How to Become a Sports Scientist?

One of the lesser-known specialisations in Health Sciences, Sports Science simply studies the workings of a human body to help people accentuate their physical health and sporting abilities. We have heard of great scientists of modern and historic times. From Galileo Galilei to Albert Einstein, or from Stephen Hawking to Tim Berners-Lee, we know them all. But have you come across any popular Sports Scientists? Combining various branches of science like Psychology, Physiology, Biomechanics, Kinesiology, Physical Education, Nutrition, etc., Sports Science is the best field for you if you are curious about how the human body can accentuate its strengths and agility to improve athletic performance. Read this blog to know all about how to become a Sports Scientist.

What is Sports Science?

Before elaborating on what sports scientists do, let us first throw some light on what sports science is all about. As the name suggests, sports scientist is a specialized branch of science that studies the functions of the human body and how it works during any kind of sports. It is a  multidisciplinary subject that is working for how sports and fitness can promote a healthy lifestyle and can make an individual healthy, i.e. physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

What does a Sports Scientists Do?

After studying what sports science is all about, let us now explore what a sports scientist does? In simple words, a sports scientist has expert knowledge of the human body and kinesiology as well as health, nutrition, and dietetics. Sports Scientists utilize their expertise to help people train for different sports and they work up close with sports personnel and athletes as their mentors, trainers, coach, dieticians/nutritionist, therapist, etc and make them work in a manner so that their body can be trained to achieve set goals and targets and also work towards preventing and injury and aiding any existing one. 

How to become a Sports Scientist?

The following are the steps and entry requirements for becoming a sports scientist.

• For those who want to pursue UG, PG, and PhD programs in the field of sports science, it is advisable to opt for physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics in 12th. This opens the opportunity for both bachelors in art and bachelors in science streams. 
• The next and the most commonly opted method of becoming a sports scientist is getting admission into a sports science academy or university and getting a degree in the subject matter. 
• You can start with a BSc in Sports Science and then gain specialisation in this field with a master’s degree. There are selected universities and colleges abroad and in India offering programs specialised in sports science, sports management, physical education, kinesiology, etc.
• After the successful completion of the respective degree in sports science, one can work towards being a part of the sports industry. Students must keep exploring and improvising their knowledge and skills. Keep advancing your knowledge and polish your skills.
• You can use the expertise and knowledge of the core subject to improve the sporting ability, lifestyle, and human body of any individual or athletes.

Skills Required to become a Sports Scientists

To enter a field that requires you to be competent in multiple domains, there are certain skills required:

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present their findings clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Knowledge about their field. 
• Awareness of clients’ needs.
• Good research and analysis skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Good with numbers and statistics.
• Accurate in their work.
• Skilled in computer work.

Sports Science Courses

To become a Sports Scientist, here are the top Sports Science courses you must pursue:

Level	Courses
Bachelor’s Level	BA in Sports Management  BBA in Sports Management  B.Sc. in Physical Education  BA in Physical Education  B.Sc. in Physical Education and Sports Science  B.Sc. in Sports Science and Nutrition  Bachelor of Physical Education (B.P.Ed.)
Master’s Level	MA in Sports Management  MBA in Sports Management/Sports Business M.Sc. in Physical Education  MA in Physical Education  M.Sc. in Physical Education and Sports Science  M.Sc. in Sports Science and Nutrition  Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed.) PG Diploma in Sports Medicine  PG Diploma in Sports Science and Nutrition PG Diploma in Sports Coaching  PGDM in Sports Business/Sports Management
Doctorate Level	PhD in Health Science/Kinesiology  PhD in Sports Science  PhD in Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation  PhD in Sport, Physical Education, and Health Science  PhD in Sport and Social Sciences PhD in Sports Medicine  PhD in Sports Therapy

Sports Science: Course Curriculum

Being a multidisciplinary subject, Sports science covers a wage range of topics. There are multiple processes involved while executing a sport or a fitness activity. While studying these Sports Science courses, here are some of the most important subjects you will get to study:

• Bio-mechanics: This discipline deals with the understanding of the cause and effect of the body’s muscular movement and the body’s response to exercise equipment.
• Nutrition and Diet: Food is the basis for survival and influences every action, mood, and reaction. This subject helps understand what kinds of food must be consumed which is tailored according to each player and athlete.
• Physiology: Physiology studies the human body’s reaction to exercise and proper training.
• Sports Management: Any field, without proper planning won’t succeed. Sports management helps students build skills related to planning, organizing, controlling, budgeting, directing, and assessing.
• Psychology: A branch of science that deals with studying the human mind in terms of sports settings. 
• Sociology: In terms of Sports Science, Sociology focuses on the study of sports in the context of social phenomena and their impact on the social environment.
• Physical health: This is a discipline of life science that deals with physical wellness, physical activity, diet, nutrition, and mental well being of an individual

