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Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 - Gold Award

BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation and Conditioning

Help athletes back to full functional fitness with this hands-on, accredited degree. Learn how to develop expert rehabilitation programmes and explore health rehab interventions in the community, where you'll work with special patient populations to improve their everyday quality of life.

Sport rehabilitation students provide rehab treatments to soldiers at a military event

400 hours+ clinical experience

Apply now for this course

Full-time Part-time

Entry requirements

Three A-levels at grades BBC or above

Or BTEC triple grades DMM or above

Or Access 30-42 with 18D

Or T level M

And GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above

Applicants with other qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis

UCAS points 112

UCAS code SRC1

UCAS institution code P63

Duration Three years full-time

Any questions?

Contact Tara Godber, our Applicant Support Coordinator, if you have any questions. Email applicantsupport@marjon.ac.uk and Tara will get back to you.

Contact Tara

Course Summary

This three-year, full-time course inspires and motivates students to develop their passion for sport and exercise rehabilitation.

You'll experience the practical side of exercise rehabilitation from the very beginning of the course in our Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation clinic, always underpinned by the scientific principles of therapeutic interventions and developments in the field of sports therapy and rehabilitation. In the third-year students undertake the majority of their placement in this modern teaching clinic under the supervision of qualified staff. This includes opportunities to learn how to use latest technologies, e.g. diagnostic ultrasound, an innovative anti-gravity treadmill, RS footscan, laser therapy, interferential therapy for clinical assessment and rehabilitation.

During the course many students enjoy placement opportunities with professional sports teams including Plymouth Raiders, Plymouth Argyle FC, Plymouth Devils Speedway, Plymouth Albion and Plymouth Storm Wheelchair Basketball.

BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation and Conditioning comprises enriching theoretical and evidence-based study, blended with practical application in our world-class Sports & Health centre. Students are given the opportunity to gain a minimum 400 clinical hours of hands-on experience. A number of additional qualifications are included at no extra, including the Intermediate Care in Sport Level 2 RFU qualification, Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer courses.

Sarah: So our undergraduate courses are accredited degrees by the Sports Therapy Organization and British Association of Sport Rehabilitation and Athletic Trainers. Both of the programs are very similar in terms of their context. We try and engage a really practical aspect to it. So we try and get the students involved from year one with sports massage, with soft tissue techniques. We encourage them then to be looking at placement opportunities and we've got a massive array of different placements, organized placements with professional teams with recreational athletes. We've got a fully operational sports injury clinic in Sports Centre as well. So it gives them that real exposure to the public as well as supporting that with the theory behind the independence.

Helena: I chose Marjon because the facilities for this course are second to none. Also, from a sports point of view, the facilities onsite are really incredible. Not a lot of universities offer so many facilities on campus as well. And I liked the size of the uni. We've been offered loads of placements this year as first years, which is amazing. It allows you to, it teaches you things that you can't learn in the clinic. It's like really important, especially for your employability outside, because you can be really good at academic work, but if you want to work or succeed in this course, or even in this career, you need to have really good experience treating people, different pathologies, different populations. So it's really important to get that hands on practice with people. The great thing about this uni is that whatever year you're in, you're always meeting people. Also, they have so many student nights for people, so the social life is really good. And you're just with, it's like a family. I think that's one thing that Marjon really has just due to the size of the campus. Everyone knows everyone and it's just really good fun. You make some really good friends.

Laura: For me from where I'm from, I'm from more of the countryside, the smaller areas. I'm not used to big cities. So being on a campus this size, and it's really lovely, you get to know everyone. I've already gotten to know people from the years above me on the same course. Everyone is so lovely. It just felt right. And due to it being a sports uni, I love my sport too much. I've played lacrosse, basketball, hockey, badminton, everything I could try. And with all the facilities on site and makes it so much more easier.

Rebecca: I would definitely say come and study at Marjon. It's probably been one of the best decisions that I've made. I really enjoy it here. You know, all the lecturers are all really helpful. So there's like a lot of support sort of academically. And then you've got, you know, student support and things that side where they help with like financial problems or, you know, problems at home or anything that might be happening off campus. So, yeah. So, if anyone's kind of debating between Marjon and on a different university, I would definitely say for the personal touch, come here.

Why this course at Marjon?

