Sports Cardiology

You should have or be expected to achieve, a minimum of a second class degree (2:2) in a life science subject. For healthcare graduates, a pass is required. All degrees must be awarded before 1^st August on the year of entry for September start, or 1^st December for January start.

It is highly desirable for applicants to have practical experience in a healthcare role.

Please note, we require all students to have a basic competency with the interpretation of the 12-lead ECG.

For individuals who do not have experience of ECG interpretation, cannot provide evidence, or wish to refresh their ECG skills, an ECG course offered by St George’s will be available close to the commencement of the main course (fees to be confirmed).

We may invite you to interview if are unable to make a decision directly from your application.

We accept equivalent qualifications gained in other countries and use to assess. Please see our International Student Support pages for more information. If you have any questions, you can contact us at study@sgul.ac.uk

For details on English Language requirements, please see here. This is a Group 2 course.

You will be asked to outline your reasons for applying for the course in a brief personal statement. This must be completed on the subject-specific personal statement form located on the ‘Apply’ tab. Please upload this when completing your application form. You will also need to provide two satisfactory references. See the ‘Apply’ tab for more information.

Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology

Lectures and tutorials delivered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday free for self-study. Available as distance learning.

This module will give you an appreciation of cardiac anatomy and cardiovascular physiology. You will study the basic principles of exercise physiology, the interaction between the cardiovascular and respiratory systems during exercise, and the impact of different sports and training regimes on the cardiovascular system. You will explore the long-term structural and functional adaptations of the cardiovascular system to exercise, and how these are influenced by different demographic factors. You will also appreciate the impact of exercising under extreme environmental conditions. This module will outline the health benefits of exercise in different populations (sedentary individuals, athletes, former athletes, individuals with cardiovascular risk factors, individuals with established cardiac or respiratory disease). It will also explore potential risks, as well as the notion of overtraining.

Principles of Cardiovascular Evaluation of Athletes

Lectures and tutorials delivered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday free for self-study. Available as distance learning.

This module will provide you with comprehensive knowledge relating to the principles of cardiovascular evaluation of athletic and non-athletic individuals with suspected cardiac disease. You will gain an in-depth understanding of how to differentiate between physiological adaptation to exercise and phenotypes of cardiac disease. You will explore the indications and interpretation of a number of investigative modalities, including 12-lead ECG, ECG monitor, signal-averaged ECG, exercise ECG and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography, cardiac MRI, CT coronary angiography and drug provocation testing. You will also gain an understanding of the value and challenges of genetic testing and potential implications for the athlete. Finally, you will gain an understanding of current recommendations relating to sport participation by individuals with inherited, congenital and acquired cardiac conditions.

Practice of Cardiovascular Evaluation of Athletes

This module requires one to two weeks of practical experience in our specialist clinics and case-based tutorials. You will also have the opportunity to review in excess of a hundred pre-recorded cases on-line.

This module will provide you with comprehensive practical experience of cardiovascular evaluation of athletic and non-athletic individuals with suspected cardiac disease. You will gain an in-depth understanding of how to evaluate athletes within different clinical scenarios and how to differentiate between physiological adaptation to exercise and phenotypes of cardiac disease. You will explore the indications and interpretation of a number of investigative modalities, including 12-lead ECG, ECG monitor, signal-averaged ECG, exercise ECG and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography, cardiac MRI, CT coronary angiography and drug provocation testing. You will also gain an understanding of the value and challenges of genetic testing and potential implications for the athlete. Finally, you will gain an understanding of current recommendations relating to sport participation by individuals with inherited, congenital and acquired cardiac conditions.

Principles of Cardiovascular Screening

Lectures and tutorials delivered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday free for self-study. Available as distance learning.

In this module you will gain an insight into conditions predisposing to sudden cardiac death in young athletes. You will explore the principles of pre-participation cardiovascular screening, as well as different perspectives and practices around the world. You will explore the potential benefits and risks of a widespread screening programme and its application in different populations. You will evaluate the advantages and limitations of different screening modalities. Finally, you will review the psychological impact of screening and the ethical and legal considerations associated with screening and with the disqualification of athletes with heart disease from competitive sport.

Practice of Cardiovascular Screening

This module requires attendance throughout your MSc studies at screenings performed around the UK with the charitable organisation Cardiac Risk in the Young. You will review in excess of 500 cases.

