The Bachelor’s Degree Course in Sports Science trains professionals who, in accordance with the profile recently set out in Legislative Decree No. 36 of 28 February 2021, are designated as ‘basic kinesiologists’. These professionals, working in public or private facilities, within sports organisations or recreational and social associations — drawing on their expertise in motor function and the human body’s adaptation to exercise — are able to apply kinesiological techniques and methodologies to populations varying in age, gender and motor ability. These approaches, whilst respecting individual characteristics, aim to:

• promote physical activity and sport for preventive purposes and to reinforce healthy lifestyles. This also applies to individuals for whom adapted physical activity is required.
• measure and assess individuals’ functional capacity in order to design personalised or group exercise programmes capable of achieving the best possible improvement in physical fitness. ·
• design and deliver training programmes for muscle strengthening and aerobic capacity in individuals practising sport, including at competitive level, in accordance with principles of fair play and excluding the use of practices and substances that are potentially harmful to health.
• manage group activities in a recreational and sporting context to promote physical activity aimed at improving interpersonal relationships, drawing on the pedagogical and sociological skills acquired during their studies.

In addition, graduates in Sports Science will possess a professional skill set including basic knowledge of legal and economic matters for the management of sports clubs and organisations promoting sporting activities, the ability to communicate and manage information, work in a team, operate with varying degrees of autonomy, and integrate readily into the workplace. These professional skills will be developed through a combination of theoretical and practical training. Students will gain first-hand knowledge of specific work contexts through work placements with organisations affiliated with the University.

The programme lasts three years and comprises a total of 180 credits.

Professional working in the field of physical activity and sport.

Role within a work context

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to perform the following roles:

• studying and assessing the motor and sporting aptitudes and abilities of adolescents, adults and older people, with a view to the effective design and implementation of programmes aimed at developing motor skills and improving functional performance among the general population and active athletes;
• improving individual performance through appropriate training methods;
• contributing to local policies aimed at preventing the adverse effects of lifestyles lacking sufficient physical activity;
• managing the financial, administrative and technical aspects of sports clubs and sports tourism facilities.

training of professionals to promote physical activity and sport, with particular emphasis on educating people about healthy lifestyles through physical activity and sport, whilst respecting and valuing all differences;social and sporting activities in the tourism and leisure sectors.

Skills associated with the role

Upon completion of the programme, students will have acquired knowledge and skills relating to kinesiology, neuromuscular function, and the delivery and education of physical activity, as well as expertise in biomedical, psychopedagogical, legal, economic and sociological fields, and in the management of sports clubs, facilities and organisations promoting tourism and sport.

Career prospects

Professionals in physical activity and/or sport within organisations such as:

- Bodies promoting sport and supporting physical activity through health education and prevention

- Sports clubs, associations, organisations and societies

- Social care, healthcare and residential care facilities

- Tourism organisations and facilities promoting physical activity in leisure time.

Specific learning objectives of the degree programme

The degree programme aims to train professionals capable of working in sporting, corporate, social and educational contexts, with a focus on the promotion and dissemination of physical activity. The programme aims to provide multidisciplinary kinesiological knowledge in the fields of anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, psychology, sociology, pedagogy and teaching methodology. By acquiring a grounding in the fundamentals, motivational aspects and training potential of the human body in motion, within informal and sporting contexts, the degree programme seeks to train professionals who, in a critical and competent manner, are able to assess, design and implement training and physical activity programmes, management and business projects, as well as athletic preparation programmes, based on a detailed and holistic analysis of physical performance in sporting, fitness and wellness contexts, and in the tourism and leisure sectors, through sports activities and the social promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Description of the study programme

To this end, from the very first year, a multidisciplinary approach will be used to develop teaching methodologies for physical and sporting activities, focusing on knowledge of individual and team sports and the links between physical activity and health, with particular attention to issues concerning health protection in physical and sporting activities and individual development across the life span, as well as reflection on teaching methods for physical and sporting activities. Students will be introduced to the technical and teaching aspects of specific physical and sporting disciplines through small-group courses held at suitable sports facilities. The practical activities undertaken will be supplemented by teaching placements aimed at instructing participants of different ages and genders in the fundamental aspects of specific physical and sporting disciplines.

Finally, activities will be developed to foster an understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of training, as well as the functional and nutritional assessment of athletes, trainees and those practising physical and sporting activities in various formal and informal settings dedicated to physical and sporting practice.

