Skip to main content
 

SPRT2251: ADVANCED SPORT AND EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

Please ensure you check the module availability box for each module outline, as not all modules will run in each academic year. Each module description relates to the year indicated in the module availability box, and this may change from year to year, due to, for example: changing staff expertise, disciplinary developments, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Current modules are subject to change in light of the ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19.

Type Tied
Level 2
Credits 20
Availability Available in 2023/24
Module Cap 110
Location Durham
Department Sport and Exercise Sciences

Prerequisites

  • Introduction to Exercise Physiology.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To develop the understanding of the current methods used to enhance athletic performance in an applied setting. This will be achieved through the more detailed use of relevant sport examples within taught sessions and the continuation of laboratory work.
  • Develop a broader and deeper understanding of the role of sports physiology in enhancing athletic performance.

Content

  • The module will develop on the introductory information provided in the Introduction to Exercise Physiology. The module will focus on how athletic performance can be enhanced and assessed.
  • Topics covered will include: Hydration status; the validity and reliability of laboratory and field based testing; Lactate threshold testing; Maximal and sub-maximal exercise and Power and strength adaptations through training.
  • The module will primarily focus on what effect these interventions will have on an athletic population at the elite level. This is due to the fact that minor changes at this level may have a more pronounced outcome than with the general population.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Understand factors that can affect the physiological responses to exercise.
  • Display a knowledge of the limitations and/or benefits of both laboratory and field based physiological assessments.
  • To develop an understanding of the current issues in exercise physiology.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Competently use a range of laboratory equipment and techniques to assess physiological parameters at rest and during exercise.
  • Undertake and evaluate laboratory and field-based fitness tests in relation to sports performance.
  • Conduct a needs analysis to enhance the physiological profile of an athlete.

Key Skills:

  • Undertake empirical research to produce an accurate and concise appraisal of the demands of a given sport.
  • Manage their time appropriately in order to meet the requirements of independent study.
  • Use library and IT facilities to source and integrate information from a range of empirical resources.
  • Demonstrate verbal communication skills.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Teaching and learning will be centred on lectures and practical laboratory sessions. The lectures will provide students with the opportunity to enhance their underpinning knowledge and understanding of key content areas as identified. These taught sessions will also permit the student to place their theoretical knowledge into a more applied environment.
  • In practical laboratory sessions, students will be provided with further opportunities to develop their lab skills in planning, undertaking and reporting on experiments that have explicit relevance for enhancing practical sport performance.
  • Formative: assessment will be a 1,000 word Literature Review (non-compulsory).
  • Summative: assessment will be a 2,000 word laboratory report and a 15 minute individual oral presentation which will appropriately assess the learning outcomes of the module.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures2010 in terms 1 and 2 (1 per week)1 hour20 
Practical sessions (*)73 in term 1 and 4 in term 2 2 hours14Yes
Preparation and Reading166 
Total200 

Summative Assessment

Component: Lab ReportComponent Weighting: 50%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Lab Report2,000 words100 
Component: PresentationComponent Weighting: 50%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Individual Oral Presentation15 minutes100 

Formative Assessment

Non-compulsory 1,000 word literature review.

More information

If you have a question about Durham's modular degree programmes, please visit our FAQ webpages, Help page or our glossary of terms. If you have a question about modular programmes that is not covered by the FAQ, or a query about the on-line Undergraduate Module Handbook, please contact us.

Prospective Students: If you have a query about a specific module or degree programme, please Ask Us.

Current Students: Please contact your department.