Bachelor in Sport & Exercise for Health and Performance

Train as a sport and exercise scientist

Gain hands-on experience

Support health and performance responsibly

The Bachelor in Sport & Exercise for Health and Performance Sciences combines strong scientific foundations with applied laboratory and field-based training.Throughout the program, you develop analytical and practical skills through work in specialised laboratories and modern sports facilities, learning how exercise science supports both health and athletic performance. In the third year of your studies, you choose a focused pathway in either Exercise for Health and Rehabilitation or Sport Performance, allowing you to deepen your knowledge in the area that best matches your academic and professional interests

Degree

Bachelor in Sport and Exercise Sciences for Health and Performance (B.S.E.S.) Recognized within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)

Duration

4 years

Language

English

Structure

8 semesters
240 ECTS
Extensive laboratory-based training

Location

Thessaloniki, Greece

Enroll today

“Excellence is revealed through action.”

Pindar, ancient Greek poet known for his odes celebrating victors of the Olympic Games.

The science of human movement

In Greece — the country where the Olympic Games were born — human movement has long been understood as a fundamental part of education, health, and athletic performance. Building on this heritage, the program approaches movement as both a scientific field and a practice connected to human health and performance. It combines sport and exercise science with practical training, encouraging students to understand and support human movement with knowledge, responsibility, and care. Through this perspective, students learn to apply scientific knowledge in different contexts, including health, physical activity, and sport performance.

Why study Sports Science at AU

You prepare to become a sport and exercise professional through multidisciplinary scientific training, gaining the knowledge and skills needed to work confidently across health, physical activity, and sport performance contexts.

At AU, you gain:

  • Education across the full spectrum of sport sciences
    You build strong theoretical knowledge together with hands-on laboratory experience in coaching, exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport nutrition, sport psychology, movement science, and related disciplines.
  • Training in specialised facilities and real sport environments
    You study at the Thermi campus with access to laboratories, sports facilities, outdoor fields, and diverse training environments, including mountain and winter sport settings, in a country that supports outdoor training throughout the year.
  • A strong balance between theory and practice
    About one third of the curriculum consists of laboratory-based and applied practical training, ensuring continuous hands-on experience throughout the program.
  • Thessaloniki as a destination for sport studies
    You study in a dynamic student city located between sea and mountains, offering a mild climate, easy access to varied training environments, and an active lifestyle ideal for sport and physical activity studies.

What you will study 

The program gives you a strong foundation in sport and exercise science.
You learn how the human body moves, performs, and adapts to physical activity in health, training, and sport contexts. Below, you can explore the main areas of study that shape the program throughout your studies.

Sport
& Exercise Physiology

Biomechanics & Movement Analysis

Motor Learning
& Skill Acquisition

Health, Rehabilitation
& Physical Activity

Sport, Education
& Society

Sport
& Exercise Psychology

How you will learn

Your studies follow a clear structure that combines scientific knowledge with regular practical training in sport and exercise.

  • Foundational scientific education
    You begin with core subjects such as human movement, exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology, and basic research skills, building a strong scientific foundation.
  • Laboratory and applied training throughout the program
    You apply what you learn through laboratory classes, measurements of physical performance, and practical sessions that gradually become more advanced as the program progresses.
  • Continuous hands-on experience
    About one third of all courses include laboratory work or practical training, ensuring regular hands-on experience in testing, analysing movement, and designing training activities.
  • Learning in different sport and exercise environments
    You develop practical skills in areas such as health, physical activity, rehabilitation, and sport performance, working with different groups and training goals.
  • Focused learning pathways in the later years
    In the later years of your studies, you choose a pathway in either Exercise for Health and Rehabilitation or Sport Performance, allowing you to focus on the area that interests you most.
  • Learning through research and final project
    You learn how to plan a study, collect and analyse data, and understand results through research-based courses and a final-year project.

