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What makes MSc Sport (Adapted Sport) at Worcester special?

MSc Sport (Adapted Sport) is an exciting new programme that builds on the University's growing reputation for providing inclusive (disability specific) education. This course will allow you to drive change and challenge the contested nature of adapted sport and disability through a personalised learning journey that supports your current or future career.

This course is the first of its kind in the UK and offers you the chance to enhance your self-reflection and critical skills in the field of adapted sport, which are required by many employers.

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • MSc Sport (Adapted Sport)A welcoming, professional and passionate team of academics dedicated to Adapted Sport.
  • A range of guest speakers who are involved in innovative practice and are specialists in their field 
  • Group trips to develop your professional networks
  • Delivery of content in world class inclusive facilities
  • An option to complete your placement in your current place of employment
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University of the Year - Finalist 2020

We're proud to have been shortlisted for the prestigious Times Higher Education University of the Year for the second year running.

Find out more
Entry requirements

What qualifications will you need?

Entry requirements

Students will normally have a 2:1 degree classification in either a sport or related discipline.

Students who hold a relevant degree classification of either 2:2 (or below), or, a non-related degree will be considered on a case by case basis. You may be required to submit a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate experience of work within the field. 

Applicants should be able to demonstrate academic capability for study at this level and strong interest and commitment in the relevant disciplines.

Other information

If you are completing your period of Professional Placement in an environment where you may be working with children or vulnerable adults, you will be required to follow your home country procedures for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced disclosure checks. You must provide this evidence to University of Worcester staff prior to acceptance.

English language requirements

Any applicants whose first language is not English or who has not been educated wholly or mainly in the medium of English must reach a minimum IELTS overall band score of 6.5 with a score of at least 5.5 in any individual component (or equivalent in an approved test in English). Or otherwise demonstrate that they have an adequate command of both written and spoken English before starting the course.

See Admissions Policy for other acceptable qualifications.

Two Adapted Sports students are throwing netballs against a wall with letter taped to it An Adapted Sports lecturer is sitting in front of a class. Behind the lecturer is a screen with text on it. Two people are playing table tennis . One participant is wearing a blindfold
Course content

What will you study?

Module descriptions

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative. 

Advanced Contemporary Issues in Disability Sport, Coaching and Special Education Needs and Disability in Physical Education

This module allows students to explore the contested conceptualisation of disability in a sporting context. A multi-disciplinary approach (cultural/social/historical) is encouraged so that you can develop your awareness of how adapted sport can be addressed from a range of theoretical perspectives.

Module tutors will aim to facilitate independent learning to help you cultivate a self-directed approach to a critical analysis of contemporary issues in adapted sport from a coaching and teaching perspective.

Leading People in Sport

This module explores organisational culture, multidisciplinary team working and how this relates to the leadership of people in sport. The learning focus covers a wide range of disciplines in sport including coaching, management, performance analysis, sport science and adapted physical education.

This module also explores wider factors influencing leadership in sport from the perspective of micro-politics and sociocultural conceptions of power. Subsequently, theoretical models of leadership will be reviewed including consideration of the extent to which the research underpinning various approaches is credible and informative.

 

Applied Pedagogy and Practice in Adapted Physical Activity

Adapted sport represents one of the most pertinent and topical issues in contemporary sports coaching and teaching. This module offers the opportunity to contextualise theoretical concepts of adapted sport in applied practice.

You will be exploring best practice examples of inclusive delivery from a range of adapted sport providers; to provoke critical thinking, preparation and planning through a range of scenarios.

Professional Placement

This module makes use of preparatory tasks and activities (self-assessment of skills; peer critique; career planning) and a one-day seminar which is focused on professional conduct and planning of the work placement.

You will complete a 100-hour work placement in a sport setting appropriate to Adapted Sport MSc. Tutorials are utilised throughout the placement to monitor your progress and learning.

Sports Research Project

This module offers you the chance to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a current issue or topic within Adapted Sport. 

Alongside a specialist tutor, you will design and implement a Masters level research project. This will be supported by appropriate justification, methods, analysis and interpretation of data obtained during the study. Your research findings and conclusions will be discussed in light of relevant contemporary research.

Programme structure

Theory

Semester 1

Advanced Contemporary Issues in Disability Sport, Coaching and Special Education Needs and Disability in Physical Education 

 

(30 Credits)

Semester 2

Applied Pedagogy and Practice in Adapted Physical Activity

(30 Credits)

Practice

Semester 1

Leading People in Sport 

(30 Credits)

Semester 2

Professional Placement

(30 Credits)

Research

Sports Research Project (including Research Methods) 

(60 Credits)

What will you study and when?

