Intro

This course is for you if you want to work in the world of sport and performance, exercise for health, or with more clinical populations. You are ideally suited if you have a curiosity and passion for physiology, as it applies to exercise.

If you are not yet sure of your direction, the course will give you an opportunity to deepen your understanding of both applied sport and applied exercise physiology.

Our Applied Exercise Physiology MSc is designed around four pillars:

practitioner focused
physiology skill-centred
science in practice
personal and professional development.

All your modules can have an exercise physiology focus and option modules will enable you to study an area of interest in greater depth.

Our teaching laboratories are accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).

We were one of the first 10 institutions nationally, selected by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), to become a CIMSPA Higher Education Partner. The partnership acknowledges our commitment to producing graduates with the skillset needed to be deployed straight into the sport and physical activity sector.

The partnership offers many benefits for students studying this course including substantially discounted CIMSPA student membership. Membership will improve your employability and includes free CPD e-learning, magazines and digital newsletters, networking opportunities, and access to graduate work placement, volunteering, internships and job opportunities.

Key facts

Location Eastbourne

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2–6 years

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Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

Apply now for your place

Course content

The four pillars

Practitioner focused
The course aims to develop you as an applied physiology practitioner, with the necessary skills to work with clients in a sport and performance setting, who are exercising for health benefits, or who have clinical complications.

We develop the hard skills needed to assess physiological function, but also the softer skills essential when working with people. Practitioners need to have emotional intelligence, where they are self-aware and able to manage themselves, but also able to read the needs of clients and different situations.

We recognise that our students come with a variety of skills and experiences and we'll draw upon these as we develop you into a well-rounded practitioner.

Physiology skills
Physiology is core to every module of our course with most sessions taking place in one of our six sport and exercise science laboratories, or our new teaching and research gym.

You will learn how to use new equipment such as ECG, spirometers, breath-by-breath gas systems and blood sampling analysers, and advance your practice with equipment you have already used. You'll develop your laboratory skills in the early part of the course through our intensive Skills for Physiological Assessment module, before deepening your understanding of integrative exercise physiology through advanced laboratory practicals and enquiry-based learning with discussions of real-life case scenarios.

The Clinical Exercise Physiology module will reinforce key physiological concepts covered in the first part of the course, with an added layer of complexity and application to different disease states.

Science in practice
Science is at the heart of our MSc and embedded in a manner to enhance your applied practice. We'll develop your scientific rigour to assess, interpret and disseminate physiological data and information.

Of great importance is the confidence you will gain in your ability to critique your own scientific work and that of others, so that you become a life-long, independent thinker.

Personal and professional development
You will gain 100 hours of real-world experience in areas relevant to your interests by working alongside experienced practitioners.

Past clinical projects within the university have included working with participants in cardiac rehabilitation, falls prevention and those recovering from cancer.

Projects for students wanting a more sport focus have included our satellite British Triathlon programme, Brighton & Hove Albion FCs Albion in the Community, hypoxic training to mountaineers linked to a local altitude charity and leading our annual Marathon des Sables Environmental Extremes programme.

Many of our students choose to gain experience outside of the university, working across the public, private and charitable sectors.

Course structure

On this course all your modules can have an exercise physiology focus. You will take four 20-credit core modules, each finding their root in at least one of the course’s pillars. In addition, you will take two 20-credit option modules and complete a 60-credit final research project. Modules are delivered in different ways to enhance your learning.

You will learn through a mixture of taught sessions, tutorials, online learning, group work, independent study and through work-related activities. There is a strong practical element, with most classes taking place in either our exercise physiology laboratories, research and performance gym, or a computer class with a ratio of 2:20, staff to students.

You will work in groups of four or five on problem-based situations; learning by doing in our well-resourced laboratories.

Our course is taught on two days, normally on a Tuesday and a Wednesday - see the part-time and full-time tabs for more details.

The first two weeks are an intensive course induction where you'll also complete the taught element of the first physiology-based module. Most modules are delivered across one semester although the Personal and Professional Development module is delivered over two to allow time for vocational experience.

The research project module is delivered over four, two-day blocks as you prepare to carry out your own research study later in the academic year.

