Introduction: 

The Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), in conjunction with the Welsh Rugby Union and Ospreys Community Department, is offering an MSc by Research scholarship as part of the Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship (KESS) programme. This scholarship is available in the area of psychological considerations in youth sport.

About the project:

This is an exciting opportunity for an exceptionally organised and motivated individual to aid in a research project to explore changes in retention rates from junior to senior rugby union in the Ospreys rugby region.

The project will develop a holistic model to explain the changes in retention rates from junior to senior rugby, compare perceptions of participation motives across the main stakeholder groups, and recommend a potential strategy to increase retention rates.

The successful candidate will be based in the Ospreys Community Rugby Department and have the opportunity to undertake Community Rugby activities as part of the scholarship.

KESS aims to widen access to postgraduate study and encourage high calibre graduates to work on a range of collaborative research projects with small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) located in the Convergence Area of Wales.

These scholarships are part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Government.

Course start date: 1st October 2013

Course length: Full-time for 12 months (Thesis must be submitted within 6 months of the funded study period ending).

Candidate eligibility: Due to funding restrictions the sucessful applicant must be a UK/EU categorized student.

You must be resident in the Convergence Area of Wales throughout the period of study and be permitted to work in the Convergence Area upon completion of the scholarship.

Higher Skills Wales provides a map of the Convergence Area of Wales.

Academic criteria: You should hold or expect to achieve a minimum of a 2.1 UK honours degree (or equivalent) or above, or a postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline.

You should have an understanding of qualitative research methods, and a level of community rugby union development/coaching experience.

Studentship value: The one-year scholarship will cover the full UK/EU tuition fees, as well as a generous £10,130 student living costs award (tax free).

An additional budget for travel, equipment, consumables and training to support your research is also available

Further information:

You can find further information about A-STEM at www.swansea.ac.uk/sportsscience/research

You can find further information about the KESS programme at www.higherskillswales.co.uk/kess

The application closing date is 19th July 2013.