Particular attention will be paid to the environmental quality and safety of sports facilities; to orthopaedics and traumatology relating to sport and movement; to the legal and economic foundations underpinning sports facilities, businesses and organisations; and to training techniques and opportunities for professional development and social promotion within professional contexts with a strong focus on tourism, leisure activities, and those dedicated to fitness and wellness.

Students will have the opportunity to round off their technical training through work placements, which may focus on teaching the fundamental aspects of specific physical and sporting disciplines to people of different ages and genders, on coaching these disciplines, and on the planning and social promotion of health and healthy lifestyles through physical activity and sport.

The teaching of English, which is considered essential not only for the effective application of the technical and scientific knowledge available worldwide, but also for practising the profession in a world where there is an ever-increasing number of non-Italian-speaking athletes and sports participants at all levels, as well as to prepare graduates for the international labour market, is incorporated through practical exercises that address not only the linguistic fundamentals but also, and above all, the specific aspects of the world of sport and physical activity.

With regard to IT skills, students will be required to attain a level of IT proficiency equivalent to that required for ECDL certification.

With regard to ‘Physical Education and Sports’, the 25 CFU of practical activities – conducted in facilities suitable in terms of size and technical specifications for the planned activities and the number of students – will be achieved through a combination of:

a) attendance at practical sessions for small groups held as part of the core modules relating to the relevant scientific disciplines;

b) attendance at small-group courses on the technique and teaching methods of specific physical education and sports disciplines;

c) participation in work placements focused on sports practice, sports teaching and coaching.

Finally, students will be afforded maximum freedom of choice amongst the courses offered by the University for their elective activities (Article 10, paragraph 5, letter a) of MIUR Decree No. 270 of 22 October 2004).

Required qualifications for admission

Candidates holding a senior secondary school diploma or another qualification obtained abroad, recognised as equivalent, may be admitted to the Bachelor’s degree programme in Sports Science.

Admission to the degree programme is subject to passing a written test covering cultural, scientific and logical knowledge, to be conducted as a multiple-choice test based on the upper secondary school syllabus.

The call for applications for admission to the degree programme in Sports Science will set out the admission criteria for each academic year. A dedicated committee will oversee the admission tests and draw up a ranking list.

The programme has restricted intake in accordance with Law 264/1999. The number of students admitted to the first year of the programme is determined on the basis of local planning and in relation to the actual availability of suitable teaching, scientific and sports facilities and equipment.

In the event that students who have not attained the minimum level of knowledge specified in the call for applications are admitted following the ranking list being worked through, the Degree Programme Council will identify ways for them to achieve the minimum learning outcomes required. Strategies for strengthening their knowledge and making up for any academic shortfalls will be set out in the Degree Programme’s Academic Regulations.

Admission Procedures

The number of eligible students, the timetable and the admission procedures – determined each year by a specific resolution – will be set out in the calls for applications, published on the University’s website, which will govern admission to the degree programme for the academic year.

For the 2026/27 academic year, the relevant decree of the Chair of the Degree Programme Committee dated 24 February 2026 established the use of the TOLC–F – an acronym for the CISIA (Inter-University Consortium for Integrated Access Systems) Online Test – as the selection method for students eligible to enrol in the first year of the Degree Programme in Sports Science.

Specifically, for the publication of the Call for Applications for admission to the Degree Programme in Sports Science for the 2026/27 academic year – first edition – via the TOLC–F and the subsequent application for inclusion on the relevant ranking list, it has been decided to use the following criteria:

• Admission requirements

To be eligible for the selection process – first intake – and for subsequent enrolment, candidates must hold a secondary school leaving certificate obtained in Italy or an equivalent qualification obtained abroad, by the end of the 2025/2026 academic year.

• Available places and minimum score required to be included on the ranking list

Given that, for the 2026/2027 academic year, the following are eligible for admission to the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Sports Science:

- Italian citizens, EU citizens and non-EU citizens lawfully resident in Italy, in accordance with Article 26 of Law No. 189 of 30 July 2002

120 places

- Non-EU citizens residing abroad, within the limit of the following quota reserved for them: 4 places

In the Call for Applications – 1st edition, the following places will be available:

60 places reserved for Italian citizens, EU citizens and non-EU citizens lawfully residing in Italy.

Candidates who have obtained an overall score of 30/50 or higher will be included in the ranking list.

In the event of a tie in the overall score, the following criteria will be taken into account:

- the candidate’s score in the questions relating to Physics, Logic and Biology, in descending order;

- in the event of a further tie, the candidate who is younger according to their date of birth will be given priority.