Module assessment will aim to provide opportunities for you to show your understanding through informed, reflective, critical and analytical application of ideas. Depending on the approach judged most suitable to test the learning outcomes, assessments could include written assignments such as essays, critiques, laboratory reports, presentations, practical laboratory technique exams and reflective documents.

Each module will be assessed separately and have formative assessments that aim to provide you with feedback on your progress as you prepare for summative assessments.

You are able to book individual tutorials with every lecturer. Group tutorials are also scheduled into our teaching programmes.

In addition to the course leader, who is responsible for your education and development, you will be assigned an academic tutor to support your academic progress and your employability.

The course is flexible in that it allows you to exit with a postgraduate certificate at the end of one semester (three 20-credit modules) or a postgraduate diploma at the end of two semesters (six 20-credit modules). You must complete the 60-credit research project to qualify for the MSc.

Areas of study

A core value of our course is ‘learn in the doing’. We want you to gain confidence in your ability to interact with clients, design and conduct exercise testing, explain physiological responses to exercise and training, and prescribe effective exercise interventions.

In taught physiology modules, you'll experience and discuss the responses of the human body to various stimuli, including acute and chronic bouts of exercise, effect of environmental changes (heat and hypoxic chambers) or of ergogenic aids which can be used to simulate peculiar clinical conditions and help you better understand human physiological responses and ultimately the benefits of exercise in healthy and clinical populations.

Our commonly used ‘solution to the problem’ approach to learning and teaching integrative physiology will help you to develop a host of laboratory skills while providing guiding principles to apply to any exercise physiology situation you encounter in the future.

Most of our modules are taught in our sport and exercise science laboratories where you’ll learn to be a practitioner of tomorrow.

With Personal and Professional Development, you'll also gain vocational skills to give you a competitive edge in the job market. Placement opportunities and chances to network in the world of exercise physiology, will ensure you graduate with a foot firmly in the industry. You will spend around 100 hours with one or more an organisations related to the practice of exercise physiology, which will allow you to apply your academic knowledge in an applied setting. We use action learning sets as a teaching vehicle for you to reflect on your experiences as you develop to being a practitioner.

To complement the physiology you'll learn, the client and your safety as a practitioner are discussed from a health and safety and risk stratification perspective, but also with awareness towards the ethical implications. This is an important feature as you move towards your own research project, where you'll embark upon a project that links to your chosen employment route.

You will be able to choose to write a dissertation, a research paper or a case study report - many of our past students have published their own work. Your ability to work with data and illuminate the meaning by using different statistical approaches is another important feature of the course and we will guide you to be able to use a range of concepts and techniques on physiology data you collect.

Modules

Core modules

Skills for Physiological Assessment (20 credits)
Science in Practice (20 credits)
Personal and Professional Development (20 credits)
Clinical Exercise Physiology (20 credits)
Final Research Project (60 credits)

Option modules (all 20 credits)

Exercise Tolerance (Integrative Physiology)
Applied Environmental Physiology
Science of Physical Performance and Training
Professional-based learning

While there is an expectation for you to share the position of physiologist and exerciser during laboratory practicals, this is not compulsory, making the course suitable for those with a disability or health condition.

Find out how we support students with disabilities.

Full-time route

Our course is taught over two days, usually Tuesdays and Wednesdays, however days are subject to timetabling and may change from one year to the next. In addition you are expected to practice skills and carry out exercise testing outside of the taught element of the course.

Example timetable for full-time study:

Semester 1

First two weeks of the course: Skills for Physiological Assessment module
Throughout the 10 weeks: Science in Practice module and option module

Semester 2

Throughout the 10 weeks: Clinical Exercise Physiology module and option module

Throughout the year

Final research project
Personal and Professional Development module

Part-time route

Our course is taught over two days a week; usually Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In addition, you are expected to practice skills and carry out exercise testing outside of the taught element of the course.

As a part-time student you will discuss your personal circumstances and progress on a regular basis with the course leader. Most part-time students complete their course in two years and some in three years.

Our approach is to accommodate you in the best way we can and optimise your learning throughout your study. The choice of modules taken each year may therefore depend on your own unique circumstances.

We can adapt your timetable to fit with your other commitments. Some students have attended taught sessions just one day a week for the majority of their time with us.

Example timetable for part-time study over two years.

