Exercise and Sport Sciences - MRes

This combined research and taught masters programme provides students with a research orientated training in the practical, theoretical and applied elements of Exercise and Sport Sciences.

Optional modules make up the taught component of the course, and offer teaching, learning and experience in core disciplines of exercise and health as well as in sport. Research experience is offered in academic or industrial settings within exercise, health or sports sciences.

Course details

The MRes in Exercise and Sport Sciences is a one-year full-time masters course programme that provides students with a research-orientated training in a lively, highly interactive teaching and research environment.

This programme takes students who have a research focus, from a variety of backgrounds at entry and gives them new skills to enable them to move into further research and/or employment in a number of disciplines.

It is offered by the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, in collaboration with the School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, and Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy in the University of Birmingham Medical School.

The purpose of the MRes Exercise and Sport Sciences is to provide a strong foundation for research in exercise and sport sciences in health and disease

Course Information

The taught elements of the course will be delivered in the form of optional modules in core disciplines within exercise and sports sciences, allowing students to shape the course to their particular interest. Optional modules include: Neuromuscular performance through the human lifetime; Integrated body systems; Cardiovascular and respiratory physiology; Nutrition and metabolism in health and obesity; Psychology of physical activity promotion.

Extended research experience is offered in the shape of a six-month research project in the students chosen discipline. 

Specific areas of active research include: 

• Exercise metabolism: The health effects of exercise in obesity and ageing 
• Cardiovascular and respiratory physiology, 
• Behavioural medicine: Psychological processes, immunology and cardiovascular function. 
• Biomechanics, neurophysiology and psychology of motor control and exercise performance 
• Motivations for, and effects of, physical activity participation

Learning and teaching

The courses have a taught component, and an extended period of research to produce a dissertation.

Employability

The career opportunities available to sport and exercise scientists are expanding all the time. The 2012 London Olympics and increased National Lottery funding for sport has increased the number of jobs in elite level sport and public health. Many hospitals are starting to appoint specialists with exercise backgrounds to work in areas such as cardiac rehabilitation and health promotion. Clubs in a variety of different sports employ sports scientists as performance analysts, biomechanists and coaches. Other career routes include roles in the fitness and leisure industry, governing bodies, teaching, exercise prescription and testing, and sport promotion.

You will also have the support of a dedicated careers and employability team, to offer individual advice and guidance services and deliver an employability programme tailored to your needs.

Find out more on the Careers Network intranet pages 

Visit the Exercise and Sport Sciences - MRes page on the University of Birmingham website for more details!