Course

Sport and Exercise Psychology

Faculty
Science and Technology
Department
Sport Science
Course code
SPSC 2231
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Other
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
Fall
Winter

Overview

Course description
This course is an introduction to the field of applied sport and exercise psychology. Students apply mental skills and strategies to real world sport and exercise settings. They also use their developing knowledge of mental skills and strategies from the course to inform reflections and decisions about their mental strengths and areas to work on. Students devise a mental skills plan for their personal growth and enhanced performance in a sport and/or exercise setting.
Course content
  • Awareness in sport and exercise psychology
  • The environment and sport and exercise psychology
    • Positive reinforcement and feedback
    • Expectations and self-fulfilling prophecies
    • Communication in sport and exercise
    • Team cohesion and team building
    • Parents in sport
    • Motivation
  • Psychological characteristics of peak performance
    • Theoretical aspects
    • Research on peak performance in sport
    • Assessment of peak performance
  • Psychological skills, interventions and strategies
    • Goal setting
    • Arousal, emotion, performance relationship
    • Imagery
    • Cognitive strategies for building confidence
    • Concentration and attentional control
  • Implementing psychological skills training (PST) programs
    • Theoretical aspects
    • Research on PST program effectiveness
    • Season planning for PST
  • Additional topics in sport and exercise psychology
    • Clinical issues in sport and exercise psychology
    • Psychology of injury and rehabilitation 
    • Overtraining and burnout in sport
    • Career transitions in sport
    • Gender, diversity, and cultural considerations in sport and exercise psychology
Learning activities

In this course, students engage in a variety of learning activities such as lecture, group discussion, self-study from assigned materials, case studies, and practical activities such as discussion, collaboration in groups (in class and online), case analysis, and video observations. 

Means of assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Test(s)                              10-40%
Projects                            10-40%
Discussions                       0-30%
Quizzes                             0-25%
Journals                            10-30%
Participation & Check-Ins    0-20%
Final Exam                         0-40%

 

Total:                              100%

Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: 
  • identify and describe the mental skills required for optimal performance in sport and health outcomes;
  • develop and apply mental skills in personal and hypothetical situations guided by constructive feedback;
  • reflect on and apply theoretical and conceptual knowledge of sport and exercise psychology to personal lived experiences;
  • develop practical competence with regard to the application and delivery of mental skills training in sport and exercise psychology;
  • interpret, analyze, and evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement within the area of mental skills and sport and exercise psychology;
  • design a personal mental training plan based on a self-evaluation and personalized goal setting process.
Textbook materials
Will be decided by course instructors. Potential resources include:
Williams, J. M. (Editor) (2010). Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (6th ed.). 
Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:

Williams, J. M. & Krane, V. (Current Edition). Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance. McGraw-Hill.

Requisites

Prerequisites

None
SPSC 1164 recommended

 None

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution Transfer details for SPSC 2231
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX SOSC 2XX (3)
Camosun College (CAMO) CAMO PSYC 160 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU PSYC 2XXX (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG KINS 1150 (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU PSYC 3XX (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU PHED 2XXX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU HKIN 340 (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO HES_O 131 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV KIN_V 150 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV KIN_V 231 (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV KIN 266 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC EPHE 2XX (1.5)
Vancouver Community College (VCC) VCC PSYC 1XXX (3)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU KIN 262 (3)

Course Offerings

Fall 2026

CRN
33049
section details
CRN Days Instructor Status More details
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
0
Remaining seats:
35
On waitlist
0
Building
New Westminster - South Bldg.
Room
S1714
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
Section notes

Registration in this course provides registrants with a 'time conflict' error. This error can be disregarded for this course as it is due to a required room booking overlap.

CRN
33050
section details
CRN Days Instructor Status More details
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
0
Remaining seats:
35
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2310
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
10:20
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2312
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
10:20