Key information
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Overview
The Professional Doctorate is an alternative pathway to a doctorate qualification. It is a rigorous programme of advanced study and research, designed specifically to meet the needs of commerce, industry and professional groups and is the professionally-oriented counterpart to the more theoretical PhD. It enables you to study a specific subject to the same depth as PhD students, but also to apply learning to your professional practice.
This is a part-time course, which has been designed so that it can be available to sport, exercise and health professionals from all over the world, to fit with the demands of full-time employment.
The Faculty of Science and Health offers a suite of Professional Doctorates. You will be supervised by experienced researcher-practitioners with extensive applied experience.
On this course you'll:
- Gain advanced research skills through the completion of a doctoral level programme of research
- Be supervised by staff who have a wealth of experience in research and applied practice in sport, exercise and health science
- Develop advanced ethical, communication, and consultancy competencies in applied sport, exercise and health science practice
Contact Information
Contact InformationBenefits of a Professional Doctorate
A professional doctorate is a desirable qualification for those working in areas such as the NHS, Physiotherapy, Sport Science and Strength and Conditioning
This programme encourages advanced analytical and critical thinking, while enhancing in-depth appreciation of research skills and how these are applied into the workplace. The development of this key knowledge will assist in enhancing policies and practices within your chosen profession.
On a personal level, the aim is for you to gain personal fulfilment whilst undertaking career professional development (CPD) and enhancement.
Modules
The course is only offered in a part-time mode and requires you to achieve 540 credits. These credits would be made up from four core units (450 credits), with the remaining 90 credits coming from a compatible MSc, professional qualification and/or professional experience, that will be accredited through the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning process. Claims will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
What you'll study
Core modules
Learn the basis of research philosophy and design, create suitable research designs and use appropriate forms of data analysis.
You'll evaluate contemporary research in a specific area to develop a scientifically sound outline research proposal and highlight the importance of ethical considerations.
You'll apply your knowledge to a range of research methods, design a strategy and address any ethical implications or dilemmas that arise.
By applying advanced academic writing skills, you'll create a well-structured and coherent research proposal document.
You'll evaluate how publication and distribution processes can inform practice while engaging in academic debates with critical communities and professional peers. You'll learn advanced library and presentation skills as you prepare your paper for publication and justify your target journal.
Optional modules
Explore a wide range of factors that influence perceptual-cognitive skills, and motor learning and control, doing this in two phases.
Firstly, you'll evaluate contemporary skill training periodisation frameworks and examine the latest research to develop interventons that help others improve their skills.
In the second phase of this module, you'll focus on ecological psychology and explore the concept of affordances across the lifetime, and how this applies to human perceptual-motor behavior.
Using your awareness on conducting physiological tests in sports performance, you'll design appropriate testing protocols and analyse data built on a problem-based learning scenario. You'll demonstrate how to safely conduct these tests and interpret feedback from assessing athletes.
You'll write a report on a topic relating to sports performance, discussing the concepts that relate to physiological testing and sports performance.
You'll identify and develop a range of professional practice skills associated with applied practice, such as counselling, service evaluation and effectiveness, and reflective practice.
Evaluate the professional skills, roles, responsibilities and abilities required to practice as a sport psychologist and examine the methods and techniques behind performance assessment, developing your consultancy skills as a trainee practitioner.
Assess the theoretical approaches for applying psychology to sporting performance and the intervention strategies that provide support to sport performers.
By developing your practical knowledge, you'll learn to apply psychological and sport performance assessments and appropriate interventions.
You'll analyse a range of biomechanical laboratory tests and use the latest data and tools to design programmes and test athletes, applying these appropriately within strength, conditioning or rehabilitation settings.
Master biomechanical protocols while sharpening your ability to assess anatomical and mechanical principles that underpin strength and conditioning.
Apply various methods to biomechanical data collection and reporting whilst evaluating individual and synchronised biomechanical systems.
Enhance your ability to understand fitness levels, using this to provide functional and prognostic information, and create exercise plans.
Apply your in-depth understanding of pathophysiologies and associated exercise responses and build your understanding of the methods used to assess lung health in adults and children.
Master how to undertake, perform, interpret and report the clinical cardiopulmonary exercise test, a key employability skill for an applied clinical exercise physiologist and researcher.
