STUDY OPTIONS

OVERVIEW

STUDY LEVELS

BA (Hons) Accelerated

UCAS CODE

X221

DURATION

2 Years

START DATE(S)

Sep / Jan / Apr

ENTRY YEAR

2026/27 | 2027/28

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

104

What Will You Learn?

With our accelerated PE degree, you can take your passion for sport, fitness and education to the next level and become an enthusiastic sports practitioner in just two years.

The 2-year course combines research, anatomy & physiology, sport psychology, and analysis of performance with inclusive core teaching practices – just the same as our standard 3-year degree.

You’ll explore how to deliver engaging curriculum-based PE, as well as extra-curricular sessions that encourage lifelong participation. You’ll look at how to maintain young people’s relationships with sport and exercise and explore why some don’t engage.

With regular opportunities to deliver in real-life settings using technology to support you, you will gain practical experience and build the confidence to achieve your goals as a teacher, educator, and sporting advocate.

If you’re looking for a 2-year physical education degree in Manchester, check out our accelerated BA (Hons) Physical Education and unlock your greatness at UA92.

How You Will Study

Course
breakdown

36 weeks of
study per year

6 x 6-week blocks per year

1 subject module per block

Subject Module
Breakdown

250 hours of
study per module

80 hrs face-to-face (32%)

20 hrs Digital Wednesdays (8%)

150 hrs independent study (60%)

Assessment
Breakdown

No traditional
end-of-year exams

Year 1 – 100% coursework

Year 2 – 100% coursework

Your course modules

Module 1: Introduction to Teaching in Physical Education

Discover the foundations of teaching in PE! This module is your first step into the world of physical education teaching. You’ll explore how PE is delivered in schools, learn about lesson planning, and gain hands-on experience through industry observations. Whether you’re aiming for a teaching career or want to understand how learning happens in sport settings, this module sets the stage.

Module 2: Developing Active Lifestyles

This module introduces you to the key principles behind creating and sustaining healthy, active lifestyles. You’ll explore how physical activity supports both physical and mental wellbeing, learn the fundamentals of movement skills, and discover how to inspire lifelong participation in sport and exercise. With a strong focus on physical literacy, you’ll see how active living can help people thrive in education, sport, and everyday life.

Module 3: Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology

Discover how the human body works. This module introduces you to the structure (anatomy) and function (physiology) of the body’s major systems, including the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. You’ll learn how these systems respond to exercise, and how this knowledge applies to sport, education, and physical activity. Through practical workshops and applied tasks, you’ll develop the skills to collect, analyse, and interpret physiological data.

Module 4: Introduction to Sports and Exercise Psychology

Understand the mind behind performance! This module introduces you to the psychological principles that shape sport, exercise, and physical activity. You’ll explore topics such as motivation, confidence, stress, behaviour change, and the benefits of physical activity for wellbeing. Through practical tasks and applied case studies, you’ll learn how psychology supports performance, participation, and health.

Module 1: Analysis of Performance

Unlock the science behind sporting success. This module dives into how performance is analysed in sport, education, and physical activity. Learn how to use technology and data to evaluate and improve performance, and present your findings like a pro.

Module 2: Applied Research Practices

Develop the skills to turn ideas into evidence. This module equips you with the knowledge and tools to plan, design, and evaluate research in sport, exercise, education, and health settings. You’ll learn how to critically review literature, design projects, manage data responsibly, and address ethical considerations. By working on a feasibility study, you’ll gain practical experience in preparing for independent research while sharpening your analytical and critical thinking skills.

Module 3: Teaching Contemporary Sports in Physical Education

Bring modern sports into the PE lesson! This module focuses on delivering inclusive and engaging PE lessons using contemporary sports. You’ll learn how to plan and teach lessons that meet diverse learner needs, while developing your understanding of professional teaching standards and pedagogical constructs.

Module 4: Teaching Traditional Sports in Physical Education

Rediscover the classics of school sport! This module focuses on delivering high-quality, inclusive PE lessons using traditional sports. You’ll learn how to apply teaching standards and use sport principles to create engaging and differentiated lessons for diverse learners.

Module 1: Applied Teaching and Learning in Physical Education

Take your teaching to the next level! This module is all about applying your teaching skills in real-world settings. You’ll have real world opportunities to experience PE sessions, reflect on your practice, and build a professional portfolio aligned with national teaching standards. It’s your chance to demonstrate confidence, creativity, and inclusivity in the classroom.

Module 2: Strategy for School Sport and PE

This module empowers you to explore the strategic role of PE and school sport in society. You’ll learn how to design impactful programmes, engage with stakeholders, and understand the broader responsibilities of educators beyond the classroom.

Elective Module: Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition

Explore how people learn and master movement. This module develops your understanding of motor learning and control theories, with a focus on how skills are acquired and refined. You’ll critically evaluate concepts of skill acquisition, analyse performance data, and design interventions that enhance movement and performance across sport, exercise, health, and education settings. By combining theory with applied practice, you’ll learn how to optimise strategies that improve learning and skill execution.

Elective Module: Applied Multi-Disciplinary Practices

Bring disciplines together for holistic impact. This module prepares you to work across multiple fields by exploring the bio-psycho-social, technical, and tactical needs of participants in education, health, sport, and physical activity settings. You’ll engage with holistic development models, learn how multi-disciplinary teams collaborate, and design evidence-based strategies to meet diverse needs. Through applied tasks, you’ll sharpen your ability to integrate knowledge and work effectively with others to solve complex challenges.

Module 4: Independent Research Project

Take charge of your own research journey. This capstone module gives you the opportunity to design and deliver an independent project in an area of your choice within sport, exercise, health, or education. Whether you choose a dissertation, action research, work-based project, or another format, you’ll apply the skills gained throughout your degree to investigate a real-world issue with practical impact. With the support of an academic supervisor, you’ll manage every stage, from proposal and data collection to analysis, reporting, and reflection.

What is the 92 Programme?

It’s more than a degree, it’s preparation for life.

Alongside your course modules, you will engage with the 92 Programme, which is built into every degree and tailored to each subject area.

Engaging with the 92 Programme is a requirement for all students and will count towards your overall grade.

Through taught sessions, immersive experiences and coaching, you will build confidence, resilience, wellness, self-reflection and professionalism, skills designed to support your future success.

Find out more about how we prepare students for future career success.

Why the 92 Programme is part of your course?

In a recent study*, 78% of employers believe graduates do not arrive in the workplace fully equipped with the skills they need to be work-ready.

Another study conducted by the World Economic Forum** identified ‘10 Skills You Need for the Future of Work’. These skills include:

Emotional intelligence (EQ)
Analytical (critical) thinking
Active learning with a growth mindset
Interpersonal communication skills
Leadership skills
Technology skills

At UA92, we prepare you for life after graduation and equip you with the skills employers value most. You may not realise it, but developing these skills now, will get you set for career success and could land you that dream job in the future.

*CMI Report: Work Ready Graduates

**World Economic Forum: The Future of Jobs Report 2023

How is the 92 Programme assessed?

Assessment takes the form of a Professional Diary, which is a log capturing evidence of your learning, activities and reflections. This can be videos, photos or even audio.

This is supplemented with a reflective account, which links your experiences to your personal growth.

92.2%

Name: Physical Education Accelerated BA (Hons)
Availability: InStock

said they felt supported with their learning.

NSS Results 2026

UA92 scored higher than all Greater Manchester universities for Academic Support in the National Student Survey 2026.*

*compares UA92’s results against the 4 Universities in Greater Manchester: Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Salford, The University of Greater Manchester and The University of Manchester.

THIS COURSE IS TAUGHT AT...

UA92 Campus, Old Trafford Manchester

Our Campus in Old Trafford Manchester has teaching facilities across our Main Campus, Old Trafford Stadium (home of Manchester United) and Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground (home of Lancashire Cricket).

Depending on your course, you may have classes across all our teaching facilities. All sites are within walking distance of each other and easily accessible by public transport.

Inside our Main Campus there’s a fully equipped Sports Performance Centre, Media Studio and Digital Academy as well as a gym, grab-and-go cafe and social spaces. The tram stop is just a 1 minute walk, which gets you into the heart of Manchester city-centre in under 10 minutes.

Open in maps

Old Trafford Campus and the local community

a red wall showing the text welcome to ua92

View of football pitch at Old Trafford Stadium

Sports Facilities

Multi-Purpose Performance Lab

Our ‘Performance Lab’ is an inclusive space in our Old Trafford Campus that accommodates teaching and research. Students have access to high-spec strength and conditioning equipment, sport science technology and performance analysis apparatus.

Fitness Zone

‘The Fitness Zone’ is the gym-space located in our Old Trafford Campus. The state-of-the-art equipment and weights section includes two Elite Racks, Performance Flooring and a range of Sports Science equipment.

Movement Studio

The ‘Movement Studio’ is a multi-purpose, inclusive space in our Old Trafford campus for students to use outside of their study hours, with exercise classes for everyone and anyone to take part in.

Digital Academy

Our Digital Academy is home to a range of cool tech that sports students can use to enhance their learning, including our Rezzil Virtual Reality equipment and a 360 degree immersive audio and video environment.

Careers in Physical Education

What’s next?

