Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport

Do you have a passion for Physical Education, Sport and Physical Activity and are interested in educating others? Bring an exciting new dimension to your interest through our BA (Hons) course.

• Start your journey towards a career in teaching by studying a course designed to deliver engaging theoretical and industry-relevant practical skills in the field of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport (PEPAS)
• Gain the knowledge and skills associated with designing, delivering and reviewing physical education content across all school levels, in community settings and to special populations
• Build practical experience by undertaking school-based work placements and attending field trips to locations across the UK. You can even apply for bursaries to complete international work experience opportunities, including in Fiji
• Make the most of the facilities within our exceptional sports centre
• Be inspired by our enthusiastic and expert staff who boast a wealth of professional experience in the sport and educational arenas

Sport and Exercise Science - your questions answered

In the below video, Head of School for Sport and Exercise Science, Andy Hooton, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Derby. 

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport at Derby

This course is ideal for those wishing to pursue careers in teaching PE and similar topics at both primary and secondary level, or who are interested in sport coaching as a form of education. It also prepares graduates for a range of careers related to the delivery of physical activity and PE in a range of settings with diverse audiences. The programme will also suitably skill those wishing to deliver Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport (PEPAS) in community-based settings.

You’ll join a course that will not only give you a well-rounded approach to teaching but will develop your knowledge in areas like personal, social and emotional skills, psychological wellbeing, transferable educational-focused abilities and physical development.

The course has been developed with input from industry-based practitioners and organisations, so you can guarantee that you’ll graduate with the relevant skills that employers are looking for. You will be supported in enhancing your ability to not only understand the techniques, content and integration of the delivery of PE within the national curriculum but also a wide range of personal development skills and knowledge, so you will be in a position to “teach the learner, not the subject”.

The course also has a strong focus on the importance of inclusion at both an organisational level and society in general. You will gain an understanding of the additional support needs that you’ll likely encounter in various PEPAS roles. Aligned with this, you’ll also build an understanding in a number of SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) areas, ensuring you graduate with the skills to recognise and make adjustments for a number of neurodiversity characteristics commonly encountered in both mainstream and specialist population PEPAS delivery.

You’ll also explore the importance of the use of the outdoors as an educational tool and get hands-on experience in designing a range of experiences within the natural environment.  This will equip you with a unique skill set that will differentiate your abilities from many other graduates in the marketplace.

Apply theory to practical settings

Throughout the course, you’ll have the opportunity to experience a variety of practical PEPAS delivery settings, giving you the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to enhance your development by undertaking internships and work placements. We have strong links with sports clubs, schools, colleges, community organisations and local authorities to help you deepen your understanding of the educational aspects of sport and the variety of career roles you could pursue. You’ll get involved in delivering sports sessions to groups of different ages and abilities.

In your third year the Derby County Community Trust (DCCT) deliver the Association for PE Level 3 Diploma in 'Supporting the Delivery of PE, School Sport and Physical Activity' module. This will not only give you another qualification for your CV to help you stand out in the crown, it will also give you the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time in a school environment developing key skills for PE delivery.

“The inclusion of the AfPE course into the degree programme gives the students real world experience of delivering PE in school settings. The course covers the fundamental knowledge and key pedagogy skills needed to work in a PE environment including teaching strategies, behaviour management in school settings, assessment for learning and a broader understanding of PE and the school sport landscape.” Jack Southwart, Physical Education and Schools lead for DCCT

You’ll also go on field trips to explore concepts and apply what you’ve been taught in the classroom to real-world settings, as well as engage with our extensive professional networks, including opportunities for coaching practice and industry-backed research.

Expert teaching

Many of our staff are actively involved in research, undertaking influential studies that are breaking new ground in their disciplines. You'll benefit from teaching by experts in education and sport and enlightening guest lecturers by professional coaches, elite athletes and many more leaders in the field. Below is a brief introduction to a number of the core teaching staff on the Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport degree programme.

