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Sport and exercise psychologist
Hours
30-40 per week
Starting salary
£20,000 + per year
If you are interested in sport and human behaviour, and want to help people reach their potential, this job could be ideal for you.
Sport and exercise psychologists study the mental and emotional effects of taking part in sport and exercise. They typically specialise in either sport or exercise, although some work in both.
In this job you will need to have a genuine desire to help people. But you will need to maintain a professional distance.
To get into this job you will need to complete a degree, followed by a postgraduate qualification and a period of supervised practice.
WorkDesc
The work
As a sport psychologist you would work with teams and individuals at all levels, from amateurs to top professionals. You would help them with issues such as:
- dealing with nerves and anxiety
- improving self-confidence
- coping with the demands of training and competing
- improving concentration
- staying motivated and focused in spite of stress, discomfort or distraction
- coping with sports injuries
- controlling aggression
- setting goals.
You would work closely with other professionals such as coaches, managers, nutritionists and physiotherapists.
As an exercise psychologist you would apply your knowledge of psychology to finding ways of encouraging the general public to become more active to improve their health and well-being. Your role could involve:
- work in cardiac rehabilitation or GP exercise referral schemes
- help to promote the therapeutic and health benefits of exercise by working with health promotion staff
- study the reasons certain groups of people are more active than others.
In both sport and exercise psychology, you would usually combine consultancy work with teaching and research, or with work in other areas, such as clinical or occupational psychology.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would often work normal office hours, but could also work in the evenings in some jobs.
You could be office-based, or work in various settings, such as team premises, competition venues and clinics.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Starting salaries can be from £20,000 to around £22,000 a year
- With experience this can rise to between £27,000 and £37,000
- Senior psychologists and department heads can earn around £43,000.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You can qualify as a sport or exercise psychologist in two ways. You can become either:
- a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist through the British Psychological Society (BPS), or
- an Accredited Sport and Exercise Psychologist through the British Association of Sports and Exercise Scientists (BASES).
For both routes you need to complete a degree, followed by a postgraduate qualification and a period of supervised practice.
Entry requirements for degree courses are likely to include five GCSEs (A-C), and three A levels. However, you may be accepted with alternative qualifications, so you should check with individual colleges or universities.
If you will be working with young people or other vulnerable groups you will need Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance.
BPS Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist
To become a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist through the BPS you need:
- a degree in psychology from a course approved by BPS – this would give you Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC)
- at least three years' full-time training under professional supervision that includes a BPS-accredited postgraduate qualification in sport and exercise psychology.
See BPS for a full list of accredited courses.
If you have a degree in a subject other than psychology, you can achieve GBC by completing a BPS-approved conversion course, or by sitting the BPS Qualifying Exam.
Visit BPS Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology for further details.
BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Psychologist
To become an Accredited Sport and Exercise Psychologist through BASES you need:
- a degree in Sport and Exercise Science (this would include subjects such as physiology and biomechanics as well as psychology, although you could focus on sport and exercise psychology)
- an MSc in Sport and Exercise Science/Psychology and three years' supervision by a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Psychology Practitioner.
See the BASES website for full details.
You can find out about registering for supervised experience from BPS, or from BASES, depending on whether you are aiming to become a BPS Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist or a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Psychologist.
For information on state registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC), check the psychology page of the HPC website.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
For some university jobs you will need a PhD, which involves carrying out research in sport or exercise psychology. See the BPS website for information on research, including funding opportunities and details of experts in particular fields or specialisms.
You can also search for PhD opportunities on Find a PhD.
Throughout your career you will be expected to keep your knowledge and skills up to date through continuing professional development (CPD). This can include attending courses, workshops and conferences – see the BPS website for information on their CPD scheme. The BASES also runs conferences and a programme of workshops covering a range of sport and exercise topics.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To be a sport and exercise psychologist you should have:
- an interest in how people react and interact
- an interest in sport
- a desire to help other people
- the ability to maintain a professional distance
- excellent communication skills
- the ability to work as part of a team
- a tolerant and patient manner
- good problem solving skills and a logical approach.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
British Psychological Society 
St Andrew's House
48 Princess Road East
Leicester
LE1 7DR
Tel: 0116 254 9568
www.bps.org.uk
British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES)
Leeds Metropolitan University
Carnegie Faculty of Sport and Education
Fairfax Hall
Headingley Campus
Beckett Park
Leeds
LS6 3QS
Tel: 0113 8126 162
www.bases.org.uk
Skills for Health
Goldsmiths House
Broad Plain
Bristol
BS2 0JP
Tel: 0117 922 1155
www.skillsforhealth.org.uk
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You would probably combine consultancy work with teaching and research, or work in other areas of psychology. You could find full-time opportunities with professional sports teams and sport national governing bodies.
Opportunities for exercise psychologists include involvement in GP exercise referral schemes or evaluation of exercise programmes in employment, prison or psychiatric settings.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and further reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
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