MSc Strength and Conditioning (MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate)

Join one of a select few CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity)-endorsed strength and conditioning courses in the UK. You’ll develop industry-relevant competences to the highest level.

Upon graduation, you’ll be recognised as a CIMSPA Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach, highly skilled and able to stand out from the crowd in the employment market.

Key Information

Course Duration: 1 year full-time; part-time options available

Part or Full Time: Full Time / Part Time

Level of Study: Master's and PhDs

Typical Offer: 2:1 honours degree (2:2 applicants considered individually)

Course information

This is the ideal course for passionate and committed individuals who want to advance their strength and conditioning practice. Many of our module assessments have been designed with industry to provide an experience that develops your subject-specific knowledge that is relevant to your applied practice.

This provides you with the opportunity to critically evaluate, reflect and receive feedback on your current practices that you can act upon to enhance your career prospects.

Designed in collaboration with our key industry partners, the course has a proven track record of helping practitioners progress into the field, via both practice and academic routes.

Focus is on developing your performance as an evidence-based coach, with a strong scientific background. You’ll be challenged and supported to develop your existing expertise to the high standards required by employers, as well as UKSCA and NSCA professional standards.

You’ll be taught by experienced accredited strength and conditioning coaches, who are also research-active lecturers, actively publishing high-quality research in the field.

CIMSPA-endorsement

This course is endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). On successful completion of the course you’ll hold the professional position of ‘Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach’. Student CIMSPA membership fees are funded by us throughout your studies, providing you with career advice and further learning opportunities. Once you obtain the ‘Graduate Strength and Conditioning Coach’ title you’ll then need to enter into a professional membership with CIMSPA in order to maintain the qualification.

Academic

2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Non-academic

Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.

International

In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.

Please contact us for further information.

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Work placements and experience

It’s important that students on this course are developing their applied coaching skills. It’s therefore expected that all students undertake some form of applied practice within the field during their studies.

Due to the diverse locations that our students travel from, they normally prefer to organise experiential opportunities nearer their home. However, you will be able to utilise our extensive industry connections, as well as our own performance Sports Academy teams, to secure a role, locally or nationally. Please speak to a member of staff prior to submitting your application.

Throughout the course, you’ll be informed of paid and volunteer positions that become available and for which you may wish to apply.

Additional qualifications

During the course you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a self-funded British Weightlifting Coaching qualifications at a discounted rate. These will likely take place over weekends and will be run on a first-come first-served basis. Details of dates of the courses and the associated costs of these will be released throughout the academic year.

Graduate destinations

As a graduate strength and conditioning coach, you’ll have many potential career opportunities. During the course, you can make the most of our sports and careers teams for advice about your future. Recent graduate destinations for our students have included:

Professional sport
Head of athletic development in schools or clubs
PE school coach
Academic researcher (PhD)
Higher education lecturer
Business owner

The Hartpury Sports Business Hub

Boost your employability, expand learning and networks, and gain real-world experience in the sports industry.

Managed out of the Department of Sport and Exercise Science, the Sports Business Hub provides students and staff the opportunity to engage with key local and regional sports organisations to complete live briefs and real-world research consultancy. The Hub provides access to a range of organisations including Active Gloucester, Sport Wales, Bream RFC and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club as well as multinational corporations and independent businesses.

Success Stories

We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.

Duration

One year, full-time

You can study each of these qualifications full-time and subsequently complete each within one year.

Two-three years, part-time

Alternatively, we offer flexible part-time options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments. These options can be tailored to suit your own needs, enabling you to complete your qualification in two or three years. Please enquire for further details.

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Course information

Overview

This provides you with the opportunity to critically evaluate, reflect and receive feedback on your current practices that you can act upon to enhance your career prospects.

Designed in collaboration with our key industry partners, the course has a proven track record of helping practitioners progress into the field, via both practice and academic routes.

You’ll be taught by experienced accredited strength and conditioning coaches, who are also research-active lecturers, actively publishing high-quality research in the field.

CIMSPA-endorsement

Entry requirements

Academic

2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Non-academic

Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.

International

In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.

Please contact us for further information.

Employability

Work placements and experience

Throughout the course, you’ll be informed of paid and volunteer positions that become available and for which you may wish to apply.

