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Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Stage 2)

The Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP) (Stage 2) is the independent route to training as a sport and exercise psychologist for those who are unable, or choose not, to undertake a professional doctorate.

Duration Flexible (2 years minimum, with 2, 3, and 4 year assessment tracks available)
Enrolment (entry) requirements Graduate Membership of the Society with the Graduate Basis for Chartered membership

Society-accredited MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Access to a suitable placement (paid or voluntary)
Start date Flexible
Fees £5,678.40 (£4,732.00 plus VAT)

The flexibility of the qualification means that there are no restrictions on the type of work that you are doing, so long as you can demonstrate how it relates to the competencies underpinning the qualification. This flexibility also enables you to undertake  your training while you are working in the field and acquiring valuable practical experience.

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.
 

The QSEP (Stage 2) involves structured supervised practice over a period of 2, 3 or 4 years, depending on whether you wish to train on a full-time or a part-time basis and your access to appropriate development opportunities.

Your supervised practice will build upon the academic components of your Stage 1 training by enabling you to develop and demonstrate your skills to doctoral level in:

  • professional practice
  • consultancy
  • research and communication

You will receive supervision and support from your Co-ordinating Supervisor, who will act as your mentor throughout your training on the qualification, in addition to support from the Society’s Qualifications Office, with the goal of ensuring that you are competent to practice independently in a range of settings. 

You may also choose to engage additional supervisory support for specific aspects of your supervised practice.  

For further details, please see the Candidate Handbook.

For more information on the benefits of training independently, please click here.

The first step is to read the Candidate Handbook and make sure you fulfil the entry requirements of the qualification.

After this you should aim to contact a Co-ordinating Supervisor using the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS).

  • Please note: if you completed an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology prior to 2007 you will need to consult the information at the bottom of this page for how to meet the entry requirements.

The Candidate Handbook will help you to find a Co-ordinating Supervisor using RAPPS.  Supervision with your Co-ordinating Supervisor is an important part of your training on the qualification, and therefore it is advisable to contact more than one Co-ordinating Supervisor before agreeing terms.

Your Co-ordinating Supervisor will be able to explore with you how you might develop and demonstrate the competencies within your current job or placement.

Once you have secured a Co-ordinating Supervisor, the next step is to complete the enrolment application forms found on the Forms and Handbooks tab.

The Candidate Handbook will guide you through the process, and if you have any queries the Qualifications Team is available to help via email and telephone.

A number of potential QSEP (Stage 2) candidates may have completed a Masters degree in the area of sport and exercise psychology prior to the 2006/7 academic year which were, therefore, not accredited by the Society.

Individuals in this position did not have the option to undertake an accredited Masters programme (as they did not exist at the time), however they may not be in a position to undertake another Masters degree.

In addition, in many cases the content of their Masters degree will be similar or identical to that of the accredited Masters programmes in sport and exercise psychology.

In order to provide an opportunity for individuals in this position to pursue the QSEP (Stage 2), a process has been agreed for them to map their existing Masters degree in the area of sport and exercise psychology onto the current (2016) standards for.

More information can be found below.

What do I need in order to apply?

You will need to be a Graduate Member of the Society with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, and to have completed a Masters degree in the area of sport and exercise psychology, in the UK, which commenced prior to the 2006/7 academic year.

How do I apply?

You will need to complete and submit a copy of the application form available on the 'Forms and Handbooks' tab. Please submit this along with a copy of your MSc certificate and transcript, along with any other relevant supporting information as indicated on the form.

Is there a fee payable?

In order to cover processing costs, there is an application fee of £140, payable at the point of submitting your application.

This can be paid via BACS transfer or by credit/debit card over the telephone, and is non-refundable.

How long will this route be available?

This route will be available until 31 December 2020, after which time it will be reviewed to determine whether it will be continued.

What if my degree was undertaken after 2006/7?

If you undertook a non-accredited MSc from the 2006/7 academic year onwards, you will not be able to apply via this route, as there was an accredited route available from this point.

Instead, the Board would advise you to contact one of the 18 accredited MSc programmes to see whether you can register for one of these and apply for accreditation of prior learning on the basis of your MSc.

Who do I contact if I have questions about this route?

Please contact the Society’s Qualifications Team on [email protected] or at 0116 252 9505.

Assessment consists of a written portfolio assessing progress and competence, and a viva relating to the contents of the portfolio.

The first two submissions are formative, and the final submission (including the viva) is summative.

This enables you to receive feedback to support your development as you progress through each of your submissions.

Submission points vary according to whether you are enrolled on a 2, 3 or 4 year track. 

Your Co-ordinating Supervisor is available to support you in preparing your submissions, although this does not constitute a formal assessment of your work.

Further details can be found in the Candidate Handbook.  

Phone: +44 (0)116 252 9505

Email: [email protected]

Postal address:
The British Psychological Society
St Andrews House
48 Princess Road East
Leicester
LE1 7DR

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