BSc (Honours) Sport Technology
Four years full-time (including one year work placement) or three years full-time
UCAS code • C6G4
Location • City Campus
Subject area • Engineering
Related subjects • Sport and active lifestyles
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View a 360 degree tour of our precision workshop.
View profiles of students on this course
Watch a video of Mark Thompson, head of undergraduate recruitment for engineering, talking about our engineering courses.
Read about SHU Racing and our formula racing team.
Watch a video about our formula student racing car and the benefits of being involved in the team.
Find out about our engineering teaching team.
Sheffield Hallam's partnership with the English Institute of Sport (EIS) gives our 500 sports students access to world class sporting facilities. Find out more.
Sheffield Hallam University has been shortlisted for a Times Higher Education Award for its innovative work in engaging with regional and national employers. Find out more.
View a 360 degree tour of our biomechanics laboratory.
View examples of work from students on this course.
This course provides a broad, multidisciplinary study of sport technology.
You develop your knowledge and understanding of why technology is important in the sport environment, and the analytical skills and personal qualities you need for a successful career.
Topics range from manufacturing and marketing a product to using suitable instrumentation to check product and athletic performance.
The course has three major themes
• designing and developing sport products
• selecting and using sport materials
• sport instrumentation and data handling
You use computer-aided design to adapt existing products or create new designs. You learn to select and use different materials. This includes studying the physical properties of new high tech materials. You also learn how and why you would use a particular material in different sport applications.
The course
• highlights why it is important to use instruments to test performance
• examines ways in which you can measure the athlete’s or sport product’s performance
• emphasises computer-based measurement techniques
In year three, you can take an optional year of supervised work experience. Our students have secured placements with renowned sports equipment manufacturers such as Grays International and leading sports testing laboratories such as Labosport. A work placement is valuable in focusing you for the final year and improving your employability after you graduate.
In the final year of the course you complete a major project, often with an industrial partner. This allows you to apply your engineering skills to a sports related problem of your choice.
The course is led by Dr Tom Allen, an active sports engineering researcher who works closely with a number of major sports brands.
Find out more about BSc (Honours) Sport Technology
You apply for this course through UCAS.
For information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/study/ug/fees-and-funding
2012/13 academic year
Typically £10,320 a year
2013/14 academic year
Typically £10,320 a year
For further information on fees, scholarships and bursaries see www.shu.ac.uk/international/fees
• coursework • examinations
Find out about work placements and how we can support your placement experience.
Optional year-long work placements are normally gained by competitive interview and are not a guaranteed part of a course.
For more information or to check the progress of your application phone +44 (0)114 225 5555, fax +44 (0)114 225 2167, e-mail admissions@shu.ac.uk
This course counts as the first step towards chartered engineer status. It is accredited by the Institute of Measurement and Control and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Kate Floyd with her prototype shuttlecock launching machine for training. It can fire 24 shuttles at different intervals, trajectories and speeds, as chosen by the user.
Engineering precision workshop
The workshop is supported by technicians who are there to provide you with help and guidance. You can use the facilities for individual projects outside timetabled classes.
James Bunday
BSc (Honours) Sports Technology
I am working for Grays Hockey/Gray-Nicolls Cricket/Gilbert Rugby, which all comes under the heading Grays International. Being a big fan of all these sports and a player of cricket and hockey, I knew it was where I wanted to go for my placement and I am really enjoying my work as a result.
For me the process of finding a placement was simple. I had contacts from my previous summer work at the Grays warehouse, so I spoke to them about the possibility of a work placement in the main office and production areas. I was fortunate that I knew where I wanted to go and I managed to secure the chance to come to Grays for a year.
The best thing about working at Grays is the fact that I am working in a field that I am passionate about. A lot of my time so far has been spent in the Sales office getting to grips with products and the way the company works. In many industries this would be a bit tedious after a while, but when the products are something that you are passionate about it makes the jobs so much more enjoyable!
Also, being a player of hockey and cricket, my opinion is valued by the people that matter, for example, the product engineers. As a result of this, right from the word go, I have been included in discussions, been asked for ideas and been given hockey sticks and other products to go away and test in order to generate some meaningful feedback.
After Christmas I will be starting on my own project for the company. The exact nature of this project is yet to be confirmed, though it is going to be centred on the hockey playing kit range and looking at ways to increase its popularity, within Sussex initially, and then further afield.
