Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £10,620 for the course
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How long will I study?
2 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2025
1. Course summary
- Gain advanced knowledge in sports engineering.
- Join the forefront of innovation in elite sports and equipment design.
- Understand athlete-equipment interactions biomechanically and physiologically.
- Learn from experts in elite sports, governing bodies and equipment.
- Build industry connections, career prospects and professional skills.
On this course you’ll combine engineering principles with sports science. You’ll explore sports engineering topics such as performance analytics, equipment innovation and safety. Through practical experiments, live projects and expert insights, you'll gain specialised skills and industry connections – preparing you for various roles in athletic performance enhancement and sports technology development.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
2. How you learn
On this course you’ll gain practical experience in techniques relevant to the sports engineering industry. You'll learn how to use engineering software and hardware – taught by experts who have a wealth of experience to share.
You’ll delve into theoretical, philosophical and practical aspects – enhancing your understanding of sports engineering roles in sports, physical activity and broader industries. To cultivate essential skills and knowledge, you’ll learn in diverse ways.
You learn through:
- Lectures, seminars and workshops
- Our virtual learning environment (VLE)
- Work-based learning experiences
- Placements and field trips
- Practical activities in both simulated and in-situ environments
- Research
- Industry-relevant projects
Course topics
Core modules cover performance analytics, equipment design, biomechanics and human factors – focusing on enhancing athletic performance and safety. Additional topics include modelling mechanics, applied measurement, and design and innovation – equipping you with specialised skills in sports technology. You can also study project management and sustainability, preparing you for advanced roles in sports engineering and innovation.
You’ll have research opportunities both within Hallam and the sports sector. You’ll also be able to enhance your critical reasoning, develop digital capabilities and promote inclusive approaches that value equality and diversity.
The course features real-world aligned assessments, student-choice options, and varied skills development tasks. You’ll get feedback that’s designed to enhance your understanding and growth – with clear, detailed criteria focused on your learning.
Course support
Our high ratio of staff to students means you’ll always be able to receive the support you need on your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment. This includes:
- Access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development.
- Access to our Skills Centre for support with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments and assessment preparation.
- Support and guidance from your course and module leaders, and you’ll have a named academic adviser and employability advisers.
- Access to our central services such as counselling, Library and IT services.
Course leaders and tutors
John Hart
Senior Research FellowSenior Research Fellow in the Centre for Sports Engineering Research (CSER), specialising in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and reverse engineering.
Applied learning
Work placements
As part of your studies you’ll complete a major industry-linked research project – working on a current specific challenge set by one of our industry partners. You’ll also have opportunities to undertake internships and voluntary roles. You’ll be encouraged and supported to develop these experiences to enhance your career.
Live projects
On the industry-linked research project you’ll be able to develop your practical understanding of sports engineering – gaining vital real-world experience and improving your employability. Recent student projects have been in partnership with organisations such as Adidas, Ping, Mitre, FIFA, the International Tennis Federation and the English Institute of Sport.
Field trips
Trips provide the opportunity to see how engineering principles are applied in sports settings. They’re designed with input from industry partners, allowing you to interact with professionals in sports technology firms and athletic facilities. You'll observe firsthand how your engineering skills enhance equipment design and athlete performance, gaining practical insights that are crucial for your future career.
Networking opportunities
Specialist industry experts deliver guest lectures, sharing context-specific examples of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours you’ll need. Furthermore, our ties to various sporting organisations and facilities both locally and nationally provide excellent opportunities to gain industry connections as you prepare for your career. Your employability is enhanced by the involvement of employers and industry partners – from real-world projects to building networks at careers fairs and workshops.
The course is led by the esteemed Sports Engineering Research Group, with over 200 years of collective expertise in research and consultancy. With a dynamic team of research staff, PhD students and a robust alumni network, you'll be able to engage with cutting-edge industry research.
We also collaborate closely with numerous sports companies and organisations,
working extensively to enhance elite performance across many sports through our role as an English Institute of Sport research and innovation partner. We’ve previously provided the opportunity to attend conferences, including the annual UK Sports Engineering Seminar Day.
3. Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- Research and development
- Technology
- Analysis
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:
- Adidas
- Babolat
- Catapult
- FIFA
- Hawk Eye
- Nike
- Ping
- The UK Sports Institute
4. Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn more5. Equipment and facilities
You’ll access a range of facilities and equipment that help you in the delivery and analysis of sports engineering.These include:
- Sport-specific training facilities at the UK Sports Institute and the Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park
- Physiology and biomechanics laboratories, equipped with equipment to capture and analyse movement and physical activity data
- A bespoke strength and conditioning teaching laboratory
- Physical activity suites
- A performance analysis suite, equipped with a range of equipment to analyse sport performance such as video analysis software and motion capture systems
- The state-of-the-art Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) located at the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park
6. Entry requirements
All students
This course has been designed for high achieving graduates from a wide range of technical subjects such as engineering, physics or mathematics. The course is selective and welcomes applications from graduates with a 2.1 or above.
You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
Graduates from sports science degrees are welcome to apply if they can demonstrate sufficient expertise in mathematics and physics, for example good results at A-level, and have excelled in biomechanics throughout their undergraduate degree.
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent. If your level of English language is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider an appropriate Sheffield Hallam University
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Compulsory modules
Applied Measurement In Sports Engineering
Modelling Mechanics Of Sports Engineering
Compulsory modules
Applied Project In Sport And Physical Activity
Design And Innovation
Human Factors In Sports Engineering
8. Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,858 is available in 2025/26 for home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sport and Physical Activity (PDF, 144.2KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
