MScFootball Science
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
Designed specifically for those already working in a professional football environment, this master’s degree will enable you to develop and enhance your existing knowledge and skills in monitoring, analysing and implementing programmes of support to elite football players.
You’ll engage with, and gain an understanding across, areas such as talent identification and recruitment, training and competition demands and team leadership and management dynamics. This will help to enhance your experience and knowledge with the application of a multidisciplinary age-appropriate programme for the development of academy through to professional players. In addition, your supervisory and people management skills will be enhanced to gain greater insight into leadership and provide further career opportunities.
As part of the course you’ll also be eligible to enrol onto BASES Supervised Experience, the recognised path to full BASES-accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist and Chartered Scientist status. If appropriate, some students with prior experience may choose to receive guidance and support in the application for direct entry to accreditation.
You’ll receive high quality teaching, learning and sport science provision from professionals with backgrounds in academia and football. The course is also informed by extensive links with key industry partners, such as the Football Association, BASES, the Premier League, various professional Football League clubs, and leading wearable technology companies. In addition the course will draw on the expertise of current practitioners who, through our renowned guest lecture and seminar programme, add vital applied insights from the world of football.
Why choose this course?
Course features
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Apply direct
You can apply direct to Solent University for this course
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Part-time option
You can study this course part-time
This course is for
This course is specifically for those currently working in the professional football industry in the UK, Europe and further afield in sport science support, player development and performance departments.
What this course leads to
As a practicing professional working in football, this course will provide you with the skills to help you develop your current role to work towards promotion or enhancement.
- BASES-accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist
Meet the team
The course team blends highly skilled academics with experienced and qualified football practitioners able to bring context through real life experiences. Staff include former and current high-level sport science and coaching staff from various Premier League clubs, international set-ups, and professional, statutory and regulatory bodies.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Year one modules
Core modules
Training and Competitive Demands
This module investigates the concept of periodisation - specifically the division of a yearly training plan into training phases which apply to the principles of training. Students will examine the intricacies and considerations of sequential planning, including the factors influencing the demands of a player, such as physical capacity, technical qualities, playing position, tactical role and style of playing, as well as ball possession of the team, quality of opponent, importance of the game, season period, playing surface and environmental factors.
Team Leadership and Management
This module is designed to advance football practitioners and provide the necessary skillset to becoming a departmental lead or head.
Talent Identification and Recruitment
In this module, students will explore and understand the roles and responsibilities of a talent and recruitment department. Students will develop an awareness of good practice and identify various techniques, processes, and procedures commonly used within the talent ID field to promote successful player recruitment.
Year two modules
Core modules
Rehabilitation and Return to Play
This module will develop skills in football injury rehabilitation. The aim is to introduce the concepts of injury and rehabilitation management, supported by evidence-based practice. The module also offers the opportunity to develop students' knowledge and understanding of physiology to an applied sport-specific setting.
Independent Project
This is a student-led module with the content largely determined by the student under the guidance of their supervision tutor. Students have the opportunity to undertake a sustained, intensive and independent investigation into a theme of their choosing and present their work in a peer reviewed journal format.
Supervised Experience
Students will undertake a placement (up to 150 hours) in a sport science/football science setting to improve and enhance their scientific knowledge, technical and problem-solving skills, and professional competencies, and to understand the roles and responsibilities of a talent and recruitment department. The module will enable students to start to construct a portfolio, which will begin to demonstrate key competencies required to attain BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist status.
Learning resources
At Solent, our aim is to deliver innovative, inclusive and intellectually stimulating teaching to develop self-confident and highly employable graduates. All our courses are designed with employability in mind, which makes industry-based learning a priority.
Your future
As a practicing professional working in football, this course will allow you to develop your current role to work towards promotion or enhancement. Enrolling onto the BASES Supervised Experience route will also allow you to progress towards full accredited status.
Learn transferable skills
You will be supported to develop a range of transferable skills throughout the course. This includes programming, project management, problem-solving, analytical skills, technical writing, teamwork, communication and presentation skills.
These transferable skills empower you to work in a range of different industries after graduation. The course will also equip you with research and academic skills helping those who wish to pursue a PhD or an academic career.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are:
- UK and Channel Island part-time fees: £4,500 per year
- International and EU part-time fees: Students from outside the UK are usually unable to obtain a visa for part-time study. Please visit our visas and immigration page for more information.
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2023/24 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Compulsory costs
- Students must purchase compulsory kit/clothing. This is at a cost of approximately £105.
- Students are also required to undertake a criminal convictions check through the Disclosure and Barring Service as part of their enrolment. This is compulsory and costs £55.
Alumni discount
Solent alumni are eligible for a 20% reduction of tuition fees if returning to study a postgraduate course.
Find out moreBursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Discover Solent University This video 'Discover Solent University' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Find out what Southampton has to offer This video 'Find out what Southampton has to offer' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
Relevant undergraduate sport science or related degree
- Applicants may be admitted to the course without an undergraduate degree provided they can demonstrate the necessary graduate-equivalent knowledge, abilities and skills.
- Applicants will be required to attend an interview.
- Applicants must be currently working in a professional football environment.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
Applicants will be required to attend an interview.
Applicants must be currently working in a professional football environment.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
Applicants will be required to attend an interview.
Applicants must be currently working in a professional football environment.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
Your application checklist
Applications for postgraduate courses can be made at any time prior to the start of the course. However, we strongly recommend you apply at your earliest convenience.
Please ensure you upload the following mandatory documents with your application:
- Two academic references.
- Certified transcripts of qualifications, including English language proficiency if non-UK student.
- Copy of passport.
- Copy of current visa (if applicable).
- A personal statement.
- Employer sponsor form, where appropriate.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT 92 with a minimum of 22 in writing and a minimum of 20 in reading, listening and speaking
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 100 in each component
or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Study options
Facilities
Students on this course will have full use of the many specialist health and sport science laboratories here at Solent. These include the BASES-accredited physiology lab, biomechanics lab and psychology laboratory, as well as the high performance gym.
Our Sports Complex supports our sport and health and fitness degree programmes. The Complex comprise two sports halls, two fitness studios, strength and conditioning and high performance gym, health and fitness and personal training teaching teams, and sport and exercise therapy clinical space. And as Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus, all students also have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more.
Alumni network
As part of our global alumni community, you can take advantage of a range of benefits.
Whether it's been days or decades since you left us, or you're soon to don your cap and gown, things are constantly changing at Solent. We're always innovating, but we're also immensely proud of our heritage. And that means you.
Research and knowledge exchange
Research doesn't just live in publications and journals - the effects of groundbreaking research can be found everywhere you look. That's why research at Solent has always been firmly rooted in industry needs and real-world application.
Solent University prides itself on carrying out not only pioneering research, but also research that addresses real world problems. We offer opportunities to study for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in a number of areas.
At Solent, we want to help you achieve your best and discover new insights. Whether you're thinking about applying for a PhD, or already underway with your research studies, you'll find useful guidance and information in our research pages.
Find out moreSupport at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all of the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out more
Make your application
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
