Applied Sport Psychology

If you're a sport science or psychology graduate or an individual seeking a career change within sport and performance systems, our accredited MSc Applied Sport 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.

• This is the first course in the country to offer dual Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) and British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditations.
• Learn from our team of HCPC registered sport and exercise psychologists and BPS chartered psychologists who are experienced in research and applied practice in sport and performance domains.
• 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 Portsmouth Football Club.
• Enjoy access to our outstanding new Ravelin Sports Centre, designed to be one of the UK’s most sustainable sports facilities

Accreditations and endorsements

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and endorsed by the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES)

Career development

Careers this Master's prepares you for

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
• Sport and Exercise 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
• Changing Minds
• Manchester City Football Club
• Portsmouth Football Club
• Crystal Palace 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.

Career planning

During your course you'll have expert career support from your tutors and our Careers and Employability Centre – which you can access for up to 5 years after you graduate.

Career support

You'll benefit from:

• Networking events
• Applied projects with employers
• 1-to-1 appointments
• CV and cover letter advice
• Interview preparation and practice
• Workshops to enhance your employability skills
• Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair
• Support starting your own business