Program Overview

Professional Doctorate in Sport (DSport)

Overview

The Professional Doctorate in Sport (DSport) is a part-time multidisciplinary programme leading to a doctoral award. It is aimed at individuals working in sport who are seeking to advance their skillset and knowledge within their related discipline. The DSport integrates part-time doctoral level study with continuing professional practice, which is ideal if you want to study at doctoral level while continuing your professional commitments.

What's covered in this course?

• Benefit from being part of a wider doctoral and researcher community in our Faculty, with a strong focus on practice-relevant research and knowledge implementation.
• Carry out significant independent research whilst remaining in your practice area.
• Expand your critical understanding of policy and practice in a multi-professional learning community.
• Advance your appreciation of research techniques and methodologies with a focus on relevance for investigating your own area of practice.
• Generate new knowledge, or make novel applications of knowledge for your specialist field of study, that can have a positive impact on your professional practice and workplace.
• Develop confidence in presenting and defending your research within your area of practice.

Why Choose Us?

• Expert knowledge – As well as a main supervisor (or Director of Studies) with expert knowledge of your sport discipline, you will have a second supervisor to read and comment on your work.
• Research culture – We have a strong research culture and provide a range of development opportunities to aspiring students.
• Go abroad – Our HELS Go Abroad scheme can help fund international research opportunities so you can gain experience and build your knowledge.
• World-class facilities – The Alexander Stadium was a key part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which is now home to our sports courses following a £5m investment to further develop the facilities.

What is a DSport?

An DSport is a research Degree which is part-time and designed for professionals already working in the field of Sport. The DSport has a structure which allows module study in the first two years which supports the transition to the Thesis stage. The focus for the DSport is on close to practice research in Sport and the modules develop the required Doctoral skills and research knowledge to address a particular area of research interest. Whilst on the DSport students are also supported with their research by a team of tutors and supervisors.

Research Interests

You will be part of the wider research community in the Faculty, led by our research Centre for Life and Sport Sciences (C-LaSS). We recommend you join at least one of the centre’s research clusters, which provide a forum for discussing, progressing, and presenting research through meetings and events. The University hosts an annual research conference that incorporates the work of our doctoral researchers, at which you will be encouraged to present your work. These ongoing activities support your learning and development as a researcher and provide you with a scholarly network, as well as providing a continued sense of belonging to a community, which is particularly important for independent doctoral researchers. You will also be supported to identify and participate in external research and professional networks in your discipline area, such as presenting at conferences and submitting your work to peer-reviewed journals.

Fees & How to Apply

UK students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.
• Award: DSport
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 3-5 years
• Fees: £2,503 in 2025/26

International students

• Sorry, this course is not available to International students.

Entry Requirements

• Undergraduate degree plus postgraduate qualification
• Work Experience – a minimum of 3 years’ experience working within sport
• Exceptional applicants without a Master’s degree who hold a first class Bachelors degree in a sport-related discipline may be considered. This is dependent upon the academic coherence and promise of their research proposal, and its consonance with the academic expertise of the Faculty

How to Apply

• Complete the online application, which includes a Personal Statement template detailing your area of practice and research interests in two pages using the form below
• Current area of practice – describe your professional role in sport and, if relevant, how it has developed over time
• Research interests – outline the aspect(s) of your role you are interested in investigating. Consider the experience or involvement in research activities you have had to date

Postgraduate funding

Graduate Scholarship

• If you are a BCU graduate enrolling onto a PhD programme for the first time, you could receive a 20% fee reduction via our Graduate Scholarship.

Doctoral loans

• Government-backed loans of up to £29,390 are available to UK, Irish and eligible EU nationals studying postgraduate doctoral courses in any subject area.

PhD studentships

• PhD studentships are PhD funding opportunities supported by the University and/or organisations, where your research will be actively used in overcoming real-world problems. These vary from year to year.

Course in Depth

Module Stage

• Studying for a DSport will mean undertaking a programme that leads to research, which makes a contribution to knowledge. The course normally takes between three and five years through part-time study.
• Course Structure
  • Supervision and guidance from the supervisory team to help the student refine the initial research proposal, research training, completion of the Post-graduate Certificate in Research Practice, participation in research seminars, journal review groups and in-house conference events, pilot studies and completion of research governance procedures.

Postgraduate Certificate Research Practice

• The Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice is specifically designed to meet the needs of doctoral research students at Birmingham City University and to support the diverse mix of research interests and approaches both across the University and in individual Faculties.

Critical Perspectives in Sport 1: Using a Knowledge Mobilization Approach

• Knowledge mobilization involves using high-quality knowledge during decision-making processes. The aim of knowledge mobilization is to encourage researchers and key stakeholders (e.g., practitioners and policymakers) to work collaboratively to support research-informed policies and practices.

Critical Perspectives in Sport 2: Adopting Evidence-Informed Approaches

• As part of this module, you will explore the different disciplinary approaches in sport (e.g., mono-, multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary) and how they are relevant to your sport and related discipline.

Pilot Inquiry (Sport)

• The module will enable you to practise skills of advanced academic inquiry that were explored in previous modules, applying techniques of research design, planning, conduct, data generation/collection, analysis and reporting in a focused real-world inquiry of relevance to your professional practice.

Thesis Stage

• Course Structure
  • Supervision and guidance in completing the thesis of 50,000 words, clarifying the contribution to knowledge, preparation for examination, further research training presentation of aspects of the research at research seminar and conference events, development of potential papers for publication, participation in teaching activities as appropriate.

Employability

• The Professional Doctorate in Sport (DSport) is recognised worldwide and is often an essential requirement for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in industry or commerce. Our DSport will help you create opportunities to develop research skills that support professional practice, research, and/or academic careers.

Facilities & Staff

• Teaching for our Sports courses is split between our £71 million campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and the world-class Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham. Our cutting-edge facilities for sports students include a state-of-the-art sport and exercise lab, sports therapy suite, biomechanics lab and physiology labs.

Our staff

• Dr Adam L. Kelly
  • Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise and Course Leader for Professional Doctorate in Sport (DSport)
• Professor Kiara Lewis
  • Professor of Sport and Exercise Sciences
• Dr Lewis Gough
  • Associate Professor in Nutrition and Physiology
• Dr Cain Clark
  • Associate Professor (Life Sciences) and MRes Course Leader
• Dr Peter Thain
  • Associate Professor and Course Leader for BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy