Sport and exercise psychologist
Sport and exercise psychologists work with athletes, teams and coaches to improve their motivation and performance.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
As a sport and exercise psychologist, you'll:
- assess clients' needs to develop fitness plans and recommendations
- set up activities to improve team and individual performance
- advise coaches and managers on team communication
- support athletes in coping with injuries, confidence and motivation
- teach people psychological techniques 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 and progression
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
- work as a consultant
- move into lecturing or research
What it takes
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
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
How to become
You can get into this job through a university course.
To become a sport and exercise psychologist, you'll need to:
- study a psychology degree accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) or do a psychology conversion course
- gain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership
- complete a BPS accredited master's degree in sport and exercise psychology
Psychology conversion course
You may be able to do an approved psychology conversion course if:
- your psychology degree is not accredited by the BPS
- you have a degree in a subject other than psychology
Postgraduate qualification
To apply for a postgraduate qualification in sport and exercise specialism, you’ll often need:
- a first or 2:1 (upper second class) degree
- excellent research skills
- relevant work experience
You might want to check the postgraduate entry requirements with the admissions department where you want to study.
You can find out more about all of the different specialisms and postgraduate training from The British Psychological Society (BPS).
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 3 A levels or equivalent
- a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
More Information
It can be helpful to get some volunteering experience in a healthcare or education setting before you apply for a course.
You can also find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.
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 sports and exercise psychology from The British Psychological Society and The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES).
You can also explore other careers in the psychological professions.
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.