BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation with Foundation Year

This module provides a foundational understanding of musculoskeletal (MSK) anatomy and its functional relationship to common sports injuries, forming an essential basis for professional practice in sports therapy. You will develop the ability to identify and describe the structural components of MSK tissues—including bones, muscles, nerves, and ligaments—and explore how these structures contribute to movement and injury mechanisms. Alongside anatomical knowledge, the module introduces the principles of basic clinical assessment. You will gain practical skills in evaluating the peripheral joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, hip, knee, foot and ankle) and the spinal regions (cervical, thoracic, lumbar). Core assessment techniques will include active range of motion (ROM), strength testing, and palpation of key anatomical landmarks. This module gives you the foundational knowledge for clinical reasoning and injury assessment, which will be further developed and applied in advanced modules at Levels 5 and 6.

This module introduces you to the fundamental concepts and skills that informs safe and effective management of emergency situations and musculoskeletal (MSK) injury. You will be taught the role and responsibilities of a first responder, develop knowledge of medical conditions and practical application of basic first aid skills. You will gain an understanding of a patient’s response to injury with the social and psychological factors that may influence recovery. There will be a specific focus on how these factors will inform a patient-centred management plan. The module will be underpinned by the theoretical concept of tissue healing and associated signs and symptoms of the inflammatory response. This knowledge will then inform the selection and application of injury management advice and modalities, such as bracing, crutch walking and initial education.

This module supports your transition into university life and introduces key aspects of Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation. It builds confidence, academic identity, and understanding of university expectations, including independent learning and ethical academic conduct (e.g., referencing, plagiarism, AI use). A core focus of the module is developing your professional identity with an introduction to the Society of Sports Therapists core pillars and expectations. You will learn the fundamental principles of patient-centred care, including consultation skills, cultural competency, and ethical practice. This will be applied to a sports massage setting where the module will teach you the practical application of basic soft tissue techniques and recognition of therapeutic use. By the end of the module, you will have the confidence and competence to be an independent sports massage therapist. The module will prepare you for this by developing basic business plans and professional profile. The module is structured around seven themes identified by students as essential to their university experience: Ready to Study: Clear guidance on expectations, transitions, and workload planning. Academic Skills and Educational Gain: Development of foundational academic skills including time management, critical thinking, and digital fluency. Career Readiness and Professional Identity: Early exploration of career pathways, CV building, and professional behaviours. Personal Development and Belonging: Activities that foster confidence, inclusion, and identity within the university community. Social Engagement and Community Building: Opportunities to connect with peers, staff, and wider university life.

This module provides the fundamental understanding of practice-based learning within the field of Sport and Exercise Therapy. You will have the opportunity to develop professional competencies through the integration of theoretical knowledge to real-life settings and situations. A key focus of the module is to develop problem-solving skills with the use of applied clinical workshops. You will learn the fundamental skills to formulate research questions and hypotheses relevant to Sport and Exercise Therapy and propose innovative real-world projects. Alongside engaging with practice-based opportunities you will be taught the reflective process to evaluate the professional expectations of careers within Sports Therapy. You will develop the skills to recognise your career readiness and formulate a professional development plan for your future studies and career aspirations.

This module equips you with the clinical knowledge, practical skills, and patient-centred approach necessary to design and implement early to intermediate exercise rehabilitation plans. Theoretical content will build on knowledge of tissue healing, its relationship with mechanical load, and the underpinning biomechanical and physiological principles. You will be introduced to criteria-based rehabilitation and learn to design progressive rehabilitation plans, including load management strategies, for early and intermediate stages of recovery. Practical sessions will explore the application and progression of exercise for specific musculoskeletal injuries in the early stages of healing. You will learn to apply therapeutic exercises and fundamental strength and conditioning movements across different phases of recovery. Communication skills, coaching styles, and self-awareness of personal attributes will be developed to support inclusive, patient-centred rehabilitation for diverse populations, including sports participants and the wider community.

This module introduces you to the key therapeutic interventions used in sport and healthcare to support and maintain health, recovery and rehabilitation. It explores the principles of manual therapy for both peripheral joints and the spine, alongside modalities such as electrotherapy, taping and strapping, cryotherapy, and heat applications. You will develop a comprehensive understanding of how these interventions fit within a holistic approach to care, underpinned by the biopsychosocial model. Emphasis is placed on patient-centred practice, including strategies for motivational interviewing and collaborative goal setting to enhance engagement and outcomes. By the end of the module, you will be able to appreciate their role in the treatment and management of conditions within diverse populations, preparing you for making evidence-informed decisions within a clinical context.

This module develops advanced clinical knowledge and practical skills in applied exercise rehabilitation. You will explore musculoskeletal conditions across the lifespan, from adolescence to older adulthood, and learn to conduct athletic and health screening to identify risk factors and design individualised injury prevention plans. Emphasis will be placed on criteria-based, periodised rehabilitation planning for late-stage recovery, with particular focus on return-to-sport and return-to-work contexts. The influence of biopsychosocial factors on recovery will be critically examined. You will also enhance communication skills and patient-centred approaches, adapting rehabilitation strategies for diverse populations. Practical sessions will cover functional screening tests, objective data analysis, and the application of strength and conditioning principles to rehabilitation, supporting safe and effective return to play with reduced risk of reinjury.

This module will build upon the professional development and employability strand across the course. It will develop your critical awareness of employability skills and industry expectations to inform your potential career pathways. Practice-based learning will inform your development across the module. You will engage with internal and external placements that provide the opportunity to apply your clinical reasoning and practical competencies of assessment, treatment and rehabilitation within the field of Sports Therapy. Alongside your placements, you will develop skills to critically reflect upon your professional knowledge and experiences. You will be provided with specific insight into career opportunities within the field of Sports Therapy, which will inform the personal evaluation of job specifications and creation of a continuous development plan. The module will develop skills so you able to confidently promote your professional identity and career readiness, including business planning, networking, and interview strategies.

This module provides you with the opportunity to complete a short, independent professional project within your chosen subject area, supported by the guidance of an academic supervisor. You will investigate a topic relevant to your degree pathway, drawing on appropriate research, theory, and professional evidence to deepen your understanding and inform your project work. A range of topic areas that can be investigated will be provided for you, and you will choose one to focus your professional project on. Depending on your academic discipline, your project may take the form of an applied investigation, evaluation, resource development, intervention design, or practice-based study. Throughout the process, you will be expected to plan and manage your work independently, demonstrating initiative, organisation, and critical thinking. You will engage in regular supervisory meetings to receive feedback, refine your ideas, and ensure your project is academically robust, ethically sound, and professionally relevant. Reflection is embedded across the module, enabling you to evaluate your decision-making, professional conduct, and the impact of your work. By completing this module, you will consolidate your subject knowledge, strengthen your research and project management skills, and demonstrate your readiness for graduate-level employment or further study across sport, health, education, and exercise-related professions.