Physical Activity for Health MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgCert, PgDip

Physical Activity for Health can be studied full-time or part-time and there are three possible exit levels: Certificate, Diploma, or Master's providing you the flexibility to study at a pace that suits you.

The programme combines compulsory and optional courses, which make use of traditional lectures, tutorials, seminars and some laboratory and field practicals. Assessment involves a combination of essays, reports, case studies, examinations, oral presentations and practical demonstrations.

Compulsory courses:

• Assessment of Physical Activity and Body Composition
• Physical Activity for Health
• Physical Activity for Health Across the Lifespan
• Psychology of Physical Activity
• Research Process
• Understanding Research Concepts

Optional courses:

Students will also choose 30 credits of optional courses selected from across the university. Our students take course related to Sport Management and Policy, Human Performance Science, Exercise Rehabilitation and Medicine, Psychology and Public Health. Example optional courses our students have taken in previous years include:

• Sport, Society and International Development
• Sport and Exercise Medicine
• Preventive Dance Medicine
• Social Determinants of Health
• Developing and Evaluating Complex Public Health Interventions

To complete the MSc programme, you will also produce an independently-researched dissertation.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

There has been an increasing interest in the area of Physical Activity for Health. The skills you will develop in this programme will enhance your opportunities for employment in careers in many areas related to physical activity.

Recent graduates have taken up roles in:

• Physical Activity and Sports Development
• Health Promotion (for example, within workplaces and local authorities)
• Health and Fitness Industry (for example, within gyms and sporting facilities)
• Physical Activity and Health Consultancy
• Research positions (for example, within academic and non-governmental organisations)
• Teaching positions

Many of our graduates have chosen to extend their studies by undertaking a Doctoral degree following graduation. Following completion of their PhD, several have progressed into Lectureship positions or stayed within academia in funded Research Assistant roles.

• Hear what our graduates have to say

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline such as sport and exercise science, physical education, health sciences, psychology or physiology.

We may also consider your application if you have equivalent academic qualifications and significant professional training and experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

For 2021 entry we will accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS: total 6.5 (at least 6.0 in each module)
• TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 92 (at least 20 in each module). We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• CAE and CPE: total 176 (at least 169 in each module)
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with a distinction in all four components

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries.

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding