Sheffield Hallam announces fully-funded scholarships to improve sports industry diversity

5th May 2023

Sheffield Hallam University has partnered with the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) to develop a fully-funded scholarship for students from underrepresented groups who are interested in studying for a master’s degree in strength and conditioning

The scholarship aims to advance equity of opportunity and will enable exceptional individuals to have the opportunity to access postgraduate study, in addition to paid S&C work, to improve their chances of forging a successful career in the industry.

Sheffield Hallam’s MSc Strength and Conditioning Coaching course prepares individuals to for a career in strength and conditioning and challenges students to evaluate the physical elements of sport performance and health, implement tailored strength and conditioning and develop practical coaching skills through experiential learning.

The ED&I initiative sees all course fees for academic year 2023/2024 covered by the University’s Academy of Sport and Physical Activity and TASS, a government initiative funded by Sport England. Paid work experience as an S&C coach with Team Hallam, based at the University’s Collegiate Campus, will also be provided.

Sheffield Hallam is one of only four universities in the UK to offer a scholarship of this nature with TASS, which will run for two academic years.

This scholarship is suited to any individual from a culturally diverse background or who classifies as disabled and also meets the requirements of the MSc Strength and Conditioning Coaching course.

Those interested in learning more about the course are encouraged to attend Sheffield Hallam’s next postgraduate open day, on Wednesday 17 May, 4-7pm

Dr Steve Thompson, course leader for MSc Strength and Conditioning Coaching at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “We are extremely proud to have teamed up with TASS to offer this fully funded scholarship for an aspiring S&C coach from a culturally diverse background or with a disability. Higher education can present many barriers for all students, but these are often more apparent for those students with protected characteristics. This scholarship will go a long way to break some of these barriers and provide one student with a big leap into the S&C industry.”

Guy Taylor, National Director at TASS, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University on this ED&I initiative to provide further qualification and experience to an individual from a culturally diverse background. For TASS, this will be the first of many opportunities that we co-implement as we prioritise diversity within our service delivery network”.