Sport and Exercise Psychology pathway

University Certificate of Sport and Exercise Psychology pathway

The online University Certificate of Sport and Exercise Psychology pathway is designed to give you an introduction to sport and exercise psychology. The programme is ideal for anyone with a keen interest in sport and exercise to those working within the industry such as psychologists, health and social care professionals, athletes, coaches and physiotherapists.

This pathway is a great starting point to learning more about sport and exercise psychology and it will give you an introduction to the range, depth and integration of skills and knowledge required for pursuing a career in sport and exercise psychology, or related area. You will be equipped with key skills that will enable you to have a good understanding of this subject area and you will learn how sport and exercise can be applied in different job roles and real life situations. On completion of the online programme you will be able to apply the psychological theory learnt in a variety of contexts in sport and exercise, allowing you to put into practice the skills you have gained into real life situations, job roles or areas of interest.

The University Certificate in Sport and Exercise Psychology is a 60 credit pathway that is split into three 20 credit modules:

You can also study our University Certificate in Psychology course where you can take a range of alternative modules including biological, cognitive, social and cognitive psychology. You will need to study this pathway in order to gain credits from the relevant modules in order to progress onto the BSc (Hons) Psychology programme.

Studying either pathway will provide you with 60 credits for entry onto the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology.

Please note when applying for this pathway, please select the Psychology University Certificate. When enrolling on to this pathway, please select the modules for the appropriate pathway you are looking to study for the award you wish to exit with.

Exclusive videos from sporting professionals

Both the Introduction to Sport Psychology and the Introduction to Exercise Psychology modules consist of 8 units that contain elite level athlete interviews, from sporting professionals including Stuart Bingham (2015 Snooker World Champion), Alison Nicholas (1997 US Open winner), Steve Staunton (102 caps for the Republic of Ireland and ex Liverpool and Aston Villa player) and more. You'll gain an insight into their own personal experience in sport, providing real life examples of how psychology is used within different sporting industries, providing you with case studies that illustrate sport and exercise psychology in practice.

These modules are suitable for anyone who has an interest in learning about the foundations of sport or exercise psychology and can be applied directly into the workplace or activity you wish to pursue. The modules are introductory in nature, so they are suitable for anyone who may not have studied psychology before, but has experience of working in a sporting and exercise environment.

Gain valuable CPD and transferable skills

The pathway will provide you with a range of transferable skills, which include an appreciation of the application of psychological knowledge and techniques in sport and exercise; information technology; critical thinking; the ability to work both independently and co-operatively; and effective communication and presentation skills.

This online University Certificate of Sport and Exercise Psychology pathway has also been designed to help you in your personal development, whether that’s for your Continual Professional Development (CPD) or as part of your training and development plan.

What you will study

The Introduction to Sport Psychology module

This module provides an introduction into Sports Psychology and covers key topics including confidence, self-doubt, anxiety, attention and mental skills training. Sport psychology suits a wide range of professionals working in a variety of fields from sports coaches, psychologists, physiotherapist, personal trainers, health and social care professionals, P.E teachers to those working across different sectors within the sport and fitness industry. By completing this pathway, you’ll have a greater understanding of the key factors associated with sporting performance looking at the role these play on individual performance. The module will also look at the performance of groups and teams and how effective teams are formed and perform. All of this will be supported with lots of applied sporting examples.

The Introduction to Exercise Psychology module

This module focuses on the study of emotional and mental effects of taking part in exercise through focusing on the mind sets of individuals. Exercise psychology suits a wide range of professionals working in a variety of fields from private consultants, psychologists, GP’s, coaches, dieticians, personal trainers, health and social care professionals, P.E teacher to those working across different sectors within the health and fitness industry. You will learn about the core principles of exercise psychology, and study key topics areas in exercise psychology including Stress, Affect, Mood, and Emotion, Self-esteem and Body Image, Anxiety and Depression, Pain as well as Theories of Behaviour Change and Motivation.

The Research Methods and Analysis in Psychology Module

This module will introduce you to the key principles underlying research methods in psychology. You will be taught the need of systematic research methods and will explore the relationship between theory and data in both quantitative and qualitative research. You will learn key principles in research design and will engage in the practical aspects of generating quantitative and qualitative data and how to report the findings of simple psychological studies in a standardised format. In addition, you will engage with Personal Development Planning (PDP) to identify your personal development needs and opportunities for addressing these needs within the module and across your student journey in general.

How you’ll learn

You’ll complete end of unit activities that are innovatively designed to ensure you are getting the best learning experience possible. You will also have the chance to participate in discussion groups and live collaborate sessions where you can interact with staff and other students who are studying this pathway.

We have over 10 years’ experience in the delivery of psychology courses online which means you can expect the highest standards of teaching and education. Our specialist psychology academic team will guide you through the module, providing regular contact and feedback to ensure you stay on track. You can be assured of a supportive and structured learning experience and our online learning advisors are on hand to provide non-academic support throughout the duration of your studies.

You might also like