Course information
The role of a successful sports analyst has changed in recent years, as new technologies enable the fine-tuning of athletic performance like never before.
Successful analysts are still required to produce and evaluate complex datasets. However, they now play a more integral role in athletic success, connecting player and coach using insight and consultancy to refine athletic performance in real time.
This course provides the ideal opportunity for you to reach the top of your game as an analyst.
Alongside a guaranteed work placement with one of our performance sports academies and an external work placement, you’ll benefit from expert lecturers and world-class facilities including a dedicated performance analysis suite and the latest technologies.
With both full and part-time learning options, you could study alongside existing employment or other commitments. As a graduate, you'll be ready to progress directly into the field of performance analysis, whether with green site sports venues or high-level performance sports settings.
Studying a postgraduate certificate or diploma is ideal for those who want to complete a specific part of a master’s degree, without the academic research.
Hudl Academy
As an Applied Performance Analysis in Sport student at Hartpury University, you’ll have complementary access to Hudl Academy Level 1 courses.
Access to the HUDL suite of courses will provide opportunities for you to develop your skills and enhance your CV with an industry leading product in performance analysis.
Academic
2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.
Non-academic
Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.
International
In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.
Please contact us for further information.
This applied degree is focused on developing your skills in the real-world, whether with our performance sports teams and athletes on campus or an external business as part of your work placement. You'll also hear from professionals in lectures to broaden your knowledge and commercial networks.
Work placements and experience
You’ll undertake compulsory work placement experience with one of our performance sports teams and an external provider. We’ll support you to secure a placement with a UK-based or international employer. We have strong relationships with Gloucester Rugby, England Rugby, Cheltenham Town Football Club, Exeter City Football Club, Forest Green Rovers FC, Bristol Rovers Football Club, GB Rowing, Pentathlon GB, Dallas Jackals and Olympic champion equestrian coaches and athletes.
Guest lecturers
Guest lecturers may be used to enhance our delivery and provide you with additional insight into professional practice as an analyst.
Graduate destinations
As a graduate, you'll be ready to progress directly into the field of performance analysis, whether with green site sports venues or high-level performance sports settings.
- Performance Sports Analyst
The Hartpury Sports Business Hub
Boost your employability, expand learning and networks, and gain real-world experience in the sports industry.
Managed out of the Department of Sport and Exercise Science, the Sports Business Hub provides students and staff the opportunity to engage with key local and regional sports organisations to complete live briefs and real-world research consultancy. The Hub provides access to a range of organisations including Active Gloucester, Sport Wales, Bream RFC and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club as well as multinational corporations and independent businesses.
We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.
Duration
One year, full-time
You can study each of these qualifications full-time and subsequently complete each within one year.
Two-three years, part-time
Alternatively, we offer flexible part-time options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments. These options can be tailored to suit your own needs, enabling you to complete your qualification in two or three years. Please enquire for further details.
Your support network
You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.
Your learning experiences
You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.
Course information
Overview
The role of a successful sports analyst has changed in recent years, as new technologies enable the fine-tuning of athletic performance like never before.
Successful analysts are still required to produce and evaluate complex datasets. However, they now play a more integral role in athletic success, connecting player and coach using insight and consultancy to refine athletic performance in real time.
This course provides the ideal opportunity for you to reach the top of your game as an analyst.
Alongside a guaranteed work placement with one of our performance sports academies and an external work placement, you’ll benefit from expert lecturers and world-class facilities including a dedicated performance analysis suite and the latest technologies.
With both full and part-time learning options, you could study alongside existing employment or other commitments. As a graduate, you'll be ready to progress directly into the field of performance analysis, whether with green site sports venues or high-level performance sports settings.
Studying a postgraduate certificate or diploma is ideal for those who want to complete a specific part of a master’s degree, without the academic research.
Hudl Academy
As an Applied Performance Analysis in Sport student at Hartpury University, you’ll have complementary access to Hudl Academy Level 1 courses.
Access to the HUDL suite of courses will provide opportunities for you to develop your skills and enhance your CV with an industry leading product in performance analysis.
Entry requirements
Academic
2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject. Students with 2:2 and relevant experience will be considered on a case by case basis.
Non-academic
Students with non-relevant qualifications but with sufficient work experience or professional experience will be considered on an individual basis.
International
In addition to the academic qualification an IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required.
Please contact us for further information.
Employability
This applied degree is focused on developing your skills in the real-world, whether with our performance sports teams and athletes on campus or an external business as part of your work placement. You'll also hear from professionals in lectures to broaden your knowledge and commercial networks.