With a starting salary of nearly £29,000, you might want to go on to become a qualified PE teacher, by completing a one-year PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) after your PE degree at UA92.

But if you’re keen to get stuck in sooner, there are plenty of jobs you can dive into straight after an accelerated BA (Hons) degree.

You might want to go into community sports coaching, community outreach activities, youth work, charity work, or become a fitness instructor. Whatever your goal, you’ll get there faster with an accelerated BA (Hons) Physical Education degree at UA92.

91%

of graduates are engaged in employment or further study within 15 months of graduation.*

FIND OUT MORE

UA92 is above the national average for graduate outcomes. The Graduate Outcomes survey is the biggest annual survey that captures the status of recent graduates who completed their studies at a higher education institution in the UK.

*Graduate Outcomes Survey Results released in 2025. National Average is 88%.

INDUSTRY PARTNERS

We have over 100 industry connections who support our mission to develop career-ready graduates. These partnerships provide you with access to industry-leading expertise, mentorship opportunities and work-place experiences.

Our industry partners play a vital role in shaping both the curriculum you study and your student experience. From delivering guest lectures and masterclasses to providing internships and graduate roles.

Find out more

Where are they now?

Emily

BA (Hons) Physical Education

Emily went on to do a Masters’ degree in Journalism and is currently teaching English in Suzhou, China and focusing on her music career in her free time. 

“In April, I was invited to the BBC Radio Nottingham studio by Dean Jackson to discuss my song “City Nights.” The confidence I now have to speak on the radio is thanks to the presentation-based assignments at UA92. These experiences prepared me for public speaking, a crucial aspect of my music career. UA92 not only provided me with degree-specific skills but also transferable ones, enhancing my confidence and belief in my abilities.”

Hannah

BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science

Hannah is a Sports Scientist and founder of VERSUS PERFORMANCE. After studying Sports and Exercise Science at UA92, she completed a master’s degree in Strength and Conditioning and is currently working towards CASES accreditation.

“Before coming to UA92, I had experience in the fitness industry but wanted to move into professional sport. As a mature student, I needed structure, and UA92’s fixed timetable allowed me to organise a busy life around my studies and fully commit. It didn’t feel like a typical university where you’re just another number. The staff actually know you, you can have proper conversations, and as a neurodivergent student, that made a big difference to how I learned and developed.

During my time at UA92, I completed placements in elite football and cricket and, with the support of encouraging staff, brought in my American football team for dissertation testing, producing work that was later published in the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching.

UA92 didn’t just develop my academic knowledge, it shaped who I am. I built lasting friendships and connections within sport and left with a real drive to continue my academic development. Since graduating, I have interned at British Cycling, worked as an assistant biomechanics researcher, presented at conferences, and founded VERSUS PERFORMANCE, where I coach athletes daily across a range of sports. If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to fully commit to the experience. UA92 will provide you with amazing opportunities, but it’s up to you to embrace them.”

Keshap

BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science

Keshap is a Hospitality and Sales Executive at Lancashire Cricket Club, after graduating from UA92 in 2025 with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science.

“My time at UA92 was amazing and was filled with so many different opportunities, such as my internship at Lancashire Cricket within the Commercial Partnerships and Events team. The experience taught me so much about communication and organisation, and I was amazed at just how much happens behind the scenes in a sports club.”

Luke

BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science

Luke studied Sports and Exercise Science at UA92, graduating in 2024, before starting his Masters in Clinical Science (Cardiac) at Newcastle University. As part of his Masters, he is a Student Cardiac Physiologist on the Scientific Training Programme (STP) at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, where he is training to deliver expert cardiac diagnostic services.

“My time studying Sport and Exercise Science at UA92 played a significant role in preparing me for my current role as a Cardiac Physiologist. The high-quality facilities, alongside the expertise and support of the lecturers and staff, helped me grow both academically and professionally. The strong focus on practical, hands-on learning allowed me to confidently apply theory to real-world and clinical settings, making the transition into healthcare feel natural and well supported”

Naomi

BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching

Naomi is a full-time personal trainer with her own coaching business. She graduated from UA92 in 2025 with a degree in Sports Coaching.

“I was 2025’s recipient of the Greatness Unlocked Award. Originally, I didn’t think Uni was for me. I was very focused on work and wanted to start my career in Sports as soon as possible. However, I decided to apply and stick to it because there was something about UA92’s deliberately different approach that I really liked – and it turned out to be the best decision I ever made! During my time at UA92 I had so many opportunities, such as placements with Manchester Storm, Salford Red Devils and Swinton Rugby club, presenting at the Lancaster International Conference, and even speaking on fitness podcasts.”