Sport and Exercise Psychology
C680Sports psychologists work to help both team and individual sports men and women to fine tune their physical and mental capacities to maximise performance at critical times.
Course overview
The course is designed to ensure you develop a strong theoretical and practical foundation within the field of sport and exercise psychology. This is the first step to developing individuals who are effectively prepared to practise as competent and confident professionals, who can make sound and compassionate decisions, problem solve and provide a consistent and high standard of evidence-based practice.
Central to the programme is the understanding that you will develop the knowledge, skills, behaviour and values required of a future practitioner psychologist.
Modules include Psychology of Team Sports, Designing Exercise Interventions, Applied Sport Psychology and Psychology of Injury. In Year 3, you will also research and write a dissertation in an area of your choice.
Expert teaching combined with bespoke amenities, such as our psychology laboratory, ensure you have the knowledge base to critically evaluate and engage with contemporary sport and exercise psychology research and practice.
Graduates find work as practitioner psychologists, sport and exercise scientists, teachers/lecturers, researchers/scientists, health promotion workers and in management roles in sport.
Our Sport and Exercise Psychology degree can lead to eligibility to train to become a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered practitioner psychologist through the completion of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology.
University of Winchester Pathways to Sport and Exercise Psychology - Open for applicants from September 2024 onwards for 2025 entry.
The Pathways to Sport and Exercise Psychology programme is an annual event that takes place in December.
The event is an opportunity for prospective students to engage in a series of taster sessions delivered by academics from our BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Psychology course.
Participants who complete the Pathways to Sport and Exercise Psychology programme are eligible to recieve a reduced contextual offer of 96 UCAS Tariff Points* for entry to our BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Psychology course.
The programme is open to all home / Islands Year 12 and 13 students but is capped at 25 students per year.
Programme activities include:
- Workshops on applied sport psychology
- Practical sessions on group dynamics in sport
- Guided tours with current BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Psychology students
- Career guidance and advice with the Programme Director
All activities are delivered live at the University of Winchester.
For more information on the Pathways to Sport and Exercise Psychology and how to apply.
*This offer is based on firm acceptance
What you need to know
Course start date
September
Location
Winchester campus
Course length
- 3 years full-time
- 4 years sandwich
- 6 years part-time
Apply
C680
Typical offer
104-120 points
Fees
From £9,250 pa
Course features
- High-quality teaching in a friendly learning environment from staff who have experience in both applied and research backgrounds
- Combine scientific rigour with practical experience and develop essential transferable skills to optimise your employment opportunities
- Benefit from access to industry-standard psychology laboratory equipment as part of the programme
- The programme is accredited by the British Psychology Society (BPS)
Course details
Work Placements
You have the opportunity to undertake a professional practice experience as part of an employability module in the third year of your study. This module provides students with the opportunity to gain vocationally relevant experience in a sport and/or exercise-related organisation that aligns with the student’s specific career interests. Students will be expected to critically reflect on the individual skills, knowledge and ability required to fulfil specific professional roles within the context of their chosen experience.
Learning and Teaching
Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.
You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.
In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc., you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.
Independent learning
Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.
Overall workload
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.
While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.
Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 288 hours
Independent learning: 912 hours
Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 288 hours
Independent learning: 912 hours
Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity*
Teaching, learning and assessment: 264 hours
Independent learning: 900 hours
Placement: 36 hours
*Please note these are indicative hours for the course.
Assessment
Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.
We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.
Percentage of the course assessed by coursework
Year 1 (Level 4)*:
67% coursework
8% written exams
25% practical assessment
Year 2 (Level 5)*:
83% coursework
8% written exams
9% practical assessment
Year 3 (Level 6)*:
70% coursework
0% written exams
30% practical assessment
*Please note these are indicative percentages and modes for the programme.
Feedback
We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.
Modules
Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions
Modules
This module introduces academic, employability, and research skills that underpin studying at university and pursuing various graduate careers in sport and exercise.
This module considers key topics in sport psychology (e.g., mental skills) and exercise psychology (e.g., how physical activity can improve mental health).
This module explores key issues that can affect sport, culture, and life, as well as considering how sport coaches might help athletes to learn mental skills and life skills.
This module explores how teams’ function effectively, including the importance of cohesion and interpersonal relationships, as well as how learning environments can enhance skill acquisition.
Modules
This module involves the planning, collection, analysis, and interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data that informs evidence-based practice in sport contexts.
This module explores key areas of social psychology (e.g., discrimination) and individual differences (e.g., well-being) in sport, as well as human development across the life course
This module examines interpersonal (e.g., communication, mental health literacy) and research skills that influence effective professional development of sport and exercise psychologists.
This module examines psychological skills techniques (e.g., emotional regulation, focus and concentration, confidence) that sport psychologists might use to enhance performance.
This module considers how an exercise psychologist might help individuals and groups to adopt and maintain a physically active lifestyle.
Modules
This module provides students with the opportunity to plan and execute an independent research project that critically addresses a specific psychological issue within sport and exercise contexts.
This module critically examines philosophical and theoretical approaches to delivery of applied sport psychology services related to assessment, intervention, and evaluation in different settings.
This module critically examines the biological basis of human behaviour (e.g., behavioural genetics), as well as key topics in cognitive psychology, such as perception and attention.
