Everything you need to know...
-
What is the fee?
Home: £10,940 for the course
International/EU: £18,600 for the course -
How long will I study?
1 Year
-
Where will I study?
-
When do I start?
September 2026
Course summary
- Critically understand the scientific principles underpinning strength and conditioning.
- Develop your coaching expertise through pedagogical and experiential learning.
- Gain real-world knowledge through live coaching and work experience.
- Coach athletes to enhance your skills in programme design and implementation.
- Advance sport and exercise science with cutting-edge independent research.
On this course you’ll explore exercise physiology, biomechanics and sports nutrition, while developing your practical coaching skills through experiential learning. You’ll prepare to identify and evaluate people’s physical needs – designing and implementing tailored strength and conditioning interventions. You’ll graduate with the knowledge and skills to work in various athletic sectors, from professional sports to private coaching.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
Student satisfaction
This course scored 100% for overall student satisfaction in the Postgraduate Taught Student Satisfaction Survey 2025.
How you learn
On this course you’ll develop your understanding of the theoretical, philosophical and practical underpinnings of strength and conditioning coaching. Through hands-on applied projects, you’ll critically reflect on and improve your technical, problem-solving and interpersonal skills. You’ll also gain a better understanding of the role and function of strength and conditioning graduates – in both the sport and physical activity sector, and the working world at large.
You learn through:
- Lectures, seminars and workshops
- Our virtual learning environment
- Work-based learning experiences, such as placements and field trips
- Practical activities in both simulated and in-situ environments
- Research and industry-relevant projects
Course topics
You’ll enhance your employability skills with an in-depth knowledge of sport and exercise science. You’ll learn to devise and implement evidence-based solutions in areas such as biomechanics, physiological assessment, and performance analysis. The course offers a balance of practical experience – through optional industry placements – and robust theoretical training from our experts, in state-of-the-art facilities like the English Institute of Sport.
Core modules include testing and monitoring, movement analysis and performance analysis – all equipping you to enhance athletic performance. You’ll also cover physiological assessment and the psychological skills to help athletes increase their physical capabilities and mental resilience.
The course integrates various scientific disciplines, enhancing your ability to work across specialisms and apply knowledge in coaching contexts. Supported by rigorous training in research methods and data analysis, you'll develop essential practitioner skills for professional settings in sports.
Course support
Our high ratio of staff to students means you’ll always be able to receive the support you need on your learning journey. You’ll be supported towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- Access to our student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development.
- Access to our Skills Centre for support with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments and assessment preparation.
- Support and guidance from your course and module leaders, and you’ll have a named academic adviser and employability advisers.
- Access to our central services such as counselling, Library and IT services.
Applied learning
Live projects
Live projects offer crucial hands-on experience, enabling you to apply your skills in real-world settings. Guided by industry professionals, these projects help you develop consultancy skills across various areas – from performance analysis to physiological assessment.
You’ll also benefit significantly from a work-based component, undertaking a large project in collaboration with an industry partner. This enhances your skills and applies your academic knowledge in a professional environment.
Previous examples include working with prestigious organisations such as GB Diving – not only enriching your learning experience but also connecting you with influential networks and industry leaders.
Field trips
Trips to locations such as St George’s Park offer a practical perspective on sport and exercise science, demonstrating real-world applications of your studies.
These visits are crafted with insights from industry professionals and employers – meaning you'll engage directly with experts at leading sports facilities and research institutions. This exposure connects theoretical knowledge with practical experience, enriching your understanding and enhancing your readiness for a career in the field.
Networking opportunities
The course offers networking opportunities through our strong connections with sports organisations and professionals. These include guest lectures from leading figures with both academic and professional backgrounds, offering you direct access to industry insights, contemporary practices and real-world examples. They’re invaluable chances to build your professional network – further supported by careers fairs, workshops and dedicated employability advisers.
You’ll also have the opportunity to engage with experts and alumni through seminars and events, gaining a deeper understanding of the field while developing relationships that may lead to future collaborations or employment opportunities.