You'll get a minimum of 400 hours hands-on clinical experience

Gain professional experience in our busy on-site NHS clinics and our own Sport Rehabilitation Clinic

Our close industry relationships give you excellent placement opportunities with professional sports organisations

You'll get the opportunity to complete the Level 2 RFU Immediate Care in Sport, the Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer courses

You'll get involved with rehabilitating a wide range of patients (from weekend warriors to professional athletes)

Includes opportunities to learn how to use latest technologies, e.g. diagnostic ultrasound, an innovative anti-gravity treadmill, RS footscan, laser therapy, interferential therapy for clinical assessment and rehabilitation

Modules for this course

Course Snapshot

“ We start by learning about the psychological behaviours that relate to high level sport performance and also learn soft tissue techniques to help relieve injuries with real clients. In the second year you will learn how to assess and treat spinal injuries, learn more about how the body heals after injury and undertake a work placement in the industry. The third year gives you more work experience and will give you a better understanding of injury prevention techniques.”
Sarah Catlow - Course Leader

1st Year

Personal and professional development
You'll be introduced to what it means to read, think and write well and how to use the many resources of the university to great effect. You'll also get a wealth of tips to help you to do well, for example time management and how to compile evidence of your skills.
Anatomy and physiology for sport and exercise
Learn all about the how the human body works linking into the basics of a rehabilitation programme.
Patient management 1
Learn soft tissue techniques (sport massage), how to tape athletes, biomechanics and psychology and complete your first hands-on clinical hours.
Functional anatomy for sport therapy and rehabilitation
Working on hands-on palpation skills. Learning about muscles, ligaments, tendon and bony points and common injuries.
Sport rehabilitation 1
You'll learn the scientific principles and physiological adaptations of exercise, how to screen and test in a health and fitness setting and how to design training programmes
Musculoskeletal assessment
Learning how to assess a patient (subjective and objective assessments), performing orthopaedic testing and linking to sport injuries.

2nd Year

Research method and analysis in sport and health science
Learning about how to research and the techniques required to help you produce your dissertation in Year 3.
Engaging with employability
100 hours work placement with great opportunities available in the local area – clinics, sport teams and professional clubs.
Patient management 2
You'll learn about and use different treatment technique including therapeutic ultrasound, game ready, anti-gravity treadmill, taping, TENS and inferential machines. We'll explore how to treat and manage spine injuries.
Sport rehabilitation 2
Introduction to the rehabilitation techniques and biomechanical measures used to rehabilitate athletes and special population groups back to functional fitness.
Strength and conditioning
Learn about training programme design and testing procedures as you work with a range of clients in a variety of settings.
Pathology and clinical reasoning
Investigating how the body heals after injury and discussing clinical reasoning.

3rd Year

Honours project
A research project about rehabilitation.
Patient management 3
You'll plan rehabilitation plans for common injuries.
Strength and conditioning for performance
Investigating contemporary issues in strength and conditioning, practical weightlifting workshops to critically evaluate technical skills, and further develop your toolkit of prehab, rehab and recovery techniques.
Sport rehabilitation 3
You'll learn diagnostic investigations in the evaluation of injury, post-surgery protocols, biomechanical testing and how to evaluate treatments.
Clinical experience
75 hours gaining hands on experience within our busy commercial sport rehabilitation clinic. Plus a further 125 hours in a variety of external settings; with opportunities to rehabilitate a range of patients from weekend warriors to professional athletes.
Download course details

Current students say...

Amy Day

“I have had so many amazing placement opportunities, including supporting a group of cyclists on a 200 mile charity bike ride, providing sports therapy and first aid to a military crew and assisting group therapy sessions for patients with chronic conditions, and observing orthopaedic surgery. As a mature student I hadn’t studied for a number of years and I have seen a huge improvement in my academic writing. I attribute this improvement to the support we receive from our lecturers.”

Nikita Baker

“Work placements are core to the rehabilitation course and one of the real highlights for me has been undertaking a placement with HMNB Devonport Field Gun Crew, allowing me to work in a military environment and experience a range of injuries. The course is split into different modules helping get all students from different backgrounds to the same level. Having the opportunity to work with a variety of people throughout the course has built my confidence in talking to and treating clients.”

