What Is Sports Psychology | 7 Facts You Must Know About Degree In Sports Psychology Programs


Sports Psychology Degree

Sports Psychology Graduate Programs
Sports Psychology Degree

If you are interested in sports and looking for a career in which you can deal with performance issues of a sports team, an athlete, a team captain or a player, think of becoming a sports psychologist. Let’s discuss this promising field of sport psychology in detail.

Fact 1 # What Are The Career Option In Sports Psychology?




Sports psychologists are the experts who help sportsmen, athletes and players to stay on top of their games in the face of competing pressures and growing stress. The sub-field of psychology deals with the study of biopsychosocial elements of individuals who play sports and how sports affect their behavior, cognition and emotions. The career options for a sports psychologist are opening up and growing vastly in the contemporary times. They work with beginners to mature players and deal with their psychological issues that might hamper their performance in the field. Their main focus is to de-stress them and help them overcome the anxiety before the game. They are also instrumental in developing a good sports team in which players are cohesive, cooperative and play in tune with each other and in tandem with the objectives of the team captain.

Sports Psychology Masters Degree
Sports Psychology Degree

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), Sports psychology is a multidisciplinary field spanning psychology, sport science and medicine. This means that a student interested to become a sports psychologist must have a sound knowledge of sports science along with expertise in the areas of physiological and psychological health of players. He should be well-trained in physical education, exercise physiology, sports medicine, counseling and clinical interventions related to sports performance.

Fact 2 # Where Does Sports Psychologist Work?




Sports psychologists are appointed in sports academies, sports club, sports management companies, local authorities, schools and universities, recreational centers, and national and international sports organizations. Many also work independently in private settings and give consulting services as and when required.

Fact 3 # What Various Roles A Sports Psychologist Has To Perform?

Online Sports Psychology Degree
Sports Psychology Degree

A sports psychologist has to perform a variety of roles in his job that may range from a motivator, counselor, coach, mentor, personal trainer, manager, therapist, movement analyst, dietician, nutritionist etc. The primary job of a sports psychologist is to handle the stress of players thereby increasing their performance.

Fact 4 # Sports Psychology Graduate Programs That Makes A Successful Sport Psychologist




To become a sport’s psychologist requires 5-7 years of rigorous academic training along with hands-on experience of working with athletes, Olympians, sports team. It is important to note that sports psychology is an applied psychology field (the other major applied psychology disciplines are forensic psychology, school psychology, business psychology and clinical psychology), that assists teams and players to utilize their talent and skills to gain competitive advantage. The actual crux of the field can only be obtained by working with players and understanding their issues and challenges in the playground. Thus, internships, part-time consultant jobs, research assistant positions and summer trainings are essential for a prospective sports psychology student apart from academic degrees.

In terms of educational qualifications and degrees, one must hold a major and a master’s degree in sports psychology / physical science to be eligible to gain registered license to practice as a sports psychologist. The doctorate degrees in sports Psychology, PhD and PsyD, can make one enter in research and university positions and generate theoretical, research-based and applied knowledge of optimizing the mind of players.

Fact 5 # Sports Psychology Courses That Needs To Be Considered

Level of Education (Courses)Electives
Undergraduate DegreePhysical Sciences / Sports Psychology
Master’s DegreeSports Psychology
Doctorate (PhD Degree)Sports and Performance Psychology
Doctorate (Psy D)Sports and Performance Psychology

Fact 6 # Sports Psychology Programs Offered At Some Top Notch Colleges

Name of the College / UniversityLevel of EducationPlace
Adler UniversityMaster of Arts in Counseling: Specialization in Sport and Health PsychologyChicago, Illinois
University of DenverMasters in Sports and Performance PsychologyDenver, CO
Minnesota State University-MankatoMasters in Psychological Aspects of SportsMankato, MN
Humboldt University BerlinDoctorate and Masters in Sports PsychologyBerlin, Germany
Roehampton UniversityMasters in Sports PsychologyLondon, UK
San Diego University For Integrative StudiesDoctorate, Masters, Graduate Certificate Sport Psychology ProgramSan Diego, CA
University of QueenslandDoctorate and Masters in Sports and Exercise PsychologyToowoomba, Australia

Fact 7 # Skills That Helps In Sport Psychology

It’s an important fact of psychology to understand that a good sports psychologist should be capable of instilling confidence, consistency, concentration, control and commitment in the players.

Did You Enjoy This Post?

I spend a lot of time writing every single post to make it an awesome experience for my readers so please consider giving it a share, or you can subscribe in the sidebar to get updates sent to your inbox. It’s totally free and always will be – that’s how I like it!.

Please Rate This Article
[Total: 23   Average: 5/5]

 

Please leave your intelligent opinions below in the comments and let everyone know the value you can add on sports psychology degree courses.

Haven’t found the information you were looking for? My bad. Try Google search for more relevant topics in Sports Psychology Degree.

Custom Search


More You Share More You Learn
  • 2
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    2
    Shares
  •  
    2
    Shares
  • 2
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
See also  Clinical Psychology Courses | 5 Things You Must Know About Courses In Clinical Psychology

2 thoughts on “What Is Sports Psychology | 7 Facts You Must Know About Degree In Sports Psychology Programs”

  1. One of the best article about sports psychology I came across.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *