Specialist facilities
Our School is based in our Sport Arena at our Colchester Campus, where we have a range of specialist clinical laboratories and IT facilities to assist you with the effective learning and acquisition of new skills. You also have access to five fully equipped Sports Science laboratories, state-of-the-art analytical equipment, and access to the equipment used by the Department of Psychology's Centre for Brain Science.
We offer excellent physical and online resources in terms of libraries, computer labs, datasets, archives and other research materials. You can take advantage of our links with the Institute of Social and Economic Research, which conducts large-scale survey projects, many for Government, EU and other public agencies, and has its own library. The UK Data Archive is also based at our Colchester Campus and stores national research data.
Human Performance Unit
The Human Performance Unit (HPU) has been used by professional athletes and sports persons from a range of disciplines, including Team GB athletes participating in the London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and players from our local Colchester United Football Club.
The HPU supports student teaching and research across all degree types. Our undergraduates in sports therapy, sports performance and coaching, and sports and exercise science use the HPU for some of their modules, with both beginners and professional sports persons recruited to take part. This gives students experience in managing the practical physiological tests, as well helping them develop soft skills such as communication and teamwork.
Additionally the HPU supports a range of placement activities. Our Masters students can take a 12-week placement, while undergraduates have the option to use the HPU during our optional Placement Year. Along with continuing the work with individual athletes, students who have a placement year as part of their course also assist with sports science workshops held at the HPU for local schools. These workshops are tailored to the National Curriculum for PE, and give our students experience of working with teachers and young people.
Find out more about the services the HPU offers.