Looking to raise your game in the field of strength, conditioning and athlete development? Graduates of our well-established MSc Strength and Conditioning: January Start degree have a proven track record preparing athletes and sports teams for competition. Our highly experienced practitioner-tutors offer the knowledge and skills you need to develop your career.

Key information

Award:

MSc

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

18 months

Location:

University of Bolton

Start date:

To be confirmed

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.

Normally, you should have successfully completed an honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject; for instance, sport and exercise science, coaching or physiology.
You should also have relevant vocational experience.
If you don’t meet the standard entry requirements but have considerable sector-based expertise, we’ll be happy to consider your application.
We'll consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
You'll be required to attend an interview as part of the application process.
This course involves working unsupervised with children and/or vulnerable young people and adults and you must gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before starting your studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service
If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

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

Course fees

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £5,280 for the academic year 2023/24.

Overseas students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Overseas fee of £13,550 for the academic year 2023/24.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2022-2023 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

Bursaries

Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.

For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:

Call Admissions

Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom

Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

The University welcomes applications from international students from all over the world. We try to make the application process as simple and as fast as possible for our international applicants.

This course is not currently accepting international online applications.

Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom

Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk

We use a wide variety of learning, teaching and assessment methods. These aim to help you develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies you need to achieve this course's learning outcomes and, more importantly, to be successful in your future career.

You can expect timetabled classes (for instance, tutor-led lectures, workshops, tutorials, seminars, and practical sessions), along with other learning activities that place a larger emphasis on independent, self-directed and self-managed learning. All lectures, practical class material and recommended reading will be made available through the University’s virtual learning environment, Moodle, so that you can access it online.

In addition, we offer sessions with expert guest speakers, masterclasses with key practitioners from the strength and conditioning community, and opportunities for applied work experience. These seek to enhance employability and bridge the gap between theory and professional practice.

We also use a broad range of assessment methods, including written or practical examinations, essays, case studies, practical coaching observations, oral or poster presentations, laboratory or project reports, etc. Some assessments will contribute to your final module marks and allow you to demonstrate that you’ve met the learning outcomes. In contrast, others are designed to help you identify areas that need extra attention on your part or where you need extra support from your tutors.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

Biomechanics of Strength and Conditioning
Training and Adaptation: the Physiology of Sports Performance
Critical Considerations for Preparation & Planning for Performance
Contemporary Issues in Strength and Conditioning
Scientific Enquiry and Data Analysis
Critical Independent Enquiry
Professional Experience
Major Project

Assessment methods

Level	Assesment method
Level one	Coursework 60%, Practical exams 40%

Learning activities

Level	Learning activity
Level one	Guided independent study 80%, Placement/study abroad 5%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 15%

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.