Year One

Principles of Psychology 

Examine the origins and development of modern psychology. You will focus on the main approaches to studying and describing human behaviour, for example, behaviourism, the psychodynamic approach, the humanistic approach, the cognitive approach, and the biological basis of behaviour. These will be examined with relevance to key studies in the area, contemporary issues, and methods of investigation.

Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology 

Sport and exercise contexts provide a fascinating and complex opportunity to investigate the psychology of human effect, cognition, and behaviour. This module aims to introduce you to diverse areas of psychology in the context of sport performance, exercise, and well-being that you will meet on your degree programme in years two and three.

Everyday Experience and Psychological Methods: Understanding Relationships 

Functions of understanding relationships will be broken down into contributory functions to lead to an exploration of selected experiences of relationships through some processes related to forming an impression of someone, feeling attracted or not to them, wanting to be their friend or partner, getting to know them and forming a relationship with them through a variety of behaviours such as seeing them, talking to them and meeting them socially. Certain psychological theories and empirical findings from investigations into impression formation, attraction, prejudice, and stereotyping, and relationship formation will be introduced and a range of methodologies and analyses, such as interviewing, content analysis, and observational approaches will be explored.

Questioning Sport, Exercise and Health 

This module will introduce study skills for higher education and help you discover the philosophical underpinnings of research in the sport and health sciences. You will also be introduced to a range of qualitative research methods.

Interpersonal Skills 

The module will begin by considering the nature of interpersonal skills and the elements that constitute effective communication. This will provide an opportunity to explore models of communication and effective verbal and non-verbal communication. You will also consider how interpersonal skills may be evaluated and improved.

Introduction to Skill Acquisition 

This module examines the psychological factors that affect the learning and performance of skills in sport. You are introduced to selected theories of motor learning and you will examine their strengths and weaknesses relative to real-world coaching. Research findings will be used to help you make the connections to your responsibilities as sports coaches.  

Perspectives on Psychology 

The module seeks to enableyou to understand the contribution of key thinkers to the development of modern psychology and to appreciate their biographical backgrounds. The lives and work of key thinkers will be introduced and contextualised with reference to contemporary ideas and mores.

Evaluating Sport, Exercise and Health 

The module aims to provide you with a foundation in quantitative study and research skills which will support and underpin your work in other sport, exercise, and health science modules.

Year Two

Cognitive Psychology for Sport Performance 

Cognitive psychology is the study of the basic processes underpinning our interaction with the world. These processes include perception, attention, memory, and learning. Within the sporting domain, knowledge of cognitive psychology can promote efficient acquisition and effective performance of skill among athletes at all stages of skill development. This module critically examines the strengths and weaknesses of theory and research concerning the cognitive processes that underpin the acquisition and performance of skill. 

Stress, Coping and Emotions 

The challenging nature of the competitive environment presents sports performers with a multitude of stressors. While some performers are able to effectively cope with the challenges of overcoming these stressors, others are less successful. This module aims to examine a) the demands (i.e. stressors) of sport and how these are experienced by athletes, b) the appraisals and coping strategies employed by athletes when experiencing these stressors, and c) the subsequent emotional responses.

Developmental Psychology 

This involves the study of development and maturation in cognitive, personality, and social processes. The aim of the module is to introduce you to basic theory, research findings, and methods of investigation in childhood, adolescence, and lifespan development. The module will aim to provide a critical understanding of the ways in which behaviour is influenced by developmental factors, the nature of developmental processes, and the ways in which empirical research can help us to understand how developmental processes influence what we do.

Psychology of Physical Activity and Health 

This module will seek to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the psychological theories applied to the contexts of physical activity and health and to evaluate the positive and negative psychological effects of participation in activities.  

Social Psychology 

An introduction to this and and social cognition. The module will cover topics such as person perception, social influence, stereotyping and prejudice, attitudes, attributions, group processes, and attraction and close relationships.

Performance Psychology 

An introduction to the key theories and concepts in performance psychology, examining theory and research into a range of factors (e.g. confidence, motivation, emotional regulation) that have been proposed to contribute to performance in sport and other achievement domains. The module content will seek to develop an understanding of the importance of these concepts for performance, their determinants, and how to change them.  

Biological Psychology 

An introduction to the ways biological processes have been studied, for example through brain lesions and cell stimulation methodologies. The areas of behavioural genetics, neuro-imaging, neuropsychology, socio-biology and evolutionary psychology will be investigated in terms of underlying theory and empirical research.

Researching Sport, Exercise and Health 

The module will provide you with practical skills of conducting research in the sport, exercise, and health environment, and you will further your research skills, including ethical considerations, research design, and methodology, analysis, and write-up.

