BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation

Program Overview

The BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation at St. Mary's University, Twickenham, is a highly regarded and pioneering three-year undergraduate degree, notable as the first of its kind in the UK, with its inaugural intake in 1994. This program is meticulously designed to equip students with the scientific knowledge and practical skills required for the prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries in active individuals and athletes. The curriculum uniquely blends sports and exercise medicine principles with a strong emphasis on creating tailored exercise and rehabilitation programmes. Students benefit from hands-on training within St. Mary's state-of-the-art Sport Rehabilitation Suites and Performance Education Centre, an onsite teaching clinic where they can practice under supervision. Taught by a team of expert academics and clinical practitioners, the degree fosters essential transferable skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. The program is professionally accredited by the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT), making graduates eligible to register as Graduate Sport Rehabilitators (GSRs) and ensuring their professional recognition and employability across various sports and health settings. Additionally, students typically gain a qualification in Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sport (PHICIS), further enhancing their practical skills and career prospects.

Curriculum: The curriculum for the BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation program at St. Mary's is structured to provide a comprehensive and progressively challenging learning experience. In the first year (Level 4), students build foundational knowledge in core areas such as "Functional Anatomy," "Movement Analysis," "Clinical Assessment & Soft Tissue Management," and "Exercise Science and Prescription." These modules are taught in a problem-based, practical, and integrated way to ensure early application of theoretical knowledge. The second year (Level 5) focuses on developing rehabilitation program design skills through modules like "Patient Management 2," "Rehabilitation 1," "Athlete Management," "Research Methods 2," and "Biomechanics," alongside practical and hands-on training in various treatment modalities including Hydrotherapy, Electrotherapy, and Taping. The final year (Level 6) allows students to work with increasing independence, further advancing their rehabilitation skills, particularly in upper limb and spine areas, as well as late-stage rehabilitation and return-to-sport protocols. A key component of the final year is the "Individual Project" (dissertation), enabling students to pursue an in-depth topic of their interest. Assessment methods are varied, including written theory examinations, vivas, oral presentations, and written coursework, with practical vivas forming a significant part of the assessments due to the clinical nature of the program.

Research Focus: The BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation program at St. Mary's University is deeply informed by a strong research culture, with its curriculum and practical applications being continually shaped by the active research interests of its academic staff. The Faculty of Sport, Technology and Health Sciences, which houses the Sport Rehabilitation program, boasts a track record of "internationally excellent and world leading" research. Academic staff teaching on the program are often actively engaged in research areas such as injury and rehabilitation, musculoskeletal mechanics, lifestyle management, and the optimisation of performance. The curriculum incorporates dedicated "Research Methods" modules across all three years, culminating in a significant "Individual Project" (dissertation) in the final year. This focus on research empowers students to critically appraise existing evidence, conduct their own scientific inquiries, and apply an evidence-based approach to clinical practice, which is crucial for effective and contemporary sport rehabilitation.

Industry Engagement: Industry engagement is a cornerstone of the BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation program at St. Mary's University, designed to provide extensive practical experience and significantly boost graduate employability. The program incorporates compulsory work placements, allowing students to apply their theoretical learning in real-world clinical practice within professional environments. St. Mary's leverages its long-standing reputation and established links within the sports industry to secure placements with high-profile organisations such as England Women's Rugby, Harlequins, London Broncos, Millwall Academy, and Crawley Town FC, among others. The university's onsite Sport Rehabilitation Suites also serve as a teaching clinic where students gain supervised clinical skills. Furthermore, the program includes the Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sport (PHICIS) qualification, directly enhancing employability in pitch-side and immediate care scenarios. This direct exposure to industry practice, combined with expert teaching from active practitioners, ensures graduates are well-prepared to enter and succeed in the competitive field of sport rehabilitation.

Global Perspective: The BSc (Hons) Sport Rehabilitation program at St. Mary's University inherently integrates a strong global perspective, acknowledging the international nature of elite sport and the universal principles of injury management and rehabilitation. The curriculum explores best practices and contemporary approaches to sport rehabilitation from around the world, preparing students to operate within diverse sporting environments and healthcare systems. St. Mary's is an academic member of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy (WFATT), facilitating collaborations with an international network of academic institutions from countries such as the USA, Canada, Ireland, Greece, Japan, and Taiwan. This affiliation provides students with exposure to varied educational and clinical methodologies across different national contexts. The program's focus on globally recognised competencies, combined with its BASRaT accreditation, ensures that graduates are equipped with skills and qualifications that are highly valued internationally, enabling them to pursue professional opportunities and contribute to sport rehabilitation practice on a global scale.