Program Overview

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Our MSc Strength and Conditioning course will provide you with the practical set of skills and theoretical knowledge needed to excel as a coach to physically develop athletes of all levels. With research-informed teaching and an applied focus, this course is ideal for you if your ambition is to work in sport or to further develop the practice of individuals already in applied environments. Through a combination of face-to-face teaching and distance online learning, this course adopts a blended learning approach. You gain practical hands-on experience in our specialist strength and conditioning facilities, as well as learning the theoretical approaches through online lectures. Our seminar-based teaching gives you a virtual platform to participate in small group discussions and share expertise and knowledge. By studying this course, you will learn to:

• design and deliver training programmes that improve sports performance
• understand the physiological adaptations associated with exercise and how they can be targeted through programme design
• monitor athlete progress within the training process
• analyse movement demands for a sport and use this information to support athlete development
• coach a variety of exercises whilst facilitating athlete learning
• interpret research so to inform your own practice as a Strength and Conditioning Coach

This course is also available to study on a part-time basis.

Sport scholarships

Our Performance Sport Scholarship programme has been created for talented athletes playing at regional, national or international level, and offers a range of benefits. We want students competing in our focus sports (basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and rugby 7s), as well as other team sports and individual athletes, to contribute to our performance sport programme. Our scholarships can include fee discounts of up to 100%, offered to athletes who demonstrate sporting excellence. Athletes who are awarded the scholarship will receive a host of other benefits, including free kit, access to state-of-the-art facilities, performance coaching, the option to live in our Athlete Village (accommodation fees may vary) and a support package valued up to £1,500. These benefits are designed to help athletes focus on their training, and development, and to enable them to reach their full potential alongside their studies. Why we're great.

• Gain the practical skill set and theoretical knowledge to excel as a Strength and Conditioning Coach in elite sport.
• Study online on a blended learning course – tailor your studies to your own timetable anywhere in the world.
• We are 23rd in the UK for research power in sport and exercise sciences Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021).

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Our expert staff

This course offers research-led study and high-quality teaching from lecturers with experience working as strength and conditioning coaches in elite sport. We are 23rd in the UK for research power in sport and exercise sciences (Times Higher Education research power measure. Research Excellence Framework 2021). As part of our vibrant sports science community, you will learn from and work alongside internationally recognised academic researchers with industry links to professional organisations such as The Royal Ballet School, England and Wales Cricket Board, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, and Leicester City Football Club. Key academic staff for this course includes:

• Dr Louis Howe - a UKSCA-accredited strength and conditioning coach with over a decade of experience working with international athletes from a variety of sports. Louis’ research focuses on resistance training and its impact on health and performance.
• Dr Jamie Tallent - a UKSCA-accredited strength and conditioning coach. He has experience of working with international-level athletes and has research collaborations with numerous world-leading organisations.
• Dr Jason Moran - a UKSCA-accredited strength and conditioning coach with a research focus on youth athletic development and plyometric jump training for performance enhancement. In addition to over 15 years of experience in training athletes across a number of different sports, Jason has authored and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles on a variety of different topics.

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Specialist facilities

Our specialist facilities include our Sport Arena, strength and conditioning facility, specialist sport and physiology laboratories, dedicated physiotherapy and sports therapy laboratories, and on-campus sports therapy clinic. You will also:

• have access to a wide range of specialist strength and conditioning equipment for training and testing purposes within our state-of-the-art Human Performance Laboratory
• have opportunities to gain valuable experience working with elite athletes in our Human Performance Unit
• be able to use our dedicated research facilities, from an isokinetic dynamometer to 12-camera 3D motion analysis system, to gas and blood analysis systems
• have the chance to conduct your final-year research alongside academics and PhD students in dedicated research facilities

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Your future

Upon graduation, you’ll be well equipped for a career as a Strength and Conditioning Coach and to be able to work with athletes at any level. Typical career destinations include professional sport, youth sport academies, sports coaching, the health and fitness industry, teaching and academic research. We have great industry links and work closely with the University’s Careers Services to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.