Study sports studies and graduate with a university degree

What role does sport play in society? Who plays sport and why? How is sport managed and delivered? How does psychology enhance elite sports performance? What are the physical and mental benefits of sport and physical activity? Why are some elite sports stars so well paid? How did sport develop? What’s the legacy of events like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games? These are the type of questions that a degree in Sports Studies will help you answer.

Sports Studies is a multi-disciplinary subject area – grounded in theory but with a strong emphasis on practical application.

The Honours degree is designed around three specific knowledge pathways: Sports Policy and Management; Sport, Exercise and Health; and Sport, Culture and Society, offering a breadth of knowledge content and study from which students can then choose to specialise.

Year 1

Highers BBBB.
A-levels BBC.
IB Diploma with a total of 32 points.
HNC or HND with 3 Bs in graded units.

Access courses and other UK/EU and international qualifications are also welcomed.

Year 2

Scottish HNDs in relevant subjects with with B's in graded units.

General entrance requirements apply.

International students can study our Undergraduate Certificate if they do not possess the necessary entrance requirements to be admitted directly to the first year of an undergraduate degree course.

Other information

If examinations are taken over two sittings, or there are repeats or upgrades, the entrance requirements may be higher.

Required subjects

English Standard Grade (2), Intermediate 2 (C), GCSE (C) or equivalent. Applicants with English Standard Grade (3) will also be considered, although alternative entry conditions may be made in this case.

Mathematics Standard Grade (2), Intermediate 2 (C), GCSE (C) or equivalent.

Preferred subjects

Physical Education Standard Grade (3), GCSE (C), Higher or A-level or equivalent.

Sports Scholarships

See details of our International Sports Scholarship Programme.

Full-time (three modules per semester).
Part-time (one or two modules per semester).

Through articulation agreements with the Further Education sector and through normal international access routes.

Sports Studies is delivered across eight semesters, with the opportunity to combine sport options with study options from across the University.

Students are introduced to the core Sports Studies modules in Year 1 and also study four subjects from options across the University. Core modules in sport cover aspects of sport in society; patterns of participation in sport and physical activity; the foundations of sport and exercise science; and sports business, finance and management.

Year 2 considers issues and concepts in sport, reflecting on the historical development and the psychology of sport, again with the option to study further subjects outside of sport.

In year 3, students can specialise in their preferred area, choosing from detailed modules across the three knowledge pathways of: Sports Policy and Management; Sport, Exercise and Health; and Sport, Culture and Society.

Students who progress to Honours carry out a research module and a dissertation as well as further study of operational management in sport and readings in sport.

Year 1

• Introduction to Sports Studies I
• Introduction to Sports Studies II
• Four modules from options across the University
  

Year 2

• Sports Studies Issues and Concepts
• The Historical Development of Sport
• The Psychology of Sport
• Up to three further modules from options across the University
  

Year 3

Any six modules from:

• Physiology of Sport and Exercise
• Sport, Culture and Nationhood 
• Sports Medicine, Health and Wellbeing
• The Development of Excellence in Sport 
• Sports Policy, Planning and Management 
• PE, School Sport and Youth Culture 
• Applied Exercise Physiology 
• Sport, Gender, Ethnicity and Identity 
• Psychology of Physical Activity and Health
  

Year 4

• Operational Management in Sport
• Readings in Sports Studies
• Sports Research
• Dissertation

In addition to conventional lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and laboratory practical sessions, Sports Studies uses a virtual learning environment  and internet technology to support its teaching programme. Assessment is blended by a combination of coursework, group project work, group and individual presentations, on-line assessments and end of module examinations.

Each module has two core texts, with further recommended reading and background reading expected. All texts are available in the University library and through electronic journal subscriptions.

Students are taught through a mix of seminars, lectures and practical sessions. There are six weekly lectures, two per module, and three academic and practical seminars. On top of this core contact time, around 30 hours of independent study is expected each week.

(Combined Honours students can choose to undertake a dissertation in either of the subject codes.)

Stirling is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, the first choice for students to study sport. Excellence is at the heart of everything we do in sport, from our innovative research – the best in Scotland – improving the health of the nation, to preparing athletes for success on the world stage.