Rebecca Tidmarch

“The practicality of the course means we are able to learn everything we need to without sitting in lectures 24/7. We get the opportunity to work in real life situations in the clinic here and we get to work in teams for our placement opportunities. I’ve built in confidence in what I know and the lecturers' friendly approach also helps me to develop. The course has also improved my writing and time management skills.”

This course is perfect if you’re curious about

How can I get an injured athlete ready for the next competition?

What does a strength and conditioning programme look like for a professional sports team?

Can an athlete ever get back to peak performance after injury?

Does Kinesiology tape (brightly coloured tape) actually work?

How do you change an athletes running mechanics to prevent injuries?

How do you prevent hamstring injuries in professional football?

“ I used the sports therapy clinic and it is the best treatment I have ever received. The students and graduates are a credit to the university and clearly demonstrate that they are extremely knowledgeable, show care in wanting to help me understand the causes of my problem areas, and provide excellent treatment and aftercare advice. I only wish I had known of the clinic sooner having engaged with numerous therapists in the past, none of whom have been so attentive and determined to fix me!”
Gemma Glover - 10K runner

See where our graduates are now

Maisie Squibb

“I can safely say I wouldn’t be where I am now without Marjon! I delivered a presentation about my dissertation at a Marjon conference in 2020 which was chaired by my now PhD supervisor. I was approached afterwards and invited to another university to apply for a PhD. I was nervous for this big jump in academia but fully believe the skillset and hard work instilled at Marjon stood me in good stead for what was to come. Learning is something I love and doing this as a job is incredible.”

Maisie is a PhD student at the Institute of Technology, Carlow & Auckland University.

Daniel Feasey

“The job is different every day. Watching clients progress from your own advice is great. The job is not typical of 9-5. Being self-employed enables me to work from home, so I can build a client base around when I can work. Having experienced lecturers who knew the subject enabled me to engage with them and prepare for what was expected from me after University. It made me aware that this industry is always changing and the importance of keeping up to date with current practice.”

Daniel is a Sports Therapist for Torquay United Football Club and Complete Physical Therapy.

What might you become?

We are renowned for producing excellent vocationally focused graduates. This course prepares you to work as exercise professionals in preventative and rehabilitative treatment for the National Health Service (NHS). It equips you for careers as clinical demonstrator, as performance specialists with professional sports clubs and governing bodies and as rehabilitation specialists both in the private and public sectors, working in sports clubs and sports injury clinics. You are also well prepared for a number of roles with the Armed Forces. You could progress onto a MSc such as our own MSc Sport & Exercise Psychology, a PhD or train as a teacher.

Recent graduates have gone to work with practices within the local area as well as some graduates setting up their own very successful clinics. Our graduates have also gone on to work for Plymouth Argyle, Plymouth Albion, Exeter Chiefs and Torquay United and NHS health clinics.

Saul: Well, there's a huge amount going on in Health Sciences at the moment. We've had a number of programs, both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Not only have we got really strong academic credibility of our programs, but also we really work very hard with them on our networks, so that they can get good employability opportunities, good placement opportunities. All our courses are accredited so they're recognized by the professional bodies, which really does help our students stand out to combine those three components.

Onsite at the university, we have a number of programs that offer service delivery. We have patients in the NHS, which our students help support to rehabilitate and really improve the quality of their life. It's quite an exciting opportunity for us to use to join us at the moment. What really makes us quite a specialist and distinguishing feature is we've got fabulous sport and exercise science that [house 00:00:56] science laboratories here on site so our students get an opportunity to work from year one, get competent in the practical skills that are required to then go out and do the job that they're training for.

Nathalie: I chose the course because it was quite broad in the first year, but then you could choose different pathways to specialize in different areas. You can do teaching, you can work with patients, you can go into sports development, that kind of thing, all through the same course. I really liked that aspect of it. It's a lot smaller of a university so the teaching is better, and I think the contact time that you get with your teachers is a lot more than other universities. You're not just a number. They know you by name and they know your situation so they can help out a lot more.

Chelsea: The main reason I chose Marjon mostly because of the facilities. I saw a couple of other universities, but although Marjon's quite small, it stood out above all the rest because there's the number of students, with the facilities, there's never a time where you're going to be waiting to use any of the equipment. It's never going to be a time where you have to put your dissertation on hold because someone else is using that. The equipment and the facilities and everything in general was really good here.