An example of the structure which will be followed by a full-time student on any of the pathways, and normally would be:

  • 1 x 30 credit pathway specific module to be taken in semester 1 (September – January)
  • 1 x 30 credit Leading People in Sport module in semester 1 (September – January)  
  • 1 x 30 credit Professional Placement module in semester 2 (January – May)
  • 1 x 30 credit pathway specific module to be taken in semester 2 (January - May)
  • 1 x 60 credit Sports Research Project module including research methods to be taken between May and September

Part time students would normally complete the course over 2 years:

  • In Year 1 they would take one pathway specific module in semester 1 and 2.
  • In Year 2 they would take Leading People in Sport in semester 1, complete their Professional Placement  in semester 2, and complete their Sports Research Project over the summer.
Teaching and assessment

How will you be taught?

You are taught through a combination of intensive weeks, interactive workshops, lectures, seminars and laboratory practical’s, fieldwork, practical activities etc. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities. 

Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures, and laboratory practicals are focused on developing subject specific skills and applied individual and group project work.

Contact time

For intensive study weeks students are expected to have 5 x 8 hours of contact time per intensive week (2 in total). In addition, students are expected to have approximately 4 hours of further contact time per module, per week.

In addition, students are able to access 8 hours of tutorial support during the course of their Sports Research Project study. Students will also receive two days of structured Research Project preparation

Independent self study

In addition to the contact time, students are expected to undertake 30 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve online study tasks, reading journal articles and completing formative assignments. The Research Project requires substantial independent work and can be expected to require 600 hours of study. In addition, students are required to undertake 100 hours of placement activities as part of their Professional Placement.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including the Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources. 

Duration

  • 1 year full time
  • Typically 2 years part time

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings. Given the importance of planning ahead, indicative timings of intensive teaching blocks are normally available at time of application / interview.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. 

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade.  Assessment methods include a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and a final Research Project. The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the course selected.

Learning Needs

The Adapted Sport MSc team and the University of Worcester are supportive and inclusive of those who are visually impaired, those with hearing impairments and students with additional needs.

Programme Specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

Meet the team

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course and have experience of both research and applied practice and consultancy. 

You can learn more about the staff by visiting our sports staff profiles.

rebecca-foster-mbe

Rebecca Foster MBE

Rebecca Foster MBE has been teaching PE predominantly in the North of England for over 20 years. Rebecca was Head of PE of one of the first six Sports Colleges in the country. After 7 years of teaching she backpacked the World and did some temporary teaching in Australia and South Africa. After her year out Rebecca continued to teach in Yorkshire, managing one of the largest Sports Partnerships in the country. Rebecca then went on to become a Teacher Fellow at Leeds Beckett University, where she taught Initial Teacher Training programmes for Secondary and Primary trainees.

Rebecca competed for our country in the Heptathlon (when she was much younger!) and holds a Level 2 multi-event license. She volunteered for UK Deaf Athletics for 12 years, being Team Manager and travelling coach at three Deaflympics.  She currently is a trustee for Deaf Direct based in Worcester and is a support worker for a few hours a month to vulnerable young people.

As a further accolade, Rebecca has been awarded an MBE in recognition for her services to inclusive sport and supporting young people to achieve their potential.

Careers

Where could it take you?

Upon successful completion of the Masters Programme, there may be opportunities for students to gain first employment, promotion within their own organisation, gain international employment or move to a senior management position in other organisations. The Masters also provides a platform to other research/higher degrees in sport and promotion in other professional organisations. The completion of the Masters may also provide students with the ability to enhance their current working practices. Completion of this Masters degree also enables interested students to pursue higher level research qualifications.

A graduate of the MSc will develop knowledge, skills and critical thinking to enable a positive contribution in a sports or business career. The purpose of the MSc is to develop well rounded, knowledgeable and empathetic people who have an ability to think critically about a variety of situations and offer a service that help their athletes/clients participate, perform and develop life skills.

Costs

How much will it cost?

Fees

The current fees can be found within the tuition fees document on our figure out finances page.

Postgraduate loans

The Government will provide a loan of up to £10,609 per eligible student for postgraduate Masters study. It will be at your own discretion whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs.

For more details visit our postgraduate loans page.

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Traditional Hall' at £105 per week to 'En-suite Extra' at £169 per week (2020/21 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.

Additional costs

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

If your course offers a placement opportunity, you may need to pay for a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.
How to apply

How do you apply?

Apply for September enrolment

Please make your application via our online application forms.

If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions office on 01905 855111 or admissions@worc.ac.uk

Apply full-time Apply part-time

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Postgraduate Admissions Office

admissions@worc.ac.uk
01905 855111

Rebecca Foster MBE

Principal Lecturer
r.foster@worc.ac.uk
01905 542183

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