Three women outdoors exercising

Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology

The Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology promotes the professional interests of sport and exercise psychologists in the UK and aims to support the development of psychology both as a profession and as a body of knowledge and skills.

About us

The Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP) promotes the professional interests of sport and exercise psychologists, and seeks to develop an active community of individuals and groups interested in sport and exercise psychology.

These groups range from HCPC registered sport and exercise psychologists, university lecturers, researchers, students and trainee sport and exercise psychologists to coaches, teachers, athletes, and anyone with an interest in sport and exercise psychology.

We seek to promote the development and sharing of knowledge, experience and expertise through a range of different forums including:

  • Applied Hubs
  • DSEP Annual conference
  • DSEP Division days
  • E-Newsletter
  • Research Working Groups
  • Sport and Exercise Psychology Review (SEPR)
  • Website
  • Workshops

The Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Committee works on behalf of the Division membership to increase awareness and understanding of the field of sport and exercise psychology, and the profession of sport and exercise psychologists.

Division of Sport and Exercise Committee

Chair: Stephen Smith (elected in 2023 for three years until 2026)

Honorary Secretary: Vacant (can be co-opted for 2023/24)

Honorary Treasurer: Vacant (can be co-opted for 2023/24)

Social media, Marketing and communication: Richard Simpson (elected in 2022 for three years until 2025)

Research Lead: Daniel Brown (elected in 2023 for three years until 2026)

Mentoring programme: Ryan Pelling (elected in 2023 for three years until 2026)

Elected Committee Members (elected in 2023 for three years until 2026):

  • Alex Oliver
  • Mike McGreary
  • Charalampos Fountoulakis
Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology

News

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Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology

Events

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Sport and Exercise Psychology Review

Our publication, Sport and Exercise Psychology Review, is a forum for the dissemination of information to the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP) membership and other interested parties. 

Find out more about Sport and Exercise Psychology Review

Latest articles - Sport & Exercise Psychology Review

  • Periodicals

Voices of the minority: Diverse experiences from practitioners in the field of sports and exercise psychology - Sport & Exercise Psychology Review

Volume: 17 Issue: 2

Author(s): Jodine Rianna Williams

Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Periodicals

A platform for youth voice in MST4Life™: A vital component of process evaluations - Sport & Exercise Psychology Review

Volume: 17 Issue: 1

Author(s): Grace Tidmarsh, Janice L Thompson, Mary L Quinton, Benjamin J Parry, Sam J Cooley, Jennifer Cumming

Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Periodicals

Broadening the participant pool: A novel approach for remote research - Sport & Exercise Psychology Review

Volume: 17 Issue: 2

Author(s): Elanor E. Cormack, Christopher J. Hand

Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Periodicals

Understanding inequality: The experiences and perceptions of equality, diversity, and inclusion of those working or studying within sport and exercise psychology - Sport & Exercise Psychology Review

Volume: 17 Issue: 1

Author(s): Robert Morris, Emily M. Pattinson, Moira Lafferty, Daniel Brown, Lloyd Emeka, Jodine Williams, Louise Byrne, Vaithehy Shanmuganathan-Felton, Laura R Kiemle-Gabbay

Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology

Resources

Counselling Skills Handbook for the Sport Psychologist

This publication is intended to complement the formal training process in sport and exercise psychology at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and also as part of continued professional development for newly-qualified and/or chartered sport and exercise psychologists.

Effective counselling skills are central to promoting constructive psychological change. This publication directly addresses the area of counselling skills to enhance applied consulting by offering a robust framework that has been developed through the sport psychology consulting experience of the authors. The practical exercises it contains also aim to improve the quality of applied sport psychology support by developing the formal communication skills between the practitioner and athlete.

Read our Counselling Skills Handbook for the Sport Psychologist

Psychology of Sport Coaching

There is much anecdotal evidence highlighting the important role that coaches play in the development and performance levels of athletes and teams. This publication is the result of a 2004 workshop which aimed to provide a critical evaluation of current theory and research in the psychology of coaching and outline how this can be applied to maximise the effectiveness of coaches. It comprises chapters written by each of the four presenters.