Any remaining places from this first intake will be made available in the second intake.

The Call for Applications – Second Intake will offer:

60 places reserved for Italian, EU and non-EU citizens legally resident in Italy + 4 places available for non-EU citizens resident abroad.

Applications for the second intake will result in the creation of a second merit-based ranking list.

The minimum score required to be included in the second merit list will be determined when the Call for Applications – Second Round is drawn up and may differ from that required for the first merit list.

In order to facilitate access to the Bachelor’s Degree programme in Sports Science for a greater number of students, the minimum score required to be included in the second merit list will also be carefully assessed on the basis of the scores obtained by candidates enrolled in the first round.

Should the four places made available to non-EU students residing abroad not be filled in the second round – even following any reallocation procedures laid down by the Ministry of Universities – these places will be made available to the ‘second round’ merit list for EU and equivalent candidates.

• Dates

The TOLC-F can be taken at the University of Brescia on the dates indicated at the following link https://www.unibs.it/en/education/enrolling/admission-degree-programs/tolc or at other CISIA test centres listed on the website https://tolc.cisiaonline.it/calendario.php?tolc=farmacia.

• Test content

The TOLC-F test consists of 5 thematic sections with 50 multiple-choice questions (5 possible answers, one of which is correct).

MATHEMATICS 7 QUESTIONS

PHYSICS 7 QUESTIONS

BIOLOGY 15 QUESTIONS

CHEMISTRY 15 QUESTIONS

LOGIC 6 QUESTIONS

TOTAL 50 QUESTIONS

The test lasts 72 minutes and marks will be awarded as follows:

CORRECT ANSWER 1 POINT

INCORRECT ANSWER -0.25 POINTS

NO ANSWER GIVEN 0 POINTS

At the end of the TOLC-F, there is a section comprising 30 questions to assess knowledge of the English language.

ENGLISH 30 QUESTIONS

In the marking of the English language test, there is no penalty for incorrect answers, and the score is determined by awarding 1 mark for each correct answer and 0 marks for incorrect or unanswered questions.

CORRECT ANSWER 1 POINT

INCORRECT OR UNANSWERED ANSWER 0 POINTS

The score for the English test is NOT taken into account when compiling the merit ranking.

Where gaps in a student’s basic education are identified, they are assigned Additional Educational Requirements (OFA). The student is required to address these gaps (thereby fulfilling the OFA) during the first academic year, in accordance with the procedures set out in the Degree Programme Regulations regarding:

- the procedures for identifying and assigning the OFA

- the nature of the Additional Learning Requirements to be assigned

- the resources made available for remedial study

- the procedures for successfully completing the OFA

- the consequences of failing to fulfil the OFA.

In the event that students who have not attained the minimum level of knowledge specified in the Call for Applications are admitted following the progression down the merit list, the Degree Programme Council will determine the procedures for achieving the minimum learning objectives set.

Candidates successfully placed on the merit list who, in the admission test, have not achieved at least 10 per cent of the maximum mark set for each of the Biology and Chemistry sections will be assigned additional learning requirements (OFA). To fulfil these requirements, students must undertake the specific learning activities established annually by the Course of Study Council (CCS) or attend remedial courses organised by the University. First-year students will not be permitted to sit the following assessment until they have fulfilled their OFAs in Biology and Chemistry: Biochemistry and Biology (Integrated course comprising the modules Applied Biology, 3 CFU, SSD: BIOS-10/A; and Chemistry and Introductory Biochemistry, 2 CFU, SSD: BIOS-07/A, General, Nutritional and Exercise Biochemistry, 5 CFU, SSD: BIOS-07/A, and Clinical Biochemistry Applied to Sport, 1 CFU, SSD: BIOS-09/A). Students who do not fulfil the OFA requirements by the end of their first year of study will not be able to enrol in the second year, but will remain enrolled in the first year, as surplus students, with the status of repeat students.

Information on the various administrative procedures concerning enrolment, fees and services can be found on the University website.

Initial and ongoing student guidance

The degree programme participates in the initial and ongoing student guidance initiatives organised at both the macro-area and University levels, which are detailed on the relevant page of the University portal; this page also provides access to the specific initiatives for each macro-area. These initiatives are coordinated by a working group comprising the Rector’s Representative for Guidance, the Departmental Guidance Representatives and staff from a dedicated organisational unit. The design and delivery of guidance activities, developed by the relevant organisational unit, are certified to the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard. Routine activities, news and the latest initiatives can be found on the dedicated page of the University website.

