Overview
Psychological support in sport has emerged as an essential element of sport performance and athlete wellbeing, with sports people at all levels able to benefit from advice provided by appropriately trained professionals in this field.
This exciting new master’s course is ideal for any sport and exercise science graduate wishing to pursue a career in the field of sport psychology. This course provides you with the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of a range of contemporary issues, enabling the design and implementation of evidence-based delivery of support appropriate for a range of clients. Development of practical skills include practice of verbal and non-verbal communication, listening skills, reflection and problem solving. You will be given the opportunity to develop creative methods of delivery that can be adapted to specialist and non-specialist audiences both in the UK and globally.
The course content is mapped to the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Supervised Experience (SE) and Accreditation competencies, thus allowing you to progress your career pathway towards achieving the status of BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist (Psychology). The course also recognises the demands of the new BASES Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR) which is suitable if you are interested in gaining entry to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Register.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
To ensure an optimised and continual student experience, the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedStudent experience
All the support you need, in a top student cityAccreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is recognised by the following professional bodies:
Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
The course includes the Global Professional Development – Coaching and Mentoring module, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Please visit the CMI website for full details on the CMI accreditation. Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules, but is frequently reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation related to these modules, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
Course information
This course has been designed to develop your understanding of the principles of sport psychology and their role in the development and support of a range of client groups.
You will employ your understanding of the scientific basis of sport psychology that covers the theory, principles and background required to inform assessment and interventions in sport performance. The course content includes issues related to talent development and management in sport, group dynamics, conceptual issues, performance enhancement and professional practice.
As well as subject-specific knowledge, we will encourage you to develop an, analytical and flexible approach to problem-solving in sport psychology. You will be given the opportunity to develop a range of applied skills through a variety of case studies, laboratory sessions and group work. These skills include reflection, self-evaluation and management, coaching and mentoring, verbal and non-verbal communication.
Our aim is to effectively prepare you for professional employment, so we focus on providing enhanced practical and professional skills through a combination of lectures, group work and case studies. The nature of the course also enables topical aspects to be discussed, for example governing body requirements and sport psychology delivery across the globe.
You also have the opportunity to complete in-depth research study in the area of sport psychology, therefore the course will cover qualitative and quantitative research methods, relating these to specific areas of investigation.
The course content is mapped to the BASES Supervised Experience (SE) competencies. If you wish to continue through the SE route you would be required to build upon this grounding and develop further skills in order to satisfy all the competencies required. The course is delivered by academics who are active researchers and/or BASES Accredited practitioners therefore they may be able to offer BASES supervision, allowing you to begin your SE training alongside their study.
Modules
In more detail...
The course is predominantly delivered by academics who are active researchers and/or BASES Accredited practitioners, who engage with applied practice, events, research, producing papers and presentations on a range of topics. Under the guidance of staff, you will be able to enhance your professional skills including verbal and non-verbal communication, listening skills, reflection and problem solving.
Elements of the course are taught alongside other UK and overseas MSc students on related courses such as Strength and Conditioning and Sports and Exercise Nutrition, giving you an opportunity to gain appreciation of other disciplines that you may need to work alongside in future careers.
The course also features course-based assessment, which allows you to produce work that combines themes taught across more than one module. This again allows you the opportunity to consider a greater range of factors that may impact upon the assessment and delivery of support to specific populations.
The course is unusual in that it combines the study of sport psychology and the innovation of business to expand your horizons beyond the more traditional approaches to the area by including the study of the Chartered Management Institute accredited Coaching and Mentoring: Global Professional Development module. This module is part of a University-wide scheme designed to provide practical and theoretical understanding of how coaching and mentoring can be used in a range of settings in different organisations and sectors. It also covers principles and practice of strategic leadership, raising awareness of the potential range of environments both in the UK and overseas that the graduate may be required to work in.
A high percentage of the staff delivering our current sport related courses within the School of Life Sciences have higher degrees and hold the Higher Education Academy accredited Coventry University Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education or an equivalent qualification. In addition, many staff are Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.
- Employability development will be a key theme embedded throughout the degree both implicitly and explicitly. The structure of the course enables you to reflect on where you are and develop a constantly evolving development plan.
- Expert guest lecturers specialising in a range of different areas related to sport psychology
- This course allows you to gain a solid grounding in a range of areas related to the BASES Supervised Experience (SE) competencies in order to contribute to your path to Accreditation.
- Staff at the University may be able to offer BASES supervision, allowing you to begin your SE training alongside your studies. If you are progressing onto this course from degrees other than Sport and Exercise Science you should note that to progress through SE following completion of this MSc will require significant extra study to satisfy the broader sport science related competencies.
- Opportunity to gain international experience through a range of field trips and online projects (additional costs and visa requirements may apply)
Your main study themes are:
- Sport Psychology: We will examine sport psychology in different populations, using appropriate assessment techniques to develop a range of strategies to improve sport performance and athlete wellbeing. Understanding of relevant research will be used to underpin assessment and intervention design, allowing you to evaluate training schedules for individuals at differing stages of fitness or competition.
- Reflection and Professional Development: You will critically evaluate and reflect on your own personal performance, leadership and decision-making within your peer group to develop skills required to act as a competent practitioner. You will take ownership of your learning and reflect on your professional development, professional relationships and behaviours to work towards becoming a skilled and competent graduate.
- Research Skills: Key aspects of scientific method will be developed. Types of information, finding appropriate information for scientific purposes and how to use this information. Experimental design, analysis and presentation of data. Qualitative research methods.
The course is available as a one-year full-time course.
A variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials, group work and practical skills sessions will be used to develop experimental/practical techniques and develop the ability to design, implement and reflect upon professional practice.
Throughout the course, you will receive insight from the latest research and input from current practitioners.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments will include a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include portfolios, coursework, essays, group work, presentations/posters, videos, reflections and practical or project work.
On successful completion of the course you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive and critical understanding of sport psychology as a profession, including its theoretical scientific underpinning and limitations in relation to the scope of practice.
2. Develop evidenced-based practice skills to address ‘real world’ questions in a range of delivery environments and global contexts.
3. Take ownership of your learning and reflect on your professional development, professional relationships and behaviours to work towards becoming a skilled and competent graduate
4. Devise, carry out, and report an independent sport psychology research project, demonstrating the ability to clearly understand ethics with relation to health, safety and technical requirements.
5. Critically evaluate and reflect on your own personal performance, leadership and decision-making within your peer group to develop skills required to act as a competent practitioner.
6. Interpret research from the current evidence base within sport psychology to design, develop and implement appropriate assessments and interventions designed to help individuals and teams to achieve their goals.
7. Demonstrate essential written, oral, non-verbal and digital communication skills relevant to potential global organisations, environments and client groups that a future practitioner may be required to work with.
8. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of coaching/mentoring and the theories and practices of strategic leadership.
In a typical teaching week, you will have approximately 10 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. This generally breaks down as:
Personal tutorial/small group teaching, medium group teaching of workshops or labs and large group teaching of lectures.
Psychological support has emerged as an essential element of performance and athlete wellbeing, with sports people at all levels able to benefit from advice provided by appropriately trained professionals in this field. Sport is an industry that operates worldwide, generating income from international trade, therefore the demand for well-educated and knowledgeable practitioners both in the UK and abroad is ever present in order to ensure that the industry develops and progresses sustainably across the globe. Increasing participation in sport at grassroots level, participation of elite athletes in international events, and hosting of high-profile competitions allows countries to enhance their reputation and gain respect worldwide.
Sport psychology plays an essential role in both promoting participation in sport and in elite success, thus specialist practitioners in this discipline are increasingly in demand across the globe. Connections and collaborations are being sought with institutions overseas through staff contacts, the Centre for Global Engagement (CGE) and their Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programme.
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
International experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
Entry Requirements
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
EU student fees
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans:
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans:
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
Following graduation, career options include work delivering specialised sport psychology support to teams or individuals, employed by a club or organisation or through self-employment as consultants.
The course provides the opportunity to develop a range of transferable skills such as counselling, organisation, communication and scientific writing, which allows graduates the possibility of progression to careers in research, teaching/lecturing, PhD study, performance coaching or a range of other sport and exercise related roles.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
