MSc
Sports Performance
Understanding performance in top-level sport
Course Overview
Why take this course?
On this course you will gain a thorough grounding in the science underpinning performance enhancement through the key areas of biomechanics, physiology and psychology. This will complement the practical skills and research expertise you will develop in applied settings, providing an insight into the way that scientific support is integrated into the real world of top-level sport.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Develop an interdisciplinary applied approach to enhancing and maintaining sports performance
- Learn laboratory and field-based skills for assessing and evaluating sports performance
- Develop the ability to communicate with clients in a professional and approachable style
What opportunities might it lead to?
With an estimated worth in excess of £110 billion, the global sports industry is growing rapidly. You can expect to find a career in many specific areas such as teaching, research, sport science support, and the health and fitness sectors.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- health and fitness companies
- coaching and training
- management roles
- sports science roles
- teaching
- PhD study
Many of the assessments focus on assessing your abilities to deal with clients, creating a scenario that you are likely to find in the real world.
Will Abbot, MSc Sports Performance student 2013
Key Facts
- Duration
- 1 year full time, 2 years part time
- Entry
A minimum of a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject. Applicants who hold a non-related degree will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For those who do not hold a degree or relevant professional qualification, extensive experience together with evidence of scholarly ability will be required.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 5.5.- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £5,000, part-time students: £1,670 in year 1 and £3,330 plus inflation in year 2
International full-time students: £10,500, part-time students: £3,500 in year 1 and £7,000 plus inflation in year 2- Contact
- sci.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 5550 - Department
- Department of Sport and Exercise Science
Structure & Teaching
You can choose to take this course in either full-time or part-time mode, with a mixture of core and compulsory units providing good flexibility for part-time students. You will study several key topics; however these are subject to innovation and progression within the field and may therefore change slightly over the years.
Here are the units you will study:
- Applied Sports Physiology (optional)
- Applied Sports Psychology (optional)
- Environmental Factors Affecting Sports Performance (optional)
- Applied Sports Biomechanics (optional)
- Applied Research Methods (core)
- MSc Research Project (core)
Teaching and Assessment
You will be taught mainly in practical workshop sessions in which you directly apply the skills and strategies you have learnt working with athletes or each other.
How are you assessed?
You will be assessed in a variety of ways with a focus on self-assessment and problem-based assignments. Here’s how we assess you:
- practical and written exams
- laboratory reports
- role plays
- presentations
- projects
Tutor's view
Dr Jo Corbett
Sport and Exercise Science
The MSc Sports Performance is a hands-on course designed to offer an interdisciplinary approach to sports performance. You will gain a thorough grounding in the science underpinning performance assessment and enhancement and will develop research and practical expertise through the key areas of biomechanics, physiology and psychology.
Facilities & Features
Laboratories
We are one of the leading departments offering sports science-based programmes in the UK
Learning Environments
You will also benefit from plenty of indoor space for practical activities
Research Groups
We have three main research areas
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books
Laboratories
We are one of the leading departments offering sports science-based programmes in the UK according to the National Student Survey (NSS), the Times Good University Guide, the Independent University Guide, and the Guardian University Guide league tables. You will learn in a several different environments including our biomechanics, physiology, psychology and kinanthropometry labs, home to some of the country’s finest facilities, including:
- 3 climatic chambers for manipulating temperature, humidity and altitude
- an immersion pool
- a swimming flume
- an automated tracking system
- visual 3D software
Learning Environments
You will also benefit from plenty of indoor space for practical activities. Along with our many specialist labs, dedicated seminar spaces and interview rooms, the Department is located next to the University’s Nuffield Sports Centre and very near to the University’s St Paul’s Sports Centre. These two centres offer many facilities including sports halls, a 100-station gym, squash courts and fitness studios, all located at the heart of the University.
Research Groups
Our academic staff have a close affiliation with sport and are research active within their chosen specialism. We have three main research areas which include biomechanics, physiology and psychology, with BASES accredited and BPS chartered members of each area possessing prolific research profiles. Here are the areas of our current research:
- Extreme Environmental Medicine and Science (co-ordinator: Dr Jim House)
- Breast Health (co-ordinator: Dr Joanna Scurr)
- Human Performance and Health (co-ordinator: Dr Jo Corbett)
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
This course provides the skills necessary for range of careers in the sport industry, as well as providing opportunities to work toward BASES accreditation as a sport and exercise scientist, and the theoretical basis for further specialised study.
Given the range of general employability skills developed throughout the programme, you could go on to a variety of careers in other sectors, for example, business, the police and the armed services.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- strength and conditioning coach
- sports scientist
- high performance sports coach
- personal trainer
- exercise specialist
- corporate fitness manager
- university/college lecturer
- sports facility manager
- PhD study
- clinical trials manager
Career planning
One of the benefits of studying at Portsmouth is the support that we provide to our Master's and Research Degrees students in career planning. Our careers and recruitment service – Purple Door – can assist you in career research and finding employment opportunities. Help is also available if you wish to find a part-time job while studying your degree. We offer our postgraduate students and alumni one-to-one appointments with a careers adviser, or an online service for those not able to travel back to the University. Our alumni can call on our career services for five years after graduation.
In addition, regular employability events offer you the chance to meet employers, find out about different career sectors and improve your applications or CV. The Graduate Summer Programme provides a range of guidance and employability seminars and workshops.