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Providing you with the theory, skills and experience required for a successful career in sport and exercise physiology. 

  • Content is aligned to the professional competencies identified by BASES
  • Strong focus on the practical application of skills and knowledge
  • Excellent sports facilities including three human performance laboratories

Why study Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology?

This master's degree provides you with the theoretical underpinning, practical skills and professional experience required for a successful career in sport and exercise physiology. Sports physiologists play a vital role in developing human performance for sports teams and individual athletes by providing scientific support, monitoring physical attributes and optimising training programmes.

The programme is led by Dr Jessica Hill and staff include John Pattison, Dr Mark Glaister, Dr Sarah Coakley and Dr Rishi Patel who each bring many years of teaching, research and consultancy experience in their specialist areas.

Why St Mary's?

We have excellent facilities including three human performance laboratories, a state-of-the-art performance education centre and extensive sports grounds. 

Unlike courses that take a more academic approach to scientific theory, this programme focuses on the practical application of skills and knowledge required by today’s sports and exercise professionals. Content is aligned to the competencies identified by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) and therefore provides the perfect stepping-stone to a professional career.

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Useful information

Course lead

Sarah Coakley
Course Lead - Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology MSc, PGDip, PGCert

Entry requirements

2:2 Previous degree

An 2:2 degree (or equivalent) in sport science, exercise science, physical education, physiotherapy or a related field.

Additional requirement information

Students will be considered with other appropriate qualifications or experience that is deemed equivalent. Applicants should normally be able to demonstrate a background in research methods or a related discipline.

International requirements

International students should check our country-specific pages for equivalents. If English is not your first language you will need to achieve an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in any section (or equivalent).

We now accept IELTS Indicator test results as proof of your English language level.

Further information

For more information about entry requirements please email apply@stmarys.ac.uk.

Course content

Modules

  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core for MSc only

Please note: it is possible that a module listed on the website will not be able to run due to reasons beyond our control. For more information please refer to our course information disclaimer.

Career opportunities

This degree builds on the strengths of our Sport Science programme and reflects the demand for applied sport scientists in today’s marketplace. The course of study is suitable for sport and exercise practitioners, teachers, and recent graduates and provides the opportunity to study applied aspects of sport and exercise physiology.

The programme offers a focused range of opportunities, leading to a number of vocational and academic outlets in sport related industry including national governing bodies, public/private sports clubs/fitness centres, and teaching in Further/Higher Education institutions.

The Careers Service has more information on graduate careers and part-time work available during your course.

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How the degree is taught

Teaching methods

You'll be taught on our beautiful and historic campus located in Twickenham, London.

Teaching consists of a combination of lectures, seminars and practical laboratory sessions. Small class sizes ensure that students get one-to-one access to academic staff on a regular basis.

An intensive one-week block of teaching will be delivered in September, after which, 

There is a one-week intensive Research Methods module that you are required to attend from Monday 19th September – Friday 23rd September (9am-5pm daily).

This will be before your other Semester 1 modules, which begin on the following week (commencing 26th September). All other modules are planned to run on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the semester.

Assessment methods

Each module is assessed by one or more pieces of coursework. With the exception of the module ‘Advanced Sport and Exercise Physiology I’, there are no written examinations; however, a number of modules employ oral examinations.

Assessments are designed to provide the opportunity to demonstrate critical analysis, deep and insightful thought and the application of knowledge. A wide variety of assessment modes are employed including case studies, laboratory reports, preparing articles suitable for journals, and poster/oral presentations.

Modes of study

Modules are taught two or three hours per week (Mondays and Wednesdays) in addition to an intensive teaching week at the start of Semester one. The programme can be completed in a year if studied full-time. Part-time students can complete the degree in two years.

Qualifications available

This degree can be studied as an MSc, PGDip or PGCert. You will need to accrue 180 credits to qualify for the MSc, 120 credits for the PGDip and 60 credits for the PGCert.

All modules have a credit value of 20, except for the research project which has a credit value of 60.

Facilities

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Fees and funding

Tuition fees

September 2023

  • Home: £9,300
  • International: £16,350

The tuition fees listed are for the duration of the course. Students will be charged for the modules undertaken per academic year. Module prices are calculated as a percentage of credits against the total credits and cost of the degree. Please see clause 5.15.2 of the Tuition Fee Regulations for further information.

Tuition fees are subject to an inflationary increase each year, meaning if your course runs over more than one academic year you may pay an increased fee per module for each subsequent year of study. Tuition fee increases for returning students will be capped at the higher of 5% per annum or the rate of Consumer Price Index inflation in the United Kingdom.

Alumni discount

A 20% tuition fee discount is available for our alumni (undergraduate and PGCE) planning to study this Master's degree. Those studying for a PGDip of PGCert are not eligible for the discount.

Funding

Government-funded loans of over £11,000 are available to many Home postgraduate students.

Home and International students may also be eligible for external sources of funding. 

International Students should check their eligibility for our International Scholarship.

For more information, please look at our postgraduate funding page.

Additional costs

Your tuition fees will cover the cost of all mandatory elements of your programme.

Additional costs could be incurred depending on optional modules chosen and other projects undertaken.

For further information about additional costs please see our additional costs webpage. 

Teaching staff

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Further information

Previous dissertations

  1. The effects of thermal and non-thermal cooling of the oral cavity on cycling performance in the heat
  2. Effects of Local and Remote Ischemic Preconditioning on Repeated-Sprint Performance
  3. The effect of Omega-3 fatty acids on exercise-induced inflammation  and muscle damage
  4. The Effects of Lower Body Compression Garments on Middle Distance Running Performance and Oxygen Uptake Kinetics
  5. The effects of strength training on physiological demands in female junior sprint kayakers
  6. The effects of far infrared (FIR) garments on recovery after a muscle damaging protocol
  7. Oral L-menthol reduces thermal sensation, increases work-rate and extends time to exhaustion, in the heat at a fixed rating of perceived exertion.
  8. The effect of sodium phosphate supplementation on repeated sprint performance in team sport athletes.
  9. Determination of Critical power in an over-ground running protocol using GPS velocity profiles
  10. The Effects of Fitness Status and Exercise Intensity, on Oxygen Uptake Kinetics, Within the Moderate-intensity Domain
  11. The Effectiveness of Carbohydrate Ice Slurry Ingestion on Performance in Team Sport Players
  12. The Impact of Five Consecutive Days of Ischemic Preconditioning on Running Performance in Hypoxia
  13. The efficacy of tart cherry juice on the indices of recovery following rugby sevens
  14. Influence of Work-Interval Intensity and Duration on Time Spent at a High Percentage VO2max During Intermittent Supramaximal Exercise