MSc Performance Analysis in Football

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the key fundamentals and principles of match and performance analysis, integrating theory with practice and sharing knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate. The applied element of match and performance analysis will allow you to gain experience in and an understanding of key performance indicators, situational factors, match analysis, opposition and individual analysis, as well as key analysis software. 

You will learn what an analyst requires to function effectively and safely in a variety of situations, developing reflective skills and identifying which theories are most applicable when working in a specific applied performance analysis context. You will learn how to operate contemporary analysis software, integrate theory with practice and deliver performance analysis insights in context. 

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the key fundamentals and principles of technology in sport. The module will cover contemporary hardware and software that can be used to analyse sporting performances in training or competition. Varying types of wearable technology will feature in the module as students uncover how such technology can be used to automate performance measurement in various sports. The use of AI in sport will also feature. Overall, this module will provide you with a contemporary insight into how technology can be used to support individuals, departments and sporting organisations to support performance improvements. 

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the requirements expected within associated roles in relation to talent identification and scouting. The applied element of talent identification will allow you to gain knowledge surrounding the key considerations within talent identification and scouting in different contexts. You will learn what a scout requires to function effectively and safely in a variety of situations, developing reflective skills and identifying which theories, concepts and processes are most effective. You will learn how to utilise industry standard talent identification, scouting and recruitment tools to support applied practice within football.

This module provides an opportunity to undertake an applied professional project that bridges academic learning with real-world practice in the sports industry. It is designed to enhance your professional skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities by engaging with a current issue or challenge within a sporting context.

You will take ownership of a sustained, independent project that draws on the knowledge, competencies, and experiences developed throughout your programme. Working within a live or simulated sports environment, you will apply theoretical understanding to practice, with the aim of generating meaningful insights or solutions that have direct relevance to coaching and performance, or sports business and management, marketing or media.

The module fosters experiential learning by encouraging reflection on your personal development and professional impact. Through this process, you will demonstrate leadership, initiative, and the ability to manage and deliver a project from conception to completion, all of which are highly valued by employers in the sport sector.

Your chosen project will allow you to explore an area of personal or professional interest, showcasing your ability to integrate academic knowledge with industry practice. By presenting your findings and outcomes, you will contribute to the enhancement of professional standards and demonstrate your readiness to influence and improve sporting environments.

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the interactions that occur between different departments disciplines within a football setting, for example, performance analysts, coaches, medical staff, recruitment staff and more. The applied aspects of interdisciplinary approaches will allow you to assess your role as a performance analyst and the part this role plays within the wider context of working within a professional football environment. You will learn how an analyst interacts with other disciplines and how these differing roles all work together for the benefit of a football club. Theoretical underpinning will establish the importance of the interdisciplinary cogs working together to achieve a shared goal. You will hear from industry professionals working within varied disciplines to share contemporary experiences from the industry.

This module will enable you to develop understanding and application of the key principles of football data and recruitment analysis, integrating theory with practice and sharing knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate. The applied aspects of the module will allow you to gain experience and develop an understanding of data drawn from team and individual contexts.

You will learn which data concepts or metrics are needed to produce effective analysis for performance, scouting or recruitment insights. You will learn how to analyse data using various data manipulation and visualization software, integrate theory with practice and work with differing departments within a football club to improve practice and performance.

• Undergraduate degree – minimum 2:2 (ideally a 2:1) in a relevant degree subject.
• Applicants who hold a degree in a non-relevant subject can be admitted provided they achieve the PFSA Level 1 & Level 2 qualifications prior to the start of the course.
• English Language Requirements: if you’re applying from a country where English is not the majority spoken language, you’ll need to demonstrate your English proficiency. We accept a range of internationally recognised qualifications, with the minimum standard being: IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no individual component below 6.0, or an equivalent. Accepted qualifications include: IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI, TOEFL iBT, Oxford ELLT, PTE Academic, Cambridge IGCSE, ESOL, and IESOL.
• Oxford ELLT is an English Language Level Test, approved by Global Institute of Sport that can be used as evidence of a candidate’s English language proficiency for international admissions.
  • We require a minimum ELLT score of 7, with at least 6 in each individual component.

Offers to applicants currently studying an undergraduate degree will be conditional on them going on to achieve the entry requirements on completion of their degree.

Applications that do not meet the standard entry requirements but demonstrate relevant education and/or work and/or life experience in the course subject area are welcomed.

Eligibility will be assessed on the basis of the information provided in the application – in particular the personal statement.

• Application form
• Evidence of highest academic and/or professional qualifications
• Evidence of coaching qualifications, where required.
• Evidence of relevant experience, where required
• 500 word personal statement

Applications made through the flexible entry route may require a course leader review. The course leader will determine whether a professional reference or task is required.