Sports Science: Fully Funded ScootFit and Swansea PhD Scholarship: Scooting for the Stars: Utilising Scooting as a Novel Tool for Balance Enhancement in Children (RS591)

Fully Funded ScootFit and Swansea PhD Scholarship: Scooting for the Stars: Utilising Scooting as a Novel Tool for Balance Enhancement in Children with Hypermobility

Funding providers: ScootFit and Swansea University's Faculty of Science and Engineering

Subject areas: Sport and Exercise Sciences – motor control, physical activity, movement disorder

Project start date: 

• 1 October 2024 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Project supervisors: 

• Professor Gareth Stratton (g.stratton@swansea.ac.uk)
• Professor Kelly Mackintosh
• Professor Melitta McNarry
• Dr Amie Richards

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Sports Science

Mode of study: Full-time

Project description: 

Joint hypermobility effects 34% of youth and presents unique challenges to acquiring fundamental movement skills, a failure master which is associated with poor self-confidence, -esteem and lifelong engagement in physical activity. Currently, scooters are one of the most popular forms of physical activity for children but, for a large proportion of our youth, their hypermobility poses potential issues to engagement but this remains inadequately explored. This project aims to comprehensively assess the influence of hypermobility on balance and performance in children and to co-develop a scooter-based intervention to promote balance and physical activity engagement in youth. Specifically, by collaborating with schools and communities, we'll develop a multi-component educational, safety and physical activity program specifically tailored to address the needs of children with hypermobility. This research has the potential to significantly improve the health and well-being of children with hypermobility, ensuring they can fully and safely engage in scooting and other physical activities, while simultaneously contributing valuable insights into the use of scooters as a balance-enhancing intervention that could be translated to other movement disorders such as Developmental Coordination Disorder. 

Candidates must hold an Upper Second Class (2.1) honours degree in Sports Science or similar relevant science discipline. If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship (i.e. a student who is eligible to pay the UK rate of tuition fees) but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements (see country specific qualifications). Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency. 

English Language: IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 5.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here. 

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.

If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in. 

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.

Additional research expenses will also be available. 

International Fee Eligible Students:
Swansea University is pleased to offer the Swansea University International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES) which covers the difference between the International and the Home/UK tuition fee for the duration of the PhD/Professional Doctorate programme. All International applications will be considered for a SUIPRES Scholarship. You will be informed whether a SUIPRES Scholarship will be offered within your offer letter.

To apply, please complete your application online with the following information:

1. Course choice – please select Sports Science / PhD / Full-time / 3 Years / October

   In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this event, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.

2. Start year – please select 2024
3. Funding (page 8) –

• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter ‘RS591 - Scooting for the Stars'

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

We encourage you to complete the following to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University: 

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form (online form) 

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email). We strongly advise you to provide the listed supporting documents by the advertised closing date, where possible:

• CV
• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.
• Two references (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
• Confirmation of EDI form submission (optional) 

Informal enquiries are welcome, please contact Professor Gareth Stratton (g.stratton@swansea.ac.uk).

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.