Football Coaching and Performance BSc

Develop your understanding of biomechanical and physiological theories, as well as your psychological skills.

Why choose BSc Football Coaching and Performance?

This course is for driven individuals with a passion for football coaching, who are looking to work in an elite environment, with player development and performance as the main focus of the programme. This course provides you with a well-rounded blend of knowledge and skills to complement your coaching, and improve individual and team player performance.

Being industry led by a professional football club with placement opportunities to enhance learning and employability, the Football Coaching and Performance BSc course combines practical coaching, underpinning theory, and work-based learning within football performance and coaching to allow you to explore a range of roles in a more advanced football coaching setting.

What you will gain

Not only will you gain knowledge and insight from active professionals but students will also achieve their FA Intro to Coaching Football, UEFA C licence and FA National Talent ID and Scouting in Football qualifications at no extra cost. These will put students in good stead for employment upon graduation.

Students will gain experience working in a range of elite settings through guaranteed practical work placements, also enhancing employment prospects.

All students receive free Watford FC kit and will have access to various networking opportunities with industry professionals.

You’ll graduate with scientific, technical, and practical skills in relation to football coaching and performance. The ability to identify and nurture talented players not just physically but mentally and emotionally and a range of experience and knowledge in working with the wider inter-disciplinary team in a professional football environment. This includes strong communication and interpersonal skills and proficient IT capabilities to support football development and coaching practice.

• Opportunities to gain cutting-edge industry experience
• World-class academic facilities, both at Middlesex University and at Watford FC Trust.
• Expert teaching from leading academics in their field
• The opportunity to complete your FA introduction to coaching, UEFA C licence and FA National Talent ID and Scouting qualifications at no extra cost
• The opportunity to network with industry professionals and enhance your employability.

What you will learn

You’ll study the full spectrum of football coaching theories and skills to influence performance from beginner through to UEFA C licence level and beyond. Throughout the course, you’ll explore how to identify and nurture talented players through performance analysis and sport science concepts. In addition, you will identify the principles of player welfare and the role of the coach in ensuring the health and wellbeing of players from grass-roots through to elite level.

Careers

How can the BSc Football Coaching and Performance support your career?

The range of careers open to Football Coaching and Performance graduates is vast. You could find yourself working in a range of exciting settings.

• Community and grassroots Football
• Private football coaching
• Professional Football Clubs or Academies
• Football Development Centre
• High Performance Sports
• Sport Science
• Health and fitness industry
• Personal training and fitness consultancy
• Weight management & Health promotion
• Personal fitness training
• Sports or physical activity development
• National Governing Bodies
• Teaching in schools or higher education institutions
• Career in sport research

Jobs – specific roles

• Performance Analyst
• Player development coach
• Academy Coach
• Grassroots or community coach
• Talent recruitment (ID and Scouting)
• Technical coach
• Football club manager
• Sport Scientist
• Safeguarding Manager
• Player Welfare officer
• PE Teacher, college lecturer or school games coach
• Community development officer

Careers – key companies

• Professional football club academies
• Community and non-league football clubs
• Club community organisations
• Other Professional sports teams
• University Sports Departments
• Teaching personnel
• Further and Higher Education institutions
• National governing bodies
• Masters and PhD studies.

Graduate job roles

Previous graduates have also found success as lifestyle coaches, sports managers, sports coaches, physical trainers, sports science technicians and sports development officers.

Further study?

This degree is also the ideal basis for specialising at the postgraduate level.

MDXworks

Our employability service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.

Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has put us in the top 20 UK universities for business leaders and entrepreneurs Business Money 2023 and a top 10 university for producing CEOs (Novuana, 2023).

MDXcelerator Student Start-Up Support

Want to be your own boss? You'll have the chance to pitch your business to gain mentoring and grants of up to £15,000.

Global network

You’ll study with students from 122 countries who'll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.

Work placement

Placements and work experience will give you excellent opportunities to gain hands-on and real-life experience. You'll complete a minimum of 50 hours of placement within Year 3 of your studies, but we always recommend you do more throughout your time with us and we will support you in doing so.

You'll receive help and support in identifying a suitable placement as well as with applications if required. Guaranteed placement opportunities exist within Watford FC CSE Trust including our player development centre, football education programmes community sessions and camps. Other placement opportunities are available at our local partner clubs and organisations as well as schools, colleges, university sports clubs, local sports development projects, charities and fitness centres.

Placements and internships greatly improve graduate employment prospects, and those who take part achieve excellent academic results through applying their learning in a professional setting.