MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology

Accredited by the British Psychological Society, this highly flexible Master's provides a strong theoretical background to sports psychology in practice. You'll experience excellent peer learning alongside applied experiences, where you'll observe sport psychology in action.

Because all members of the teaching team combine applied work with their academic roles, you can be sure that your learning will be up-to-date and shaped by real-life experiences of psychological support.

Our many industry connections include national governing bodies, organisations, athletes and professional teams such as Bristol City Women's FC. You'll have diverse opportunities to observe how sport and exercise psychology support is delivered in practice, and how psychologists work with coaches, other athlete support staff, and policy makers.

The MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology features a balance of online and face-to-face taught content, giving you the flexibility to fit your studies around work or other commitments.

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and constitutes stage 1 training in sport and exercise psychology. As a graduate, you can go on to gain chartership with the BPS by completing stage 2 training. You may also be eligible to enrol on the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) programme of Supervised Experience. Both options could eventually lead to registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

Whether you wish to become a chartered professional, enhance your coaching practice or work in the allied health professions, this MSc will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the application of psychology in sport and exercise contexts.  

Careers

After completing this MSc, you'll need to complete Stage 2 training to become a Practitioner Sport and Exercise Psychologist. For further details of Stage 2 training, visit the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology website.

To be eligible to progress for Stage 1 training in Sport and Exercise Psychology you must have Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) status.

Students with a sport and exercise science-related undergraduate degree will be eligible for the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Supervised Experience. This is a requirement for training as a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist.

Build valuable contacts with potential employers though opportunities for applied experiences. Our professional connections include Bristol Rugby, Bristol City Women's Football Club, elite athletes training through UWE Bristol's Centre for Sport, and dual-career athletes on the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).

Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs, global opportunities, volunteering and community activity plus support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.

Entry requirements

You should have either:

• an honours degree awarded by a UK institute of higher education of at least lower second status, in Psychology or a relevant subject
• an honours degree in Psychology and be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) for membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• qualifications deemed equivalent by the Course Leader

In order to be eligible to progress from the MSc to Stage 2 training in Sport and Exercise Psychology and become a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist you must have GBC status. Applicants that do not have GBC status would not be eligible, under current BPS and HPC arrangements, to go on to Chartered Psychologist status. Those students without GBC may have a route for becoming HPC registered Sport and Exercise Psychologists in the future.

We particularly welcome graduates with appropriate experience in sport and exercise psychology, and those who have been employed as sport and exercise psychologists for some time are welcome to apply.

If you have gained your degree from abroad you may be eligible for GBC and you should contact the BPS to clarify this. In many cases this can be a time consuming process so it is advisable to complete these enquiries prior to applying for the MSc, and well in advance of the application deadline to ensure your application can be considered for September entry.

We also offer the modules that make up this MSc as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) stand-alone courses. If you are interested in this option please contact the Course Leader for more details.