Student Guidance

Tutoring

Tutoring initiatives are organised at University level in accordance with the annual tutoring plan, which is drawn up each year by the University Commission for Tutoring – chaired by the Rector’s Delegate for Teaching – and approved by the Academic Senate. The Tutoring Service contributes to ongoing student guidance with the aim of ensuring students progress smoothly through their studies and identifying the critical issues that contribute to drop-out rates. The administrative management of the student tutoring service is certified to the UNI EN ISO 9001:2015 standard and is delivered as part of the services supporting the right to education by a dedicated organisational unit.

Tutoring

Characteristics of the final examination

To be admitted to the final examination, students must have successfully passed all the examinations required by the degree programme’s academic regulations, including those relating to professional development and work placement activities, and must have earned the corresponding credits.

The final examination consists of the preparation of a thesis and its defence.

The final examination board is constituted in accordance with the provisions of the University’s Academic Regulations and those of the degree programme.

Procedure for the final examination

Academic Regulations of the Degree Programme

Art. 14) Final examination and marking

The final examination consists of the student’s presentation of a written thesis, drafted in Italian or English (in the latter case, the student must include a summary in Italian in the final thesis file), aimed at demonstrating the acquisition of specific skills and the ability to think critically. The thesis may cover a topic relating to work placement experiences, a physical education project, physical activity and sport, or a thematic bibliographic research study. The thesis defence may take place in Italian or English.

14.1 Admission to the final examination

To be admitted to the final examination, the student must, via the online procedure:

a) have submitted, at least 3 months before the start date of the examination session in which they intend to sit the degree examination, the title of the thesis, simultaneously indicating the names of the Supervisor and any Co-supervisor;

b) have submitted, at least 30 days before the start date of the examination session in which they intend to sit their final degree examination, an application for admission to the final examination, stating the exact title of the thesis and confirming the names of the Supervisor and Co-supervisor;

c) have passed all the examinations required by the study programme, including those relating to work placements and optional modules, and have obtained the relevant credits at least fifteen days before the final examination takes place;

14.2 Final examination

Passing the final examination entitles the student to 4 CFU.

When preparing the final dissertation, the graduating student must refer to the guidelines published at the following link: https://corsi.unibs.it/en/exercise-sport-sciences/graduating

The topic of the dissertation may be assigned, at the request of the student concerned, by a lecturer or researcher at the University or by a lecturer holding a teaching post on the degree programme who acts as supervisor.

When assigning the thesis topic, the supervisor may designate a lecturer from the degree programme or other degree programmes, a researcher, a tenured lecturer at another university, an external expert or a subject specialist to act as co-supervisor.

The assignment of the dissertation may under no circumstances be conditional upon the student having achieved a particular average mark in their examinations.

Graduation sessions take place in accordance with the Calendar approved annually by the Central Academic Council (CCS) and are normally held in July, September/October and March.

The Examination Board for the final examination is constituted and operates in accordance with the provisions of the University’s Academic Regulations.

The assessment criteria include the quality of the dissertation and the candidate’s demonstrated achievement of the expected learning outcomes of the degree programme.

The Committee responsible for determining the final overall mark will also take the following criteria into account:

a) the arithmetic mean of the marks obtained in examinations;

b) additional marks for honours: 0.2 per honour, up to a maximum of 2 marks;

c) duration of the degree programme: 1 point for those graduating on time;

d) participation in international exchange programmes: 0.2 points per month up to a maximum of 2 points;

e) the quality of the thesis, based on an assessment of the student’s mastery of the subject and the Committee’s overall judgement – points awarded: from 0 to 7.

At the end of the discussion, the Examination Board awards the final mark. The decision is taken without the student or any persons outside the Board being present and is reached by a majority vote. In the event of a tie, the Chair’s vote prevails. The final mark is expressed out of 110. The examination is passed with a mark of at least sixty-six out of 110 (66/110).

The award of ‘with distinction’, in the case of a mark of 110/110, is at the discretion of the Examination Board and is awarded only if the opinion of the Board members is unanimous.

A commendation may be awarded if the following requirements are met:

- initial mark (mark derived from points a – b – c – d) ≥ 107/110;

- a total of 3 ‘with distinction’ marks;

- being a student in good standing;

- a proposal by the Supervisor, subject to the unanimous agreement of the members of the Degree Examination Board.

The Chair of the Board publicly announces the result of the final examination.