PHD Sport and Physical Activity

Program Overview

The PhD Sport and Physical Activity program from Sheffield Hallam University trains students to conduct independent research and equips them with advanced skills and knowledge in the field. It emphasizes transferable skills development and provides mentorship from prominent researchers in the renowned Sport & Physical Activity Research Centre, aligning with research groups and collaborating with influential national and international organizations. The program enhances career opportunities in academia, research, and a wide range of sectors due to its world-class research.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The PhD Sport and Physical Activity program is a research degree offered by Sheffield Hallam University. It is designed to equip students with specialist research knowledge and skills, allowing them to conduct independent research programs. The program emphasizes the development of high-level transferable skills and provides supervision from active researchers within the Sport & Physical Activity Research Centre. The program's research impact is recognized as world-leading or internationally excellent, as evidenced by the recent Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Teaching:

The program's teaching approach is based on engaging students with the world, fostering collaboration, challenging them to think critically, and providing a supportive learning environment. Postgraduate research students engage in an independent program of study under the supervision of leading academics with extensive experience in research and scholarship. Supervision primarily occurs through regular meetings, either in person or remotely, between students and their supervisory teams. Students have access to a wide range of training opportunities, including:

• University-wide doctoral training sessions
• Workshops and research support sessions delivered by the Health Research Institute postgraduate research team
• Specialist research training and skills development relevant to individual research projects
• Research seminar series within the HRI and across the university
• Peer discussions and support within a postgraduate research community

Careers:

Research degrees are essential qualifications for most academic careers. The research training and transferable skills acquired through the program are highly desirable across various sectors, making it a valuable asset for career advancement.

Other:

The program is closely aligned with one of the research groups within the Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre (SPARC):

• Sport Industry Research Group
• Sports Engineering Research Group
• Physical Activity, Wellness & Public Health
• Sport & Human Performance
The research conducted within SPARC is delivered with national and international partners and collaborators, making it one of the largest sport and physical activity research clusters in the UK. The program collaborates with organizations such as:
• Sport England
• UK Sport
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
• International Tennis Federation
• Federation of International Football Association (FIFA)
• Adidas
• Team GB Olympic and Paralympic athletes and teams
• English Institute of Sport
• The London Marathon
• Parkrun
• The Royal and Ancient Golf Club
The program also works extensively with the health sector and charities, delivering interventions and evaluations to diverse populations and contexts. These organizations include:
• National Health Service (NHS)
• Department of Health
• Sheffield Health and Social Care
• Public Health England
• Yorkshire Cancer Research
• Macmillan Cancer Research
• The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society
• British Heart Foundation
• Industry partners such as Westfield Health
Students have multiple opportunities to participate in academic activities, including teaching and knowledge exchange, further expanding their knowledge and skills.

Home students:

Our tuition fee for UK postgraduate research students starting part-time study in 2024/25 is £2,393 per year. Information on whether a bench fee is chargeable can be provided by the relevant Research Institute, and will be confirmed in your offer letter. If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees.

Additional course costs:

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course. Additional costs for Sport and physical activity courses (PDF, 337.6KB)