International endorsement of sport strength and conditioning internship at LJMU

The International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association has recognised LJMU for the quality of its Performance Sport Internship Scheme focused on strength and conditioning.

The internship gives students at undergraduate level 6 and postgraduate level 7 study from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences the opportunity to expand their knowledge and enhance their learning.

Through the internship students support the delivery of strength and conditioning activities to the universities sports teams in their British University and Colleges Sport Tournaments (BUCS), with the delivery of LJMU’s Sport Scholarship Scheme which aids talented, upcoming athletes to study and pursue competitive sport simultaneously, and with externally contracted athletes. Students undertake weekly workshops and extra learning, which supports their development and future employability.

The International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing excellence in sports performance and exercise science worldwide. It is the only dedicated international accreditation body for strength and conditioning within the higher education sector and has endorsed LJMU for its commitment to delivering a robust curriculum that meets IUSCA’s rigorous standards.

LJMU’s internship scheme was recognised for its strong theoretical foundation, extensive practical experience and alignment with industry standards, particularly in preparing students for real-world challenges in strength and conditioning. The IUSCA endorsement certifies that LJMU’s programme meets high criteria in scientific accuracy, technical delivery, and practical application, positioning its students at the forefront of strength and conditioning education.

All students who complete the internship can now get fee-free membership to IUSCA, including access to continuous professional development (CPD) videos, discounted annual conference attendance and the opportunity to undertake short training courses.

Conor Heeney, Performance Sport Science Co-ordinator at the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and in charge of the strength and conditioning internships, said: “I’m delighted that IUSCA has recognised the quality and excellence of our internship scheme here at LJMU. Access to this further professional accreditation enhances the opportunities available to our students. We’ve also revised and mapped out our internship curriculum to meet the IUSCA certifications making our students eligible for a severely reduced Level 2 and Level 4 Strength and Conditioning Instruction Certification automatically.”

The internship scheme allows students to have a comprehensive theoretical and applied strength and conditioning experience which aids their progression from an employability perspective, but also supports the delivery of key sports science provision at the university.

All fundamental strength and conditioning topics are covered across a 24-week curriculum to upskill the students.

Conor added: “We even bring in previous interns who are now practitioners working in elite sport to provide real world examples of the content we teach in practice. There are now previous strength and conditioning internship alumni working across all levels of elite sport including with the UK Institute of Sport, Premier League, Women’s Super League, Rugby Super League and a whole host of other international sports.”

Study with the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences

Discover the range of courses available to study with the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at LJMU.

Performance Sport Internships

Find out more about LJMU’s Performance Sport Internships in strength and conditioning as well as sports nutrition.