Triangle

Course overview

Our new master's degree in Sport Injury Rehabilitation will build your knowledge and skills to be an integral part of returning athletes to optimum fitness. 

In both elite and high-performance sports and recreational events, comprehensive rehabilitation from injury is critical to an athlete’s body, mind and their future in the sport they love.

Expanding on your existing experience in sporting injuries and rehabilitation and using evidence-based practice, you’ll develop your clinical judgement skills, and understanding of professional issues in sports, and be part of innovative rehabilitation research.

You’ll be taught in the new National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), a 70 bed NHS rehabilitation facility near Loughborough and Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham, one of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK.

Subjects will include:

  • sport nutrition
  • metabolism
  • muscle physiology
  • nutrient-gene interactions
  • research methods

Your learning will be a mixture of face-to-face lectures, seminars, workshops, practical's and student-led presentations. You will also have the opportunity to gain clinical experience in a wide variety of settings including sports injury clinics, fitness centres, and sports clubs.

This course aims to provide you with:

  • an understanding of key sports-specific movements and how they inform common injuries across different sports
  • skills in providing pitch side care to injured athletes
  • experience of working among a larger multidisciplinary healthcare team
  • enhanced critical thinking skills in making an educated judgement
  • fundamental knowledge and skills in conducting empirical research
  • knowledge of ethical constraints in human research
  • skills in conducting clinical assessment and rehabilitation of injured athletes with acute or chronic sports injuries
  • understanding of current issues and new insights in the field of sports injury rehabilitation

If you have any questions about the course or NRC, please email us.

*The date on which applications open and the course start date are dependent on the completion of the building of the National Rehabilitation Centre, which is scheduled for the end of 2024.

Why choose this course?

A top 20 university

The University of Nottingham is ranked a top 20 university in the UK 2023. *

*Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023

Access to the NRC

Develop your skills with the opportunity to study at the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), a new 70-bed NHS rehabilitation facility, currently being built near Loughborough, designed for research, innovation and education.

Top employer in the UK

Ranked 2nd in the UK for top employers in 2023. *

* High Fliers Graduate Market Report 2023

Course content

Full-time students should roughly spend an estimated 37-hours of learning per-week, including teaching and self-study, with an estimated 12-hours weekly teaching contact time.

Modules

Rehabilitation Research Methods 20 credits

Rehabilitation Research Methods

This module will build upon students’ previous experience of research methods to develop their critical review of a variety of evidence within the rehabilitative field of healthcare. Students will be exposed to a range of different research paradigms, methodological approaches, and forms of analysis to enable them to critically evaluate evidence to inform further research and professional practises.

The philosophy of scientific inquiry, principles of research design, and application of statistical techniques will be discussed with special consideration given to research studies in healthcare and rehabilitation. Integrated into this course will be an orientation to consider issues of equity, reflexivity and ethics that may inform rehabilitation research and rehabilitation care provision.

Rehabilitation Research Project 60 credits

In this module, you’ll design, develop and implement your own research with supervision from a researcher within our team.

It’s a key part of your course that allows you to explore an exciting area of research, such as:

  • rehabilitation
  • sports injury rehabilitation
  • neurorehabilitation
  • exercise remedial instruction

Carrying out a research project to this scale gives a valuable insight into the world of rehabilitation research while allowing you to put your skills and knowledge into practice.

Contemporary Topics in Rehabilitation 20 credits

This module will develop your baseline knowledge and understanding of a wide range of topics within rehabilitation. 

Examples of topics we might cover include:

  • telerehabilitation
  • concussion
  • ethical and legal issues in rehabilitation practice
  • virtual reality
  • exercise prescription
  • rehabilitation psychology
  • living with a disability

Throughout the module, you will critically analyse the research and theories that feed these topics.

Sports Placements and Applied Practice 1 30 credits

This module is to develop your experience and build your confidence in working within a sport’s multidisciplinary healthcare team. Understanding their duty of care to an athlete in the sports setting and enhancing their knowledge and skills in the management of sporting injuries at various stages, ranging from immediate pitch side care to long-term injury recovery and return to sports.

Sporting Injuries and Functional Performance 20 credits

In this module, you will gain an understanding of sports specific biomechanics relating to key movements, analysing the functional and biomechanical demands of a sport and how these inform sporting injuries. By analysing the functional and biomechanical demands of a sport, alongside movement faults and patterns, you will gain insights on the common injuries that occur in different sports settings. You will be exposed to technologies, tools and equipment used to objectively measure and analyse sports performance and gain the knowledge, skills, and dexterity in the clinical assessment and diagnosis of sporting injuries.

You will also be provided with an approach towards conducting an assessment of sporting injuries in a region-specific pattern, developing a progressively phased rehabilitation in the management of sporting injuries.

