Sports Science Postgraduate Courses

Students undergoing experiment on rowing machine

Sport and Exercise Science Postgraduate Study

The Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine (A-STEM) research centre offers research postgraduate courses.

Our courses:

Read about our PhD students' projects

Students sat working at a computer and smiling

Available MSc by Research Projects

EPS (Elite and Professional Sport)

Project title - Application deadline: 6 August 2021	Supervisor/Contact	Start date
Parents' perceptions of the impact of the menstrual cycle on sport performance	Dr Camilla Knight	October 2021/January 2022
Over the last few years, there has been a growing recognition of the need to gain a better understanding of the impact the menstrual cycle has on athletes' experiences, training, and performance in sport. Through this research it has been recognised that the understanding and support that athletes receive from those around them (i.e., coaches) at different times during their menstrual cycle can impact athletes' comfort discussing the impact their menstrual cycle has. For younger athletes, the support and understanding of their parents is also likely to be extremely important. however, this has yet to be considered. As such, the focus of this study is to gain an understanding of parents' perceptions and understanding of the impact the menstual cycle has on young athletes. Data will be collected through qualitative data collection techniques and analysed to identify in-depth insights into parents' perceptions, knowledge, and understanding.
Understanding parents' perceptions of injury and recovery within youth sport	Dr Camilla Knight	October 2021/January 2022
Within youth sport, it is often parents who have the largest influence on children's sporting experiences. However, it can be difficult for parents to know what support to provide and how best to be involved in their children's sporting journey, particularly when children face challenging situations such as injuries. In fact, parents have indicated that they often find managing injuries particularly stressful as they seek to gain access to the best support, gain appropriate advice and guidance, and support children when they are hurting, missing training and competing, and unsure about their future. Despite an understanding of the difficulties parents can face, limited attention has been given to examining how parents seek and evaluate injury-related information and what they percieve are the best/most important types of support when children are injured. Consequently, the focus of this study is to use qualitative methods to gain a detailed insight into parents' experiences of supprting their children during a period of injury and subsequent recovery.
Parenting on the sidelines: What's it like watching children compete in sport?	Dr Camilla Knight	October 2021/January 2022
Parenting children involved in youth sport is a demanding and emotional experience for parents. However, to-date, little consideration has been given to what emotions parents experience when they are watching their children compete or why they experience these particular emotions. As such, the focus of this MSc will be on understanding parents' experiences of watching their children compete in sport (likely rugby). Data collection will occur at youth sport competions, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods.
The effect of morning exercise on afternoon physical and cognitive performance	Professor Liam Kilduff	October 2021/January 2022
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a morning exercise session on afternoon physical and cognitive performance in elite female athletes. Morning Exercise has previously been shown to have a positive influence on afternoon physical performance but no studies to date have examined its impact on cognitive performance or in female athletes.
The effect of lower limb active heating on recovery following intense exercise in professional athletes	Professor Liam Kilduff	October 2021/January 2022
Recovery from competition is an essential component of athletes training and competition plans. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of local muscle heating on recovery from intense muscle damaging exercise
Influence of local muscle warming on lower body speed and power	Professor Liam Kilduff	October 2021/January 2022
There is a well-established link between muscle temperature and muscle power, however in numerous sports heat loss windows exits which allows muscle temperature to drop and therefore muscle power. The aim of this study is to examine the role passive heating garments on these heat loss window.
Quantifying rugby kicking workloads using IMUs	Dr Neil Bezodis	October 2021/January 2022
Kicking is a key part of some players' roles in Rugby Union and considerable kicking is often undertaken in training. However, this is not routinely captured in traditional workload measurement. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of sensor-based measurements of kicking workloads, including the volume, intensity and/or type of kicks performed.
Using think aloud to explore self-presentational motives prior to choking under pressure	Dr Denise Hill	October 2021/January 2022
There remains uncertaintly regarding the antecedents to choking under pressure within the sporting context. One proposed antecedent is self-presentation motives, though more research is required to explore this suggestion - particuarly via methods that can collect data closer to the choking event. Hence, the aim of this study is to use a think aloud protocol to explore the self-presentational motives of athletes prior to choking under pressure.
Using think aloud to explore the antecedents and moderators of choking under pressure	Dr Denise Hill	October 2021/January 2022
There remains uncertaintly regarding the antecedents to choking under pressure within the sporting context, and much of what is known has arisen from retrospective interviews. Hence, the purpose of this study is to use think aloud protocol to explore the factors which encourage a choking episode during "real time" pressurised perfomances.
The OMnivorous and Non-meat eater Integrative Physiology and NuTrition (OMNIPLaNT) Study	Dr Shane Heffernan	October 2021/January 2022
The goal of the study is to recruit a large sample of participants and assess, in detail, a range of physiological phenotypes across age, sex, race and athlete status in individuals following habitually specific dietary patterns. The study will utilise ultrasound technology to assess skeletal muscle and vascular health, dual-energy X-ray imaging to compare body composition and bone mineral density and associated blood derived biomarkers between diet groups. Dr Heffernan hopes that conducting this study will improve our understanding of the physiological (and molecular) impact of adopting a specific dietary pattern. In doing so, the OMNIPLaNT study aims to elucidate some of the key questions lacking answers in the scientific literature; What is the impact of a non-meat eater dietary pattern (vegan for example) on muscle size, strength and quality? Can specific dietary patterns impact vascular health? And finally, what effects can these dietary patterns have on athletic performance.
Dietary pattern composition and bone phenotypes	Dr Shane Heffernan	October 2021/January 2022
The goal of the study is to asses, bone phenotypes across age and sex in individuals following habitually specific dietary patterns. The study will utilise dual-energy X-ray imaging to compare bone mineral density and potentially investigate associated blood derived biomarkers between diet groups. Dr Heffernan hopes that conducting this study will improve our understanding of the impact of adopting a specific dietary pattern. In doing so, the study aims to elucidate one of the key questions lacking answers in the scientific literature; What is the impact of dietary patterns on bone health and by extension fracture risk?
Opinions of elite female athletes within the UK regarding the fairness of competing against Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) and Trans athletes	Dr Shane Heffernan	October 2021/January 2022
The aims and objectives of this research is to find out if elite female athletes across Wales consider competing alongside DSD and Trans gender athletes as fair or unfair and what are their general opinions are regarding this topic. Hopefully, will be collected from DSD and transgender athletes, however this may not be possible as we may simply not get a response from anyone that is either DSD or transgender. Another aim of this research is to find out if these individuals are willing to take part in further research that will include biomedical research.
Performance Science Needs....? Investigating the skills needed for success in applied performance science	Dr Laura Mason	October 2021/January 2022
The aim of this project will be to establish the knowledge and practical skill set needed by performance scientists working in elite sports environments. This will involve engaging with a number of key stakeholders from a variety of professional organisations and will inform the development of educational provision.

EMH (Exercise, Medicine and Health)

Project title - Application deadline: 6 August 2021	Supervisor/Contact	Start date
Can home-based High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) modulate low grade inflammation in relation to the metabolic state.	Dr Rachel Churm	October 2021/January 2022
Low grade inflammation is pivotal in the metabolic state and the progression of obesity related diseases. Accounting for a change in the inflammatory state through the use of exercise will allow us to understand how we can promote positive health benefits within an at risk cohort. It is well established that HIIT exercise can be used as a modulator of obesity and can promote several benefits when assessed in a clinical setting. However, we want to evaluate whether these beneficial effect can be translated within the community.
What angle should we take? Comparing phase angle and impedance to assess body composition in Cystic Fibrosis.	Professor Melitta McNarry	October 2021/January 2022
Malnutrition is a major challenge in people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and is associated with poorer lung function and survival. Consequently, maintaining, or improving, nutritional status is one of the cornerstones of CF therapy. However, the majority of studies to date have relied on body mass index, the limitations of which are well recognised. Therefore, the aim of this project would be to compare a novel index of body composition, the phase angle, to BMI to better understand the influence of CF and associated treatments and factors on nutritional status.
Inspiration for the future: using inspiratory muscle training to help people recover faster from COVID-19.	Professor Melitta McNarry	October 2021/January 2022
More and more people are now surviving COVID-19. But we do not know the best way to help them to recover quickly and fully. People recovering from COVID-19 talk about continued shortness of breath, causing tiredness and difficulty doing basic tasks of daily living. We believe that we can improve this shortness of breath by training the muscles involved in breathing using a handheld device that gives regular feedback to the user. Specifically, we will look at whether they get less breathless, stronger, fitter, move around more and, importantly, whether they feel better about their health and well-being.
HIIT - what's inflammation got to do with it?	Professor Melitta McNarry	October 2021/January 2022
Individuals with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) are encouraged to engage in regular exercise, with fitness identified as a key predictor of survival, quality of life and risk of being hospitalized. However, the optimal type and intensity of exercise for those with CF remains unclear, with suggestions that some intensities of exercise may increase the inflammatory response and therefore have negative health consequences. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise to high intensity-intermittent exercise (HIIE) on the inflammatory response of children and adolescents with CF compared to age and sex matched healthy controls.
Location, location, location: is all physical activity equal for lung health?	Professor Kelly Mackintosh	October 2021/January 2022
The health benefits associated with regular physical activity are well established. However, physical activity is likely to be associated with increased exposure to, and intake of, air pollution, negating some or potentially all of these health benefits. Those with asthma are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, with children most susceptible of all. Consequently, many children with asthma consciously avoid being active due to a fear of triggering an exacerbation. It is therefore imperative that we identify strategies that allow children with asthma to safely engage in physical activity whilst minimising their exposure to air pollution.
Be part of the CF revolution: Assessing the effect of Kaftrio on patient perceptions.	Professor Kelly Mackintosh	October 2021/January 2022
Kaftrio, the new triple combination therapy for those with CF who are over 12 years of age and have at least one copy of the F508del mutation, is the new standard of care. The purpose of this study is to allow us to track and monitor how this new therapy makes people feel both physically and mentally. This will provide some really important information that could help refine standard care programmes in the future.
Move your feet to make a beat! Converting movement data into music.	Professor Kelly Mackintosh	October 2021/January 2022
Children’s physical inactivity has been recognised as a major public health challenge by the World Health Organisation. This may be due to a lack of understanding as to what constitutes an active lifestyle (e.g. 60 minutes moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day). As such, visualisation techniques (i.e., 3D printing) have recently been used to quantify the total amount of physical activity, but these do not relay the different types and variety of movement. One such way to overcome this barrier would be to produce personalised ‘physical activity profiles’ in the form of music. The proposed project will use a participatory iterative design process to convert accelerometry data into a personalised music ‘tune’ to represent a child’s daily physical activity.
The Football Association Wales - assessing fitness, strength and physical activity of youth soccer players.	Professor Kelly Mackintosh	October 2021/January 2022
Monitoring the health and performance of young footballers is critical to ensure longevity in the game, reduce injuries, and maintain and enhance the high standard of Welsh Football. FA Wales have recently committed to the health and fitness screening of all academy players, as recommended by UEFA. The aim of this project is to work with FAW to conduct the fitness screening across academies and to investigate the relationship between growth, maturation, training load and injury risk. This project will directly inform the long term development plans for players involved in FAW academies, enabling them achieve their full potential, healthily, throughout the season and for many seasons to come!
Developing and testing the effectiveness of motivational messages to change health behaviours.	Dr Joanne Hudson	October 2021/January 2022
The aim of this study is to develop messages that motivate people to engage in health behaviours, such as being physically active, eating well and managing stress. The format of the messages could use different media - audio and video stimuli, for example, but all will use reversal theory (Apter, 2014; a theory that helps to explain dynamic changes in people's motivation) as an underpinning. Following the development of the messages, the study will explore the impact of delivering these messages to people on their health-related behaviours, with a particular focus on middle aged and older adult populations.
Efficacy of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Athletic Populations	Professor Richard Bracken	October 2021/January 2022
This project will analyse physiological, anthropometric and glucose data from athletic populations worldwide, with a view towards exploring the role of continuous glucose monitoring in non-diabetic athletic cohorts for training and performance.
Exogenous plasma insulin changes during exercise in type 1 diabetes	Professor Richard Bracken	October 2021/January 2022
This project will characterise plasma insulin changes in exercising adults with type 1 diabetes, with a view towards better understanding hypoglycaemia during exercise.
The effect of breakfast on evening intermittent exercise performance	Dr Richard Metcalfe	October 2021/January 2022
The effect of different types and doses of nutrition on exercise performance is well characterised, but less is known about the effect of timing. This is particularly true for evening exercise performance, where there is a large window of opportunity to manipulate nutritional intake prior to exercise commencing. Two recent studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that omitting breakfast impairs evening high intensity endurance performance (Cornford et al, 2018; Metcalfe et al, 2020), but the effect on intermittent exercise performance is unknown and will be investigated in this MSc project.
Can low volume high-intensity interval training prevent the detrimental effects of overfeeding on cardiovascular and metabolic health?	Dr Richard Metcalfe	October 2021/January 2022
Overfeeding results in detrimental effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health, including the accumulation of visceral fat mass and an increase in insulin resistance. Exercise can largely prevent these effects in the short term (e.g. Walhin et al, 2013; J Physiol), but the minimal effective dose of exercise required is unknown. This MSc project will investigate the effect of a very low dose of high-intensity interval training on changes in cardiovascular and metabolic health during a short term period of overfeeding and reduced physical activity.
Exploring the effect of high-intensity interval training on cancer cell behaviour.	Dr Richard Metcalfe	October 2021/January 2022
Physical activity reduces the risk of several site specific cancers. The mechanisms through which exercise reduces tumour growth remain incompletely understood, but an intriguing and accumulating body of evidence suggests that the incubation of cancer cells with post-exercise serum can have powerful effects on key hallmarks of cancer cell behaviour in vitro. This suggests that exercise can impact tumour biology through direct changes in circulating proteins, RNA molecules and metabolites. However, the effect of exercise intensity on these effects are unknown. In this MSc project, we will compare the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIT) and moderate intensity aerobic exercise on cancer cell behaviour.

If you are interested in applying for one of these positions, please apply directly to the named member of staff by providing a personal statement as to why you wish to do this project and why you are the ideal candidate along with a CV.