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Do you want to understand how thoughts, emotions and physiological responses can affect athletic performance?
Immerse yourself in an exciting and ever-expanding topic of research and practice when you choose to study Sport Psychology. We will teach you key concepts and theories specific to sport psychology and give you a comprehensive grounding in the core elements of mainstream psychology.
This approach will enable you to consider how key areas of psychology apply to all levels of sport, from grassroots football to Olympic competition as well as how we might increasingly come to understand the ‘human’ elements of sports participation.
You'll begin your studies with an introduction to the core domains of psychology including social, cognitive and developmental psychology, as well as focusing on the development of professional and research-related skills required within psychology practice. You will also get an introduction to key topics and theories relating to working with individual athletes and apply this content to ‘real-world’ scenarios within the sport psychology-specific module.
As your studies progress, you will continue to develop your professional skills and breadth of psychological knowledge, focusing on the role of the sport psychologist, and the numerous duties and responsibilities that a sport psychologist might fulfil as part of their work.
In your final year, you’ll apply the skills and knowledge you have developed by critically examining the organisational contexts and factors which might influence a sport psychologist’s applied practice. Focusing on topics and themes from both organisational and cultural sport psychology, you’ll reflect on the diverse and unique range of individuals and organisational contexts that typify applied sport psychology practice.
Throughout your studies, you'll also get plenty of hands-on experience through the work-based experience and volunteering opportunities included within your degree.
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This degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) (link opens in a new window/tab) which makes you eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership on successful completion of the course.
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You will study a variety of modules across your programme of study. The module details given below are subject to change and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
During your first year, you'll study four core modules.
Discover conceptual and historical issues in sport psychology.
We'll explore how theory and empirical research underpins sport psychology practice, encouraging you to apply your developing knowledge and understanding to 'real-world' scenarios.
We'll cover core theories of sport psychology such as theories of motivation, confidence and anxiety, alongside corresponding interventions and strategies that a sport psychologist might use when working with an athlete.
You'll get a foundational knowledge of core sport psychology topics that you can apply to different athletic groups in different organisations.
You'll learn about the core areas in psychology - biological, cognitive, developmental and social.
We'll look at the historical and cultural context and origins of modern psychology, including international and cultural perspectives.
Biological
You'll learn about brain structure and functions such as pain, fear, eating, drinking and sleeping.
Cognitive
We'll cover attention, memory, and problem-solving.
Developmental
We'll look at lifelong development, personality and temperament, behavioural genetics, resilience and vulnerability, constructivist and constructionist theories, information processing approach, the role of education and ecological systems theory.
Social
Learn about the history of psychology, social thinking, beliefs and judgements, attitudes and behaviours.
You'll get a foundation in professional development skills in psychology.
This includes individual difference psychology - looking at personality and the assessment of human psychology - and professional working practices.
You'll learn about conceptual and historical issues and the role of psychology in understanding issues of diversity in the workplace.
You'll develop skills valued by employers, particularly during the Professional Development Block.
You'll have meetings every two weeks with your personal tutor to support you and your professional skill development.
Get a foundation in quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis.
You'll learn about effective study design, ethical working practices, analysis and handling of qualitative and quantitative data.
You'll start using tools for data collection such as online surveys and E-Prime, and SPSS for analysis.
You'll take part in psychological research designed by yourself and by others.
Develop skills valued by employers and needed for investigative work throughout your degree.
During your second year, you'll study four core modules.
We'll look at the factors that differentiate and typify the various client groups that a sport psychologist might work with.
These include individual athletes, teams, coaches, parents and wider performance staff such as physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches and nutritionists.
We'll cover athletic transitions, motivational climate (at home and within sport), leadership and coach-athlete relationships.
You'll draw on contemporary literature to reflect upon the roles and responsibilities a sport psychologist might fulfil as part of their professional role.
You'll also critically analyse the different organisational contexts a practitioner might work in.
We'll cover methodological and ethical issues related to psychological research and apply psychology to world issues.
You'll consider conceptual and historical issues in the areas of biological, cognitive, developmental and social psychology.
Build upon the knowledge and professional skills you gained in your first year.
You'll be prepared with the skills that are valued by employers and as such you will complete a professional placement.
You'll also be introduced to the concept of professional learning through work and approaches to scoping out and sourcing projects with employers, professional bodies and projects linked to civic or community challenges or student identified skills development.
Build on and extend your skills in quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis.
You'll take part in psychological research designed by yourself and others. T
We'll cover ethical issues in conducting psychological research, the design, control and analysis of experiments with more than one independent variable and learn how to use relevant software to collect data.
You'll learn how to analyse quantitative data, including distributions and transformation of data, two-way analysis of variance, post-hoc analyses and linear regression.
You'll use specialist software (e.g. SPSS, G*Power) to perform and interpret statistical analyses.
We'll also look at issues in qualitative research, including ethical issues, how to collect and analyse qualitative data using discourse analysis, grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analysis and narrative analysis.
During your third year, you'll study three core modules and you'll be required to choose two option modules.