Year 1

First two weeks of course: Skills for Physiological Assessment module
Tuesdays throughout Semester 1: Science in Practice module
Tuesdays throughout Semester 2: Clinical Exercise Physiology module

Year 2

Wednesdays throughout Semester 1: Personal and Professional Development module and Option module 1
Wednesdays throughout Semester 2: Personal and Professional Development module and Option module 2
Throughout the year: Final Research Project

Facilities

Our British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) accredited facilities include:

two exercise physiology laboratories where aerobic/ anaerobic endurance, power and strength assessments, as well as body composition, cardiac and pulmonary screening can be carried out
an environmental physiology laboratory with purpose-built environmental chamber where you can simulate different climates by controlling the temperature (-20 to +50°C) and relative humidity (20 to 95%), and a 1.13m x 1.13m x 1.5m water immersion tank
a research-based laboratory with an oxygen-controlled chamber to simulate altitude (hypoxia)
a molecular genetics laboratory with biobanking
a biochemistry laboratory
a biomechanics laboratory with motion analysis equipment, various EMG systems,
a psychology laboratory with an immersive screen and eye-tracking equipment.

We have worked with a range of sports governing bodies in our laboratories, including the English Institute of Sport (EIS), charities and industry partners. Our labs have also appeared in numerous TV productions, for testing products and to prepare athletes for the Olympics and Paralympics.

Our facilities also include a new teaching and research performance gym that includes a three-camera system to analyse weight-lifting actions and an isokinetic dynamometer and leg press to allow measurement of muscle strength.

The campus also has a performance gym over two floors with free weight and multigym fitness equipment, a large sports hall, two smaller gyms, a swimming pool, outdoor artificial sports pitch and climbing wall.

Find out more about the facilities available to our sport and exercise students.

Click image to view a virtual tour of our labs.

Click image to view a virtual tour of our new teaching and research gym.

Why Brighton?

Four reasons to study with us

You will get your hands dirty. Hands-on in the lab, you will have access to all our equipment and we will teach you how to use it and how to analyse and interpret the physiology numbers.

We will make you think. We will challenge your knowledge and your beliefs, and get you to find solutions to the problems and challenges that are relevant to today’s exercise physiologists.

We will make you more employable. We’ll offer you opportunities to take on responsibilities, learn within a workplace and develop the hard and soft skills needed to be an effective practitioner.

You will be surrounded by experts. Our staff include internationally recognised researchers, many of whom are active practitioners themselves, and who are willing to share their knowledge with you.

Staff profiles

Dr Neil Maxwell, course leader
Dr Neil Maxwell is a Reader of Environmental Physiology within the School of Sport and Service Management at the University of Brighton.

Through his research and innovation, Neil aims to inspire health, occupational and sporting communities to engage in safe and effective exercise in environmental extremes and reduce the incidence of illness. He leads the Environmental Extremes Laboratory, where his research focus is towards heat sensitivity during exercise and evaluating practical heat alleviation methods (e.g. heat acclimation, pre and per cooling and hydration manoeuvers) and determining altitude tolerance.

He believes that his experience in education has engendered an empathy when working with the different needs of students and he is prepared to try unorthodox teaching methods in the context of sport and exercise science, and particularly physiology, to stimulate their interest and make learning enjoyable.

As course leader for the MSc in Applied Exercise Physiology and Applied Sport Physiology degrees, Neil believes his primary role is to facilitate the development of those hard and soft skills that are essential for practitioners who work in the field.

Other key members of the teaching team
Dr Jeanne Dekerle
Dr Peter Watt
Dr Gary Brickley
Dr Mark Hayes
Dr Jim Wallis
Dr Louisa Beale
Dr Ifigeneia Giannopoulou
Rob Harley
Flo Pietzsch
Dr Clare Weeden

How this course is delivered

Our approach

We want you to spend as much time on campus as possible. From semester 1 of the academic year which starts in September, every student will have some face-to-face, on-campus learning in their timetable. Your timetable is being designed to make sure that you can make the most out of your time on campus, and all of the usual campus facilities – libraries, learning spaces, restaurants, gyms and more – will be open. Your timetable will be available in My Studies from late September.

Teaching on your course
In semester 1 practical skills learning activities will take place in labs, gyms, studios and other specialist teaching facilities on campus. You’ll also be on campus for seminars, tutorials and some of your lectures. Your on-campus learning will be supplemented with additional recorded lectures, online content and taught sessions that you'll access on MS Teams.

