Masters Degrees in Sport conditioning, rehabilitation & therapy, United Kingdom

The MSc in Sport Rehabilitation educates students in the management and care of the injured athlete or those returning to physical activity following prolonged illness.

The degree provides students with the knowledge and understanding required to assess and manage musculoskeletal injuries from the acute stage through to return to sport or activity.

There is currently a high clinical demand for provision of highly skilled, autonomous and analytical therapists specialising within the field of prevention, assessment and management of sports related injuries.

This demand is from sportsmen and women, teams and clinicians currently working in the field of amateur and professional sport and this course aims to provide specialists in the field of Sport Rehabilitation to fulfil this demand.

Why St Mary’s?

The teaching staff at St Mary’s have a vast amount of experience working with athletes at all levels of competition. The structure of the course embeds clinical placements into the programme, allowing students to bridge the theory to practice gap as they progress through their studies.

It enables students to observe and work with healthcare professionals working in high level sport and clinical settings providing an insight into the demands of the profession and the roles they will fulfill upon graduating.

The degree is underpinned by a detailed understanding of physiological, biomechanical, anatomical and psychosocial principles.

Lectures and practicals take place in specialist rooms. Some are taught in the state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facility (the performance education centre) or in our biomechanics laboratory. We also make use of the sports services at the University when this is relevant.

Course Content

What you will study
-Clinical Anatomy and Physiology
-Clinical Assessment and Soft Tissue Management
-Acute Management of Injury and Specialised Treatment Techniques
-Principles of Rehabilitation and Neuromechanics
-Late Stage Rehabilitation and Factors Affecting Performance
-Evidence Based Practice and Clinical Placement
-Advanced Research Methods
-Dissertation

Please note: All information is correct at the time of publication. However, course content is regularly updated and this may result in some changes, which will be communicated to students before their programme begins.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the MSc in Sport Rehabilitation will be eligible to join BASRaT, the professional body overseeing and regulating the practice of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers in this country. The 400 clinical placement hours required for BASRAT membership are included in the Evidence Based Practice and Clinical Placement module. BASRaT also has a minimum attendance requirement for lectures, practicals and seminars. To qualify for BASRaT membership students must complete and pass an Immediate Care in Sport (Level 2) course, which is included.

"BASRaT graduates are trained solely in Sports and Exercise Medicine, with an emphasis on the design and implementation of exercise and rehabilitation programmes in both health and disease. St. Mary's University and the University of Salford were the pioneering institutions to run degree programmes of this nature, and have since been joined by several other institutions. To ensure that all accredited courses were of a high equitable standard, and that all graduates conformed to strict codes of professional practice and conduct, the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers was born."

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Sport Rehabilitation is a dynamic profession focusing on understanding, preventing and treating sport and exercise related injuries. It takes an evidence-based approach considering anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, and psychosocial factors. The course aims to provide graduates from a sports science background with the knowledge and application of the musculoskeletal system, enabling them to clinically assess and return athletes to full functional fitness through expertly developed evidence-based rehabilitation programmes. Students will develop key practical skills in our teaching clinic and world class sports science laboratories and we blend this with online technologies to enhance remote study. Intense teaching periods enable students opportunities to apply and develop their knowledge through work-based learning in our sports injury clinic. A minimum of 400 clinical hours of hands-on experience will be obtained in our Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Clinic.

In addition, students undertake professional work placements with our partners to broaden their experience. Graduates will be eligible to join the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT) (pending, subject to validation). Foundation clinical and rehabilitation skills are developed through a blended learning approach. Integral periods of work-based learning and research skills development are embedded in the programme to enable students to apply an evidence-based approach towards sport rehabilitation. Students can also get accreditation to the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT). This is a new course starting in 2017 and is currently subject to validation.

Modules

All modules are compulsory:
-Manual Therapy
-Clinical Assessment
-Sport Rehabilitation
-Injury Management
-Professional Reflective Practice
-Research Methods
-Thesis

Career Opportunities

The University of St Mark & St John is renowned for producing excellent vocationally focused graduates. As the increasing participation and demands of sport and exercise continue to rise, proportional diverse demands are placed on healthcare practitioners in the field of Sports and Exercise Medicine and there is a growing demand for Sport Rehabilitators to work alongside other healthcare professionals or as an autonomous practitioners.This course is for those considering careers within professional sporting environments, the Ministry of Defence, sports injury clinics, sports clubs and the health and fitness industry.

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IN BRIEF:

• Gain a higher degree that will qualify you for a lead role in strength and conditioning
• The contact sessions on campus are applicable immediately to professional practice
• Develop the practical skills and professional knowledge that employers ask for
• Part-time study option

COURSE SUMMARY

This course has a strong practice-based element, which means you'll develop the skills you need to pursue a lead role in the field.

Theoretical content is available online, so you won't have to attend University every week. You'll be able to apply your learning to your job and use case studies from your current area of practice. Our staff are experts in the field of strength and conditioning and they often work in partnership with professional sports teams and individual athletes.

This was the first postgraduate programme in Europe to receive international recognition though the NSCA Education Recognition Program (ERP).

COURSE DETAILS

This was the first Strength and Conditioning Masters Degree in Europe to be recognised by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) through their education recognition programme. The programme is delivered by some of the world’s leading experts. The contact sessions on campus, including keynote sessions followed by practical and seminar sessions, are applicable immediately to professional practice and involve a high practical content.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The MSc course is offered on both a full-time and part-time basis.

The full-time course runs over three academic semesters (October through to September the following year), whilst  giving you the chance to exit with the following awards:

• Postgraduate Certificate: completion of one module
• Postgraduate Diploma: completion of two modules
• Masters: completion of two modules plus a dissertation

In order to achieve an award of MSc Strength and Conditioning you must successfully complete the modules Strength and Conditioning and Injury Prevention and Performance Measurement, along with producing a thesis for the dissertation module.

TEACHING

This course is available both part-time and full-time and is delivered via a blended learning approach, which includes:  

Workshops (three days per module, per semester)

These are interactive, discursive, reflective, participatory, collaborative and practice related sessions that employ a variety of teaching and learning methods. As the course progresses these will become progressively more student led, with you presenting case studies for peer and tutor review.  

Individual scholarly activity

Self directed learning, personal reflection, practice based application and reflection, including peer and tutor review.  

Distance learning resources

Delivery of supporting resources such as study guides and lecture material online. Facilitated group work, including tutor and peer evaluation are a key component of this course.

