Sports Therapy - BSc (Hons)
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
Our innovative, practice-based Sports Therapy course is a chance for you to develop specialist skills in the prevention, treatment, management and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. Underpinned by sports medicine and sport and exercise science, this course is accredited by The Society of Sports Therapists....
- Level Undergraduate
- Study mode Full Time/Part Time
- Award BSc (Hons)
- Start date September 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subjects
- Location City South / Alexander Stadium
This course is:
Available with Professional Placement year
Overview
Our innovative, practice-based Sports Therapy course is a chance for you to develop specialist skills in the prevention, treatment, management and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. Underpinned by sports medicine and sport and exercise science, this course is accredited by The Society of Sports Therapists. This ensures that the knowledge and competencies you gain during your time on the course are aligned with professional industry standards.
You will learn with a dynamic, expert and research-rich team of sports therapists, health professionals and sports scientists, enabling you to gain a holistic education in sports therapy. Upon successful completion of the programme, you will be fully equipped with the clinical skills to work with professional sports teams, as well as with individual elite performers. Alternatively, you may wish to work in private practice, treating a wide variety of individuals in a musculoskeletal injury clinic.
What's covered in this course?
You will cover all competencies required by The Society of Sports Therapists, such as examination, assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries, delivery of soft tissue therapies, peripheral and vertebral joint mobilisations, sport and exercise rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and trauma management to name a few.
There will be compulsory work placements built into all three years of your course providing you with invaluable real-life, hands-on learning. These will include both internal and external opportunities with sporting teams and musculoskeletal injury clinics. Additionally, you can opt to complete a 12 month placement (sandwich course), which could either be within the UK or abroad.
By studying this course, you’ll split your time between our recently extended £71 million campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and the world-class Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham which contain our state-of-the-art sport and exercise laboratory, sports therapy rooms, cutting-edge resources and a designated sports area. The Stadium was home to the Commonwealth Games in summer 2022, and the University is investing an additional £5m in areas across both main stands which will be home to our students.
Professional Placement Year
This course offers an optional professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, following successful completion of your second year, and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.
If you choose to pursue a placement year, you will need to find a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will be able to draw on the University’s extensive network of local, regional, and national employers, and the support of our Careers teams. If you are able to secure a placement, you can request to be transferred to the placement version of the course.
Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year.
Accredited By
This course is accredited by The Society of Sports Therapists
Why Choose Us?
- Professional accreditation – this course is accredited by the Society of Sports Therapists, the largest governing body of Sports Therapists in the UK, enabling you to become an accredited practitioner upon graduation.
- You will be taught in small practical groups - this creates an excellent close sports therapy community, where you will get to know your peer group as well as teaching staff.
- Experienced staff – teaching staff have clinical experience in professional rugby, cricket, football, basketball and netball, as well as working in and running private injury clinics. Course Leader, Peter Thain has worked at the Commonwealth Games 2018 and 2022 as the lead therapist to Team England’s Basketball Teams. Peter is currently the clinical lead for the Great Britain Senior Women's Basketball Team.
- Research active – teaching staff are research active and have presented their work at international conferences and within international journals. Read about our current research projects.
- In-house Work Experience – you will have the opportunity to gain clinical experience in the assessment, treatment and management of musculoskeletal injuries, within our bespoke in-house sports massage and sports injury clinics, starting in your first year.
- World-class facilities - You’ll split your time between our campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and - from early 2024 - the world-class Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham. We have a lease for space across the East and West stands of the Stadium and are investing £5 million in developing the space to house our state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge resources, including physiology labs and a sports therapy suite.
Open Days
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.
Next Open Day: 24 November 2024
Entry Requirements
These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.
All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.
Essential requirements
- Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.
- Accelerate offer: 80 UCAS Tariff points. Find out more about BCU Accelerate.
Applicants will also need to complete an interview for this course; see interview arrangements below.
If your level 3 qualifications do not meet the UCAS tariff for this course, you may be offered a place on our Foundation Year instead. You do not need to submit a separate application but will automatically be considered for this if your predicted grades fall below the UCAS entry tariff.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Successful candidates will be required to obtain a satisfactory occupational health check, an enhanced DBS check and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority prior to enrolling on this course. If you have any queries please refer to DBS Frequently Asked Questions or contact admissions@bcu.ac.uk.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: BSc (Hons)
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 3 years
- £9,250 in 2025/26
- Apply via UCAS
- Part Time
- 6 years
- Show fees
- £1542 per 20 credits
- Year 1 - 60 credits
- Year 2 - 60 credits
- Year 3 - 60 credits
- Year 4 - 60 credits
- Year 5 - 60 credits
- Year 6 - 60 credits
Fees for Part-time students
This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.
International students
Sorry, this course is not available to International students.
