Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
Study Details: MSc Full-time: 1 Year; Part-time: 2 years
The MSc Sports Sciences programme has been designed to enable students to develop a range of discipline-specific abilities and apply them to selected areas of special interest for more advanced study of the physiological, nutritional, performance analysis, biomechanical or psychological factors that might influence sports performance.
As well as increasing theoretical and empirical knowledge within the area, the programme comprises of a range of core modules designed to provide opportunities for students to enhance their abilities in a range of transferable skills and to develop in students the basic competencies that will aid their personal development should they wish to pursue BASES accreditation in the future.
For full-time students, the MSc programme is
Full-time students lectures are held on a Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon. For those wishing to undertake the MSc part-time then they will attend all Thursday afternoon lectures in year one and all Wednesday morning lectures in year two. However, alternative timetables may be discussed with the Programme Leader should this be necessary.
The Department has a long tradition in delivering undergraduate physical education and sports science degrees and a recent, strong profile in the postgraduate sector. We are immensely proud of this tradition as well as the quality of our teaching and our growing research pedigree in sport and exercise sciences. Our standing in Guardian league tables for Sports Science reflects, among other things, the very high score achieved in the last Teaching Quality Assessment exercise and the developing national and international profile of staff research.
These critical elements of teaching excellence and research combined with the applied practical experience of many of the staff who have worked with national and international athletes and teams means that during all lectures you will not only be challenged intellectually but will also gain experience and knowledge of how research informs and is informed by practice.
The addition of an experiential learning placement within the course and an opportunity to work within the Sports Science Support Unit means that this course also provides invaluable practical experience that provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge within an applied sporting environment, as well as develop key interpersonal skills working alongside applied practitioners.
The design of the programme ensures that theory and research are linked to the necessary skills of the sports science practitioner and researcher. The practical skills associated with each module have been mapped to the BASES guidelines for research and sports science accreditation to indicate where you can gain experience and begin to develop a practitioner competency base, which can be used if you wish to start supervised experience either during or after completion of this Masters programme.
The modular structure of the course, combined with the option of studying a named pathway route in your specialised area of sports science, makes this an attractive course to both recent graduates looking to develop their knowledge and also professionals within the sporting field who wish to undertake further professional development.
Applications are expected from sport and exercise sciences, physiology, coaching, biomechanics or similar graduates with a first degree (minimum of 2:1 honours or equivalent). Original certificates and a transcript of marks should be presented with the application.
https://www1.chester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-finance/current-postgraduate-fees
Graduates from such programmes are highly sought after in the following areas of employment:
• continued study at PhD level;
• research/lecturing in further and higher education;
• sports science support work with, for example, professional teams
• National Governing Bodies, the EIS
• management of sporting/leisure facilities
In the private sector:
• sport and education
• administrative/management roles in Sports Councils/governing bodies of sport
Students following a named pathway route will undertake the three core modules listed below and all the modules in their pathway route. All students
This module helps develop a comprehensive understanding of research methods applicable to post-graduate study within the field of sports science. It is designed to facilitate your ability to evaluate research methods and critique current research within the sub-disciplines of sports science. These core skills have been identified as key skills of the sports scientist (BASES Research and Accreditation Guidelines). Through the
This module introduces you to the key competencies and skills of the sports science practitioner, including the ethical guidelines associated with sports science support and working with athletes from differing populations. You will also explore and develop an understanding and appreciation of generic practitioner skills and the work of professionals in other areas (BASES Accreditation Guidelines requirement). To develop this broad
This is a unique module that allows you to begin to develop an understanding of the role of the sports scientist whilst gaining field-based experience in your chosen sports science
The module builds upon the
The module will deepen and enhance your knowledge of key concepts and contemporary issues in sports biomechanics, notably those concepts known to impact upon assessing performance and the performer. Key concepts will be explored in relation to the biomechanics of movement and sports performance through the critical examination of published research, case studies and student lead seminars. Areas under review will include the biomechanical characteristics of elite performance, the assessment of equipment technology and recent developments in
The module aims to develop your understanding of how to assess sporting movements, to improve performance and reduce injury; you will have the opportunity to develop your conceptual understanding of sports biomechanics and to further develop experimental and analysis skills within an applied setting. You will gain hands-on experience using EMG,
This module builds upon the theory and applied experience studied in previous modules by exploring fundamental assessment and evaluation issues in sports biomechanics. Using a variety of biomechanical measurement techniques, you will develop an understanding of how biomechanical testing can be utilised effectively and how data from these measures can be interpreted to optimise athletic performance, reduce injury or gain an understanding of the biomechanical properties of different types of sporting equipment. Emphasis will be placed on the key concepts of validity and reliability of fundamental laboratory measures and a strong practical approach to developing these skills will be adopted. The applied nature of this module will allow you to gain both
This module will deepen and extend students’ knowledge of key concepts and contemporary issues in sports nutrition, notably those concepts known to impact upon performance and the performer. Key concepts will be explored in relation to the physiological demands and nutritional requirements of sports performance through the critical examination of published research, case studies and student led seminars.
This module will deepen and extend students’ knowledge of key physiological and nutritional principles which underpin performance in sport. Once these principles have been understood, then the methods by which performance can be improved through nutritional supplementation will be explored through the critical examination of published research.
