Viewing course details for 2024 year of entry

Code: PGC60S
Attendance: Full-time, Part-time
Start: September 2024
Fees: £9,800 (UK) £12,600 (INT)
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Course Leader: Shyam Chavda
Study mode: Online
School / Department: London Sport Institute

Currently Reading: Course overview

Why study MSc Strength and Conditioning (Online Distance Learning) at Middlesex University?

This course is ideal if you are currently working with athletes and are looking to develop your professional and academic skillset. The distance education mode provides the advantage for those who have limited availability to attend classes on a regular basis.

You will learn the skills you need to construct and deliver evidence-based strength and conditioning programmes and be taught how to assess, monitor, interpret and provide feedback in relation to changes in physical performance. Content delivery and assessment will enable you to competently undergo domestic and international professional accreditations within the industry, such as the UKSCA and NSCA.

Our academics are active in coaching and research as well as currently working in the high performance sport industry. This ensures that all content has been specifically designed to have practical relevance within the industry, meaning you'll be fully prepared to advance your career.

You will be learning from experienced academics who currently work in high performance sport and consult with professional organisations and national governing bodies such as; the UKSCA, Men’s and women’s Premiership football and rugby, and British Weightlifting, to name a few. This ensures that all content has been specifically designed to have practical relevance within the industry, meaning you'll be full prepared to advance your career.

You'll gain hands-on experience during a 10-day residential at the StoneX Stadium, home of the Saracens Rugby Club which will help contextualise the online content in our world-class performance laboratories.

Course highlights

We'll actively encourage you to publish your dissertation through peer-reviewed journals and conferences
You will have the opportunity to make invaluable industry contacts
You’ll receive free electronic textbooks for every module, among other university services and benefits.

It is strongly suggested that students attend the residential where possible. Should you be unable to attend the residential for the above reason it will NOT impact your ability to complete the course and meet the learning outcomes, therefore providing you with the opportunity to graduate.

About your course

What will you study on MSc Strength and Conditioning (Online Distance Learning)?

During this master's degree, you'll undertake two core modules specific to strength and conditioning:

Strength and Conditioning Science
Performance Training and Corrective Exercise

The core modules will cover physiological and biomechanical principles relating to developing athleticism and reducing injury. During these modules you will have an opportunity to develop your ability to critically analyse the available literature within specific topics and develop your own philosophy as to how these principles can be applied to training.

In addition to covering theoretical principles of strength and conditioning, you'll develop both inter-personal and methodological skill-sets during online seminars and residential, which is further supported through online resources. Practical competency in the analysis and coaching of movement screening, weightlifting and speed, agility and plyometric exercises will be developed throughout this course, through various methods of interaction.

Finally, an understanding of the methodological processes behind laboratory and field-based performance testing and analysis, will also be developed.

What will you gain?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to effectively design an evidenced-based strength and conditioning program, as well as select, administer and analyse performance testing. You'll also develop a mastery of communication and delivery of a programme to varying athletic populations for gym and field-based exercises.

Modules

Here is an overview of the modules

This module will give you with a detailed understanding of the physiological mechanisms and biomechanical principles that govern strength and conditioning training. You'll develop your research skills so you can critically analyse journal articles, in order to design and justify your training programmes and remain abreast of scientific advancements. Finally, you’ll develop your data analysis skills so you’ll be able to investigate trends and differences in testing results and assess the reliability of protocols.

This module will support you as you critically assess athlete movement competency, both objectively and subjectively, using these skills to develop strength and conditioning programming for athlete performance. In addition, you'll gain the ability to demonstrate and coach a range of weightlifting, agility, speed and plyometric exercises.

This module will give you the relevant knowledge and skills to undertake appropriate research in strength and conditioning. You’ll learn search strategies to identify relevant literature and methods on how to critically appraise it. You’ll also cover topics such as research design, as well as selecting and conducting suitable statistical tests appropriate to the subject area.

This module gives you the opportunity to learn from practical experience. You’ll gain further knowledge and comprehension of the programme content through the application of theoretical principles. This experience will also help to develop specific competencies such as using and applying specific software and to help develop interpersonal skills.

(If you’re not already working within a field relevant to your programme of study, programme staff may be able to advise of suitable work placements, but this is not guaranteed.)

This module will utilise the skills developed from the research methods module and require you to undertake a research project, appropriate to the programme and area of practice.

To find out more about this course please download the Strength and Conditioning MSc (Online Distance Learning) specification (PDF).

Register your interest

Teaching

You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we have learnt during the pandemic and enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning.

We aim to model a wide range of teaching strategies and approaches on the course which you can adapt to your own setting.

As part of the course, there will be a 10 day residential at the StoneX Stadium, home of the Saracens Rugby Club. This will cover essential laboratory and field-based practical skill development.

The rest of the course is delivered through online lectures, forums and tutorials with further resources provided to assist your learning.

