industry (see below), gaining work experience and making contacts for the future
• If you need to step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the undergraduate degree

If your ambition is to enter an Early Years profession and you have a Foundation Degree or equivalent, this top-up course will bring you up to a full Honours degree in just one year.

The Applied Early Years Studies BA (Hons) is a top-up (progression) course which builds on knowledge and skills gained from a previous relevant Foundation Degree or a similar 240-credit course.

Your studies take a whole-child approach to learning; early education; the needs of the child; and child development within the family and society, locally and globally. Your learning builds on your experience in the workplace and the course content adapts to suit your interests and circumstances.

 Why choose this course?

• Develop your understanding of the importance of education research and enquiry
• Choose a research dissertation topic and carry out research in your own area
• Gain practical skills by undertaking work placements
• Benefit from a course that provides a clear route into a professional graduate role, through Early Years teacher status, Primary initial teacher training or leadership and management

Pursue your own intellectual interests and develop advanced critical thinking and literary analysis skills.

Research-active experts in their fields deliver the taught elements - small seminar groups enabling significant individual support and guidance.

A thorough knowledge of 19th century and 20th century texts and contexts, and specific units in Reading Ulysses, Literary Pilgrimages, and Children’s and Young Adult Literature allow you to reflect on significant historical, intellectual and philosophical debates.

Research Methods develops further skills necessary at postgraduate level.

Building on your interests, a final dissertation project allows you to conduct independent research in a topic of your choosing.

Why choose this course?

• Study on an interdisciplinary course that combines the fields of language teaching and learning, teacher training management and leadership in an international context.
• Gain relevant and practical teaching experience and professional practical experience with a work placement programme where you will meet home and international students at various levels in their career, enabling you to work in an international environment and learn from each other’s experiences.
• Develop your understanding of English language teaching and learning in order to operate successfully in a management and leadership role and support others.
• Learn from experienced lecturers and researchers whose expertise and research lie in the areas of ELT, Language Teaching and Learning and Assessment, Materials Development for Language Teaching and Learning, and Leadership Management in Education. They are also involved in consultancy work with colleges and schools preparing for acceptance into accreditation schemes and inspections.
• Enhance your professional thinking and develop your own personal initiative as you conduct research in a specific area related to the fields of ELT, Management and Leadership.
• Benefit from close links with our Centre for Research in English Language Learning and Assessment (CRELLA), a world-famous centre in language testing and programme evaluation.

This course enhances your knowledge, skills and understanding in specialist areas of education. It enables you to develop your critical engagement in specific areas of interest, such as Leadership, Special Educational Needs, Early Years and issues related to classroom studies.

The MA Education will allow you to gain further knowledge and understanding in areas of working with children and adults in a wide variety of local authority or social care settings as well as in nurseries, schools and colleges.

For those already in work, the part-time route will support promotion to leadership and management roles. Our names awards will enable students to progress to doctoral study in specific specialist areas.

Why choose this course?

The course provides a dedicated route for those in management positions (or on a management career path). The course aims to develop both analytical and practical skills and will equip you to critically analyse current practices and processes as well as develop your own approaches to effective change.

If you’re fascinated by the science behind sport and exercise performance, this course gives you a rare chance to be part of a world-leading research team, using high-spec equipment to get to the heart of what makes a great sports performer.

The course combines scientific knowledge and sports performance, covering the core areas of sport and exercise science. Study involves lab work using discipline-leading equipment including online gas-analysis machines, an environmental chamber, light gates and echocardiography. It also offers specialist units in biomechanics, exercise physiology and social psychology, to name a few.

You learn in a high-performance environment with a leading research team specialising in exercise physiology; molecular exercise physiology; and exercise and health. You can be part of the team working on prestigious projects for elite sports teams, governing bodies and government initiatives.

Why choose this course?

• It is endorsed by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)
• There is a fitness qualification, endorsed by Skills Active, embedded into the course, allowing you to enter onto the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) Level 2
• Gain employability skills with specific, industry-proven guidance and participation in the latest sports science research
• Explore your area of interest with a final-year research project of your choice
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year’s placement in industry (see below), gaining experience and making contacts for the future
• If you are looking to step up into higher education, take the degree with a Foundation Year which guarantees entry to the Undergraduate course (see below)

The University of Bedfordshire and the School of Sport Science and Physical Activity are focussed on promoting football and developing students’ understanding of the variety of ways the football industry impacts on society.

The course offers you a broad overview of the football industry, while allowing you to focus on a specific area. Following a common first year you can choose to specialize in one of the following areas: football’s business environment; football development; and football coaching. You will conduct a detailed study of the sports industry sector as a whole. If you aspire to become a qualified football coach, the programme will give you the opportunity to gain recognised awards, such as the FA Coaching Level 1 and 2.

You will study the how impact of the Premier League and Football League clubs goes beyond the economic impact and encompasses investment in facilities and you will explore how community programmes supported by the Premier League in schools and disadvantaged areas has reached a significant scale and the impact of this.

The rapid growth of the football sector has created opportunities to become a sports professional in an expanding, borderless industry. Football is one of the most important industries in the UK in  terms of interest, participation and consumer spending. This course has been developed to reflect the growing complexity of the football market. The courses offer students the chance to enhance their employability by equipping them with the knowledge and higher-level skills demanded of a career in a global sport industry.

