Sport Sciences MSc (Human Performance or Sport Psychology)
ObjectivesThese courses offer students the choice of taking a broad-based MSc that combines a range of self-selected modules or to select a specialised route in one of three pathways:
* Human Performance;
* Sport Psychology.
Entry requirementsEntry Requirements
Normally at least a good honours degree in a relevant subject or subjects. This includes graduates who have completed a joint course with Sport Sciences; Sports Studies; or Physical Education as one of their subjects as well as single honours Sports Sciences graduates. Consideration will also be given to graduates with an appropriate academic background which does not include Sport Sciences eg Biology; Psychology; Sociology; or Philosophy. The suitability of such applicants will be considered at interview.
Financial Support: There are a number of scholarships for which postgraduate students can apply. These may help towards costs. Details available on application.
Academic titleSport Sciences MSc
Course descriptionCourse Summary
These courses offer students the choice of taking a broad-based MSc that combines a range of self-selected modules or to select a specialised route in one of two pathways: Human Performance; or Sport Psychology.
We have a long-standing reputation for excellence in teaching and an impressive record of research and publication which consistently attracts high-calibre students, including high level sportsmen and women who successfully combine study with training and competition. Our students have varied backgrounds and interests - some are keen to gain knowledge about sports performance, others are keen to explore the links between sport and, for example, community, education, health, and politics.
Course Details
All students take the same foundation of core modules. You then take further specialised modules according to the route you select.
Sport Sciences
This course enables students to take a combination of modules from different Sports Sciences disciplines and does not necessitate specialisation in any one discipline.
Core Modules
* Research Methods and Data Analysis
* Sport Organisation, Politics and the Law
* Dissertation/Research Project
Elective Modules
You may select modules from all those offered under the specialist titles listed below or from the MSc Sport Coaching.
Sport Sciences (Human Performance)
This course is aimed at students who wish to extend their knowledge and understanding of physiology in a sports context. You will be given the opportunity to develop skills that assist your professional development and be prepared to embark upon BASES accreditation in either physiology or biomechancics.
Modules (all core)
* Research Methods and Data Analysis
* Sport Organisation, Politics and the Law
* Applied Physiology
* Laboratory Techniques in Physiology and Biomechanics
* Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise
* Dissertation/Research Project
Sport Sciences (Sport Psychology)
This course enables students to focus on developing their understanding and academic knowledge of psychology within a sport context. It is aimed at students who might want to pursue a career as a sport psychologist/performance consultantand provides a platform for BASES accreditation.
Modules (all core)
* Research Methods and Data Analysis
* Sport Organisation, Politics and the Law
* Advanced Research and Application in the Psychology of Sports Performance
(2 modules)
* Professional Development
* Psychological Skills for Coaches and Practitioners
* Dissertation/Research Project
Research Methods and Data Analysis
Main topics of study: research writing skills; effective literature searching; designing research: systematic observations; ethnography; interview design; experimental design; questionnaire design; data analysis: qualitative data; quantitative data.
Sport Organisation, Politics and the Law
Main topics of study: an overview of the organisation of sport in the UK, which will include; voluntary organisations, the public/private sectors, amateur/professional sport; an examination of the role of international organisations in relation to sports politics; the legal system and its role in constraining the excesses to which sporting practice is prone.
Dissertation/Research Project
Students select an appropriate topic of study that is approved by their supervisor. These topics normally span the research interests of Department staff.
Advanced Research in the Psychology of Sport and Exercise: A Group Dynamics Perspective
Main topics of study: introduction/group dynamics models; motivation measures seminar;group motivation: a team goals perspective; leadership theory and measures; group cohesion theory and measures; cohesion-performance relationship; home advantage phenomenon.
Biomechanics of Sport and Exercise
Main topics of study: fundamental patterns of human movement; applications of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics to athlete performance and the design of sports equipment; collisions in sport, including interactions between balls, clubs, and bats, and in combat sports; principles behind equipment for analysing sports techniques and providing quantitative feedback to coaches and athletes; design features of sports safety equipment, including effects on injury prevention.
Professional Development
This module enables students to pursue an area of professional development to assist them in acquiring or improving a relevant professional skill or an area of professional knowledge or behaviour. It gives them the opportunity to negotiate, manage and present their personal learning outcomes. The topic of study will be selected by each student.
Psychological Skills for Coaches and Practitioners
Main topics of study: performance profile; imagery; control techniques; attentional control; team Building; motivational management; successful cmpetition; evaluation methods; applied research.
Laboratory Techniques in Physiology and Biomechanics
Main topics of study: assessment of aerobic power; assessment of blood lactate transition; assessment of anaerobic performance; assessment of respiratory function; assessment of cardiovascular function; the use of force plates, electromyography; motion analysis and isokinetic dynamometry.
Special Features
School of Sport and Education
The School enjoys a prominent position within the University, building upon traditions that stem from Borough Road College - the oldest teacher-training college in the British Commonwealth. We have a long-standing reputation for excellence in teaching and an impressive record of research and publication which consistently attracts high-calibre students, including high level sportsmen and sportswomen who successfully combine study with training and competition. Our students have varied backgrounds and interests - some are keen to gain knowledge about sports performance, others are keen to explore the links between sport and, for example, community, education, health, and politics. Sport is a hugely popular form of culture around the world and the academic study of sport has grown in popularity to meet the demands of the global sports industry. In parallel with these developments, sport sciences courses at Brunel are up-to-date, dynamic, and forward-looking. If you are interested in studying sport or forging a sport-related career, we welcome your application to study for a postgraduate degree in sport sciences at Brunel.
Assessment
Your academic performance will be assessed in a variety of ways. Assessment procedures include individual and group projects, essays, case studies, oral presentations, laboratory report writing and computer-based tests. Formal written examinations constitute part of the assessment in some modules. To complete an MSc, you must submit, and pass,a dissertation of approximately 15,000 -18,000 words, or equivalent.