Sports, Exercise and Health Science
Sport has evolved so much in the last two decades that it is unrecognisable from the entertainment broadcast in World Cups, Olympic Games and National Championships at the turn of the century. British sport has adapted to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive environment, largely due to the introduction of Lottery funding, which has enabled elite athletes access to a wide support team all working towards maximising elite performance.
Sport is now a science that incorporates many components, from psychology and physiology to biomechanics and skill acquisition. It is this science that also provides a foundation for physical health and has significant relevance in everyday life. In a world where millions of people are physically inactive and afflicted by chronic ill health, the sport and exercise scientist should be equally proficient when prescribing exercise for the promotion of health and wellbeing.
As part of their IB Diploma, boys can study Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS) at Standard or Higher Level. The course covers the core topics of: anatomy, exercise physiology, energy systems, movement analysis, skill in sport, and measurement and evaluation of human performance. Boys can also choose two options from: optimizing physiological performance, psychology of sport, physical activity and health, and nutrition for sport, exercise and health. In addition, Higher Level pupils study the brain, the endocrine system, the effects of altitude and heat on performance, fatigue, the skin, and other topics. There is also an opportunity to plan and carry out experiments specifically targeted at assessing physiology/psychological performance in relation to sport.
