Sport Psychology.

British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics and Conduct.

All work undertaken by sport psychologists is bound by the BPS Code of Ethics and Conduct. The Code is to ensure quality control, and must inform the daily work of psychology practitioners in the UK.

Accreditation.

British Psychological Society (BPS) Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology.

The BPS Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP) is one route to gaining accredited status as a sport and exercise psychologist in the UK. This qualification satisfies Stage 2 of accreditation, and is undertaken after a Masters level qualification (Stage 1). Once complete, candidates are eligible to register with the HCPC as a sport and exercise psychologist.

BASES Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route.

The BASES Sport and Exercise Psychology Accreditation Route (SEPAR) is the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences version of the QSEP. Gaining the SEPAR will also mean a candidate is eligible to register with the HCPC as a sport and exercise psychologist, and is simply an alternative route to accreditation.

Professional Doctorate.

Professional Doctorate programmes are the academic route to becoming a sport and exercise psychologist in the UK. Programmes such as the BPS accredited DPsych Sports and Exercise Psychology course at Glasgow Caledonian University are three years of taught content, at the end of which the candidate is eligible to register with the HCPC as a sport and exercise psychologist in the UK.

Stages of Delivery.

Every sport psychologist will have their own preferred approach, depending on their own personal philosophy and their client’s individual needs. One model of sport psychology delivery was outlined by Richard Keegan (2015) in his book Being a Sport Psychologist. The six stages of delivery are outlined below:

  1. Intake

  2. Needs Analysis

  3. Case Formulation

  4. Choosing an Intervention

  5. Planning the Intervention

  6. Delivery and Monitoring

Each of these stages is underpinned by the BPS Code of Ethics (see above) and the philosophical assumptions of the sport psychology practitioner. Additionally, some psychologists may have a supervisor or mentor who will have some degree of influence over the work being undertaken. The psychology practitioner will be encouraged to adopt a reflective practice, resulting in constant evaluation and adaptation of the work to the dynamic environment.

Where am I at?

I have completed the MSc Psychology of Sport programme at the University of Stirling, graduating with a distinction. This programme satisfies BPS Stage 1 of accreditation. After completion of my PhD, I will follow one of the accreditation routes outlined above, to continue on my journey towards becoming a sport psychologist.