A degree with global relevance

You graduate with a degree aligned with international standards in Sport and Exercise Science. The program prepares you for further studies, research opportunities, and professional careers in sport, health, and performance in different international settings. Students can also benefit from international mobility through Erasmus+ partnerships and collaborations with universities and research institutions around the world. The School of Physical Education and Sport Science at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki has a strong international research presence and is ranked among the top 151–250 Sport Science Schools and Departments worldwide in the Shanghai Ranking. Studying in this environment allows you to develop your knowledge, continue to postgraduate studies, and build a professional career beyond national borders.

Picture yourself as a professional

Imagine yourself analysing human movement. Designing exercise programs. Supporting health, rehabilitation, and athletic performance through scientific knowledge and practical training. This degree prepares you for careers in sport science, health and exercise practice, athletic performance, and physical activity promotion. You may work with athletes, individuals seeking to improve their health, or organisations that promote sport and wellbeing. You can also continue with postgraduate studies in Greece or abroad. You graduate ready to work in environments where science, movement, and human performance come together.

Why Aristotle University  

A leading university in Europe

  • A leading university in Southeast Europe
    Aristotle University is among the most recognised universities in the region, bringing together students, academics, and researchers from many different fields of study.
  • A university built on academic excellence and research
    Teaching and research are central to the University’s mission, supporting innovation and knowledge development across a wide range of disciplines.
  • A strong sporting tradition and athletic community
    The University has a long tradition in sport and physical education, with students and graduates who have competed at national and international levels, including participation in the Olympic Games.
  • Access to sport facilities and training environments
    Students benefit from sports facilities, training grounds, and diverse environments that support practical training, athletic development, and sport science education.
  • An internationally connected academic environment
    Students become part of a diverse academic community connected with universities, researchers, and academic networks around the world.

Learn more about our University

Life in Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki offers a vibrant and affordable student environment, with a strong academic culture and connections across Europe and the Mediterranean.Located by the Aegean Sea and home to more than one million people in the wider metropolitan area, the city combines a lively student atmosphere with the character of Mediterranean life. Traditions of openness and hospitality shape everyday interactions, making it easy for students to feel part of the community. Here, university life blends naturally with the rhythm of the city — from studying and meeting friends to walking along the waterfront and exploring neighbourhoods that encourage an active and balanced way of living.

Explore Thessaloniki

Matina Noula Wins the Athens Authentic Marathon 2025 — AU Sport Science Student

Ranked Among the World’s Top 2% Researchers: Five AU Sport Science Faculty Members

Olympic Bronze for AU Medical Student Petros Gaidatzis in Lightweight Double Sculls at Paris 2024

Giannis Avramidis Wins Bronze Medal at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi

Football, Fair Play and Education: AU Sport Sciences at the HFF “Pass to the Classroom” Programme

Steering Committee

Admission
requirements

•Hold a secondary education qualification obtained abroad that grants access to higher education 
• Have completed part of their secondary education in a foreign educational system 
• Demonstrate English language proficiency of at least B2 level (CEFR) 
• Submit a complete application file for evaluation 
• Successfully complete the selection process, including evaluation of academic background and an online interview 
• In some admission cycles, complete an English language assessment (if required) 
 
Tuition fees and detailed admission requirements are available at the Program’s website. 
 

Necessary
documents

• Application form available on the Program website 
• Copy of ID card or passport 
• Secondary school leaving certificate (with official English translation) 
• Official transcript of the final year of secondary school (with official English translation) 
• Certificate of English language proficiency (minimum B2 level) 
• Motivation letter (up to 500 words) outlining interest in Sport and Exercise Sciences and future goals 
• Curriculum Vitae (in English) including studies and relevant activities 

Consult on the Program’s website for the documents you need to submit.  

Take the Next Step
Study sport and exercise as science, health, and responsibility.

If you want to understand human movement, improve health and performance, and study sport through science and practical training, we welcome your application.