This module investigates areas of interest in sport, exercise, and psychology vocations and critically examines how students can develop the skills needed to be successful in such graduate roles.
This module will critically examine the impact of injury on performers from several perspectives. First, it will critically examine the challenges of short-term injury for the athlete and how successful return to play is influenced by several psychological, cultural and social variables including the rehabilitation process. Next, it will critically examine the impact of career-ending injury and retirement from sport. Theories and models adapted and designed to explain this psychologically challenging process will be critically appraised alongside more alternative approaches to understanding the athlete in transition. Consideration will also be given to how governing bodies might better prepare athletes for and support them post sport.
Entry requirements
Our offers are typically made using UCAS tariff points to allow you to include a range of level 3 qualifications and as a guide, the requirements for this course are equivalent to:
A-Levels: BCC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations (e.g. BBB is comparable to ABC in terms of tariff points)
BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
T Level: Merit in a T Level
Additionally, we accept tariff points achieved for many other qualifications, such as the Access to Higher Education Diploma, Scottish Highers, UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma and WJEC Applied Certificate/Diploma, to name a few.We also accept tariff points from smaller level 3 qualifications, up to a maximum of 32, from qualifications like the Extended Project (EP/EPQ), music or dance qualifications. To find out more about UCAS tariff points, including what your qualifications are worth, please visit UCAS.
In addition to level 3 study, the following GCSE’s are required:
GCSEs in Mathematics and English Language at grade 4 or C, or higher. Functional Skills at level 2 is accepted as an alternative, however Key Skills qualifications are not. If you hold another qualification, please get in touch and we will advise further.
If you will be over the age of 21 years of age at the beginning of your undergraduate study, you will be considered as a mature student. This means our offer may be different and any work or life experiences you have will be considered together with any qualifications you hold. UCAS have further information about studying as a mature student on their website which may be of interest.
If English is not your first language, a formal English language test will most likely be required and you will need to achieve the following:
- IELTS Academic at 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)
- We also accept other English language qualifications, such as IELTS Indicator, Pearson PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and TOEFL iBT.
If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by contacting our International Recruitment Team via our International Apply Pages.
2025 Course Tuition Fees
| UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland |
International |
|
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Year 2 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Year 3 | £9,250 | £16,700 |
| Total | £27,750 | £50,100 |
| Optional Sandwich Year* | £1,850 | £3,340 |
| Total with Sandwich Year | £29,600 | £53,440 |
Additional tuition fee information
If you are a UK student starting your degree in September 2025, the first year will cost you £9,250**. Based on this fee level, the indicative fees for a three-year degree would be £27,750 for UK students.
Remember, you don’t have to pay any of this upfront if you are able to get a tuition fee loan from the UK Government to cover the full cost of your fees each year.
UK Part-Time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £77.08 and a 15 credit module is £1,156. Part-time students can take up to a maximum 90 credits per year, so the maximum fee in a given year will be the government permitted maximum fee of £6,935.
International part-time fees are calculated on a pro rata basis of the full-time fee for a 120 credit course. The fee for a single credit is £139.14 and a 15 credit module is £2,087.
* Please note that not all courses offer an optional sandwich year.
**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.
Additional costs
Kit
Students are expected to wear appropriate attire for practical sessions. Students can buy branded kit from us or wear their own. Students can buy as little or as much they like. Indicative cost is £15-£50 per item.
Core Texts
These are available from the University Library; however, some students prefer to purchase their own copies. Some Core Texts can be bought second hand, or as an eBook which can often reduce this cost. Indicative cost is £50-£200 per academic year.
Professional Courses
We deliver several professional courses (e.g., coaching courses, Combined Level 3 Gym Instructor and Personal Training, etc.) either as part of or alongside the taught curriculum. However, any course that is mandatory is delivered free of charge, with optional courses often heavily subsidised. Indicative cost is £10-£600 per course.
Volunteering or Placement
Students may incur travel costs on volunteering and/or placement modules. However, we will consider each individual students’ circumstances when undertaking these experiences and seek to minimise any such costs as appropriate. Indicative cost is £10-£30 per day for travel.
Optional
Overseas trip
Students have the option to attend a trip to a Film Festival throughout the duration of the course. Indicative cost: £375 per academic year.
Technology
It is recommended that students purchase their own hard-drive storage at the beginning of the course. Indicative cost: 2TB devices cost £80.
Disclosure and Barring Service
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance check may be required if you undertake a placement, volunteering, research or other course related activity where you will have contact with children or vulnerable adults. The requirement for a DBS check will be confirmed by staff as part of the process to approve your placement, research or other activity. The indicative cost is £40.
SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS
We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates work as practitioner psychologists; sport and exercise scientists; teachers/lecturers; researchers/scientists; health promotion workers; and in management roles in sport.
The University of Winchester ranks in the top 10 in the UK for graduate employability and further study according to the Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023, HESA.
Pre-approved for a Masters
If you study a Bachelor Honours degree with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Masters degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Masters degree.
Learn more about our MSc Applied Sport Psychology programme.
OUR CAREERS SERVICE
With small class sizes you are able to build a good rapport with lecturers and to talk to them on a more personal basis. This also allows you to become closer to your peers, forming a little family, as well as offering an inclusive environment with great teaching facilities.