• Dr Stuart Mourton - Stuart is the Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport. He joined the University of Derby in 2013 and has led a number of the degree programmes at Derby, teaches on modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, and is a supervisor on a number of PhD supervisory packages. He specialises in the areas of skill acquisition and the development of motor skills across both typically developing populations and individuals with additional support needs. Outside of work, he volunteers with Special Olympics GB, helping develop skiers at the Special Olympics West Midlands ski group.
• Nicola Taylor - Nicola started her teaching experience delivering outdoor vocational qualifications to potential outdoor leaders, working with the local schools and special needs groups. She was also a freelance Mountain Instructor teaching climbing, mountaineering and movement skills. She then moved to the University of Derby and now supports the Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport course. 
• Dr Niamh Mourton - Niamh is an Associate Lecturer for Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport and specialises in inclusion. She is the global lead for the Motor Activities Training Programme (MATP) for Special Olympics International and brings extensive experience in areas including inclusive practice, regional/national/global programme design/monitoring/evaluation and also brings extensive knowledge from roles with Youth Sport Trust, The FA and UNESCO.  

Teaching staff from the School of Sport and Exercise will also deliver on modules across the degree programme, and each of these will bring relevant applied and research experience to these modules, ensuring specialist staff deliver passionately and with detailed knowledge in all study areas.

Build your portfolio of skills

Beyond the core content of your degree, we help you develop important transferable skills and intellectual abilities that will take you far.

You could take part in additional training to add further professional qualifications to your CV, including coaching badges and other awards given by the national governing bodies for specific sports.

The Association for Physical Education is the recognised subject association for Physical Education in the UK. We have embedded their Level 3 diploma in supporting the delivery of PEPAS into our programme, providing students the chance to gain an industry recognised additional qualification as part of their studies.

If you are also interested in further study to postgraduate level, particularly on a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) to enable you to enter the teaching profession with qualified teacher status, we will help you prepare for this. You will gain experience of academic research, conduct an independent investigation into a topic of your choice, and take part in university conferences.

Providing applied experience in numerous formats is a central component to the development of highly skilled practitioners. The images below showcase a fieldtrip to Pembrokeshire that our third year students went on. The trip included a range of exciting activities including surfing, axe throwing, camping, hiking and outdoor survival skills. These experiences mirror those offered on residential trips to secondary schools and are designed to enhance a range of personal skills in the students who attend them. On this trip, students engage in and reflect on the activities they will ask their students to undertake in the future, develop an understanding of the challenges and rewards these trips offer, and link their experience to academic research in the area to critically discuss the trip and it’s benefits to them personally, and those who undertake similar experiences.

Sport science facilities

Our sports centre includes specialist sport science facilities including a main hall, physiology laboratories, multiple sport therapy suites, a performance suite for biomechanics, performance analysis, and strength and conditioning. You can also take full advantage of facilities such as a fitness gym, studios, squash and badminton courts, an internal climbing wall, sprint track, changing rooms, and treatment rooms.

Our Performance Suite

Our Performance Suite allows Sport and Exercise Science students to learn about performance analysis, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, and injury prevention. As well as elite athletes outside of the University, you'll also be working with our Team Derby athletes to help them improve their performance and successfully compete. Take a look at the Performance Suite and Vicon cameras in action:

Sports Scholarships

The University of Derby is a sporting hub for talented athletes and coaches. We have a track record of improving the performance of our University sports clubs and we have created an infrastructure to provide support for talented athletes. We offer a Sports Scholarship programme that aims to help talented student-athletes realise their sporting potential while supporting them through their academic studies. We offer scholarships of up to £6,000 and provide tailored athlete-support packages delivered by an experienced multi-disciplinary Performance Sport team. Two of the Universities most recent successful sports scholars are Charlie Tanfield (World Champion and Commonwealth Cycling gold medallist) and Jack Burnell (European Open Water silver medallist 2016 and Olympian 2016).