Any arrangements for placements, volunteering, trips and similar kinds of activities will be informed by the government guidance in operation at that time. We are not currently planning to run activity outside the UK in semester 1 of the 2021–2022 academic year.

COVID-19

Like all universities we will be following government guidance and will be monitoring the pandemic very closely with our local Director of Public Health. Should a worsening of the pandemic occur and Public Health advice require us to make changes, we have robust plans in place for students to continue their studies remotely and for additional safety measures to be introduced on campus.

Careers

Career opportunities for applied exercise physiologists are growing.

Many graduates pursue employment in hospitals and primary care trusts where specialists with exercise backgrounds are needed to work within health and clinical settings. Each year we also have graduates who enter the Scientist Training Programme to become clinical scientists enabling them to specialise in cardiac, respiratory, sleep or even gastrointestinal physiology.

Some graduates work with sports governing bodies as applied physiologists, or directly with sports teams, while others have set up their own consultancy service, or worked in the public and private sector as physiologists. Some graduates focus on research positions in industry or with organisations such as the Ministry of Defence. This MSc is also ideal preparation for continuing your studies at PhD level.

An MSc in Applied Exercise Physiology from the University of Brighton will equip you with the theoretical knowledge, practical skills and emotional intelligence necessary for a successful career and help you to stand out in today’s competitive job market.

We'll support you as you start to think about life after graduation. You will have the opportunity to undergo a mock interview for a job that meets your career aspirations. We'll provide post-interview feedback so that when you are applying for jobs in the real world you will be well prepared.

Roles our recent applied physiology MSc graduates have secured include:

Roles our recent Applied Physiology MSc graduates have secured include:

Health screening specialist, Bluecrest Health Screening
Exercise scientist, Corporate Health Management, Melbourne
Lead physiologist, Trainsharp Cycle Coaching
Data analyst, Nisus Consulting Limited
Clinical physiologist, BUPA
Soft tissue therapist, Brighton & Hove Albion FC
Clinical (cardiac) scientist, Isle of Wight
Paralympic athlete assistant, Boccia, UK
Cardiovascular and physiological clinical trials officer, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Clinical care and IDD technician, Sussex Back Pain Clinic
Cardiac technician/physiologist, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Sport and exercise science technician, University of Brighton
Exercise physiologist, STAPS (Germany)
Respiratory physiologist, Royal Brompton & Hartfield NHS Foundation Trust
Performance director, Elite High Performance, Wrexham
Lead strength and conditioning coach, Aston Villa FC
Director of smart progression, India
Graduate teaching assistant, University of Utah
Personal trainer, Wave Leisure Trust
Senior physiologist, Malaysian Institute of Sport
PhD student – cancer and exercise, University of Bath.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2021. They should be used as a general guide.

Offers will be made by the Admissions Tutor based on a balanced judgement of the candidate’s ability to complete the programme of study and to benefit from masters degree-level study. The criteria may include:

Degree and experience
A good honours degree (normally minimum 2:2 classification) in sport and exercise science, or a relevant science-based degree such as medicine, biomedical sciences, physiology, biological science, or health science. The degree may contain a human physiology component, and should contain a research training component.

Applicants without the minimum qualifications may also be considered, providing they can demonstrate they have the appropriate background and foundation knowledge by other means. In such circumstances, candidates may be interviewed, and evidence will be sought concerning:

sustained and substantial work in a field cognate to the degree at an appropriate level
the ability to undertake, write up and present an honours level research study
an appropriate level understanding of research methods and human physiology
the ability to study independently and effectively and to communicate effectively.

Claims for recognition of prior learning will also be considered (both prior experiential learning and prior certificated learning).

Referee’s report:
A first statement from the higher education institution and a second statement from the higher education institution or an Employer that the student is prepared for, and will benefit from masters study.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Other

All UK applicants will be invited to attend a more informal discussion about the course. This approach will also be applied to overseas applicants where practical.
Students returning to academia after a long break (>5 years) will be requested to meet the course leader before an offer can be made to assess whether the candidate meets the demand of the course. They will also be requested to meet the course leader if an unconditional offer is made and accepted, to formulate an individual support plan, and receive directions for further readings (recently published materials in the field of sport and exercise physiology, research in sport and exercise physiology, and study skills for masters level).

