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5th in the UK for research power

Take your first step towards your career in Sport.

The Sport Foundation Year will provide you with all the skills and knowledge you’ll need to take the next step into a Sport degree at Northumbria University.

It’s a brilliant opportunity for students who are unsure of what their career in sport will look like. Students will learn about the different facets of sport, helping them to realise their ultimate career goal and choose the next step that’s right for them. Our graduates work for top organisations like Man Utd. F.C. and Nike Ireland, and we’re also the only University offering this course in North East England, some of our graduates working for Newcastle United.

The foundation year will:

  • Provide students with academic skills required for higher level study;
  • Foster a basic understanding and knowledge of key principles and professions within sports disciplines.
  • Boost confidence in University study and life on campus.

Upon successful completion of the Sport Foundation Year, you will be able to automatically progress onto:

Why choose Northumbria to study a Sport Foundation Year?

  • Sport Science at Northumbria is ranked top 20 in the UK (Times Good University Guide, 2025).

  • Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th for research power in the UK (REF, 2021). This is a rise of 21 places compared to 2014 – the largest rise in the sector.

Discover all of our available Sports Courses and find the course for you.

Course Information

UCAS Code
C6N5

Level of Study
Undergraduate

Mode of Study
1 year Full Time followed by a further 3 years Full Time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad

Department
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
September 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

Department / Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation

Northumbria has been delivering programmes in sport, exercise and rehabilitation for over 30 years and is one of the top 10 sport Universities in the UK.

Sports research Northumbria

Research

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation

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Sport Management student Harvey Burn describes how gaining employment as an intern within Northumbria's sport department has helped him gain more employability skills that he can then use in the future.

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Get an insight into Northumbria Sport by viewing our Flickr Images covering a range of activities.

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Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study our Sport Foundation Year. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.

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Entry Requirements Modules Overview Fees, Funding  and Scholarships Apply Now

Entry Requirements 2025/26

Standard Entry

80 UCAS Tariff points

From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.

Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator

Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo

Subject Requirements:

There are no specific subject requirements for this course.

GCSE Requirements:

Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.

Additional Requirements:

There are no additional requirements for this course.

International Qualifications:

We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.

If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English Language Requirements:

International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2025/26 Entry

UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535

* You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift, as decided by the UK Government, up to the maximum amount for fees permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year. To give students an indication of the likely scale of any future increase, the UK government has recently suggested that increases may be linked to RPIX ( Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments)


International Fee in Year 1: £19,350


Please see the main Funding Pages for 25/26 scholarship information.

 


ADDITIONAL COSTS

Students complete a module on volunteering which involves completing some volunteering work. If students choose to travel further than Newcastle for their volunteering work, then they will bear these travel costs: however all activities can be completed locally. Costs can vary between approximately £25-£800.

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

Modules Overview 2025/26

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Foundation year

Foundation year

SP3008 -

Essential Skills for Studying Sport (Core,20 Credits)

This module will aim to introduce you to the importance of personal and academic development skills that are essential for your programme of study. The skills developed in this module will help you to succeed in all modules on the programme. Topics such as searching for and understanding literature, learning how to be an independent student, essay writing, referencing, and presentation skills will be covered.
For the assessment, you will complete a workbook. The workbook will be aligned to seminar and lecture activities. You will complete tasks linked to study skills that will facilitate your personal and academic development. You will be expected to draw upon current theory and consider the impact of this issue within a sport context.

More information

SP3009 -

Sport Foundation Year Project (Core,20 Credits)

This module is designed to build on the academic skills you developed in the Essential Skills for Studying Sport module. In particular, this module provides you with the opportunity to further enhance your writing, logical thinking and research skills. You will use this module to identify and explore key areas linked to sport and your future undergraduate sport programme of study using an evidence-based learning approach. This module will be centred on real-world examples, where you will examine an existing sport related project/case study. The project will be examined from a multi-disciplinary perspective (i.e., aligned to sports coaching, sport science and sport management,) allowing you to understand the complex and integrated nature of sport.

More information

SP3010 -

Innovations in Sport (Core,20 Credits)

The quest for the elusive edge, global reach and market competitiveness is increasingly driving innovations in the sporting industry. The Innovations in Sport module enables you to explore the development and role of innovations in transforming contemporary sports and the sporting industry. You will cover a number of innovations across this module aligned to sports coaching, sport science, sport management, sport nutrition, sport development and many more. In doing so, you will also consider some of the contemporary issues and ethical dilemmas related to the use of various innovations in sport and their implications for different stakeholders (e.g., athletes, coaches, referees, sport scientists, etc). This interdisciplinary approach allows the module to have global reach and engages you in thinking around the ethical implications of adopting and using various innovations within their professional context.

More information

SP3011 -

Volunteering in Sport (Core,20 Credits)

In the sport industry the recruitment, management and retention of volunteers is a key human resource management concern for sport events, clubs and increasingly, facilities. Research points to the importance of satisfying volunteers. Whilst there is a considerable societal and economic value to sport volunteering activity, there can be personal benefits to the volunteer. There is an increasing interest in ensuring that volunteers have an enjoyable and meaningful experience, that the volunteering population grows and that people from more diverse backgrounds are encouraged into sport volunteering.

This module is therefore designed for you to explore the theoretical and applied aspects of volunteering in sport. You will be provided with the knowledge and understanding of how sport volunteering is conceptualised in the United Kingdom. This will include the meaning and understanding of sport volunteering, who volunteers and why, the patterns of volunteering and changes over time in the U.K. You will also be provided with some contrasting perspective with how sport volunteering operates in other countries. The module will focus on the concept of the volunteer, volunteer work and the volunteer experience in sport. However, we will briefly touch on the recruitment and management of volunteers and the legacy and impact of particular types of sport volunteering i.e., for events.

