Sports Science

• Studying: 14%
• Employed in graduate job: 35%
• Employed in non-graduate job: 36%
• Unemployed: 7%

• Average graduate salary: £18,518
• Average non-graduate salary: £14,309

Studying sports science provides you with science-based knowledge and understanding of sports performance and factors that affect behaviour in sport. You will gain subject-specific knowledge in areas such as physiology, psychology, biomechanics and nutrition. Sports science courses may be combined with a number of other disciplines, such as coaching and sport and exercise science. Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. 

View the best universities for sports science degrees.

Prospects

Sports science graduates often work directly with athletes and sportspeople, for example as a sports scientist or performance analyst, but also undertake a range of other related careers using the skills developed during their degree. Popular career areas include research, coaching, teaching, general management, consultancy, sports development, youth work, health promotion and the health/fitness industry in general.

A 2010 HESA survey of 2009 graduates indicates that six months after finishing their course over 60% of sports science graduates went directly into paid work in the UK or overseas. An additional 9% were combining work with further study.

Where are the jobs?

Jobs are available with a wide range of organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Typical employers include:

• Professional sports clubs;
• National sporting associations, governing bodies and other related sporting agencies;
• Private health and fitness clubs, spas and public sports and recreation facilities;
• Local authorities;
• Schools, further education and higher education institutions;
• The health sector, including the National Health Service.

Sports science graduates may also go on to establish their own businesses and consultancies.

Jobs directly related to your degree

A degree in sports science could lead into a range of jobs including:

• Sports coach/instructor
• Sports therapist
• Sport and exercise psychologist
• Fitness centre manager
• Higher education lecturer
• Secondary school teacher (PE)

Jobs where your degree would be useful

Your sports science degree will also prepare you for work in roles such as:

• Sports development officer
• Sports administrator
• Health promotion specialist
• Primary school teacher
• Event organiser
• Outdoor pursuits manager

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Included with the permission of AGCAS and Graduate Prospects. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk. We would welcome your comments on this section of The Complete University Guide. Please email us at admin@thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk.