Sport And Exercise Psychologist

Typical Salary

£20,000 To £48,000

Typical Hours

37 to 39 a week

evenings / weekends attending events or appointments

How To Become a Sport And Exercise Psychologist

You can get into this job through:

a university course

College / University

You'll need to complete:

a degree in psychology accredited by The British Psychological Society (BPS)
a BPS accredited master's degree in sport and exercise psychology
2 years' structured supervised practice on Stage 2 of the BPS Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP)

3 A levels or equivalent

a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship are not listed for this job.

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
knowledge of psychology
customer service skills
the ability to understand people’s reactions
sensitivity and understanding
excellent verbal communication skills
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
to enjoy working with other people
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

As a sport and exercise psychologist, you'll:

help athletes develop strategies to deal with nerves, anxiety, self-confidence, concentration and motivation
set up activities to improve team and individual performance
support athletes in coping with injuries
give advice to coaches on team communication
assess clients' needs and develop fitness plans and recommendations
work with health promotion staff to show the therapeutic and health benefits of exercise
create exercise programmes in organisations, workplaces, prisons and psychiatric units
teach mental skills to individuals to improve their wellbeing and performance

Working Environment

You could work at a sports arena, at a fitness centre, at a health centre, in a prison or on a sports field.

Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time.

Career Path & Progression

You could work as a full-time sport psychologist or you could combine consultancy work with teaching and research.

As an exercise psychologist, you could work for a local health authority, or on a GP exercise referral scheme. You could also assess exercise programmes in workplaces, prisons or psychiatric settings.

With experience and further study you could become a senior psychologist or head of a psychology department. You could also move into lecturing.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Registration

you'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council

Professional and industry bodies

You can join The British Psychological Society for professional development opportunities.

Further information

You'll find more details about working in psychology from The British Psychological Society.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks