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Why choose the School of Sport Science and Physical Activity
Work experience opportunities in our on-campus community exercise clinic with groups that include those with stroke rehabilitation; cancer palliative care; obesity; diabetes; cardiovascular disease; and older age.
External placement opportunities at community exercise programmes and services; local authorities and public health departments; related charities; schools and sports teams.
The University of Bedfordshire ranks 3rd in the UK for overall taught-postgraduate student satisfaction; 1st for student engagement and learning community (PTES, 2024).
About the course
This innovative course brings together the fields of behaviour change and health, opening up a host of career options where you can apply your expertise to promote health, modify behaviour and engender real change. Aligned with current public health policy, the course equips you to apply behavioural, social and sport sciences systematically to design, implement and evaluate impactful health interventions. Through placements and research project units, you gain practical skills and forge invaluable connections with a range of relevant organisations, researchers and clinicians.
Intermediate qualifications available:
Postgraduate certificate – 60 credits at Master's level
Postgraduate diploma – 120 credits at Master's level
If you would like more information, please contact:
Dr. Julia Fruer at julia.fruer@beds.ac.uk
Professor Angel Chater at angel.chater@beds.ac.uk
Course accreditation / industry endorsement
We increase the employability of our graduates by being a Higher Education Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
Facilities and specialist equipment
- Facilities include BASES-accredited laboratories including molecular and cellular labs and a biomechanics lab with 3D camera system
- Community exercise clinic
- Human Performance Centre with environmental heat chamber
- Sports therapy and rehabilitation centre
- Virtual-reality resource centre
- Strength and conditioning suite
- Nutrition research kitchen
- Equipment includes industry-leading equipment such as Woodway and h/p/cosmos® treadmills; hydrostatic weighing tank; echocardiogram machines; breath-by-breath gas analysers; blood analysers; 3D high-speed motion-capture camera system; and a range of force plates
Industry links
We are official education partners of Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC as well as other sporting organisations in the region, giving you opportunities to improve your employability through work placements.
In addition, there are opportunities to develop personal and professional networks through our links with Sport England, governing bodies, active partnerships and health-industry experts.
We also host a hub of the Policy Research Unit in Behavioural and Social Sciences
Your student experience
Learn from a highly experienced academic team of behavioural scientists, exercise practitioners, nutritionists, physiologists, health psychologists and more, including internationally recognised behaviour change expert, Professor Angel Chater.
At our on-campus community exercise clinic, work with people experiencing conditions that impact their quality of life including cancer palliative care, stroke rehabilitation, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health concerns and older age.
Access our Human Performance Centre, which helps train professional athletes and sports people including Team GB and junior Formula 1 racing driver, Frederik Vesti; the heat chamber is regularly used to acclimatise athletes taking on competitions and marathons in places with high temperatures.
Take up external placements at a range of relevant organisations within sport and health, putting knowledge into practice in the real world.
Develop personal and professional networks through our links with Sport England, governing bodies, policy partners, relevant associations, active partnerships and health-industry experts.
Our academics offer supervision in a range of topics for your final major research project, which includes working in real-world environments such as with Premiere League football clubs; the Football Association (FA); rugby clubs; elite athletes; integrated care services; occupational health; the police and fire services; the NHS; public health; cardiac rehabilitation; and government bodies.
Course Leader - Dr Julia Zakrzewski-Fruer
After gaining an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Loughborough University (2004-2007), I completed an MSc by Research at the University of Gloucestershire (2007-2008) and a PhD at Loughborough University (2008-2011) in the area of paediatric exercise and nutrient metabolism.
My primary research interests focus on how manipulations in physical activity and breakfast can improve cardiometabolic risk markers in children and adolescents for the prevention of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This research has included studies on breakfast consumption, glycaemic index, substrate oxidation and ‘Fatmax’ exercise, glycaemic control, insulin insensitivity, and energy balance-related behaviours (e.g., physical activity).
Course Leader - Dr Julia Zakrzewski-Fruer
After gaining an undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Loughborough University (2004-2007), I completed an MSc by Research at the University of Gloucestershire (2007-2008) and a PhD at Loughborough University (2008-2011) in the area of paediatric exercise and nutrient metabolism.
My primary research interests focus on how manipulations in physical activity and breakfast can improve cardiometabolic risk markers in children and adolescents for the prevention of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This research has included studies on breakfast consumption, glycaemic index, substrate oxidation and ‘Fatmax’ exercise, glycaemic control, insulin insensitivity, and energy balance-related behaviours (e.g., physical activity).
What will you study?
Studying our Behaviour Change and Health MSc course aims to equip you with in-depth knowledge and skills around behaviour change theory integrated with public health policy. Your application to behaviour change will be underpinned by an in-depth understanding how physical activity and nutrition can prevent and manage a range of long-term adverse health conditions. A major component of this course includes our Behaviour Change and Health Placement unit where you will be able to develop your skills and knowledge in the application process and practice employability skills for a work-based environment.
To provide a platform for understanding the role of behaviour change in health, Metabolic Health will develop your critical insights into the interconnections between physical activity and nutrition for preventing and managing a range of conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. You will build on this knowledge using a more clinical and practical approach in our Exercise and Nutrition Prescription unit, which will allow you to explore how exercise programmes and nutritional interventions can treat and manage such conditions. From this, you will learn to formulate recommendations for exercise prescription and nutritional advice based on a diverse range of patient needs. In health psychology-focused areas of study, you will look at the role of Behavioural Science and Public Health in unit relating to the promotion of health and prevention of disease and illness.
This unit will guide you in the use of cutting-edge behaviour change intervention methodologies and tools to optimise health and wellbeing outcomes. You will learn to apply your knowledge of behavioural science, health psychology and behaviour change to research and practice in our Professional Skills for Healthcare Providers unit, focusing specifically on communication skills such as motivational interviewing. Finally, you will complete a Sport and Physical Activity Master’s Dissertation where you will undertake a research project into a topic of interest relevant to your subject area. To help you with this, our unit in Research Methods will facilitate your ability to understand, evaluate and conduct research, while also enabling you to collect and analyse data.
How will you be assessed?
The assessments of this course aim to enhance the learning experience rather than simply provide academic benchmarks. The assessments will be carried out using several methods including oral presentations case study reports critical reviews of literature individual reports practical assessments a portfolio of experience end of unit examinations laboratory reports and practical demonstrations. The assessment methods used relate closely to the learning outcomes of the course and individual units while allowing students scope for creativity in fulfilling them e.g. by self-selection of case study examples to present within a written report within a particular health context. Assessments will in many cases be vocationally `sensitive' and designed to promote awareness of contextual health policies and to promote engagement with real-life community or clinically-based physical activity and/or nutritionally based research or interventions.
Careers
This MSc is affiliated to the Research Centre for Health, Wellbeing and Behaviour Change within the Institute for Sport and Physical Activity Research (ISPAR), and the Bedfordshire hub of the Policy Research Unit (PRU) in Behavioural and Social Science, both led by Professor Angel Chater. Students will be supported to secure placement and research opportunities in areas that match their career aspirations. Graduates will be equipped to work in a variety of settings with career prospects in public health; the NHS; governmental departments; the charity sector; sport, physical activity, fitness and health industries; education; and academic research.
You may also choose to continue to further research-based study with an MSc by research or MPhil/PhD.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £10,000 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International 2024/25
The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £16,900
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email international@beds.ac.uk
Fees for this course
UK 2024/25
The total fee for a 2-year taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £12,300. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk
International 2024/25
The total international fee for a 2-year taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £18,300.
If you have any questions around fees and funding, please email international@beds.ac.uk
Please note that this course is two years in duration. International students enrolling on this programme will not be permitted to switch to a one-year programme once they have been issued with their Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) unless requested by the University to do so.