Personal tutor and peer support

To provide an academic, practice based and personal support mechanism alongside facilitated networking.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment methods will vary depending on the module.  They include:

• Case studies (written and oral presentations)
• Viva vocé
• Literature review
• Practical assessments
• Journal articles (research reports written in the format of a journal article)
• Research proposal

EMPLOYABILITY

With the skills you'll learn in this course, you can take a lead role in strength and conditioning and make a difference to the training of your clients. This course will significantly increase your chances of getting a high profile role in top-flight sport.

Graduates are now employed in Premier League and Championship football and paralympic weightlifting. Some graduates have also progressed on to lecturing and doctoral level study.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Al Stewart, was working as a strength and conditioning coach at Manchester City Football Club Academy when he started the MSc Strength and Conditioning, with the aim of gaining a postgraduate degree while gaining additional practical skills and experience to permit him to progress to a more senior role. He is now the Head of Strength and Conditioning for Hull City FC.

LINKS WITH INDUSTRY

This course has been developed to include the key competencies identified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning association (UKSCA).

FURTHER STUDY

Upon successful completion of the course it would be possible to progress on to a PhD, or a PhD via publication. We offer a range of research degrees relevant to your area of practice.  

As a University, we are committed to your continuing professional development. We run short courses and study days throughout the year to keep you at the forefront of developments in Sports Injury Rehabilitation.

FACILITIES

You will have access to some of the best facilities in the UK, including our purpose-built Human Performance Lab, which contains almost every type of physiological and biomechanical equipment including:

• FT700 Ballistic Measurement System
• 9 AMTI Force Plates, 5 of which are situated in a 40m running track
• ProReflex 10 Camera real-time motion analysis system
• KinCom and Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometers for muscle strength testing
• Portable Kistler force plate
• EMG (electromyography) system used to measures the electrical activity of muscles and to gather information about the muscular and nervous systems
• Esaote AU5 Ultrasound used to study skeletal muscles, tendons, ligaments and blood flow
• We have a range of cycle and rowing ergometers, two treadmills, and two online gas analysis systems. We can perform blood analysis with our Analox GM7 Multi-Assay Blood Analyser to measure blood lactate, glucose and a range of other blood substrates
• There is also the Reflotron which another multi-use system that can measure blood cholesterol and haemoglobin as well as portable blood glucose and lactate analysers.

In addition we have the usual equipment found in exercise physiology labs.

• Polar heart rate monitors
• Harpenden skinfold callipers
• Wingate tests
• Hand grip dynamometers
• Height, weight monitors
• Jump mats and timing gates

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IN BRIEF:

• This course will give you the opportunity to take a lead role in sports injury rehabilitation
• Theoretical content is available online so you can study at a time convenient to you
• High practical content means you’ll develop the skills that will impress employers
• Part-time study option

COURSE SUMMARY

This course will further the knowledge, skills and abilities of sports rehabilitators, sport therapists, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals currently working in the area of sports injury rehabilitation and prevention.

This was the first exercise rehabilitation masters in Europe to be recognised by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) though their recognition programme. The programme is delivered by some of the world's leading experts. The contact sessions on campus, including keynote sessions followed by practical and seminar sessions, are applicable immediately to professional practice and involve a high practical content.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The MSc programme is offered as either a full-time or part-time programme.

The full time course runs over three academic semesters (October through to September the following year), whilst  giving you the chance to exit with the following awards:

• Postgraduate Certificate: completion of one module
• Postgraduate Diploma: completion of two modules
• Masters: completion of two modules plus a dissertation

In order to achieve an award of MSc Sports Injury Rehabilitation you must successfully complete the modules Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Injury Prevention and Performance Measurement, along with producing a thesis for the dissertation module.

TEACHING

This course is available both part-time and full-time and is delivered via a blended learning approach, which includes:

Workshops (three days per module, per semester)

These are interactive, discursive, reflective, participatory, collaborative and practice related and employ a variety teaching and learning methods. As the programme progresses these will become progressively more student led, with you presenting case studies for peer and tutor review.

Individual Scholarly Activity

Self directed learning, personal reflection, practice based application and reflection, including peer and tutor review.

Distance Learning Resources

Delivery of supporting resources such as study guides and lecture material online. Facilitated group work, including tutor and peer evaluation are a key component of this course. 

Personal Tutor and Peer Support

To provide an academic, practice based and personal support mechanism alongside facilitated networking.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment methods will vary depending on the module, they include:

• Case Studies (written and oral presentations)
• Viva vocé
• Literature review
• Practical assessments
• Journal articles (research reports written in the format of a journal article)
• Research proposal

EMPLOYABILITY

Take a lead role in sports injury rehabilitation with this practice-based course and make a difference to your clients with higher level skills. You’ll also learn how to conduct research and then apply it to the real world, with numerous students successfully publishing their research in peer reviewed journals.

The skills developed within the programme are recognised within organisations such as the English Institute of Sport as critical to the development of key competencies to move through there competency lead career structure.

LINKS WITH INDUSTRY

This course has been developed to include the key competencies identified by the International federation of Sports Physiotherapists in the domains of exercise rehabilitation. It is also recognised as providing key exercise rehabilitation skills by the English Institute of Sport.

FURTHER STUDY

Upon successful completion of the course it would be possible to progress on to a PhD, or a PhD via publication. We offer a range of research degrees relevant to your area of practice.

As a University, we are committed to your continuing professional development. We run short courses and study days throughout the year to keep you at the forefront of developments in Sports Injury Rehabilitation.

FACILITIES

You will have access to some of the best facilities in the UK, including our purpose-built Human Performance Lab, which contains almost every type of physiological and biomechanical equipment:

• FT700 Ballistic Measurement System
• 9 AMTI Force Plates, 5 of which are situated in a 40m running track
• ProReflex 10 Camera real-time motion analysis system
• KinCom and Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometers for muscle strength testing
• Portable Kistler force plate
• EMG (electromyography) system used to measures the electrical activity of muscles and to gather information about the muscular and nervous systems
• Esaote AU5 Ultrasound used to study skeletal muscles, tendons, ligaments and blood flow
• We have a range of cycle and rowing ergometers, two treadmills, and two online gas analysis systems.
• We can perform blood analysis with our Analox GM7 Multi-Assay Blood Analyser to measure blood lactate, glucose and a range of other blood substrates
• There is also the Reflotron which another multi-use system that can measure blood cholesterol and haemoglobin as well as portable blood glucose and lactate analysers.

