Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football) MSc/Postgraduate Diploma

Program Overview

Through its flexible structure and evidence-based curriculum, the program equips students with advanced clinical reasoning and specialized knowledge in sports medicine, particularly within football. Graduates are prepared for advanced practice in this field, contributing to their professional success in elite sports environments.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football) MSc is a postgraduate program designed for physiotherapists and doctors working or aspiring to work in elite sports, particularly football.

Objectives:

• Enable exploration and critical evaluation of exercise and sports medicine in elite sport.
• Develop clinical reasoning skills.
• Consider the clinical effectiveness and holistic management of varied clinical presentations.
• Develop specialist knowledge within the field of Sports Medicine.
• Gain insight into the roles and importance of the wider interdisciplinary team within elite sport.

Program Description:

The program offers a flexible approach with a structure designed to work around professional commitments. It covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Injury/illness prevention
• Assessment and diagnosis of sport injuries/illnesses
• Rehabilitation and return to play

Unique Features:

• Anatomy skills development taught at the prosectorium in the Medical School.
• A specialist module that promotes professional practice/clinical mentorship within a football/sports medicine environment.

Outline:

Compulsory Modules:

• Research Methodology in Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation (20 credits)
• Sports Medicine (Football) 1 (20 credits)
• Sports Medicine (Football) 2 (20 credits)
• Continuing Professional Development and Mentored Practice (20 credits)

Optional Modules:

• Neuromuscular Adaptation to Training (20 credits)
• Advanced Manipulative Physiotherapy 1 - Lower limb (20 credits)
• Advanced Manipulative Physiotherapy 2 - Upper limb (20 credits)
• Work based Continuing Professional Development (20 credits)
• Innovation in professional development (20 credits)
• Leading Self

Structure:

• The Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football) is awarded with successful completion of six 20 credit masters level modules (120 M level credits).
• The Master of Science (MSc) in Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football) is awarded following successful completion of the Research Dissertation (60 credits) for a total of 180 M level credits.

Assessment:

Assessment Methods:

• Written and oral case reports
• Vivas
• Practical assessments
• Conducting and writing up a research study

Teaching:

Teaching Methods:

• Highly interactive and collaborative
• Underpinned by contemporary evidence-based musculoskeletal/sports practice
• Strong emphasis on reflective and problem-solving approaches
• Multiple teaching and learning methods
• Self-directed learning

Faculty:

• Industry experts based at the University of Birmingham
• Guest lecturers who are experts within their specialized field of musculoskeletal/sports medicine

Unique Approaches:

• Anatomy skills development taught at the prosectorium in the Medical School.
• A specialist module that promotes professional practice/clinical mentorship within a football/sports medicine environment.

Careers:

• The program prepares graduates for advanced practice within the specialty of Sports Medicine (Football).
• Graduates are equipped with skills that contribute to professional success in elite sports medicine environments.

Other:

• The course is closely associated with the Graduate School of Sport and Professional Practice.