Outline

The new Professional Doctorate in Sport, Exercise and Health Science is a specialist programme designed for experienced sport, exercise and health practitioners who would like to undertake research that is relevant and applied to their area of professional practice.

Programme structure

Course content

Through a combination of individually tutored modules and your own research, you develop your academic and professional knowledge and acquire a range of advanced research skills. The professional doctorate programme culminates with the submission of your doctoral thesis or portfolio on a topic that advances your area of professional knowledge or practice.

For further information see the School site.

Funding

Research funding (PhD students only):

The University of Kent has established a studentship fund of £1.5 million to support research students. This fund allows the University to provide support for more than 100 students in an academic year.

The studentships cover tuition fees at the home/EU rate and, depending on the terms and conditions of the award, a maintenance grant up to the full Research Councils' rate of £13,590 (2011/12 rate).

Other funding:

For further details of all other funding, see Postgraduate funding.

Further information:

• Scholarships website
• Funding website
• Finance Office

Resources and facilities

The Centre for Sports Studies has recently invested heavily in its equipment and other resources, and has world-class sports therapy and sport science facilities. Campus facilities include a 12-couch teaching clinic and a state-of-the-art sports and human performance testing laboratory. There is a wide range of equipment, including both motorised and non-motorised treadmills, cycle ergometers, an isokinetic dynamometer, blood testing and gas analysis equipment. In addition, at Medway Park, the Centre for Sports Studies has its own cutting-edge sports therapy clinic, rehabilitation gymnasium and sports science laboratory.

There is also a hypoxic environmental chamber, an analytical chemistry laboratory and separate seminar room. These specialist rooms have been set up with over £500,000 of new equipment, including an AlterG treadmill, a 3D video analysis system, 2D force pedals, ultra-sound imaging and a gait analysis system.

Sports Studies operates a commercial sports injury and rehabilitation clinic from Medway Park to support elite athletes, regional squads and local residents. As a postgraduate student, you have the opportunity to develop your professional skills as you work with clients in the clinic under staff supervision.

Further information:

• School website
• Medway campus

Research Centre

The Centre for Sports Studies has a strong and vibrant research culture. It is quickly establishing the University of Kent as one of the leading places in the UK for the study of sport. The Centre's research interests focus on three broad themes: Sports Science and Endurance Performance; Exercise Science; and Sports Therapy and Injury Rehabilitation.

In Sports Science and Endurance Performance, the Centre arguably has one of the most concentrated groups of research excellence within Europe lead by Professors Samuele Marcora and Louis Passfield.

Professor Sam Marcora is the Centre's Research Director and most prolific researcher. He has published around 50 studies on a range of topics. Professor Louis Passfield has been conducting sports science research for over 20 years and has published over 20 papers and contributed to over 50 conference communications. He has also worked as a sports scientist with British Cycling, helping Britain's leading riders prepare for three Olympic Games, and most recently was involved with the highly successful Beijing Olympic team.

In the area of Exercise Science, many of the academics within the Centre are involved in a range of projects. For Sports Therapy and Injury Rehabilitation, Karen Hambly has established a world-wide reputation for her work in this area, and other staff within the Centre are involved in exciting and innovative studies within this area.

Staff research

Kyra de Coninck: Lecturer
Anatomy and function of fascia, myofascial pain and adaptation of fascia to mechanical loading; interaction between chronic pain, physical activity and changes within the fascia network; ultrasound imaging of thoracolumbar fascia in a sedentary and athletic population, both with and without lower back pain.

Dr Glen Davison: Lecturer
Immune System Function in athletes and how the human immune system responds to prolonged (endurance) exercise, as well as various types of training (including high-intensity interval training). The effects of nutrition on human immune function, physiological adaptation, and risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms after exercise. The effects of acute/short-term supplementation with commercially available supplements.

Dr Kristina Dietz: Research Assistant
Computing and psychology to examine different schema of memory; mathematical modelling of training.

Andy Galbraith: Senior Technician
The physiology of middle and long distance running, specifically looking at the distance-time relationship and its use in endurance training and performance.

Lucy Hale: Lecturer
Nutritional interventions to improve sport and exercise performance; the effect of Omega 3 EPA/ DHA on markers of inflammation in cyclists.

Dr Karen Hambly: Senior Lecturer
Rehabilitation and outcome measures; rehabilitation after articular cartilage repair of the knee; return to sports after injury and patient perspectives of outcome measurement; development of exercise interventions for osteoarthritic populations.

Dr James Hopker: Lecturer
The investigation of the determinants of endurance performance, specifically in regard to the determinants and trainability of exercise economy/efficiency; the use Near Infrared Spectroscopy to image muscle and brain blood flow, as well as tissue oxygen consumption.

Sadie Jones: Lecturer
Leading researcher in the area of hamstring injuries; in collaboration with the Rugby Football Union, auditing the injuries of Premier League and England players, and identifying best practice in the prevention, management, and treatment of hamstring injuries.

Professor Samuele Marcora: Director of Research
Psychobiology of perception of effort and endurance performance; fatigue in chronic disease (eg, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, ME); psychobiology of exercise adherence.

Dr Lex Maugher: Lecturer
The role of exercise-induced pain and its role in fatigue: Testing this paradigm through pharmacological, nutritional and neurophysiological interventions. The development of novel and self-paced tests of maximal oxygen consumption as an alternative model to fixed intensity incremental exercise.

Laura McPherson: Technician
Physiological and biomechanical effects on the body using the AlterG Anti gravity treadmill during different running speeds.

Steve Meadows: Lecturer
Energy expenditure differences in heart attack patients during walking and cycling; group exercise and exercise adherence; physical activity promotion to the general population.

Dr Carla Meijen: Lecturer
How athletes approach competition; how challenge and threat states comprise cognitive (self-efficacy, perceived control, achievement goals), affective, and physiological components.

Dr Sakis Pappous: Senior Lecturer
Social (eg, mass media, significant others) and psychological (eg, motivation, attitudes, self-efficacy) factors that influence participation in sport and physical activity; strategies aiming to increase participation of groups of society who are sedentary, including disabled people, people from minority ethnic groups and older people.

Professor Louis Passfield: Director of Centre for Sports Studies
Interdisciplinary applied sports science issues in high performance sport; optimising training and competitive performance; enhancing physical activity in the local population. Louis' research focuses on endurance training and performance and elite cycling in particular.

Further information:

• School website
• School staff profiles

Contact details

Further information:

• School website
• Graduate School

Find out more

• Programme leaflet (pdf)
• School website
• Staff profiles
• Graduate School
• Open Days
• Order or download a prospectus