Overview
Psychology in Sport, Health and Exercise is an area of growing interest, particularly in the world of professional sport. By studying the link between the mind and the body, we can understand things like motivation and determination, and the effect that physical activity has on the brain. It is the ideal course for students interested in a career in the psychology of sport, exercise and physical activity.
This course is jointly delivered two by Divisions: Psychology and Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences. It is accredited by the British Psychological Society.
The Division of Psychology offers a firm foundation in psychology, including cognitive, developmental, and biological psychology. You will learn how to do quantitative and qualitative research to support experiments you may carry out for your dissertation.
The Division of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences will cover the fundamentals of sports psychology, and how to apply research knowledge to real-world situations. You will learn about experiences you may encounter as an applied psychology practitioner in both sport and exercise contexts. Sport sciences at Brunel is ranked 2nd in London (Complete University Guide 2025) and 9th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2022)
Course content
The combination of psychology and sport, health and exercise sciences creates an interesting and diverse programme of study. You will learn about core psychology theories and methodologies.
This knowledge will complement your understanding in specialist areas including sport-specific ones such as health and wellbeing, or the effect of hormones and drugs on the brain.
In the final year you will be able to choose 2 subjects from an exciting range of optional modules.
Compulsory
- Brain & Cognition
- Introduction to Physical Activity, Health and Wellbeing
This module introduces students to selected theoretical, conceptual and methodological approaches to promoting, delivering and measuring physical activity for health and wellbeing. You will also develop your problem-solving skills as you consider approaches for improving health and wellbeing through physical activity.
- Introduction to the Psychology of Sport and Exercise
- Learning & Perception
- Research Design, Analysis and Academic Skills
- Research Design, Analysis and Employability Skills
- Social & Community Psychology
Compulsory
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Physical Activity, Health and Wellbeing in the Lifecourse
- Qualitative Research Methods
- Quantitative Research Methods, Data Analysis & Academic Skills
- The Psychology of Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity: Theory and Application
Compulsory
- Advanced Social Psychology and Individual Differences
- Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology
- Issues in Physical Activity, Health and Wellbeing
- Final Year Project
Optional
- Animal Behaviour
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
- Disorders of Perception and Movement Control
- Drugs, Hormones and the Brain
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Human Sexual Diversity
- Mindfulness - Neuroscience and Clinical Applications
- Personality and Close Relationships
- Practical Investigations of Mind and Brain
- Psychoanalytic Psychology
- Psychology of Reading and its Impairments
- Psychology of Religion
- Psychology of Social Media
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This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of undergraduate degrees at Brunel.
Careers and your future
With a 2:2 grade or higher you’ll be eligible to apply for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS). This is a prerequisite for many BPS accredited postgraduate training courses. It is also required for entry to all accredited Stage 2 Doctoral programmes as part of the route to becoming a Chartered Psychologist. So this course could be your next step on the way to becoming a psychologist, be it in sport and exercise or in other fields.
You’ll also have the skills and expertise for a wide range of other careers. For instance you may wish to become a university lecturer, a consultant in elite sport or maybe lead a national sport psychology service for an organisation such as the English Institute of Sport. Perhaps you would prefer to work for the local authority, driving sport development policies or helping to deliver corporate healthcare solutions for organisations such as Nuffield Health. Plus, with a Brunel Psychology degree, you can gain experience in the workplace with a year-long placement or two six-month placements in different settings.
With a Psychology (Sport, Health and Exercise) BSc your options are many and varied. Psychology graduates from Brunel have excellent career prospects, earning 10% more than the sector average.*
- Longitudinal Employment Outcomes (LEO) 2022
UK entry requirements
2025/6 entry
- GCE A-level AAB-BBB.
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma DDM in any subject.
- BTEC Level 3 National Diploma DM in any subject with an A-level at grade B.
- BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate Distinction in any subject with two A-levels at grade BC.
- International Baccalaureate Diploma 30 points.
- Obtain a minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points in the Access to HE Diploma in any subject with 45 credits at Level 3.
- T levels : Merit overall in any subject
Five GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 or above are also required, including English Language and Maths.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants within our grade range as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.
Brunel University London is committed to raising the aspirations of our applicants and students. We will fully review your UCAS application and, where we’re able to offer a place, this will be personalised to you based on your application and education journey.
If you are unable to meet the direct entry criteria above, you are invited to apply for a foundation course in Life Sciences at Brunel Pathway College. When you successfully pass the foundation year, you can progress on to the Psychology (Sport, Health and Exercise) BSc.
EU and International entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
- Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 63% (min 55% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2024/25 entry
UK
£9,250 full-time
£1,385 placement year
International
£21,260 full-time
£1,385 placement year
Fees quoted are per year and may be subject to an annual increase. Home undergraduate student fees are regulated and are currently capped at £9,250 per year; any changes will be subject to changes in government policy. International fees will increase annually, by no more than 5% or RPI (Retail Price Index), whichever is the greater.
More information on any additional course-related costs.
See our fees and funding page for full details of undergraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Please refer to the scholarships pages to view discounts available to eligible EU undergraduate applicants.
Teaching and learning
Teaching will be on campus to help you build a sense of belonging to a thriving psychology community.
A full programme of teaching for all modules / study blocks will be delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops and practical sessions taking place on campus. Lectures will be recorded, with recordings made available after the session has taken place. Seminars, workshops and practical sessions may not be recorded. This will be at the discretion of the session leader, depending on the nature of the content and activities. For example, it is not feasible to record some interactive activities, group work and in other cases recording might inhibit student discussions. However, in the event a session is not recorded, we will make the teaching materials used in the session available to students online.
To supplement our full timetable of on-campus teaching, learning will be supported with a range of resources on our new Brightspace Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) including videos, interactive activities, quizzes etc. Module/block leaders may offer additional briefing, revision, and or Q&A sessions on online platforms where appropriate.
Feedback & Consultation Hours, Personal Tutoring Hours, and Project Supervision discussions will be offered both in-person on-campus and via online platforms. This will allow you to easily receive feedback, advice and guidance without having to travel to campus on a day that you might otherwise not be attending.
Please note that while recordings and online resources will help if you're unable to attend a particular teaching session, learning from the online materials only will not be an adequate substitute for certain aspects of the in-person learning experience. For example, online learning will not be able to replace the experience of being an active participant in a lively in-person seminar discussion on campus. Keep in mind that this is a campus-based degree programme, not an online programme – and attendance on campus will be essential for some events (e.g. for examinations).
Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.
If you have any concerns about accessing a suitable device, please complete and return this form to enquire about the University's loan laptop scheme.
This course will help you to develop skills in the theoretical and practical methods associated with psychology. Alongside this you will gain specific knowledge in sport and exercise psychology, studying the effects of physical activity on the brain and overall health.
You will have access to our extensive laboratory and technical facilities (such as brain imaging and eye-tracking equipment) to carry out experiments and record data.
Teaching staff are actively engaged in the latest research, with international reputations in their field. Their innovative findings feed into your courses to ensure that your knowledge and learning are up-to-date.
Study will combine lectures, lab sessions, guided reading, independent research, group tutorials and one-on-one support sessions with tutors. Each module will involve two to three hours of contact time per week. You will also spend time in private study and preparing assignments with research via reading, podcasts and videos.
Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.
Assessment and feedback
Your progress will be assessed via coursework such as presentations, lab reports, case studies and essays, exams, and the final year dissertation.
