Sports and Fitness

Award Award	Duration Duration	Start dates Start dates	Application Application
PhD or Professional doctorate PhD or Professional doctorate	PhD: Full-time: 3–4 years Part-time: 6–8 years Professional doctorate: Part-time: 4–8 years PhD: Full-time: 3–4 years Part-time: 6–8 years Professional doctorate: Part-time: 4–8 years	October October	November to January November to January

The OU Sport Research Group is a sub-group of the Childhood, Youth, and Sport Group led by Dr Ben Langdown, which includes an interdisciplinary team of researchers designing, managing, and completing research projects which are ultimately aimed at understanding and improving the lives and working practices of athletes and sports coaches.

The multi-disciplinary team draws upon various approaches and methodological expertise (including auto/ethnography, phenomenology, narrative inquiry, grounded theory, and creative analytical practices). The team’s research spans numerous sport and exercise-related disciplines, including coaching pedagogy, psychology, sociology, nutrition, strength and conditioning, motor control biomechanics and youth development in sports. Qualitative and quantitative research projects cover expertise in different sports, including athletic injury, athlete analysis, monitoring and training, wellbeing, post-traumatic growth, athlete welfare, identity, embodiment, career transitions, coach education and specific sports activities.

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) and an MA or research methods training at MA level (or equivalent). If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.

UK fee UK fee	International fee International fee
Full-time: £5,006 per year Full-time: £5,006 per year	Full-time: £12,705 per year Full-time: £12,705 per year
Part-time: £2,503 per year Part-time: £2,503 per year	Part-time: £6,353 per year Part-time: £6,353 per year

UK fee UK fee	International fee International fee
Full-time: £3,811 per year Full-time: £3,811 per year	Full-time: £9,676 per year Full-time: £9,676 per year

Some of our research students are funded via the Faculty or The Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership; others are self-funded.

For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.

To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.

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