You may know Bournemouth University for is expertise in media and animation, healthcare, or archaeology, but did you know BU is shaping the future of sport in the local area and beyond. From investing in and championing facilities for the local community such as Chapel Gate, BU’s partnership work with AFC Bournemouth, and a new suite of sports programmes to work with the sports leaders of tomorrow, the university is shaping sports leaders, athletes, education, research, policy. 

Undergraduate courses at BU include Sport & Exercise Science, Sport Coaching, Sport Management and Sport Therapy, as well as a specialist Multimedia Sports Journalism Course. A new E-Sports Digital Technologies course branches into newer areas of sport.

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New postgraduate courses have opened for September 2024, to add to the existing programme of sports courses, with programmes including Sport and Exercise Science, Sport Management, Sports Performance Analysis and Strength and Conditioning. Other programmes include Sport Business Leadership, Sport Media Management (in 2025) and Sport Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship.

BU is among the first in the world to offer a dedicated postgraduate course in Safe Sport. The university is a hub for safe sport research and leading national and international conversations around safety, abuse, inclusion and development of safer sporting practice and environments.

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Dr Andrew Callaway, Principal Academic in Biomechanics and Performance Analysis at Bournemouth University said, “We’ve got a great culture of sport here at BU, and a depth of facilities to support your learning. We love working with industry and all our courses have been designed with industry contacts, forming key parts of every unit we teach. All the assessments that we have are directed towards you getting a job in your chosen field, with the skills and knowledge to move into the career of your choice.”

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Bournemouth University has an inspiring collection of researchers and educators in the field of sport, working and advising at the highest levels of sport internationally. This includes research into concussion in sport, safety of athletes online, fairness in e-sports and prosthetics. Academics are actively researching and advising on sports policy, as well as the development of athlete talent and the importance of community-based exercise. This research extends to understanding the human body, and even making improvements through exercise to help people live better, for longer.

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Through dedicated coaching, students at BU can participate in sport alongside their studies, whether through societies, representing the university or through a sports scholarship. One student – Leo McCrea, will even be representing his country at the Paralympic Games in Paris 2024.

Significant investment has been made in sports facilities in recent years, including state-of-the-art equipment in the university gym and Chapel Gate; the 65-acre sports facility near Bournemouth Airport, which provides a hub for community sport activity. Chapel Gate is home to a new 4G multi-sports pitch, as well as cricket, rugby, hockey and football pitches. The university’s Human Performance Laboratory has equipment that helps students to understand the human body and make improvements to sporting performance.

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The university has key partnerships with sports organisations and is the official higher education partner of AFC Bournemouth. The partnership benefits staff, students, supporters, and the local community.

For more information about sport at BU, or to explore courses available to study from September 2024, visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/shaping-future-sport.