More information

SP3012 -

Sport, Exercise and Performance (Core,20 Credits)

Sport and exercise scientists use their wide-ranging knowledge and expertise to support individuals participating in sport and exercise settings. ‘Sport, Exercise and Performance’ will give you an insight into the real-world application of sport and exercise science. You will learn about the core disciplines of physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and psychology, and how sport and exercise scientists use the combination of these approaches in their work. On this module, you will gain theoretical knowledge as well as developing your practical laboratory skills in Northumbria’s state of the art, BASES accredited laboratories, an exciting and stimulating place to learn.

More information

SP3013 -

Contemporary Issues in Sport (Core,20 Credits)

This module is designed for you to explore contemporary and relevant issues that exist in today’s sporting domains. You will be taught about pertinent issues using a multi-disciplinary, case study approach. Therefore, each issue will be examined from various discipline perspectives (i.e., from a sport coaching, sport management, and/or a sport science perspective) allowing you to understand the complex nature of sport and consider issues using multiple lenses. This module will also develop your awareness and understanding of how sport continually develops and evolves over time.

More information

Modules Overview 2026/27

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Foundation year

Foundation year

SP3008 -

Essential Skills for Studying Sport (Core,20 Credits)

This module will aim to introduce you to the importance of personal and academic development skills that are essential for your programme of study. The skills developed in this module will help you to succeed in all modules on the programme. Topics such as searching for and understanding literature, learning how to be an independent student, essay writing, referencing, and presentation skills will be covered.
For the assessment, you will complete a workbook. The workbook will be aligned to seminar and lecture activities. You will complete tasks linked to study skills that will facilitate your personal and academic development. You will be expected to draw upon current theory and consider the impact of this issue within a sport context.

More information

SP3009 -

Sport Foundation Year Project (Core,20 Credits)

This module is designed to build on the academic skills you developed in the Essential Skills for Studying Sport module. In particular, this module provides you with the opportunity to further enhance your writing, logical thinking and research skills. You will use this module to identify and explore key areas linked to sport and your future undergraduate sport programme of study using an evidence-based learning approach. This module will be centred on real-world examples, where you will examine an existing sport related project/case study. The project will be examined from a multi-disciplinary perspective (i.e., aligned to sports coaching, sport science and sport management,) allowing you to understand the complex and integrated nature of sport.

More information

SP3010 -

Innovations in Sport (Core,20 Credits)

The quest for the elusive edge, global reach and market competitiveness is increasingly driving innovations in the sporting industry. The Innovations in Sport module enables you to explore the development and role of innovations in transforming contemporary sports and the sporting industry. You will cover a number of innovations across this module aligned to sports coaching, sport science, sport management, sport nutrition, sport development and many more. In doing so, you will also consider some of the contemporary issues and ethical dilemmas related to the use of various innovations in sport and their implications for different stakeholders (e.g., athletes, coaches, referees, sport scientists, etc). This interdisciplinary approach allows the module to have global reach and engages you in thinking around the ethical implications of adopting and using various innovations within their professional context.

More information

SP3011 -

Volunteering in Sport (Core,20 Credits)

In the sport industry the recruitment, management and retention of volunteers is a key human resource management concern for sport events, clubs and increasingly, facilities. Research points to the importance of satisfying volunteers. Whilst there is a considerable societal and economic value to sport volunteering activity, there can be personal benefits to the volunteer. There is an increasing interest in ensuring that volunteers have an enjoyable and meaningful experience, that the volunteering population grows and that people from more diverse backgrounds are encouraged into sport volunteering.

This module is therefore designed for you to explore the theoretical and applied aspects of volunteering in sport. You will be provided with the knowledge and understanding of how sport volunteering is conceptualised in the United Kingdom. This will include the meaning and understanding of sport volunteering, who volunteers and why, the patterns of volunteering and changes over time in the U.K. You will also be provided with some contrasting perspective with how sport volunteering operates in other countries. The module will focus on the concept of the volunteer, volunteer work and the volunteer experience in sport. However, we will briefly touch on the recruitment and management of volunteers and the legacy and impact of particular types of sport volunteering i.e., for events.

More information

SP3012 -

Sport, Exercise and Performance (Core,20 Credits)

Sport and exercise scientists use their wide-ranging knowledge and expertise to support individuals participating in sport and exercise settings. ‘Sport, Exercise and Performance’ will give you an insight into the real-world application of sport and exercise science. You will learn about the core disciplines of physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and psychology, and how sport and exercise scientists use the combination of these approaches in their work. On this module, you will gain theoretical knowledge as well as developing your practical laboratory skills in Northumbria’s state of the art, BASES accredited laboratories, an exciting and stimulating place to learn.

More information

SP3013 -

Contemporary Issues in Sport (Core,20 Credits)

This module is designed for you to explore contemporary and relevant issues that exist in today’s sporting domains. You will be taught about pertinent issues using a multi-disciplinary, case study approach. Therefore, each issue will be examined from various discipline perspectives (i.e., from a sport coaching, sport management, and/or a sport science perspective) allowing you to understand the complex nature of sport and consider issues using multiple lenses. This module will also develop your awareness and understanding of how sport continually develops and evolves over time.

More information

To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.

Sport Foundation Year

Home or EU applicants please apply through UCAS

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International applicants please apply using the links below

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YEAR

SEPTEMBER

2025

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Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.

 

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

Accessibility support

Student Inclusion support

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

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Open Days are a great way for you to get a feel of the University, the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the course(s) you are interested in.

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Virtual Tour

Get an insight into life at Northumbria at the click of a button! Come and explore our videos and 360 panoramas to immerse yourself in our campuses and get a feel for what it is like studying here using our interactive virtual tour.

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