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Email academic.registry@tcd.ieThe aim of this programme is to allow participants to commence entry level training or further their career progression in sports and exercise medicine by enhancing basic background knowledge in anatomy, exercise physiology and, sports and exercise medicine and science . The course will also help to develop high quality research, practical and critical thinking skills in musculoskeletal assessment, rehabilitation, exercise testing and prescription in health and disease.
The M.Sc. i is designed for medicine and physiotherapy graduates, as well as certified athletic training therapists (ARTI accredited) and sports rehabilitation therapists (UK accredited), who wish to pursue new career opportunities.
This course is designed to produce leaders in sports and exercise medicine. Graduates have pursued diverse careers in multi-disciplinary teams providing fulltime or part time healthcare to professional and amateur athletes players and teams, as well as providing high quality musculoskeletal and exercise medicine to the general population involved in sport and exercise at all levels.
This M.Sc. in Sports and Exercise Medicine is delivered full-time and in one academic year. It is comprised of six taught modules (60 ECTS) and a research project (30 ECTS).
All course material will wherever possible be presented by a core instructor group in face-to-face lecture, workshop, seminars and practical class-based formats on campus for which students are expected to fully attend. In the second semester some clinician lead lectures will be delivered online.
All students who complete six taught modules but do not complete the research project module according to college calendar timelines will be eligible for an exit award of Postgraduate Diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine. In order to achieve the award of the M.Sc. in Sports and Exercise Medicine, students must complete all six taught modules (60 ECTS) and the research dissertation (30 ECTS) within one academic year.
In Semester 1, students take three basic science modules; Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Exercise Physiology and Research Methods.
In Musculoskeletal Anatomy students will enhance their knowledge through human donor dissection based practical classes, student seminar presentations on joint anatomy and clinical anatomy relevant to sports injury.
In the Exercise Physiology module learning focuses on the key systems for sports and physical activity; energy systems, muscle, cardiorespiratory systems and whole-body hormonal and homeostatic responses to physical activity during exercise and training, as well as under environmental extremes.
In Research Methods students will develop skills necessary to critically evaluate published research, formulate a research question and design a high-quality research project, from initial statistical modelling, ethics application, and power analysis, through data collection, data handling, and statistical analysis; and finally enabling writing of a scientific report worthy of submission as a journal article or critical review. The research methods module runs in parallel and supports the research dissertation component which runs over the entire academic year.
In Semester 2, the focus shifts to clinical and applied aspects of SEM with the following modules: Clinical Sports Medicine; Musculoskeletal Assessment Imaging and Rehabilitation; and Exercise Science.
In these modules, students will develop necessary entry level knowledge and develop practical core competencies related to sports medicine, musculoskeletal assessment skills, basic interpretation of clinical images, and formulate rehabilitation plans and exercise prescription in health and disease. Modules will cover aspects of team and individual athlete care within different sports, and physical activity and health in the generally active population or those with chronic disease. Critical thinking skills are developed in instructor lead clinical case scenario-based teaching and student led clinical case presentations and modular seminars review current literature to demonstrate the scope of problems encountered in day-to-day care of athletes and teams, and the physically active of all ages and gender.
Click here for further information on modules/subjects.
September 2025
Dr. Neil Fleming
Dr. Nick Mahony
30th May 2025
The programme is open to graduates from medicine and physiotherapy. There are a limited number of places on offer to certified athletic training therapists (Ireland, the USA and Canada only) and sports rehabilitation therapists (UK or UK accredited courses in Ireland).
UK and EU Applicants require an NFQ Level-8 degree at an upper second-class (2.1) honours or equivalent and applicants with post-graduate clinical experience and especially health service provision to athletes and teams will be prioritised.
Non-EU applicants require a first-class honours degree, preferably with 1st class honours in all undergraduate years; and, show evidence of at least 2 years post-graduate clinical experience in musculoskeletal injury and applicants who show health service provision to athletes and teams will be prioritised.
Non-EU medical and physiotherapy applicants must especially note that an MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine qualification from TCD does not qualify graduates for work in Ireland. Physiotherapy applicants should contact CORU at www.coru.ie and medical applicants should contact the Medical Council of Ireland (www.medicalcouncil.ie) to ascertain registration requirements for work in Ireland.
Applicants should also provide two references and meet Trinity’s English language requirements, and all applicants should be aware that full or even part time clinical work is not permitted during teaching contact hours.
All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements. For more details of qualifications that meet Band B, see the English Language Requirements page here.
Click here for a full list of postgraduate fees
To apply, click on the relevant Apply Link below
+353 (0)1 8961182
Beth Whitney (course administrator) whitneyb@tcd.ie
Dr Nick Mahony (course director) njmahony@tcd.ie
www.tcd.ie/medicine/anatomy/postgraduate-course---msc-sports-and-exercise-medicine
Register your interest in studying at Ireland’s leading university, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.
I look back at my year doing the Master's in Sports and Exercise Medicine with great memories. The small class size and the regular face-to-face learning create a good rapport between staff and students. The curriculum is helpfully designed. The first semester goes back to basics with anatomy and physiology. This is great preparation for the heavily clinically based second semester. Many previous graduates come back to teach on the course, which is so helpful for future career guidance. I thought going back to full-time education would be tricky but it was highly motivating and good craic!
Graduate
I am happy to say that it was one of my most enjoyable, rewarding and, at times, challenging years. The staff were incredibly supportive of my research project, from inception all the way to publication. Following this year, I am keener than ever to pursue a career in sports medicine and would highly recommend the course to anyone who is considering the same.
Graduate