Read more about the Psychology of Sport Coaching

Useful Links

Hypnosis Training
Online Journals and Databases
Sport and Exercise Psychology/Sport and Exercise Science Associations

Careers

Who are sport and exercise psychologists?

Fundamentally, sport and exercise psychologists are practitioner psychologists who seek to apply psychological knowledge, skills and expertise within the context of sport and exercise.

The HCPC keep a register of all individuals who are legally able to practice as sport and exercise psychologists and/or practitioner psychologists in the UK.

What qualifications should they have?

In one sense this is a straight-forward question. To call yourself a sport and exercise psychologist legally you have to be on the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered for practitioner psychologists.

Sport and Exercise Psychologist is a protected title, and only individuals who meet the HCPC's criteria in terms of knowledge, expertise and experience are allowed access to the register. Usually, HCPC registered psychologists will also be Chartered members of the British Psychological Society.

How do you get qualified?

At the current time, the only route to get on the HCPC register as a sport and exercise psychologist is to complete the BPS Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP) Stage One and Stage Two. 

This is a doctoral level qualification which leads to eligibility for Chartered membership of the Society, Full membership of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, and eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, the statutory regulator for practitioner psychologists in the UK.

DSEP Awards

The Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology currently offers four different types of award:

  • The Early Career Practitioner Award
  • Established Practitioner Applied Practice Award
  • Distinguished Contribution Award
  • Research Award (Undergraduate / MSc / Phd)

Members can either nominate themselves or other members for the awards, with the exception of the Distinguished Contribution award.

For any queries regarding awards or funding please contact Member Network Services.

Early Career Practitioner Applied Practice Award

Deadline: 29 September 2023

The Early Career Practitioner Applied Practice Award recognises any early career members of the Division of the Sport & Exercise Psychology (DSEP) who have made significant contribution to applied practice within the field of Sport and Exercise Psychology in the last 12 months.

Entry Criteria

  • Must be a member of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Currently studying on an accredited pathway to HCPC registration or have completed within 5 years of the award deadline.

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be judged by at least two independent assessors and according to the following criteria:

  1. Innovation: The innovation of evidence-based practice.
  2. Impact: The impact of evidence-based practice on stakeholders and clients.
  3. Effectiveness: The effectiveness of evidence-based practice.
  4. Contribution: The level of contribution to the field of sport and exercise psychology, relative to the applicant’s career stage.

Guidance for nominations

Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome and will need to provide the following information:

  1. Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number
  5. Statement (4 pages maximum) outlining the case for the nomination covering the innovation, the impact, and the effectiveness of evidence-based practice, and the level of contribution to the field of sport and exercise psychology, relative to the applicant’s career stage.

Award Prize

The recipient of this award will receive £300 and their BPS Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Annual Conference registration fees will also be covered for them to present their work at the conference and receive their award at the Annual Conference Dinner.

How to apply

Submit your application now

The deadline for nominations is 17:00 on 29 September 2023.

Established Practitioner Applied Practice Award

Deadline: 29 September 2023

The Established Practitioner Applied Practice Award recognises experienced members of the Division of the Sport & Exercise Psychology (DSEP) who have made significant contribution to applied practice within the field of Sport and Exercise Psychology in the last 12 months.

Entry Criteria

  • You must be a member of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology.
  • HCPC registered.
  • Have at least 5 years’ of applied sport and exercise psychology experience (e.g., post Stage 2 qualification) at the time of the award deadline.  

Assessment Criteria

In determining who to award the applied practice award to, applications received for the awards will be judged by at least two independent assessors according to the following criteria:

  1. Innovation: The innovation of evidence-based practice.
  2. Impact: The impact of evidence-based practice on stakeholders and clients.
  3. Effectiveness: The effectiveness of evidence-based practice.
  4. Contribution: The level of contribution to the field of sport and exercise psychology, relative to the applicant’s career stage.

