Increased investment in sport has opened up new careers in strength and conditioning and sport science support. This innovative course opens the way for a future as a high-performance strength and conditioning coach or applied sports scientist, at both elite level and within grassroots sport.

Our Strength and Conditioning Master’s provides the theory, knowledge and skills you need to pursue professional accreditation with a number of bodies including the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES); the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA); and appropriate higher coaching awards (Level 3 or above).

You explore a range of approaches - including strength and conditioning, testing physical capacities, sport science support and laboratory work – and assess their contribution to helping athletes increase performance. Areas of study may include sport science support; laboratory skills; and work placement.

Why choose this course?

• Study with an academic team who have world-leading expertise in their fields and are actively involved in research
• Work in the ideal environment for both scientific exploration and practical skills development. Facilities include six BASES-accredited sport and exercise science laboratories; our Human Performance Centre; a nutrition research kitchen; two molecular and cellular physiology labs; and a dedicated strength and conditioning suite with nine lifting platforms
• Benefit from our successful partnerships with professional sports teams, elite athletes, academies, schools, colleges and other relevant organisations
• Develop your research skills and capabilities including research design and ethics; statistics; and laboratory skills
• Build your employability by taking a core placement unit
• As a Higher Education Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), our course is aligned to the professional standards required for the Strength and Conditioning Trainer Award. This is embedded within the course at no additional cost, allowing you to work independently within the sport and exercise industry

Non-Standard Entry

(All non-standard entry candidates will be required to attend an interview with the Award Manager)

a. Graduates with a first degree in a closely allied subject, where the gaps in subject specific knowledge could be closed using a negotiated programme that would include additional units from within the undergraduate modular degree scheme

b. Sport, Exercise, Coaching and Health professionals with demonstrable experience and expertise within the field who also possess an HNC/HND or GNVQ/NVQ at level 4 in an appropriate subject. These candidates will be required to provide a full portfolio of supporting evidence outlining appropriate academic and educational training and attend an interview, which will aim to assess:

• the applicants motivation, maturity and realistic approach to their studies
• the nature and level of life/work experience and prior study, and the learning that has resulted from such experience
• the clarity of the applicants educational goals and objectives
• the extent to which the applicant can provide evidence of the threshold skills and knowledge required for a given programme.

As a result of this interview candidates may also be required to bridge gaps in their current knowledge by taking additional units from within the undergraduate modular degree scheme

AP(E)L /APL

Credit may be given for prior (academic/professional) learning against some of the units. A portfolio of evidence and attainment of equivalent learning outcomes is required. Procedures for considering APL applications are determined by the Academic Board and issued by the Registry.

How will this course improve my career prospects?

Completion of this course will give you the opportunity to work within sport coaching; teaching; high-performance coaching; and performance conditioning. Specific career paths include strength and conditioning coach; sport scientist; and laboratory technician.

You can also continue to further research-based study on MSc by Research, MPhil or PhD programmes.