Work placements and experience
You’ll undertake compulsory work placement experience with one of our performance sports teams and an external provider. We’ll support you to secure a placement with a UK-based or international employer. We have strong relationships with Gloucester Rugby, England Rugby, Cheltenham Town Football Club, Exeter City Football Club, Forest Green Rovers FC, Bristol Rovers Football Club, GB Rowing, Pentathlon GB, Dallas Jackals and Olympic champion equestrian coaches and athletes.
Guest lecturers
Guest lecturers may be used to enhance our delivery and provide you with additional insight into professional practice as an analyst.
Graduate destinations
As a graduate, you'll be ready to progress directly into the field of performance analysis, whether with green site sports venues or high-level performance sports settings.
- Performance Sports Analyst
The Hartpury Sports Business Hub
Boost your employability, expand learning and networks, and gain real-world experience in the sports industry.
Managed out of the Department of Sport and Exercise Science, the Sports Business Hub provides students and staff the opportunity to engage with key local and regional sports organisations to complete live briefs and real-world research consultancy. The Hub provides access to a range of organisations including Active Gloucester, Sport Wales, Bream RFC and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club as well as multinational corporations and independent businesses.
How you'll study
We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.
Duration
One year, full-time
You can study each of these qualifications full-time and subsequently complete each within one year.
Two-three years, part-time
Alternatively, we offer flexible part-time options to help students to manage their studies alongside other commitments. These options can be tailored to suit your own needs, enabling you to complete your qualification in two or three years. Please enquire for further details.
Your support network
You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.
Your learning experiences
You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.
Qualifications and modules
The master’s degree focuses on the application of performance analysis principles into practice. You will learn how to set up equipment and performance analysis coding templates and apply this knowledge in your work placements.
You’ll learn how to design and implement performance sports metrics, using global software Hudl SportsCode and Nacsport. You’ll develop skills across different software and systems, and get to grips with modern equipment including IP cameras, live broadcasting technology and drones.
You’ll undertake two work placements while studying to enable you to test your ideas and develop real industry skills. A 60-hour placement will be with one of our performance Sports Academy teams – a safe and supported environment for you to implement ideas and test skills. You’ll critique contemporary approaches to analysis and the research that underpins it.
Alongside this, you’ll complete a 200-hour placement; this could be with your current employer or a new employer.
Our students benefit from our outstanding industry connections. Alongside our own Hartpury RFC Championship rugby team, we have strong relationships with England Rugby, Gloucester Rugby, Cheltenham Town Football Club, Exeter City Football Club, Forest Green Rovers FC, Bristol Rovers Football Club, GB Rowing, Pentathlon GB, Dallas Jackals and Olympic champion equestrian coaches and athletes.
Your dissertation enables you to research an area of your own interest within performance analysis. In addition to the core modules, you will have the opportunity to study modules within coaching and strength and conditioning. These modules are intended to widen your appreciation for the role of the analyst and other professionals in the wider team.
These qualifications form part of and are at the same level as the full master’s degree. They provide the ideal opportunity for you to develop your professional expertise via shorter qualifications, whilst allowing flexibility to progress each qualification through to the next level, including the full master’s degree.
Postgraduate Certificate
Your postgraduate certificate includes the work placement within the Hartpury Sports Academy. Please view the specific module breakdown for further details.
Postgraduate Diploma
Your postgraduate diploma includes all specialist modules within performance analysis, including Hartpury and external placement opportunities. Please view the specific module breakdown for further details.
Explore the compulsory modules for this course. You’ll also be able to choose from a range of optional modules to suit your interests and career goals.
Optional modules change each year in line with student, industry and research demands.
Module credits
Upon successful completion of your modules you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final master’s degree differential award (pass, merit or distinction).
This module addresses the technical requirements of analysing performance, including the set-up and readiness of equipment, through to identifying factors being analysed alongside obtaining data. You’ll complete 60 hours of performance analysis contact hours within the Hartpury Sports Academy to support you to apply your skills.
You’ll be challenged and supported to analyse performance through various systematic observation techniques and to evaluate contemporary research within the field.
This module will bridge the gap between your academic preparation and the real-world environment. You’ll be required to source and complete 200 hours of industry-based placement in a pre-approved environment.
Optional for PG Dip and PG Cert.
This includes discussion of research methodologies and applications, as well as strengths, weaknesses and limitations of different methods.
You’ll develop and undertake a research project of your choosing.
Students will develop a critical understanding and appreciation of how to work effectively within industry and multi-disciplinary/inter-disciplinary teams.
