Do you want to further your knowledge of sport science and athletic development? Solent’s sport science and performance coaching master’s degree has been designed in partnership with industry experts to help equip students with skills, experience and knowledge precisely tailored to industry requirements.
Built on a successful and popular undergraduate programme, this high-level master’s degree helps to prepare students for a career in the sports industry by delivering hands-on professional skills and adopting an interdisciplinary approach to coaching.
During the course, students will explore key areas such as talent identification, long-term athlete development, performance analysis, strength and conditioning, peak performance, technical and tactical development, marginal gains, social support and mental skills coaching.
Past students have benefitted from a guest speaker programme which has featured lectures from professionals from the highest level of a variety of sports, who have shared their advice, knowledge and experience of the industry.
The course has a practical focus, combining hands-on experience with master’s theory to teach students how to apply learning to a professional sporting environment.
What does this course lead to?
The skills you’ll develop on this course open up a wide range of career opportunities in sport and exercise science, across every sport imaginable.
You’ll have the opportunity to specialise at the highest level with Solent’s PhD programme, under the guidance of various staff members.
Who is this course for?
This course is well-suited to those with a sports science-related undergraduate degree who wish to further their knowledge to pursue a career in sport at all levels.
FACILITIES
Students have access to the University’s professional sport and exercise facilities, including fully equipped physiology, psychology, and biomechanics labs, a health and exercise gym, and a sports therapy suite. And our physiology laboratory is officially accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES), marking it as one of the UK’s leading sport and exercise science facilities.
Gaining practical experience is a key element of the programme and students are expected to undertake work placements alongside their studies for the duration of the course.
YOUR FUTURE
You could work with professional, elite or Olympic athletes, meeting the challenges of ensuring they maintain peak fitness in world-class competition, or work with hospitals and health organisations to develop training and recovery programmes for patients suffering injury or disability. You could work with schools and/or colleges, developing fitness programmes and encouraging the next generation of athletes to excel.
INDUSTRY LINKS
The course team has strong industry links and the University is a partner of Southampton FC. The University also works with other top sports organisations, including England Rugby, Hampshire Cricket, AFC Bournemouth, Southampton FC, Reading FC, Kestrels Basketball, GB Wheelchair Rugby and Nomads sevens rugby.
This MSc has been designed in conjunction with industry experts, ensuring you receive the skills and theory precisely tailored to industry requirements. Our industry partners are also integral in the provision of placement opportunities, giving you the advantage of real-world experience alongside potential employers during your master’s studies.
PLACEMENTS
Prior to starting the course you’ll be expected to have a placement organised that will last throughout your studies; this can be in more than one organisation if required. The placement should be in a role relevant to the course, and might include (but not limited to) coach, sport scientist, performance analyst, strength and conditioning coach, exercise physiologist, biomechanist, laboratory technician, etc.
If you’ve been unable to organise a placement, the course team will support you in finding a placement.
