Sports Science

To get the first thing out of the way straight away - you don't have to be good at sports to do this course. It helps, of course, if you're keen on sport, but a lifetime of cheerful incompetence on the playing field and keen interest off it is all you really need. You won't be spending all day in a tracksuit.

Sports science degrees - those concerned with the science of exercise, health and sport - have blossomed with the use of increasingly sophisticated techniques to improve performance and training in the sporting world. There are now more than 2,500 sports-related courses and applicants for those courses rose by nearly 9% in 2003 (for entry in 2004), following slightly higher increases in the previous two years. For further proof of this booming world, just look at the size of the back-up team of analysts England coach Sir Clive Woodward took to the rugby world cup in 2003 - and the success of that team has further backed the idea that preparation is all in the sports arena - which is where you can come in.

Academics involved stress that sport sciences courses are, first and foremost, academic programmes of study and are very strongly science-based. The degree courses involve the application of scientific principles through three major areas - biomechanics, physiology, psychology, or an inter-disciplinary combination. You will learn how the body responds and adapts to exercise, how and why different energy systems are deployed at different exercise intensities, how the principles of mechanics determine both the flight of a javelin and the gyrations of a gymnast, how mind and body interact to influence performance.

The other branch of the industry - exercise science - meanwhile, has a central role in physical activity programmes aimed at improving general health, and how sport and exercise fit into the context of the society in which we live. The very fact that the NHS is now keen on physical activity as a form of preventative care means that there is increasing scope in work opportunities for exercise scientists in clinical settings - hospitals, nursing homes and the like.

The tendency for sports science students is to head for specialisation through module choice or projects. After that, graduates have various career paths. Some head for teaching and research, while others apply their know-ledge through related areas such as coaching and sports management. One of the problems with sport scientists is that graduates enter sports-related jobs at quite a low level - jobs such as personal instructor, fitness trainer, leisure management are ones that students could be doing without a degree. The key to success with a sports-related career is much longer-term, so you may need to keep your eye on the horizon more, rather than the nearest landmark.