Patricia Sheehan

The Department of Sport and Exercise Science at South East Technological University (SETU), Ireland, is offering a fully funded PhD position under the SETU 2025 Presidents Scholarship Programme. The project, titled "Men United: Football is Medicine," will implement the evidence-based FC Prostate (Football is Medicine) programme in Ireland for the first time, aiming to scale nationally and reach men across communities. This research focuses on developing a sustainable, scalable model of care that can be embedded within healthcare and community sport systems, with a strong emphasis on exercise oncology and men's health after prostate cancer. The PhD will involve the translation and implementation of a community-based football intervention, conducting a multi-site randomised controlled trial, and evaluating the potential for replication and national scale-up. The programme is championed by John O Shea, former Man Utd player and Assistant Head Coach of the Irish Men’s Football Team, highlighting the importance of teamwork, resilience, and community in supporting men's health and wellbeing. Eligibility requires a minimum 2.1 honours degree in Sport & Exercise Science, Physiotherapy, Public Health, Health Psychology, or a related field. The scholarship offers a €22,500 stipend per annum, €5,750 in fees per annum, and €3,000 for research costs per annum, making it a fully funded opportunity. The position is based at SETU, Waterford, Ireland, with a deadline for applications on April 22, 2026 at 4pm (Irish time). For more information and to apply, visit the official application link. This is an excellent opportunity for candidates interested in sports science, exercise oncology, public health, and community-based health interventions.