On this course you will be taught by top class professionals within the field. Your academics have a wide research portfolio, working with governing bodies such as the FA, UEFA and FIFA, and a variety of individuals from specific professional football teams, who will enable the students to get a deep understanding of this every changing industry.

Why choose this course?

You will gain deeper understanding of sport science and personal training as well as relevant experience through work placements/internships at sports organisations, schools and within a personal training environment, preparing you for a successful career.

By linking closely to your previous studies and work experience it provides seamless progression to university-level study with the added benefit of a targeted initial induction and a week-long summer school to help support your academic development.

Why choose this course?

If you wish to work with sports performers as a strength and conditioner, or applied sports scientist, this innovative course is for you.

Designed to meet the needs of students interested in the optimisation the fitness capacities required for high level performance in sport, it will provide the theory and foundation knowledge and skills you need to pursue professional accreditation with a number of bodies including the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES); the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA).

Why choose this course?

• Study on a unique course with a multidisciplinary approach to strength and conditioning and gain access to world-leading staff expertise and research. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) three quarters of our work across sports science, PE and tourism and leisure has internationally recognised impact. More than 95% of our research outputs are rated as internationally recognised or better (compared with a sector average of 93%).
• Explore a range of disciplines and their contribution to helping athletes increase performance, including: strength and conditioning; testing physical capacities; sport science support; laboratory skills.
• Develop your research skills and capabilities including research design and ethics, statistics and laboratory skills, opening up additional career opportunities
• Gain from a course designed to prepare you to for employment in the rewarding and expanding field of strength and conditioning
• Benefit from gaining the necessary skills to pursue roles including Strength and Conditioning Specialist; Applied Sports Scientist; Laboratory Specialised Technician (eg in universities, sports clubs or hospitals) and/or continue to further research-based study on Masters by research, MPhil or PhD programmes.
• Learn in the newly-opened arena facility which provides a space for modern fitness professional to train in a controlled environment designed for student only access. A wide range of cardiovascular and resistance equipment is available including a dedicated Strength and Conditioning suite with weight lifting equipment vital to the development of a Strength and Conditioning coach's delivery skills.

Are you an undergraduate dance or performing arts student who dreams of taking your professional performance and creative practice to the next level? Then this performance-based programme is designed with you in mind.

This exceptional course will enhance your skills across artistic, academic, educational and community contexts, offering you the opportunity for professional-level repertory performance practice along with membership of The Ensemble, our postgraduate university dance company. The programme also offers a truly global perspective with students and choreographers from around the world bringing a wealth of ideas and diversity.

Units include repertory and performance; choreographic and dance research; somatic practice; and dance psychology. The emphasis is on the health of mind and body through dance practice and includes contemporary dance, yoga, improvisation, fusion styles and dance science.

You can choose a written dissertation or a practical research project in performance, choreography, dance film-making, teaching/pedagogy or experimental performance.

Why choose this course?

• Gain high-level practical, professional and theoretical skills in performance and/or choreographic practice
• Work with a dynamic, experienced team of tutors with internationally significant experience as academics, practice-led researchers and dance artists
• Our recent choreographers include Julia Cheng, Urja Desai Thakore, Sung Im Her, Annie Lok, Simonetta Alessandri, Colin Poole and Tim Casson
• Benefit from professional-level facilities including four dance studios, an 80-seat studio theatre and a 300-seat main-stage theatre
• Develop your professional network through our existing relationships with key organisations such as Arts Council England; Youth Dance England; dance agencies and development organisations; performance venues; professional dance companies; independent artists; community arts organisations; colleges and schools
• Our graduates can be found working in the UK and internationally, in fields including freelance dance artist or choreographer; education or wider community environments; the film/video industry; and commercial sector
• Our graduates include Hayley Lemon, teaching artist at Dance East; Katie Boag and Ash Goosey, independent choreographers for Arts Council projects; Emma Bouch, lead artist at NK Dance; and Katie Bateman, dancer/entertainer on Disney cruises

Corporations today work in a highly regulated environment so need managers who understand the legal aspects of business. This degree gives you this knowledge as well as the skills to successfully manage any organisation.

By taking this course, you benefit from an integrated syllabus that brings together business management and the legal framework within which it operates. You study essential aspects of business management including marketing, accounting, human resource management, strategy and project management alongside the fundamentals of business law such as contract law, tort law and intellectual property law.

You also learn how to apply theory to real-life situations, making you an efficient and effective manager in any organisational, cultural or social context.

Why choose this course?

• Learn in small classes through lectures, seminars and workshops, cementing your learning via group projects, research exercises, presentations and case study analyses
• The combination of business skills and legal knowledge make you attractive to employers across a wide range of organisations. It is also an invaluable preparation if starting your own business
• Gain from the opportunity to work independently on a final-year dissertation, undertaking research in your chosen area
• Take the course over four year and benefit from a fee-free placement year in industry (see below), gaining experience, building your CV and making contacts for the future
• If you need an entry route into degree-level study, start with a Foundation Year (see below), completion of which guarantees you entry to this degree course
• Benefit from a degree which gives you access to careers in general management roles, plus more specialist opportunities in human resources, e-business, operations or project management