Overview
Our contemporary sport psychology course is designed to meet the current needs of this growing industry and prepare you for a range of rewarding jobs in the discipline.
You will develop a critical understanding of contemporary sport psychology theory and research that you can draw on to facilitate better performances by individuals and teams. Specifically, the course content provides you with an opportunity to analyse psychological theory and practice from a critical perspective, develop your research and enquiry skills, explore a key research question of personal interest, and apply sport psychology with relevant client populations. You will graduate with a broad knowledge of the field, as well as clear insights into the areas that interest you most.
Our expert teaching staff includes those who are British Psychological Society Chartered Psychologists, Health and Care Professions Council registered Sport and Exercise Psychologists, and British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Accredited. Their knowledge and research has been incorporated into this Masters, so you can be confident you’ll leave Stirling with the best possible preparation for a career in sport psychology.
Top reasons to study with us
Course objectives
On successful completion of the course you will be able to:
1. Analyse and critically evaluate contemporary theory, research and practice in sport psychology.
2. Demonstrate advanced expertise in applied sport psychology, and the ability to apply this knowledge innovatively to enhance athlete and team performance.
3. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of sport psychology research, including an ability to formulate and conduct an impactful independent research project that contributes to the field's advancement and adhere to rigorous academic standards.
4. Apply critical thinking and reasoning skills as a sport psychology professional.
5. Analyse ethical issues related to sport and reflect on how these will impact your conduct as a sport psychology professional.
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). It meets the requirements of BPS Stage 1 training and enables progression onto the BPS Stage 2 on route to becoming a sport and exercise psychologist.
Work placements
Students will be given an opportunity to apply their knowledge and understanding to a specific client group within a sport setting in the module ‘Placement in Sport Psychology.’ Students will have an opportunity to help coaches, athletes and teams to achieve their specific goals.
Flexible learning
If you’re interested in studying a module from this course, the Postgraduate Certificate or the Postgraduate Diploma then please email Graduate Admissions to discuss your course of study.
Faculty facilities
The University of Stirling is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence and we have recently invested £20 million in our outstanding sports facilities. We’re consistently ranked among the best universities in the UK for our sports facilities, making Stirling the perfect destination to study sport or the science behind it.
Research overview
The University of Stirling is ranked 1st in Scotland for outputs in Sports and Exercise Sciences (REF 2021), with 80% of our research classed as world-leading or internationally excellent.
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
A minimum of a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate/relevant work/life experience are encouraged to apply.
International entry requirements
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each skill
- Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
- Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 54 overall with a minimum of 51 in each sub-skill
- IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
- Trinity ISE II Pass overall with a Pass in each sub-skill, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
Last updated: 4 August 2022
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
Pre-sessional English language courses
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses.
Course details
Earn an accredited Masters in psychology of sport from Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide Sports University of the Year 2020.
The course comprises five modules, including a dissertation project. You’ll need to complete them all to earn your Masters degree, although you can also graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate by completing limited elements of the course.
Modules
Course Details
Teaching
You’ll be taught through lectures, seminars, group work, presentations, tutorials, guided independent study, professional practice experiences and the University’s virtual learning environment. Individual tutorials are also available for providing feedback and for supervision of your research project and placement.
Assessment
Assessment involves a mixture of coursework and presentations, and will vary according to the context of each module.
Classroom hours
For the full-time course, in the first and second semesters there will be taught face-to-face classes most days. There will also be individual and group tutorials to support your learning. In the third semester there will be individual tutorials with staff to support you with your research project.
Course director
Key staff
Dr Robert Morris
Robert Morris is currently Deputy Head of Sport, MSc Psychology of Sport Course Director, and an Associate Professor in Sport Psychology at the University of Stirling. Robert is a BASES Accredited, BPS Chartered, and HCPC Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Associate Fellow of the BPS. He is also currently Chair of the Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route Advisory Group, with responsibility for overseeing the success of one of the accreditation pathways for Sport and Exercise Psychologists in the United Kingdom.
Robert teaches on the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in sport psychology at the University of Stirling. Robert is also an applied practitioner in sport psychology, providing support to a range of team, national, international, and Olympic athletes in sports including football, rugby union, canoe, swimming, and golf. In addition, Robert has a number of research and scholarship interests which span across talent development and transitions in sport topic areas, including the support programmes in place to support elite student-athletes during their move to university, dual careers in sport, the youth to senior and retirement from sport transitions, the coach-athlete-parent triad in sport, and mental health in sport.
The course is also serviced by Dr John Mathers, Dr Will McConn-Palfreyman, Dr Michael McDougall, and Dr Chris Hartley, and includes contributions from other guest staff who bring a breadth of experience to the MSc.
Fees and funding
Fees and costs
| 2024/25 | 2025/26 | |
|---|---|---|
| Students from the UK and Republic of Ireland | £10,900 | £10,900 |
| International (including EU) students | £22,900 | £22,900 |
University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship.
Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our Postgraduate Merit Scholarship.
Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Eligible students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000. See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students.
Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.
If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.
If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.
For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
This course is eligible for a postgraduate tuition fee loan from one of the UK’s governments. See the Scholarships and funding section, below, for more details.
Additional costs
There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.
Scholarships and funding
Funding
Eligible international students could receive a scholarship worth between £4,000-£7,000. See our range of generous scholarships for international postgraduate students.
University of Stirling alumni will automatically be awarded a fee waiver for the first year of Masters studies through our Stirling Alumni Scholarship.
Applicants from the UK or Republic of Ireland who hold a first-class honours degree or equivalent will automatically be awarded a £2,000 scholarship through our Postgraduate Merit Scholarship.
If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances.
Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships.
Postgraduate tuition fee loans
Scottish students may be eligible to apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for loans of up to £11,500 to cover tuition fees and associated living costs.
English students can apply for a loan of up to £12,167 each year as part of the Postgraduate Masters Loan Scheme.
Welsh students can apply for financial support of up to £18,770 as a combination of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales.
Northern Irish students can apply for a postgraduate tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 from Student Finance NI.
International students may be able to gain additional funding from loan providers.
Cost of living
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
Payment options
We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay
After you graduate
his course gives you a strong foundation for a career in psychology. It focuses on the field of sports psychology, but we expect graduates to choose a broad range of careers. You may go on to various sport and health roles, or to positions in the science industry, the civil service or government. Some of our students also go onto study for a PhD.
The course also enables progression onto Professional Doctorate, British Psychological Society Stage 2, and the Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route training to becoming a Health and Care Professions Council registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist.
Testimonial quotes
I feel a lot more competent now when I talk about sports psychology. I feel a lot more competent in my writing, and I feel a lot more competent in approaching people and networking.
Simon Taylor
MSc Psychology of Sport
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