Students must demonstrate understanding of standard laboratory and field techniques in order to evaluate nutritional status and athletic performance. Likewise, those students wishing to be included on the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register need to demonstrate competency in a range of practical skills. This module will focus on the key concepts of validity and reliability of fundamental laboratory measures, adopting a strong practical approach to develop these skills. The module will also build upon the theoretical constructs studied in ‘contemporary issues in sports nutrition’ exploring how the practitioner works in the field with athletes. Through the analysis and practical application of laboratory methods and techniques, students will develop an understanding of how assessment of nutritional status and physiological testing can be utilised effectively and how data from these measures can be interpreted to optimise athletic performance.
The module will develop knowledge of key concepts and contemporary issues in performance analysis, notably those concepts known to impact upon assessing performance and the performer. Key concepts will be explored in relation to the analysis of individual and team sports performance through the critical examination of published research, case studies and student lead seminars. Areas under review will include recent theoretical developments in performance analysis, dynamic systems, the influence of technology and the role of performance analysis in elite sport.
Through undertaking this module you will develop a detailed understanding of the key theoretical and practical aspects associated with the varied role of the performance analyst. This will include a review of: the planning/modelling process, technical and tactical evaluation, time motion analysis, storing data, the coaching process and different methods of feedback. Working with a variety of data capture and analysis methods including Dartfish, Sports Code Gamebreaker, Quintic and Pro Zone, you will develop your knowledge and understanding of how to assess team play and individual sporting movements, to improve, profile, and track performance both in real time and post event.
The module will enhance your understanding of theoretical issues and analysis planning gained within the previous performance analysis modules. Focusing upon field-based methods of time-motion analysis (TMA), you will develop an understanding of ways in which to evaluate contemporary measurement issues and report upon your findings. The applied nature of this module will allow you to gain knowledge of TMA data collection, organization and interpretation using both Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and manual registration systems. You will be expected to demonstrate the ability to disseminate information relevant to your findings to the broader academic community in both an oral and written format. The skills acquired within this module will also be useful if you wish to pursue ISPAS accreditation.
Undertaking this module will deepen and extend your knowledge of key concepts and contemporary issues in sports physiology, notably those concepts known to impact upon athletic performance. Key concepts will be explored in relation to the physiology of sports performance through the critical examination of published research, case studies, student led seminars and laboratory-based investigations. Areas focused on will include the physiological characteristics of elite performers, the aetiology of fatigue during exercise and issues related to different athletic sub-populations.
The aim of this module is to deepen and extend your knowledge of key physiological and nutritional principles that underpin performance in sport. Through the module you will gain an understanding of recent developments in the area of training and nutrition and an ability to explore and evaluate the relationship between diet and performance. This module will also look at the theoretical principles of recovery and the effects of overtraining on health and performance.
This module builds upon the theoretical constructs studied in Contemporary Issues by exploring fundamental measurement and evaluation issues in sports physiology. Using a variety of laboratory and field-based methods and techniques, you will develop an understanding of how physiological testing can be utilised effectively and how data from these measures can be interpreted to optimise athletic performance. Emphasis will be placed on the key concepts of validity and reliability of fundamental laboratory measures and a strong practical approach to developing these skills will be adopted. The applied nature of this module will allow you to gain both knowledge and also core practitioner skills, which will be of use to you if you pursue BASES Supervised Experience in the future.
This module will deepen and extend your knowledge of key contemporary themes in sports psychology, notably those concepts known to impact upon performance and the performer. Key theories will be explored in relation to recent field developments through the critical examination of published research, case studies and student led exploration. The integration of cognitive and behavioural perspectives will broaden your understanding and develop a framework upon which practical skills can be based. Successful completion of this module is a pre-requisite for Applied Sport Psychology Practitioner Skill Development.
Both the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists (BASES) recognise the importance of sports psychologists having an in-depth knowledge of both how sports skills are learnt and developed and how performance may change due to external and internal influences. This module will deepen and extend knowledge of motor control issues and theories that influence athletic performance drawing upon cognitive, neurological, behavioural and neuroscientific paradigms to provide a knowledge base from which motor performance can be discussed and analysed.
Sports psychologists wishing to gain society accreditation must show the development of applied practitioner skills and knowledge (BASES, EPS). This module will begin to develop this by building on the theoretical constructs studied in Contemporary Issues exploring how the practitioner works in the field with athletes. Through the analysis of intervention methods and techniques you will develop an understanding of how psychological skills can be utilised, the implications of using psychological skills and a critical awareness of the efficacy of current practice guidelines through the examination of applied research literature and personal case study analysis.
This module will deepen and extend students’ knowledge of key concepts and contemporary issues in strength and conditioning, with a particular emphasis on those issues relevant for attaining United Kingdom S&C Association (UKSCA) accreditation. Specifically, the module looks to develop students underpinning scientific knowledge and practical demonstration skills related to sections A1.3 and A3.1, and B2.1 of the UKSCA competency framework, respectively.
This module will develop students’ knowledge of key elements in developing power and speed, the aetiology of muscle damage and implications for training and performance and issues related to recovery, with a particular emphasis on those issues relevant for attaining UKSCA accreditation. Specifically, the module looks to develop students underpinning scientific knowledge and practical demonstration skills related to sections A1.3 and A3.1, and B2.1 of the UKSCA competency framework, respectively.
The aims of this module are to develop in students the ability to monitor metabolic training intensity whilst developing knowledge of normative values and ability to maintain records to monitor individual improvement, assess the effectiveness of training interventions and monitor neuromuscular fatigue. Students will also be introduced to the fundamental issues surrounding validity and reliability of the key field-based monitoring tools and become proficient in using field based methods. This will lead to students developing the ability to analyse and utilise training records to inform practice.
Postgraduate Study at the University of Chester The University of Chester provides a wide and flexible range of postgraduate and post-experience cours...
