Sport Psychology

INFORMATION GUIDE
 What is Sport Psychology?
this understanding is employed to "educate coaches,
athletes, parents, exercisers, fitness professionals, and
athletic trainers about the psychological aspects of
their sport or activity;" the primary aim of which is to
"facilitate optimal involvement, performance, and
enjoyment in sport and exercise."
 What is Applied Sport Psychology?
Applied sport psychologists are uniquely trained and
specialized to engage in a broad range of activities including
the identification, development and execution of the mental
and emotional knowledge, skills and abilities required for
excellence in athletic domains; the understanding, diagnosing
and preventing of the psychological, cognitive, emotional,
behavioral and psychophysiological inhibitors of consistent,
excellent performance; and the improvement of athletic
contexts to facilitate more efficient development, consistent
“How can I become
a sport
psychologist?”
Courses at this level are designed to give students an
introduction to the science behind people's behaviour and
an early understanding of how psychology can be used to
improve quality of life.
Course content will vary depending on the exam board,
but will normally include a mix of simple practical work You will also develop skills
including:
and an introduction to psychological research in the
Oral, visual and written
following key areas:
communication
• How do people develop?
Problem solving
• How does memory work?
Numeracy and statistics
• How can psychological problems affect people? Critical and creative thinking
• How do others affect you? Decision making
• What makes you who you are? Organisational skills
• How do you interpret the world around you? Team working
The exact content of your course will vary depending on the
exam board, but you can expect to study subjects such as:
• Social Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Approaches in Psychology
• Psychopathology
• Biological Psychology
• Issues and debates in Psychology
 Degrees in psychology can be taken as a single, joint or combined honours course.
As psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour, you will cover a variety of content in
these areas.
The exact content of psychology degree courses varies from university to university, but all courses
accredited by the society will include:
• Biological psychology - how the brain influences behaviour, the effects of hormones, how it can be
affected by drugs
• Cognitive psychology - how we remember, learn, think, reason, perceive, speak and understand
• Developmental psychology - how humans develop physically, mentally and socially during childhood
and adolescence and their life span
• Social psychology - how human behaviour and experience are affected by social context such as in
groups and relationships
• Conceptual and historical issues - how psychological explanations have changed over time and key
debates which shape its future
• Individual differences - why people have different personalities, how we can measure intelligence, how
we treat mental disorders
• Research methods - how to conduct quantitative and qualitative methods, research design, data
collection, analysis and interpretation
 Entry Requirements
Entry requirements differ from one institution to another, so it is
best to contact universities directly or check out their prospectus.
Applicants often need to demonstrate good numeracy and literacy
skills, as well as the ability to handle scientific concepts.
Biology, Mathematics, English; History, Economics and similar
arts and social science subjects are all useful preparation.
A/AS level or equivalent qualifications in psychology are not
normally required for entry onto an accredited degree. You will
find that having a GCSE, A/AS level or equivalent in psychology
gives you a head start when you begin a degree.
 Postgraduate study and qualifications
The exact nature of the training you will need to complete will
depend on the field of psychology you want to work in.
In order to pursue a postgraduate qualification you will normally
need to have a 2:1 or higher from an undergraduate degree
accredited by the society. Graduates with a 2:2 or lower grade will
not normally be accepted unless they have achieved a higher
qualification, such as a masters degree.
You should always check with the university to find out their
specific entry requirements.
Sport Psychology: Knowledge and
Skills Checklist
What do sport and exercise psychologists do and how do you become one?
Thank You!