Course information
By studying the MSc Sports Therapy (Conversion) at Hartpury University you’ll benefit from our modern Sports Performance and rehabilitation facilities providing you with practical learning experience.
You’ll assist with first aid pitch-side provision for our sports teams here on campus and provide care in the student-led sports injury clinic. You'll complete an external placement providing you with the skills and experience that employers are looking for. This will help you develop into an independent sports therapist and provide you with an opportunity to grow your professional network whilst you complete your study.
Our programme bridges theory with practical practice from day one, preparing you for the realities of a career in sports therapy. You’ll develop essential employment skills to ensure you are industry ready enabling you to take the next step in your career.
You’ll be taught by our professionally qualified staff with industry experience in sporting and clinical environments.
We are in the process of gaining accreditation by the Society of Sports Therapists (SST).
Once accredited, Hartpury University, covers the cost of your student membership to SST. This gives you access to valuable resources including student insurance for supervised placements (active upon completion of clinical modules). Upon course completion, you'll be eligible for membership and insurance with the SST allowing you to practice as a qualified sports therapist (visit The Society of Sports Therapists for full details of costs).
Academic
Applicants should have at least either a 2:1 honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science or equivalent degree subject.
Non-academic
Applicants should have at least a 2:1 in a degree that is supported by evidence of an aptitude for the subject applied for, or have equivalent experience of training, normally from their working environment.
International
EU and international students need IELTS 7.0 overall (with a minimum of 6.5 in writing and speaking) or equivalent.
Please contact us for further information.
Further information
It is important that your personal statement demonstrates evidence of:
- An understanding of the course, profession, and the regulatory body (The Society of Sports Therapists)
- Your experience in sports and exercise sciences (study and/or experience you have in sport and exercise related setting/role)
- Evidence of your personal and professional qualities
- Desire to study the subject applied for.
Applicants will need to pass our Fitness to Practise Process as part of application process
Your career
Industry opportunities on this course are diverse to ensure you develop the skills, experience and connections needed for your graduate career. Many of our students secure graduate roles with their work placement employers.
Work placements and experience
Throughout your course you will have the chance to complete several on-campus opportunities, ranging from pitch side to student-led clinics and other event opportunities. By the end of the course, you must have achieved a minimum of 200 hours placement experience to be eligible for the MSc and Society of Sports Therapist membership and insurance upon graduation.
Your final module will consist of hours both on campus and through external, pre-approved, work placement opportunities. These hours will be logged as part of assessment elements for this module. Please note, all placements and opportunities are unpaid, and have to be approved prior to commencing.
Guest lecturers and continued professional development
As part of the programme, and to assist your professional development, you’ll undertake an emergency first aid certificate. The one-day course provides students with standardised training for the environment of basic life support and allows you to carry out the applied opportunities.
Industry professionals and guest lecturers may form part of your learning, enabling you to gain different experiences and context of sports therapy.
Continued Professional Development is a key part of Sports Therapy. Although not compulsory, Hartpury University may host various extra-curricular activities and courses. Prices will vary depending on the nature and duration of the course, as well as the external provider.
Graduate destinations
As a graduate sports therapist, you may progress into a variety of industries and sports therapy roles, including for clubs or teams, in private practices, or the fitness and health industry. Roles within the NHS and Ministry of Defence are also available, as is further postgraduate study.
We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.
Duration
18 months, full-time
You will study full-time and subsequently complete within 18 months. The module contact demands during semester 1 and 2 will be approximately 12 hours a week spread over two days. Please note additional commitment is required for placement hours outside taught contact hours to achieve the minimum hours required as part of the programme, as stipulated by the Society of Sports Therapists
Independent study is a key part of post graduate study. A minimum of 24 hours a week of self-directed reading and learning is expected for full engagement on this professional accredited MSc.
Three years, part-time
Alternatively, we offer flexible part-time options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments enabling you to complete your qualification in three years. Please enquire for further details.
Your support network
You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and academic personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.
Your learning experiences
You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, lectures, workshops, practicals, placements and tutorials. Much of the teaching will take place practically in person on campus, but some theoretical and support sessions will be hosted online.
Attendance requirements
You are expected to actively engage and attend all scheduled sessions and modules. As a pre-requisite to meet the professional body requirements, a minimum 80% attendance requirement is stipulated. Attendance will be monitored in all sessions across modules. Failure to meet the attendance requirements may result in a student being unable to sit the assessment for a module at the first attempt due to the health and safety associated with the content of the module. Prior to re-assessment, you'll be expected to attend scheduled support sessions to fulfil the practical health and safety elements for eligibility for the re-sit opportunity. You must be available on the dates scheduled.
