Key information
Our MSc Sport Psychology programme at Heriot-Watt University combines expertise from our Department of Psychology with the sporting excellence of Oriam, Scotland's Sport Performance Centre.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
This programme is led by expert sport and exercise psychologists and is accredited by the British Psychological Society, a highly regarded marker of quality assurance that prospective employers value. Applicants for MSc Sport Psychology are eligible for Sports Scholarships that we offer for a variety of student athletes. These scholarships are available on an individual and team sport basis and give you exclusive access to benefits as well as a percentage reduction on your tuition fees based on the level of scholarship.
This degree will provide you with a stepping-stone towards the qualifications you need to work with athletes, coaches, and exercisers in sport and exercise contexts within elite sport and the community. This master’s degree is also ideal if you want to pursue further academic study and a career in research related fields.
While studying MSc Sport Psychology, you’ll develop knowledge and skills in Sport Psychology theory and practice in different contexts including elite sport, community sport, team sport, and individual sport. You’ll be supported to develop advanced psychology research knowledge and skills and complete your own independent research project on a topic you are passionate about. You’ll also obtain a variety of transferrable skills that will be useful in careers outside of sport and exercise psychology, both in the public and private sector.
You’ll benefit from the applied practice industry and research networks that are embedded in the programme, which will afford a highly successful trajectory in your career after graduation. Authentic assessments on the programme are designed such that you will build a portfolio of resources and experiences as trainee sport and exercise psychologists, providing a firm foundation towards progressing in the profession. You will gain knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion and ethical practice throughout the programme, which are essential skills for a future career in sport and exercise psychology.
Your student experience
Our MSc Sport Psychology degree is taught by experienced, leading academics who have published research which shapes their discipline, and which will guide your learning. Academics delivering courses on the programme balance teaching time with research and professional practice in their discipline, including as sport and exercise psychologists in elite contexts. They bring real-world experience to the classroom and extensive professional networks to provide a high quality, supportive learning environment and opportunities for your future careers after the programme.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Professional Practice in Sport Psychology 1
- Research Methods in Psychology 1
- Psychology of Community Sport
- Psychology of Team Sport
Mandatory January
- Psychology of Individual Sport
- Professional Practice in Sport Psychology 2
- Psychology of Elite Sport
- Research Methods in Psychology 2
Mandatory May
- Independent Project in Psychology
Programme Video
Sport Psychology at Heriot-Watt
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £12,344 | £6,172 |
| International | £24,176 | £12,088 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Additional information
Sports scholarships
We have recently launched a set of Sports Scholarships for a variety of student athletes. These scholarships are available on an individual and team sport basis and give you exclusive access to benefits as well as a percentage reduction on your tuition fees based on the level of scholarship.
New scholarship offer:
We will offer a scholarship for UK-based students who achieve a 2:1 or better. This scholarship provides a 20% fee reduction and an Oriam gym membership.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarship for Academic Excellence
Our Postgraduate Scholarship for Academic Excellence in MSc Sport Psychology offers a £1,000 tuition fee reduction.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
You will have a relevant (e.g., psychology or sports science) First, 2:1 honours degree or a 2:2 honours degree in Psychology (from a BPS-accredited programme and therefore GBC status eligibility) or equivalent. It is important that you have previously undertaken an empirical research project as part of your undergraduate degree and have completed a research design and analysis module.
If you do not have these formal qualifications but have significant relevant work/life experience (e.g. as an athlete/coach or sport/exercise professional), you may apply and, if shortlisted, you will be invited for an interview.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Employability
Typical careers for Sport Psychology graduates include sport and exercise psychologist, PhD research and academia, PE teaching, coaching, health and wellbeing consultant, local council wellbeing team member and various charity sector roles.
Student life
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