Guidance for nominations

Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome and will need to provide the following information:

  1. Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number
  5. Statement (4 pages maximum) outlining the case for the nomination covering the innovation, the impact, and the effectiveness of evidence-based practice, and the level of contribution to the field of sport and exercise psychology, relative to the applicant’s career stage.

Award Prize:

The recipient of this award will receive £300 and their BPS Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Annual Conference registration fees will also be covered for them to present their work at the conference and receive their award at the Annual Conference Dinner.

How to apply

Submit your application now

The deadline for nominations is 17:00 on 29 September 2023.

Distinguished Contribution Award

Deadline: 29 September 2023

Has a colleague or someone you know made a distinguished contribution to the discipline of Sport and Exercise Psychology? You can nominate them for the Distinguished Contribution Award.

The Distinguished Contribution Award is to recognise any members of the Division of the Sport & Exercise Psychology (DSEP) who have made a distinguished contribution to the field of Sport and Exercise Psychology in any relevant area (e.g., research, applied consultancy, education) over a sustained period of time.

Entry Criteria

  • Nominee must be a Full Member of Division of the Sport & Exercise Psychology (DSEP)
  • Nominators must be Full Members of the Division of Sports & Exercise Psychology (DSEP)

Assessment Criteria

In determining who to award the distinguished contribution award to, applications received for the awards will be judged by at least two independent assessors according to the following criteria:

  1. Innovation: The innovation of the contribution to the field of Sport and Exercise Psychology in a relevant area (e.g., research, applied consultancy, education).
  2. Impact: The impact of the contribution to the field of Sport and Exercise Psychology in a relevant area (e.g., research, applied consultancy, education).
  3. Effectiveness: The effectiveness of the contribution to the field of Sport and Exercise Psychology in a relevant area (e.g., research, applied consultancy, education).
  4. Contribution: The level of contribution to the field of sport and exercise psychology, relative to the applicant’s career stage.

Guidance for nominations

Applications for this award should be made by 2 nominators (rather than individuals applying on their own behalf).

If you feel that you have a colleague or someone you know has made a distinguished contribution to the discipline of Sport and Exercise Psychology, you can nominate them for this award. The DSEP committee also has the right to nominate someone each year for this award.

You will need the following information.

Nominee details:
  1.  Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number
 Details of two nominators:
  1. Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number
  5. Statement (4 pages maximum) outlining the case for the nomination

Award Prize

The award will be presented to the successful nominee at the Division’s Conference. The award recipient may be asked to deliver a keynote lecture or speech at the conference.

How to apply

Submit your application now

The deadline for nominations is 17:00 on 29 September 2023.

Research Awards

H.T.A. Whiting Undergraduate Dissertation Prize

Deadline: 29 September 2023

This annual prize recognises the best undergraduate sport and exercise psychology research project/piece of work.

The award is given in honour of the late H.T.A. Whiting.

Entry Criteria

  • Undergraduate and MSc can submit any piece of individual work (e.g., academic paper, academic poster, case study, dissertation).  PhD/Prof Doc needs to provide a max 4 page overview of their thesis and at least one abstract from a study within their thesis. 
  • The work must have been submitted at the relevant level (e.g., Undergraduate, MSc, PhD) at a UK institution of higher education within a year of the award nomination deadline.
  • The submission must represent the independent work of the student submitting.
  • To win a cash prize, the nominee must be a Member of Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP).

We welcome submissions from non-members.

Winners who are non-members will win a year’s membership of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, instead of the cash prize.

Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome

Assessment Criteria

Applications for the awards will be judged by at least two independent assessors according to the following criteria:

  1. Critical and analytical thinking - The submitted summary report of the work should show considerable evidence of critical and analytical thought in both the rationale for, and design of the study/studies relevant to the level of application.
  2. Originality of the work - The work should represent an original investigation into any topic in sport and exercise psychology.
  3. Scientific rigour - The work should demonstrate excellent levels of scientific rigour in the design, analysis, and write-up relevant to the level of application.
  4. Presentation - The application and summary of the work should demonstrate excellent levels of presentation including grammar, spelling and (where appropriate) academic writing style.

