2026-2027 Graduate Catalog

Department website: https://www.uwgb.edu/sport-psych/

The master's program in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology at UW-Green Bay is designed to fulfill the needs of students who would like to have a master's degree as their final degree as well as those who would like to pursue a doctoral degree in the future. The program is housed in the Psychology Department, which has multiple faculty specialized in various areas: counseling psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, aging, school psychology, social psychology, health psychology, etc. Information and contact information for the SEPP faculty can be found on the SEPP Contact Us Page.

Here are the main features of the program:

• It has two tracks:
  • Applied: Prepares students to work in applied sport, exercise, and/or performance psychology careers, providing foundation courses and practicum opportunities to progress toward becoming Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC). (39 credit hours)
  • Course-based: Equips students with knowledge and skills in mental performance that can be applied to careers with performance-oriented individuals. Provides opportunity for foundation courses aligned with the Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) and individualized coursework in areas like coaching, leadership, and group facilitation. (39 credit hours)
• The program learning outcomes are in line with the knowledge areas and tasks identified by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) as central for competent work in SEPP.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Professional Ethics and Knowledge
   • Integrate their practice ethics and standards related to professional practice.
   • Demonstrate techniques to develop rapport with clients, to explain their professional roles, and to adjust expectations of clients.
   • Identify ethical and legal issues related to professional activities.
   • Apply strategies to evaluate and resolve ethical and legal dilemmas, as well as decision making in the professional practice.
2. Sport Psychology
   • Demonstrate understanding of theoretical foundation of the psychological processes that influence human performance in athletic settings.
   • Identify and apply psychological techniques and strategies to enhance performance in sport and other domains (e.g. performing arts, military).
   • Evaluate research in sport psychology and psychological factors related to performance and participation in sport and exercise settings.
   • Evaluate the needs of clients and plan interventions based on this evaluation.
   • Choose and apply sport psychology theories and research that best fit different performance and exercise psychology cases.
3. Sport Science
   • Define, distinguish, and assess physiological principles relevant to the effect of exercise on human functioning and performance.
   • Identify motor control processes and mechanisms underlying the learning and performance of motor skills.
   • Integrate sociocultural perspectives on sport (e.g., gender, race, economics, politics).
   • Explain historical foundations and philosophical questions related to the development of sport and physical activity programs.
4. Psychopathology
   • Identify and distinguish abnormal human behavior.
   • Assess clients for psychopathology.
   • Apply etiology of mental disorders in working with clients.
   • Identify and implement strategies that ameliorate psychopathology symptoms.
5. Helping Relationships
   • Demonstrate understanding of counseling theories.
   • Develop a professional philosophy based on their theoretical approach to working with performers and exercisers.
   • Implement skills to successfully interact with clients, such as listening, interviewing, assessment, and counseling/consulting skills.
   • Engage in supervised practice of sport, exercise, and performance psychology.
6. Research Methods and Statistics
   • Demonstrate understanding of research methods and design.
   • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of tests and measurements.
   • Execute and interpret basic and advanced data analyses.
   • Engage in ethical implementation of research and program evaluation.
7. Psychological Foundations of Behavior
   • Apply principles of theories of cognition and affect to influence behavior.
   • Assess the influences of social aspects (e.g., group processes, persuasion) on performance and well-being.
   • Utilize knowledge of theories of personality to assess individual differences and human lifespan development.
   • Apply concepts of positive psychology (e.g., mindfulness, flow, grit) to the improvement of performance and well-being.
8. Diversity and Culture
   • Demonstrate knowledge of conceptual frameworks for sociopolitical and cultural factors that impact human behavior.
   • Assess the dimensions of personal identity and individual differences (e.g., race, ethnicity, sexual orientation) and how they may influence the professional relationship.
   • Identify and implement intervention strategies for addressing the needs of individuals from unique racial/ethnic background, religious affiliations, gender identity, etc.
   • Integrate culturally competent approaches to consultation with performers and exercisers.
9. Communication, Psychological Literacy, and Technology Skills 
   • Interact effectively with others.
   • Write and present effectively for different purposes.
   • Provide evidence of psychological literacy.
   • Exhibit appropriate technological skills to improve communication and literacy.

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Admission Requirements 

Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply, although applicants with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be admitted provisionally. In such case, the student will need to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher during their first 9 credits in the program. While we may admit part-time students, priority will be given to full-time students.

The Office of Graduate Studies sets minimum standards for admission requirements to all graduate programs. Please consult this section of the catalog to review requirements for admission, including the official transcripts you must submit.

In addition to the minimum requirements, this program also requires the following:

• 3.0 GPA
• ​Statement of interest (max. 1000 words) answering the prompt: “Describe how you developed an interest in the field of SEPP, your professional goals in the field, and how your selected track in the UWGB SEPP program will help you get there.” Please be sure to indicate either Course-based Track or Applied Track as your selected track in the statement of interest.
• Two Recommendation Letters. One letter must be completed by a faculty member. If you are unable to request a letter be completed by a faculty member, please reach out to the SEPP Chair to discuss alternative options. References will be asked to speak to how long they have known the applicant and in what capacity; assess the applicant’s strengths and areas of improvement related to potential success in a graduate SEPP program; and provide any other relevant information they feel the admission panel should know. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that their references have completed and submitted the letter of recommendation by the application deadline.​
• Your resume should include experiences relevant to sport, exercise, performance, psychology, research, and other related activities.
• International students should consult the Office of Graduate Studies requirements for all international applicants in the front of the catalog.

Each applicant who submits a complete application and meets minimum requirements will be invited for a virtual interview with SEPP faculty so the SEPP faculty can learn more about applicants and their interests in the SEPP program, the selected track, and career aspirations. The interview is part of the application process to help determine best-fit track placements.

Deadlines

Review of completed applications will begin on the priority date of January 15th. Applications will continue to be reviewed if there are still available spots in the program up until August 14.

Degree Requirements 

• Students will complete 39 credits on either the Applied Track or the Course-based Track as listed below. Each track’s curriculum guide can also be found in the SEPP Handbook of students' catalog year. 
• In the last semester of the program, SEPP students will complete a program required culminating project that is embedded in a SEPP course (PSYCH 788 or 790) and is presented at an end of the year SEPP event (in May). These culminating projects are evaluated by SEPP faculty and must be approved by SEPP faculty as a degree requirement.

Applied Track Course List

Course-based Track Course List

Note: When offered and approved by faculty, students may have the opportunity to enroll in PSYCH 798: Independent Study. For degree requirements, students can enroll in up to three credits of PSYCH 798 during their time in the SEPP Program. Students may enroll in additional 798 credits beyond the three counted toward degree requirement credits, but these additional credits do not count toward degree requirements and may be considered overload credits if they are taken in a semester when a student is enrolled in more than nine credits.

Progress to Degree

1. The candidate applies to the Master of Science in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology (SEPP) program by completing all admissions requirements.  
2. The candidate is admitted to the Master of Science in SEPP program. 
3. The student fulfills the degree requirements for the SEPP program. 

   1. This includes one SEPP course in the summer between the first year and the second year. 

   2. This includes a program required culminating project and presentation to be completed in the last semester of the program.

4. The student is awarded a Master of Science in SEPP degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.