Programme Plan for European Master in Physical Activity and Health (2026–2028)

All applicants must meet the requirements etasblished in regulation 1 December 2005 no. 1392 on requirements for a master's degree.

• General admission requirements (GSK) to higher education in Norway (international applicants are exempt from the Norwegian language requirement)
• Bachelor degree (180 ECTS or more)
• Minimum 90 ECTS within sport sciences
• A grade average of "C" or higher (translated into the Norwegian grading scale) in the admission criteria (180 ECTS)

Specialization requirements:

• Minimum 30 ECTS in the field of physical activity and health related courses. Examples are:

  • Exercise in medicine
  • Health Promotion in Physical Activity
  • Health communication
  • Measurement methods for physical activity and physical fitness
  • Exercise physiology
  • Exercise in practice

Please note that changes in the admission requirements can occur prior to Februar 1 in the admission year.

Rules for ranking applicants

You are ranked on the basis of all your grades in the admission criteria. If you have more than 180 ECTS, the grades that give you the best score are taken into account. Grades from subjects that cover the specialization requirements are always counted.

Applicants with the highest grade point average are offered admission. If two or more applicants have the same number of points, a lottery is used to determine who is ranked first.

The candidate:

Knowledge

• Has advanced knowledge within the academic field and specialized insight in the field of health and physical activity
• Has thorough knowledge of the scholarly or artistic theories and methods in the field health and physical activity
• Can analyse academic problems on the basis of the history, traditions, distinctive character and place in society in the field health and physical activity

Skills

• Can analyse and deal critically with various sources of information and use them to structure and formulate scholarly arguments in the field of health and physical activity
• Can analyse existing theories, methods and interpretations in the field and work independently on practical and theoretical problems in the field of health and physical activity
• Can carry out an independent, limited research or development project under supervision and in accordance with applicable norms for research ethics in the field of health and physical activity

General competence

• Can analyse relevant academic, professional and research ethical problems
• Can apply his/her field based knowledge and skills in new areas in order to carry out advanced assignments and projects
• Can communicate extensive independent work and masters language and terminology of the academic field
• Can communicate about academic issues, analyses and conclusions in the field, both with specialists and the general public

Learning activities are organized in 15 ECTS intensive teaching modules (3 weeks each). The 4 modules of the first year will take place in Rome, at the University of Rome Foro Italico.

Norwegian students are obliged to earn 60 ECTS at their home institution presently organized in the second year including

• MA450 Assessment of physical activity and health 15 ECTS
• MA531 Psychology of Exercise and Physical Activity 10 ECTS
• SPM120 Performance-enhancement and anti-doping in Sport 5 ECTS
• MA546 Master thesis 30 ECTS.

At the end of the program a double degree will be released, in compliance with partner Universities, enrolment and ECTS requirements.

Teaching methods/forms of study

Lectures, seminars, practical workshops student presentations and written assignments. The teaching staff will have international scientific qualifications in core fields. The ambition is to engage students in the organization, execution and assessment of various educationalsequences.

Thesis Supervision

Each student should have appointed a Supervisor. The supervisor will be one of the many Faculty members at NIH who has formally joined the Program and substantively contributed to its teaching and formative objectives or another faculty member in the field. The Supervisor can also be a partner institution expert entrusted by a Faculty member in agreement with the Program Coordinator. In the latter case, the student will need to have a person at NIH as co-advisor/contact person. Specific guidelines for the master thesis process will be given.