Guidance for nominations

You will need the following information

Nominee details:
  1. Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number (if applicable)
  5. Evidence of degree award
  6. A letter of support from the supervisor/member of staff of not more than one page (Times New Roman, size 12 font, 1.5 line spacing) outlining the suitability of the candidate for the award on offer and confirming that the work in the application is the student’s own work.
  7. A summary report giving the main findings of the work and theoretical and applied implications, see below for guidance. 

The following headings could be used in the summary:

  • Title: The title should be short, informative and precise be written in Upper and Lower Case
  • Introduction and Aims of the work: Outline the literature underpinning the research, the identified gaps in the literature, and the aims of the work.
  • Abstract(s) for each Study Conducted: Provide abstract(s) for each of the studies conducted in your research. 
  • One abstract for undergraduate and MSc awards.
  • One to four abstracts for PhD award.
  • Contribution to Knowledge and Applied Implications: Outline the key contributions to knowledge and any applied implications which permeate from the work.
  • Strengths and Limitations: Recognition of the key strengths and limitations of the work.
  • References: Include a list of up to 5 indicative references which relate to the project.
  • Appendixes (if required): Tables and figures may be included in the additional information as required.

Summary Length:

  •  BSc award: max 2 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 1 page abstract/summary of the work or 1 page Poster)
  •  MSc award: max 3 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 2 pages abstract/summary of the work or 1 page Poster)
  •  PhD award: max 4 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 3 pages of abstracts/summary of research)

In total, the main body of the application (e.g., covering letter, summary report of thesis, and supervisor support letter) should not exceed six pages.

The Recipient(s) will receive:

Member recipients of this award will receive £100 and their registration fees will also be covered should they present their research (poster/presentation) at the DSEP Annual Conference within two years of receiving the award.

Non-member recipients of this award will receive student membership of DSEP and registration fees for the DSEP Annual Conference.

How to apply

Submit your application now

The deadline for nominations is 17:00 on 29 September 2023.

Important information for all applications

Documents must be merged into one PDF document and provided as one attachment.

Following the submission of the report, you will receive an automated confirmation of receipt of your submission, and the outcome of the reviewers’ decision will be made within 2 months of the deadline.

If submissions are received that do not conform to the high standards implied by the prize, no award will be made.

MSc Award

Deadline: 29 September 2023

This annual prize recognises the best MSc sport and exercise psychology dissertation.

Entry Criteria

  • Undergraduate and MSc can submit any piece of individual work (e.g., academic paper, academic poster, case study, dissertation).  PhD/Prof Doc needs to provide a max 4 page overview of their thesis and at least one abstract from a study within their thesis. 
  • The work must have been submitted at the relevant level (e.g., Undergraduate, MSc, PhD) at a UK institution of higher education within a year of the award nomination deadline.
  • The submission must represent the independent work of the student submitting.
  • To win a cash prize, the nominee must be a Member of Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP).

We welcome submissions from non-members.

Winners who are non-members will win a year’s membership of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, instead of the cash prize.

Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome

Assessment Criteria

Applications for the awards will be judged by at least two independent assessors according to the following criteria:

  1. Critical and analytical thinking - The submitted summary report of the work should show considerable evidence of critical and analytical thought in both the rationale for, and design of the study/studies relevant to the level of application.
  2. Originality of the work - The work should represent an original investigation into any topic in sport and exercise psychology.
  3. Scientific rigour - The work should demonstrate excellent levels of scientific rigour in the design, analysis, and write-up relevant to the level of application.
  4. Presentation - The application and summary of the work should demonstrate excellent levels of presentation including grammar, spelling and (where appropriate) academic writing style.

Guidance for nominations

You will need the following information:

Nominee details:
  1. Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number (if applicable)
  5. Evidence of degree award
  6. A letter of support from the supervisor/member of staff of not more than one page (Times New Roman, size 12 font, 1.5 line spacing) outlining the suitability of the candidate for the award on offer and confirming that the work in the application is the student’s own work.
  7. A summary report giving the main findings of the work and theoretical and applied implications, see below for guidance. 