In addition we have the usual equipment found in exercise physiology labs.

• Polar heart rate monitors
• Harpenden skinfold callipers
• Wingate tests
• Hand grip dynamometers
• Height, weight monitors
• Jump mats & timing gates

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This physiotherapy degree seeks to educate students in the management and care of individuals with a range of long-term conditions or musculoskeletal injury.

Our Master's degree in Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) provides you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to manage patients suffering from a range of conditions or musculoskeletal injuries, from the acute stage through to return to sport or activity. This includes working as part of a multidisciplinary team in the care of different patients.

There is currently a high demand for provision of physiotherapists across all areas of knowledge working in different settings. This demand is from the NHS both in primary care settings and community-based provision, local authority projects, sports, and private practice.

The MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) degree is a two-year taught programme with the addition of 1,000 placement hours that must be completed during the two years. The first year of the programme will contain the taught elements of the course with the placement starting in the second year.

Why St Mary’s?

The degree is underpinned by a detailed understanding of physiological, biomechanical, anatomical and psychosocial principles. Our teaching staff have a vast amount of experience working with patients in a wide range of settings with various conditions. The structure of the course embeds placements into the programme, allowing you to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

The programme enables you to observe and work with healthcare professionals working in healthcare and clinical settings providing an insight into the demands of the profession and the roles you could fulfil upon graduating.

The Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) programme has specialised teaching rooms designed to provide students with the vast array of clinical skills required. In addition to this, there is a student clinic where experience can be gained under the supervision of experienced, qualified professionals.

What you will study

This programme is currently going through its validation process. Students can expect to complete modules such as:
-Clinical Anatomy and Assessment
-Neurological, Cardiovascular and Respiratory Conditions
-Applications of Exercise
-Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Injury
-Professional Practice
-Placement
-Advanced Research Methods
-Dissertation

Teaching and Assessment

Modules are taught through blended learning activities including: lectures, practicals, seminars, placements and problem-based learning. This will be delivered during intensive teaching weeks spread throughout the academic year.

A wide variety of teaching approaches will be utilised, and students are expected to undertake a significant amount of work beyond the formal contact hours. Students are expected to actively engage in teaching sessions. Attention is given to the formative process that will encourage the development of key practical skills in assessment and critical thinking.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the MSc in Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) will be eligible to apply to join the CSP, the professional body overseeing and regulating the practice of Physiotherapy in this country. They will also be eligible to apply to join the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

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Overview

This MSc will provide you with the knowledge and skills to manage sports injuries and illness and to explore the relationship between physical activity and health.

The clinical SEM course is aimed at doctors, physiotherapists and allied professionals with a strong musculoskeletal clinical background. We feel strongly that the range of backgrounds of the students provides students with a rounded education, drawing on the wide ranging clinical experience and different expertise of the students and lecturers.

Key facts

Clinical exposure - The MSc offers students the opportunity to sit in Sports Medicine clinics with consultant SEM doctors and physiotherapists. In these clinics the student will have exposure to all sections of the community, children, recreational athletes, elite athletes and the elderly. The student will see a wide ranging spectrum of musculoskeletal problems and first hand investigation and treatment.

Face to face teaching - One of the strengths of the Nottingham MSc is the face to face teaching that take place. This allows students real time interaction with clinicians, scientists and lecturers, enabling in depth exchange of knowledge and ideas. We believe that with this the student has a much greater understanding of the subject than with distance learning.

Pitch side exposure - Included in the fees is a Gold standard pitch side emergency care course (EMMiITS). This takes place at the beginning of the academic year and success in this course enables the student to undertake pitch side emergency care at the weekly BUCS matches. Students may wish to undertake a placement with a professional team and we will facilitate this whether ever possible.

Full and part-time option - As many of our students are practising professionals we have developed a range of study options to enable them to continue with their clinical practice whilst studying. The full time course is undertaken over one year. The part time course covers the same modules but can be taken over 2, 3, or 4 years.

Research projects - The research projects are a key strength of the course. Students are encouraged to undertake a project in a field of interest. However we acknowledge that not all students will be able to do this and we have a range of projects within the department that students can undertake, within both clinical SEM and also in nutrition and muscle physiology within the School of Life Sciences. International students have the opportunity to develop research and undertake research projects within their home country.

Course quality - The MSc has a faculty of excellent internal and external lecturers of all disciplines, all experts in their field. Many of the lecturers work at a national and international level in Sport and Exercise Medicine. Established in 1991, the MSc Sports and Exercise Medicine is one of the longest running SEM courses in the country and is constantly updated and improved. This successful programme is recognised nationally and internationally as one of the top sports and exercise medicine courses for the rounded sports medicine specialist.

This course is now delivered as part of the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine – East Midlands (NCSEM-EM), which is a London 2012 legacy funded project aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of the nation.

Structure

The MSc Sports and Exercise Medicine can be taken full-time over one year or part-time over two to four years. As an MSc student, you will study a series of core modules in sports and exercise medicine, which includes research methods tutorials, in addition to the compulsory project and dissertation module. This is an exciting opportunity to undertake research on a subject related to sports and exercise medicine or exercise physiology under the supervision of an appropriate member of academic staff. There are also a wide variety of optional modules to meet your specific interests.

This course can also be taken as a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) by those who do not wish to complete a research project and dissertation. The PGDip can be taken full-time over 9 months or part-time over 18 months.

The syllabus is covered by lectures, seminars, sport placements, anatomy teaching in our dissection room, eLearning and practical sessions. The course includes a two-day programme in Emergency Medical Management in Individual and Team Sports (EMMiITS).

Compulsory Modules

Module A34614 - Sports Injury Anatomy (20 credits)

Module A34628 - Clinical Sports Injury (10 credits)

Module A34632 - Sports Injury Assessment (10 credits)

Module A34633 - Pitchside Care of the Injured Athlete (10 credits)

Module A34616 - Physical Activity in Health and Disease (20 credits)

Module A34621 - Research Methods (10 credits)

Module A34631 - Project and Dissertation: Sports and Exercise Medicine (60 credits)

Students can also choose modules totalling a further 40 credits from a selection of optional modules. Full details can be found online.

The modules we offer are inspired by the research interests of our staff and as a result may change for reasons of, for example, research developments or legislation changes. This list is an example of typical modules we offer, not a definitive list.

