In September 2024, the MSc Sports Engineering course at Sheffield Hallam University will enter its 15^th year of developing the next generation of sports engineers. The course, which is designed and delivered by researchers within the Sports Engineering Research Group (SERG), provides students with an authentic research informed learning experience.

Since the course launched back in 2008, developing current and relevant applied skills and knowledge within the cohort has always been at the heart of what we do. As a result, the course is regularly refreshed, and this year we had opportunity to undertake a significant redevelopment. Having spoken with our industrial clients and research partners to understand the evolving needs of the sports industry, we set about developing a brand-new offer of MSc Sports Engineering. This is now fully validated and we are delighted to announce will be launch this September.

We have taken the already applied existing core content that has proved so popular with previous cohorts, and re-structed, rethemed, and expanded this into a new delivery that we are truly excited to start delivering. A major enhancement for September 2024 is that all our modules will now embed real world client challenges at the heart of every assessment. Having assessments that deal with current issues, and that recreate activity that a graduate might be expected to undertake within industry in our opinion is the best way to prepare a student for their future career and increases their employability. To further support our students throughout their studies with us additionally we have increased direct module contact time between staff and students by 50%.

Course aims

The overarching aims of the MSc Sports Engineering course remain the same as when we launched in 2008, namely to:

• provide practical experience and develop the skills necessary to gain employment within the global sports industry in technical roles;
• enhance research skills to enable further research in sports engineering, either in industry or through PhD programmes;
• develop knowledge and skills in engineering, biomechanics and exercise physiology, enabling students to contribute to improving sport and exercise performance and reducing the risk of injury;
• offer a supportive environment to prepare students to be a lifelong autonomous learner and to develop confidence to tackle sports engineering challenges;
• offer a flexible programme to meet the needs of students with different educational backgrounds and aspirations.

Course structure

The course meets these aims by providing a combination of four themed core modules and an individual industry-linked research project. From September 2024, the four taught modules on the course will be:

• Modelling mechanics in sports engineering – Module leader: Leon Foster
• Human factors in sports engineering – Module leader: Mike Thelwell
• Applied design in sports engineering – Module leader: Nick Hamilton
• Applied measurement in sports engineering – Module leader: Francesca D’Andrea

Within each of these modules students will gain practical experience in techniques relevant to the sports engineering industry, as well as learning how to apply engineering software and hardware to the solution of problems. There will also be opportunity within modules to learn from industry and research experts.

Alongside the core modules students will also undertake a year-long research project, working with an industry or research partner. The module leader for the industry linked project will be former course leader Dr John Hart. In recent years students have worked on projects with our elite, governing body and commercial partners, developing solutions for the likes of;

• English Institute of Sport (EIS) in support of elite British athletes
• FIFA
• International Tennis Federation
• PING Golf
• On Running
• New Balance
• Catapult
• And many more.

Industry challenge-based assessments

One of the most exciting features of the redesigned course is that every module will now be assessed through the development of solutions to a specific sports engineering challenge set by one of SERG’s industry partners. The MSc has previously used this form of assessment with design modules where students have for example completed challenges for the EIS developing injury prevention solutions for elite hockey players. However effective assessment approach is now being rolled out to all our modules. This decision was taking as a result of our learnings as a founder partner of the Alliance for Sports Engineering Education (A4SEE) where for the last three years in collaboration with our European partners we have been bring students and industry together to work collaboratively on specific challenges.

The assessments will involve a combination of individual and group-based tasks to address the real-world problem. Students will typically create a portfolio of work that builds towards a final solution to be presented to the industry partner. Through undertaking authentic assessments students will gain not only practical experience, build their professional network, and enhance their employability.

How you will learn

• MSc Sports Engineering is predominantly delivered by our research staff, enabling the team to embed current live research, topics and cases throughout delivery.
• Assessment challenges are set in conjunction with our research staff industry partners, i.e. “development of injury prevention solutions for elite hockey players – English Institute of Sport”. 
• By involving our industry partners in the creation of challenges we create authentic assessments that replicating typical activities a graduate may undertake in their professional career.
• All students undertake an individual Industry Linked Research Project. This could be with one of our commercial, governing body, elite sport or research partners. Previous examples have included FIFA, Ping Golf, International Tennis Federation, EIS etc. 
• As an active research group opportunities are offered, when appropriate, to students during their studies to be involved in the wider research being undertaken by the team.
• The course is a founder member of the Alliance for Sports Engineering Education (A4SEE). Where possible students will be offered opportunity to undertake extra-curricular courses, COIL, and other mobility industry focused challenges in collaboration with our European partner universities.
• The modules that our students undertake consider a range of ethical and human centred elements, including an awareness of ethical research practice, inclusivity in product design and methods of gathering user feedback, as well as secure data management.

Careers

MSc Sports Engineering has an excellent reputation with employers, with a proven track record of launching research and development careers for our alumni within the sports equipment industry and in academia. Many of our past alumni have gone on to secure high-value employment with global sporting brands, national governing bodies and academia, including:

• Head of R&D, Racquets – Babolat;
• Head of Footwear – inov-8;
• Performance Analyst – British Cycling;
• Data and Video Analyst – Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy;
• Test Engineer – Labosport;
• Advanced Systems Lead – Hawkeye Innovations Ltd;
• Engineering Manager – Adidas Future Team.

See some examples case studies of our alumni below and on the course website page:

Click here for full details on the course. We recommend all prospective students get in contact with us directly first, ahead of applying. To discuss the programme in more depth or arrange a visit contact Dr John Hart or Dr Mike Thelwell.