Clinical Exercise Physiology, MSc

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Key Course Details

Mode of Study: Campus Based
Typical Offer (view equivalents): 2:1
Location: Bay Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees
Sep 2025	£ 10,550

MSc 1 Year Full Time

Mode of Study: Campus Based
Typical Offer: 2:1 - More Information
Location: Bay Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees
Sep 2025	£ 18,950

Develop the skills to work with patients to optimise their health with exercise

Course Overview

There has never been a more exciting time to study an MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology. As the NHS and other healthcare providers are put under an increasing burden from long-term health conditions related to physical inactivity, the demand for graduates with skillets in clinical exercise science and physiology is growing.

This 1-year full-time master’s course will equip you with the critical research-informed knowledge and understanding, along with the diverse range of applied and practical skills, that are needed to work with patients to optimise health, physical function, and quality of life through physical activity and exercise.

The MSc will have a heavy practical emphasis and will develop your practical competencies in a wide range of physiological and phenotypic measurements related to clinical exercise physiology. Throughout the programme, you will learn how to design, conduct and interpret a range of disease-specific health and fitness assessments, as well as designing and delivering evidence-based physical activity and exercise interventions, supporting patients to promote meaningful behaviour change, optimising the prevention, treatment and long-term management of a range of complex health conditions.

You will also complete a clinical placement module to gain important supervised experience in applying your skillset in real-world settings.

Why Clinical Exercise Physiology at Swansea?

Clinical Exercise Physiology is a fast-growing and essential specialism both in the UK and around the World. With longer life expectancy comes a greater risk of chronic health conditions. And with an increasingly ageing population, the NHS and other healthcare providers are being, and will continue to be, put under increasing strain from the burden of managing these long-term health conditions. As part of the strategy to meet this challenge, there has been an increasing recognition of the important role that skilled Clinical Exercise Physiologists (CEPs) can play as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, promising strong prospects for graduates of this programme.

CEPs can work across a broad range of chronic disease populations, where exercise interventions can demonstrate reduced disease risk and positive health outcomes, improved quality of life, and reduced overall healthcare costs, putting you at the forefront of an exciting movement in healthcare provision, that can make a real difference to people’s lives.

Clinical Exercise Physiology is now recognised as an accredited healthcare profession and formal employment pathways have been developed with various disciplines, such as cardiac rehabilitation. As such, there is an increasing demand for graduates with skillsets in Clinical Exercise Physiology, which is likely to grow in the coming years.

This MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology at Swansea University is a first for Wales. You will be taught by world-leading researchers in clinical exercise science, exercise physiology, physical activity and health, and behavior change. The course will have a strong practical emphasis and you will spend much of your time in our state-of-the-art exercise physiology laboratories at Bay Campus, which house a range of specialised equipment, including different exercise ergometers (cycling, recumbent cycling, treadmills etc), online metabolic carts with integrated 12-lead ECG, muscle function testing equipment, vascular ultrasounds, a DEXA scanner, equipment for assessments of lung function, and facilities to collect and analyse capillary of venous blood samples for various biomarkers.

Our Sport and Exercise Science programmes are ranked:

Top 20 in the UK for Research Quality (Complete University Guide 2025)
Top 51-100 in the World (QS World University Rankings 2024), and our research has
100% world-leading and internationally excellent impact (REF 2021)

Your Clinical Exercise Physiology Experience

Our overarching aim is to develop highly skilled exercise professionals capable of working safely and effectively within a multi-disciplinary healthcare team to improve health and wellbeing in clinical populations.

To achieve this, our MSc course will provide you with a comprehensive theoretical understanding of various chronic diseases and the principles underpinning the safe and effective prescription of exercise testing and physical activity and/or exercise interventions in the management of these conditions.

Alongside this vital theoretical underpinning, our course has been developed with a heavy practical and applied focus, where you will be empowered to work towards competency in the wide range of practical skills you will need to design, prescribe, and deliver personalised, evidence-based physical activity and exercise interventions tailored to individual health statuses, functional capacities, and disease aetiologies.

A key component of this course will be the workplace learning opportunities delivered through a placement with the Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS). This will ensure you can develop your clinical and interpersonal skills in a real-world environment and have a variety of opportunities to apply theory to practice.

The teaching team for this course are all research active and the whole programme is underpinned by and informed by research.

At the start of the programme, you will be allocated a Personal Tutor who you will meet with on a group basis every two weeks (with individual meetings available at request). These Personal Tutor meetings play an extremely important role ensuring that you can discuss your learning and assignments within small, informal settings. Our aim is for you to develop strong relationships with staff whom you can approach if you require additional support or guidance.

Clinical Exercise Physiology Employment Opportunities

This MSc course will provide you with the knowledge and skills that are needed to go on to a successful career working as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist in a variety of healthcare and/or research settings. It is likely that many graduates will go on to deploy their skills across a range of healthcare settings including:

Primary and Secondary Care,
(Pre)Rehabilitation Settings
Private hospital settings
Public or Private clinics and Leisure Services
Defence medical services.

Other potential employment routes include working as public health policy advisors, workplace health and rehabilitation, and research or academic roles.

