Sports Psychology

Course Overview

Sports psychology is the study of psychological factors that influence athletic performance.

The Sports Psychology short course explores cognitive processes related to sports performance to help you gain a better understanding of how thought processes can affect an athlete’s behaviour.

Explore the roles that emotions, motivation, self-confidence, self-talk, emotional control and concentration play in sports performance.

Learn how thought processes can affect an athlete’s behaviour and build skills that will enable you to profile athletes and understand the drivers behind sports performance.

Time commitment

+/- 50 hours to complete this short course.

Is this course for you?

This course is for you if you want to learn about psychological theory and how cognitive processes are related to sports performance.

What is sports psychology?

Sports psychology explores how physical activity and mental well-being intersect and affect the psychological and physical well-being of athletes. Sports psychologists help athletes maintain high levels of performance by prioritising mental fitness.

Dates and Registration

• Class of 2025 January – March
• Class of 2025 April – June
• Class of 2025 July – September
• Class of 2025 October – December

Short course classes are on demand allowing you to register at any time and move through course content at a time that suits you. Learners will have access to the course for the class period they choose when registering.

Certification

Upon completion, you will receive a digital certificate of completion. This certificate verifies your newfound knowledge and skills.

The Sports Psychology short course has been designed and developed by experts in the field of psychology. The course is for anyone needing to upskill in this area and offers +/- 50 hours of learning.

What You’ll Learn

Through course videos, readings and discussions, you will explore the following topics:

• Thought Processes and Self-talk
  • Learn about cognitive processes related to sports performance, how thought processes can affect an athlete’s behaviour and how constructive self-talk can positively influence an athlete’s performance.
  • Gain an understanding of the theoretical principles behind thought and behaviour.
• Motivation in Sport
  • Explore theories of motivation, its subtypes and the role motivation can play in enhancing sports performance.
  • Explore the differences between arousal, stress, and anxiety, specifically focusing on how to understand and manage these to improve performance.
• Emotional Management in Sport
  • Learn about the role emotions play in sports performance and how emotional intelligence can enhance an athlete’s performance.
  • Gain an understanding of emotional control and how athletes can develop their EQ.
• Self-Confidence in Sport
  • Learn about the role of self-confidence in sporting performance and how self-confidence can be maintained and enhanced to improve performance.
• Concentration and Focus
  • Explore the role and impact of focus and concentration in sports.
  • Gain an understanding of the different levels of paying attention and learn how to enhance an athlete’s focus in sport.

Course Outcomes

By the end of this short course you will be able to:

• Explain the role of thought and develop constructive self-talk.
• Define theoretical principles and subtypes of motivation.
• Describe how arousal, stress and anxiety affect sports performance.
• Understand the importance of emotional control in sports performance.
• Apply your understanding of self-confidence to develop confidence in athletes.
• Describe the difference between focus and concentration and enhance attention in sports performance.

The Team

Our short course developers are expert practitioners. They have been selected for the breadth and depth of experience in their respective disciplines. The team loves sharing their knowledge and online learning expertise to help you get the most out of your learning journey.