Assessment

Your work will be assessed by a number of methods including both written and practical examinations, oral presentations, essays, reflective portfolio as well as the dissertation.

Careers

On completion of the MSc course, our graduates become involved in a wide range of sport and exercise related activities from General Practice and consultants in Sports Medicine to the provision of medical care for professional athletes and teams.

Graduates have gone on to successful careers including the Head of Sports Medicine for the Rugby Football League, the Chief Medical Officer to the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Director of Training and Conditioning for the New York Knicks Basketball team, Lead Physiotherapist for the Indian Cricket team, league football club physiotherapists and county cricket club doctors and physiotherapists.

Other achievements include winning the Health Specialist of the Year award in Dubai 2014 and presentation at various conferences.

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Our Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) programme is internationally renowned for providing high quality distance learning exclusively to doctors. The programme is designed to provide relevant knowledge for doctors involved, or wishing to be involved, in the full or part-time management of recreational and elite athletes. By studying this programme you will develop practical skills that can be applied to both primary and specialist care.

The highly interactive, flexible, online learning and hands-on clinical teaching provide you with expert knowledge and skills, while also enabling you to remain in practice.

Programme features:
- Flexible and online, allowing you to study alongside your clinical practice.
- Recognised by the Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine (FSEM) (http://www.fsem.co.uk/).
- You will become part of an international online community of SEM specialists.
- A problem-solving and reflective approach to sport and exercise medicine.
- Benefit from a reduced membership rate to the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) (http://www.basem.co.uk/) for the first year.

View a video about this programme (http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/postgraduate/)

Programme structure

This is a flexible programme. The Diploma can be completed in two years, but students have the option of taking up to four years. The MSc can be completed in 3.5 years: again, students have the option of taking up to 5 years.

The following events take place on the University of Bath campus:
- Induction Event (two days) – Year One (September)
- Sports Science Residential Week - Year One (January)
- Clinical Residential Week - Year Two (June)
- OSCE (Examination Event) (1 day) – Year Two (June or October)

Years one and two (Diploma):
- Sport & Exercise Medicine in Practice 1 - 6 Credits (ongoing throughout Diploma)
- Sport & Exercise Medicine in Practice 2 - 6 Credits (ongoing throughout Diploma)
- Sports Doctor - 6 Credits (3 month unit)
- Exercise Physiology - 6 Credits (3 month unit)
- Functional Anatomy and Sporting Movement Analysis - 12 credits (6 month unit)
- Sports Injuries & Rehabilitation - 12 credits (6 month unit)
- Psychology of Sport and Exercise - 6 Credits (3 month unit)
- Exercise for Health - 6 Credits (3 month unit)

Year three (MSc):
- Research Project Design
- Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Project

View summary table (http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/images/sem-programme-structure.jpg) or Programme & Unit Catalogue (http://www.bath.ac.uk/catalogues/2015-2016/hl/hl-proglist-pg.html#F) for further information.

Learning and teaching

Our programmes are modular, consisting of self-contained units, taught and assessed on a semester basis. As you progress through each semester and successfully pass the examinations, you will receive credit for the units, thus providing you with a clear indication of your academic progress.

The majority of the content of the programme is delivered online to allow you to engage in flexible study alongside your clinical practice. To complement the online teaching there is a face-to-face induction event at the University and residential teaching weeks in the first and second years of the programme. Reflective, practice-based elements are provided through professional experiential learning and online virtual workshops.

Methods of assessment

You will be assessed through written assignments and case studies, a portfolio of clinical experience, the OSCE Examination and a Dissertation. Each unit is assessed individually.

Assignments are delivered online and must also be submitted online. The formative assessment includes moderated online discussions, self-assessment questions and online multiple choice tests.

Summative assessment will vary between units but will typically include some of the following:

Compilation of portfolio of evidence [SEM in Practice]
OSCE examination [SEM in Practice]
Maintaining a reflective practitioner portfolio [SEM in Practice]
Essays
Case studies
Short answer questions
Recorded consultations

- Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL):
If you have a previous qualification, or undertaken postgraduate units from another institution, you may be eligible to transfer credit for this prior learning.

Depending on the programme of study, you can gain APL for up to 50% of the total credits required (this credit must have been obtained within the previous five years).

- Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)
You may also apply for APEL by submitting a portfolio of evidence, demonstrating that you have successfully achieved the learning outcomes for the specific unit(s) you seek exemption from.

We recommend you discuss this with the Director of Studies first to ensure this is suitable, as creating your portfolio can be very time consuming.

We will not permit exemptions of fractional units, and so the minimum threshold for the applications of APEL procedures will be a single, free standing unit (including three credit units). The maximum threshold for exemption will normally be 50% of the total credits required for a programme of study, for example, a 45-credit exemption towards a 90-credit Masters degree.

About the department

The School for Health was established within the University of Bath in 2003, to centralise the high profile research and teaching in the health-related disciplines already taking place throughout the university, so creating a single entity through which links with the health sector at national and international level can be channelled, co-ordinated and developed.

In 2010 the School joined the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences and became the Department for Health, providing excellent opportunities for academic teaching and research collaborations with other departments, such as Psychology and Social & Policy Sciences. The Department's postgraduate teaching and research programmes now form part of the Faculty's new Graduate School, also launched in 2010, providing postgraduate students with dedicated support and a strong community in which to base their studies - whether on campus or by distance learning.

In keeping with government initiatives surrounding population health and more general public concerns, the Department divides its activities between two main pillars: Healthcare and Population Health – one focuses on the NHS, healthcare and health services research and the other focuses on population health, healthy living, sport & physical activity and tobacco control; each of these groups, in turn, contain both teaching programmes and research activities. Furthermore, there is a bridging spine between both pillars and which houses the Professional Doctorate in Health, Research in Health Practice and the administrative, finance, learning & teaching development, marketing and support activities of the Department.

The Department’s aims are:

- To develop a research portfolio that is both of the highest academic standard and has applications in the real world
- To build on external links with the public services and other bodies concerned with health and society
- To innovate design and delivery of healthcare services
- To change corporate approaches to healthy organisations
- To support government reform of health and social care provision
- To identify and facilitate opportunities for academic collaboration and new developments.

The Department's postgraduate taught programmes combine academic excellence with flexible and innovative design and delivery; our postgraduate portfolio is distinguished by the provision of a number of Professional Masters and a Professional Doctorate programme designed to be studied part-time by learners working in a wide range of healthcare roles from all around the world. All our postgraduate courses are taught online and this has proved to be one of our unique selling points, with students able to continue within their practice area or working environment whilst gaining a further qualification.

