Sport Psychology

Why study Sport Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University?

• The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is ranked first in the North West and among the top 20 in the world for Sports Science (QS World University Rankings 2026)

• LJMU ranked in the top 20 universities in the UK for Sports Science (Complete University Guide Subject League Tables 2027)

• 100% of students surveyed on this course said teaching staff were good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2025)

• Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)

• Taught by BPS Chartered Psychologists and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Practitioners in Sport and Exercise

• Study in state-of-the-art laboratories and teaching facilities

• The course currently offers applied learning experiences led by experienced staff and guest speakers from the sport psychology sector

• Includes a free, full-day applied event with invited practitioners from sport and exercise psychology, alumni and industry leaders

• Step one on the career path to becoming an HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologist in Sport and Exercise

About your course
Sport and exercise psychologists are increasingly in demand to help improve performance by developing key psychological and perceptual-cognitive-motor skills. They can be found working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes and professional sports clubs, as well as in physical education or therapeutic professions. They also work with individuals with specific neurological conditions to help develop motor learning and control processes, plus aspects of social cognition.

The basis of the programme is to take the core psychological principles and apply them to real scenarios in professional sport, exercise and physical activity settings, plus areas such as physical education or therapeutic professions.

On this course you will develop scientific research skills, theoretical knowledge and skills in reporting empirical findings so that you will be able to carry out research projects based on real practice. Moreover, a key component of the programme structure is to develop applied skills that will allow you to operate effectively in a wide range of contexts.

You will develop fundamental and principal skills in Levels 4 and 5, culminating in a core applied placement or work-based learning project and major project in Level 6. If you choose an applied placement, you may spend a proportion of your final year working with an external placement provider. In doing so, you will also develop transferable skills that are essential in most careers, such as critical evaluation and verbal and written presentations. For your major project, you will experience the research process through the safe and ethical planning, production, analysis and reporting of a piece of independent research.

Practice is an essential part of your studies, so you will have use of our 25 million state-of-the-art science laboratories and equipment, as well as opportunities to gain experience during your core placement.

Professional Accreditation
The programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and confers eligibility for graduate membership of the BPS and the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). To be eligible for Chartered Membership via your undergraduate degree you must have achieved at least a 2:2 award.

LJMU is a member of ASET, the UK’s leading authority on work-based and placement learning (WBPL). This membership reflects our commitment to providing students with high-quality WBPL experiences that are well-supported and aligned with best practice guidelines.

Course Modules

Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, usually a combination of exams and coursework.

All students perform differently depending on how they are assessed, which is why we use a combination of assessment methods. These include:

•written assignments (essays, brief response questions)
•exams (seen and unseen)
•practical work
•portfolios (including e-portfolios)
•presentations (group and individual)
•and reflective practice/diaries

You will then complete an independent research dissertation supervised by one of your tutors in your final year. You will be given plenty of help with planning your workload as a full assessment schedule is provided at the start of each academic year.

Feedback on all coursework is provided within three weeks of submitting it and may be given via Canvas (our virtual learning environment), face-to-face and/or in writing. You can always arrange one-to-one sessions with your tutors to discuss or clarify issues related to feedback as well. We believe that constructive feedback is vital in helping you identify your strengths as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• British Psychological Society