We are currently reviewing our approach to teaching and learning for 2023 entry and beyond. We've learned a lot about how to give you a quality education - we aim to combine the best of our pre-pandemic teaching and learning with access to online learning and digital resources which put you more in charge of when and how you study. We will keep you updated on this throughout the application process.

Your timetable will be built around on campus sessions using our professional facilities, with online sessions for some activities where we know being virtual will add value. We’ll use technology to enhance all of your learning and give you access to online resources to use in your own time.

The table below gives you an idea of what learning looks like across a typical week. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.

This information is likely to change slightly for 2023 entry as our plans evolve. You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.

Learning structure: typical hourly breakdown:

1.	Live learning	Contact time per week, per level:	3 hours
2.	Self-paced learning time	Average hours per week, per level:	6.5 hours
3.	On demand resources	Average hours per week, per level:	3 hours

This information is likely to change slightly for 2024/25 entry as our plans evolve. You'll receive full information on your teaching before you start your course.

Definitions of terms

Live in-person on campus learning – This will focus on active and experiential sessions that are both:

Led by your tutors including seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations We'll schedule all of this for you
Student-led by you and other students, like small group work and presentations.

Tutor set learning activities – This covers activities which will be set for you by your tutor, but which you will undertake in your own time. Examples of this include watching online materials, participating in an online discussion forum, completing a virtual laboratory or reading specific texts. You may be doing this by yourself of with your course mates depending on your course and assignments. Outside of these hours, you’ll also be expected to do further independent study where you’ll be expected to learn, prepare, revise and reflect in your own time.

You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.

Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.

You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

You will be assessed by a variety of methods including seminar presentations, written assignments, laboratory reports, unseen examinations (online or on campus) and practical demonstrations.

Careers

How can the MSc Strength and Conditioning (Online Distance Learning) support your career?

This Strength and Conditioning master’s degree opens doors to a number of exciting career path, with excellent career progression opportunities.

With the ever-increasing focus in the sporting world on achieving the best results possible, strength and conditioning coaches are in high demand.

We take great pride in our graduates having found success at professional and elite organisations such as:

English Institute of Sport (EIS)
Arsenal FC
Chelsea FC
Saracens RFC
Notts Cricket Club
NFL Academy
British Weightlifting

We continue to sustain and develop our links with professional organisations to enhance the potential career opportunities for our graduates. Further to this, you'll also be capable of establishing your own consultancy business or progressing on to additional study in the form of a PhD.

Entry requirements

Qualifications

We normally require a second class honours degree 2:2 or above, or equivalent qualification in a sports or exercise related field
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in non-related areas will be considered subject to relevant industry experience and professional qualifications

Further requirements

Distance education students will be required to work within the field of athletic development. This may include professional clubs, governing bodies and/or private athletic training

Eligibility

UK/EU and international students are eligible to apply for this course.

Academic credit for previous study or experience

If you have relevant qualifications or work experience, academic credit may be awarded towards your Middlesex University programme of study. For further information please visit our Accreditation of Prior Learning page.

Qualifications

We accept the equivalent of the below qualifications from a recognised overseas qualification:

We normally require a second class honours degree 2:2 or above, or equivalent qualification in a sports or exercise related field
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in non-related areas will be considered subject to relevant industry experience and professional qualifications

Further requirements

Distance education students will be required to work within the field of athletic development. This may include professional clubs, governing bodies and/or private athletic training

To find out more about the qualifications we accept from your country please visit the relevant support in your country page. If you are unsure about the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest regional office for support.

Academic credit for previous study or experience

Visas and immigration

You will not need a visa to study in the UK if you are a citizen of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. If you are a national of any other country you may need a visa to study in the UK. Please see our Visas and immigration page for further information.

English language requirements for international students

You must have competence in English language to study with us. The most commonly accepted evidence of English language ability is IELTS 6.5 (with minimum 6.0 in all components). We also normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. Visit our English language requirements page for a full list of accepted tests and qualifications.

If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, we offer an intensive Pre-sessional English course.

Interviews may form a part of your application process.

Applications for postgraduate study should be made directly to the university.

Please visit our Postgraduate application page for further information and to apply.

Four students walking through the Hendon campus

North London campus

Our north London campus is 23 minutes away by underground train, travelling from London Kings Cross.

Learn more

Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Fees and funding

The fees below refer to the 2024/25 academic year unless otherwise stated.

UK students¹

Full-time students: £9,800
Part-time students: £65 per credit
Part-time students: £33 per dissertation credit

International students²

Full-time students: £12,600
Part-time students: £84 per credit
Part-time students: £42 per dissertation credit

For more information and to answer your frequently asked questions, please visit our postgraduate funding page.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase postgraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

Get answers from our Unibuddy student ambassadors

Next steps

We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

Open Days

Join us on campus to discover more about our range of courses, and get a feel for life at Middlesex for yourself

chevron_right

Research

The university promotes research and encourages students to participate in research projects

chevron_right

Accommodation

We’ll help you find your new home in London while you study at Middlesex

chevron_right

Student Life

Find out more about what life is like on Campus

chevron_right