Year Three

Core modules:

Research Project 

You are encouraged to identify a research question appropriate to your degree pathway that is of interest and relevance to your studies. The investigation may be based within single or multiple disciplines. An appropriate approach to addressing the question is then determined through discussion with tutors in your chosen area.

Applied Sport Psychology: Delivering Mental Strategies 

Traditionally, sport psychologists have advocated the use of numerous mental training strategies that are purported to enhance the cognitive, affective, and behavioural states of the performers that they work with. These might include imagery, goal-setting, relaxation techniques, and pre-performance routines; and advanced strategies such as Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) and hypnosis. The aims of this module are to provide you with an understanding of the efficacy of these strategies, to provide opportunities to deliver these mental strategies and to reflect on the delivery of these strategies.  

Exercise and Physical Activity Interventions 

Physical inactivity is recognised as a key predictor of a range of adverse health and social outcomes. Increasing activity levels in the general population is now a priority of the government, with increasing opportunities for physical activity professionals. The module applies health behaviour change theory and research to the promotion of physical activity in specialised populations, such as those with chronic health conditions or physical disabilities. It looks at different types of interventions, such as those targeting individuals, groups, and national campaigns.  

Applied Sport Psychology: Professional Practice 

The ‘soft’ skills required by a sport and exercise psychologist are imperative to effectiveness as a practitioner. The aim of the module is to examine the nature of applied sport psychology practice and discuss and critique how sport psychologists work with clients in relation to initial assessment, case formulation, intervention planning, and delivery, monitoring, and evaluation. 

Group Dynamics in Sport

This module aims to examine and evaluate current knowledge of sport group productivity and functioning and evaluates current practice in developing and increasing the effectiveness of group functioning. It is important to have an understanding of group dynamics due to the potential impact that groups can have on an individual’s performance, life satisfaction and psychological well-being.

Optional modules:

Psychology of Injury and Rehabilitation 

This module enables you to critically evaluate the psychological, social, and cultural factors in injury risk, theories of psychological responses to injury, and psychological, social, and cultural factors that impact recovery from injury and adherence to rehabilitation programmes. It will critically evaluate theory and research, and consider practical approaches to working with injured athletes to assist them with their response to and rehabilitation from injury experiences. 

Psychology in Context: Work and Organisations 

You will consider a range of relationships between working conditions, jobs and organisational processes, psychological outcomes, and their impact on job and organisational performance. Psychological reactions including job satisfaction, job stress, motivation, work engagement, and organisational commitment are investigated, and organisational functions such as job design, health and safety at work, and organisational team-working, are considered.

Advanced Research in Sport and Exercise 

This module extends the skills learned in Year Two, particularly in areas such as research methodology and quantitative analysis. The module accesses sections of the provision for MSc students and so begins to move you towards postgraduate level thinking. You will work alongside MSc students to access sections of work at the appropriate level. Assignments will reflect that the module is in Year Three but will take an applied approach to promote independent use and evaluation of research methods and statistics. 

Work Placement 

An opportunity to complete a unit of directed study incorporating a work placement of 105 hours (3-weeks) in a sport and exercise environment. This placement can take place in a wide range of environments including sports clubs, schools, colleges, private companies, clinical settings, or within the community. The focus of the work placement should be relevant to your needs, the programme of study you are taking and career aspirations.

Entrepreneurial (Business Set-Up)

The module adopts a very practical focus. It concentrates upon the planning that needs to be undertaken prior to the start-up of a small business. From your perspective, the primary output of the module is to produce a persuasive business proposal. The main intention of the module is to allow you to draw on the toolkit of understanding that you have developed within your studies to date. As a consequence, you are required to independently manage your own progress in achieving the learning outcomes and preparing for the assessment. 

Classroom Pedagogy 

This module will use a series of lectures and workshops to explore curricula employed in classroom teaching such as the National Curriculum, GCSE PE, BTEC Sport, and A-level PE to consider how schemes of work and lesson plans are developed for delivery in school and college classrooms.

Contemporary Issues in Sport, Exercise and Health

This module will explore a selection of contemporary issues that may have ethical and moral considerations, in relation to sport, exercise, and health. A range of topic areas will be presented to you with the expectations that you will challenge through a review of case-studies, expert knowledge, and recently published peer-reviewed research. You will be encouraged to express your judgements and reflect upon your knowledge and experiences. 

Practical Applications in Coaching and Teaching 

This module aims to provide you with blended learning opportunities via university-based work that develops and enhances depth of knowledge when working practically with performers. It is aimed to run concurrently with the Practical Pedagogy (Placement) module so that you can apply theory to the practical coaching and teaching environments within your micro sessions and placement context.