Join Team Derby

If you enjoy a challenge and would like to make the most of your own sporting passion and prowess, you could become involved with Team Derby which is the focal point for the University’s sporting community. It encompasses all aspects of sport, including courses, numerous sports clubs, the Athletics Union and sport development activities. You can also take part in the national BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) competitions.

We have also recently appointed Double Olympic Medallist, Bryan Steel, as the Head Coach for Team Derby Performance Sport Cycling. Bryan is a celebrated figure in the world of cycling, bringing a wealth of experience to his role. The decorated Olympian, who represented Team GB at four Olympic Games from 1992 to 2004, boasts an impressive medal collection. His crowning achievements include a bronze medal in the team pursuit event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games in the same discipline. Brian's journey also includes 14 World Championship appearances, where he secured five medals, along with three medals at the Commonwealth Games. With the arrival of Bryan, Performance Sport at the university will work in partnership with HUUB-BCC Race Team to give track and road riders access to an elite pathway during and post higher education. This collaboration opens doors for Team Derby Performance Cycling's athletes, offering a unique opportunity to bridge their academic pursuits with professional cycling aspirations.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Modules are designed to allow for innovative approaches to delivery, providing you with a wide variety of learning experiences. You will learn by guided individual and group-based tasks, presentations, debates and group discussion as well as a whole host of practical opportunities to develop key teaching delivery skills. 

How you'll be assessed

Within the programme there is a wide range of innovative assessment methods designed to enhance learning, which reflect the roles of a PESPA coach or teacher within industry. These methods have been carefully planned to give students the opportunity to demonstrate they have met the learning outcomes for each module, to achieve the overall aims of the programme and to provide a coherent, individual learning experience.

The assessments will be in the format of practical assessments, multi-media presentations, exams, poster presentations, essays, evaluation of work placement logs and diaries and a dissertation.

The course is designed to prepare students to progress either straight into roles associated with community physical activity design and delivery, the support and delivery of PE and school sport within an educational environment, or to continue onto further study. The later route would likely involve progressing onto any of the routes to gaining a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)with qualified teacher status (QTS), that would result in students undertaking teaching roles specialising in PE delivery at all education levels; primary, secondary and/or further education. For those leaners interested in pursuing a career in teaching PEPAS in schools and education establishments in general, the programme has been revalidated in collaboration with the College of Education at the University of Derby to ensure there are multiple progression options for you (both locally and across the UK at other institutions).  There are multiple progression routes for trainee teachers at the University of Derby, including our PGCE Primary and PGCE Secondary (School Direct) with Qualified Teacher Status, both of which are based at the Derby Campus. Entry to these courses is subject to you meeting initial teacher training entry requirements.

Career opportunities also include physical activity co-ordination, sport and health development officers, fitness and recreation management and health promotion. You could also consider roles in broader areas such as physical activity co-ordination, sport and health development, fitness and recreation management, and health promotion – all areas where there is a strong demand for talented and forward-thinking new recruits.

For students who wish to pursue a career in sport coaching this programme acts as a gateway to roles in this industry, whilst there are also opportunities to progress on to the Masters offer within the School of Sport and Exercise or a PhD within a relevant discipline.  

If you want to take your academic knowledge of sport to the next level, this degree acts as a gateway to postgraduate education, with opportunities for you to progress to masters level courses such as our MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science and MSc Clinical Exercise Science programmes.

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

Please note that if you join the course with functional skills level 2 English and Maths rather than GCSE’s but after graduation go onto apply for a PGCE you will have to complete an equivalency test.

If you're an international student and want to improve your English language skills before you start your course, the Derby English Language Centre's pre-sessional English course can help you. 

2025/26

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Other courses you might like

• Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport with Foundation Year BA (Hons)
• Sport Coaching and Coach Development BA (Hons)

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.