Complete an original investigation within a field of psychology you're particularly interested in.
Your project forms the culmination of the various research methods modules preceding it.
You may choose any research methods appropriate to your particular area of enquiry.
You'll critically analyse the different organisational contexts and factors that might influence a sport psychologist’s applied practice.
We'll draw on topics and themes adopted from organisational and cultural sport psychology.
This will provide a reflective perspective on the diverse and unique range of individuals and organisational contexts that typify applied sport psychology practice.
You'll give critical consideration to the ethical and theoretical frameworks and philosophies that underpin ‘effective’ applied practice.
You'll get flexible opportunities to enhance your professional skills and graduate choices.
We'll tailor the module to your development as you apply theoretical understanding to a context of your choice.
It could include a work-based project within your professional setting or a skill-development approach addressing specific gaps in your portfolio.
Get an introduction to psychotherapy and counselling psychology.
You'll explore various psychotherapy and counselling schools and theories.
You'll consider the challenges faced by psychotherapists and counselling psychologists working in a variety of contexts with different populations.
We'll look at counselling perspectives such as eclectic, integrative and time-limited, and explore the influence of positive psychology.
You'll get an introduction to the skills used by psychotherapists and counsellors.
You'll also consider health economics and broader modes of delivery such as group and internet counselling.
You'll chart the timeline of an employee from career counselling to retirement.
You'll consider the influence psychology has in areas including career counselling, job design, recruitment, motivation, teamwork, leadership, disability, unemployment and retirement.
You'll look at the relevant history, seminal and contemporary theories, practical applications and future issues.
You'll get an introduction to psychopathology, diagnostic systems and psychological approaches to distress.
You'll consider potential causes of mental ill-health and their prevalence among varying populations, for example, age, race, and culture.
You'll look at mental health conditions and their proposed psychological treatments.
You'll critically evaluate interventions in terms of cost, outcomes and service user experience, and look at potential barriers to treatments and ways to overcome them.
You'll also cover the British Psychological Society's (BPS) Code of Ethics and Conduct and BPS activities related to mental health and the principles of social justice - access, equity, diversity, participation and human rights.
You'll critically examine cognitive-experimental psychology.
Influences include Marxism, postmodernism, feminism, psychoanalysis, social constructionism and discursive psychology.
You'll apply and analyse these influences on areas of difference and inequality such as gender, sexuality, race, social class, health, mental health, criminality and work.
Get an introduction to cyberpsychology, looking at psychological phenomena related to technology.
Investigate how digital technologies have influenced individuals and groups in society.
You may cover topics including relationships online, computer games, addiction, cybercrime, children, young people and online behaviour and personality online.
You'll cover topics related to forensic psychology.
These include theories of crime, violent and sexual offenders, treatment, female offenders, personality disorder, risk assessment, forensic mental health and suicide and self-harm.
You'll explore how psychologists model human behaviour and how to modify this in the context of health within a relevant population.
You'll analyse and debate issues and problems in health psychology.
You'll differentiate interactions between the psychological, social and biological functions that lead to illness and compare and evaluate the relevant factors.
We'll cover UK and international perspectives and look at ethical issues in health psychology.
Each week you'll look at a different contemporary health issue in the context of behaviour and health outcome. These could include physical activity in pregnant women and the general population, and smoking in lower social economic status groups.
You'll write critically about a selected and approved area in more depth than is possible in other assessed essays.
You'll develop your ideas for the negotiated essay with the guidance of a supervisor with expertise in your area of interest.
You'll have up to three hours of supervision.
Get a broad overview of stress and illness, and how biological processes are influenced by stressful events.
We'll cover stressors, stress appraisal, hormonal changes, neurotransmitter processes, the immune system, cardiovascular disease, affective disorders, addiction, epigenetics, coping strategies, navigating stigma and seeking help.
In groups, you'll do informal presentations on your progress during the module.
You'll also get a personalised podcast on Panopto revolving around your group work, enabling further clarification and points of discussion.
Explore how we impact the environment and how the environment impacts us from a psychological perspective.
You'll look at psychological approaches to understanding, assessing, and modifying peoples’ environmental awareness and behaviours.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals underpin the module content.
You'll use examples of sensory illusions, cognitive biases and disorders to explore important cognitive mechanisms and their neurological basis.
We'll use sensory illusions such as Kanizsa figures and rubber hand illusions to illustrate the perceptual system.
Processing disorders such as prosopagnosia and object agnosia will help you understand how sensory information is integrated.
We'll showcase the systems underlying human thinking through cognitive biases.
You'll explore key concepts in cross-cultural psychology, examining how culture influences human behaviour, cognition and emotions. Through online sessions, you'll interact with peers and lecturers from international partner universities, gaining diverse perspectives on psychological theories and practices. You'll study topics such as cultural dimensions of personality, emotion and communication, as well as the psychological impact of globalisation, migration and acculturation.
You'll engage in collaborative international group projects, applying cross-cultural frameworks to real-world psychological issues. Sessions will include group discussions, case studies and research activities to promote a deeper understanding of cross-cultural differences and similarities.
