How to Pursue Sport and Exercise Psychology? A Free International Education Guide

Stillness 3 – A comprehensive guide for students interested in studying sport and exercise psychology.

This article forms part of the The Stillness Huddle — a space for sport psychology and mental training resources and tools for athletes, coaches, sport science professionals, parents, and students.

The thought of pursuing higher education brings along a range of emotions, important recommendations to remember, and plenty of questions. It feels like you are standing in the centre of intersecting roads and the main question that arises is ‘where now?’

If sport and exercise psychology has crossed your mind, you must have pondered over how and what to study. ‘What should I exactly study?’ ‘Which are some universities that offer degree programs and where can I find them?’ ‘Are there any certifications I need to obtain after my master’s degree to start practice?’

The world has endless possibilities, so deciding on your future feels equally exciting and daunting. Combining psychology with sport is a fascinating idea! It will take you down a journey filled with learning, challenges, joy, and satisfaction.

After more than a year since I first created and shared this education guide which received a great response, I have updated the resource to include more value.

What is sport psychology? Here’s a rundown.

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

Summary

• Degree programs offered at universities across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and India

• Relevant associations

• Important resources and tips

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United States

Bachelor’s Programs:

• BA, Sports Psychology — National University

• BA, Sports Psychology — Adams State University

• BS, Kinesiology — Sport Psychology — Western Washington University

• BS, Kinesiology, Option in Psychology and Leadership — California State University, Long Beach

• BS, Kinesiology — California Polytechnic State University

Master’s Programs:

Find Master’s programs here (paid external resource)

• MA, Sport and Exercise Psychology — Minnesota State University

• MS, Sport and Performance Psychology — University of Western States

• MS, Sport Psychology — Capella University

• MS, Kinesiology (Sport and Exercise Psychology Concentration) — Georgia Southern University

• MA, Sport Psychology — National University (John F. Kennedy University)

• MS, Applied Sport Psychology (Online) — Adams State University

• MA/MS, Sport and Exercise Psychology — Ball State University

Important Associations:

American Psychological Association (APA)

https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/sports

https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/

https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/about/sport-proficiency

Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)

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Canada

Bachelor’s Programs:

• BA, Sport Psychology — Laurentian University

Master’s Programs:

• MA, Sport Psychology — McGill University

• MS, Kinesiology — University of Toronto

• MS, Sport Psychology — Queen’s University

• Master’s in Human Kinetics (MHK) — Laurentian University

• MA, Kinesiology — University of British Columbia

• MA, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation — University of Alberta

• MHK, Concentration in Intervention and Consultation — University of Ottawa

Important Associations:

Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)

Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA)

Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology | Société

Canadienne D’Apprentissage Psychomoteur et de Psychologie du Sport (SCAPPS)

North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)

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United Kingdom

Bachelor’s Programs:

• BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Psychology — Loughborough University

• BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Psychology — Staffordshire University

• BSc Psychology with Sport and Exercise Science — University of Exeter

• BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Psychology — University of Worcester

• BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Psychology — Leeds Trinity University

Master’s Programs:

Find BPS Accredited Master’s programs here

Important Associations:

British Psychological Society (BPS)

Graduate Membership

Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Stage 2)

The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)

Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR) via BASES

Overall Important Resources:

• How to become a sport psychologist

• HCPC approved training routes for Practitioner Sport and Exercise Psychologists — Video by Dr. Richard Thelwell

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Germany

Master’s Programs:

• MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology – Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln

• MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology – Universität Leipzig

Important Associations:

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (German Psychological Society; DGP)

Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology – University of Muenster

Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Sportpsychologie in Deutschland e. V. (German Association of Sport Psychology; ASP)

Fédération Européenne de Psychologie des Sports et des Activités Corporelles (European Federation of Sport Psychology; FEPSAC)

Overall Important Resources:

• International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP)

• How to decide if an online/distance learning Master’s is for you

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India

Master’s Programs:

• MA, Sports Psychology — National Sports University, Imphal, Manipur

• MA, Sports Psychology — Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab

• MSc, Sports Psychology and Sociology — Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

• MSc, Sport and Exercise Psychology — Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Important Associations:

Indian Sport Psychologists Association (INSPA)

Asian South-Pacific Association of Sport Psychology (ASPASP)

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Know what you want

Given that sport and performance psychology is a vast field branching out into research, teaching, and applied consulting, there are multiple paths to choose depending on how you want to be involved. Hence, having good clarity about the contexts in which you see yourself working eventually and why will give you the confidence to progress.

What is your motivation? How can your knowledge, skills, and abilities be applied to the field and its audiences – athletes, teams, and organizations? What are your goals? These are important questions to ask oneself before proceeding.  

Pursuing sport psychology (bachelor’s, master’s, and a PhD) requires discipline, perseverance, and genuine intrinsic motivation as the journey is long and difficult. Like pursuing a career in medicine or law. So, knowing why you are doing what you are doing can make a world of a difference and help buffer stress and pressure.

The first chapter of the book ‘Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology’ by Robert S. Weinberg and Daniel Gould is an excellent resource to get a thorough understanding of the vastness and the depth of the field.

Know what it takes

Master’s programs are designed and delivered to primarily teach the fundamentals of sport, performance and exercise psychology research, theories, and concepts to students.

While most or all programs will have a module on applied practice, the program is not meant to equip degree holders with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to provide competent and ethical sport psychology (mental performance consulting) services. Typically, after a master’s degree, students are expected to pursue graduate training and certification, such as the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) accreditation in North America offered by AASP.

Sport organizations, associations and research and academic institutions require or desire candidates with a PhD in Sport, Counselling, or Clinical Psychology. It’s therefore a good idea to understand the job requirements in your preferred work environment before embarking on your education journey.

Do your due diligence

Hopefully, this resource has been helpful in giving you a broad picture of the various elements involved in pursuing sport psychology. This article is a small contribution to the field which continues to teach, amaze, and humble me every day.

If you feel the article can be modified or has errors, please write to me with specific feedback and suggestions.

The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute professional career guidance. This is by no means an endorsement of any of the mentioned universities or associations. Students are strongly suggested to conduct their own research on the programs offered, admissions requirements, licensure, certification, and other practice and research related information prior to making an informed decision. The universities mentioned in this non-exhaustive list may change.

Since the field is consistently evolving, it is advised to stay updated and periodically verify information on university programs, requirements set by associations and other relevant details. All information (external links) mentioned in this article belongs to the respective universities and associations and may change without subject to prior notice.

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Reach out

Feel free to get in touch with your feedback, questions, just a hi, and more at shaantanu.sportpsych@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can also reach out on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter.

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Thank you,