Applied Sport Psychology and Counseling, B.S.
Overview of Applied Sport Psychology and Counseling
Sport psychology and counseling is the use of psychological techniques to improve the performance, mental health, emotional health, and general well-being of performers so they can thrive. Performers and their educators stand to benefit from mental performance literacy ultimately because of its connection to mental health.
Students in the B.S. in Applied Sport Psychology and Counseling complete courses from psychology, social work, and physical education which provide critical foundational knowledge. Students build on this foundation in major courses in sport psychology and counseling.
While the B.S. in Applied Sport Psychology and Counseling is designed to facilitate matriculation into the Mental Performance Coaching concentration of the M.S. in Coaching Education, graduates might also be interested in pursuing Athletic Coaching concentration of the M.S. in Coaching, the Ed.S. in Counselor Education, or other related graduate programs. Program advisors will guide students to the graduate programs that best meet their professional goals. Students must apply for and meet criteria for any graduate level program they plan to complete.
Accelerated Bachelor/Masters and Senior Privilege
Students in the B.S. in Sport Psychology and Counseling who meet specific academic criteria are able to complete the Master of Science (M.S.) in Coaching Education with a concentration in Mental Performance Coaching in as few as 18 additional credit hours. This master's degree prepares students with a knowledge base for enhancing optimal performance, personal growth and wellbeing through the development of mental and emotional skills, attitudes, perspectives and strategies. Coursework in the M.S. in Coaching Education with a concentration in Mental Performance Coaching prepares students to sit for the Association of Applied Sport Psychology’s Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) certification exam.
Learning Outcomes
- Differentiate affordances and limitations of counseling and consulting paths in applied sports psychology
- Appraise theoretical foundations of psychological processes influencing human performance
- Evaluate the effectiveness of scientifically informed applied sport psychology interventions for enhancing performance and wellness in a variety of domains
- Appraise theoretical and scientifically informed principles of the psychology of physical activity
- Explain factors related to the trajectories of human development and their effects on performance
- Explain biomechanical foundations and motor control processes underlying learning movement skills and athletic performance
- Theories of psychopathology and etiology of mental disorders, recognize theories and assessments of psychopathology, and counseling strategies for ameliorating psychopathology
- Apply effective interviewing and communication techniques such questioning, paraphrasing, and reflecting, to establish rapport, trust, and safe and open communication with clients
- Describe a personal consultation model for working with student athletes, including effective consultation qualities, consultation processes, and a discussion of professional roles and boundaries and the purpose and function of documents.
- Interpret basic types of research methods and design (e.g., qualitative, quantitative), issues related to tests and measurement (e.g., reliability, validity), descriptive techniques, inferential statistics, and parametric procedures and ethical application of research methods and analyses
- Identify the biological, cognitive, affective, social, and individual factors that influence behavior
- Evaluate conceptual frameworks for sociopolitical and cultural factors that impact human behavior, dimensions of personal identity, and individual differences (e.g., race, ethnicity, sexual orientation) that influence the professional helping relationship, and intervention strategies for addressing needs of individuals from unique racial/ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations, gender identity, etc., and culturally-competent approaches to counseling and consultation
Entrance Requirements
University of South Carolina admission requirements and processes for freshmen, transfer students, and former students seeking readmission are managed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Admission criteria for transfer students are listed on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Current USC students may change their major to Applied Sport Psychology and Counseling provided they are in good standing have at least a 2.25 USC GPA.
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
Program of Study
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 1. Carolina Core | 31-45 |
| 2. College Requirements | 0 |
| 3. Program Requirement | 25-39 |
| 4. Major Requirements | 50 |
Founding Documents Requirement
All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers. This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective. Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.
1. Carolina Core Requirements (31-45 hours)
CMW - Effective, Engage and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)
must be passed with a grade of C or higher
- any two CC-CMW courses
ARP - Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-8 hours)
- any two CC-ARP courses
SCI - Scientific Literacy (7 hours)
- any two CC-SCI courses (one must include a lab)
GFL - Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language (0-6 hours)
To meet the GFL requirement, students in the BA in Special Education complete the Carolina Core approved courses in Foreign Language (GFL) or by achieving a score of 2 or better on a USC foreign language placement test.