 

Sports Placements and Applied Practice 1 30 credits

This module is to develop your experience and build your confidence in working within a sport’s multidisciplinary healthcare team. Understanding their duty of care to an athlete in the sports setting and enhancing their knowledge and skills in the management of sporting injuries at various stages, ranging from immediate pitch side care to long-term injury recovery and return to sports.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on Thursday 22 August 2024.

Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.
Rehabilitation Research Methods 20 credits

Rehabilitation Research Methods

This module will build upon students’ previous experience of research methods to develop their critical review of a variety of evidence within the rehabilitative field of healthcare. Students will be exposed to a range of different research paradigms, methodological approaches, and forms of analysis to enable them to critically evaluate evidence to inform further research and professional practises.

The philosophy of scientific inquiry, principles of research design, and application of statistical techniques will be discussed with special consideration given to research studies in healthcare and rehabilitation. Integrated into this course will be an orientation to consider issues of equity, reflexivity and ethics that may inform rehabilitation research and rehabilitation care provision.

Rehabilitation Research Project 60 credits

In this module, you’ll design, develop and implement your own research with supervision from a researcher within our team.

It’s a key part of your course that allows you to explore an exciting area of research, such as:

  • rehabilitation
  • sports injury rehabilitation
  • neurorehabilitation
  • exercise remedial instruction

Carrying out a research project to this scale gives a valuable insight into the world of rehabilitation research while allowing you to put your skills and knowledge into practice.

Sporting Injuries and Functional Performance 20 credits

In this module, you will gain an understanding of sports specific biomechanics relating to key movements, analysing the functional and biomechanical demands of a sport and how these inform sporting injuries. By analysing the functional and biomechanical demands of a sport, alongside movement faults and patterns, you will gain insights on the common injuries that occur in different sports settings. You will be exposed to technologies, tools and equipment used to objectively measure and analyse sports performance and gain the knowledge, skills, and dexterity in the clinical assessment and diagnosis of sporting injuries.

You will also be provided with an approach towards conducting an assessment of sporting injuries in a region-specific pattern, developing a progressively phased rehabilitation in the management of sporting injuries.

 

Contemporary Topics in Rehabilitation 20 credits

This module will develop your baseline knowledge and understanding of a wide range of topics within rehabilitation. 

Examples of topics we might cover include:

  • telerehabilitation
  • concussion
  • ethical and legal issues in rehabilitation practice
  • virtual reality
  • exercise prescription
  • rehabilitation psychology
  • living with a disability

Throughout the module, you will critically analyse the research and theories that feed these topics.

Sports Placements and Applied Practice 3

This module takes place in the summer and builds on the skills learned from the autumn and spring semester Sports Placement and Applied Practice modules. You will critically reflect on your sports pitch side care experience and clinical practice and and be supported to produce a personal and professional development plan. Building on your previous learnings, you will reflect on areas of personal strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to create a plan which can be used as a tool for your career planning and development.

 

 

Sports Placements and Applied Practice 2 30 credits

This module builds on learnings form the the Sports Placement and Applied Practice 1 module. Working among a wider multidisciplinary healthcare team, you will gain the knowledge, skills, competence and confidence in the management of sports injuries and conditions seen on the pitch side and in clinical practice.

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on Thursday 22 August 2024.

Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

Learning and assessment

How you will learn

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Workshops
  • Practical classes

Teaching methods will include lectures, seminars, workshops, practical demonstrations and presentations. 

How you will be assessed

  • Practical assessment
  • Presentation
  • Assignments

Assessment of learning will include practicals, assignments and student presentations. 

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.

Undergraduate degree2.1 in a relevant degree*
Additional information

*Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Sports Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation, Sports and Exercise Science, Strength and Conditioning, and other Allied Health Sciences or pass on a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree (BMBS, MBBS, or equivalent).

Applicants with Medicine or those seeking to intercalate within their medical degree are encouraged to apply and will be referred to the course director for consideration.

Students who have obtained a 2:2 will be considered on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the relevance of the degree, their profile of performance and/or work experience.

Applying

Applicants with Medicine or those seeking to intercalate within their medical degree are encouraged to apply and will be referred to the course director for consideration. 

Our step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about applying.

How to apply

Fees

Qualification MSc
Home / UK £13,450
International £23,000

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Funding

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans.

We also offer a range of international masters scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

Postgraduate funding

Careers

We offer individual careers support for all postgraduate students.

Expert staff can help you research career options and job vacancies, build your CV or résumé, develop your interview skills and meet employers.

Each year 1,100 employers advertise graduate jobs and internships through our online vacancy service. We host regular careers fairs, including specialist fairs for different sectors.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route. Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Two masters graduates proudly holding their certificates

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This content was last updated on Thursday 22 August 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur given the interval between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.