Department -of Sport Science
The Department
The Department of Sports Science at Reykjavik University is composed of a unified and highly skilled team of scientists and educators. Actively engaging with students, the department prioritises collaborative partnerships with institutions and corporations to conduct field studies relevant to their areas of interest.
Students interested in pursuing a Sports Science degree in Iceland will find a dynamic academic environment at Reykjavik University. The department offers studies in Sports Science at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The undergraduate programme prepares students for a variety of careers in sports, fitness, and public health, while the graduate programmes provide advanced opportunities for those who wish to study sports science abroad.
At the master’s level, students can choose from three specialised tracks that lead to teaching qualifications, advanced coaching expertise, or management roles within the sports industry. The MSc Sports Science in Iceland also connects closely with elite athlete programs in Iceland, giving students direct exposure to high-performance training and applied research in real-world contexts.
Sponsored Master's Study Positions
Every year, a limited number of funded master's projects are made available, allowing students to collaborate directly with specific organisations and institutions.
Adapting Education for Elite Athletes
The Department of Sports Science is the first in Iceland to offer adaptive programmes and scholarships to elite athletes. Each semester, up to three scholarships are awarded to elite athletes.
Research
The department's research aims to improve understanding of topics such as the psychological elements of sports, concussions in team sports, and gender balance in sports and sports administration.
The Department has also researched deep-water running as a low-impact exercise option for persons with limited mobility due to injury or other factors.
Main Areas of Research
- Fitness of Elite Athletes
- Psychology of Elite Athletes
- Physical activity and overall health
- Concussion among athletes
- Deep-water running for athletes
- Equality in Sport
- Sleep and health
Research Centre
Open Lectures
The Department of Sport Science holds several open lectures and seminars during the academic year. These events are organised in partnership with well-known scholars and coaches from around the world, Icelandic sports associations, sports clubs, and other departments at RU to provide students with the opportunity to learn from top experts in addition to their studies.
Collaborations
Federations and Clubs
The Department of Sport Science collaborates with a variety of sports federations throughout Iceland, including:
- Icelandic Gymnastics Federation
- Icelandic Handball Federation
- Reykjavík Sports Association IBR
- Paralympic Sports Association
- Icelandic Football Association
- Icelandic Basketball Association
- National Judo Federation of Iceland
- The Golf Union of Iceland
- Badminton Association of Iceland
RU's collaborations allow students to work with national team players and other elite athletes. Through these collaborations, students can measure and monitor these athletes' physical and psychological conditions and performance. This experience is invaluable for students and allows them to conduct research in their field.
Students benefit from RU's collaborations, gaining valuable experience conducting research in their field.
International collaboration
The Department of Sport Science collaborates with various institutes worldwide at the forefront of research and education. Cooperation includes teacher-student exchanges and collaborative research.
Partnering institutions include Sport University Cologne (Germany), Halmstad University (Sweden), Molde University College (Norway), Thomas More University (Belgium), and Loughborough University (United Kingdom).
Digitalisation in the Coaching Process Across Nordic-Baltic Countries
During the last two years, Staff and Students alike in the sports science department have been participating in a project funded by Nordplus. The project's objectives were to explore the possibilities of helping sports coaches develop their skills with the help of distance learning.
Six students had the opportunity to travel to Lithuania and take part in a seminar there and exchange ideas with their peers from other Nordic countries.
Department Chair
Dr. Hafrún Kristjánsdóttir
Social Responsibility
The purpose of the Department is to generate current information that can be put to use immediately.
Significant work has been done to disseminate research findings on athletes' mental well-being.
At the same time, a thorough evaluation was conducted to evaluate the sporting environments for boys and men, as well as girls and women. The purpose is to reduce current imbalances in the workplace, emphasis, and organisation.
Additionally, the department has examined the environments provided to boys and men in sports on the one hand and to girls and women on the other to reduce the differences in work environments and organisational structures.
Teachers
Information for students
To obtain a master's degree from the Department of Sport Science, students must write and defend their thesis. The thesis should be submitted in English, and its size must be concordant with the credit assigned for the project.
A student in the Sports Science Department who wishes to change their course of study within the department must fill out a form and submit it to the department office (asagudny@ru.is).
Requests for course changes are reviewed at the curriculum council meeting and are processed at the beginning of each semester.
Grants
Assistant Teaching
Examination lessons are specially promoted, and MSc and BSc students in their third year are eligible to apply. The classes include a range of problem-based teaching tactics, including reviewing examples, focusing solely on homework, and assisting with practical assignments. Students with good academic records and an interest in working as teaching assistants are strongly encouraged to apply. For more information, don't hesitate to contact the department office.
Organisation
Department Chair
The head of the Department manages the Department and is responsible to the Dean for its operations and budget. The Chair selects instructors and other department personnel in the rector's name. He is in charge of the Department's daily operations and policy.
Councils and committees
The role of the Programme Council is to assess the equivalency of studies or courses completed at other schools, process requests for academic exemption, and supervise the examination of student applications.
Programme Council
- Ingi Þór Einarsson, chairman
- Ásrún Matthíasdóttir
- Hjalti Rúnar Oddsson
- Ása Guðný Ásgeirsdóttir Programme Administrator