Program Overview
Course Details
Elite sportspeople need an elite support team, and expert strength and conditioning coaches are in demand worldwide to promote and guide the physical development of athletes and sports teams. Aimed at graduates with relevant academic and vocational experience, this course is designed to build on your existing knowledge, opening doors to higher levels of responsibility and professional accreditation in strength and conditioning.
Based in Bolton One, the University of Bolton’s specially designed sports and health teaching and research centre, this practically-focused master’s degree aims to help you gain the academic and theoretical knowledge (for evidence-based practice) and professional, vocational and practical skills needed for success in this competitive industry. Our dedicated team of experienced academic practitioners, who have worked at all levels of elite and professional sport, will guide you in an exploration of the science and coaching of strength and conditioning.
We’ll support you to advance your understanding and make strong links between theory and practice in areas such as biomechanics, physiology, nutrition, coaching and leadership. Our commitment is to help you develop as a practitioner, informed by the latest research and ongoing developments in the sciences of sports and human performance, so that you can become a leader in the field of strength and conditioning.
We also offer this course with a September start date. For details of the full-time course, please visit our full-time MSc Strength and Conditioning course search web page. Alternatively, to find out more and apply for the part-time course, please visit our part-time MSc Strength and Conditioning course search web page.
Highlights
Specialist facilities in Bolton One include a dedicated strength and conditioning suite, sport and exercise laboratories focusing on physiology and biomechanics, fully equipped teaching clinics, a rehabilitation and exercise suite, a multi-use sports hall and climbing wall, our Sports and Spinal Injuries Clinic, and much more.
Bolton One is also home to our Athlete Development Centre (ADC), offering you opportunities to work alongside our professional practitioners helping athletes, sports teams and coaches at all levels improve their performance. The ADC currently has a client base that includes professional football and rugby league, GB Weightlifting, Triathlon England, Triathlon Australia, England Athletics, and professional combat sport athletes.
Professional experience is an essential element of the course that gives valuable, hands-on, real-life experience in a professional sports setting. Our extensive network of sports industry contacts and partners means we can offer a wide variety of placements.
Guest lecturers with a strong background in applied strength and conditioning contribute to the course. They have included coaches to elite athletes, book authors, internationally recognised researchers, NGB coaches, and internationally recognised strength and conditioning specialists.
The UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) does not accredit any university degrees. However, we believe this course exceeds the academic requirements detailed in their Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC) Competency Document and the requirements to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) in the USA, meaning you can focus on meeting their experiential requirements.
Key Features
Our highly qualified lecturers and staff are also experienced existing practitioners, offering strong links with industry, and expertise and applied experience in areas such as strength and conditioning, physiological testing, sport and performance psychology, biomechanics, physiotherapy and sport rehabilitation.
One of the longest-standing MSc Strength and Conditioning programmes in the UK, this course has a proven track record of producing graduates who are highly employable and are now leading the way across the industry; for instance, our alumni have senior roles at Premier League football clubs, Super League clubs, and in International Rugby Union, International Cricket and Boxing.
We’re committed to helping you develop your employability and career network. You’ll be encouraged to attend relevant masterclasses, external courses and events that enhance your learning, helping you to make contacts in the industry and contributing to your professional development.
Alongside specialist strength and conditioning knowledge, you’ll have the chance to further develop your skills in research, data collection and evaluation, critical reasoning and analysis, as well as in areas such as communication, presentation, team working and problem-solving.
We offer a warm and friendly environment for your studies, with relatively small class sizes, specialist sports teaching facilities in Bolton One, and excellent IT and library services. You’ll also be able to access a great range of recreational sport and exercise facilities for when you need to exercise your body instead of your mind.
By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.
Program Outline
Our MSc Strength and Conditioning graduates are equipped with strong practical skills, underpinned by a sound theoretical base. The course will also enhance your lifelong learning and transferable skills, enabling you to work with self-direction and confidence in the strength and conditioning industry. Some of the key skills you will gain include communication, the ability to work independently and collaboratively, the ability and confidence to speak to individuals and large groups and attention to detail to accomplish tasks completely and accurately.
What can I do with this qualification?
Primary roles exist in the sports performance area. You may also apply your skills to work in exercise and fitness, rehabilitation and the wider sports industry, such as a physical training instructor or personal trainer. Opportunities exist working for professional sports teams too. MSc Strength and Conditioning graduates might also wish to use this qualification to establish their own strength and conditioning consultancy.
Previous graduates have secured positions as strength and conditioners in elite sport, including Premiership football, international cricket, the English Institute of Sport and professional rugby.
Alternative career options
Graduates can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers, bearing in mind that relevant experience and/or further study may be required. Some of these roles include:
Health
Armed forces
Teaching
Coaching
Emergency services
