Walk the walk: MSc students being applied physiology practitioners from the get-go

The Applied Physiology MSc degrees, Applied Sport Physiology and Applied Exercise Physiology are designed around four pillars: practitioner-focused, physiology skill-centred, science in practice and personal and professional development. A priority throughout the degree is to develop a blend of hard, technical skills alongside softer, interpersonal skills and the emotional intelligence essential to being an effective practitioner in the workplace. We have made a conscious effort to build a culture and impress a philosophy of students being practitioners as soon as they commence the degree. Through Belong at Brighton Induction events and an intensive two-week taught module ‘Skills for Physiological Assessment’ our MSc students are immersed into feeling like a practitioner.
This session as part of the Education and Student Experience Conference aims to share examples and experiences of practitioner-focused learning being implemented across different parts of the degree and that have translated to improved student identity and evidence of enhanced employability. The aspiration is that the session will provide a vehicle to share good practice from others who are in attendance and offer guiding principles for how to prioritise practitioner-focused learning and teaching approaches within our degrees.