Course information
Overview
By studying the MSc Sports Therapy (Conversion) at Hartpury University you’ll benefit from our modern Sports Performance and rehabilitation facilities providing you with practical learning experience.
You’ll assist with first aid pitch-side provision for our sports teams here on campus and provide care in the student-led sports injury clinic. You'll complete an external placement providing you with the skills and experience that employers are looking for. This will help you develop into an independent sports therapist and provide you with an opportunity to grow your professional network whilst you complete your study.
Our programme bridges theory with practical practice from day one, preparing you for the realities of a career in sports therapy. You’ll develop essential employment skills to ensure you are industry ready enabling you to take the next step in your career.
You’ll be taught by our professionally qualified staff with industry experience in sporting and clinical environments.
We are in the process of gaining accreditation by the Society of Sports Therapists (SST).
Once accredited, Hartpury University, covers the cost of your student membership to SST. This gives you access to valuable resources including student insurance for supervised placements (active upon completion of clinical modules). Upon course completion, you'll be eligible for membership and insurance with the SST allowing you to practice as a qualified sports therapist (visit The Society of Sports Therapists for full details of costs).
Entry requirements
Academic
Applicants should have at least either a 2:1 honours degree in Sport and Exercise Science or equivalent degree subject.
Non-academic
Applicants should have at least a 2:1 in a degree that is supported by evidence of an aptitude for the subject applied for, or have equivalent experience of training, normally from their working environment.
International
EU and international students need IELTS 7.0 overall (with a minimum of 6.5 in writing and speaking) or equivalent.
Please contact us for further information.
Further information
It is important that your personal statement demonstrates evidence of:
- An understanding of the course, profession, and the regulatory body (The Society of Sports Therapists)
- Your experience in sports and exercise sciences (study and/or experience you have in sport and exercise related setting/role)
- Evidence of your personal and professional qualities
- Desire to study the subject applied for.
Applicants will need to pass our Fitness to Practise Process as part of application process
Employability
Your career
Industry opportunities on this course are diverse to ensure you develop the skills, experience and connections needed for your graduate career. Many of our students secure graduate roles with their work placement employers.
Work placements and experience
Throughout your course you will have the chance to complete several on-campus opportunities, ranging from pitch side to student-led clinics and other event opportunities. By the end of the course, you must have achieved a minimum of 200 hours placement experience to be eligible for the MSc and Society of Sports Therapist membership and insurance upon graduation.
Your final module will consist of hours both on campus and through external, pre-approved, work placement opportunities. These hours will be logged as part of assessment elements for this module. Please note, all placements and opportunities are unpaid, and have to be approved prior to commencing.
Guest lecturers and continued professional development
As part of the programme, and to assist your professional development, you’ll undertake an emergency first aid certificate. The one-day course provides students with standardised training for the environment of basic life support and allows you to carry out the applied opportunities.
Industry professionals and guest lecturers may form part of your learning, enabling you to gain different experiences and context of sports therapy.
Continued Professional Development is a key part of Sports Therapy. Although not compulsory, Hartpury University may host various extra-curricular activities and courses. Prices will vary depending on the nature and duration of the course, as well as the external provider.
Graduate destinations
As a graduate sports therapist, you may progress into a variety of industries and sports therapy roles, including for clubs or teams, in private practices, or the fitness and health industry. Roles within the NHS and Ministry of Defence are also available, as is further postgraduate study.
How you'll study
We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.
Duration
18 months, full-time
You will study full-time and subsequently complete within 18 months. The module contact demands during semester 1 and 2 will be approximately 12 hours a week spread over two days. Please note additional commitment is required for placement hours outside taught contact hours to achieve the minimum hours required as part of the programme, as stipulated by the Society of Sports Therapists
Independent study is a key part of post graduate study. A minimum of 24 hours a week of self-directed reading and learning is expected for full engagement on this professional accredited MSc.
Three years, part-time
Alternatively, we offer flexible part-time options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments enabling you to complete your qualification in three years. Please enquire for further details.
Your support network
You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and academic personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.
Your learning experiences
You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, lectures, workshops, practicals, placements and tutorials. Much of the teaching will take place practically in person on campus, but some theoretical and support sessions will be hosted online.
Attendance requirements
You are expected to actively engage and attend all scheduled sessions and modules. As a pre-requisite to meet the professional body requirements, a minimum 80% attendance requirement is stipulated. Attendance will be monitored in all sessions across modules. Failure to meet the attendance requirements may result in a student being unable to sit the assessment for a module at the first attempt due to the health and safety associated with the content of the module. Prior to re-assessment, you'll be expected to attend scheduled support sessions to fulfil the practical health and safety elements for eligibility for the re-sit opportunity. You must be available on the dates scheduled.
Qualifications and modules
This conversion MSc will develop the skills of sports scientists and other relevant degree holders, into industry ready practitioners. Over the duration of the course, you will benefit from lectures, workshops, practicals, professional placements, and tutorials. Working individually and collaborating with peers and professionals, to share and evaluate best practice, enabling you to develop your clinical reasoning, whilst networking to stand out from the crowd in the employment market.
You’ll gain a thorough grounding of the role of a sports therapist, in both sporting and clinical environments. Initially you will develop the skills and competencies to allow you to examine, assess, treat and rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries; optimising performance and recovery across a range of individuals. Underpinning theory will be analysed to support practical hands-on skills taught, allowing you to develop advanced critical skills necessary to work within the field. Whilst also developing the ‘wider’ therapeutic skills needed to become an effective practitioner, through practical experiences.
As you develop your skills, the course will start to focus on the wider development of you as a practitioner. You will put into practice what you have learnt, accumulating 200hours of supervised practice through on campus and external placements providing you with the skills and experience that employers are looking for. Professional practice skills are complimented by an applied research project allowing you to develop a personal interest or professional experience.
Explore the compulsory modules for this course. All modules are compulsory for the MSc award and to be eligible to apply for membership and insurance with The Society of Sports Therapists.
Module credits
Upon successful completion of your modules you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final master’s degree differential award (pass, merit or distinction).
Compulsory Modules
Clinical Examination and Assessment for Sports Therapist
The aim of this module is to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy and injury pathology alongside the principles and practical application of clinical assessments.
Fundamental Treatment Skills for Sports Therapist
The aim of this module is to introduce students to treatment skills which can be applied to neuromusculoskeletal injuries and theoretical skills related to healing, recovery, and pain. These skills form the foundation and are fundamental to treating musculoskeletal injuries.
Developing the Evidence Informed Practitioner
The aim of this module is to support the development important practitioner skills immediate management and sports trauma alongside academic and research skills. Developing a critical thinker to enhance clinical reasoning across a range of population whilst preparing for a final research project.
Sport and Exercise Rehabilitation
The aim of this module is to provide knowledge and understanding needed to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation and conditioning programs to meet the physical requirements of the athlete’s sport, exercise or occupation within a multidisciplinary team.
Contemporary Treatment Skills
The aim of this module is to develop students' treatment skills for neuromusculoskeletal injuries, in line with contemporary theory, research and clinical practice, including manual therapy.
Evidence informed Practice
The module aims to consolidate students’ clinical and research skills, through the gaining of 200 supervised clinical hours in order to meet the competencies of a Graduate Sports Therapist accredited to the Society of Sports Therapists and the completion of professionally relevant research project.
Qualifications and modules
MSc degree
This conversion MSc will develop the skills of sports scientists and other relevant degree holders, into industry ready practitioners. Over the duration of the course, you will benefit from lectures, workshops, practicals, professional placements, and tutorials. Working individually and collaborating with peers and professionals, to share and evaluate best practice, enabling you to develop your clinical reasoning, whilst networking to stand out from the crowd in the employment market.
You’ll gain a thorough grounding of the role of a sports therapist, in both sporting and clinical environments. Initially you will develop the skills and competencies to allow you to examine, assess, treat and rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries; optimising performance and recovery across a range of individuals. Underpinning theory will be analysed to support practical hands-on skills taught, allowing you to develop advanced critical skills necessary to work within the field. Whilst also developing the ‘wider’ therapeutic skills needed to become an effective practitioner, through practical experiences.
As you develop your skills, the course will start to focus on the wider development of you as a practitioner. You will put into practice what you have learnt, accumulating 200hours of supervised practice through on campus and external placements providing you with the skills and experience that employers are looking for. Professional practice skills are complimented by an applied research project allowing you to develop a personal interest or professional experience.
Modules
Explore the compulsory modules for this course. All modules are compulsory for the MSc award and to be eligible to apply for membership and insurance with The Society of Sports Therapists.
Module credits
Upon successful completion of your modules you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final master’s degree differential award (pass, merit or distinction).
Compulsory Modules
Clinical Examination and Assessment for Sports Therapist
The aim of this module is to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy and injury pathology alongside the principles and practical application of clinical assessments.
Fundamental Treatment Skills for Sports Therapist
The aim of this module is to introduce students to treatment skills which can be applied to neuromusculoskeletal injuries and theoretical skills related to healing, recovery, and pain. These skills form the foundation and are fundamental to treating musculoskeletal injuries.
Developing the Evidence Informed Practitioner
The aim of this module is to support the development important practitioner skills immediate management and sports trauma alongside academic and research skills. Developing a critical thinker to enhance clinical reasoning across a range of population whilst preparing for a final research project.
Sport and Exercise Rehabilitation
The aim of this module is to provide knowledge and understanding needed to develop and implement comprehensive rehabilitation and conditioning programs to meet the physical requirements of the athlete’s sport, exercise or occupation within a multidisciplinary team.
Contemporary Treatment Skills
The aim of this module is to develop students' treatment skills for neuromusculoskeletal injuries, in line with contemporary theory, research and clinical practice, including manual therapy.
Evidence informed Practice
The module aims to consolidate students’ clinical and research skills, through the gaining of 200 supervised clinical hours in order to meet the competencies of a Graduate Sports Therapist accredited to the Society of Sports Therapists and the completion of professionally relevant research project.
The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, workshops, practical sessions and online delivery – alongside independent learning. Students are expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour.
The course is taught in English.
| Contact learning | Placement learning | Independent learning | |
| MSc degree | 17% | 11% | 72% |
You'll be assessed through a mixture of practical exams and written assignments. Many of the modules will be marked based on a mixture of assessment types, whilst others will be based solely on one type of assessment.
Feedback will be given in written form, with the option to discuss all feedback with academic staff.
| Written exam | Practical exam | Coursework | |
| MSc degree | 7% | 47% | 46% |
This master’s course is run over 18months and is made up of two taught semesters (Sep-May) in the first year, within which you’ll study compulsory modules. On completion of the compulsory modules, the final module will run in the second year (Sep-Jan) and will be largely independently led through placement and research.
Part time options are available.
A condensed timetable will support study flexibility around existing commitments but work placement and opportunities will require additional commitments throughout the entirety of the course.
Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.
Studentship scheme
Our Postgraduate Studentship Scheme provides a fantastic development opportunity, enabling you to complement your postgraduate study with important real-world research within a paid position at Hartpury.
Clothing and footwear (circa £150)
You’ll need to purchase appropriate clothing and footwear before you enrol, or during enrolment week. We’ll let you know exactly what you need to purchase in your enrolment guide.
Additional costs
In the module of the course, students are expected to source an external placement that meets the accredited criteria. This may have additional travel costs.
Hartpury University may host various extra-curricular activities and courses, prices may vary dependent on the nature and duration of the course and external provider, but these are not compulsory.
Performance Sports Academy membership
Find out costs and details for joining one of our performance Sports Academy teams.
Hartpury gym
Find out about costs and details for joining the Hartpury gym.
Accommodation and living costs
Please visit our student accommodation page for details.
Our Resource Library is where you'll find all the essential details about Hartpury University's courses. It includes Programme and Module Specifications, along with Course Information Sheets for every course. You can easily download a complete revision history for each of these, clearly showing the dates changes were made.
Course Information Sheets: These are PDF versions of the course webpages. They provide an overview of the course, what to expect during your studies, and the topics covered.
Programme Specifications: These are detailed, validated documents containing academic specifics for each programme. They include descriptions of the programme, its aims, learning outcomes, year and module structure, as well as teaching, learning, and assessment strategies.
Module Specifications: Each Programme consists of several Modules. Our Module Specifications outline the topics covered and the expected outcomes for students studying each Module.
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“My role at Hartpury is multi-faceted, combining my clinical, research and academic interests. I initially qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist before working in elite rugby for almost two decades. I completed my Masters in Sports Medicine and I've been a lecturer on the undergraduate Sports Therapy degree since 2016, seeing the profession go from strength to strength during this time. In addition to my Senior Lecturer role, I am also the Head of Medical Services and Lead Physiotherapist for Hartpury University RFC. Some of the excellent staff currently working in the medical department here at Hartpury are alumni of the Hartpury Sports Therapy Programme.”
Richard Mack, Senior Lecturer, Head of Medical Services and Lead Physiotherapist for Hartpury University RFC
“My role at Hartpury is multi-faceted, combining my clinical, research and academic interests. I initially qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist before working in elite rugby for almost two decades. I completed my Masters in Sports Medicine and I've been a lecturer on the undergraduate Sports Therapy degree since 2016, seeing the profession go from strength to strength during this time. In addition to my Senior Lecturer role, I am also the Head of Medical Services and Lead Physiotherapist for Hartpury University RFC. Some of the excellent staff currently working in the medical department here at Hartpury are alumni of the Hartpury Sports Therapy Programme.”
Richard Mack, Senior Lecturer, Head of Medical Services and Lead Physiotherapist for Hartpury University RFC
Important information
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.
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