Modules

The MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology comprises of 180 credits, including 6 x 20-credit taught modules and a 60-credit placement module.

Year 1 (Level 7T)

FHEQ 7 Taught Masters / PGDip / PGCert

Compulsory Modules
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code
Core Skills in Clinical Exercise Physiology	September-January (TB1)	20	SR-M22
Changing Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour	September-January (TB1)	20	SR-M23
Respiratory Conditions, Cancer and Chronic Kidney Disease	September-January (TB1)	20	SR-M24
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Conditions	January-June (TB2)	20	SR-M25
Ageing, Musculoskeletal and Neurological Conditions	January-June (TB2)	20	SR-M26
Contemporary Issues in Clinical Exercise Physiology	January-June (TB2)	20	SR-M27
Clinical Placement	June-September (TB3)	60	SR-M28

Entry Requirements

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in a sport and exercise science (or related area), with a minimum 2.1 degree classification.

English Language
IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no element below 6.5 for reading and writing and 6.0 for speaking and listening.

All applicants who meet the criteria will be interviewed to check their suitability for the programme. You will be required to have enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check to enroll on this programme.

Every applicant will also need to complete an occupational health questionnaire which is assessed by the occupational health team, and only once Admissions receive email confirmation from the occupational health team can they pass clearance checks.

We welcome applications by prospective students from around the world and look for evidence of previous study that is equivalent to the entry requirements stated above. The Postgraduate Admissions Office are happy to advise you on whether your qualifications are suitable for entry to the course you would like to study. Please email postgraduate@swansea.ac.uk for further information.

How You're Taught

The programme’s learning and teaching methods are research-led, informed by contemporary clinical practice, and have a heavy practical emphasis, in order to prepare you for graduate level employment as an exercise physiologist within a clinical and/or healthcare setting.

Teaching methods will include lectures, laboratory practical classes, small group seminars and tutorials, e-learning, directed independent study, and a clinical placement module.

Assessment methods include the use of practical skills portfolios, case studies, live authentic practical assessments, individual oral presentations and viva defences, critical research reviews, and critical reflective essays.

There will also be additional learning opportunities available, mainly in the form of regular research seminars. We will also integrate guest teaching sessions with researchers, clinicians and accredited clinical exercise practitioners within modules, where relevant.

In addition to taught modules, you will undertake a clinical placement module, which will provide you with real-world training experiences in a clinical environment.

Placements on this programme will be through the Wales National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS). NERS is a chronic condition prevention and management programme which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of sedentary and inactive adults who are at risk of developing or who have an existing chronic condition. It provides a 16-week programme of physical activity to individuals referred by NHS health professionals, using behaviour change techniques to embed positive physical activity habits. As such, the purpose and role of NERS very much aligns with the learning objectives of the MSc Clinical Exercise Physiology.

The programme will have a virtual learning environment in the form of a Canvas HUB site that will house course information on assessments, submissions and examinations, guidance from the Student Support Team, and information relevant to postgraduate study here at Swansea.

Welsh Provision

No Provision

Unfortunately, there is currently no formal Welsh-medium provision on this course. If you would like to let us know that you are interested in pursuing an element of your course through the medium of Welsh, please email astudio@abertawe.ac.uk to indicate your interest along with your year of entry and we will do our best to see what is possible.

Whilst this course does not offer academic content delivered in Welsh, the University can provide you with the following, and Academi Hywel Teifi is here to support you:

An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
Personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually.
The opportunity to create and submit your coursework or sit your exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be assessed in Welsh.
A Welsh-speaking Personal Tutor.
One-to-one support to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
The opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.
Membership of the Swansea University Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Visit the Welsh Language Rights webpage for further information about Students' Welsh Language Rights.

Meet Your Lecturers

You will be taught by world-class lecturers who are all active researchers in Clinical Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Physical Activity and Health, or Behavior Change, including:

Tuition Fees

Start Date	UK	International
September 2025	£ 10,550	£ 18,950

Tuition fees for years of study after your first year are subject to an increase of 3%.

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

Funding and Scholarships

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

If you're a UK or EU student starting a master’s degree at Swansea University, you may be eligible to apply for Government funding to help towards the cost of your studies. To find out more, please visit our postgraduate loans page.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Additional Costs

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
Purchase of books or texts
Gowns for graduation ceremonies

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
Purchase of books or texts

Gowns for graduation ceremonies

Careers and Employability

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

Academic Support

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal tutor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

Academic writing
Maths and statistics
Critical thinking
Time management
Digital skills
Presentation skills
Note taking
Revision, memory and exam techniques
English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal tutor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

Academic writing
Maths and statistics
Critical thinking
Time management
Digital skills
Presentation skills
Note taking
Revision, memory and exam techniques
English language skills (if English is not your first language).

How to Apply

Please apply through the University’s Application system.

For further guidance please visit our how to apply for postgraduate study pages.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

Application Deadlines

We recommend that you submit your application to our courses as early as you can in advance of our application deadlines. Courses will close earlier than the application deadlines listed if all available places are filled. You can find further information on our Application Deadlines webpage.

Additional Information

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