The following headings could be used in the summary:

  • Title: The title should be short, informative and precise be written in Upper and Lower Case
  • Introduction and Aims of the work: Outline the literature underpinning the research, the identified gaps in the literature, and the aims of the work.
  • Abstract(s) for each Study Conducted: Provide abstract(s) for each of the studies conducted in your research. 
  • One abstract for undergraduate and MSc awards.
  • One to four abstracts for PhD award.
  • Contribution to Knowledge and Applied Implications: Outline the key contributions to knowledge and any applied implications which permeate from the work.
  • Strengths and Limitations: Recognition of the key strengths and limitations of the work.
  • References: Include a list of up to 5 indicative references which relate to the project.
  • Appendixes (if required): Tables and figures may be included in the additional information as required.

Summary Length:

  •  BSc award: max 2 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 1 page abstract/summary of the work or 1 page Poster)
  •  MSc award: max 3 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 2 pages abstract/summary of the work or 1 page Poster)
  •  PhD award: max 4 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 3 pages of abstracts/summary of research)

In total, the main body of the application (e.g., covering letter, summary report of thesis, and supervisor support letter) should not exceed six pages.

The Recipient(s) of each award will receive

DSEP Member recipients of this award will receive £200 and their registration fees will also be covered should they present their research (poster/presentation) at the DSEP Annual Conference within two years of receiving the award.

Non-member recipients will receive membership of DSEP and registration fees for the Annual Conference.

How to apply

Submit your application now

The deadline for nominations is 17:00 on 29 September 2023.

Important information for all applications

Documents must be merged into one PDF document and provided as one attachment.

Following the submission of the report, you will receive an automated confirmation of receipt of your submission, and the outcome of the reviewers’ decision will be made within 2 months of the deadline.

If submissions are received that do not conform to the high standards implied by the prize, no award will be made.

PhD Award

Deadline: 29 September 2023

This annual prize is awarded to a PhD student whose thesis is regarded to be an exceptional, and innovative contribution to knowledge in the field.

Research on any aspect of sport and exercise psychology is eligible.

Entry Criteria

  • Undergraduate and MSc can submit any piece of individual work (e.g., academic paper, academic poster, case study, dissertation).  PhD/Prof Doc needs to provide a max 4 page overview of their thesis and at least one abstract from a study within their thesis. 
  • The work must have been submitted at the relevant level (e.g., Undergraduate, MSc, PhD) at a UK institution of higher education within a year of the award nomination deadline.
  • The submission must represent the independent work of the student submitting.
  • To win a cash prize, the nominee must be a Member of Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP).

We welcome submissions from non-members.

Winners who are non-members will win a year’s membership of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, instead of the cash prize.

Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are welcome

Assessment Criteria

Applications for the awards will be judged by at least two independent assessors according to the following criteria:

  1. Critical and analytical thinking - The submitted summary report of the work should show considerable evidence of critical and analytical thought in both the rationale for, and design of the study/studies relevant to the level of application.
  2. Originality of the work - The work should represent an original investigation into any topic in sport and exercise psychology.
  3. Scientific rigour - The work should demonstrate excellent levels of scientific rigour in the design, analysis, and write-up relevant to the level of application.
  4. Presentation - The application and summary of the work should demonstrate excellent levels of presentation including grammar, spelling and (where appropriate) academic writing style.

Guidance for nominations

You will need the following information:

Nominee details:
  1. Name
  2. Title
  3. Organisation/affiliation
  4. BPS membership number (if applicable)
  5. Evidence of degree award
  6. A letter of support from the supervisor/member of staff of not more than one page (Times New Roman, size 12 font, 1.5 line spacing) outlining the suitability of the candidate for the award on offer and confirming that the work in the application is the student’s own work.
  7. A summary report giving the main findings of the work and theoretical and applied implications, see below for guidance. 