A major bonus of working at Grays is that being a leading manufacturer in hockey and cricket, a lot of big players come into the office and so far I have met Ashley Jackson, European Hockey player of the Year, and Monty Panesar and Michael Yardy, both Sussex and England cricketers.
For me, my placement so far has convinced me that Grays is a company that I would love to work for in the future. I am still not sure where within the company I would most like to be. The sales area has really suited me because, as a player I have an understanding of the products that most at the company don’t have and also, through doing the engineering modules at Sheffield Hallam, I understand the technology which means I can talk and feel comfortable having conversions about our products as a result.
I know that this area is not where people on my course would expect to end up working, but the discussions about products, pitching products and other such parts of the University projects have been where I have performed best and it seems that this is the way to go in the future.
Myles O Meally
BSc (Honours) Sports Technology
Finding a placement was pretty hard but I got a placement at Labosport in Heanor, Derbyshire. I tested artificial and natural sport surfaces such as football pitches, rugby pitches, hockey pitches, tennis courts, athletic tracks and sport halls in the UK and abroad.
The best thing about the placement was the countries and great sporting venues I travelled to and tested and the lads who I worked with. It has made me more certain that I want to work in the sport testing and design sector. However I don’t see myself working in the sport surfaces area long term, I want to get in the kit and equipment side of testing and designing. It has also made more confident and made me seriously consider doing a sport engineering Masters at Sheffield Hallam.
About our courses (1:19)
Mark Thompson, head of undergraduate recruitment for engineering, talks about studying engineering courses at Sheffield Hallam. Mark covers topics including employability, practical-skills building, specialist facilities and student support.
SHU Racing
SHU Racing 2011 team
Students from almost every engineering and technology course make up our SHU Racing team. If you feel you have the enthusiasm and dedication to work on an exciting motorsport project from start to finish, then you could be an ideal team member.
SHU Racing develops your personal and technical skills. It gives you valuable business experience as the outcome relies on the performance of every team member.
You work on every part of the project including • design • manufacture • business • liaising with sponsors. This experience increases your value to all types of engineering companies when you graduate.
You design, build and test the car with a view to competing in the Formula Student event at Silverstone.
The Formula Student competition, which is run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, aims to inspire and develop young engineers. Universities from across the globe are challenged to design and build a single-seat racing car which is judged for its racing performance, design and the strength of the teams' business models.
Cars are judged by a panel of experts from the field of automotive engineering. The competition is backed by Ross Brawn OBE, who has worked for a number of Formula One teams, serving as the technical director of the championship-winning Benetton and Ferrari teams.
SHU Racing and the Formula Student project is a popular choice for many of our students as a final year project. It also forms an integral part of the BSc (Honours) Automotive Design Technology.
Formula student (2:02)
Watch a video about the benefits of being involved in the SHU Formula student racing team.
Previous SHU Racing team members have gone on to work for Formula 1 racing teams.
Download a transcript of this video.
Chris Short
Principal lecturer
I trained as an apprentice engineer in the hand tools industry, during which time I completed a degree in mechanical and production engineering.
After graduating I worked in the design departments of a number of companies designing special purpose machine tools before beginning a postgraduate teaching qualification. I subsequently taught a range of engineering subjects in the further education sector for eight years before joining Sheffield Hallam in 1990.
My role is a Portfolio Director with responsibility for all the BSc technology degrees, and I teach on several design modules at all years of the courses.
I am a chartered mechanical engineer and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
My areas of interest and research are design, design management, the implementation of new technology and engineering education. I have completed a range of research and consultancy work with companies implementing new technology or developing new products and have written around 30 publications.
The most recent development in my portfolio has been the addition of an aerospace technology degree and this has proved very exciting for me.
Dr Andy Young
Principal lecturer
On leaving school I became a craft apprentice in a defence company manufacturing naval artillery, where I was trained as a precision miller-turner-fitter. In 1989 I was awarded a Whitworth Scholarship from the IMechE to encourage practical engineers to seek higher education, which led to my enrolment on a Manufacturing Systems Engineering degree at The University of Leeds.
In my first year I transferred onto mechanical engineering to get a more general education, and by the third year I developed an interest in computer modelling of how fluids behave. I was awarded prizes from the IMechE and Sun Microcomputers for project work, a Parkinson scholarship for continued study from the University, and sponsorship from International Paper to embark on a PhD research degree into thin film generation for the printing industry.
I was then employed as a Research Fellow in the Industrial Coating Research Group, where I focused on the transference of academic research to industrial problems, working with companies such as Kodak, 3M, and Ilford.
