Usually 2 years part-time
Part-time
£14,000 (INT) *
We’re planning to teach through a flexible combination of online and face to face learning for the first few months of the new academic year. If you’re thinking about starting with us in autumn 2020 or spring 2021, check back for more detail on arrangements for this course in July and August, and see our current plans for teaching and learning.
Overview
Sports Performance Analysis is an area experiencing massive growth, virtually every professional club and elite athlete employ or work with performance analysts who provide them with objective data to ultimately improve sporting performance. Roles typically include preparing statistical reports, preparing specific videos i.e. set pieces, coding matches via performance analysis software, identifying differences between teams/players via statistical analysis etc. This master’s course prepares students to work as a performance analyst by giving you the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to fulfil those roles.
Why study MSc Sport Performance Analysis* at Middlesex?
Learn from academics who regularly work and consult with international teams, national governing bodies, elite clubs and athletes. Our pioneering programme is designed to prepare you for accreditation with the International Society of Performance Analysis of Sport. You will learn how to identify and develop performance indicators, how to create performance profiles, how to test reliability and get to grips with performance analysis software that is used in the industry.
You will gain experience as a performance analyst through our work-placement module. One of our partner organisations is Saracens Rugby Club and our facilities are housed at their nearby Barnet Copthall Stadium, home of Saracens Rugby Club, where we boast world-class performance laboratories, rehabilitation units and testing facilities. You will build invaluable industry contacts and we maintain contact with many of our graduates who have gone on to work in professional sport with clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Charlton FC, Saracens RFC and organisations like the English Institute of Sport, the RFU and the Lawn Tennis Association to name a few.
Course highlights
- Based in London, we are surrounded by the greatest density of top sports clubs and organisations in the UK.
- We believe that our graduates should be high achievers both practically and academically. As a result, we actively encourage students to publish their dissertation through peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
- This course prepares you for accreditation from the International Society of Performance Analysis of Sport.
- Our performance analysis staff publish frequently and therefore underpin teaching with relevant and new research. Alongside this, our PA staff also consult with a number of high profiles organisations, teams and athletes.
- Small class sizes allow you to receive the personal attention required to thrive in your studies.
- As a student of this course you'll receive a free electronic textbook for every module.
*Please note this course is subject to review.
Find out more
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Course content
What will you study on MSc Sport Performance Analysis?
Our specialist degree covers relevant topics such as performance indicators, performance profiling, reliability testing, creating bespoke performance report sheets, statistical analysis, whilst utilising industry standard software such as Sportscode, Dartfish and Quintic analysis packages.
These topics allow you to develop your expertise as a performance analyst, ensuring that you understand relevant techniques and procedures for a number of different scenarios, which you would expect to face as an analyst. You’ll also receive training on research methods which will help you with your dissertation, where you can pursue a topic of interest or even a research question that has arisen during your placement.
*Subject to validation
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Modules
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Performance Analysis (30 Credits) - Compulsory
This module aims to allow students to critically engage in the process of analysis of sports performance. It also aims to develop students' research skills so they may generate analysis data for appropriate dissemination to both coaches and athletes. Students will gain the ability to critically analyse research in order to design, interpret and synthesise analysis data and literature. Finally, this module aims to prepare students for the certification requirements of ISPAS.
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Biometric Modelling (30 Credits) - Compulsory
This module aims to provide the students with the ability to systematically undertake a technical analysis of sports performance. Students will also learn how to analyse technique in relation to an applied problem. Students will act with initiative in decision making when providing athletes feedback via the use of appropriately selected software packages.
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Research Methods (30 Credits) - Compulsory
This module is designed to provide a critical overview of the main methods and approaches used for research into topic areas related to psychology and performance analysis, and to equip the student to apply this knowledge in planning a research proposal. The module affords students opportunities to appraise the strengths and weaknesses of published work in their specialist area, or in health care in general. Students will learn in groups and will explore philosophical, ethical and methodological differences which underpin various approaches to knowledge generation that can inform health care work. Interprofessional workshops will allow the student to develop a research proposal, to consider its adequacy and limitations, and justify the approach taken.
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Professional Placement (30 Credits) - Compulsory
This module aims to develop the student s ability to apply and see the application of knowledge gained from other modules in relation to a real work scenario. You will be required to adopt a reflective and critical approach to your working practice and to promote a problem-solving approach in a work environment.
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Dissertation (60 Credits) - Compulsory
To support students to undertake research, with a focus appropriate to their programme and area of practice and building upon the research proposal formulated in SES4430.
To create a peer learning community for students to critically support each other in the research process.
To provide guidance, additional to that provided by the students supervisors, on matters of ethical application, research methods, data collection, analysis and writing-up.
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You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.
Teaching
How is the MSc Sport Performance Analysis taught?
The course is taught through lectures, seminars, group discussions, directed learning and practical sessions. Classes take place once a week, from 10.00-17.00.
Assessment
You will be assessed by a variety of methods including presentations, written assignments and practical demonstrations.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
Careers
How can the MSc Sport Performance Analysis support your career?
This Sport Performance Analysis programme is for students who would like to develop key skills and competencies, acquire a body of knowledge, and gain exposure to new and innovative areas of the subject. A Sports Performance Analysis degree opens the doors to a number of exciting career paths, with excellent career progression opportunities.
Career opportunities exist for well-qualified sport performance analysts in both professional and amateur sports. Previous graduates in Sport Performance Analysis are currently working in soccer (English Premier League, English Championship, the FA); Rugby (Welsh Rugby Union, Professional rugby teams in England and Wales); multiple Olympic sports (working for the English Institute of Sport is sports such as cycling, canoe slalom, disability swimming, hockey, judo); squash (England Squash); badminton (England badminton) and regional bodies (Irish Institute of Sport). Work placements typically coincide with the sporting season (August to April for soccer or rugby).
Graduates will also be capable of establishing their own consultancy business or progressing to additional study/research including MPhil/PhD.
Facilities
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Our sport and exercise science facilities are based nearby to our Hendon campus in Barnet Copthall Stadium, home of Saracens Rugby Club,, offering staff and students unique access to academy and elite players and coaches.
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The computer lab at Allianz Park is used regularly by our students.
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Our strength training room features professional-level equipment for all types of lifts.
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Our collaboration with Saracens, as well as partnerships with other sporting institutions like the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, provide placement opportunities for students.
Staff profiles
Dr Nimai Parmar
Nimai completed his funded PhD under the two leading academics in the field of performance analysis, Professor Mike Hughes and Professor Nic James. Nimai is an Executive Committee member at the International Society of Performance Analysis of Sport and regularly organises performance analysis conferences and workshops. Nimai publishes and reviews performance analysis journal articles and has presented his research at numerous conferences, whilst also providing performance analysis consultancy to professional sporting clubs and national governing bodies.
You can view Nimai's full staff profile and follow Nimai on twitter here
Professor Nic James
Nic is a well-known researcher in sports performance analysis having worked mainly in academic settings but also in elite sport. Nic has developed a number of academic courses in performance analysis, motor learning and statistics from undergraduate to postgraduate level. He helped develop a Sports Science degree at Swansea University before leading the MSc in Performance Analysis at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Nic is currently head of research for the London Sport Institute and currently spends much of his time supervising PhD students and teaching at Masters Level.
* 34 keynote International conference presentations
* Chair of the International Society of Performance Analysis of Sport
* External consultant for the English Institute of Sport
* Visiting Professor at the University of Zagreb, Croatia
* Ad hoc reviewer for 24 International Journals
* PhD: 9 completions, 5 current
You can view Nic's full staff profile and follow Nic on Twitter here
Student profiles
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Sarah Henderson
Sport Intelligence Analyst, UK Sport
Choosing to do my master’s was a career change for me. The course gave me the opportunity to drill down into methods of performance analysis and the academic theories involved in practice. I enjoyed being taught by lecturers with varied experience - it taught me to look at things more than one way. I started to develop ways of thinking and beliefs about performance analysis which I still hold now.
During the professional placement module, I was able to complete work experience at the English Institute of Sport. Those opportunities came from the links that the course had and I was able to use the contacts to create work opportunities. I gained a lot of confidence through practice. Then when we were in the classroom we were able to speak on our experiences and to apply the theory we learnt to the real world. When I graduated, I went on to a full-time job as a performance analyst at the English Institute of Sport with fencing building up to the Rio Olympics. My experience absolutely put me in the best possible place for my career.
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Yiannis Konstantonis
Performance Analyst for GB Canoeing, English Institute of Sport
I chose the course as it was in London and because the lecturers had an industry background. The course gave me a good foundation in how to capture video and work with data. When it came to statistics and data our lecturers were incredible. I particularly enjoyed the processes we would go into looking at the different impacts data had on decision. It helped me with my own dissertation.
There was an open-door policy so I could get an answer to any questions I had. The connections to the English Institute of Sport, government bodies and sports were also a huge benefit. I gained a lot of experience and learned a lot of skills from the industry placements provided by Middlesex. My first placement was with British Rowing; helping the physiotherapy team with their data management. Middlesex gave me opportunities to learn in different ways. It gave me a good baseline to start thinking like an analyst.
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James Parker
Performance Analyst, Charlton Athletic Football Club
I chose to study at Middlesex University because of its location in London and also because of the knowledge and experience of its lecturers. The course was the next step in my pursuit of becoming a performance analyst at a professional football club.
Many job specifications for a performance analyst require applicants to hold a postgraduate degree. The course is more specific to the role compared to undergraduate degrees in sport science, which are more general. Job specifications also ask for experience in using sports analysis software, video editing software, Excel and of presenting. All of these elements are covered by the MSc Performance Analysis course
A real highlight of the course was learning how to use software specific to the industry, such as Dartfish and Focus, to produce an analysis of Barcelona's strengths and weaknesses or a biomechanical analysis of Christiano Ronaldo's knuckle ball free-kick. I also enjoyed Going to the INSHS International Christmas Sports Scientific Conference in Hungary with others on my course.
Contact us
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