Qualifying as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist

If you follow my Facebook page you have probably seen that a few weeks ago I received the amazing news that I have passed the British Psychological Society (BPS) Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP). This is the final qualification needed to be eligible

for both Chartered Membership of the BPS (CPsychol) and also to register as a Practitioner Sport and Exercise Psychologist with the Healthcare Professions Council (HCPC). Now, even typing all that out myself took quite some care and attention (and remembering of acronyms!), so I can fully understand why people often find the qualification process involved in becoming a sport and exercise psychologist quite confusing. This complexity can also make things challenging when you are seeking psychological support, and trying to find someone with qualifications that match your requirements.

In the hope of making things a little easier to follow, I have attempted to outline the qualification process in this post. Please remember that it is always ok (and a good idea!) to ask any professional that you are looking to work with about their qualifications and experience, they will (or should!) be very happy to answer. Your mind is no less important than your body in terms of wellbeing and performance (perhaps more so), and the same care should be taken when selecting a practitioner to support you. I hope this post proves useful both to those who may be seeking a sport and exercise psychologist as well as those who may aspire to be one!

Undergraduate Degree

The first stage of qualification involves completing an undergraduate degree. This is typically a BSc (Hons) in either Psychology, Sport and Exercise Psychology, or Sport and Exercise Science. Note that it doesn’t have to be one of these degrees, (as of course, in life there are always multiple ways to go about things!) but since these are the most typical, I will use them as examples (such that we keep things as straightforward as we can).

Those studying a Psychology based degree (such as I did) will be wise to ensure that this is accredited by the BPS and offers Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). This will ensure that you can become a graduate member of the BPS on completion, and will be required as you progress on the path towards Chartered Psychologist status.

Sport and Exercise Science degree candidates will want to ensure that their degrees are endorsed by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) as part of their undergraduate endorsement scheme (BUES). Similarly to the BPS, graduate membership of BASES is available on completion.

Masters Degree (Stage 1)

Following completion of an undergraduate degree the next stage involves completing a Sport and Exercise Psychology Masters degree (MSc). As you would expect, these build on the learning obtained in the undergraduate degree courses, taking knowledge to a deeper and broader level. It is important to ensure that this course is accredited by the BPS or endorsed by BASES (depending on the path being followed) to ensure that required standards are met. The BPS refers to the masters degree as ‘Stage 1’ training. BASES Professional level membership is available on completion (note this is available also to those on the BPS route, although it is not essential to apply for this – I for example elected not to and to stick with solely BPS initially).

Psychology Conversion

If you do not hold a psychology based undergraduate degree (for example, because you studied Sport and Exercise Science), you will need to evidence ‘underpinning psychological knowledge’, as part of enrolling in the next phase of qualification (see next section). This will take the form of either an accredited psychology conversion course, or an Open University module titles ‘Investigating Psychology 2’. If you have completed both BPS accredited Psychology undergraduate and masters degrees then this will not apply to you, since you have already met this requirement.

Stage 2 QSEP or SEPAR or Professional Doctorate

The final stage of qualification (or Stage 2 as it is referred to by BPS) involves completion of either: BPS QSEP, BASES SEPAR (Sport and Exercise Psychology Accredited Route), or an HCPC approved Professional Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Psychology. This component requires demonstration of even greater depth and breadth of knowledge as well as supervised practice to ensure competence. All three of these routes will enable registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC on completion, and therefore use of the legally protected title ‘Sport and Exercise Psychologist’. The BPS QSEP route will also allow registration as a Chartered Psychologist, as will completion of a professional doctorate. The professional doctorate additionally enables the use of ‘Dr’ (the doctorate involves a larger research component). (Note that some candidates elect to complete a PhD alongside QSEP/SEPAR in order to achieve the same). This final stage is likely to last anywhere between two and six years, depending on the option chosen and whether it is completed full or part-time. So in total to qualify, it could be anywhere between around 7 and 14 years of study and training, depending if full-time or part-time options are taken.

Phew! If you read this far and are even vaguely still following, well done!!

So why might it be worth being aware of all this?

When searching for sport and exercise psychology support, you may well find that professionals use alternative titles such as ‘performance psychologist’, ‘mindset support’ or ‘mental coach’. This may be for a number of reasons. Firstly, whilst the individual may have completed the qualification process and be permitted to call themselves a ‘Sport and Exercise Psychologist’ they may simply find that an alternate title resonates more with their target client market. Ultimately, we need clients to understand what we do, so ‘speaking their language’ is beneficial, as it is to any business. Secondly, an individual may be in the final stage of qualification (QSEP/SEPAR/Prof Doc) and therefore whilst able to work as a ‘Trainee Sport and Exercise Psychologist’, not yet legally able to drop the ‘trainee’ from their title. Given that the word ‘trainee’ does not necessarily convey to the general public the substantial amount of training having been already completed to reach that stage, many instead choose to use an alternative, such as ‘sport psychology consultant’. Finally, an individual may either not hold or not be undertaking the qualifications that will enable them to use the ‘sport and exercise psychologist’ title. They may or may not hold other qualifications or experience.

Hopefully this post has helped to illustrate a) how much training is (rightly) involved in becoming a sport and exercise psychologist and b) how the title someone is using alone will not necessarily give you all the information you need when considering who to work with. As I mentioned at the start of this post, it is always worth enquiring about qualifications, particularly if they are unclear. Any professionals will be happy to explain these to you and whatever their answer, ensure that you are comfortable they have a level of expertise and training to provide you with the service you require.

Please note – In this article I have done my best to explain the qualification routes to becoming a ‘sport and exercise psychologist’ as simply as possible to aid the understanding of those who may not be familiar. I do not claim to have included every possible variant/scenario, but tried instead to cover those that are most typical in as much detail as I have felt is appropriate for the article purpose. It should be considered as general information only and the websites of the BPS, BASES and HCPC are always the best places to check for latest information, changes, and to obtain further details as required.

When you feel ready, I am here! If you have recognised that the ‘mental side’ may be holding you back, why not book an online introductory meeting to see if I could help you? As well as being convenient (no travel required!), they are completely FREE, and there is no obligation to proceed further. Email me on laura@laurarowe.co.uk or visit www.laurarowe.co.uk/contact to book yours today.