You will have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the cardiac screening of various populations, including elite athletes, amateur athletes, master athletes, schoolchildren who exercise and sedentary individuals. You will evaluate the advantages and limitations of different screening modalities and gain competencies in performing cardiovascular preparticipation screening in order to prevent acute cardiovascular events and potential worsening of cardiovascular disease. You will appreciate the logistical, financial, ethical and medicolegal challenges of organising a widespread screening programme. Finally, you will gain an appreciation of the psychological, ethical and legal considerations associated with the disqualification of athletes with heart disease from competitive sport.

Cardiac Rehabilitation of Athletes and Patients with Cardiac Disorders

Lectures and tutorials delivered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday free for self-study. Available as distance learning.

This module is designed to provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to organise, manage and deliver a Phase IV Cardiac Rehabilitation programme within a hospital or community setting. The module will provide a special focus on the rehabilitation of athletes or individuals with cardiac disorders who wish to return to exercise and work, learn to manage their condition, and deal with the activities of daily living. The module will be based on the European Guidelines for Cardiac Rehabilitation, which promote evidence-based practice for individuals who have had a known cardiac event. You will be equipped with knowledge of aspects of cardiac disease, be exposed to the multidisciplinary nature of effective cardiac rehabilitation services, and learn to modify rehabilitation programmes for athletes and older people with cardiac disease.

MSc research module

You will select an area of interest, develop a research question, identify an appropriate method to answer it, undertake a research project, and present your findings. You will be allocated a supervisor for your project who will contribute background knowledge on your subject and methodological expertise to support you. Although the primary supervisor will be from the faculty of the MSc to ensure quality and consistency, you will be able to choose a second supervisor outside from St George’s with appropriate research and clinical background.

Advanced Management and Genomics of Inherited Cardiac Conditions

Lectures and tutorials delivered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday free for self-study. Available as distance learning.

This module will provide you with a systematic approach to assessing complex, disease-specific, issues related to inherited cardiac conditions and formulating appropriate management plans. You will also gain insight into cardiac genetics and genomics, and will evaluate the role of genetic testing in the setting of an inherited cardiac conditions clinic and Sports Cardiology. You will assess the need for genetic testing, evaluate potential ethical, medicolegal and clinical implications, and gain insight into the interpretation of the results. 

Emergency Response Planning

Lectures and tutorials delivered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday free for self-study. Available as blended learning recorded lectures, but you are required to attend one sporting event with our MSc team or local to you.

In this module you will gain insight into the current state of safety measures in sport facilities around Europe, ranging from major football arenas to schools. You will critically appraise evidence supporting the use of automated external defibrillators. You will review current recommendations from scientific and sporting bodies regarding safety measures in sport arenas as well as outdoors competitions in city streets, open water and motor sports. You will have the opportunity to participate in small group sessions where organisers of large events (medical directors and team doctors) will provide you with first-hand experience of the challenges of ensuring the safety of athletes and spectators in such events. Finally, you will have the opportunity to participate in large events as part of the medical team, depending on your background and advanced life support accreditation.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics

This module aims to provide a framework for ethical understanding of medical genomics. You will be provided with a platform of ethical understanding from which to consider issues of human confidentiality, autonomy, disclosure, informed consent and natural justice.

Counselling Skills in Genomics

The aim of this module is to equip you with the knowledge, communication and counselling skills and appropriate attitudes and behaviours towards the diagnosis and management of patients whose care will be influenced by genomic investigations.

1. Select the application link for your chosen mode of study:

   • Sports Cardiology MSc (full time)

   • Sports Cardiology MSc (part time) — September intake

2. You will be asked to create an account.

3. Once you have created your account, you will then be able to complete an application form and upload any relevant documents. You will need to complete the Personal Statement Form below and upload it to the personal statement section of your application. You can save a partly completed form and return to it later. Please make sure you complete all sections, and that the information you provide is accurate.

4. Add pgadmissions@sgul.ac.uk to your address book to ensure you do not miss any important emails from us.

5. When you have checked that your application is complete and accurate, click ‘submit’.

You can track your application through your online account.

Please download and complete the personal statement form before uploading it to the ‘Personal Statement’ section of your online application. 

• Personal statement form (PDF)

You will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to complete this form. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.

When completing your application, you will be asked to provide contact details of two referees. Please ensure these details are accurate. As soon as you have submitted your application, your referees will be contacted by the university asking them to upload a reference to your online application.

One must be a recent academic reference. The other should be either a second academic reference or a professional/employer reference. They should cover your suitability for the course and your academic ability.

Your referees should know you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. We do not accept references from family, friends, partners, ex-partners or yourself.

We will send reminder emails to your referees but it is your responsibility to ensure that contact details are correct and referees are available to submit a reference. References should be uploaded within two weeks of making your application.