How can you identify the top athletes of the future? How do you optimize athletic performance and prevent injuries? What influence does physical activity have on a child's development?
How do people use vision to control their actions?
The selective two-year Master's programme is meant for students
with a scientific fascination for sport. You will study sports
performance and physical activity from multiple perspectives, using
theories about cognition, psychology and physiology. This could be
sports on a recreational or an athlete level.
As a student of this selective programme, you will acquire an
advanced understanding of issues in the field of sport sciences,
both applied and fundamental. You will practice in measuring and
analyzing sports performance and gain familiarity with research
methods and advanced statistics. Also, you will learn to develop
optimal programmes to teach and train sport-related abilities and
skills.
The programme is concentrated around four research areas:
• Unique two year selective MSc Sport Sciences programme in the Netherlands • Comprehensive 2-year science-based program with a multidisciplinary approach to studying sport • Strong link between fundamental and applied research in sports settings • 100% English taught • Room for personal tracks with academic assignments and hands-on experience to match your interests, under expert supervision • Collaborate with staff and (PhD) students on your own research project • Develop scientific and
Other compulsory courses are:
In addition to the compulsory courses, you have a lot of freedom within the first year to choose your individual study programme (40 EC). You can select in
An overview of the MSc programme Sport Sciences can be found here.
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| 3D-Movement Analysis (5 EC) BWM176 | ||||
| Introduction to Sport Sciences (5 EC) BWM178 | ||||
| Mechanisms of motor function in ageing (5 EC, optional) BWM160 | ||||
| Motor Control (5 EC, optional) BWM137 | ||||
| Academic Assignment(s) (5 EC, optional) | ||||
| Introduction to teaching (mentor system) (5 EC, optional) BWM440 | ||||
| Master monitor (5 EC) BWMMO | ||||
| Advanced Statistics (5 EC) BWM136 | ||||
| Capita Selecta in Sport (5 EC) BWM179 | ||||
| Introduction to Dynamical Systems (5 EC, optional) BWM142 | ||||
| Physiology of Training and Exercise (5 EC, optional) BWM134 | ||||
| Clinical Mobility Lab (5 EC, optional) BWM148 | ||||
| Musculoskeletal modelling and biomechanics (5 EC, optional) BWM177 | ||||
| Perception and Action (5 EC, optional) BWM135 | ||||
| Sport and Talent (5 EC, optional) BWM139 | ||||
| Review article (10 EC) BWM172 | ||||
| Big data in Sport Sciences and Human Movement Sciences (5 EC) BWM146 | ||||
| Philosophy of Science and Ethics (5 EC) BWM143 | ||||
| Signal Acquisition and Analysis (5 EC, optional) BWM145 | ||||
| Semesters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoursesCourse Catalog > | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b |
| Master Graduation Project (40 EC) | ||||
During the first year of the Master's programme in Sport Sciences, you follow specialization course units to gain a better understanding of the development, learning and optimisation of sport skills and sport performance.
Course 1: Introduction to Sport Sciences Course 2: Capita Selecta in Sport
Alongside the specialization, the first year includes three compulsory course units (3D Movement Analysis, Advanced Statistics and Philosophy of Science and Ethics) and a profiling part. In this part you can select course units that are offered by the department of Human Movement Sciences. Alternatively, you can select external course units or carry out an academic assignment, which could involve gaining teaching or applied research experience, doing consultancy work or writing a scientific article for publication. During your studies you are expected to work intensively with students and lecturers in various different ways. The main focus of the second year of the Master's programme is the master graduation project. You can do this internally, externally or abroad. In your research project you demonstrate that you are able to conduct scientific research in a specific field and that you are able to present your findings in a scientific article.
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) | |
| entry test |
video-assignment |
| (motivation-) letter |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Bewegingswetenschappen | University of Groningen | No additional requirements |
| Study programme | Organization | Transition |
|---|---|---|
| Bewegingswetenschappen | VU University Amsterdam | No additional requirements |
From 2024/2025, this Master's program has a selection procedure.
Information for students with a Dutch diploma Human Movement Sciences (RUG or VU)
1.
Apply via
Studielink
for the master Sport Sciences before March
1st, 2025
2. Upload the documents for
selection (selection file available after January 6
) before March 1st, 2025 in the
Brightspace course: Selection HMS and SpSc
3. No later than May 1st 2025 you
will receive information about your ranking
4. Accept your place before June 1st
2025. After this date the waiting list will be
updated.
5. Start with the master in
September 2025
Information for students with a Dutch relevant WO- bachelor degree
1.
Apply via
Studielink
for the master Sport Sciences before March
1, 2025
2. Upload documents for admission
(
admission
form
) AND selection
(available after January 6
) before March 1, 2025 in the Brightspace
course: Selection HMS and SpSc
3. No later than May 1st you will
receive information about whether or not you are directly eligible
for the master and your eventual ranking number
4. Accept your place before June
1st. After this date the waiting list will be updated.
5. Start with the master in
September 2025.
Questions: contact the study advisor via email
The application consists of two procedures: admission and selection. The admission-procedure is to determine whether or not you are eligible for the master. The outcome can either be: not eligible or directly eligible. All students who are eligible and want to start the master have to join the second step, the selection procedure.
Once it is determined that you are directly eligible, the selection procedure provides a ranking. For 2025/2026 the 25 students with the highest ranking will be selected.
Students with a bachelor Human Movement Sciences from the University of Groningen or the VU Amsterdam are directly eligible for the selection procedure.
For interested students with a HBO background, please contact the academic advisor for the latest update regarding admission. Probably there will not start a premaster program for the masters Human Movement Sciences and Sport Sciences in September 2025.| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 March 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 March 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 March 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| Specific requirements | More information |
|---|---|
| previous education |
Bachelor degree (Bachelor of Science) in Human Movement Sciences or a related field (e.g. sport sciences, kinesiology, sport and exercise sciences, etc.). Or education and experience on a comparable level. |
| language test |
see language requirements |
| Exam | Minimum score |
|---|---|
| C1 Advanced (formerly CAE) | C1 |
| IELTS overall band | 6.5 |
| IELTS listening | 6 |
| IELTS reading | 6 |
| IELTS writing | 6 |
| IELTS speaking | 6 |
| TOEFL internet based | 92 |
The master Sport Sciences is a selective master program. As a student with an international bachelor degree you have to follow the admission procedure AND the selection procedure. The documents for the admission procedure (qualification, academic transcripts, admission form and proof of English proficiency) needs to be uploaded in the Progress Portal. Documents for the selection procedure needs to be uploaded in the Brightspace course for the selection procedure.
Information for students with an international diploma
1. Apply via Studielink for the master Sport Sciences between October 1, 2024 and March 1, 2025
2. Upload the required documents for admission via the Progress Portal as soon as possible (and before March 1).
a document indicating the name of your qualification in the original language (for example Laurea, Ptychio, Sarjana, Bachelor, Licenciado, 学士 etc.), academic transcripts (if you have not graduated yet, please also provide us with all list of courses that are not yet on your transcript), admission form and proof of English proficiency
3. Provide the documents for the selection procedure (available after January 6 ) before March 1 via the Brightspace course for selection: Selection HMS and SpSc.
4. When admitted AND selected, no later than May 1st you will receive information about your ranking
5. Accept your place before June 1st. After this date the waiting list will be updated.
6. Once selected: You can start with the master in September 2025.
Questions: contact the study advisor
The application consists of two procedures: admission and selection. The admission-procedure is to determine whether or not you are eligible for the master. The outcome can either be: not eligible or directly eligible. All students who are eligible and want to start the master have to join the second step, the selection procedure.
Once it is determined that you are directly eligible, the selection procedure provides a ranking. For 2025/2026 the 25 students with the highest ranking will be selected.
Students with a bachelor Human Movement Sciences from the University of Groningen or the VU Amsterdam are directly eligible for the selection procedure.
For interested students with a HBO background, please contact the academic advisor for the latest update regarding admission. Probably there will not start a premaster program for the masters Human Movement Sciences and Sport Sciences in September 2025.| Type of student | Deadline | Start course |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch students | 01 March 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| EU/EEA students | 01 March 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
| non-EU/EEA students | 01 March 2026 | 01 September 2026 |
In a survey we held under graduates we see that 69% had applied for a job, and found one. 16% has chosen to do another master, 13% started with another programme and 3% made some other choise.
A Master's degree in Human Movement Sciences is the ticket to an exciting and challenging career. As a graduate, you will have developed a professional and academic attitude that will enable you to work independently and further develop in an area of human movement science. There are many opportunities in the field of movement, health, healthy ageing and lifestyle(s), rehabilitation, and sports. Potential careers include doing research at a university (PhD), in a hospital or in a company, teachi
Teacher/Lecturer of sport and exercise courses in Higher Education
Government employee dealing with sport, health, and welfare policies
Scientific advisor at sport associations or Olympic federation
Develop training and exercise programs for ergonomic, orthopaedic, or educational institutions
Embedded scientist for a professional sport team/club
Education and research are intensely connected at the department of Human Movement Sciences. PhD's, master and bachelor students work together in an academic learning community and inspiring environment, playing a pivotal role in our research success.
These are some examples of research questions within the master Sport Sciences:
Student research projects within this domain are conducted
within professional sports organizations such as NOC*NSF, sports
federations, TNO Sport and professional sports clubs.
Student research projects within this domain are usually conducted
on-site in nursing homes and/or geriatric wards of hospitals,
residential facilities for the elderly or individual homes. The
department of Human Movement Sciences also has great lab facilities
to conduct research. There is a large number of lab facilities
consisting of laboratories, equipment and software. In 2020, the
construction of a completely new Virtual Reality Lab has started.
In the coming years, this will be further developed into three
different Virtual Reality Laboratories, each with its own specific
character.
More info about our research can be found on the UMCG research website.
