Master in Sport Psychology

This master has been designed to provide students with specialised knowledge with the latest trends in sports psychology and tools for improving sports performance.

A practical methodology underpins the entire programme. In order for students to optimally assimilate new knowledge, we combine teamwork, seminars and individual work at cutting-edge facilities. These include physiological laboratories with equipment for carrying out functional assessment and training tests at our Human Performance Research Lab.

The faculty is composed of professionals from sports psychology and related fields to the sports performance as sports nutrition or sports medicine. Each member of faculty is an active professional working with top-tier sport organisations.

You shall put theory into practice right from day one to develop the skillset you need to thrive in the sports industry. What’s more, all of our students get the chance to carry out professional internships at world-class sports institutions.

Develop the professional network you need to succeed by networking with our international teaching staff, diverse student body and the leading professionals you’ll meet at numerous events throughout the year.

Enjoy exclusive experiences with Real Madrid C.F., the White Week, international field trips, professional visits, live sporting events, networking events...

Study at the leading sports sciences research centre in Spain—equipped with a fully updated sports complex—and enjoy the extensive facilities and laboratories at our Human Research Lab, where you can find the latest advances in sports sciences research equipment.

The School’s academic quality is certified by its 16-year history and more than 13,000 graduates, most of whom are now successful international professionals in the sports industry.

You’ll learn how to sintetize the main mecanism implicated in the psychologicanl processes that participate in the diferente sports agents and how to analyze physical activities in which the psychological aspects has to considered.

• Learning processes in the sport activity
• The focus and motivation in the sports and physical activity.
• Optimus activation level and emotional management in sports practice
• Self-confidence and selfconcept of the sportsman
• Athlete's locus of control: between optimism and pessimism
• The dark triad of performance personality narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy

You will acquire the skills to assess the effects of improving an active lifestyle and to analyze the consequences of practicing sports on the health and psychological well-being of athletes throughout the life cycle.

• Sport, health and psychology.
• Sport and physical activity in different contexts.
• Assessment of behavioral and psychophysiological indicators involved in physical activity.
• Sport and physical activity with populations with special needs.
• Evaluation of the physical-sports condition of the people.
• Psychophysiology of physical activity and sport.

You will learn to correctly select, use and apply the specific techniques for the psychological training of athletes.

• Methodology and planning of the intervention design in sport psychology
• Quantitative and qualitative evaluation instruments in psychological intervention in sport
• Psychological intervention techniques
• Multidisciplinary intervention in sport psychology
• Differences in psychological intervention depending on the different disciplines sports
• Monitoring and evaluation of the interventions. Study cases

You will acquire the ability to analyze, identify and evaluate which assessment instruments and systems are most appropriate to respond to the requirements and needs of young athletes, coaches and families.

• Basic psychological processes of grassroots sport.
• Theoretical models of motivation in sports initiation
• Psychological intervention with young athletes and the transition to professional sport.
• Psychological intervention with coaches and families of young athletes.
• Advice on the relationship between athletes, families and sports technicians: the importance of education in values in sport.
• Evaluation systems and counseling programs for athletes and coaches of grassroots sport

You will study the most appropriate instruments and techniques to carry out multidisciplinary interventions to improve performance in competition and recovery in high-performance athletes.

• Psychological variables related to training, performance and competition.
• Psychological preparation for the competition.
• Specific intervention in the different sports modalities
• Emotional processes, anxiety and coping strategies in high performance athletes.
• Psychology of sports coaches.
• Psychological intervention with referees and sports judges.

You will address the different psychological processes in the stress/recovery process in athletes and the intervention models for coping with sports withdrawal, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

• Psychological effects of overtraining and substance abuse
• Disabling psychological disorders and conflicts in athletes
• Psychological implications of the prevention and recovery of sports injuries
• Withdrawal from sports career
• Psychological intervention strategies in sports withdrawal
• Identity and vocational redefinition processes in sports retirement

You will enter the business world from a psychological point of view (psychological evaluation of managers of sports entities, group dynamics, evaluation systems...).

• Strategic planning of sports management: an approach from sports psychology.
• Psychological intervention with sports organizations and managers.
• Psychology in the management and direction of sports teams and youth academies.
• Group psychology in the design of sports coaching teams.
• Generalizability in decision-making and sports management.
• Management of leadership and motivation in sports entities.

You will acquire knowledge about the eSports sector and the use of the most appropriate techniques and instruments to develop interventions in eSports athletes and coaches.

• Introduction to the sector and contextualization of eSports.
• Psychological evaluation and intervention with an eSports team.
• Advice and Intervention with eSports coaches.
• Risks and Psychopathologies in eSports.
• Future lines of research.
• Application of sports psychology in non-sports areas.

This program is specially designed for:

• Graduates in psychology who wish to specialize and develop professionally in the sports field. It is mandatory that the candidate has a Degree in Psychology.
• Professionals from the Sports Industry and High Performance Sports who wish to complete their training

• Antonio Hernández Mendo
  PhD in Psychology from the University of Santiago de Compostela. Bachelor's Degree from the University of Santiago de Compostela. Master in Sports Psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Degree in Psychology from the National University of Distance Education. Professor at the University of Malaga. Coordinator of the Official Master's Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Research.
• Ricardo de la Vega
  Graduate in Psychology. PhD in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences. Full Professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Coordinator of the Degree in CAFYD. Head of Training in Sports Psychology at the Olympic Center for Higher Studies (COES). Master in Sport Psychology (UAM). Master's Degree in Psychobiology and Cognitive Neuroscience (UAB). Master's Degree in Clinical and Health Psychology (ISEP).
• Beatriz Crespo
  PhD in Medicine and PhD in High Performance Sports. Businesswoman and university professor specialized in the leadership of innovation projects and teams in health, sports and well-being with a focus on generating value and profitability for companies and people.
• Anna Jordana Casas
  PhD in Health and Sports Psychology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Associate professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, ​​professor at the Girona School of Health and Sports (EUSES, a center attached to the UdG) and professor at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Graduated in Psychology and Master in Neurosciences.