The Professional Doctorate in Strength and Conditioning provides a high-level, vocationally-focused pathway to a doctorate qualification.
- Distance learning approach to teaching means you can study around your current work commitments
- State-of-the-art strength and conditioning facilities
The Professional Doctorate in Strength and Conditioning provides a high-level, vocationally-focused pathway to a doctorate qualification. It provides a distance learning approach to teaching means you can study around your current work commitments.
The Professional Doctorate in Strength and Conditioning is the first of its kind in the UK to offer doctoral-level study in a vocationally-based discipline. You can study for a doctoral award whilst continuing with your current employment.
The aim of the course is to provide support to experienced strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists, sport scientists and rehab professionals as they develop skills and knowledge to enable them to take a more active role in leading and developing the profession.
Why St Mary's
We're widely recognised as an international leader in strength and conditioning education. We were the first UK institution to offer an undergraduate degree in strength and conditioning and our MSc programme was the first part-time, distance-learning strength and conditioning course in the UK.
In recent years the University has invested £250,000 in a state-of-the-art Performance Education Centre, which is unrivalled as a facility for strength and conditioning education.
Our staff includes both highly experienced coaches and expert sport scientists. All of the course material is designed specifically for the strength and conditioning degree, ensuring that the practical relevance of the scientific evidence to the strength and conditioning coach is always fully explored.
The distance learning nature of this course has several advantages for professionals. Principal among these is the opportunity to combine study with practical work experience, allowing the translation of science into practice. In addition, you can organise your study around your own personal schedule, allowing you to obtain a doctoral level award whilst continuing with your current employment.
Dr Stephen Patterson
Professor in Applied Exercise Physiology & Performance
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Course content
Modules
These modules are the modules that were available to students in the 2024/25 academic year and are illustrative of what may be offered for 2025/26.
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.
Entry requirements
A Master's degree in an appropriate subject area and a suitable workplace environment to support the professional research and development project, or a BSc with at least 5 years experience in practice.
Additional requirement information
Applicants should:
- Submit a 500-1000-word research proposal on the problem they will be investigating as complementary evidence to the University application form. This should include a title, purpose of the project, literature review, research methodology and proposed outcomes relating to the applicant’s professional context.
- Have at least three years’ significant and relevant experience in a professional area appropriate to the programme of study.
- Have an interview with the Programme Director or nominated member of the teaching team to discuss options for entry to the programme.
Further Information
For more information about entry requirements please get in touch.
Fees & funding
September 2025
Home
£3,630
International
£8,640
Additional costs
*Please note: Tuition fees are annual and may increase as detailed in our tuition fee variation disclaimer.
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.
Funding
Some research degree students may be eligible for a government loan of up to £25,000 to help cover tuition fees and living costs.
How the degree is taught
Teaching methods
The content of this programme will be delivered via online content. The programme will consist of three core modules with the options of focussing on either biomechanics or physiology (two main disciplines within S&C). This will allow the students to have their training and knowledge focussed prior to their independent research project
Assessment methods
Assessment of the taught modules will be through various modes such as
- Essays
- Reports
- Data analysis tasks
- Case studies
- Blogs
- Podcasts
- Portfolios
Assessment of the independent research project will be by the submission of a 40-50,000-word thesis and a viva voce thesis defence.
Career opportunities
This research degree provides the opportunity for you to develop and demonstrate specific academic and transferable skills that will enhance your professional role in the area of Strength and Conditioning.
As an experienced professional, you will seek to develop research in an area that will impact on your employer and/or business. It provides you with the opportunity to join like-minded professionals and make a positive impact in your profession.
Apply now
September
Make sure to check our step-by-step guide to application process.
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