Guidance for UK students
UK students applying for most undergraduate degree courses in the UK will need to apply through UCAS.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.
Applying through UCAS
Register with UCAS
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Complete your details
Select your course
Write a personal statement
Get a reference
Pay your application fee
Send UCAS your application
Our advice for applying to a health care course
Applying for a course and preparing for an interview can be a daunting process, so we have created a series of films to help you through the process, including what to put in your personal statement.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Course choice
Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
Career plans
If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
Work experience
Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
School or college experience
Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
Non-accredited skills or achievement
eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
Course in Depth
First Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
This module will allow you to explore the management of common musculoskeletal injuries. You will initially develop your hands on skills and practically apply sports massage techniques, whilst learning the underpinning theory behind its application and justification for its use. You will also learn essential pitch side skills by undertaking a first aid qualification and developing your assessment skills to recognise and assess injuries that may occur in sporting scenarios.
To work as a sports therapist, it is imperative that you have an excellent understanding of human anatomy and movement. This module introduces human anatomy, specifically focussing on the structures, properties and functions of bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The axial and appendicular skeleton will be studied in relation to joint type and associated movements, whilst the skeletal muscle system will be investigated in terms of the attachments of selected ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
The module will develop your anatomical knowledge gained from ‘Applied Anatomy for Sports Therapists’ and support you in applying this to joint assessment techniques. You will learn about various assessment techniques that are used to assist in peripheral joint injury diagnosis and will be introduced to critical thinking as you discuss their respective relevance and reliability. You will develop your clinical handling skills, as you learn how to carry out these musculoskeletal assessment techniques.
This module will introduce the academic skills required for studying Sport and Exercise in Higher Education, and to the resources needed to support academic and personal development. The skills and resources introduced in this module will be used throughout the course, and after successful completion of studies, to enable lifelong learning as a competent and autonomous practitioner. The module will introduce the research process and consider how knowledge is generated in an applied manner for Sport and Exercise Science, Sports Therapy, and Sports Coaching and Physical Education disciplines. Students will be provided with skills in relation to finding appropriate sources of information relating to their area of study and be able to read and understand these effectively. There will be a focus on the scientific method, academic writing skills, data collection and analysis skills.
This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of physiology, principles of training, and practical coaching, which relate to sport and exercise. You will be introduced to the concept of the body working as multiple interrelated physiological systems. Whilst each system has its own independent function, the function of one will have a direct impact on the function of another and link to human physical performance.
Second Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
This module provides you with the principles of injury management and exercise in the early, intermediate, and late stages of recovery from sporting musculoskeletal injuries. You will learn to plan, implement, progress and regress comprehensive rehabilitation programmes to return the athlete to full sporting participation, as well as reading and evaluating research evidence supporting different rehabilitation approaches.
This module will build on the practical skills developed at Level 4 as you focus on developing your understanding and application of the objective assessment process. You will work on your theoretical understanding of the principles underpinning peripheral joint assessments, as well as enhancing your practical handling skills. You will also consider the subjective nature of an assessment in more detail as you focus on specific questions related to each joint. This module will challenge you to consider the purpose of each stage of an assessment process to ensure you are fully equipped to assess any peripheral joint presentation.
In this module you will learn how to assess the spine and examine spinal conditions that frequently occur in the sporting environment. This module builds on the principles of joint assessment that you learnt in Level 4 and 5, but further develops your ability to interpret and reason the findings of an assessment. You will also learn how to implement and prescribe early management techniques for common spinal injuries and conditions.
This module will provide you with the foundations underpinning biomechanics, mechanisms of injury and pathological conditions. You will learn how to use biomechanical tools, such as force plates and cameras to measure and analyse a range of movements in healthy and pathological conditions, as you understand the biomechanical risks of injury. Similarly, you will apply your theoretical knowledge of biomechanics to assess movement.
This module will prepare students for the Independent Research Project at level 6. The module will provide scenarios and conditions that will improve students’ ability to interpret and critique research, as well as make logical conclusions. Learning and teaching will be carried out on aspects such as how to answer research questions by analysing and presenting data, and a variety of ‘soft skills’, such as organisation and communication are developed.
Professional Placement Year
In order to qualify for the award of ‘BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy with Professional Placement Year’ you must successfully complete the following module:
Students may opt to complete the Professional Placement Year, whereby they will need to complete a minimum of 1200 hours with a professional sports team or club. As part of this year, they will complete a SWOT analysis, formulate learning outcomes, and regularly reflect on their practice and development of skills in relation to the goals / outcomes set. There are quarterly student reflections and supervisor feedback, alongside reviews with the placement lead to ensure the placement is meeting the requirements of the course. The completed documentation will need to be submitted and will receive a pass/ fail grade.
Final Year
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits).
