Strength & Conditioning

Overview

Strength and conditioning coaches, in collaboration with athletic trainers, physiotherapists, nutritionists, sport scientists, and other allied professions, are now commonly part of a team that provides support services to athletes. As a profession, strength and conditioning has seen unheralded growth in the past 40 years, as evidenced by the development of several large non-profit professional bodies.

Full-Time Programme

Year One

Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

Optimising Exercise and Load: Effective monitoring and management

Applied Statistics

Programme Design

Principles and Practice of Strength and Conditioning

Research Project in Sports and Performance

Motor Cognition and Performance



Part-Time Programme

Year One

Optimising Exercise and Load: Effective monitoring and management

Principles and Practice of Strength and Conditioning



Year Two

Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

Applied Statistics

Programme Design

Motor Cognition and Performance



Year Three

Research Project in Sports and Performance

(i) a second class honours degree or better in sports science or cognate area from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or



(ii) an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification; and



(b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent);



In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative to (a) (i) or (a) (ii) and/or (b) and/or (c), where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.



English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.



• For English language requirements go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/english-language-requirements



• For Your country go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/country

Your Application

You can apply directly to Ulster at any time of year. We advise that you submit your application no later than two weeks prior to your course start date. This is to ensure there is sufficient time for your application to be reviewed and, should you be made an offer, time for you to complete all the necessary pre-enrolment tasks.



Some programmes will have specific deadlines as additional selection (e.g. interview, portfolio submission etc) is required, so please check the course page to ensure you have sufficient time to complete your application.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Start Date: September 2026.

Careers and Opportunities

Employment opportunities for aspiring strength and conditioning coaches thus exist in government-funded organizations such as schools, colleges, universities, national/state institutes of sport, and privately funded professional organizations and individual athletes.