Adventure Sport Science Undergraduate - September 2022/23 & September 2023/24 Entry

A unique combination of essential Sport Science knowledge (psychology, physiology, and coaching) with the opportunity to develop your own adventure tourism and outdoor practitioner skills. You’ll apply this knowledge in various field-based settings, work-based environments and state-of-the-art labs including high altitude and environmental chambers. Graduating with ‘hands on’ experience and an understanding of human responses to adventure environments and performance in adventure sports, you’ll have the skills for a career in the expanding adventure market.

Are you one of life’s adventurers or thinking of a career in Adventure based sport? If so, then this is the course for you!

Do you dream of climbing Everest or wondered what ‘it takes’ to Big Wall climb in Yosemite? Or is climbing the 15 peaks of Wales or kayaking in the Conwy Valley more to your liking? Maybe you’re interested in undertaking an expedition in adventurous terrain or you interested in adventure sport therapy as a career? Perhaps you just want to enhance your leadership and coaching skills? If you have given either of these activities some consideration, then this course is uniquely designed to help you realise these dreams.

By providing you with ‘hands on’ experience and understanding of the core Sport Science studies of human responses to adventure sport environments and performance in adventure sports, you will gain the skills required for a career in the expanding Adventure market. This essential core sport science knowledge is uniquely combined with the continuous opportunity to develop your own adventure and outdoor skills. Specifically, as well as learning core performance and exercise science, you will complete ‘doing’ modules with the emphasis on adventuring out and learning practically. If you want to get out in the mountains, beaches, camp, hike, scramble, winter walk, climb, explore the sea cliffs on foot and from a kayak, and want to do it practically ‘hands on’ through whole days out then this course for you. North Wales offers a stunning natural environment for your studies, and our department, which was established in 1978, is proud to call itself one of the original and longest serving Sport and Exercise Science providers in the world.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• Ideal location with an abundance of mountains, coastlines, rivers, cliffs, beaches and adventure tourist attractions within easy reach.
• Top 10 for Research Quality (Complete University Guide 2022).
• Staff are high quality researchers, and many participate in outdoor and high-risk activities e.g. climbing, canoeing, skiing etc.
• Vocational elements of this degree delivered by external staff with qualifications and practical outdoor experience. Opportunities to attain National Governing Body awards.

Additional Course Options

The course will be delivered with weekly practical sessions with Snowdonia Watersports and The Conway Centre learning and/or improving your canoe, kayak and paddle boarding, climbing, leading, coaching and group management skills with a view to preparing you for a career in this type of outdoor environment. Whatever your experience and skills, staff at SWS and the Conway Centre build on them to take each person, to their next level. Practical sessions last approximately 6 hours. You’ll typically have one or two hours of lectures per week for each module as well as laboratory time, seminars and tutorials. This direct contact time will be tied with student-centred learning such as reading, writing essays and reports, gathering information and data, working on group projects and preparing verbal and poster presentations. These form the basis of your assessment, along with examinations, case studies and critiques of research.

What will you study on this course?

During this degree we aim to equip you to become adventure ‘experts’ in terms of applying core sport science to the world of adventure sport, whilst also giving you the practical skill sets to undertake independent mountain and water based adventures yourself. There is a real focus on you developing your own personal and group management skills in judgment and awareness as well as the practical skills from a variety of adventure activities. These independent skills will stay with you for life and help you realise your goals.

Modules for the current academic year

Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Adventure Sport Science Modules page.

Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.

General University Costs

Home (UK) students

• The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,000 per year (2021/22 entry and 2022/23 entry).
• The fee for all placement, international, and sandwich years is £1,350 (2021/22 and 2022/23).
• More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.

International (including EU) students

• International Student Tuition Fees
• International Student Living Costs and Scholarships

Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:

• If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
• If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).

Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:

1. Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
2. Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
3. Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.

General University Requirements

To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.

We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.

All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.

As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.

We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.   

EU and International Students' Entry Requirements

For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.

Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.

This course is ideal preparation for a career in the outdoors as an instructor, an exploration or expedition leader, in outdoor development training, and also in education and recreation generally. By providing you with ‘hands on’ experience and understanding of the core sport science studies of human responses to adventure environments and performance in adventure sports, you’ll gain the skills required for a career in the expanding adventure market. This essential core sport science knowledge is uniquely combined with the continuous opportunity to develop your own adventure and outdoor skills. This degree will equip you with the necessary skills to work across the broad sport and exercise sector. For example, graduates may progress to careers in the adventure sport market including coaching (outdoor instruction), management (running you own business), education (e.g., teaching, after postgraduate training) or research (e.g., progress to PhD / Research Fellow careers). Students may also utilise their transferable skills to pursue careers in the armed forces, emergency services, or in business in public or private sectors.

Opportunities at Bangor

The University’s Skills and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions. 

The Bangor Employability Award (BEA) 

The BEA is a comprehensive online course that you can work through at your own pace, taking you through all the steps you need to take to explore, prepare and apply for your dream career.

Internships

Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments. 

Student Volunteering

Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website. 

A 'with Foundation Year' option is available for this course. Apply for Sports and Exercise Science (with Foundation Year).