Additional qualifications

Graduate destinations

Professional sport
Head of athletic development in schools or clubs
PE school coach
Academic researcher (PhD)
Higher education lecturer
Business owner

The Hartpury Sports Business Hub

Boost your employability, expand learning and networks, and gain real-world experience in the sports industry.

How you'll study

We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.

Duration

One year, full-time

You can study each of these qualifications full-time and subsequently complete each within one year.

Two-three years, part-time

Your support network

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Qualifications and modules

The full master’s degree will provide the tools you need to become a well-rounded strength and conditioning coach, able to bridge the gap between theory and practice, as well as helping support the development of the ‘softer’ coaching skills needed to become an effective practitioner.

You’ll gain a thorough grounding in the role of strength and conditioning as part of the wider sports network through modules covering strength and conditioning practices, coaching science and research methods – these will allow you to develop advanced critical skills necessary to work within the field.

You’ll benefit from lectures, workshops and practical sessions, working individually and collaborating with peers from different professional backgrounds, to share and evaluate best practice, and develop your professional network. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete a self-funded British Weightlifting qualification to enhance your development.

It is key that you put what you learn into practice, so we strongly encourage you to fulfil a strength and conditioning practitioner role outside your learning. Roles may be available with our performance Sports Academy teams or through our extensive professional network – please speak to a staff member prior to application.

Postgraduate Certificate

The postgraduate certificate will help to develop your knowledge within applied strength and conditioning, and coaching science, so that you have the skills to effectively design and coach strength and conditioning sessions. Please see module overviews.

Postgraduate Diploma

The postgraduate diploma includes postgraduate certificate content, as well as advancing your strength and conditioning expertise for enhanced performance. Please see module overviews.

Below you’ll find the modules for this course. Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) students will study compulsory modules and choose from a range of optional modules in line with interests and career goals, as outlined below.

Optional modules change each year in line with student, industry and research demands.

Module credits

Upon successful completion of your modules you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final master’s degree differential award (pass, merit or distinction).

Modules

Applied Practice in Strength and Conditioning (compulsory for all levels)

Students will develop their critical evaluation, analytical and practical skills in the designing, coaching and monitoring of strength and conditioning programs.

Contemporary issues in Strength and Conditioning (compulsory for all levels)

Focus on developing a critical understanding and awareness of the latest strength and conditioning research and concepts that are prevalent in the field, with a specific onus on how these influence coaches’ own practice.

Performance Profiling and Testing for Athletes (compulsory for all levels)

Progress an enhanced understanding of the relevant testing methods that can be used by strength and conditioning coaches as well as the data analysis methods used to assess athlete or client physical testing capabilities.

Planning and Monitoring for Athletic Training (compulsory for all levels)

Develop a detailed understanding of the specific dose‐response and adaptations to strength and conditioning training methods, and how this influences training prescription and programming.

Skill Acquisition for Strength and Conditioning (compulsory for MSc, optional for PGDip)

Acquire new understanding and practical ability to integrate skill acquisition methods into the strength and conditioning environment.

The Research Process (compulsory for MSc, optional for PGDip)

Undertake critical discussion of research methodologies and applications, as well as strengths, weaknesses and limitations of different methods.

Postgraduate Dissertation (MSc only)

Develop and undertake a research project of their choosing. This will allow students to further research a topic within strength and conditioning that is of personal interest/importance.

The modules 'Postgraduate Industry Placement Experience', 'Professional Development Portfolio' and 'High Performing Environments' are an option bundle for MSc students.

High Performing Environments (MSc optional bundle, optional for PGDip)

Gain a critical understanding and appreciation of how to work effectively within industry and multi-disciplinary/inter-disciplinary teams.

Postgraduate Industry Placement Experience (MSc optional bundle, optional for PGDip)

This module will bridge the gap between your academic preparation and the real-world environment. You’ll be required to source and complete 200 hours of industry-based placement in a pre-approved environment.

Professional Development Portfolio (MSc optional bundle, optional for PGDip)

You’ll reflect your personal learning needs, potential future mentors and peak coach experiences to date.

Qualifications and modules

MSc degree

Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma