Careers in High-Performance Sport
Graduates of Penn State’s Master of Professional Studies in High Performance Sport program are prepared to work within modern performance environments.
Sport organizations increasingly rely on interdisciplinary performance teams to support athlete performance. These teams require professionals who can analyze data, collaborate across disciplines, and apply sience in real-world settings.
This program equips students with the skills, experience, and professional portfolio needed to succeed across collegiate, professional, and private-sector high-performance settings.
What is a Career in High Performance Sport?
Careers in high-performance sport focus on improving athlete performance while supporting their health and long-term development. These roles exist across sport science, strength and conditioning, performance analytics, psychology, nutrition, and injury management, and are done within integrated teams, where decisions are informed by data, experience, and collaboration.
Career Pathways
Program graduates are prepared for roles in high-performance sport and human performance, including:
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Return-To-Play Specialist
- Performance Analyst
- Sport Psychologist*
- Sport Nutritionist*
- Sport Scientist
- Sport Coach
- Director of Player Development
- High Performance Director
*Requires additional certification and licensure
Where Graduates Work
Graduates of the MPS in High Performance Sport are prepared for careers in:
- Collegiate and professional sports organizations
- National governing bodies
- Private performance training facilities
- Sport science and analytics teams
- Rehabilitation and return-to-play settings
- Sport technology and research firms
Skills Employers Are Looking For
Through coursework and the embedded internship experience, students develop in-demand skills, including:
- Designing evidence-based training and recovery program
- Working with athlete monitoring systems and performance data
- Interpreting and communicating data to coaches and staff
- Collaborating within interdisciplinary teams
- Making decisions in applied performance settings
These skills prepare graduates to step into high-performance roles with confidence and immediate impact.
Career Readiness Through Applied Practice
A key advantage of the program is the two-year embedded internship within Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics.
Students graduate with:
- Experience working in NCAA Division I athletics
- A professional portfolio built from applied work
- Experience operating within a performance team
This combination of education and applied experience prepares students to step into high-performance careers after graduation.