The following headings could be used in the summary:

  • Title: The title should be short, informative and precise be written in Upper and Lower Case
  • Introduction and Aims of the work: Outline the literature underpinning the research, the identified gaps in the literature, and the aims of the work.
  • Abstract(s) for each Study Conducted: Provide abstract(s) for each of the studies conducted in your research. 
  • One abstract for undergraduate and MSc awards.
  • One to four abstracts for PhD award.
  • Contribution to Knowledge and Applied Implications: Outline the key contributions to knowledge and any applied implications which permeate from the work.
  • Strengths and Limitations: Recognition of the key strengths and limitations of the work.
  • References: Include a list of up to 5 indicative references which relate to the project.
  • Appendixes (if required): Tables and figures may be included in the additional information as required.

Summary Length:

  •  BSc award: max 2 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 1 page abstract/summary of the work or 1 page Poster)
  •  MSc award: max 3 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 2 pages abstract/summary of the work or 1 page Poster)
  •  PhD award: max 4 A4 pages (1 page outlining case for award, 3 pages of abstracts/summary of research)

In total, the main body of the application (e.g., covering letter, summary report of thesis, and supervisor support letter) should not exceed six pages.

The Recipient(s) of each award will receive:

DSEP Members The recipient of this award will receive £300 and their registration fees will also be covered should they present their research at the DSEP Annual Conference within two years of receiving the award.

Non-member recipients will receive memberships of DSEP and registration fees for the Annual Conference.

How to apply

Submit your application now

The deadline for nominations is 17:00 on 29 September 2023.

Important information for all applications

Documents must be merged into one PDF document and provided as one attachment.

Following the submission of the report, you will receive an automated confirmation of receipt of your submission, and the outcome of the reviewers’ decision will be made within 2 months of the deadline.

If submissions are received that do not conform to the high standards implied by the prize, no award will be made.

Regional Research Hubs

BPS DSEP Regional Research Hubs (henceforth referred to as “Research Hubs”) are DSEP recognised regional networks of researchers, practitioners, and students.

The primary aims of the Research Hubs are:

  • To establish regional research networks to foster the development and sharing of research knowledge
  • To provide insight into members’ priorities and initiatives, and to share best practice

Research Hubs can be established at any time.

Funding

No direct funding is currently available for Research Hubs; however, Hub Leads can apply for funds from DSEP for use on costs associated with hosting networking events (e.g., venue hire, light refreshments) by contacting the research lead.

Establishing a Research Hub

In the first instance, individuals interested in starting a Research Hub should establish a ‘core’ membership and identify a Hub Lead.

The Hub Lead should then contact the DSEP Hubs and Working Groups Lead at [email protected] to notify them of the intention to establish a Research Hub. DSEP can then support in promoting the new Research Hub and associated events to fellow DSEP members, and the Hub details will be listed on the DSEP website.

Requirement of Research Hubs
  • Hub Leads are required to submit short (up to 200-word) summaries of Research Hub events to the research lead following each event.
  • Hub Leads are expected to attend an annual online meeting with other Hub Leads to share ongoing initiatives and member priority areas

Research Working Groups

BPS DSEP Research Working Groups (henceforth referred to as “Research Working Groups”) are DSEP recognised research groups set up to investigate specific topics relevant to sport and exercise psychology.

The primary aims of the Research Working Groups initiative are:

  • To enable leaders of working groups to bring together experts from within a research area to foster greater collaboration
  • To encourage and support working groups who wish to progress a specific research area within sport and exercise psychology
  • To provide small funds to be exclusively used for travel and accommodation expenses for the members of the working group (as stated on the proposal)

Research Working Groups will operate for up to two years starting from January.

Funding

Researchers can apply for £2,000 to support the establishment of a Research Working Group, split over two years.

Each Research Working Group will receive £1,000 per year for use on travel and accommodation expenses for UK members of the working group to attend research meetings.

Research Working Group members are those listed on the application form. The group will not receive the funding directly, but will submit an expenses report to DSEP.

The DSEP will fund up to two Research Working Groups per year.

It is expected that the Research Working Group lead will present the findings from the work at the DSEP conference at the end of the second year of funding. The fees for this individual will be waived, but travel expenses for the conference should be allocated from their Research Working Groups fund.

