The British Psychological Society
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    Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Stage 2)

    Discover what a Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology could offer you in your career.

    About

    The Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP) (Stage 2) is the independent route to training as a sport and exercise psychologist for those who are unable, or choose not, to undertake a professional doctorate at university.

    The flexibility of the qualification means there are no restrictions on the type of work that can do, so long as you can demonstrate how it relates to the underlying competencies.

    This flexibility also enables you to undertake your training while you are working in the field and acquiring valuable practical experience.

    "The flexibility of the qualification has worked well for me, and helped me do things I never thought possible."
    - Callum Abbott, Chartered Sport Psychologist

    Duration and start date

    • Flexible (2 years minimum, with 2, 3, and 4 year assessment tracks available)
    • Enrolment is open throughout the year

    Enrolment (entry) requirements

    • Graduate Membership with the Graduate Basis for Chartered membership
    • BPS-accredited MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology
    • Access to a suitable placement (paid or voluntary)

    After completing this qualification you'll be able to apply for Chartered Membership of the BPS, full membership of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, and will also be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.

    If you have any questions, contact us via [email protected] or by phone 0116 252 9505.

    Outline

    The QSEP (Stage 2) involves structured supervised practice over a period of 2, 3 or 4 years, depending on whether you wish to train on a full-time or a part-time basis and your access to appropriate development opportunities.

    Your supervised practice will build on the academic components of your Stage 1 training by enabling you to develop and demonstrate your skills to doctoral level in:

    • Professional practice
    • Consultancy
    • Research and communication

    You will receive supervision and support from your Co-ordinating Supervisor, who will act as your mentor throughout your training on the qualification, in addition to support from the society's Qualifications team, with the goal of ensuring that you are competent to practice independently in a range of settings. 

    You may also choose to engage additional supervisory support for specific aspects of your supervised practice.

    Further information and guidance

    Find further information in the following handbooks and guidelines:

    Code of Conduct

    The BPS sets standards that it expects candidates to follow.

    In order to guide candidates in understanding their responsibilities as a trainee, the society has adopted this Code of Conduct for Members enrolled on a Society Qualification.

    Enrolment

    First consult the Candidate Handbook to make sure that you fulfil the entry requirements.

    Next, find a Co-ordinating Supervisor using the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors. It is advisable to contact more than one Supervisor before agreeing terms.

    If you completed an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology prior to 2007, you will need to consult the information at the bottom of this page for your entry requirements.

    Your Supervisor will be able to explore with you how you might develop and demonstrate the competencies within your current job or placement.

    Once you have secured supervisory support, the next step is to complete and submit your enrolment application (our Candidate Handbook will help guide you through the process of enrolment and provide tips on how to complete the forms).

    Enrolment forms

    As part of your electronic enrolment you must ensure that:

    • All documents are signed with an electronic signature (scanned and inserted) and not typed
    • Certificates are authenticated copies. This means a photocopy/scanned version that has been signed by your co-ordinating supervisor with a written statement to confirm they have seen the true copy
    • The enhanced DBS is full scan of pages 1 and 2
    • All documents are enclosed in a zipped folder labelled with your name, membership number and qualification you are enrolling on

    Your documents must be submitted to the office electronically via Hightail.

    For more information, contact us via email.

    Submit your documents

    Enrolment for QSEP (Stage 2) on the basis of a pre-2007 MSc

    A number of potential QSEP (Stage 2) candidates may have completed a Masters degree in the area of sport and exercise psychology prior to the 2006/7 academic year which were, therefore, not accredited by the society.

    Individuals in this position did not have the option to undertake an accredited Masters programme (as they did not exist at the time), however they may not be in a position to undertake another Masters degree.

    In addition, in many cases the content of their Masters degree will be similar or identical to that of the accredited Masters programmes in sport and exercise psychology.

    In order to provide an opportunity for individuals in this position to pursue the QSEP (Stage 2), a process has been agreed for them to map their existing Masters degree in the area of sport and exercise psychology onto the current (2016) standards for Masters programmes in sport and exercise psychology.

    More information about enrolment on the basis of a pre-2007 MSc

    What do I need in order to apply?

    You will need to be a Graduate Member of the society with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, and to have completed a Masters degree in the area of sport and exercise psychology, in the UK, which commenced prior to the 2006/7 academic year.

    How do I apply?

    You will need to complete and submit a copy of the application form available above.

    Please submit this along with a copy of your MSc certificate and transcript, along with any other relevant supporting information as indicated on the form.

    Is there a fee payable?

    In order to cover processing costs, there is an application fee of £140, payable at the point of submitting your application.

    This can be paid via BACS transfer or by credit/debit card over the telephone, and is non-refundable.

    How long will this route be available?

