Health and Performance Science, UCD

JessH · 26-02-2014 3:33pm #1

Hi! I'm interested in doing the Health and Performance Science course in UCD, just wondering what the career options are like when you graduate? Are there many jobs out there in that area? Any help/advice would be much appreciated!

derf345 · 17-06-2014 9:37pm

I've completed 2 years of health and performance science, and am due to graduate next year. I wasn't sure about the course when deciding what to put on the CAO. The fact that it is only 3 years makes it essential to consider postgraduate options to complement the degree (for more employment opportunities). For example, I have heard of people applying to do postgraduate physiotherapy, medicine and a masters in strength and conditioning. Good degree for giving an insight into the multi-layered health and fitness industry eg psychology of sport and health, general and sports-specific nutrition, exercise and public health, biomechanics of movement, clinical and functional anatomy. I have found the course very interesting, as I like science, sport and the combination of the two is actually fascinating... You get to apply the background knowledge from lectures in practical classes for many modules eg strength and conditioning practical classes in the gym follow on from the theory learned in the lectures. I speak highly of the course as a second year student, and although the last 2 years have been relatively demanding workload-wise, 3rd year (70% of final degree) separates the men from the boys... Hope this helps anyone interested in doing HPS!

Zamboni · 18-06-2014 10:40am

It is a small and tough industry with very few paid jobs.
Who you know will be as important as how good you are.

Anecdotal evidence - The vast majority of graduates that I know do not work in sports.

If you do go down that route aim towards medical/health to widen your employment prospects.

CM24 · 18-06-2014 11:23am

I always think I would have loved to have studied this in college, but I probably would have ended up just becoming a PT at the end of it anyway. It only took me 4 weeks to get certified!

Transform · 19-06-2014 2:40pm

Zamboni wrote: »

It is a small and tough industry with very few paid jobs.
Who you know will be as important as how good you are.

Anecdotal evidence - The vast majority of graduates that I know do not work in sports.

If you do go down that route aim towards medical/health to widen your employment prospects.

This is bang on.

Fitness industry courses are sold on a dream like vision of what people think it's going to be like.

You're sold las vagas but the reality is more like Blackpool

(Was trying to think of something related to fake boobs but that's the best I can come up with right now:))

CM24 · 19-06-2014 6:14pm

What jobs do most of the graduates end up doing? I know the owners of the FFS gym in Dublin did the course.

Zamboni · 19-06-2014 7:41pm

CM24 wrote: »

What jobs do most of the graduates end up doing? I know the owners of the FFS gym in Dublin did the course.

Best of luck to them.
If you go down the "fitness industry" route, you'd better be a bloody good business person. The market is completely saturated now and only a combination of the best entrepreneurs/ best trainers / best business model is cutting the mustard - and by that, I mean eeking out a relatively average salary.

If you go down the sports route you'd better like the idea of unpaid internships for years to build up a rep or have mega connections.
You would actually have better odds in being a professional soccer player than you would in becoming a physio/analyst for a professional soccer team!

I know top class physios/sports performance analysts that struggle paying the bills simply because there are so many of them in comparison to the demand.

Sports and fitness are amazing industries to work in - but the reality is good employment prospects are thin on the ground.

cc87 · 19-06-2014 8:04pm

If you are looking at working full-time in sport, realistically outside Ireland is your best option starting off. If its a possibility I would even consider doing your undergrad outside Ireland.
There's a lack of money and options in sport in Ireland. As mentioned the market is saturated and requires serious grafting to make decent money. Some of the top guys in Ireland work massive hours with lots of travel involved. Outside of the four rugby provinces, 90% people working in sport have the majority of their income from work with non-sporting populations

Transform · 19-06-2014 9:48pm

cc87 wrote: »

If you are looking at working full-time in sport, realistically outside Ireland is your best option starting off. If its a possibility I would even consider doing your undergrad outside Ireland.
There's a lack of money and options in sport in Ireland. As mentioned the market is saturated and requires serious grafting to make decent money. Some of the top guys in Ireland work massive hours with lots of travel involved. Outside of the four rugby provinces, 90% people working in sport have the majority of their income from work with non-sporting populations

Never was and never will be big money made in working full time in sport. The top jobs are very very rare and only open to people with years and years of experience and masters or phd qualifications.

We could all just sell out and offer 6 week online programs but you have to like and share this post to get it.

Health and Performance Science, UCD

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