Sports Science

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 10:34am #1

Hi,

Im thinking of going back to do a Sports Science degree in either UCD or DCU and am wondering what job prospects would be out there for someone with such a degree and how the degree is rated among fitness professionals etc?

I figure Id ask here as there is a high number of PT's and other fitness related people but I will ask in both the DCU and UCD forums too.

Thanks.

cowzerp · 01-05-2009 10:59am

CoachBoone wrote: »

Hi,

Im thinking of going back to do a Sports Science degree in either UCD or DCU and am wondering what job prospects would be out there for someone with such a degree and how the degree is rated among fitness professionals etc?

I figure Id ask here as there is a high number of PT's and other fitness related people but I will ask in both the DCU and UCD forums too.

Thanks.

In my experience of PT, Sports scientists dont make the best personal trainers, they study about the sciences of the human body etc.. but not so much about the actual exercises-thats the ones i knew that tried PT, they knew nothing about the actual exercise but could do clinical test no problem..

If you want to be a PT get qualified as a fitness instructor then move onto more advanced courses till you become a PT.

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 11:04am

cowzerp wrote: »

In my experience of PT, Sports scientists dont make the best personal trainers, they study about the sciences of the human body etc.. but not so much about the actual exercises-thats the ones i knew that tried PT, they knew nothing about the actual exercise but could do clinical test no problem..

If you want to be a PT get qualified as a fitness instructor then move onto more advanced courses till you become a PT.

Thanks for the reply.

Its not so much that I want to become a PT. Its just I dont want to do this course (one which I have an interest in) but have no job prospects when Im finished.

Im just trying to see how its rated and what employment I could expect to find, hoping some of the readers of this board would have some experience with graduates from this degree or others.

cowzerp · 01-05-2009 11:07am

Im not sure what the demand is for sports scientists, they dont tend to work in gyms anyway so none there really, in labs i would not imagine its a job in big demand, maybe some sports teams would like 1 but most teams are not big money!

Zamboni · 01-05-2009 11:10am

UCD don't have a Sports Science degree.
So DCU would be the main option in Dublin for the BSc.

UCD have a BCs Sport and Exercise Management.
Job prospects depend on you with this course.
I've seen grads vary from flipping burgers to senior positions in sports bodies.

UL would be the cream of the crop for Sport Science imo.

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 11:18am

Zamboni wrote: »

UCD don't have a Sports Science degree.
So DCU would be the main option in Dublin for the BSc.

UCD have a BCs Sport and Exercise Management.
Job prospects depend on you with this course.
I've seen grads vary from flipping burgers to senior positions in sports bodies.

UL would be the cream of the crop for Sport Science imo.

UCD do. Its called Science of Sport and Health.

Who are these grads? And what would there job titles be?

thanks

Zamboni · 01-05-2009 11:29am

CoachBoone wrote: »

UCD do. Its called Science of Sport and Health

Never heard of it? Have you got a link? Cheers

I know grads from the other course who range from gym instructors to management positions in NGB's. Off the top of my head, development, marketing, strategy.
Others do sports developement for various Local Sports Partnerships in the country.
Some coach teams, some are athletes themselves, some have gotten into the media side of sport and some work for sports clothing firms.

thirtyfoot · 01-05-2009 11:29am

CoachBoone wrote: »

UCD do. Its called Science of Sport and Health.

Is that not the one that was created for the really good scholarships who weren't clever enough to get into a proper course?

Zamboni · 01-05-2009 1:20pm

Tingle wrote: »

Is that not the one that was created for the really good scholarships who weren't clever enough to get into a proper course?

If you mean the BSc in Sports Management there may be an element of truth.

There has been a fairly strong rumour for many years now that the Diploma in Sports Management in UCD was created so various athletes could play for UCD in certain sports.

However, even if it's origin is dubious it does not necessarily reflect on the current course or the BSc.

Just a completely irrelevant FYI - Two graduates of the early Diploma in Sports Mangement in UCD? Brian O'Driscoll and Jason Sherlock.

Transform · 01-05-2009 1:29pm

Tingle wrote: »

Is that not the one that was created for the really good scholarships who weren't clever enough to get into a proper course?

Exactly!!!

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 1:30pm

Tingle wrote: »

Is that not the one that was created for the really good scholarships who weren't clever enough to get into a proper course?

I have no idea Im assuming you mean Sports Management? This course will only be beginning its second year this September.

Zamboni wrote: »

Never heard of it? Have you got a link? Cheers

I know grads from the other course who range from gym instructors to management positions in NGB's. Off the top of my head, development, marketing, strategy.
Others do sports developement for various Local Sports Partnerships in the country.
Some coach teams, some are athletes themselves, some have gotten into the media side of sport and some work for sports clothing firms.

Link: https://myucd.ucd.ie/program.do?programID=30

Thats it there.

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 1:32pm

Also, I dont really understand what ya mean by clever enough? The points for both Sports Management (which is now called Sports and Exercise Management) was 415 and Sports Science which is called Health and Performance Science was 420 (this is a brand new course). Im not sure what the deal is with scholarships though.

Transform · 01-05-2009 1:33pm

CoachBoone wrote: »

Hi,

Im thinking of going back to do a Sports Science degree in either UCD or DCU and am wondering what job prospects would be out there for someone with such a degree and how the degree is rated among fitness professionals etc?

I figure Id ask here as there is a high number of PT's and other fitness related people but I will ask in both the DCU and UCD forums too.

Thanks.

i would recommend the one in DCU or many in the Uk where i did my sports science degree after 2 years in carlow RTC doing physiology and health science (which was a great foundation course).

After a good few years of college when i got to applying for jobs at gyms i got the reply 'emmm sports science degree, well i do not know if thats equal to the NCEF or NCEHS' bloody hell i nearly had to beg for a job!!

Most trainers start out in almost every field on very low pay (less than €18-20,000 per year)

kevpants · 01-05-2009 1:36pm

Tingle wrote: »

Is that not the one that was created for the really good scholarships who weren't clever enough to get into a proper course?

Yep it was invented for Jason Sherlock originally my wife tells me, she was in UCD at the same time. He was the only one in the class and they all got to know him because he spent most of his time sitting on the stairs looking bored.

Zamboni · 01-05-2009 1:48pm

CoachBoone wrote: »

Link: https://myucd.ucd.ie/program.do?programID=30

Thats it there.

Cheers for that. Suppose it was inevitable UCD would want a BSc in Sport Science.
But as it's new I'd go for experience and stick with DCU.
New programmes can can take a while to get up and running.
Even simple things like staffing for lectures.

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 1:53pm

Zamboni wrote: »

Cheers for that. Suppose it was inevitable UCD would want a BSc in Sport Science.
But as it's new I'd go for experience and stick with DCU.
New programmes can can take a while to get up and running.
Even simple things like staffing for lectures.

Yup, DCU seems to be better alright. More widely available info on it too.

Zamboni · 01-05-2009 1:57pm

CoachBoone wrote: »

Yup, DCU seems to be better alright. More widely available info on it too.

And lets face it...it's on the better side of the Liffey.

CoachBoone · 01-05-2009 2:05pm

Zamboni wrote: »

And lets face it...it's on the better side of the Liffey.

Well Im in UCD doing a different course atm doing so I dont know about that.

itsallaboutheL · 01-05-2009 2:22pm

I have a few buddies that are graduates of Sport Science in UL, one of them is Duty Manager of a leisure centre, the other is on the Dole!!

Sports Science

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