    This route will be available until 31 December 2020, after which time it will be reviewed to determine whether it will be continued.

    What if my degree was undertaken after 2006/7?

    If you undertook a non-accredited MSc from the 2006/7 academic year onwards, you will not be able to apply via this route, as there was an accredited route available from this point.

    Instead, the Board would advise you to contact one of the 18 accredited MSc programmes to see whether you can register for one of these and apply for accreditation of prior learning on the basis of your MSc.

    Who do I contact if I have questions about this route?

    Contact the Qualifications team via email or by phone 0116 252 9505.

    Assessment

    Assessment consists of a written portfolio assessing progress and competence, and a viva relating to the contents of the portfolio.

    The first two submissions are formative, and the final submission (including the viva) is summative.

    This enables you to receive feedback to support your development as you progress through each of your submissions.

    Submission points vary according to whether you are enrolled on a 2, 3 or 4 year track. 

    Your Co-ordinating Supervisor is available to support you in preparing your submissions, although this does not constitute a formal assessment of your work.

    Further details can be found in the Candidate Handbook.

    Academic Misconduct

    The society updated its Academic Misconduct Policy in December 2023.

    Candidates

    Enrolled candidates can access all forms and supporting documents by logging into BPS Learn.

    "The Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology has equipped me with all the skills and experience that I needed to improve both my confidence in my abilities and my competence as a practitioner. This has allowed me to flourish in my applied practice."
    - Matthew Shaw, Chartered Sport Psychologist

    If you experience any difficulty with your access, please contact the team.

    Supervisors

    The Sport and Exercise Qualifications Board will be running Supervisor training workshops for those wishing to provide supervision on the QSEP and for existing supervisors who would like to refresh their QSEP training.

    The Supervisor training is a requirement that needs to be completed by anyone wishing to supervise candidates on the QSEP.

    Requirements

    To be a supervisor you must be:

    • Chartered
    • HCPC Registered
    • A Full Member of the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology (normally for at least two years)

    To find out more information about becoming a coordinating supervisor, contact us via email.

    Workshop Information

    Details for the next workshop will be uploaded in due course.

    Fees

    A different fee structure applies to candidates who enrolled prior to 31 December 2014 – details of that payment structure can be sent upon request.

    Enrolment fee

    • Amount: £120 (£100 + VAT)
    • When: upon submission of an enrolment application

    This is a non-refundable fee which covers the processing and review of your enrolment application.

    An invoice will be sent to you when we receive your enrolment application and this must be paid within 30 days of the date on the invoice.

    We will not be able to confirm your enrolment until this fee has been paid.

    Accreditation of Existing Competence Fee (AEC)

    • Amount:  £360 (£300 + VAT)
    • When: upon submission of an AEC application

    This is a non-refundable fee which covers the processing and review of your AEC application.

    An invoice will be sent to you when we receive your AEC application and this should be paid within 30 days of the date on the invoice.

    We will not be able to confirm the outcome of your AEC application until this fee has been paid.

    Qualification fee

    • Amount: £6217.20 (£5181.00 + £1036.20 VAT)
    • When: upon confirmation of enrolment (either in full or by monthly Direct Debit)

    This fee covers any support and expert advice you might need, as well as administration carried out during your enrolment by either the society's staff or members of the Qualifications Board.

    It also pays for one assessment of each element of the qualification.

    If you are referred for further assessment on any element a re-submission fee will become due.

    Should you withdraw from the qualification a refund may become due (please see the Terms and Conditions for further information).

    Re-submission fee

    • Amount: £385.20 (£321 + VAT)
    • When: one month prior to submitting your amended work

    The re-submission fee covers the cost of work carried out during the re-assessment of your portfolio.

    Direct Debit

    We offer flexible payment plans via direct debit to spread the cost of a qualification over your period of study. These are monthly interest free payments and you can choose to pay over 12, 24, 36 or 48 months.

    We only charge you for the cost of the qualification once. If you need longer to complete the qualification we won't charge you extra.

    Please be aware that if you complete your qualification before the payment term has been completed you will be required to pay the outstanding balance before your results can be released.

    Third party fees

    Please note that you may incur additional costs during your training which are not set by the society, may include, but are not limited to, supervision costs, travel and accommodation costs (for instance, for supervisory meetings, events and conferences) and professional indemnity insurance.

    These fees are not set by the society so we are unable to advise on what rates will be charged.

    Fee reductions

    A fee reduction of 20% is available to candidates who are in receipt of state benefits or a state pension.

    Requests for reductions for other reasons will not be considered.

    Formal requests for reductions must be submitted to the Professional Development Delivery Officer along with evidence of income and level of state benefits.

    Review of fees

    All fees charged by the society are reviewed annually and, therefore, are subject to change from 01 January each year.