School of Sport and Physical Activity
Call for Applications for White Rose funded PhD Scholarships
The Health Research Institute welcomes applications for White Rose funded PhD scholarships, starting in October 2025. Applicants are advised to submit their own project ideas on any topic aligned with the Sport and Physical Activity pathway (see research group information below). Scholarships are available for both full-time and part-time PhD study. Please refer to our research degrees page and the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) website for detailed information about the awards, eligibility, and materials to support putting together an application. Successful applicants will join Sheffield Hallam University’s highly active community of researchers and doctoral students in the Health Research Institute, based at Collegiate Campus or the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre.
Postgraduate Research in the School of Sport and Physical Activity
The School of Sport and Physical Activity has a long and rich tradition of delivering innovative research in sport and physical activity. Ranked 4th in the UK in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) and 5th for student recruitment, the School is considered one of the leading providers for education within sport and physical activity. The School is home to the Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre (SPARC), which delivers world-class, multidisciplinary applied research and innovation with real world impact. Students from around the globe undertake doctoral studies at SPARC in fields as diverse as engineering and sports equipment, to exercise psychology, performance analysis, and health and disease prevention and treatment. Research supervisors are leading experts in the field, often holding prominent positions within sport federations, governing bodies, and international sport boards, opening networking opportunities for students. All doctoral students are supported by a comprehensive programme of doctoral training and are encouraged to present their research findings at national and international conferences.
Research Groups in the School of Sport and Physical Activity
Researchers within the School of Sport and Physical Activity provide market-leading applied research and commercial services to a wide range of clients in the UK and internationally, including government departments, public bodies, governing bodies of sport, commercial organisations, and organisers of major sporting events. The real-world impact of the research delivered by the School is rated as world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*) in the most recent REF assessment. The School encompasses four internationally renowned research groups:
- Physical Activity, Wellbeing and Public Health: Conducts applied research to support people in leading healthy and active lives to prevent and treat chronic disease. The group holds expertise in the disciplines of physiology, psychology, strength and conditioning, and nutrition.
- Sport and Human Performance: Aims to understand and optimise human performance through scientific enquiry. The group holds expertise in the disciplines of sport and exercise biomechanics, psychology, skills acquisition, sociology, strength and conditioning, physiology, and nutrition.
- Sport Industry: Applies the principles of economics, management science, and social science to solve real world problems and deliver positive social impact. The group holds expertise in the disciplines of economics of sport, sport participation, elite sport, outdoor recreation, performance management, and social impact and value.
- Sports Engineering: Develops fundamental knowledge and delivers applied solutions to enhance athletic performance, reduce injury, and promote physical activity. The group holds expertise in the disciplines of applied computing, biomechanics, design engineering, and active travel.
Further information about the research groups can be accessed on the Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre webpage.
Please note: We welcome applications that do not sit within these research groups provided we have relevant supervisor expertise within the School.
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for a White Rose funded PhD scholarship, please access information about the application process via the research degrees White Rose DTP scholarships page and the White Rose DTP website.
Before applying, it is strongly recommended that you discuss your research topic with a potential supervisor. Our academic team spans the research groups mentioned above. Information about potential supervisors can be accessed via the relevant group’s webpage and all of the groups’ webpages can be accessed on the Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre webpage.
Applications for White Rose funded PhD scholarships should be submitted to Sheffield Hallam University by 5pm on 22 January 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview in the week commencing 3 February 2025. If successful, you will receive a provisional PhD offer and a nomination for the DTP competition. Collaborating closely with your proposed supervisor, you will refine your research proposal for the DTP application, which is due on 24 February 2025.
Please note that when applying you need to explicitly state under which of the seven White Rose theme pathways you are applying (please see the White Rose DTP website for information about the seven pathways). Your application can be considered under more than one pathway, but this must be clearly stated in your application.
If you have any questions, please contact the PGR team via email at health-pgr@shu.ac.uk. They will also be able to put you in contact with a potential supervisor to support you in putting together your application.