You might have recently graduated with a sports science degree and are looking to make your first steps into the working world but are unsure how to do so and if your qualification allows access to these opportunities. This article, focusing on sports therapists, is part of a series outlining top sport science job roles, avenues to get into them, and any other relevant information for students looking to progress in their careers.
Sports Therapists
Sports therapists provide treatment to patients from injury occurrence, all the way through to a patient’s full recovery. They also work to provide information on injury prevention.
A typical day could involve; conducting fitness tests, mental and physical preparation for sports, rehabilitating injuries, taping, assessing initial injury, first aid, and speaking to other health care professionals if injury treatment is outside of the needed skill range.
In terms of a career path, sports therapists will build up a portfolio of work. For example, volunteering or entry-level work at sports teams or organizations. This can lead to full-time employment in sporting clubs or places such as leisure centres or NHS organizations. As well as this, sports therapists need to ensure that they are constantly networking to find opportunities. Sports therapists may also choose specific areas they wish to work in and then even go on to become higher education educators in these fields.
Opportunities within a professional or amateur team are available, as well as the option to work privately. It is not uncommon for a sports therapist to work for multiple teams or clinics so salaries will vary depending on the amount of work taken on, location and experience.
In terms of qualifications needed for the role, a degree is not necessary although highly recommendable as it demonstrates to future employers the skills needed to be successful in the role. Therefore, it is advisable to study for a degree accredited by the Society of Sports Therapists. The Society of Sports Therapists is an organization that works with 30 universities to provide ‘adequate, effective, and appropriate’ training courses to aspiring sports therapists.
Typically, entry for these courses will involve a PE or human biology course at A-level or BTEC as well as a level C/4 in GCSE Maths and English. A link below guides the universities offering these BSc courses.
For graduates who have completed a degree within the field of sports science, there is also an option to go on and do a master’s, again accredited by the Society of Sports Therapists. MSc courses are linked below.
As part of the membership to the Society of Sports Therapists, a person is required to have and maintain a first-aid certificate and if working with children, a DBS certificate.
| Entry level earnings | Average salary | Ultimate earning potential | |
| Sports Therapist | £17,000 | £28,000 or £20-£40 per session. | £90,000 |
Explore UG Degrees in Sports Therapy in the UK | Explore PG Degrees in Sports Therapy in the UK
When you decide upon a field you would like to pursue, it is then advisable to carefully pick your degree subject. For example, if you want to become a physiotherapist, doing a sports science degree and then going on to do an MSc in physiotherapy, might not be the best option for you. It may be that that the better option is to find a specific course focusing on physiotherapy.