The Department is renowned for its exemplary attention to educational design, integrating knowledge with research evidence and resulting in programmes which are highly relevant to contemporary practice; in addition, the Department boasts some of the most innovative and successful approaches to online and part-time education, recognised through a number of awards.

At all levels, learning and teaching in the Department provides a strong focus on high quality education for real world situations and produces graduates with skills and knowledge relevant to professional roles and in high demand from employers.

Teaching programmes on offer within the Department include:

- Sport & Exercise Medicine, the world renowned flexible masters programme exclusively for doctors
- Sports Physiotherapy, a specialist programme designed by physiotherapists for physiotherapists
- Research in Health Practice, a programme launched in 2008 aimed at health and social care professionals interested in conducting their own research
- The innovative Professional Doctorate in Health which focuses on both Population Health and Healthcare within the Department, providing a doctoral level programme to develop expert practitioners and researchers in practice.

Facilities, equipment, other resources
Sport and exercise science and medical science laboratories. Close links with the English Institute of Sport and the Department of Sports Development and Recreation.

International and industrial links
There are current links with primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, the two hospitals in Bath and colleagues in industry. The Department works closely with esteemed international academic institutions, and individual health practitioners, in order to meet the regional, national and global challenges facing health and social care.

Careers information
Postgraduate research students gain a wealth of experience to assist them with their next step and are offered personal career advice at the University. The Department has an established research training skills programme for all research students. The taught programmes enable students to extend their health and social care career pathways and to build important networks for further professional opportunities.

Find out more about the department here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/

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The programme has the following exit awards:

- MSc Research in Health Practice (three years)

Overview

The Professional Doctorate in Health is designed for a range of health and social care professionals who are interested in furthering their development as expert practitioners and researchers in practice.

By utilising web-based delivery blended with Summer Schools (typically five days in length), the programme aims to meet the learning needs of busy health and social care practitioners.

During the first two years of study you will complete a series of units covering research methods, evidence based practice, comparative health policy and other topics relevant to research in practice. Throughout the first two years you will also be developing a protocol for your doctoral research project. Unlike the PhD programme, we do not expect you to have a well-developed research protocol before commencing your studies. Your Personal Development Adviser (PDA) will work with you to develop your research plans, before handing over to an academic and practice-based supervisor during the second year.

Programme features:
- Carry out independent research and understand research methods whilst remaining in your practice area.
- Choose your learning style within a flexible environment amongst a multi-professional community.
- Expand your understanding of policy and practice in the context of international healthcare systems and service.

Time required for study:
We recognise that many of our students are in demanding full-time health or social care jobs and the Professional Doctorate in Health programme is designed to be flexible and supportive in order to accommodate these demands. However, you will need to be able to commit at least 15 hours per-week (on average) to your studies, either through study leave or by working during evenings, weekends and holidays.

Transfer to the PhD programme:
If who wish to exit with a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) award, rather than the DHealth (Professional Doctorate in Health) award, then you may apply to do so at the end of the first or second year of study, while retaining the flexible mode of delivery and supervision designed for the Professional Doctorate in Health programme.

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/programmes/prof-doct-in-heal/

Programme structure

This is a flexible programme. You will typically study over four or five years, but may take up to eight years (if required).

Year one:
- Research project preparation and planning
- Introduction to practice based research
- Research design and methods
- Evidence into practice

Year two:
- Research project design and development
- Professional issues in health 1 (policy)
- Professional issues in health 2 (practice)

Year three/four (Doctorate):
- Thesis

View summary table (http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/images/doctorate-in-health-programme-summary.jpg) or Programme & Unit Catalogue (http://www.bath.ac.uk/catalogues/2014-2015/hl/hl-proglist-pg.html#D) for further information.

Learning and teaching

Teaching takes the form of online units, which include resource libraries, access to all of the online journals (held by the University of Bath Library), and a structured series of activities and online discussion boards.

All resources can be accessed through ‘PD Online’ - our bespoke virtual learning environment. You will also be able to submit your assignments on PD Online and communicate directly with staff and your fellow students.

A Summer School is held once a year at the University (most often in September). You will attend one Summer School/Induction during your first year and one Summer School at the beginning of the second year.

Your tutor will provide support for your assignment preparation, as well as learning needs analysis and personal development planning.

The ‘research and thesis’ phase will be supervised by a panel of specialists; comprising a University academic member of staff (to ensure that the work is of a sufficient standard), and a practice-based specialist (to ensure that the work is at the forefront of practice).

Methods of assessment

Assessment consists of a combination of written assignments, literature reviews, research protocols and reflective accounts. There are no written examinations.

You will also produce a portfolio of evidence of application to practice, and have to undertake a face-to-face transfer interview and a final viva.

About the department

The Department’s aims are:

- To develop a research portfolio that is both of the highest academic standard and has applications in the real world
- To build on external links with the public services and other bodies concerned with health and society
- To innovate design and delivery of healthcare services
- To change corporate approaches to healthy organisations
- To support government reform of health and social care provision
- To identify and facilitate opportunities for academic collaboration and new developments.

The Department's postgraduate taught programmes combine academic excellence with flexible and innovative design and delivery; our postgraduate portfolio is distinguished by the provision of a number of Professional Masters and a Professional Doctorate programme designed to be studied part-time by learners working in a wide range of healthcare roles from all around the world. All our postgraduate courses are taught online and this has proved to be one of our unique selling points, with students able to continue within their practice area or working environment whilst gaining a further qualification.

Facilities, equipment, other resources
Sport and exercise science and medical science laboratories. Close links with the English Institute of Sport and the Department of Sports Development and Recreation.

International and industrial links
There are current links with primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, the two hospitals in Bath and colleagues in industry. The Department works closely with esteemed international academic institutions, and individual health practitioners, in order to meet the regional, national and global challenges facing health and social care.

Careers information
Postgraduate research students gain a wealth of experience to assist them with their next step and are offered personal career advice at the University. The Department has an established research training skills programme for all research students. The taught programmes enable students to extend their health and social care career pathways and to build important networks for further professional opportunities.

Find out more about the department here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/index.html

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This is a distance-learning programme.

- Part-time MSc (3-5 years)

This programme can also form part of the Professional Doctorate in Health.

