- Study Mode: Full time
- Location: High Wycombe
- Duration: Three Years
- Start Date: September 2022
You can also study this course:
Are you fascinated by the science and methods used to optimise human performance? Are you interested in working in professional sport? Do you aspire to help athletes perform to their highest potential? Our BSc (Hons) Strength and Conditioning degree is the perfect platform to get you there.



Lecturers keep the course light-hearted and engaging and make the learning materials very easy to digest.Alexander Cotton


Open Days
We understand that when it comes to deciding where you’d like to study, there are a lot of things to consider. Come along to our Open Day and discover why BNU could be the place for you. You can find out more about your course, meet the course team, and get all your questions answered.

Application Guide
For everything you need to know about applying, check out our Application Guide. You can find useful information for each stage of your application journey – from before you even apply to what to do if you receive an offer, and everything in between.
Why study this subject?
Our BSc (Hons) Strength and Conditioning course is mapped to the Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach (GSCC) professional standard and is fully endorsed by Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMPSA). This degree combines underlying scientific principles from the sports science disciplines of physiology, biomechanics, sports psychology and sports coaching with practical strength and conditioning training. By studying this course at BNU, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills you need to become a confident and effective strength and conditioning practitioner.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
All of our Sports course students will have the opportunity to look at athlete development and analysis, spending time in our Human Performance Laboratory.
At BNU, we always encourage our students to get as much industry experience as possible. Our strong links with industry partners will enable you to seek volunteering and paid work opportunities, giving you first-hand knowledge of the professional environment that awaits you beyond graduation.
We also pride ourselves on the amazing opportunities we offer our students to start forming their own networks within industry. This means not only will you have access to first-hand accounts from those on the ‘front-line’ while you study, but you’ll also make valuable connections for when the time comes to jump into your first job.
We work with the National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey which is the home of several governing bodies in sport, Leap (County Sports Partnership), Stoke Mandeville Hospital which is famously the birthplace of the Paralympics, Reading Ladies Football Club plus the National League basketball team, London United.
You’ll graduate being confident in working with all levels and abilities, from the recreational exerciser to the elite athlete. You’ll also have the chance to work in a range of applied settings, including local sports clubs, schools and in the wider community.
What facilities can I use?
You’ll have the opportunity to blend academic study with a professional sports environment. At our Human Performance, Exercise and Wellbeing Centre, the Human Performance Laboratory features an indoor three-lane running track which incorporates 3D motion-capture technology.
Our incredible facilities help to enhance athletes’ performance through improved technique and assists with injury prevention and rehabilitation. The Human Performance Laboratory is equipped for assessing a range of physiological, biomechanical and psychological parameters.
What will I study?
Over the three years you’ll spend on this course, you’ll develop a critical understanding of the fundamental principles that underpin strength and conditioning practice.
You’ll learn a wide range of strength and conditioning training approaches including movement skills, weightlifting, resistance, plyometric, speed, agility, aerobic and anaerobic training methods.
We’ll show you how to analyse and evaluate performance needs, design and deliver training programmes with the goals of improving health and wellbeing, optimising performance and minimising the likelihood of injury.
In year one, you’ll study modules that introduce you to the various sports science sub-disciplines and lay the academic knowledge and practical skill foundations that will underpin your future learning. You’ll look at areas like exercise and health physiology, biomechanics and human anatomy.
Year two will further build on these foundational principles with more applied modules that will advance your knowledge and understanding across broad areas like coaching and athlete development, sports nutrition and performance psychology. You’ll also learn about the practical application of strength and conditioning training methods.
In your final year, you’ll develop more in-depth strength and conditioning knowledge and will cover subjects like training programme design, sports injury rehabilitation, exercise referrals as well as looking at contemporary and topical issues facing the industry.
You’ll also work closely with your personal tutor to dive into an area you’re particularly passionate about through your final dissertation project. This will give you an opportunity to develop real expertise that will inspire you for your future career.
How will I be taught and assessed?
By studying our BSc (Hons) Strength and Conditioning course, you’ll always learn through a combination of theoretical and practical methods.
Our expert academic staff will teach you through lectures, seminars, practical/lab sessions and tutorials, and importantly you’ll also participate in work placements and independent study.
We also offer all our students the opportunity to visit or be visited by external industry partners so you can hear from the professionals currently working on the ‘front line’ of sports therapy.
Each module will have its own assessment criteria, but you’ll largely be working on presentations, vivas, reports and essays, case studies, work-related and practical assessments.
Placements Plus
BNU is a Placements Plus university. So, whatever degree you do, you can be sure there’ll be plenty of industry-relevant opportunities on offer, to help you get into your chosen field.
We’ll also prepare you for work beforehand, with special skills for work training, further boosting your CV, and building skills employers will value. In recognition of the value we place on these skills we have incorporated this experience into your study time.
Placements Plus is all about helping you get some valuable experience under your belt while you’re a student, to increase your choices later, and help you get the graduate-level job you want.
What are the course entry requirements?
A typical offer will require a UCAS tariff score of: 88 - 112
A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.
For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course, can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year; find out more.
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. Please refer to the Programme Specification at the bottom of the Course Details tab for the full breakdown of core and optional modules, as well as the credits needed to complete your degree. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
Year 1 Modules
An Introduction to Coaching Theory and Practice
Foundations of Exercise Physiology
Data Analysis in Sport and Exercise
Foundations of Biomechanics
Introduction to Health Physiology
Foundations of Sport and Exercise Physiology
Fundamentals of Strength and Conditioning
Human Anatomy
Year 2 Modules
Coaching and Athlete Development
Research in Sport and Exercise
Applied Exercise Physiology
Sports Nutrition
Applied Biomechanics
Performance Analysis in Sport
Applied Sport and Performance Psychology
Applied Strength and Conditioning
Year 3 Modules
Contemporary Coaching Issues
Research Dissertation
Advanced Strength and Conditioning
Sports Injury and Rehabilitation
Topical Issues in Strength and Conditioning
Skill Acquisition and Learning in Sport
Exercise Referrals
What are the tuition fees
Home
Home, Academic Year 2022 - 2023
£9,250 per year
International
Overseas/International, Academic Year 2022 - 2023
£14,250 per year
What are my career prospects?
Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. We also help you find employment after graduation. Have a look at our Careers and Employability pages to find out more.
Our BSc (Hons) Strength and Conditioning course will help prepare you for a range of career possibilities, working in:
- Professional sports teams
- National institutes of sport
- Further and Higher Education providers
- Private practice (e.g. personal training)
- Private sport science providers both in the UK and overseas.
Graduates can also choose to study for a postgraduate course such as MSc Sports Therapy, MSc Sports Performance, or MSc Physiotherapy.