This module focuses on the use of learning theories and pedagogic principles as a conceptual lens through which to view practice. It provides practitioners with an opportunity to increase their understanding of the field of pedagogy in order to develop a conceptual base from which to refine and critique their practice. Students enrolled on this module will be required to design and deliver a presentation to provide practitioners with underpinning knowledge that will allow them to develop more pedagogically aware practice.
Progress an enhanced understanding of the relevant testing methods that can be used by strength and conditioning coaches as well as the data analysis methods used to assess athlete or client physical testing capabilities.
Qualifications and modules
MSc degree
The master’s degree focuses on the application of performance analysis principles into practice. You will learn how to set up equipment and performance analysis coding templates and apply this knowledge in your work placements.
You’ll learn how to design and implement performance sports metrics, using global software Hudl SportsCode and Nacsport. You’ll develop skills across different software and systems, and get to grips with modern equipment including IP cameras, live broadcasting technology and drones.
You’ll undertake two work placements while studying to enable you to test your ideas and develop real industry skills. A 60-hour placement will be with one of our performance Sports Academy teams – a safe and supported environment for you to implement ideas and test skills. You’ll critique contemporary approaches to analysis and the research that underpins it.
Alongside this, you’ll complete a 200-hour placement; this could be with your current employer or a new employer.
Our students benefit from our outstanding industry connections. Alongside our own Hartpury RFC Championship rugby team, we have strong relationships with England Rugby, Gloucester Rugby, Cheltenham Town Football Club, Exeter City Football Club, Forest Green Rovers FC, Bristol Rovers Football Club, GB Rowing, Pentathlon GB, Dallas Jackals and Olympic champion equestrian coaches and athletes.
Your dissertation enables you to research an area of your own interest within performance analysis. In addition to the core modules, you will have the opportunity to study modules within coaching and strength and conditioning. These modules are intended to widen your appreciation for the role of the analyst and other professionals in the wider team.
Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma
These qualifications form part of and are at the same level as the full master’s degree. They provide the ideal opportunity for you to develop your professional expertise via shorter qualifications, whilst allowing flexibility to progress each qualification through to the next level, including the full master’s degree.
Postgraduate Certificate
Your postgraduate certificate includes the work placement within the Hartpury Sports Academy. Please view the specific module breakdown for further details.
Postgraduate Diploma
Your postgraduate diploma includes all specialist modules within performance analysis, including Hartpury and external placement opportunities. Please view the specific module breakdown for further details.
Modules
Explore the compulsory modules for this course. You’ll also be able to choose from a range of optional modules to suit your interests and career goals.
Optional modules change each year in line with student, industry and research demands.
Module credits
Upon successful completion of your modules you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain may contribute towards your final master’s degree differential award (pass, merit or distinction).
Compulsory modules
This module addresses the technical requirements of analysing performance, including the set-up and readiness of equipment, through to identifying factors being analysed alongside obtaining data. You’ll complete 60 hours of performance analysis contact hours within the Hartpury Sports Academy to support you to apply your skills.
You’ll be challenged and supported to analyse performance through various systematic observation techniques and to evaluate contemporary research within the field.
This module will bridge the gap between your academic preparation and the real-world environment. You’ll be required to source and complete 200 hours of industry-based placement in a pre-approved environment.
Optional for PG Dip and PG Cert.
This includes discussion of research methodologies and applications, as well as strengths, weaknesses and limitations of different methods.
You’ll develop and undertake a research project of your choosing.
Optional modules
Students will develop a critical understanding and appreciation of how to work effectively within industry and multi-disciplinary/inter-disciplinary teams.
This module focuses on the use of learning theories and pedagogic principles as a conceptual lens through which to view practice. It provides practitioners with an opportunity to increase their understanding of the field of pedagogy in order to develop a conceptual base from which to refine and critique their practice. Students enrolled on this module will be required to design and deliver a presentation to provide practitioners with underpinning knowledge that will allow them to develop more pedagogically aware practice.
Progress an enhanced understanding of the relevant testing methods that can be used by strength and conditioning coaches as well as the data analysis methods used to assess athlete or client physical testing capabilities.
The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, online learning, workshops and practical sessions – alongside independent learning. Students are expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour. Your course includes work placement learning as part of two modules.
The course is taught in English.
| Contact learning | Placement learning | Independent learning | |
| MSc degree | 12% | 11% | 77% |
| Postgraduate Diploma | 17% | 17% | 66% |
| Postgraduate Certificate | 23% | 0% | 77% |
You’ll be assessed through a mixture of practical exams and written assignments. Many of the modules will be marked based on a mixture of assessment types, whilst others will be based solely on one type of assessment. Feedback will be given in written form, with the option to discuss all feedback with academic staff.
| Written exam | Practical exam | Coursework | |
| MSc degree | 0% | 38% | 62% |
| Postgraduate Diploma | 0% | 56% | 44% |
| Postgraduate Certificate | 0% | 62% | 38% |
This course is made up of three semesters. Semesters normally consisting of 12 weeks of scheduled teaching and then assessment weeks, with an overview below:
- Scheduled delivery generally takes place over 1-2 days during the week, with further commitment required for Hartpury academy and external work placement
- Attendance dates and timetables are available before enrolment to support the arrangement of annual leave where required
Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.
Studentship scheme
Our Postgraduate Studentship Scheme provides a fantastic development opportunity, enabling you to complement your postgraduate study with important real-world research within a paid position at Hartpury.
Software
For the duration of your course, you’ll benefit from complementary access to HUDL Sportscode and Nacsport software through our institutional licences – these are accessible on Hartpury PCs only.
Software access is not available off campus. However, you’ll be able to purchase your own Nacsport licence at a student-discounted fee from £60 each year or gain access through an employer or placement provider that is using the software.
Clothing and footwear (circa £100)
Fundamentals of Performance Analysis module
We strongly recommend the purchase of a Hartpury polo and tracksuit bottoms when representing Hartpury University as part of our Sports Academy.
Costs are available vie our online shop If you’re required to travel as part of this course, related costs will be covered by the Hartpury Sports Academy.
Outdoor clothing
The outdoor nature of this discipline may also require you to wear all-weather clothing and appropriate footwear whilst engaging in practical aspects. The purchase of this clothing is your own responsibility.
Hartpury University branded clothing
Hartpury University branded clothing is available through our online shop, for those who wish to purchase it. However, this is not essential.
Travel
Industry Placement Experience module
You’re responsible for travel costs for your professional work placement.
Performance Sports Academy membership
Find out costs and details for joining one of our performance Sports Academy teams.
Hartpury gym
Find out about costs and details for joining the Hartpury gym.
Accommodation and living costs
Please visit our student accommodation page for details.
Our Resource Library is where you'll find all the essential details about Hartpury University's courses. It includes Programme and Module Specifications, along with Course Information Sheets for every course. You can easily download a complete revision history for each of these, clearly showing the dates changes were made.
Course Information Sheets: These are PDF versions of the course webpages. They provide an overview of the course, what to expect during your studies, and the topics covered.
Programme Specifications: These are detailed, validated documents containing academic specifics for each programme. They include descriptions of the programme, its aims, learning outcomes, year and module structure, as well as teaching, learning, and assessment strategies.
Module Specifications: Each Programme consists of several Modules. Our Module Specifications outline the topics covered and the expected outcomes for students studying each Module.
It's a good idea to think about fees and funding around your course as early as you can. We can help you to understand and take control of your finances. Here’s everything you need to know at a glance.
Our specialist facilities match our specialist nature. Students benefit from access to some of the most advanced facilities in the world at an educational institution.
Hudl Academy
As an Applied Performance Analysis in Sport student at Hartpury University, you’ll have complementary access to Hudl Academy Level 1 courses.
Top 3 UK University
We're a top 3 UK university for postgraduate teaching, and top 5 UK university for overall postgraduate satisfaction (PTES 2024).
World leading
Our research has been recognised as 'world-leading' and 'internationally excellent' (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
“The course marries my cricket coaching experience with my sports science degree; I’ve been working with Hartpury’s Netball Academy, taking a lead in the performance analysis.
The data I’ve produced has provided greater focus for key coaching areas and I’ll be able to transfer these skills to the game of cricket. I want to be a lead performance analyst for a successful cricket team; my master’s will put me a step ahead of the competition.”
Andy Payne, Hartpury student and Pathway Performance Analyst & Coach, Somerset County Cricket Club
“The course marries my cricket coaching experience with my sports science degree; I’ve been working with Hartpury’s Netball Academy, taking a lead in the performance analysis.
The data I’ve produced has provided greater focus for key coaching areas and I’ll be able to transfer these skills to the game of cricket. I want to be a lead performance analyst for a successful cricket team; my master’s will put me a step ahead of the competition.”
Andy Payne, Hartpury student and Pathway Performance Analyst & Coach, Somerset County Cricket Club
Important information
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.
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MRes Sport and Exercise Science
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Our partners & accreditations
