M.Sc. in Human Movement Sciences
Amsterdam, Netherlands
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 3 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* non-EU/EEA students: April 1 | EU/EAA students: June 1
** EU students: €2.695 per year | non-EU students: €34.440 per year
Key Summary
How to break a speed record on a bike at an altitude of 1400 meters? How can you help people with impaired motor functioning?
From the latest developments in sports training to new approaches to rehabilitation, this Master’s program provides state-of-the-art insights into the ways in which human performance can be enhanced. From biomechanics to psychology. From exercise physiology to neurorehabilitation. And from muscle function to motor development.
The one-year master’s program provides ample possibilities for customization of your personal program so that you can create a profile that fits your interests. You can chose between four different tracks: Rehabilitation, Biophysics in Sport, Sport and Performance Psychology, and High-Performance Coaching.
VU Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences is ranked No.6 in the world on the Shanghai Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.
Summer School
Apply to VU Amsterdam Summer School and develop your academic skills in a focused and inspiring study abroad experience.
Human movement is a key issue in today’s society. Freedom of movement determines the quality of life – from cell to organ and from organ to the entire body. However, freedom of movement cannot always be taken for granted, as is the case in patients whose movements are limited due to diseases and/or conditions. But also among healthy individuals such as children, the elderly, athletes, and working people, there is a need to optimize movement.
Human movement is essential to develop resilience and prevent diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. On the other end, knowledge of human movement is essential to enhance athletic performance. In both cases, a high level of multi-disciplinary expertise is required to be effective in this field. This is reflected in the four master tracks rehabilitation, biophysics of sport, sport psychology, and high performance.
The mission of the one-year Master’s program ‘Human Movement Sciences: Sport, Exercise, and Health' is to offer students a critical, sensitive, and contextualized perspective on human movement. This means that students are taught to formulate and solve both theoretical and practical research questions.
We assume that the academic development of our students flourishes best within an informal setting with ample contact between students and easily approachable staff, internally described as an ‘open door atmosphere’. Despite the increasing student numbers, efforts are being made to keep up a high level of student‐staff interaction, particularly in the master research project.
Which specialization do you choose?
Find out what the different possibilities are within the master's program in Human Movement Sciences.
- Biophysics in Sport
- Rehabilitation
- Sport and Performance Psychology
- High Performance
- Docentenopleiding Bewegingswetenschappen
Structure of the program
The Master's programme comprises 60 EC. The study load of each Master's course is 3 or 6 EC, whereas that of the research internship is 24 EC. If you wish to further attune the program to your individual interests, you can include external courses, an extension of your internship, a practical internship, or a literature study.
This university offers some form of financial aid to prospective students. Please always check the specific requirements and restrictions on scholarship availability.
The degree qualifies you as a scientist with career opportunities in applied research or in vocational education.
After successfully completing the Human Movement Sciences master's program, there are plenty of career opportunities ahead of you, for example in a role as a researcher at a rehabilitation center or a sports institute. Some of our graduates work as embedded scientists or as exercise physiologists. But you can also work in vocational education in the field of sports or health care or as a scientist at a (top) sports association.
What can you do after your Master's degree?
Start your career
With a Master’s degree in Human Movement Sciences under your belt, you have a fundamental understanding of how we move and how to translate multidisciplinary scientific knowledge to applications in sports and healthcare practice.
In addition, you have well-developed communication and research skills, making you broadly employable.
You can start your career in applied research at a rehabilitation center or sports institution, or in vocational education in sports or healthcare. But also as an embedded scientist, exercise physiologist, or knowledge broker.
Join the LinkedIn group Human Movement Sciences VU University to stay updated about vacancies relevant for graduated Human Movement Scientists.
Postdoctoral Specialisations
Sport psychologist
With the Sport Psychology track, you meet the entry requirements for the postgraduate program to Practical Sports Psychologist. This program takes approximately one year and leads to accreditation by the ‘Vereniging voor SportPsychologie in Nederland’ as ‘Praktijksportpsycholoog®’.
Exercise specialist
In combination with clinical experience, the Master’s degree also provides a good entry-level to obtain an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologists®.
For more information about our (upcoming) open days and webinars please visit us
Each year we organise an online session for aspiring Master's students that covers all you need to know about the application process and beyond. This year, the International Master's webinar will take place on Tuesday 15 October at 16:00 (CET).
During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to:
- Discover what it is like to study at VU Amsterdam;
- Learn everything you need to know about the admission and application process;
- Get the latest insights on scholarship opportunities;
- Hear first-hand experiences from one of our current international students about being a student in the Netherlands' dynamic capital city.
You can watch the webinar here: https://vu.nl/en/education/more-about/vu-webinar-master