About the degree programme

Our Applied Sport Science degree programme focuses on the study and application of scientific principles for sport. 

You will explore the promotion, maintenance and enhancement of sport- and exercise-related behaviours and the factors that influence participation and performance in sport and exercise.

Our programme is centred on four key disciplines:

  • physiology
  • biomechanics
  • psychology
  • skill acquisition

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years.

A key benefit to studying a 4-year degree programme is that you have the flexibility to study a range of subjects, outside your chosen degree programme, in Year 1 and Year 2.

This allows you the opportunity to study other courses that interest you or enhance your degree. By the end of Year 2, you can decide which of these subject areas you want to focus on in the honours years of your programme.

Programme rankings

  • Top 10 universities in Europe for sports-related subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

Programme benefits

  • Enjoy access to state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities, including a specialised building in the city centre with sports biomechanics and exercise physiology labs.
  • Combine studying with sport and exercise, using our world-class gyms and sports grounds.
  • Study at the same institution as professional athletes such as Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, former Scotland Rugby Captain Kelly Brown and Olympic diver Grace Reid.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country or region where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Science

View the tuition fees for one academic year of BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Science.

Additional costs

There may be some additional costs if you take optional placement or research attachment courses in years 3 and 4 of the programme. 

For example, you may be required to apply to the Scottish Government's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme if you want to work with children or vulnerable adults. This currently costs between £18 and £59.

You are expected to cover your own travel expenses to and from your placement location. 

For placements in Edinburgh, transport cost is £0 (students under the age of 22 are eligible for free bus travel). 

You may choose a placement outside Edinburgh. If you do so, you will have to cover any travel costs. These costs will vary depending on placement location. 

Costs for an optional year abroad

If you study abroad in Year 3 through the University's study exchange programme, you will need to pay related costs. These include:

  • tuition fees
  • accommodation and living costs
  • country-specific expenses like travel, visas and insurance

You can use our budget calculator to help estimate your costs.

Find out more about costs for studying abroad

You can also use a tool like Numbeo to compare the cost of living abroad to Edinburgh or your home town or city.

Numbeo

If you are away on exchange or placement, you may receive a reduction in your tuition fees for the year. This depends on:

  • the type of placement you are on
  • how long you are away

As an indication, you can see the reductions for students studying away in 2026-27. These are reviewed annually and are subject to change.

Study away fees for 2026-27

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend £1,023 to £2,043 each month on living costs, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

What you will study

You will study the key disciplines of sport and exercise science and select from a range of option courses across the University.

Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 1 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

Building on Year 1, Year 2 further develops knowledge and skills in key sports science disciplines while also exploring research methods and information skills.

Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 2 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

In this year, your study of the key sport and exercise science disciplines will continue, and you will begin research methods training and research project work. 

You will start to specialise in performance sport or physical activity for health, with option courses such as:

  • Applying Sport Science
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Physical Activity, Exercise, Fitness and Health
  • Psychology of Physical Activity
  • Workplace Attachment
Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 3 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

In Year 4, you will choose from a range of sport-related options courses from across the key sport science disciplines.

Option courses can include:

  • Sport and Exercise Medicine
  • Exercise Prescription for Rehabilitation
  • Special Topics in Sport Psychology
  • Environmental Physiology
  • Research Attachment

You will also complete an honours dissertation in sport or physical activity for health.

Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 4 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

Study abroad

There are opportunities to study abroad through exchange programmes during Year 3. 

What are my options for going abroad?

Placements

Placements are not compulsory. However, you will have the opportunity to do a workplace or research attachment with a body external to the University, such as Sportscotland. 

Sportscotland

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

You will be taught through:

  • lectures
  • tutorials
  • site visits
  • practical work
  • laboratory-based experimental work
  • seminars

Assessment

You will be assessed through written exams and a range of coursework, including:

  • assignments
  • presentations
  • posters
  • web pages
  • reports
  • laboratory work

Coursework includes both individual and group work.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.

Where you will study

Study location

In Years 1 and 2, depending on your choice of option courses, your teaching may take place at Moray House School of Education and Sport and the King's Buildings campus. 

Most of your teaching in Year 3 and Year 4 will take place at Moray House School of Education and Sport within the Holyrood campus. The Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences is based here.

Academic facilities

At Moray House School of Education and Sport, you can access:

  • IT labs
  • a library
  • state-of-the-art sport science labs, including a brand-new, cutting-edge Environmental Human Performance Lab
  • a research swimming pool

You can also access the University's other computer facilities and libraries.

Facilities for sport-related teaching and research

Accreditation

Our programme is endorsed by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme.

CASES Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme

Career paths

Many of our graduates enter sport-related careers, including roles with:

  • elite sports clubs
  • performance sports centres
  • personal training or coaching
  • national or international sporting bodies
  • the fitness industry

Some enter health-related careers. For example, working with local authorities or NHS-funded exercise and health initiatives.

Others go on to work in sports marketing, tourism or events or gain graduate management and business posts.

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Further study

Some graduates pursue postgraduate study to focus their career towards certain areas, including:

  • teaching
  • physiotherapy
  • sports nutrition
  • public health

We offer several sports-related masters degrees at Moray House, as well as PhD and MSc by Research study.

Postgraduate taught degrees
Postgraduate research degrees

Graduate profiles

Stephanie Davis

Stephanie Davis

Degree: Applied Sport Science

Year of graduation: 2012

Current work: Professional runner and coach

My experience at Moray House helped me become the athlete I am today. I learned a lot from my degree on how the body adapts and trains, and I learned from the University running club different training practices and the balance between training sessions. Both of these experiences have taught me things that I apply to training and coaching today.

Tom Julian

Tom Julian presenting

Degree: Applied Sport Science

Year of graduation: 2012

Current work: Head of International Cooperation and Public Relations, Bundesliga International

Moray House gave me access to state-of-the-art equipment, and the professors from both sports psychology and physiology provided support and guidance. The skills I learned ranged greatly, from independence and the importance of budgeting, to being diligent and thorough in my work, asking critical questions, and demanding more of myself to achieve the best possible result.

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

When to apply

  • 2027 entry UCAS deadline: 13 January 2027 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 13 January 2027, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Agents

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

What our students say

My time at Moray House was fundamental to my progression because of the life lessons I learned along the way. The confidence to reach out and ask for an opportunity, even if it doesn’t look like one is there, has been the making of my career so far. 

While in Edinburgh, you have to hike Arthur’s Seat for the sunrise, take every opportunity to join clubs and societies and enjoy your time with friends because you will likely never have time like that again! 

My experience provided me with a strong foundation to build on. The high level of transferable skills gained, such as thinking critically and analytically, and carrying out thorough and robust research has served me well in my current scope of work.

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life.

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment


Entry requirements source data

Source data of all entry requirements for this programme