Our scenic campus is home to a suite of sports facilities, across 310-acres, all open to students, including a 50m swimming pool, a golf course, a fitness centre, an eight-court sports hall; nine grass and artificial pitches and 10 tennis courts to name but a few.

Participating in sport couldn’t be easier, with 1,500 members of the Sports Union, which has almost 50 different clubs where you can meet new people and enjoy your sport of choice.

If performance sport is your focus, then our International Sports Scholarship Programme (ISSP) or national scholarship programme Winning Students could provide you with the funding and flexibility to compete at the highest level.

Sports Studies offers a breadth of study and flexibility which enable you to shape your experience of sport at Stirling.

Teaching is delivered by experts in their field and enhanced by cutting edge knowledge from our sports researchers and through integration with field professionals.

We prepare graduates for excellent careers within the growing sports sector and internships, exchanges and development programmes provide the opportunity for students to build up their cv and pick up the management and professional skills employers are looking for.

You have the opportunity to study abroad through Stirling's well-established connection with several North American and European universities. The School of Sport also has further exchange programmes, where students can spend one semester or a year at American, Canadian and Swedish universities.

• Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence
• 1st in Scotland for sports research (most recent Research Assessment Exercise)
• 1st in Scotland for Sport and Education (The Times Good University Guide, 2012 and The Complete University Guide, 2012)

The School of Sport offers a unique environment for students to develop their ambitions, with all courses delivered by our expert staff and shaped by the latest sports research. A major benefit of the School is its integrated nature, with both academic courses and a sports development service which manages a suite of world-class sports facilities.

Through the three core Sports Studies modules in Sports Policy and Management; Sport, Exercise and Health; and Sport, Culture and Society, students gain a breadth of knowledge which can be applied to a wide range of sport related careers.

Sports Studies is a flexible course, with students able to change their modules and it is also available in a number of flexible options including as part of a combined Honours course with a range of subjects from accountancy to psychology and sociology.

Within each module, experts and key players from the sport sector discuss their successes and explore the world of sport with students. Stirling has forged strong partnerships with national governing bodies of sport, many of whom are based on campus.

Sports Studies offers a number of career development opportunities and volunteering internships, such as the Coach Development Programme in partnership with Active Stirling. It gives students the opportunity to gain qualifications and pick up vital event management experience.

Academic strengths

Research and teaching staff work side-by-side, sharing their knowledge with one another and imparting this knowledge to students through seminars and lectures. Sports staff are at the cutting edge of the sports industry, with leading thinkers in areas such as psychology, health and exercise, finance, coaching and management. With their support, students develop skills of scientific enquiry and critical evaluation, essential in the modern workplace.

Dr John Mathers is the Director of Learning and Teaching in the School of Sport. He manages the delivery of the undergraduate and postgraduate courses and is responsible for quality enhancement, quality assurance and the student experience within the School of Sport.

A chartered psychologist and accredited sport psychologist with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), Dr Mathers lectures on sports science topics within the Sport Studies course and provides sports psychology services to students on the International Sports Scholarship Programme (ISSP).

Dr Mathers provides further mental skills support to elite amateur and professional sports people and is currently working with elite officials from the Scottish FA and the Scottish Rugby Union.

His research also focuses on the impact of pre-competition mood state on sports performance and on the impact of stress on the control of skilled movements.

Golfer Richie Ramsay won the US Amateur Championship in 2006 while studying Marketing and Sports Studies at Stirling. Since graduating with a 2:1, Richie now competes on the European Tour and has already won his first title, the 2009 South African Open.

Careers in the sport sector account for around three percent of all jobs in Scotland according to a recent study by Cambridge Econometrics. This is set to increase even further with major sporting events, including the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup 2014 providing a number of exciting opportunities for well qualified students.

Graduates from the School of Sport are prepared for a wide variety of roles and many have gone on to work as sports coaches, teachers, consultants, managers and administrators.

Employers who have benefitted from Stirling graduate expertise include local authorities, commercial and voluntary sport organisations and governing bodies of sport.