This module provides the opportunity to design and carry out a substantive piece of independent research, which is focused on the student’s interest. This in-depth, self-managed study will encourage the examination of a critical issue from a particular sector or discipline. The skills, knowledge, and experience that students have gained from level 4 and 5 will be important in this module. The core learning within this module will involve independent work, and this will be supported by regular tutorial sessions with a project supervisor. The use of the department’s state-of-the-art facilities will be available to students to use for their projects. There may also be the opportunity to work with selected external partners.
The aim of this module is to allow you to acquire a theoretical and practical understanding of strength and conditioning in relation to preventing sports injuries. You will gain an insight into musculoskeletal screening and how to conduct, analyse, and present test data in a real-world context. You will be able to examine contemporary training theories and successfully apply the principles into a periodised training plan. As with all modules, you will examine and critique the scientific basis supporting the inclusion of specific exercises within training programmes.
This module explores the use of manual therapy techniques for the restoration of normal peripheral and vertebral joint biomechanics. Building on your knowledge from Assessment and Management of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Assessment and Management of the Spine, you will further assess joint biomechanics, particularly focusing on the relationships between accessory and physiological movements. This module will allow you to explore normal and altered joint function and apply treatment techniques to sport and exercise-related injury scenarios.
This module will help to consolidate the skills you have developed since the start of the course and will cover additional topics that will be useful to you upon graduation—such as key information for setting up and running a business. This information will be focused specifically on sports therapy, but the principles discussed will be applicable to any area you may wish to work in in the future. We will also cover additional aspects relating to your clinical practice in a sporting environment, such as on-field injury assessments and strapping and taping techniques. By the end of the module, you must have completed 200 hours of supervised clinical practice from your placements to ensure that you meet the competencies to be registered as a Graduate Sports Therapist, accredited by The Society of Sports Therapists.
This module will provide you with the opportunity to progress your skills in assessment and management of musculoskeletal injuries, focussing on more complex clinical case scenarios. It will integrate clinical examination, assessment, pathophysiology, rehabilitation and therapeutic methods for the treatment and management of sports injuries. You will also be exposed to contemporary issues in Sports Therapy and encouraged to develop advanced clinical reasoning and assessment skills to assist your differential diagnosis and injury management.
Download course specification
Download nowCourse overview
Our BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy course aims to create competent, autonomous and industry ready graduates who are prepared for a career in sport or private practice. They will be able to practise effectively within the global sporting context and be sensitive to the needs of diverse cultures. Graduates will be able to critically reflect upon research and their own applied practice, as they continually seek to develop their professional competence, and adapt to the growing demands of industry.
You'll have the option of taking a sandwich year between Year 2 and Year 3 of study.
The Society of Sports Therapists
This course is accredited by The Society of Sports Therapists
Employability
Placements
You’ll have placements built into all three years of your course. Starting with pitch-side first aid in year one, you will progress throughout your time studying with us until you are working in our on-site sports injury clinic, treating and managing complex sporting injuries. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to take a sandwich placement year, which could either be within the UK or abroad, working with professional sports teams or in private sports injury clinics.
Facilities & Staff
Teaching for our Sports courses is split between our £71 million campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and the world-class Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham. Our cutting-edge facilities for sports students include a state-of-the-art sport and exercise lab, sports therapy suite, biomechanics lab and physiology labs.
The Stadium was home to the Commonwealth Games in summer 2022, and the University is investing an additional £5m to develop space in the East and West stands as a home for our students.
Our staff
Dr Peter Thain
Associate Professor and Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy
As a Chartered Physiotherapist and Sports Therapist, Peter has over a decade of experience working in basketball, football and netball. Peter successfully designed and validated the initial BSc (Hons) in Sports Therapy, and after three consecutive 100% student satisfaction scores in the National Student Survey, continues to lead the sports...
More about PeterChelsea Papworth
Lecturer for BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy
Chelsea is a member of The Society of Sports Therapist and has a range of clinical and sporting experience spanning the past 10 years. She has worked in basketball, volleyball, ice hockey, athletics and rugby, within the UK and Canada. Her primary roles included; lead Sports Therapist within a non-league football club, Sports Therapist for an...
More about ChelseaTim Leary
Senior Lecturer in Sports Therapy
Tim has experience working as the Team Physiotherapist to a County Cricket Club, as well as basketball, private practice and the NHS. Tim is a practising musculoskeletal physiotherapist with extensive clinical experience in the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and management of sports and exercise related injuries.
More about TimJoseph Matthews
Lecturer in Sports Therapy
Joe is a Lecturer in Sports Therapy at Birmingham City University with an interest in sports nutrition and muscle physiology. Joe has experience working across a range of professional sports teams and organisations including Wasps RFC, Coventry United Women’s FC, Luton Town FC, Movement Therapy Clinics, and The Fire Fighters Charity.
More about Joseph