Sports Coaching

Why choose this course?

• 2nd in the East of England for Sports Science (2023 Complete University Guide)
• Master the art and science of sport practice and pedagogy
• Opportunity to access coaching awards

If you love sport and want to focus on coaching, this is the course for you. The course has a strong emphasis on practical coaching experiences being applied to the sporting area of your choice. 

Our sports coaching degree gives you the opportunity to explore coaching theory, research and practice. You'll focus on contemporary areas of sports coaching study, including coach education, learning and practical skills. You'll also develop your own specialised coaching knowledge, attributes and abilities through a wide range of theoretical and hands-on experiences. Throughout, we'll encourage you to shape your own professional development journey and achieve the appropriate vocational coaching qualifications to take your career in the direction you want. We'll also emphasise the importance of developing your academic and research strengths, improving your confidence, credibility and critical writing skills. 

You might be thinking about becoming a high-performance coach, a PE teacher, a performance analyst or coach within your local community, or you could be considering starting your own business. Work experience opportunities are integrated into the programme. So whatever career you decide to pursue, work-related experience combined with academic study and a focus on communication skills will enhance your prospects.  

The University also works closely together with national and international researchers, coaches and athletes, who engage with our facilities and workforce.

Benefit from our specialist sports facilities  

You'll have access to some of the best University sports facilities in the UK. You'll benefit from our brand new multi-million-pound Institute of Sport Building based at the De-Havilland campus and will be able to join our on-campus Sports Village. Facilities include a 25-metre swimming pool, a 12m high climbing wall and a 110+ station gym. The gym has both strength and cardio equipment, such as rowing machines, cable stations and a free weights area. Facilities also include match-quality courts, sports halls and new generation astro pitches and so much more. There is also a smaller 24-hour gym on the College Lane campus.  

Whether you're interested in sport on a competitive or casual level, there is something for you. There are opportunities for students to take part, compete and represent the University in a wide variety of sports. We are also one of the few universities with an Active Students and programme. This means we offer free sports and exercise sessions to all our students and staff. This is something you can tap into as a participant or possibly also as a facilitator.  

What's the course about?

In your first year, you'll learn the foundations of sports coaching, aspects related to physical activity and sports development and begin to understand more about the wider sports industry. You'll also learn about national and international sports business management and sports within a global world. To help you settle into University life, you'll take a module focused on developing the academic skills you need to be a successful student.  

Your second year builds on what you learnt in the first year. You'll study applied sports coaching, leadership and management of sports events and global perspectives of sports development. The module on research methods helps you to understand the principles and methods that underpin coaching-based research. You'll be able to use this to critique and understand the research done in the areas of sports coaching. It will also come in handy for your final year dissertation. In addition, we also offer optional modules for you to choose from such as process and practice in high-performance sport, sports ethics, and facilities and funding.   

Work placement/study abroad option*: Between your second and final year, you'll have the option to study abroad or complete a work placement for up to a year. Not only will this give you an amazing experience to talk about, but it will also give your CV a boost. If you would rather go straight to your final year, that's fine too. You can decide in your second year with us, so there is still plenty of time to think about this.  

In your final year, you'll be able to develop your research skills in sports coaching through our research dissertation module and focus on a work experience dissertation within the field of sports coaching. You'll get a personal supervisor to support you with the research and/or work experience dissertation. Here, you'll design and undertake your own project on a topic relevant to your area of study, and more importantly it will be aligned to a coaching area that interests you. You'll also be able to study other modules in the final year, and learn in more depth about advanced sports coaching, enterprise and entrepreneurship, and the behaviour change for physical activity. 

*Depending on the COVID-19 guidelines and developments.  

Applying for this course is easy. Simply add us to your UCAS account by using the institution and course code mentioned in 'Key information'. There is no interview for this course. We're just interested to hear why you want to study this subject at degree level. 

 For a full list of modules, see the section under 'What will I study?'   

One of your campuses is de Havilland 

You'll share this campus with students from business, law, sport, education, and humanities subjects. The student housing is close to our Sports Village which includes a gym, swimming pool and climbing wall. You can get breakfast, lunch, or dinner in our on-campus restaurant or bar (in the newly built Enterprise Hub) on days you don't feel like cooking. You can also use the common room to play pool, video games or just to hang out with friends. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.

One of your campuses is College Lane

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you'll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.

Tawajihiya with 70% or above. High School Diploma with a minimum overall average of 3.0, 2 Advanced Placement (AP) with a minimum score of 3.0

Apply via UCAS

All applications for undergraduate university degree courses are made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Typically, they must submit their application to UCAS by 15 January deadline to give them the best possible chance of securing a place at their preferred university. For further details, look up the key UCAS dates so you are aware of what you have to do when.

They can choose up to 5 courses to apply for. These can be at one university or spread across different institutions. The same application is used for the 5 choices so selecting similar topics will make it easier to write a focused submission.

Completing the UCAS application

If you have questions on how to apply, you can talk to staff during a university open day visit.

The UCAS application is made online. Information required include:

1. personal details and information about support requirements.
2. background details.
3. course and university choices.
4. education and qualifications overview.
5. employment details and experience.
6. personal statement.