BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Psychology

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 explores the psychological factors that affect the learning and performance of skills in sport. You are introduced to selected theories of performance and learning and the strengths and weaknesses of these theories are examined. Research findings will be used to help you make the connections to your responsibilities as sports coaches.

Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology

Sport and exercise contexts provide a fascinating and complex opportunity to investigate the psychology of human affect, cognition and behaviour. This module aims to introduce you to diverse areas of psychology in the context of sport performance, exercise and wellbeing.

Perspectives On Psychology

This module seeks to enable you 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 more.

Principles of Psychology

This module examines 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.

Questioning Sport, Exercise and Health

You will be introduced to study skills for higher education and discover the philosophical underpinnings of research in the sport and health sciences. You will also be introduced to qualitative research methods.

The Study of Human Interaction

This module explores the functions of understanding relationships. You will study the processes related to forming an impression of someone and forming a relationship with them through a variety of behaviours.

Certain psychological theories and empirical findings will form investigations into attraction, prejudice and stereotyping, and a range of methodologies and analyses, such as interviewing, content analysis and observational approaches will be explored.

Biological Psychology

This module explores 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.

Cognitive Psychology for Sports Performance

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.

Developmental Psychology

This module explores the study of development and maturation in cognitive, personality and social processes, as well as introduces you to basic theory, research findings and methods of investigation in childhood, adolescence and lifespan development.

You will consider 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.

Performance Psychology

This module will introduce you 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 understanding of the importance of these concepts for performance, their determinants and how to change them.

Psychology of Physical Activity and Health

The course will examine contemporary theories relating to the adoption and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle. It will also examine the relationship between activity involvement and individual affective responses, cognitions of self and health-related behaviour. Specifically, theories of behaviour change and self-concept will be explored alongside an emphasis on the positive and negative consequences of exercise involvement.

Researching Sport, Exercise & Health

You will further develop your skills in research methods and data analysis, with a broad focus on analysis procedures including the qualitative method of interviewing and quantitative methods of analysis of variance, correlation and linear regression. These methods are commonly used procedures in the sport, exercise and health sciences, and understanding of these will also provide a solid foundation for understanding more advanced research methods that you may learn in your future work including research projects or postgraduate study.

Social Psychology

This module acts as an introduction to Social Psychology 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.

Stress, Coping and Emotions

This module aims to examine the demands (i.e. stressors) of sport and how these are experienced by athletes, the appraisals and coping strategies employed by athletes when experiencing these stressors, and the subsequent emotional responses.

Advanced Research in Sport and Exercise

This 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.

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. This module provides 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.

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.

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
• A-level PE.

You will 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.

Entrepreneurial (Business Setup)

This module focuses on the environmental factors that are directly relevant to a small business context, to allow you to develop a critical understanding of the entrepreneurial process. You will concentrate upon the planning that needs to be undertaken prior to the start-up of a small business.

Exercise and Physical Activity Interventions

This 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.

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 wellbeing.

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.

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.

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, recovery 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.

Research Project

The research project provides an opportunity to apply appropriate knowledge, concepts, and techniques to an in-depth study of a particular question or problem relating to sport,  exercise or healthcare.

This module aims to foster a greater understanding of the processes to undertake a small-scale research project and marks the culmination of the student’s learning experience over their undergraduate programme of study

Work Placement in Sport and Exercise

This module offers an opportunity to complete a unit of directed study incorporating a work placement of 105 hours (three 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.