GHS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours)
- any CC-GHS course
GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours)
AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)
- any CC-AIU course
CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-CMS course
INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-INF course
VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)
- any overlay or stand-alone CC-VSR course
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Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.
2. College Requirements (0 hours)
No college-required courses for this program.
3. Program Requirements (25-39 hours)
Supporting Courses (25 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOCY 101 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| PSYC 220 | Psychological Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 221 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| Select one course in exceptionalities from: | 3 | |
| Understanding the Foundations of Disability | ||
| Introduction to Exceptional Children | ||
| Select one social work course from below or another as approved by advisor. | 3 | |
| Social Welfare Policies and Programs | ||
| Social Work With Children, Youth, and Families | ||
| Gender, Race and Social Justice | ||
| Diversity and Social Justice in Contemporary Society | ||
| Theories for Understanding Individuals, Families, and Groups | ||
| Select 3 psychology courses from below or others as approved by advisor. | 9 | |
| Human Sexual Behavior | ||
| Psychology of Marriage | ||
| Psychology and the African-American Experience | ||
| Industrial Psychology | ||
| Applied Psychology | ||
| Survey of Learning and Memory | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Behavioral and Mental Disorders | ||
| Survey of Developmental Psychology | ||
| Survey of Social Psychology | ||
| Survey of Personality | ||
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Introduction to Neuroscience | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Survey of Clinical Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Drug Use and Effects | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Child Behavioral and Mental Disorders | ||
| Psychology of Child Development | ||
| Prevention of Psychological Problems in Children and Youth at Risk | ||
| Psychological Tests and Measurement | ||
| Selected Topics in Psychology | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 25 | |
Minor (0-18 hours) optional
A student may choose to complete a minor consisting of 18 credit hours of prescribed courses. The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or better.
Electives (0-14 hours)
The number of elective hours required depends upon the number of hours used to fulfill other degree requirements. Minimum degree requirements must equal 120 hours.
4. Major Requirements (50 hours)
A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses.
Physical Education and Coaching (20 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PEDU 190 | Introduction to the Description and Analysis of Human Movement | 2 |
| PEDU 275 | Functional Musculoskeletal Anatomy | 3 |
| PEDU 302 | Foundations of Coaching | 3 |
| PEDU 420 | Motor Learning in Physical Education | 3 |
| PEDU 515 | Physical Education for Inclusion | 3 |
| PEDU 520 | Observational Analysis of Sports Techniques and Tactics | 3 |
| PEDU 570 | Human Child/Adolescent Growth | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 20 | |
Sport Psychology and Counseling (30 hours)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDCE 340 | Counseling Through a Multicultural Lens: Understanding Self and Others | 3 |
| EDCE 350 | Interpersonal Communication Skills | 3 |
| EDCE 360 | Introduction to the Counseling Profession | 3 |
| EDCE 520 | Wellness and Mental Health | 3 |
| EXSC 410 | Psychology of Physical Activity | 3 |
| PSYC 380 | Sport Psychology | 3 |
| PEDU 511 | Effective Applied Sport and Performance Psychology | 3 |
| PEDU 516 | Diversity and Cultural Perspectives in Sport & Performance | 3 |
| PEDU 647 | Coaching Ethics, Law and Compliance 1 | 3 |
| PEDU 660 | Counseling Student Athletes 1 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
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PEDU 647 and PEDU 660 are required in the undergraduate major. Students who apply for and meet the requirements for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Masters Plan will receive credit toward both the BS in Sport Psychology and Counseling and the MS in Coaching Education for these two courses plus up to two additional courses. Students must seek permission and receive all required approvals before taking courses intended to count in both the bachelor and master's program. Students must also apply for and be admitted to any graduate program they plan to complete.
Major Map
A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.
Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.