I moved to a leading industrial consultancy company called Fluent in 1998, and became focused on thermo-fluids and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). I worked in materials processing industries, helping manufacturers apply technology to understand how to make better glass, polymer, and metals products.
In 2005 I began teaching engineering fundamentals and their industrial applications to students. I joined engineering at Sheffield Hallam leading the teaching for thermo-fluids and CFD, and supervising PhD students.
In 2009 I recognised an opportunity to start-up a new venture in the University called Hallam Energy which works directly with industry to reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions by the application of technology.
David Legge
Senior lecturer, engineering and mathematics
I am a senior lecturer in the engineering design subject group. I am a time served engineer with professional experience in design, manufacturing, logistics and organisational development.
I teach on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules, with a bias towards design and manufacture. I am particularly keen on developing the formal and informal formative experiences of undergraduate engineers; especially within the aerospace degrees, which are a relatively new group of degrees at Sheffield Hallam. I feel well placed to do this as I am a qualified gliding instructor and own my own glider.
My education was in manufacturing systems engineering. I also have a postgraduate degree (Technical Licentiate) from Lulea University of Technology, Sweden. This was for research into off-line programming of coordinate measuring machines (CMM's) and standards for data transfer between CMM's and computer aided design (CAD) software.
My previous academic role was as a senior lecturer in the Department of Manufacturing Development at Lulea University of Technology (LTU). For the last few years I have been a freelance consultant in logistics and LEAN. I divide my time between Sweden, where I have lived for the past 20 years, and the UK.
I have some 20 research publications to my name. Areas in which I have carried out research or have particular skills include CAD/CAM, CNC machining, metal cutting, metrology, robotics, organisational development, LEAN, workspace design and pedagogy.
Dr Mark Thompson
Principal lecturer
I gained an upper second degree in BEng Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from Humberside University in1994.
I then studied for a PhD at York University, applying artificial intelligence techniques to the control of antenna systems, resulting in the development of a software package and the publication of a number of international papers.
After gaining my doctorate in 1997, I worked as a research associate for a number of years, first at Hull University, developing fault monitoring and diagnosis systems. I then worked at the University of Sheffield developing an artificial intelligent control system for a chemical processing plant. In 2000 I became a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam.
I am currently head of undergraduate admissions for engineering and have designed courses for a number employers including Rolls-Royce, Bombardier and Kimberly-Clark in collaboration with Derby College, Rotherham College of Arts and Technology and North Lindsey College. This has helped to ensure that our courses are relevant to the needs of industry.
Dr Qinling Li
Senior lecturer in thermo-fluids
I am a senior lecturer in thermo-fluids. I am interested in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology and applications. Before moving to Sheffield Hallam, I was a research associate in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP), University of Cambridge.
I also spent part time in the CFD Lab, which is part of the Acoustics, Fluid Mechanics, Turbomachinery and Thermodynamics Division, Engineering Department, University of Cambridge.
From 2003-2006, I worked as a research associate in the Aeronautical and Automatics Engineering Department, Loughborough University.
I studied for a PhD degree in the Aerodynamic Flight Mechanics Research Group, Southampton University, in 2003. And I obtained my first and master degrees, and used to be a lecture at Xi'an Jiaotong University, China.
Research interests
• fundamentals of turbulence
• direct numerical simulation (DNS) of compressibility effects in wall-bounded channel flow
• large eddy simulation (LES) of fan/outlet guide vane (OGV) broadband noise prediction
• les for short take-off and vertical landing aircraft (STOVL)
• turbine blade cooling
• biomechanical
• fluid-structure interaction (FSI)
Dr Karen Vernon-Parry
Course leader for the Extended Degree in Engineering
Phone 0114 225 4852
E-mail k.vernon-parry@shu.ac.uk
I studied materials science at Oxford University, and also completed my DPhil there, which was on the microstructure and properties of superconducting thin films. After a post-doctoral position at Oxford, I moved to the University of Manchester and then to UMIST. In 2004 I came to Sheffield Hallam University, becoming a senior lecturer in 2006. I have been course leader for the Extended Degree in Engineering (prep year) since January 2009.
I am interested in the correlation between the structure and the physical properties of materials at the atomic scale. In the past 10 years this has concentrated on the development and evolution of process-induced defects in semiconductors, initially ion implantation damage in silicon and silicon-germanium alloys, and more recently defects such as grain boundaries in multicrystalline semiconducting diamond. Such studies are in support of electronic device development. I also collaborate with the electroceramics group at Manchester University to investigate the role of specific dopant species in varistor formulations.