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK (Full-time) 7,704 GBP

International (Full-time) 13,572 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included, while studying a course in the School of Sport and Service Management are listed here.

DBS checks, where required, are included in the fees.
For all journalism students there are professional body examinations from the National Council for Training of Journalists. The university pays for your first attempt at each examination and this cost of around £400 is included in the course fees. But if you don’t pass an exam you will be responsible for resit fees, at an average cost of £45 per examination.
UK-based field trips are available in some option modules in the final year. You do not have to take these option modules to complete the degree programme. Where a field trip is present costs are covered but you are expected to make a contribution towards food. Typically this is £50.
For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your living costs and travel. Physical Education (QTS teacher training) students can claim travel costs to their school placement.
The school runs a number of day trips which students do not pay for. There may be some food and drink costs and you should budget around £30 per year.
All work is electronically submitted. You may need to provide a printed copy of your final dissertation. Estimated cost £5 per student in the final year.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships, as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Local area

Easy-going Eastbourne

The South Downs National Park, the bustling town centre and the beach with the pier, prom and bandstand are all within a 15-minute walk of our Eastbourne campus. Officially the sunniest place in the UK, Eastbourne has loads on offer: a year-round calendar of sporting events, the independent shops and cafes of Little Chelsea, music and arts festivals, theatres, galleries, great restaurants and high street shopping.

Every June, leading tennis players descend on Eastbourne for one of the main warm-up tournaments for Wimbledon. One of the UK's biggest free extreme sports festivals, Beach Life, takes place on the seafront in July, bringing hi-octane action on land and sea. The international airshow Airbourne is another summer highlight.

Every autumn our students and staff participate in and support the Beachy Head Marathon, one of the UK's largest off-road marathons with challenging climbs and descents along the Seven Sisters.

The beach and the South Downs provide sports opportunities including horse riding, mountain biking, paragliding, sailing, canoeing, body boarding, kayaking, windsurfing and kite surfing.

The Towner Art Gallery has world-class exhibitions of modern and contemporary art and entry is free. Eastbourne also has four theatres, two cinemas and hosts a varied programme of arts and music events throughout the year.

It's only 90 minutes by train from Eastbourne to central London and less than 40 minutes to Brighton. There are also daily direct trains to Ashford International and Gatwick Airport.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Eastbourne campus

Our campus is within 15 minutes' walk of the beach, South Downs National Park and the Eastbourne's busy town centre. There are excellent sport and exercise facilities, social sites and on-site halls of residence.

Sport and exercise, nursing, midwifery, physical education, physiotherapy and podiatry students are all based here.

Specialist learning facilities include accredited exercise physiology laboratories, a newsroom, clinical simulation suites, culinary arts studio, and the Leaf Hospital podiatric clinic and occupational health studios. Campus learning facilities include the Queenwood library, computer rooms, a media centre and a learning and technology suite.

Sports facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, sports hall and gym, artificial outdoor pitch, dance studio and climbing wall.

Eastbourne Student Centre provides services including careers, volunteering, counselling and wellbeing, student advice, disability and dyslexia support and chaplaincy.

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Accommodation

Eastbourne

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students who apply by 30 June.

Still looking for halls? Contact our accommodation team. We are currently accepting applications for our Welkin hall of residence in Eastbourne.

Welkin halls
Located in the Meads area of Eastbourne, right next to the Students' Union and Student Services, Welkin halls are a short walk or bike ride to other areas of the campus.

Ensuite halls with a choice of room and flat sizes.
All rooms are self-catered with access to shared, fully equipped kitchen facilities.
Rent includes all utilities, 24/7 security and support, contents insurance and cleaning of communal areas.

Private renting
Eastbourne offers good choice when it comes to student accommodation.

There’s a good supply of affordable, high quality private rented accommodation and plenty of support and advice from us if you choose this option. Your first stop should be our studenthomes database. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards.

Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Student accommodation in Eastbourne

Student bedroom in Welkin halls

Modern kitchen in Welkin Halls

Maps

Eastbourne campus map

Student views

Ellen Davies

"After completing my undergraduate sport and exercise science degree at the University of Lincoln I moved to Eastbourne and enrolled onto the Applied Exercise Physiology MSc.

"The course developed me as a scientist by teaching me in-depth physiological knowledge across disciplines from clinical to environmental physiology. I really enjoyed the strong practical nature of the course which I felt developed me as a practitioner and helped me to apply what I have learned in the real world.

"The range of assessment types challenged me to expand my writing and verbal communication skills. The lecturers are passionate and experts in their field with time to support you throughout your studies.

"I am now taking my knowledge of exercise physiology and applying it to a strength and conditioning environment by working towards UKSCA accreditation, whilst working as a part-time soft tissue therapist and gaining experience within Sussex Cricket. My career goal is working as a sport scientist/strength and conditioning coach within a team sport."

Carla Randall

"During my BSc at the University of Brighton, I really enjoyed the applied side of physiology and dealing with real-life clients – in performance analysis, strength and conditioning, exercise testing and environmental physiology. An MSc in Applied Exercise Physiology was the next logical step.

"By studying part-time, I could continue my professional development, carry out BASES Supervised Experience, and gain as much experience applying my knowledge and skills. With opportunities to support academic research, elite sport and external clients, I maintained my work experience at the LTA High Performance Centre.

"Coursework could be tailored, and a report-style dissertation was a valuable option. With great facilities and tutors readily available, their support really helped me publish my first journal article, which was subsequently featured in US Men’s Health and Runner’s World.

"I went on to provide sport science support to professional and semi-professional middle-distance runners – during that time there was an increasing demand for race analysis. This led to supporting several GB athletes competing at junior- and senior-level major championships, including the World Championships and the Olympics.

"I now provide race analysis and scientific support through my online business, track analysis, alongside project support for organisations including British Athletics."

Chanel Coppard

“Going into the Applied Exercise Physiology MSc, I knew that I would only be able do it on a part-time basis due to work commitments. However, the incredible staff and facilities meant that I did not want to study anywhere else and so from 2016–2019, I learnt many new techniques in the laboratory, and had the opportunity to collaborate on a PhD project for my dissertation.

"The course structure encourages independent learning, whilst being a highly supportive environment. As a part-time student commuting weekly, this helped my development as a researcher immensely. Although it was intense, I still had freedom over my research avenues and could structure my time spent at university to get the most out of lectures, tutorials and lab sessions.

"Part of the reason I chose the programme was because I wanted to work with people affected by chronic illness to get their version of normal back after treatment. Through the MSc, I realised that there are a multitude of ways to do this, such as furthering research in an academic setting or directly working with clients in a healthcare setting.

"I wouldn’t have thought either of these avenues would have been open to me without completing this MSc and so I would recommend this course to anybody without hesitation.”

Gregor Eichhorn

“After finishing my BSc and working in the field of exercise physiology, I decided to continue my studies and gain further knowledge and experience.

“During the course I enjoyed the many facilities and laboratories on offer here. Having both a heat and a hypoxic chamber is something out of the ordinary.

“The staff were an amazing help throughout the year, supporting me at every step and giving great feedback whenever it was desired.

“The course reassured my choice in the field of sports and has given me further confidence to work with athletes in a professional environment. I finished the course in September 2014 and now have a job as an exercise physiologist working with endurance athletes in Cologne, Germany. I am continuing my MSc research study assisted by the Sport and Exercise Science Consultancy Unit of the University of Brighton as I am aiming for publication.

“I recommend the course to people who want to broaden their knowledge and get applied experience through the many possibilities the University of Brighton has to offer.”

Gareth Turner

“I completed the Sport and Exercise Science BSc at the university’s Eastbourne campus in 2007. I decided to continue my studies to masters level to gain more applied experience in the hope to pursue a career in sports science.

“The Applied Exercise Physiology MSc enabled me to do this in a setting where I continued to learn, while being encouraged to find applied opportunities along the way. I gained valuable experience at Reading Football Club, the MCC Young Cricketers Academy and in Welkin Laboratories, and completed my MSc in November 2008.

"I got a job in sports science quickly after finishing my MSc, working for the Lucozade Sport Science Team for two years. Fast forward eight months and I found myself unexpectedly applying for a PhD. This followed on nicely from my MSc dissertation looking at the effect of altitude training on endurance performance, which was jointly funded by the University of Brighton and the English Institute of Sport. Alongside my PhD, I now work with British Athletics as a physiologist for their endurance and altitude training programme."