Course leaders and tutors
Stephen Thompson
Senior LecturerI am currently an integral member of a working strength and conditioning group within Sheffield Hallam, providing support for a number of different athletes and team … Read more
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module will develop advanced skills needed to evaluate and assess sports performers. The module explores a range of contemporary topics, techniques, methods and equipment, including needs analysis techniques, strength, speed and change of direction assessments, aerobic and anaerobic assessments, subjective and objective monitoring strategies and field and laboratory-based approaches. The modules provides the platform from you which you can accurately and effectively assess performance in strength and conditioning.
This module provides you with an opportunity to design and deliver a large scale project under the expert guidance of a supervisor. You will synthesise and apply knowledge from your taught modules, and through a period of independent research, produce an original piece work. In some cases, this coud be undertaken in collaboration with an external partner organisation.
Designed to develop the practical knowledge and skills needed for world-leading strength and conditioning coaching, this module will challenge you to develop your knowledge and understanding of coaching pedagogy and reflective practices. The module will explore strength and conditioning specific coaching frameworks, theories of skill acquisition, pedagogical coaching models, coaching philosophies, reflection and reflexivity. This module therefore develops your ability to be an effective and evidence-based coach in strength and conditioning, providing the platform for applied coaching practice.
This module will develop the knowledge and skills required to programme and prescribe strength and conditioning interventions for a variety of population groups, including those across the lifespan. The module benefits from a practical-based curriculum, where you will learn about and apply concepts relating to training theories, principles and adaptations; kinetic and kinematic training variables, periodisation, programming, tapering and and recovery. By successfully completing this module. you will have developed the ability to competently and effectively design and deliver strength and conditioning programmes.
This module will develop your knowledge and skills in research methods, design and analysis. You will learn about contemporary approaches to data collection, analysis and communication, solving complex sport and physical activity research problems from a variety of fields and disciplines. You will study topics such as contemporary research philosophies, ethics and research design; how to collect, analyse and interpret data; and data presentation and visualisation. By completing this module you will enhance your ability to intepret, undertake and evaluate research in sport and physical activity.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- Applied strength and conditioning
- Applied sports science
- Health and wellbeing
- Research
- Academia
Previous graduates of this course have gone to work for:
- The UK Sports Institute
- Professional sports teams
- Further and higher education
- Themselves, as self-employed coaches and business owners
Graduate Success Story
'I find myself using the skills I learnt on my masters continuously, whether that be simply planning delivery of sessions to my netball players or tracking the workload of my lacrosse players.'
Equipment and facilities
You’ll have access to a range of facilities and equipment to help develop your knowledge and skills in the delivery and analysis of physical education and school sport. These include:
- Sport-specific training facilities at the UK Sports Institute and the Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park
- Physiology and biomechanics laboratories, equipped with equipment to capture and analyse movement and physical activity data
- A bespoke strength and conditioning teaching laboratory
- Physical activity suites
- A performance analysis suite, equipped with a range of equipment to analyse sport performance such as video analysis software and motion capture systems
- An environmental chamber
- Sport psychology consultation rooms
360 tour - sports teaching spaces and facilities
Learn more about your department
Sports Facilities Tour
Take a look around Sheffield Hallam University's sports facilities with Wellbeing, Sport and Physical Activity Officer Ellie.
Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEntry requirements
All students
Applicants should normally have a minimum of a second class honours degree (2.2), ideally this should be in strength and conditioning, sport science, exercise science, or a related subject.
If you do not hold a degree, we may be able to consider you with professional or CPD qualifications in a related discipline, or significant relevant real-world experience. These will be considered on an individual basis.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2026/27 is £10,940 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
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. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2026/27 is £18,600 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
Scholarships and financial support
Find information on scholarships, bursaries and postgraduate student loans.
International scholarships up to £3000 ›
Alumni scholarships up to £2000 ›
Postgraduate loans for UK students ›
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sport and Physical Activity (PDF, 269.2KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
