Program Overview

MSc Strength and Conditioning Coaching

Course summary

Becoming a highly employable strength and conditioning coach – developing your knowledge, skills and interpersonal attributes, alongside a holistic understanding of optimising athletic performance.

How you learn

• Lectures, seminars and workshops
• Our virtual learning environment
• Work-based learning experiences, such as placements and field trips
• Practical activities in both simulated and in-situ environments
• Research and industry-relevant projects

Course topics

• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics
• Sports nutrition
• Practical coaching skills
• Programme design and implementation
• Athlete assessment and evaluation

Course support

• Access to our student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development.
• Access to our Skills Centre for support with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments and assessment preparation.
• Support and guidance from your course and module leaders, and you’ll have a named academic adviser and employability advisers.

Applied learning

• Live projects
• Field trips
• Networking opportunities

Modules

Year 1

• Advanced Testing And Monitoring In Strength And Conditioning
• Planning And Programming For Strength And Conditioning

Final year

• Applied Project In Sport And Physical Activity
• Coaching Of Strength And Conditioning
• Research Methods In Sport And Physical Activity

Future careers

• Applied strength and conditioning
• Applied sports science
• Health and wellbeing
• Research
• Academia

Equipment and facilities

• Sport-specific training facilities at the UK Sports Institute and the Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park
• Physiology and biomechanics laboratories, equipped with equipment to capture and analyse movement and physical activity data
• A bespoke strength and conditioning teaching laboratory
• Physical activity suites
• A performance analysis suite, equipped with a range of equipment to analyse sport performance such as video analysis software and motion capture systems
• An environmental chamber
• Sport psychology consultation rooms

Where will I study?

• Collegiate Campus

Entry requirements

• A good honours degree, at 2:2 or above, in strength and conditioning, sport science, exercise science, or:
• A good honours degree in a relevant science discipline, or:
• An alternative qualification with a suitable concentration of relevant science (at the discretion of the course leader)
• Non-standard applications will also be considered on a case-by-case basis; the course leader will arrange an informal interview with applicants where this is appropriate.
• Applicants with formal experience of working in applied sport settings and an undergraduate degree will also be considered at the discretion of the course leader.
• For international applicants, the following is also required:
  • IELTS of level 6 or above, including a minimum of 5.5 in all areas (or equivalent).

Fees and funding

• Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2026/27 is £10,940 for the course.
• Up to £12,858 is available in 2025/26 for home students on most masters courses.