Overview

Research in Health Practice is a modular postgraduate programme which has been designed to meet the professional needs of a range of health and social care practitioners who are interested in developing their skills as researchers in practice.

This flexible programme enables you to build knowledge and skills in designing and conducting programmes of research. Most appealing is the online aspect, meaning that you can remain within the practice area whilst gaining an all-important Masters level qualification (helping you progress to specialist practitioner or consultant level within the NHS).

The programme provides an innovative and integrated blend of knowledge-based, activity-based and experiential learning, underpinned by self-reflection and peer review. A virtual learning environment will form the focus for organising the learning, providing a platform for discussion and sharing of ideas.

By utilising web-based delivery blended with Summer Schools (typically five days in length), the programme aims to meet the learning needs of busy health and social care practitioners. Learning is supported throughout the programme by a Personal Development Adviser (PDA) who will utilise learning needs analysis and personal development planning techniques to provide motivation.

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/programmes/rese-in-heal-prac/

Programme structure

This is a flexible programme. Our students typically study over three years, however there is opportunity to complete units in up to five years.

Year one:
Introduction to practice-based research
Research design and methods
Evidence into practice
Research in practice: preparation and planning

Year two:
Research in practice: design and development
Professional, organisational and quality issues in practice
Health Policy in an international context
Optional Units

Year three:
Dissertation

View summary table (http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/images/health-practice-programme-structure.jpg) or Programme & Unit Catalogue (http://www.bath.ac.uk/catalogues/2015-2016/hl/hl-proglist-pg.html#E) for further information.

Learning and teaching

Our programmes are modular, consisting of self-contained units, taught and assessed on a semester basis. As you progress through each semester and successfully pass the examinations, you will receive credit for the units, thus providing you with a clear indication of your academic progress.

The majority of the content of the programme is delivered online to allow you to engage in flexible study, alongside your clinical practice. To complement the online resources, there are face-to-face teaching events at various stages of the programme.

Methods of assessment

Assessment consists of a combination of written assignments, literature reviews, research protocols and reflective accounts.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL):
If you have studied, but not completed or received an award, for postgraduate units from another institution, you may be eligible to transfer credit for this prior learning.

Depending on the programme of study, you can gain APL for up to 50% of the total credits required (this credit must have been obtained within the previous five years).

About the department

In keeping with government initiatives surrounding population health and more general public concerns, the Department divides its activities between two main pillars: Healthcare and Population Health – one focuses on the NHS, healthcare and health services research and the other focuses on population health, healthy living, sport & physical activity and tobacco control; each of these groups, in turn, contain both teaching programmes and research activities. Furthermore, there is a bridging spine between both pillars and which houses the Professional Doctorate in Health, Research in Health Practice and the administrative, finance, learning & teaching development, marketing and support activities of the Department.

The Department’s aims are:

- To develop a research portfolio that is both of the highest academic standard and has applications in the real world
- To build on external links with the public services and other bodies concerned with health and society
- To innovate design and delivery of healthcare services
- To change corporate approaches to healthy organisations
- To support government reform of health and social care provision
- To identify and facilitate opportunities for academic collaboration and new developments.

The Department's postgraduate taught programmes combine academic excellence with flexible and innovative design and delivery; our postgraduate portfolio is distinguished by the provision of a number of Professional Masters and a Professional Doctorate programme designed to be studied part-time by learners working in a wide range of healthcare roles from all around the world. All our postgraduate courses are taught online and this has proved to be one of our unique selling points, with students able to continue within their practice area or working environment whilst gaining a further qualification.

The Department is renowned for its exemplary attention to educational design, integrating knowledge with research evidence and resulting in programmes which are highly relevant to contemporary practice; in addition, the Department boasts some of the most innovative and successful approaches to online and part-time education, recognised through a number of awards.

At all levels, learning and teaching in the Department provides a strong focus on high quality education for real world situations and produces graduates with skills and knowledge relevant to professional roles and in high demand from employers.

Facilities, equipment, other resources
Sport and exercise science and medical science laboratories. Close links with the English Institute of Sport and the Department of Sports Development and Recreation.

International and industrial links
There are current links with primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, the two hospitals in Bath and colleagues in industry. The Department works closely with esteemed international academic institutions, and individual health practitioners, in order to meet the regional, national and global challenges facing health and social care.

Careers information
Postgraduate research students gain a wealth of experience to assist them with their next step and are offered personal career advice at the University. The Department has an established research training skills programme for all research students. The taught programmes enable students to extend their health and social care career pathways and to build important networks for further professional opportunities.

Find out more about the department here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/

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This is a distance-learning programme.

Part-time MSc (3.5 years) you can take up to a maximum of two study breaks, with each break being 12 months in length.

Overview

This world-class course is for physiotherapists seeking a specialist qualification in sports physiotherapy, compliant with international standards of practice. You will develop a problem-solving and clinically reasoned approach to sports physiotherapy, athlete management and performance enhancement.

The blended learning environment combines distance learning with face-to-face teaching and clinical skills practice. You will experience an innovative blend of knowledge-based, activity-based and experiential learning.

The face-to-face induction event and residential teaching weeks in the first and second years of the programme will enable you to meet and work together with other students on real-work problems, and engage in debate with practitioners from a variety of contexts.

Programme features:
- Flexible and online, allowing you to study alongside your clinical practice.
- Endorsed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) (http://www.csp.org.uk/).
- Meets international competencies and standards set by the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSP).
- Integrates the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine (ACPSM) CPD pathway.

View a video about this programme (http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/postgraduate/)

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/programmes/spor-phys/

Programme structure

This is a flexible programme. Our students typically study over three and a half years, however there is opportunity to complete units in up to five years.

The following events take place on the University of Bath campus:

Residential (two days) – Year One (September)
Sports Science Residential Week - Year One (January)
Clinical Residential Week - Year Two (June)

The programme is made up of the following compulsory units:

Year one:
Sports Physiotherapy in Practice 1
Sports Environment
Exercise Physiology
Athlete Biomechanics and Sports Analysis

Year two:
Sports Physiotherapy in Practice 2
Performance Physiotherapy (spine, lower limb, upper limb)
Athlete Management

Year three:
Evidence Based Clinical Sports Physiotherapy
Research Project Design
Sports Physiotherapy Research Project

View summary table (http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/images/spy-rogramme-structure.jpg) or Programme & Unit Catalogue (http://www.bath.ac.uk/catalogues/2015-2016/hl/hl-proglist-pg.html#G) for further information.

Learning and teaching

The majority of the content of the programme is delivered online to allow you to engage in flexible study alongside your clinical practice. To complement the online teaching there is a face-to-face induction event at the University and residential teaching weeks. Reflective, practice-based elements are provided through professional experiential learning and online virtual workshops.

Our Sports Physiotherapy teaching team have a wealth of professional experience, which has enabled them to develop a high level of expertise and work with an impressive range of clients. Our tutors have worked in the EIS, NHS and private practice in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA and the UK and at a wide range of events for different sporting disciplines. Examples include the Beijing Olympics, Commonwealth games, Paralympic World Cup and World University Games.

Methods of assessment

Each unit is individually assessed and may involve a mixture of written assignments, case studies, presentations and reflective discussion reports. Sports Physiotherapy in Practice 1 and 2 involve assessment of a portfolio of evidence relating to practice. There is a clinical exam during Phase 2, which takes place during the residential event at the University.

The MSc requires successful completion of an innovative research project and dissertation, including dissemination of findings to a target audience.

- Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL):
If you have studied for postgraduate units from another institution then you may be eligible to transfer credit for this prior learning (this is only the case if you have not already received an award for this prior learning).

Depending on the programme of study, you can gain APL for up to 50% of the total credits required (this credit must have been obtained within the previous five years).

About the department

The School for Health was established within the University of Bath in 2003, to centralise the high profile research and teaching in the health-related disciplines already taking place throughout the university, so creating a single entity through which links with the health sector at national and international level can be channelled, co-ordinated and developed.

In 2010 the School joined the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences and became the Department for Health, providing excellent opportunities for academic teaching and research collaborations with other departments, such as Psychology and Social & Policy Sciences. The Department's postgraduate teaching and research programmes now form part of the Faculty's new Graduate School, also launched in 2010, providing postgraduate students with dedicated support and a strong community in which to base their studies - whether on campus or by distance learning.

In keeping with government initiatives surrounding population health and more general public concerns, the Department divides its activities between two main pillars: Healthcare and Population Health – one focuses on the NHS, healthcare and health services research and the other focuses on population health, healthy living, sport & physical activity and tobacco control; each of these groups, in turn, contain both teaching programmes and research activities. Furthermore, there is a bridging spine between both pillars and which houses the Professional Doctorate in Health, Research in Health Practice and the administrative, finance, learning & teaching development, marketing and support activities of the Department.

The Department’s aims are:

- To develop a research portfolio that is both of the highest academic standard and has applications in the real world
- To build on external links with the public services and other bodies concerned with health and society
- To innovate design and delivery of healthcare services
- To change corporate approaches to healthy organisations
- To support government reform of health and social care provision
- To identify and facilitate opportunities for academic collaboration and new developments.

The Department's postgraduate taught programmes combine academic excellence with flexible and innovative design and delivery; our postgraduate portfolio is distinguished by the provision of a number of Professional Masters and a Professional Doctorate programme designed to be studied part-time by learners working in a wide range of healthcare roles from all around the world. All our postgraduate courses are taught online and this has proved to be one of our unique selling points, with students able to continue within their practice area or working environment whilst gaining a further qualification.

The Department is renowned for its exemplary attention to educational design, integrating knowledge with research evidence and resulting in programmes which are highly relevant to contemporary practice; in addition, the Department boasts some of the most innovative and successful approaches to online and part-time education, recognised through a number of awards.

At all levels, learning and teaching in the Department provides a strong focus on high quality education for real world situations and produces graduates with skills and knowledge relevant to professional roles and in high demand from employers.

Teaching programmes on offer within the Department include:

- Sport & Exercise Medicine, the world renowned flexible masters programme exclusively for doctors
- Sports Physiotherapy, a specialist programme designed by physiotherapists for physiotherapists
- Research in Health Practice, a programme launched in 2008 aimed at health and social care professionals interested in conducting their own research
- The innovative Professional Doctorate in Health which focuses on both Population Health and Healthcare within the Department, providing a doctoral level programme to develop expert practitioners and researchers in practice.

Facilities, equipment, other resources
Sport and exercise science and medical science laboratories. Close links with the English Institute of Sport and the Department of Sports Development and Recreation.

International and industrial links
There are current links with primary care trusts, strategic health authorities, the two hospitals in Bath and colleagues in industry. The Department works closely with esteemed international academic institutions, and individual health practitioners, in order to meet the regional, national and global challenges facing health and social care.

Careers information
Postgraduate research students gain a wealth of experience to assist them with their next step and are offered personal career advice at the University. The Department has an established research training skills programme for all research students. The taught programmes enable students to extend their health and social care career pathways and to build important networks for further professional opportunities.

Find out more about the department here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/health/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/

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Research in the area of strength and conditioning has increased dramatically in the past decade, an increase in focus that has inspired this innovative programme.

Strength & Conditioning has emerged as a distinct and popular area of expertise in sport science, predominantly from within the discipline of physiology although frequently requiring knowledge and understanding of inter-disciplinary applied sport science and coaching, providing the rationale for this programme.

The University of Edinburgh's programme combines both the theoretical and practical elements of strength and conditioning to identify and examine a wide range of academic and practitioner needs. Students gain excellent applied experience and professional development opportunities in parallel with the taught programme, using established links with local and national sports teams and governing bodies.

The major focus of the programme is on performance sport, although other areas such as exercise and rehabilitation are also covered, reflecting the range of exercise and sports contexts that the strength and conditioning practitioner may work in.

Programme structure

Your learning will comprise traditional lectures, tutorials and practical sessions.

Courses:

• Understanding Research Concepts
• Research Process
• Professional Skills in Development Environments
• Conditioning Physiology
• Physio-mechanical Aspects of Resistance Training
• Nutritional Factors & Ergogenic Aids
• Paediatric Factors for Training
• Environmental Factors for Training

To complete the MSc degree, you will also produce an independently researched dissertation.

Career opportunities

The qualification and skills you gain in this programme will complement the applied experience and any professional accreditation for those aspiring to be practitioners at the cutting edge of strength and conditioning. Primary roles exist in the sports performance area, but you may also apply your skills to work in the areas of exercise and fitness, rehabilitation and the wider sports industry.

The masters degree is also a springboard for further research, either within academia or the private sector. The highly transferable skills you gain in areas such as communication and project management can also be applied to roles in any field.

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The MSc Equine Science programme provides you with the opportunity to develop and further explore a range of applied subjects within the field of equestrian science, building on your prior learning and experience within the industry.

The programme contains core modules within a broad range of subjects; each with a strong applied context enabling you to appreciate and evaluate the interaction of science within practice.

Students have opportunities to use different types of technology, for example gait analysis and electromyography equipment, that they can use for data measurement and collection depending on the modules selected or the line of investigation taken in their thesis.

Your choice of modules will help you to increase your knowledge and understanding of how equine science can maximise performance, extend career length or aid in selection of the performance horse, with a core goal of optimising the horse’s welfare.

Both the postgraduate dissertation module and the optional postgraduate independent study module provides you with the opportunity to examine in greater level of critical detail an area of equine science which you have a motivated interest in and which is potentially linked to future career development.

Students are encouraged to attend conferences, present their research and become a member of the wider academic community, including at our own annual Hartpury-Alltech Student Conference.

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The course offers you the opportunity to enhance the skills of critical enquiry and gain an appreciation of the underlying theory, research and policy guiding current rehabilitation practice.

Suitable for all practitioners working in health and social care like nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and speech and language therapists. Previous cohorts have included an interdisciplinary mix of practitioners working in both general and specialist areas of rehabilitation in community, intermediate care, acute, independent sector and local authorities, both in the UK and overseas.

Students can study the full MSc or can opt to study individual modules.

This programme is awarded by St George's, University of London and delivered by the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, a partnership between Kingston University and St George's.

Highlights

-Shared campus with one of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK
-Led by a team of senior academics and advanced practitioners in rehabilitation
-Interprofessional education: Shared learning alongside all other MSc postgraduate courses and both pre and post registration students
-You will undertake and present a research project based on your chosen specialism
-Careers advice embedded into our teaching

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This well-established MSc Sport & Exercise Physiotherapy course aims to develop sports physiotherapy practitioners to work at a specialist level within their field.

The course is suited to individuals working in a wide variety of sectors that involve managing people with sport or exercise related injuries, whether at high performance sport level or in a physiotherapy clinic.

The course has evolved thanks to input from national organisations such as the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine (ACPSM) and international organisations such as the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT).

It is designed to help you develop towards ACPSM Gold standard level, using competencies defined by IFSP, as well as developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours that could help you pursue a career in sport and exercise.

The course aims to develop your evaluative, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to increase your practical and theoretical knowledge of sports science and injury, so that you can apply these skills in the further advancement of your career.

Structure

The programme is modular, with four taught modules and a dissertation. Full-time students undertake the taught modules in one academic year, earning 120 credits, and a postgraduate diploma award. A dissertation module (60 credits) then leads to an MSc (180 credits total). After the taught modules, as a full-time student, you have up to a further six months to complete the dissertation.

Part-time students undertake the taught modules over two academic years and then have a further two years to complete the dissertation.

Core modules:

Science of Performance and Injury in Sport
Assessment and Treatment of Sports Injuries
Sport and Exercise Participation, Inter-Disciplinary Management and Injury Prevention
Research methods and health improvement in health and social care
Empirical Dissertation

Teaching

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, group discussions and practical sessions. All content will be supported by online material through the Virtual Learning Environment, Learning Central to facilitate self-study, which is particularly useful for students living and working away from Cardiff. Self-study contributes to approximately 75% of the notional learning hours.

At the dissertation stage of the MSc, you are also required to undertake a research project involving data collection and some degree of originality.

Assessment

A variety of assessment procedures include written assignments, oral presentations, poster presentations and small projects.

Career prospects

The course is designed to help you develop towards Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports & Exercise (ACPSM) Gold standard level, using competencies defined by International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSP), as well as developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours that could help you pursue a career in sport and exercise.

The team have put an MSc programme together that created an environment to give a more in-depth insight into preparing me to fulfil my ambition to work in professional sport. The programme allowed supported learning supplemented by expert guest lecturers who shared their experience and knowledge. This was balanced with teaching me how to highlight personal areas of strengths and weakness in order to direct my own learning, a skill that has been invaluable in ensuring I continually learn and develop in the highly competitive environment of Professional sport.

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Apply scientific principles underpinning sport to the context of performance enhancement in the growing field of sport science.

This course will give you expert knowledge in a specialist area of the science of sport performance. It will develop applied techniques which will help you pursue a career in sport science support, academic research, teaching or other science based professions.

The applied focus of this course is supported by contemporary, well-equipped and supported laboratory facilities.

The course content is aligned to the requirements of supervised experience (SE) with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).

See the website http://www.napier.ac.uk/en/Courses/MSc-Sport-Performance-Enhancement-Postgraduate-FullTime

What you'll learn

Traditionally sport science has been based on three foundational scientific disciplines - physiology, biomechanics and psychology. You’ll either study two disciplines in breadth or a single discipline in depth with a negotiated independent study.

This course provides a contemporary, interdisciplinary and applied approach to the science of sport performance enhancement. You'll have the opportunity to advance your knowledge and understanding of scientific principles in this context. You'll learn how to apply theoretical concepts and to develop practical professional skills for situations that sports scientists encounter on a daily basis.

You’ll also study research methods and data analysis and will work on an interdisciplinary team providing support services for an athlete client, which will expose you to a range of practical and ethical issues associated with support work.

You’ll be able employ advanced investigative, analytical and practical techniques in your field and increase your employability in an academic or applied setting.

You’ll also develop as a reflective practitioner, taking responsibility for your own learning and on-going professional development.

You'll learn by a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions and through independent study. There may also be some opportunities to study abroad.

Modules

PgCert
• scientific methods
• biomechanics and performance enhancement
• psychological interventions for sport performance enhancement
• applied physiology and sport performance
• independent study module

PgDip
• sport science support of performance athletes
• contemporary issues in sport performance
• Independent study module

MSc
• independent research project

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Careers

Sport science support is a growing field. Many professional sporting bodies now employ sport scientists in a performance support role and this course is ideal if you have an interest in this area.

The alignment of course content to the requirements of supervised experience (SE) with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) will help you achieve accreditation if SE is continued after graduation.

The emphasis on research skills also equips you to continue on to possible PhD study and a research or teaching career.

How to apply

http://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/postgraduate/how-to-apply

SAAS Funding

Nothing should get in the way of furthering your education. Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) awards funding for postgraduate courses, and could provide the help you need to continue your studies. Find out more: http://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/postgraduate/fees-and-funding/saas-funded-courses

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