Psychological Skills Training (Micro-credential)

About This Course

Psychological Skills Training is a flexible part-time, Level 7 postgraduate  short course you can study online. It is open to learners resident in the UK and internationally.

As an applied practitioner, you are commonly asked to help performers with their psychological states, for example by increasing their confidence levels and helping them perform better under pressure.

Psychological skills training has long been a mainstay of sports psychology, and evidence supports its benefits for performers, ranging from athletes to business executives. In this module, you will gain a critical appreciation of the contemporary research literature surrounding psychological skills, with an emphasis on self-talk and imagery. You will develop this understanding so that you can apply your knowledge through effective interventions.

Take your learning further

The credits you earn through this micro-credential may be recognised towards Performance Psychology MSc, subject to the programme’s admission requirements.

For more information, contact the Programme or Course Lead. You can also find guidance in ��ý’s Regulations for Taught Programmes.

Other micro-credentials in this series:

Who is this micro-credential for?

This online distance learning module on Psychological Skills Training is suitable for anyone interested in aiding performers’ psychological states (e.g., confidence, anxiety, motivation) and performance. These skills are applicable across various fields, including sports, business, emergency services, the performing arts, and more.

Our learners have included people from across the UK, and more widely from across the globe. This short course is part of our Performance Psychology MSc, and our alumni include:

Professional sport coaches and instructors: Rugby, Cricket, Gaelic Football, and Endurance Running Coaches
UK Coaching Team Members
Elite Athletes: Professionals in football, Gaelic football, cricket and rugby players, Golfers,
Performance Directors for Professional Rugby Union Teams
Opera Performers
Professional Musicians
Business Leaders
Senior management from organisations such as MasterCard and Facebook
RAF Helicopter Rear Crew
Air traffic controllers
Police Officers
General Practitioners and Anaesthetists
NHS Managers

This micro-credential is open to learners resident in the UK and internationally.

Why study this micro-credential?

In this micro-credential, you will explore how psychological (or mental) skills are relevant across performance domains. You will focus on understanding how evidence-based (i.e., effective) interventions can be conducted in various performance contexts, including sport and the armed forces.

How will you study?

This 10-credit micro-credential runs from September, with teaching over 12 weeks. Your final assessment is due January 2028, and you should plan to continue studying until then.

You’ll learn through 10 lectures lasting 2 hours each and 3 live interactive workshop sessions lasting 2 hours each.

Teaching takes place online through Blackboard Ultra, Panopto, and MS Teams.

You will join the existing teaching schedule and attend the same sessions as learners on the Performance Psychology MSc programme.

You should plan for approximately 100 hours of study across the course. This includes:

26 hours of scheduled teaching, comprising 20 hours of pre-recorded online lectures and 6 hours of live workshops;
74 hours of guided independent study, including literature searching, reading, critical thinking, preparation, and assessment work.

What technology will you need?

You will need access to:

A laptop or desktop computer in good working order.
A reliable internet connection suitable for accessing learning materials, joining live online sessions, and uploading assessment work.
A microphone, speakers or headphones, and a webcam.

You should be comfortable using email, accessing online learning materials, creating and uploading documents, and joining online sessions.

You will use Blackboard Ultra, Panopto, and MS Teams to access course materials, submit assessments, and join teaching sessions.

As a ��ý student, you can download a range of software through Digital Services as needed.

Meet your tutor

Professor James Hardy

Having obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Birmingham, James went to North America to see how they did sports psychology. He completed his postgraduate training (both MA and PhD) at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, under the supervision of Prof. Craig Hall. He is a regular presenter at international conferences and has published numerous research articles focusing on his two main areas of expertise: mental skills (specifically, self-talk and imagery) and group dynamics (e.g., team cohesion and leadership) in both the sport and exercise domains.

James guest-edited the first special edition of a journal devoted to Self-talk in Sport (in The Sport Psychologist) and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology as well as an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. His research has been funded by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), UK Sport, ESRC, and City Football Services (aka Manchester City FC). James also coaches men's gymnastics (MAG).

View Professor James Hardy’s profile

Course Content

What will you study on this course?

Guided by the adage that there is nothing as practical as a good theory, you will focus on relevant theories and research-based literature to develop your understanding of the following topics:

Basic and advanced psychological skills
Psychological skills packages
Intervention effectiveness
Goal setting
Self-talk
Imagery

What will you learn?

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

Critical understanding and application of the contemporary mental skills literature
Devise an effective and justifiable psychological skills intervention programme
Apply psychological skills training to an appropriate intervention

How will you be assessed?

The assessment uses two linked case-style, intervention-oriented assignments:

A 2-page practical “how to” (end-user facing) pamphlet or infographic; and
A 10-minute (marker-facing) presentation explaining the justification for part (1).

The pamphlet accounts for 30% of your module mark, and the presentation accounts for 60%.

You will also complete a short, supportive online quiz that assesses your ability to draw out applied implications from empirical findings. This accounts for 10% of your module mark.