I have recently become involved in a multi-disciplinary research program developing 'intelligent' materials, particularly for healthcare applications.
I am a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and am a Member of the Institute of Physics
Profiles
Chris Short
Principal lecturer
Dr Andy Young
Principal lecturer
David Legge
Senior lecturer, engineering and mathematics
Dr Mark Thompson
Principal lecturer
Dr Qinling Li
Senior lecturer in thermo-fluids
Dr Karen Vernon-Parry
Course leader for the Extended Degree in Engineering
Sheffield Hallam to run sport campus at the English Institute of Sport
The English Institute of Sport athletics arena
Richard Lewis, chair of Sport England, visited Sheffield Hallam University this week to mark the signing of an agreement that gives 500 students access to world class sporting facilities at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield (EIS Sheffield).
The deal, worth £1m over ten years, will mean that Sheffield Hallam has a sport campus at EIS Sheffield, with teaching and learning space at the site and facilities for academic members of staff. The deal will benefit all sports students at the University, and those who compete in top level sport.
Mark Swales, Director of Facilities at Sheffield Hallam said: "We are delighted to announce the new partnership between Sheffield Hallam and EIS Sheffield. This agreement means our students have access to some of the finest sporting facilities in the country, which will support and enhance their learning experience.
"Sheffield Hallam has more sports related students than any other university in the UK and we also boast a unique sports research cluster that can offer expertise in all aspects of sport. Alongside this, Sheffield itself has a proud sporting legacy. It was designated as the UK's first City of Sport and this year will be hosting its biggest ever sporting programme."
Steve Brailey, chief executive of Sheffield International Venues (SIV), which operates EIS Sheffield, said: “The agreement is a superb example of two leading Sheffield names working together to harness sporting excellence in the city."
EIS Sheffield will provide the students with access to first-class teaching and learning environments alongside leading names from the world of sport also based at the venue such as Jessica Ennis, Britain’s number one table tennis player Paul Drinkhall and the GB Boxing squads.
Richard Lewis, Chair of Sport England, said: "This deal is good news for sport and good news for the hundreds of students who’ll benefit every year. Sheffield Hallam is clearly a university that sees sport as a key part of its future. Its fitness and sporting facilities are excellent, and the sports research I have seen today has been truly inspirational."
University recognised for its links with industry
Sheffield Hallam University were shortlisted for a Times Higher Education Award for its "innovative" work in engaging with regional and national employers.
The University was nominated in the Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiative category for its work delivering flexible engineering education, which has been recognised as a "strategic and innovative approach to delivering employers’ workforce development needs."
Through its "engineering hub", the University works with industrial partners such as Rolls-Royce, Kimberly-Clark and Severn Trent Water to offer their employees the chance to study while they work.
Employees can study on the University's Integrated Engineering course, which has four specialist engineering routes and leads to professional accreditation by the Institution of Engineering Technology.
Delivery of the courses is completely flexible allowing for staff development that suits business requirements.
Gary Herbert, a mechanical technician for Kimberly-Clark, has been studying for a foundation degree at the University, which offers him the flexibility to learn with ten days' study time over the academic year.
He said: "I have been working in my technician role for the last 12 years. This opportunity to study through Sheffield Hallam University gives me a chance to consolidate the knowledge I have acquired through my role within Kimberly-Clark alongside a more academic route."
Rolls-Royce has worked with the University to support the development of its young engineers.
Chris Keane, from Rolls-Royce's UK apprentice development team, said: "The foundation degree has provided an excellent framework in which to develop Rolls-Royce's engineers of the future. The students are able to develop their knowledge and qualifications quickly, whilst continuing to contribute to the company."
Martin Howarth, head of the engineering and mathematics department at the University, said: "We identified the need for greater flexibility in both course content and delivery in order to meet the needs of both employers and their staff.
"Our flexible approach means employers can choose how and when their staff access learning, as well as contribute to the course content.
"This ensures we are providing consistent, relevant education and making a key contribution to the development of engineers in the United Kingdom."
Biomechanics laboratory
Our biomechanics lab is one of our labs boasting the latest equipment and facilities for evaluating performance in sport and exercise.
Illustration of a portable snowboard kicker designed for the ease of its user.
Design to improve the way paraplegic skiers using sit-skis are able to utilize surface lifts.
Snowboard binding for bi-lateral lower limb - allowing further participation in sport for those with a disability.
