MSc Sports Therapy
We’re looking forward to welcoming you onto your postgraduate course. To help you feel more prepared, we’ve gathered together a range of course related activities including suggested reading, useful websites and some great things to do right now.
We recommend that you consider opportunities to personalise your experience, such as your placement and research project. It might be possible to combine the external placement with data collection for your dissertation, but this is not obligatory. A range of placement opportunities will be provided, but if you have a specific interest then please consider this prior to starting the course and liaise with staff (see contact details below).
Suggested reading
The MSc is a continuation of your BSc programme. So your reading at Level 7 will primarily be derived from journal articles and on a weekly basis, specific to each module. The area where you will have had least prior experience relates to the module “Mental health awareness for performance sport athletes and practitioners”. This is an area you might wish to read around prior to starting your MSc.
And you’ll be given lots of information about which textbooks to read and introduced to the University Library, as well as the many ebooks we have for you to access, when you begin your studies. In the meantime, there are a few suggested books you might like to read before starting your degree if you can. We don’t recommend rushing out to buy texts before you arrive but if you can pick some up second hand, borrow from a library or access online to read over the summer we suggest:
- BAKER, J., SAFAI, P. and FRASER-THOMAS, J. eds. 2015. Health and elite sport. London: Routledge.
- BARON, D., REARDON, C. and BARON, S. eds. 2013. Clinical sports psychiatry: An international perspective. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
- CARLESS, D. and DOUGLAS, K. 2010. Sport and physical activity for mental health. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
- DOUGLAS, K. and CARLESS, D. 2015. Life story research in sport. London: Routledge.
- MALCOLM, D. and SAFAI, P. eds. 2012. The social organization of sports medicine. London: Routledge. POTRAC, P., GILBERT, W. and DENNISON, J. eds. The Routledge handbook of sports coaching. London: Routledge.
- SOTIRIADOU, P. and De BOSSCHER, V. eds. 2013. Managing high performance sport. London: Routledge.
- WADDINGTON, I. and SMITH, A., 2009. An introduction to drugs in sport. Addicted to winning? London: Routledge
Suggested materials
Appropriate kit will need to be worn for the clinical modules delivered on the course. You will have the opportunity to order the course kit which has the university and course name on it. Ordered kit may take some time to arrive so in the meantime it would be advisable to bring your own appropriate kit for clinic. Particularly on external placement, some providers will request/require that you wear EHU branded kit.
Useful websites
For sports therapy jobs and opportunities:
For ideas on what else you can do whilst at university:
- If you want to join a sports team at University find out more on our website
- Spend the summer as a sports coach in the USA
- Find out more about completing a sandwich year
It is important to keep up to date with what is going on in the sports therapy community.
- Check out The Society of Sports Therapists website
- Review The Society of Sports Therapists injury management guidelines
- Listen to Dr Kate William’s Therapy Live talk
- Listen to the BJSM & The Society of Sports Therapists podcast
- Follow @TheSSTofficial on Twitter
Things to try over the summer
Take every opportunity to use your status as a graduate sports therapist to gain additional experience. You might consider shadowing or voluntary opportunities, and you might consider trying a range of different settings such as a private clinic or a sports team. This might help you to focus your priorities for your placement and/or dissertation choices when you join us. Try to maintain your clinical skills and broaden your CV.