Graduate career opportunities

The information below is for career opportunities for our Sport and Exercise Sciences graduates

See also, career opportunities for our:

 

Our graduates are ideally suited to employment in careers related to: 

  • exercise and health including working as exercise physiologists and in sports psychology 
  • sport and recreation including sports and leisure centre management 
  • coaching 
  • courses for physical education teaching/primary school teaching 
  • work with national sports agencies and sports development departments of local authorities

In addition, there is a broader range of careers that attracts our graduates, including the police force, army, air force and navy. Graduates find they are well prepared for generic graduate recruitment and further study in areas such as law, accountancy, banking, financial services, computing, marketing, management, the Civil Service, Scientific Civil Service and local government.

Helping you find the right career

Students have access to a comprehensive careers service, based at the Careers Network. In addition, careers and CV advice, and work experience/internship support, are available within the School on a weekly basis. We also arrange for you to meet a number of our alumni during your studies in order to learn from their experiences of preparing for a successful career in a chosen field.

A selection of employers for our graduates

  • A variety of Universities and NHS Hospitals
  • Badenoch & Clark
  • Ultimate Performance
  • UK Tennis Academy
  • Tennis Australia
  • Teach First
  • Surrey County Cricket Club
  • Shire Hotels
  • Nuffield Health
  • Sheffield United Football Club
  • Chelsea Football Club
  • Cheltenham Race Course
  • Classroom Medics
  • Insight Research Group
  • Aldi

A selection of occupations for our graduates

Sport Science/Health:

  • Performance Analysis Intern
  • Sport Science
  • Academy Health & Wellbeing Physiologist
  • Cardio Pulmonary Exercise Testing Assistant
  • Exercise Specialist
  • Healthcare Assistant
  • Rehabilitation Assistant
  • Research Associate
  • Strength And Conditioning Intern

Sport Development/Coaching/Fitness:

  • Community Activity Coordinator
  • Graduate Sports Assistant
  • Netball Coach
  • Personal Trainer
  • Swimming Instructor

Education:

  • Teaching Cover Supervisor (ABC Teachers)
  • Teaching Assistant
  • Research Assistant
  • Biomedical Assistant
  • Play Worker
  • Science Communicator
  • Senior Social Care Worker
  • PE Teacher
  • Frontier Project Intern

Commercial

  • Statistician
  • Trainee Accountant
  • Pricing Analyst
  • Project Engineer
  • Retail Development Territory Manager
  • Technical & Sales Rep
  • Scientific Copy Editor
  • Trainee Contracts Manager
  • Business Development Consultant
  • Events Assistant
  • Graduate Resourcer
  • Marketing & Alumni Officer
  • Marketing & Communications Assistant
  • PR Assistant
  • Programme Development Director
  • Recruitment Consultant
  • Account Manager
  • Lettings Property Manager
  • Sales Assistant
  • Merchandisor

Range of courses of further study for our graduates

  • PhDs (various sport science/health fields)
  • BSc Physiotherapy
  • Wide variety of Taught Masters including:
    • MSc Sport Performance Analysis
    • MRes Sport & Exercise Science
    • MSc Strength & Conditioning
    • MSc Exercise Physiology
    • MSc In Psychology
    • MSc Applied Sport Psychology
    • MSc Sport & Exercise Biomechanics
    • MSc Sport & Exercise Nutrition
    • MSc Materials Science & Engineering
    • MA Sports Administration
    • MA Public Health
  • PGCEs in Primary, Secondary (PE, Design Technology, Maths
  • Grad Diploma in Psychology
  • MA Sports Administration
  • MA Public Health
  • MBA
  • ACA Accounting
  • Digital Marketing

The scientific training that our degrees provide enables our graduates to follow academic
careers in research and in teaching in Science and Sport at all levels from Primary education to University level. Many of our graduates also go on to study for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education to qualify as Science and or PE teachers.

Gareth Sheppard, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences alumnus, talks about his time at the University of Birmingham and his career path to becoming Paralympic Performance Manager for British Cycling.
Video transcript here