Sport Performance and Analysis MSc
1 Year Full-Time | September Start

Northumbria University's Sport Performance and Analysis MSc will be delivered through a variety of teaching methods. This will include; lectures, seminars, workshops and practical sessions. This will allow you to learn from both theoretical and pragmatic perspectives. You will be challenged to develop a wider understanding of how to create effective learning environments, training situations and appropriate high-performance cultures.

Most of your sessions will be delivered in small groups where you will have the opportunity to interact with your peers and tutors. You will be expected to use the information gained as a guideline for further research and study during non-contact time. Before seminars, you are encouraged to read specific literature to allow for effective academic debate during the session.

You will also have access to performance analysis hardware and software that is used by professional sports organisations. You will gain hands-on experience of its use and application.

Assessments are designed to reflect the nature of the learning outcomes within each module. Many of the assessments have been devised in conjunction with industry experts, and as such are very authentic in nature. Assessments include; reports, oral presentations, case studies, practical skills, training interventions, performance analysis and a final project. Assessment at postgraduate level provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate critical awareness and the application of knowledge in context.

We know that embarking on a Masters course is a big decision and knowing whether you will have enough time to balance all of life’s other demands is important.  

During this course your on-campus lectures, workshops and seminars will all be timetabled on a Monday and Tuesday. For a masters programme like this we expect a commitment of around 35 hours per week - how you do your self-directed study is completely up to you. We want you to be able to fit your studies in with your life, whether that be at our City Campus Library, the University Library Digital Commons, open 24/7 during term time, or at home with access to e-books and journals - make it work for you.     

The course has been designed in collaboration with industry experts. The programme teaching team has a wealth of experience in terms of supporting students from a variety of backgrounds. Our teaching staff on this course also includes several highly qualified coaches and coach educators who have worked in and have extensive experience in elite sporting environments. It also includes staff who are highly experienced research academics in performance sport.

You will be taught by academics who understand the relationship between theory, practice and high-performance environments in sport. A personal tutor from within the department will be allocated to support you on a personal basis.

The services that we provide complement those provided by your academic faculty. Our friendly and specialist advisors are here to offer student support, whatever your needs and circumstances. Our services include support around disability issues, faith, mental health, finance, funding and welfare.

Our learning support services will support you academically, in addition to support received from your personal tutor and programme leader. These will include workshops facilitated by library staff teaching you how to reference correctly and improve your academic writing abilities. You will also be able to access a variety of online support materials through the electronic learning portal. This will include; lecture recordings, access to specialist software and webcasts.

Sport Central, located in the heart of the university city campus, offers a wide range of sports facilities and event spaces.  You will also have access to our outdoor facilities, including a 3G pitch at our Coach Lane campus which is just a short journey from the main campus.

This course provides access to our £30 million state-of-the-art facilities within Sport Central. These include a strength and conditioning suite, sprint track, nutrition laboratory and kitchen, body composition laboratory and exercise physiology laboratory.

The Northumbria Sport Student Leadership programme is a nationally Award-Winning Programme. It offers you fantastic Volunteer opportunities to work with industry professionals and gain valuable experience and employability skills. We offer potential opportunities to work with National Governing Bodies, external organisations and the local community.


City Campus Library and the University Library Digital Commons are open 24/7 during term time. Our Library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK. It has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010.

The Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation has a high number of renowned research-active members of staff. Some of them are accredited elite performance coaches and are currently researching topics pertinent to the field of study. 

There will be an emphasis on developing your advanced research skills and critical understanding of working within the performance sport sector. You will examine theories, models and research skills that are pertinent to practitioner practice. You will also assess and critique the impact of current practice within coaching and athlete performance.

In the final semester of the course, you will carry out an empirical piece of research under the supervision of your specified project tutor. The project requires a synthesis of knowledge and a critical understanding of a related topic covered throughout the programme. The final project provides an opportunity to conduct applied research in the field of sport performance and is designed by the student with support from their allocated supervisor. You will use the knowledge and techniques developed over the course to develop your understanding of the subject area further.

On completion of this course, you will have gained the knowledge and skills needed for a successful career within the sport performance industry and supporting athlete development.


You will be encouraged to explore a range of career pathways throughout your degree. You will develop an understanding of contemporary ways of working within the sport performance industry by engaging with a range of employers, alumni and external agencies. You will be supported to engage with volunteering opportunities with our industry links. In previous years, we have offered several Newcastle United FC and Sunderland AFC internships. This provides students with the opportunity to gain insight into a professional sports club and make contacts within the field.

To further enhance your career prospects, you can access our specials careers guidance and employability advice service. Northumbria also offers a range of self-help resources to help with your career planning, CV writing and interview preparation. This course aims to equip you with the skills that leading employers in this field are looking for. Upon graduation from this Masters course, you will be able to begin a choice of careers within the sport performance sector. This could include a performance analyst, sports coach, sports therapist, member of a multi-disciplinary performance team and performance development officer to name but a few.