Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
Completion Time: 2 years
Earned Credits: 40
There is a growing demand for specialists in sport and military settings who can apply psychophysiology and sports and performance psychology practices to empower professional and recreational athletes, military personnel, performing artists, and others to reach their highest levels of functioning.
What sets our M.S. in Sport Performance Psychology degree apart from other sport and performance psychology graduate programs is a foundation in psychophysiology. By combining traditional sport psychology with the mind-body sciences of psychophysiology, students gain a comprehensive understanding of how the brain and body work together to influence human behavior and how those interactions can affect overall performance.
In addition to sport psychology and psychophysiology, students will build skills in the following areas:
- Biofeedback: A cutting-edge technique allowing individuals to gain awareness and control over certain physiological functions, aiding in performance and stress management.
- Psychopathology: Understanding the impact of mental disorders on performance is key for any sports psychologist, ensuring that they can recognize and address potential mental barriers in athletes and performers.
- Optimal Functioning: Grasping the principles of optimal functioning is essential to unlocking the best in athletes and performers. This knowledge equips professionals to develop routines and strategies tailored for peak performance.
- Athletic Counseling: Building strong mental resilience and addressing the unique psychological challenges faced by athletes is at the heart of athletic counseling.
- Professional and Ethical Issues in Sports and the Performing Arts: Navigating the world of sports and performance requires a deep understanding of the ethical dilemmas and professional challenges one might face.
- Hypnosis: A powerful tool for unlocking potential, managing anxiety, and building focus, hypnosis offers sports psychologists an alternative avenue for enhancing performance.
- These skills not only form the backbone of effective sports and performance psychology but also empower graduates to make tangible, positive changes in the lives and careers of those they work with.
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Graduates of the M.S. in Sport Performance Psychology program are prepared to pursue or enhance their existing careers as coaches, trainers, performance specialists, educators, consultants, and more in a variety of settings:
- Youth sports
- Professional sports
- College and university athletic departments
- Military and government agencies
- Exercise, health, and wellness industries
- The performing arts
- Private practice
With the flexibility of our sports psychology programs online, students can conveniently balance their professional commitments and studies. Graduates may also be interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in Applied Psychophysiology, Mind-Body Medicine, Innovative and Functional Nutrition, or other similar programs.
More program information can be found in our academic catalog.
Residential Conference (RC)
All Sport Performance Psychology students are invited to attend one optional Residential Conference experience during their time in the program. Students are highly encouraged to attend a Residential Conference.
Residential Conferences are an important part of our students’ learning experience as they nurture intellectual and relational creativity, enrich the educational environment, and foster faculty and peer interactions. At the Residential Conference, there are courses being launched, workshop sessions, independent learning activities, peer learning opportunities, community events, and other hands-on experiences intended to nurture professional development, skill building, and transformative change.
The courses are designed to equip students with in-depth knowledge and skills that are integral to sports and performance psychology. The curriculum reflects the intersection of sports, psychology, and performance, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for various roles in the sports performance psychology industry.
APH 5480 Foundations of Sport and Performing Arts Physiology (3 credits)
This course explores the manifold ways the brain and body work together to produce behavior and the cycle between behavior and physiology. The course begins with a description of the body’s organizational structure and genetics as related to behavior. The basic physiological ways information is received from the external and internal environments through a variety of sensors and then processed by the hormonal/nervous system is described. Typical psychophysiological dysfunctions and interventions are also described.
APH 5470 Optimal Functioning in the Sports Environment (3 credits)
Elite performers across disciplines have different needs in order to perform at their best and to recover optimally. Psychophysiology and Performance Psychology provide fantastic lenses for understanding the mind-body connection, plus provide theoretical and practical considerations in helping athletes and others to enhance performance. Students will read the works of, and watch video interviews with, leading experts doing evidence-based applied work sport and performing arts settings. Areas of interest include: nutrition, sleep, and strength and conditioning.
APH 6499 Psychological Applications in Sports and the Performing Arts (3 credits)
This course is designed to introduce students to theory, research, and practice of sport performance enhancement for both individual and groups of performers by a variety of psychological interventions. Theoretical understanding and proficiency in the use of mental skills training techniques such as goal setting, imagery, self-talk, and arousal regulation will be a prime focus. In addition, topics such as motivation, self-confidence, and concentration will be addressed. Special attention will be given to the thorough understanding of the psychological factors necessary for optimal sport performance to aid in appropriate intervention planning.
APH 6005 Psychopathology in the Sports Environment (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to theoretical, clinical, and empirical knowledge of psychopathology and the classification of mental disorders. The focus is on acquiring a conceptual foundation for understanding and classifying abnormal behavior in relation to sport and human performance. The rationale and procedure of the DSM-5 are addressed. A methodology for collecting, organizing and understanding clinical data by way of careful interview is presented with a careful examination of both normal and abnormal behaviors/affective states that impact sport and human performance.
Is the M.S. in Sport Performance Psychology program online?
Yes! Saybrook University offers one of the leading sports psychology programs online. The M.S. in Sport Performance Psychology program is in a completely virtual format, allowing students flexibility with their studies. While students are invited and highly encouraged to attend one Residential Conference during their time in the program, it is possible to complete the program with no face-to-face contact.
How long does the M.S. in Sport Performance Psychology program take to complete?
The expected length of the Sport Performance Psychology master’s program is two years with 40 earned credits.
Is fieldwork required to complete the M.S. in Sport Performance Psychology program?
An optional human performance field experience is available as an elective course for students but is not required to complete the program. Ability to participate in fieldwork electives for this program may vary by state. Contact our Admissions Department for more information.
How does sport psychology improve athletic performance?
Sport psychologists help athletes identify and overcome problems that hinder their performance. This help comes in a variety of forms depending on the specific needs of that athlete. Some athletes create strategies to use their bodies in a more efficient way. Others may need to confront their fears after recovering from an injury. Psychology can also help coaches and athletes communicate more clearly with their team.
This is only a small sample of how sports and performance psychology can improve athletic performance.