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Prepare for a powerful career in strength and conditioning. Gain expert knowledge, get set for accreditation, and become a leader in performance training with our industry-aligned masters.
From professional coaching to supporting medical rehabilitation, clients want to feel confident they’re getting the best results for their efforts. As a strength and conditioning expert, you’ll help them achieve their goals while safeguarding them from the pain and frustration of injury along the way.
We've developed our MSc Strength and Conditioning degree in line with The UK's Professional Body for Strength and Conditioning (UKSCA) standards, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). This ensures that you leave us with the skill set, confidence and specialist knowledge to excel in the field, and that you’re industry ready and prepared for accreditation.
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1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Dr Dale Read"Our course meets the high training quality standards of the International University Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA) and is aligned with the NSCA, UKSCA, and CIMSPA to prepare you for accreditation. This ensures that you possess the skill set, confidence, and specialist knowledge to excel in the field, and that you’re industry ready and prepared for accreditation.”
Senior Lecturer
Designed for graduates and sport and exercise practitioners, our MSc gives you advanced-level knowledge, expertise and confidence in strength and conditioning to enhance performance and reduce injury.
Developed in line with professional governing body standards and with International University Strength and Conditioning Association accreditation, you’ll develop the skill set and competitive edge you need. You’ll cover weightlifting assessments, speed, agility and plyometric coaching sessions. This leaves you well prepared if you decide to aim for a coaching certification with the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
You’ll be taught at two excellent sporting centres – the Institute of Sport and Manchester Met’s Platt Lane Sports Complex. You’ll have access to top-quality sporting facilities including an indoor dome, outdoor football and rugby pitches and a fully equipped gym. Plus, performance measurement and physiology laboratories used by professional sportspeople and coaches.
You’ll examine ways of developing strength and endurance, power, acceleration, deceleration, agility, injury prevention and more. You’ll also learn about the most positive and healthy ways to change motivation and behaviour in training. You’ll work with advanced sport and exercise laboratory equipment and gain research skills with the opportunity to design and carry out your own independent piece of scientific research. Taught by accredited experts in their fields, who research, consult, and work in strength and conditioning internationally, you can feel confident that you’re getting the highest quality mentorship. For example, at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, our academics played a key role in supporting Team GB, contributing to 32 Paralympic and 12 Olympic medals across swimming, cycling, triathlon, taekwondo, and rowing.
It’s vital that when preparing to work within the field of sport and exercise you know how to train and consult people from all walks of life. Your core modules explore the multidisciplinary considerations for equality, diversity and inclusivity in sport today and how to apply this to your professional practice.
You’ll also benefit from our work placement module, giving you the opportunity to get an insight into the career path that most interests you. For example, you could undertake a placement with a professional football club or work in a medical setting supporting rehabilitation from injury. This is made possible thanks to our long-standing partnerships with leading clubs and sporting organisations, offering you a range of opportunities to develop skills in the real world.
Whether you've already made your decision about what you want to study, or you're just considering whether postgraduate study is right for you, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about postgraduate student life at Manchester Met.
We offer:
Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.
We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.
These typical entry requirements may be subject to change for the 2025/26 academic year. Please check back for further details.
You’ll need a UK honours degree – at least a 2.2 – typically in a related area or in an area of study accompanied by professional or personal experience. Applicants with relevant extensive professional experience in this field will be considered for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Accredited Prior Experience (APE) entrance, even if they do not have the required qualifications.
IELTS score required for international students 6.5 with no element below 5.5.
Further information for international students is available for applicants with non-UK qualifications is available at mmu.ac.uk/international
Full-time fee: £10,250 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Full-time fee: £20,000 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of study provided the course is completed in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Compulsory estimate: £50
Optional estimate: £240
Travel: Students will be required to travel between specialist facilities, such as our All Saints and Platt Lane sites, and may need to travel if taking work experience placements. An annual bus pass for travel around Manchester costs approximately £240 (indicative).
Kit: Students are required to contribute a one-off payment for kit of £50 at the point of course entry. Any replacement kit required over the period of study will be supplied and paid for by the Department. This kit should be worn at all practical and lab sessions.
Compulsory estimate: £700
Students often choose to buy a laptop for their course (costing approximately £400 - £500) and a printer (costing £50 - £100 including print consumables). All of the readings required for the course are available from the library, but some students may choose to purchase key textbooks (costing approximately £100).
Sport and exercise science is a dynamic and evolving sector, becoming increasingly specialised. This means there is more demand from employers for high calibre, well-qualified candidates with specialist skills and expertise. Our course has been designed in partnership with industry-active professionals and academics, ensuring you graduate ready for the strength and conditioning industry of tomorrow.
If you want to become an accredited strength and conditioning coach, this course meets professional governing body standards that will get you ready for accreditation.
Career options for strength and conditioning coaches are varied and include working for professional sports clubs, in private gyms, for universities and colleges, with para-athletes or in schools or sport academies. Coaches work beyond sport too, branching out into healthcare settings to support health, rehabilitation and recovery.
Then there’s the fast-growing digital e-sport sector, with sport technology companies developing new strength and conditioning products every day. There’s also scientific research and the need to test new products, methods and theories.
Whatever your ambition, this course will give you the skills and confidence to launch the career of your dreams, or to take the next step into further study and research.
Manchester Graduate School of Sport
We’re one of a kind – the UK’s only graduate school of sport and part of the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport. Together, we’re a large and diverse sporting community that gives you the springboard you need to launch your career.
Take a look inside our facilities, learn about our partnerships, and discover what being part of the Manchester Graduate School of Sport means for you.
Please contact our course enquiries team.
Get advice and support on making a successful application.
You can review our current terms and conditions before you make your application. If you are successful with your application, we will send you up to date information alongside your offer letter.
Programme review
Our programmes undergo an annual review and major review (normally
at 6 year intervals) to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the
latest online learning technology. For further information on when we
may make changes to our programmes, please see the changes section of our
terms and conditions.
Important notice
This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study
and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that
our published course information is accurate. Please check back to the
online prospectus before making an application to us to access the most
up to date information for your chosen course of study.
Confirmation of regulator
The Manchester Metropolitan University is regulated by the Office for
Students (OfS). The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education
in England. More information on the role of the OfS and its regulatory
framework can be found at
officeforstudents.org.uk.
All higher education providers registered with the OfS must have a student protection plan in place. The student protection plan sets out what students can expect to happen should a course, campus, or institution close. Access our current student protection plan.