Exercise Medicine MSc

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Exercise has evolved into a global industry, with exercise scientists, advanced practitioners and researchers playing an increasingly crucial role in promoting wellbeing, preventing disease and prolonging the lives of those with life-limiting disease. Long-term health conditions such as cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, musculoskeletal and neurological diseases, as well as cancer, mental health, and frailty are becoming more prevalent worldwide. These diseases are further exacerbated by low levels of physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle and an ageing population. As a result, there are more employment opportunities in the health and exercise sector than ever before.

Whether you are a sport scientist, health and fitness professional, have a background in medicine or physical activity related discipline, come and take your learning to the next level. Develop the most up-to-date knowledge and skills essential for working with individuals and communities to improve their health and wellbeing.

On our degree, you will get the opportunity to become competent in screening participants, undertaking testing and prescribing exercise across a variety of different environments (gym, clinical, community, home-based and virtual environments) for specific long-term conditions and multi-morbidities. You will utilise critical thinking and scientific reasoning to design and tailor interventions for specific individuals or communities and employ the most appropriate behaviour change techniques to increase adherence. You will also get the opportunity to undertake an empirical piece of research in your specific area of interest.

Through practice, you will also develop and enhance key employability skills such as problem solving, resourcefulness, adaptability, accountability, critical thinking, administration, confidentiality, communication, teamwork, project management skills, creativity, independence, utilising technology, research and evaluation. On your journey, you will also improve your confidence, build self-belief, resilience, and improve self-awareness. You will learn the best ways to demonstrate these to an employer, which will help springboard your career to the next level within the health and exercise sector.

Why You’ll Love It

Great support from staff

Our students and External Examiner report that we go above and beyond for our students and that we provide an excellent student experience. You will also have a dedicated Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), who will help you every step of the way through your academic journey.

Exercise Medicine students

Learn by doing

We like to do things a little differently; our sessions are a mixture of interactive, applied and practical/lab based. We pride ourselves on teaching you how to analyse, interpret and apply the science you will need to thrive as an evidence-based practitioner within the health and exercise sector. Design and implement evidence-based exercise interventions to promote well-being, prevent disease and prolong life through lifestyle modification and behaviour change across the lifespan.

Exercise Medicine analysis

Future ready

We have a module focused on preparing you for your next steps within the sector. You will develop an understanding of your scope of practice and industry expectations and codes of conduct, as well as essential professional skills like communication and career planning, which will enhance your career prospects.

Exercise Medicine students

What You'll Study

On the MSc Exercise Medicine course you will study six core modules in 12 months, across four terms of 10 weeks. You will start by studying 40 credits in the first term and then you will study 40 credits in terms two and three alongside the 60-credit research project in Exercise Medicine module, where you will develop your research ideas. The final term will be devoted entirely to completing the research project.

  • The Physical activity for long-term public health promotion module covers key concepts in physical activity and lifestyle, emphasising their role in preventing long-term health conditions.

  • The Advanced epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical assessment module will explore the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and pathogenesis of a wide range of long-term health conditions, such as cardiometabolic diseases, cancer, frailty, and mental health challenges.

  • The Applied exercise prescription for long-term health conditions module is designed to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills required to safely and effectively prescribe exercise for individuals with various long-term health conditions.

  • The Research methods in sport and exercise module will equip you with essential research skills in sports and exercise medicine and science.

  • The Research project in exercise medicine module offers you the chance to work closely with an expert member of staff from the course team, to support the development and execution of your research project.

All these modules are designed to prepare you for the real-world tasks you will encounter in professional and research settings and are brought together in the Professional practice in exercise medicine module, which is designed to increase your awareness of the diverse career opportunities within exercise medicine and allied health sectors, to help you navigate through the processes involved in gaining meaningful employment and progressing within the sector globally. You will explore job market trends, gain an understanding of industry expectations, and identify pathways for certification and specialisation.

 

Core Modules

This module offers you the chance to work closely with an expert member of staff from the course team, to support the development and execution of your research project. This module allows you to apply the skills and competencies you have developed throughout your course, including subject-specific knowledge, data analysis, and valuable transferable skills such as critical thinking and the ability to effectively communicate findings to academic and professional audiences.

This module covers key concepts in physical activity and lifestyle, emphasizing their role in preventing long-term health conditions. You will be introduced to essential terminology such as sedentary behaviour (SB), physical activity (PA), and exercise, and explore why physical activity is crucial for reducing the risk of long-term health issues. Key questions include how to distinguish exercise from general physical activity and how to promote long term adherence to physical activity in the general population. The module also delves into research design, guiding you in understanding and applying different methodologies in this field. The module discusses various technologies available to measure physical activity and sedentary behaviour, examining their validity and reliability. You will be also taught behaviour change theories and techniques, which are essential for understanding and promoting adherence to health promoting behaviours in public health. Common barriers and facilitators to physical activity will also be taught, including relevant socio-economic and cultural factors.

This module is designed to increase your awareness of the diverse career opportunities within exercise medicine and allied health sectors to help you navigate through the processes involved in gaining meaningful employment and progressing within the sector globally. You will be exposed to careers across the public, private and third sector and will explore UK governing bodies and standards of conduct, scope of practice and legal requirements. You will explore job market trends, gain an understanding of industry expectations, and identify pathways for certification and specialisation. During the module you will also develop your employability skills.

In this module, you will critically explore the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and pathogenesis of a wide range of long-term health conditions, such as cardiometabolic diseases, cancer, frailty, and mental health challenges. You will examine specific issues related to life stages such as menopause, as well as the complexities associated with multi-morbidities.

You will also develop a critical understanding of how these conditions impact on each component of physical fitness, both individually and collectively. You will utilise evidence-based techniques to assess and monitor these conditions. During the module you will be assessed on your knowledge and understanding around these topics and competencies to assess and interpret findings. This module will prepare you to undertake advanced physiological testing and will equip you with skills to address the diverse needs of patients in clinical exercise settings.

This module equips students with essential research skills in sports and exercise medicine and science, from developing research questions to effectively reporting findings. Students will learn to design reliable and valid studies, exploring sampling techniques and addressing key considerations in hypothesis testing. Emphasis is placed on quantitative data analysis, covering traditional and modern statistical methods, along with common statistical flaws. Practical training includes the use of software to apply descriptive and inferential statistics, using real-world sports and exercise data. The module also highlights research ethics, including the process for ethical approval and considerations of current controversies within sports and exercise medicine and science research.

This module is designed to equip students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills required to safely and effectively prescribe exercise for individuals with various long-term health conditions. Students will focus on the benefits of exercise training for each condition, in terms of promoting healthy outcomes and prolonging the lives of those with life limiting disease. Applied knowledge will emphasise targeted exercise recommendations for each condition, as-well as detailed methods of risk stratification. Gym based practical sessions will reinforce theoretical knowledge, providing hands-on experience with exercise prescription, monitoring, and adjustment for different clinical conditions and individual patient types. The module will also address real-world challenges practitioners will likely face when working in health and exercise related settings. 

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How You'll Learn

Engaging blend of hands-on practical sessions and in-depth theory

Curriculum and assessments co-created with employers

Activities are realistic, relevant, and rigorous

Diverse and innovative assessment methods

An aerial photograph of Exton Park with the text 'How we teach at the University of Chester'

How we teach at the University of Chester

The course will be delivered across four terms of ten weeks. You will be on campus approximately three days per week, and the timetable will remain fixed, allowing you to organise your life around your studies. You will study 40 credits in Terms 1 to 3, alongside the 60-credit 'Research Project in Exercise Medicine' module (Terms 2 and 3), which will become the sole focus in Term 4.

The Exercise Medicine course is delivered in person, with scheduled contact hours of about eight to ten hours per week. You should also plan to dedicate at least ten to 15 hours per week to independent study, which may include self-directed study, practical skill development, reviewing course material, research, tutorials, library use, peer collaboration, and assessment preparation.

Experienced academics and practitioners teach the course using various methods, including lectures, seminars, practicals (laboratory and gym-based), and workshops. You'll engage in active learning with peers through case studies, scenario-based learning, and interactive group work promoting deeper learning, critical thinking, and employment readiness.

This course prepares you for real-world tasks in professional and research settings. You can tailor your assessment mode in some modules. Engaging assessments challenge you to produce high-quality work, encouraging collaboration, expanding digital capabilities, and demonstrating practical delivery skills. Assessment types include competency/scenario-based practicals, MCQs, presentations, essays, and research papers. A portfolio will track your progress, and you will complete an assessed job application. Formative assessment will improve your work before submission, with timely feedback to reflect on previous work and improve future assessments.

The course design has incorporated current trends and recommendations from employers across the sector, whilst aligning with academic benchmarks and current research in the area.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Students from the course now work in the NHS, Armed Forces, Physiotherapy, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Education, and various fitness organisations or are self-employed personal trainers. In addition, many have gone on to complete further research on MPhil/PhD courses. Additional occupation routes could also include (which may require additional training):

  • Exercise Rehabilitation (across a range of chronic diseases, e.g. Cardiac, Cancer and Obesity & Diabetes in the NHS, BUPA, Nuffield Health, Spire and other similar establishments)
  • Public Health roles
  • Physical Activity roles
  • Sports or Exercise Therapists
  • Clinical Exercise Physiologists

Roles linked to health and wellbeing within online/tech companies are also starting to develop. From an international perspective many of the roles above can be adapted for home countries, including careers in:

  • clinical & rehabilitation roles
  • corporate & community health
  • academic & research settings
  • roles in the fitness industry and in entrepreneurship & digital health.

Alternatively, you may choose to pursue further education or research; we offer an MRes and MPhil/ PhDs in the area.

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs.

Entry Requirements

Honours Degree

Applicants should have an undergraduate honours degree or equivalent (minimum requirement of a lower second class honours classification) in a relevant undergraduate degree. The degree should normally be in a science discipline and cover topics aligned with the MSc e.g. medicine, professions allied to medicine, physiotherapy/physical therapy, sport and exercise science, or related health or biological sciences degree (e.g. biomedical science, dietetics, human biology, human nutrition, human physiology, allied health care and nursing), or hold appropriate professional qualifications and be able to demonstrate suitable background knowledge and skills. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

IELTS

International applicants should have the above or an international equivalent, and must meet English language requirements, these being IELTS 6.5 with no lower than 5.5 in each category.

Other Language Proficiency Qualification

International applicants should have the above or an international equivalent, and must meet English language requirements, these being PTE Academic 65 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill.

International applicants should have the above or an international equivalent, and must meet English language requirements, these being Skills for English Language Level Test B2 Pass with Merit.

International applicants should have the above or an international equivalent, and must meet English language requirements, these being Language Cert SELT (online version not accepted) LanguageCert B2 Communicator – High Pass (minimum 33/Pass in each component).

Honours Degree

Applicants should have an undergraduate honours degree or equivalent (minimum requirement of a lower second class honours classification) in a relevant undergraduate degree. The degree should normally be in a science discipline and cover topics aligned with the MSc e.g. medicine, professions allied to medicine, physiotherapy/physical therapy, sport and exercise science, or related health or biological sciences degree (e.g. biomedical science, dietetics, human biology, human nutrition, human physiology, allied health care and nursing), or hold appropriate professional qualifications and be able to demonstrate suitable background knowledge and skills. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Fees and Funding

£9,090 for a full-time course (2026/27)

The tuition fees for home students studying courses in 2026/27 are £9,090 per year.

£15,500 (2026/27)

The tuition fees for international students studying courses in 2026/27 are £15,500 per year.

Who You’ll Learn From

Dr Sue Taylor

Senior Lecturer
Sue Taylor

Dr Dale Grant

Lecturer
Dr Dale Grant

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