Your award and further study options

On successful completion of this micro-credential, including the required assessment, you will receive a standalone micro-credential award from ��ý worth 10 credits at Level 7. It recognises your achievement in this course but is not, by itself, a full higher education qualification, such as a degree, diploma or postgraduate certificate.

An academic transcript will be available once your results are confirmed. It will detail the micro-credential completed, the credits awarded and the level of study.

Take your learning further

The credits you earn through this micro-credential may be recognised towards Performance Psychology MSc, subject to the programme’s admission requirements.

For more information, contact the Programme or Course Lead. You can also find guidance in ��ý’s Regulations for Taught Programmes.

Other micro-credentials in this series:

Course Cost

The total fee for this micro-credential starting in 2027-28 is still to be confirmed for UK residents and international students.

Please see our Postgraduate Fees and Finances page for further information about tuition fees and payment methods and plans.

Entry Requirements

We welcome applications from graduates and experienced professionals.

You should normally have one of the following:

an undergraduate honours degree at 2.2 or above, or an equivalent qualification; or
at least three years’ relevant work experience, alternative professional qualifications, or a combination of both.
Relevant experience may include work as an athlete, coach, professional musician, business or finance executive, or another professional role within a high-performance environment.

If you’re applying through professional experience, we’ll consider your application individually, taking account of your experience and any recent study or professional development that demonstrates readiness for Level 7 study.

The course is delivered in English. Applicants who do not speak English or Welsh as their first language must provide evidence of English-language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0, with no individual component below 5.5.

Application

Before you apply

Please prepare the following information in a Word document:

current employment details;
relevant professional experience and employment history; and
details of your highest qualification.

You will also need:

a copy of an official academic transcript for your qualification. If this document is not in English, you will need to include an official, certified English translation;
the name of any employer or organisation funding your study, where applicable.

How to apply

Please read and follow this application guide. It includes important information to help you complete your application for this course.

To apply for this course, create an account in the ��ý Applicant Portal. You will need access to the email address you use so that you can confirm your account.

After creating an account, you will see an application homepage containing the following sections:

Personal Details;
Programme;
Additional Information;
Contact Details;
Education History;
Employment History;
Language; and
Finance.

Complete each section and save as you go. A tick will appear when a section is complete. You can return to your application at any time using a link that will be emailed to you.

Once you have completed all sections, submit your application.

Available Programmes:
Select ��ྱ��ٲ��Գ��-��𲹰��Ծ��Բ�”, then type in “N�ҳҰ�/�ʳ��”
The full course title should show "NGGT NG Psych Skills Training" – select this course.
Click “Save and Continue”
Select the start date: September (2027/28 Academic year)
Click “Save and Continue”
Supporting Documents:
You do not need to write a personal statement to apply for this course. Instead, in the “Personal Statement” field, please upload the Word document you prepared, which details your current employment, professional experience and employment history, and your highest qualification.
Click “Save and Continue”

Please provide details of your highest qualification and upload the supporting documents.

Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click “I have no employment history”, as you have already provided this information in the Word document.

If you are paying the course fee yourself

Select ��ٱ��-�ڳܲԻ徱�Բ�” and complete the relevant finance questions.

If a sponsor (for example, your employer, an NHS organisation or another funding body) is paying all or part of your course fee

Select ��ٱ�ǲԲ��ǰ��” and enter:

the sponsor’s full legal name
whether the sponsor is paying all or part of the fee, and
the exact amount they have agreed to pay, in GBP

Please upload written confirmation from the sponsor. This can be a letter, a completed form or a copy of an email and must include:

your full name
the title of the course or module
the sponsor’s full legal name and postal address
the exact amount the sponsor has agreed to pay
the email address to which the invoice should be sent
the name and email address of a contact who can answer any queries, and
a purchase order number, if required by the sponsor. This can be marked “To follow” if the sponsor only issues a purchase order after receiving an invoice.

If your sponsorship has not yet been confirmed

You do not need to wait for a funding decision before submitting your application. Please answer the finance questions based on your circumstances at the time of applying.

If your sponsorship is confirmed after you have applied, please complete your registration, including the identity check. Once you have registered, email the written confirmation and invoicing information listed above to studentcompliance@bangor.ac.uk. Include your ��ý student number and the title of the course or module.

If you have arranged for a third party to pay Fees on your behalf, you will remain responsible to pay us the Fees in the event that the third party fails to do so when those Fees become due. If a refund is payable under this Contract, we may be required to make any refund directly to the third party who paid the Fees on your behalf.

If the sponsor is paying only part of the course fee, you will be responsible for the remaining balance.

Does your sponsor need to set ��ý up as a supplier?

Some sponsors need to register ��ý as a supplier before they can issue a purchase order. If this applies, ask your sponsor’s finance or procurement team to contact remittance@bangor.ac.uk as early as possible. They can request official bank details or send any supplier forms that ��ý needs to complete.

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