Sports Leadership, Education and Society PhD

The impact of the research undertaken in the sport and exercise sciences on sports performance, people, policy and practice was rated as world-leading and internationally excellent in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014).

Our School of Sport & Exercise plays host to a vibrant academic community – where creative research comes together with cutting-edge scholarships to facilitate the needs of partners from business, community, education, government and voluntary organisations. We’re located at the university’s purpose-built Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester, providing excellent facilities for research, networking and professional development. Research students benefit from research laboratory spaces and dedicated learning resources.

For all higher degrees by research (MA or MSc by Research, MPhil and PhD), candidates are required to investigate an approved topic that results in an independent and original contribution to knowledge, and to demonstrate, by thesis, an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen topic area.

Research areas

Research in the area includes nationally and internationally funded projects working with communities, governing bodies and international research teams – offering the opportunity to work with researchers embedded in global research communities.

A well-established research culture greets incoming students who join a large community of postgraduate scholars and a thriving research environment. Students are encouraged to present their research findings at local, national and international conferences and via internal events.

Research areas include:

• physical activity and wellbeing
• sport, spirituality and religion - communities, pedagogy and participation
• sport philosophy and ethics.

Our research in sport and exercise sciences is a major contributor to the university’s research priority area of Sport, Exercise, Health and Wellbeing.