Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

• To provide students with further knowledge of human physiological responses to exercise, in health and disease, with particular reference to the influences of nutrition and training.
• To provide the opportunity for students to apply the principles of exercise physiology to a better understanding of the causes of fatigue during participation in sport and exercise.
• To enhance the students' employability and career preparation by developing a range of both subject specific and key transferable skills.
• To provide laboratory and field based research experience during the in-depth study of relevant areas of exercise physiology.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

Subject benchmarks for Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Group;

Framework for Higher Education Qualifications;

Learned Society's Standards e.g. Physiological Society,

British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Accreditation Recommendations.

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: 

• Appropriate research procedures applied to the acquisition of knowledge and solution of problems in exercise physiology in particular and in sports science in general.
• The need for a whole body approach to the identifying the causes of fatigue during the preparation and the participation in exercise and sport.
• The main/appropriate methodologies used in the analysis and interpretation of data obtained in physiology.
• The moral, ethical and legal issues that underpin best practice in dealing with human participants in research studies. 

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Research and assess evidence related to concepts and hypotheses in exercise physiology;
• Abstract and synthesise information in selected areas of exercise physiology;
• Design and conduct experiments to investigate aspects of human physiological responses to exercise both in the laboratory and in the field.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Understand and utilise a range of formal procedures applied to the acquisition of knowledge in exercise physiology and sports physiology.
• Undertake safe and effective laboratory and field work.
• Assess the functional fitness of sedentary and active people.
• Plan, design and execute a research project and communicate the results verbally and in written form.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Management of self-learning (using the library, note taking, revision and exam techniques, reading efficiently, problem solving, action planning, self motivation, time management)
• Written, verbal and visual communication
• Field and laboratory skills
• IT skills
• Numeracy and data analysis
• Team work

4. Programme structure

In the following table, ‘C’ indicates a compulsory module and ‘O’ indicates an optional module:

* Candidates undertaking a Project need formal approval of a research proposal by the Programme Director and an agreed Supervisor. 

Students must choose 3 of the 4 following optional modules: PSP004, PSP406, PSP601, PSP642.

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to be eligible for the award, candidates must satisfy the requirements of Regulation XXI.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification