Physical Activity and Health

Getting people more active is an urgent public health priority. As a physical activity specialist, you'll learn how to make a positive impact on individual and community health. This practical Physical Activity and Health degree gives you all the skills and knowledge you need.

This hands-on degree draws on the core disciplines of physiology, psychology and sociology, while you learn about the effects of physical activity and inactivity on individual health. This includes exploring the needs of general and special populations (e.g. those experiencing pregnancy, obesity and type 2 diabetes) and how to incorporate and increase physical activity at the individual, community and population levels.

A hands-on and practical degree

You'll work on client consultations with general and/or special populations. You'll cover topics such as public health and health promotion, as well as learning how to design, implement and assess physical activity interventions through practice-based lab projects and field fitness tests.

Work placements and internships

There is a strong emphasis on real-world industry experience, such as work placements and internships across charitable health and social care organisations. This means you get to network and explore different work options while you study, so you can discover where your interests lie from a job perspective.

Smaller class sizes mean a personal approach. Our teaching is underpinned by research so you'll become an evidence-based physical activity and health practitioner with valuable skills.

Everything you learn forms a crucial part of your role in improving the health and wellbeing of the general population.

Two-year foundation in Sport and Exercise

This course is flexible, and part of a portfolio of five courses covering different specialisms in sport.

For the first two years, everyone takes Sport and Exercise as a foundation. Then you specialise in years three and four. See more in the How the course works section.

Abertay is Scotland's TOP University for overall student satisfaction in Sport and Exercise (NSS 2023).