Postgraduate Course: Psychological Preparation for Performance (SPRT11022)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education and Sport |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course explores psycho-social elements required for the preparation of performance. Specifically, this course focuses on a combination of: a) developing and accelerating expertise (e.g., value of expertise, motoric expertise); b) bio-psycho-social transitions (e.g., individual differences and development pathways, biopsychosocial systems). The content of this course, will therefore, address 'how to attain/work towards performance¿.
The teaching, learning, and assessment in this course will be research informed. Team teaching will be incorporated to best utilise staff knowledge and expertise and to maximise student experience. Members of academic staff from the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Science (ISPEHS) who contribute to this course are all members of relevant research groups hosted by ISPEHS, including the Applied Coaching Science Research Group and the Human Performance Science Research Group. |
| Course description |
It is recognised that psychology-focused preparation programmes are instrumental in maximising both performance and support provision. As such, this course explores psychological aspects of performance preparation to enable students to address individual and team demands as well as challenges with respect to contrasting performance domains. This course will focus on longer term development, with 'hours before the performance' components covered in the Semester 2 40 credit course. Representative topics include the development of expertise, biopsychosocial transitions, and group/team decision making. Where appropriate, these topics are contextualised using relevant and contemporary sport and performance concepts, scenarios, and tasks.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
392 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Analytic report 1500-words equivalent - 40%
Performance Development Plan 2500-words equivalent - 60% |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be a key feature of the 40-credit course, ensuring students are supported through their learning and development as well as from an assessment perspective. To achieve this and avoid extended periods of time where students receive no feedback on their academic performance, but also without over assessing, we will embed smaller, meaningful feedback opportunities (e.g., formative assessments, group/peer discussions etc.), thus avoiding elevated risks from solely end-of-course assessments. The multiple formative feedback opportunities would help increase the likelihood of progression. Furthermore, the formative feedback opportunities will be structured such that they act as a logical scaffolding to help students formulate summative assessments.
Given the trend within the performance psychology field, future practitioners and researchers are increasingly required to develop brief, concise communication skills. Therefore, whilst we acknowledge the summative assessment are brief, as a team we strongly believe this has significant advantages, including: preparing students for future career pathways, efficiently manage students and staff workload. The incorporation of formative feedback opportunities will, therefore, accommodate for potential concerns around 'briefer' summative assessments.
Summative assessment feedback will focus on areas of development for students that they can use throughout their learning/studies. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical understanding of key theories and concepts associated with performance preparation for different domains.
- Critically reflect on academic, professional and personal strengths and weaknesses using self-assessment techniques to generate a personal development plan.
- Demonstrate critical knowledge of appropriate assessment methods used to understand the needs and context of clients, by drawing on relevant research and contemporary practice..
- Critically evaluate and appraise performer needs and context, based on evidence and decision-making frameworks.
- Develop an evidence-based plan for performance preparation informed by needs analysis and relevant current literature and knowledge of principles and processes.
|
Reading List
1. Taylor, J., & Collins, D. (2022). The talent development curriculum. In Practical Sports Coaching (pp. 77-91). Routledge.
2. Collins, D., & MacNamara, A. (2022). Talent development: a practitioner and parents guide. Routledge.
3. Collins, D., & Collins, L. (2021). Developing coaches professional judgement and decision making: Using the Big 5 Journal of Sports Sciences, 39(1), 115-119.
4. Cruickshank, A., & Collins, D. (2022). Getting Help: What to Look for and What to Expect in a Consultant. Sport Psychology Essentials, 323.
5. Collins, D., & Taylor, J. (Eds.). (2025). Sport Skill Acquisition: Integrating Theory and Practice. Human Kinetics.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Graduate Attributes and Skills
This course addresses 12 of the 20 graduate attributes developed on the MSc Sport and Performance Psychology degree.
Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry -
- critically question current SPP knowledge and training recommendations and how they relate to global challenges (e.g., preparation for future performance vs. performance today; challenge vs. support);
- identify and evaluate typical research methods employed in SPP research
Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy -
- be able to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in academic activities, including decision making on the basis of independent thought;
- be able to recognise diversity of opinion in SPP, reflecting and evaluating this range and formulating justified and evidence-based ideas for application;
- be able to reflect on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments in SPP
Skills and abilities in Communication -
- be able to engage in critical discussion demonstrating listening skills, effective use of evidence and own experience to support assertions, and clear articulation of points;
- be able to transfer knowledge, skills and abilities from one professional context to another (e.g., development vs. performance context, or between different sports);
- be able to effectively work collaboratively with others (e.g. fellow students), recognising the diversity of contributions individuals can make
Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness -
- have the confidence to make informed decisions relating to problems and issues in SPP
- be able to identify and manage risks appropriately (e.g., during applied experiences, designing a suitable research project)
- be able to transfer knowledge, skills and abilities from one professional context to another (e.g., development vs. performance context, or between different sports)
- be able to effectively work collaboratively with others (e.g. fellow students), recognising the diversity of contributions individuals can make |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | |
Course secretary | |
|
|
University Homepage