Course summary
How can psychology help to shape the perception of exercise? And can psychology help athletes deal with the psychological consequences of an injury, or build cohesion within a sporting team? Psychology has the ability to enhance adherence to exercise programmes, influence individuals to fulfil their sporting potential, and often plays a key role in ensuring sporting success. Offering a unique educational experience by overlapping psychology within the broader discipline of sport and exercise science, our MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology is dedicated to one of the fastest developing areas of psychology. It will provide you with an insight into working across a range of contexts in sport and exercise, and you'll focus on practical and ethical considerations whilst developing essential knowledge and skills for research and applied practice in this specialised field. There will also be opportunities to gain practical experience using equipment for both research and in applied contexts, with an emphasis placed on the importance of testing in the field. You study a variety of topics including:
- Motor control and cognitive psychology
- Psychological skills and strategies
- Developmental issues in sport and exercise
- Social psychology and individual differences
- Professional practice in sport and exercise psychology
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for this course can be found on the course finder on the University of Essex website – www.essex.ac.uk
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| England | £10500 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £10500 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £10500 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £10500 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £10500 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £10500 | Year 1 |
| EU | £22750 | Year 1 |
| International | £22750 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Fees displayed are for 2025-26 entry. Fees for part-time courses are calculated pro-rata to the relevant full-time fee.
Tuition fees may be subject to annual increases in each year of study in line with inflation.
Provider information
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