Sport and Exercise Psychology (BPS Accredited) MSc

Overview

If you're a sport science or psychology graduate or an individual seeking a career change within sport and performance systems, our accredited MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology degree course is an essential step on your journey to becoming a practitioner psychologist.

Psychology plays a huge role in behaviour in sport, exercise, and performance environments by helping – or preventing – people from achieving optimal health and performance. 

You’ll benefit from teaching unique to Portsmouth, including the psychology of elite performance and applied sport psychology, develop knowledge and skills that are critical to practitioners, and study key themes in the psychology of exercise and physical activity.

We'll provide the expertise and support you need to develop your professional practice and we’ll give you outstanding preparation and insight into becoming a practitioner psychologist.

When you graduate you'll be prepared for a career in sport and exercise psychology and you might continue your training working with professional sports clubs, national sports organisations and private clinics, perhaps by continuing your training journey on our professional doctorate.

Course highlights

  • This is the first course in the country to offer dual British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditations.
  • Learn from our team of BPS chartered psychologists and BASES accredited sport and exercise scientists who are experienced in research and applied practice in sport and exercise psychology
  • Benefit from modules unique to Portsmouth such as the Psychology of Elite Performance and Applied Sport Psychology to get outstanding preparation and insight into becoming a practitioner psychologist
  • Study a broad range of course work suitable for careers in healthcare, elite sport, education, professional sports clubs and the military
  • Use our psychology laboratory with specialist equipment, including a ASL (Applied Science Laboratories) mobile eye-tracking and PLATO Liquid Crystal Spectacles, to test how quickly performers respond to visual or auditory cues
  • Benefit from our links with UK Sport and the Fuchs Foundation
  • Enjoy access to our outstanding new Ravelin Sports Centre, designed to be one of the UK’s most sustainable sports facilities

Careers and opportunities

This British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited Master's course will enable you to continue to study towards Chartered status.

You'll also have the transferable skills for careers in other sectors, like business, the police or the armed forces.

Graduates of this course have gone onto roles such as:

  • Performance Director
  • Personal Trainer
  • Psychological Well-being Practitioner
  • Sport Psychologist
  • Senior Programme Officer
  • Corporate Partnerships Executive 
  • Operations Manager
  • General Manager
  • Lecturer
  • Teacher
  • Research Officer

Graduates of this course have gone on to work for companies such as:

  • Football Association
  • Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club
  • Great Britain Hockey
  • LED Leisure Management
  • Solent NHS
  • Hampshire County Council

Career outcomes shown are sourced from the latest available graduate outcome surveys. The data shows career outcomes at 15 months after graduation.

MSc, MSc Award
September Start
Full-time, Part-time Study Mode
1 years Duration

Entry Requirements For This Course

An upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in a Sport and Exercise Science, Psychology, Sports Psychology or related subject. Alternative qualifications will be considered on a case by case basis.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

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Upcoming Open Days at University of Portsmouth

19
FEB

Postgraduate Open Day

19 Feb 2025, 08:30 AM - 19 Feb 2025, 15:00 PM University of Portsmouth
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07
MAY

Postgraduate Open Day

07 May 2025, 09:00 AM - 07 May 2025, 15:00 PM University of Portsmouth
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02
JUL

Postgraduate Open Day

02 Jul 2025, 09:00 AM - 02 Jul 2025, 15:00 PM University of Portsmouth
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Come to our next event to talk to our course and research representatives, expert support teams and current students.

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