Criteria
  • Research Working Groups should be of benefit to DSEP and the field of sport and exercise psychology as determined by the application form
  • The working group lead must be a DSEP member
  • The working group should comprise at least four members and should not exceed 10 members. Non-lead group members are not required to be DSEP members
Application Process

Prospective Research Working Group leads should submit a completed version of the application form to the Research Lead by 30 September.

Download a copy of the Research Working Group application form

Submitted applications will be reviewed by the DSEP committee in October of each year and the Research Working Group lead will be notified of the outcome in time for the project to commence in January of the following year.

Guidance on Completing the Application From

In general, the proposed working group should clearly state why the working group is needed, it should be clear as to the importance of the research area being pursued, it should be led by an established researcher in the research area proposed, it should clearly state the anticipated outcomes of the group, should document a 2-year plan for group meetings and actions, and should state how the group will endorse the values of the BPS.

We aim to work in a culture of: rigour and fairness; honesty and integrity; transparency; respect for a diversity of viewpoints; the highest standards of professionalism and ethical behaviour, attitudes and judgements, as laid out in our Code of Ethics and Conduct (The BPS Strategic Plan 2015-2020). 

Outcomes can include published papers, further research funding, a position statement, series of blogs/vlogs and other publicly available media, or conference posters/presentations/symposia.

Requirements of Research Working Groups
  • Any outputs produced must acknowledge DSEP as a funder
  • The outcomes of each funded meeting should be minuted and submitted to [research lead email address] to provide progress updates to the committee

Join

Apply to join the DSEP (students, affiliates, e-subscribers)

Apply to join the DSEP (graduate, chartered, and in-training members)

Membership of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology is only open to members of the British Psychological Society.

If you are not already a member you can join the DSEP at the same time as applying for membership of the society.

There are three grades of divisional membership:

  • Full Divisional membership - £35

    For fully qualified psychologists who are eligible for Chartered Status.

  • In-training Divisional membership - £15

    For psychologists in-training who hold Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership and are working towards Chartered status and Full Divisional membership.

  • General Divisional membership - £15

    For members who are not currently eligible for the above grades, to join as a General Member.

 

Benefits of belonging

Benefits of DSEP Membership

Benefits of membership include:

  • Access to high quality presentations, opportunities to present a paper or poster, and network at our annual DSEP conference at executive rates.
  • Access to preferential rates for workshops, webinars and other CPD events.
  • Access to the DSEP website which includes access to members only resources.
  • For Stage Two students you will also have the opportunity to apply for two free workshops per year
  • Innovative and focused sport and exercise psychology research working groups.
  • Opportunity to apply for a number of awards including the: Early Practitioner award (£400 + conference fee paid for); PhD award (£400 + conference fee paid for); MSc award (£300 + conference fee paid for); HTA Whiting Under Graduate award (£200 + conference fee paid for); or Distinguished Contribution award (Bespoke gift + conference fee paid for).
  • Regional hubs for applied Sport and Exercise Psychology practitioner development.
  • The biannual Sport and Exercise Psychology Review (SEPR) publication. 
  • Up to £500 to support and develop training within your regional applied Sport and Exercise Psychology hub.
  • Up to £1500 to support and develop your own working groups.

Member Announcement List

The Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (DSEP) uses its membership announcement email list to inform its members of activities and initiatives that are relevant to their interests and to make requests for engagement on topical issues. 

By becoming a member of the DSEP you are automatically added to the announcement list.

To receive these emails you will need to:

  1. become a member of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  2. opt into receiving email communications and provide a working email address

These preferences can be updated by logging into your member portal.

If you have any queries, please contact Member Network Services.

To assist us in responding to your query please make sure to include your membership number and quote 'DSEP announcement email' in the subject line.

Getting involved with the DSEP Committee

The Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology relies on a wide range of people getting involved, and the work of the Division is largely achieved through the dedication of unpaid volunteers.

Our volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds, whether they be practitioners or academics, or full members or in-training members, and together form an open and inclusive community.

If you are interested in joining the Committee, you can apply by completing a Statement of Interest, found on our Members Online Resources area: