Programme structure: Performance Psychology

For this full-time degree, you will examine issues, such as anxiety and distraction, that affect individual, team or group performance. You will also study how to address those issues, as well as techniques to enhance performance.

This programme focuses on the study of psychological factors associated with high-level performance.

Programme structure

Masters degrees at the University of Edinburgh comprise 180 credits.  

The first 120 credits are made up of taught courses, and the dissertation is worth 60 credits.  

You must receive an average mark of 50% or more and pass at least 80 credits with a mark of at least 50% in each of the taught courses to progress to the dissertation.  

Once you successfully complete all 180 credits, you receive your MSc. You can complete the masters degree in 11 months full-time.

Our MSc is not specifically geared towards sport psychology although it does draw heavily from this area. This MSc does not offer formal accreditation to students wishing to complete a Sport Psychology accreditation route.

Courses

Learning is in the form of lectures, seminars and directed reading. 

You will complete a series of seven courses. These courses cover key topics related to performance psychology as well as essential skills for scientific practitioners such as legal and ethical issues and effective communication.  

Courses are designed to develop your ability to critically appraise scientific literature and apply methods to plan, conduct and disseminate your research, following the established principles of rigorous scientific study. 

Please note that courses and course content may change each year.

Course descriptions (2024-25)

Dissertation

Once you successfully complete your taught courses you may progress to the dissertation. You must complete the dissertation to receive the MSc. 

You may select any topic that reflects your interests as long as it remains within the overall rationale of the programme and appropriate supervision is available. 

Examples of recent topics include:

  • Professional development issues in sport psychology
  • Decision-making in surgeons
  • Mental toughness in military pilots
  • Optimism and stress in trainee teachers
  • Emotional intelligence and elite sport performance
  • Talent development in non-classical music
  • Experiences of flow in dance
  • Expertise development in international sport
  • Change blindness’ effects moderated by experience level in sport

Submission format includes the option to submit in journal article style.

Publications