Top Universities

Following is the list of top universities across the world that are offering a wide range of courses for those aspiring to become a Sports Scientist:

Universities	Country	Popular Programs
University of Edinburgh	United Kingdom	B.Sc. Hons in Applied Sports Science M.Sc. in Sports Science
University of Durham	United Kingdom	B.Sc. in Sports Science
University of Birmingham	United Kingdom	M.Sc. in Sports Science, Exercise, and Rehabilitation  PhD. in Sports Science, Exercise, and Rehabilitation
University of Queensland	Australia	Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences  Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science (Honours) Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education
University of Toronto	Canada	Bachelor of Kinesiology M.Sc. in Kinesiology Ph.D. in  Kinesiology
Loughborough University	United Kingdom	BSc (Hons) in Sports and Exercise Science
University of British Columbia	Canada	Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK) M.Sc. in Health and Exercise Sciences Ph.D. in Kinesiology
The University of Sydney	Australia	B.Sc. in Exercise and Sport Science
University of Alberta	Canada	B.Sc. in Kinesiology MA in Kinesiology and Sports Management Masters of Coaching M.Sc. in Applied Health Sciences and Kinesiology. The Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation PhD program
University of Copenhagen	Denmark	B.Sc. in Sports Science  B.Sc. in Food Science and Nutrition  M.Sc. in Humanities and Social Sports Sciences M.Sc in Food Innovation and health

Here is a list of top colleges and universities to study Sports Science in India:

University/College	City	Popular Programs
Institute of Sports Science and Technology (ISST)	Pune	Diploma in Sports Sciences Diploma in Sports and Exercise Psychology Certificate course in Sports and Exercise Nutrition  Masters Program in Sports Management.
University of Mysore	Mysore	Bachelors in Physical Education Masters in Physical Education
Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Science, University of Delhi	Delhi	B.Sc. in Physical Education, Health Education & Sports Master of Physical Education Ph.D. in Physical Education Other certified and diploma courses are also available
National Sports University (NSU)	Koutruk, Manipur	B.Sc in sports coaching  Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports Science  M.Sc in sports coaching  M.Sc. in sports psychology
Amity University	Noida	Bachelors/Masters in Physical Education PGD in Sports Psychology M.Phil in Physical Education PhD. In Physical Education and Sports Science

What can you do with a Sports Science Degree?

If you wish to pursue and develop your career in the field of sports or sports science, then getting a suitable degree in the subject matter, will open the doors for various kinds of prospects and opportunities for you to explore. Apart from the lucrative career path of Sports Scientist, you can also choose from the following job profiles for Sports Science graduates:

1. Sports Manager 
2. Coaches/Trainers
3. Fitness Instructors 
4. Sports Researcher or Scout Managers
5. Sports Physiologist or Physiotherapists
6. Sports Nutritionist 
7. Sports Doctor
8. Sports Scientist 
9. Sports Psychologist
10. Sports Therapist
11. PE Teacher/Professor

Employment Areas

1. Sports Teams (National/International)
2. Sports Clubs (National/International)
3. Universities
4. Sports Academies 
5. Schools
6. Self-employed

Sports Scientists: Salary

With many career options, Sports scientists earn a handsome amount of money. The average salary of a sports scientist varies from ₹ 40,000 and ₹ 1,00,000 per month. The salary packages may increase depending on your clients, position, and years of experience. This may increase up to ₹ 3,00,000 per month/per project.

Sports Scientists: Pros and Cons

No matter what field you choose, each one comes with a few advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see a few major pros and cons of being a sports scientist.

Pros	Cons
It is one of the lucrative career options if you do not want to be a player but have a passion for sports.  It gives you an opportunity to work with elite players and meet professional sportsmen.	Sports science is a competitive industry. You might be required to work unusual hours during the day.  Some people also accompany players for their important matches for several days.

Famous Sports Scientists in the world

It’s high time to give praise and fame to the experts in the industry of sports and don’t always get the love they deserve—the sports scientists. Here is a list of 5 renowned sports scientists from different parts of the world.

1. Antti Mero: Sprint Researcher from Finland
2. Carmelo Bosco: Field Testing Innovator from Italy
3. Lorena Torres Ronda: Team Sport Coach from Spain 
4. Milan Coh: An Expert of Sports Performance Analysis
5. Sophia Nimphius: Contemporary Expert in Sports Performance from New Zealand 
6. Keijo Hakkinen: Legend of Strength and Conditioning Research from Finland 

FAQs

Hence, we hope that this blog familiarised you with the career path of a Sports Scientist. Want to pursue a degree in Sports Science abroad? Our Leverage Edu experts are here to lend you a helping hand in finding the best course and university as well as sorting out the admission process! Sign up for a free session with us now!