Experience matters. That's why we embed professional work placements within the majority of our standard undergraduate degrees.
Careers and Placements will work with you to find a placement or help you to arrange your own, whether that's in Leeds, another part of the UK or even abroad. You will be able to take part in a series of workshops, events and live ‘employer challenges’ to boost your confidence and prepare you for your placement.
During your placement, you could have an opportunity to gain degree-relevant work experience, build your knowledge of career sectors and secure valuable employer references and industry contacts. This experience will help you to shape your career decisions and find the right path for you.
Work-based experience is generally in school-based sports roles and professional sports organisations. Recent placement employers have included Badminton England, Leeds Rhinos, Sevilla FC (Spain), Rotherham United, the RAF and a wide range of primary and secondary schools.
To find out how we can help you make your career ambitions a reality, visit:
A variety of assessment methods are used, matched to the learning outcomes for your programme, allowing you to apply and demonstrate the full range of knowledge and skills that you have developed.
For more details on specific assessment methods for this course contact hello@leedstrinity.ac.uk
Your time on campus, learning through in-person teaching, is at the heart of your academic experience and the way we deliver our programmes. This is supported and further enhanced by additional engagement activities and opportunities provided online and through digital teaching materials. This blended approach seeks to ensure a positive learning and teaching student experience.
Your programme of study has been carefully designed around a three-phase model of delivery:
Preparation, Live and Post teaching and learning and the digital materials used will vary by course, but will be designed to help you structure your learning, take a full and active part in your course, and apply and test your developing knowledge and skills.
At Leeds Trinity we aim to provide an excellent student experience and provide you with the tools and support to help you achieve your academic, personal and professional potential.
Our Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy delivers excellence by providing the framework for:
We have a strong reputation for developing student employability, supporting your development towards graduate employment, with relevant skills embedded throughout your programme of study.
We endeavour to develop curiosity, confidence, courage, ambition and aspiration in all students through the key themes in our Learning and Teaching Strategy:
To help you achieve your potential we emphasise learning as a collaborative process, with a range of student-led and real-world activities. This approach ensures that you fully engage in shaping your own learning, developing your critical thinking and reflective skills so that you can identify your own strengths and weaknesses, and use the extensive learning support system we offer to shape your own development.
We believe the secret to great learning and teaching is simple: it is about creating an inclusive learning experience that allows all students to thrive through:
Leeds Trinity University is committed to recruiting students with talent and potential and who we feel will benefit greatly from their academic and non-academic experiences here. We treat every application on its own merits; we value highly the experience you illustrate in your personal statement.
Information about the large range of qualifications we accept, including A-Levels, BTECs and T Levels, can be found on our entry requirements page. If you need additional advice or are taking qualifications that are not covered in the information supplied, please contact our Admissions Office.
| Qualification | Grade |
|---|---|
| UCAS tariff | 112-144 |
| GCSE requirements | GCSEs in English Language and Maths at grade C or 4 (or higher) will be required |
Tuition fees cost £9,535 a year for this course in 2025/2026. Students who enrolled in 2024/2025 will also be charged £9,535 for academic year 2025/2026.
Tuition fees for part-time study are charged a pro-rata amount of the full-time equivalent.
Depending on government policy, tuition fees may change in future years.
Tuition fees for 2026/2027 entry will be set in summer 2025.
Living costs, e.g. accommodation, travel, food, will also need to be taken into consideration.
Leeds Trinity offers a range of bursaries and scholarships to help support students while you study.
Visit our webpage for international students.
Part-time study is not available for international students on a Student Route Visa.
We advise students that there may be additional course costs in addition to annual tuition fees:
For full-time undergraduate courses, you apply through UCAS. That's the University and Colleges Admissions Service.
On your application form, you'll need to know our institution code - it's L24 - and the course code. If you click through to the UCAS website using the button below, it'll take you to the right place with all the information you need.
As part of your application, you'll need to write a personal statement - we've prepared a guide to help you.
Applications are open for courses starting in September 2025. You have until 30 June to apply. After this date, you can apply through Clearing.
If you’ve already used all five choices on your application, and you’re not holding any offers, you may be able to apply through UCAS Extra.
Undergraduate applications for September 2026 entry will open on Tuesday 13 May. You’ll be able to submit your application from Tuesday 2 September.
There's lots more information about the application process on the UCAS website, or you can get in touch with our Admissions team who will be happy to help:
Providing you with the opportunity to develop the professional skills and experience you need to launch your career is at the heart of everything we do at Leeds Trinity University.
Your degree will prepare you for careers across a range of sporting sectors, but you will also develop transferable employability skills which can be applied to a variety of non-sporting organisations and sectors. Recent graduates are working at organisations ranging from St Helens RFC and the NHS, to businesses and marketing companies.
After you graduate, Careers and Placements will help you as you pursue your chosen career through our mentoring scheme, support with CV and interview preparation and access to graduate employability events.
To find out how we can help you make your career ambitions a reality, visit:
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