Ryan: Now we deliver innovative workplace health and wellbeing solutions to businesses so large corporates, including Wrigley, including City Bus in Plymouth. We support their employees with health and wellbeing with our expertise in the industry gained through experiences at Marjon. The tight-knit community at Marjon and experience that the guys have, the lecturers, they're very experienced in health and fitness and sports science. They're passionate about it as well and they're always conducting new research so it's great to be involved in.

Accreditation

BASRaT Logo

The British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRAT)

BASRaT is the UK regulator and professional association for Sport Rehabilitators and advocates improving health through physical activity.

CIMSPA Education Partner logo 2024

The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity

CIMSPA is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector, committed to supporting, developing and enabling professionals and organisations to succeed and, as a result, inspire our nation to become more active.

How you’ll be taught and assessed?

How will you be taught?

Includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, clinical experience and practical sessions. Practical teaching takes place in our dedicated Sport Rehab clinic, commercial clinic and our BASES accredited physiology and biomechanics laboratories.

How will you be assessed?

Assessment methods include case studies, written exams, essays, laboratory reports, poster, competence based exams and practical exams.

Sarah Catlow staff portrait

Sarah Catlow

Course leader

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Sarah has worked with international, national and local sports persons from a variety of disciplines for over 20 years. She has worked within championship football, professional basketball, academy squads within professional rugby and football and professional ice hockey. She holds professional qualifications in manual therapy, acupuncture and she is a tutor for the RFU Intermediate Care in Sport qualification. She is also a member of the Sports Therapy Organisation (STO) Executive Committee - Education and Training Officer, a member of the Complementary and Natural Health Care Council, Federation of Holistic therapists (FHT), British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and The British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT). Her research expertise is in the use of kinesiology tape in the reduction of acute and chronic pain.

Fees and funding

Fees UK students: £9,535 per annum

Fees for International students: £14,600 per annum

This fee covers your tuition and access to course-specific equipment and facilities, as well associated services including access to the library, study skills support, IT support, student support and wellbeing services and membership of the Student Union. There may be additional costs by course.

Additional costs:

Students are required to self-fund:

  • A DBS check (£52)
  • A first aid course (unless you have already completed one)
  • Marjon sports kit (£25-100)
  • Printing costs
  • Travel costs associated with placements
  • Insurance for placements (£35 per year)

Funding available for this course

Our Student Funding Advisors offer confidential and impartial advice about your funding options.

Learn more

Lecturers

Sherrie Choy

Placement Lead and Lecturer in Physiotherapy.

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Sherrie is a Chartered Physiotherapist in both UK and Kong Kong and an accredited member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists. She has over twenty years extensive clinical experience in NHS and private sectors. She is passionate in clinical teaching and research support evidence-based practice in healthcare. She specialises in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation. She is currently studying for a PhD sponsored by the University Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust about vision and balance changes in Cataract patients receiving lens replacement surgery. 

Vicki Evans

Lecturer in Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

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Vicki specialises in exercise rehabilitation and has worked with diverse groups including adolescents, sports people, disabled and fire service personnel. She currently leads the physical performance services for the  FA Women's High Performance Centre.

Sarah Martin

Senior Lecturer

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Professor Gary Shum

Associate Dean (Research and Innovation)

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Gary is an Honorary Associate Professor for the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust where he conducts research in back pain and nerve biomechanics. He is a practising chartered physiotherapist and brings a wealth of experience in musculoskeletal injury and diagnosis including diagnostic ultrasound imaging.

The Sport and Health clinic has a number of treatment beds and an active rehabilitation area. There is a reception and waiting area for clients too.

The rehab area is well equipped with equipment used to prevent injury and return you to fitness, including weights, medicine balls, steps, bands, foam rollers, exercise balls, mats and wobble cushions.

The Game Ready system is used to reduce swelling and pain and to increase range of motion, applying ice and compression to areas of the body.

A range of electrotherapy modalities are available including therapeutic, diagnostic ultrasound and TENS machines. These are used to diagnose and treat many different injures.

All first-time clients have a thorough consultation and assessment discussion with a therapist to establish an accurate diagnosis, from which they devise the best course of treatment.

The Strength and conditioning lab offers an extensive range of weights equipment as well as a treadmill and rowing machine. There is also a large smart screen which is used during lectures.

Apply now for this course

Full-time Part-time

Find out more about studying BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation and Conditioning at Marjon

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