Explore respiratory, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, cancerous, diabetic and renal diseases as you learn to implement suitable exercise testing protocols for people with chronic disease.
You’ll explore research, critical thinking and present-day challenges in sport management.
Drawing on case studies at local, national and global levels, you'll understand how current issues affect the sports industry and what they mean for the wider sporting landscape.
Delve into topics such as commercialisation, politics and governance, gender equity and corporate social responsibility.
You’ll form your own opinions on these complex issues and lead constructive discussions.
By the end, you’ll have an agile mindset attuned to the evolving sports landscape, equipped with the awareness and skills to navigate real-world complexities in sports management.
Rigorously evaluate contemporary and future scientific concepts to practically enhance performance in sport and occupational arenas.
You’ll reflect how issues such as inclusion and ethical practices can be incorporated into applied practice and develop persuasive communication and teamwork skills to clearly present new ideas.
Enhance your ability to analyse numerical data by delving into financial ratios, enabling you to accurately gauge the financial health of professional organisations, leagues, and competitions.
Acquire the ability to propose marketing strategies for broadcasting and media rights in professional team sports, while enhancing analytical skills and exploring varied pricing and investment assessment methods.
Using sport event examples, you'll analyse both the global complexity and local scale of sports event management, applying theory to practice.
Through assessments, you'll create innovative ideas and communicate these clearly in a variety of ways.
Evaluate the post-event impacts of sport events through modern practice and research skills preparing you to confidentally manage global sporting events.
Link theory to practice for maintaining and enhancing performance in adverse environmental conditions, demonstrating your ability to administer a variety of methods used in the study of environmental physiology.
Discuss how environmental extremes affect physiological responses to exercise, training, and competitive performance. Identify the factors that maintain, enhance, or impair performance in sport, exercise, and work.
Examine the difficulties that modern sports organisations face regarding culture and workforce across various sectors, including issues like recruitment and retention.
Evaluate how well human resource tools can track the impact of demographic, social, global and technological shifts on organisational practices and human resource strategies in the sports industry.
Through discussion and case studies, you’ll develop your research skills and explore how the sports industry uses human resource within a global context.
Analyse ideas and theories about equality and develop the skills to apply them effectively in the management of human resources within the workplace.
Learn social and psychosocial techniques for offering advice and guidance to potential clients.
Through practical exercises, you'll develop skills in market analysis, including gathering and organising complex data, enabling you to contribute effectively as part of a research team.
You'll deliver a professional presentation, showing your expert ability to present complex information to an informed audience.
Develop a scientifically and ethically sound outline research proposal and conduct a project that will enhance your knowledge in your chosen area.
Apply appropriate research philosophy and design as you use qualitative and quantitative analysis tools to produce a written report and poster that reports on your research findings.
As part of your proposal, you'll generate ideas and solutions that focus on sporting society.
Through lectures, seminars, workshops, group work and case studies, you'll develop intellectual curiosity, embrace challenges and explore theoretical concepts.
You'll gain a critical understanding of sports management and the ability to question principles, practice and boundaries in a range of environments – using your awareness of evolving research principles.
Learn how coaching can be used to develop expertise in specific performance settings and apply knowledge gained from research findings to design psychological support programmes.
Evaluate the principles and research that underpins coaching and assess the need for an evidence-based approach to performance psychology practice.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the factors that affect physical activity adherence and how the field of exercise and physical activity contributes to population health.
Develop your knowledge of theoretical and evidence-informed perspectives within exercise psychology and acquire skill sets that enable you to adapt research so it benefits applied practice.
You'll interpret the biomechanical and physiological mechanisms involved in tissue loading and adaptation, and design effective, evidence-based rehabilitation programmes.
Through seminars, practical sessions and case studies, you'll develop your practical strength and conditioning skills and learn the principles behind return to play criteria.
As strength and conditioning practice evolves outside of face-to-face coaching, you'll learn to clearly communicate to a variety of people, both in person and through digital formats.
Choosing between a work placement, independent project or mini-self-employment placement, you'll enhance your organisation and communication skills and gain relevant experience towards your future graduate career.
You'll develop your organisation and communication skills, reflect on your learning experience and gain experiences relevant to your future career as you engage with the Careers and Employability Service.
You'll analyse practitioner roles and their organisations, assess your skills for those roles, review and use vocational and practical skills, create a personal development profile and present your findings, including areas for growth and career prospects.
Drawing on the theories and methods that inform contemporary strength and conditioning practice, you'll enhance athletic performance by gaining a deeper understanding of complex training and the performance aspects of strength training.
You'll demonstrate technical knowledge through plyometric techniques, agility and speed coaching, and analyse technique and coaching feedback through lab sessions and workshops.
You'll discuss ethical issues in the field of strength and conditioning training and prepare for professional qualification.
Employing problem-based learning, you'll critique technology usage across occupational and sports domains.
You'll master data management techniques to handle, process and visually interpret datasets.
Combining knowledge with hands-on experience, you'll discern strengths and limitations of emerging technologies, learning to select, implement and adapt technology that optimises human performance.
Core modules
Reflecting on theory, methodology, research and practice, you'll demonstrate critical judgement of complex issues, make original contributions to professional practice and challenge current ideas. You'll provide authoritive solutions to research issues and use a variety of formats to distribute research to critical communities.
When you're finished, you'll be ready to lead others in the changing environment of professional practice.
You'll apply your knowledge to a range of research methods, design a strategy and address any ethical implications or dilemmas that arise.
By applying advanced academic writing skills, you'll create a well-structured and coherent research proposal document.
Optional modules
You'll evaluate how publication and distribution processes can inform practice while engaging in academic debates with critical communities and professional peers. You'll learn advanced library and presentation skills as you prepare your paper for publication and justify your target journal.
Core modules
All modules in this year are core.
Reflecting on theory, methodology, research and practice, you'll demonstrate critical judgement of complex issues, make original contributions to professional practice and challenge current ideas. You'll provide authoritive solutions to research issues and use a variety of formats to distribute research to critical communities.
When you're finished, you'll be ready to lead others in the changing environment of professional practice.
Core modules
All modules in this year are core.
Reflecting on theory, methodology, research and practice, you'll demonstrate critical judgement of complex issues, make original contributions to professional practice and challenge current ideas. You'll provide authoritive solutions to research issues and use a variety of formats to distribute research to critical communities.
When you're finished, you'll be ready to lead others in the changing environment of professional practice.
Core modules
All modules in this year are core.
Reflecting on theory, methodology, research and practice, you'll demonstrate critical judgement of complex issues, make original contributions to professional practice and challenge current ideas. You'll provide authoritive solutions to research issues and use a variety of formats to distribute research to critical communities.
When you're finished, you'll be ready to lead others in the changing environment of professional practice.
Core modules
All modules in this year are core.
Reflecting on theory, methodology, research and practice, you'll demonstrate critical judgement of complex issues, make original contributions to professional practice and challenge current ideas. You'll provide authoritive solutions to research issues and use a variety of formats to distribute research to critical communities.
When you're finished, you'll be ready to lead others in the changing environment of professional practice.
Changes to course content
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.
Teaching and assessment
You will be assigned one or more university supervisors, depending on the area of research and professional development. Access to specialist advisors in the workplace will be required for Part 2 of the programme and will vary according to the area of investigation. We have excellent support systems for our Professional Doctorate students and you will be assigned a Personal Tutor for Part 1 as well as two Supervisors for Part 2 of the course.
There are further opportunities to attend Research Seminars and Workshops organised by the University's Graduate School.
Entry requirements
A master's degree in an appropriate subject and a suitable workplace environment to support the professional research and development project. All applicants will be invited to attend an interview.
English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 7.0 with no component score below 6.5.
If you don't meet the English language requirements yet, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
Course costs and funding
Tuition fees
- Home/CI students: £3,400 p/a*
- EU students: £3,400 p/a* (including Transition Scholarship)
- International students: £8,600 p/a*
*All fees are subject to annual increase
This course is eligible for the Government Doctoral Loan.
Apply
How to apply
Before you start your application, you'll need to have the following documentation ready:
- A personal statement
- Proof of your first degree and grades (officially certified and translated copies if not in English)
- Proof of a relevant postgraduate degree with at least 60 credits having been completed
- Details of 2 referees or 2 references on official headed paper, one of which should ideally be an academic reference
- Proof of your English language proficiency (if English is not your first language)
- An up-to-date copy of your CV
Then use the relevant application form below: