Course Catalogue

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You will study the physiological adaptations in exercise and biomechanics, focusing on the cardio-respiratory and skeletal muscular systems, and complete specialist courses in statistics.

Lectures, laboratory work, tutorials, seminars etc as organised.

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Physiology & Sports Science 3A

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) in the spring diet and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment comprises:

■ 2 x Reports (CVS Lab Report (10%) including CVS Lab report- Statistics section (3%) and Statistics report (3%))

■ 1 x Class Test (on Moodle for Muscle & Biomechanics (6%))

■ 1 x Essay (12%)

■ 1 x Set Exercise (tutorial task (6%))

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Reassessment is NOT available for:

■ Skills in Science (tutorial work & peer assessment)

■ Muscle & Biomechanics class test

The aims of the course are:

■ To provide a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Sports Science;

■ To develop basic practical skills and introduce laboratory techniques in Sports Science;

■ To develop skills relating to the systematic acquisition of factual information and data;

■ To develop the ability to solve basic problems and to analyse, interpret and discuss factual information and data.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

■ discuss respiratory function, at rest and in exercise;

■ discuss cardiovascular function, at rest and in exercise;

■ discuss human muscle function and its neural control;

■ explain biomechanics of basic movements;

■ solve basic problems of a numerical or logical nature;

■ carry out fundamental practical techniques;

■ present and interpret results at a basic level and analyse them using appropriate statistics;

■ present information clearly in both written and oral form;

■ find original scientific literature and summarise its main findings;

■ search on-line databases.

The minimum requirement for the award of credits is the completion of at least 75% by weight of the summative assessment for the course.