FDSc Sports Coaching with Football Development and Performance

What will I study on this course?

This course will develop you as a coach with a focus on football development. We will develop your knowledge of the key aspects of sports coaching: physiological, psychological and biomechanical. The course has a strong vocational focus, you are encouraged to relate the theory we teach in the classroom to the practice work you are undertaking as part of your learning with Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. You study community football and the development of community initiatives through traditional classes and hands on experience.

Why study this subject?

Football plays such a vital role in supporting and inspiring communities through physical activity and a sense of belonging. Coaches are the backbone to every successful community football programme.

Working  with community football schemes can see you working anywhere from schools, colleges and community groups to performance academies and the next generation of professional players. Its an exciting and worthwhile career, and as a coach your role extends beyond physical activity to the realm of emotional and psychological support, education and mentoring.

With such a large responsibility, we think it’s important to take up higher education, so you feel prepared to deliver the best results to those you mentor.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University with Wycombe Wanderers?

When you graduate from Buckinghamshire New University, you will have left with a qualification that demonstrates the new skills you have gained and how you could apply them in the workplace. Our course is a big proponent of practical learning, so what you learn in the classroom can be seen working for you in real time.

Our course also allows you to really understand the theory behind the science and psychology of coaching from lecturers who have been involved in the world of coaching and elite sport.

Our programme is more than just academic, you will spend up to 20 hours each week learning hands on with wide range of projects with the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. In this work based learning you will be supported by experience coaches and mentors to ensure that fully benefit for the experience and make links to your theory classes.

This course also sets you up perfectly to go onto a top up degree and progress into a full undergraduate honours degree after an additional one year of study. 

What facilities can I use?

Although most of your teaching will be delivered at WWFC (Wycombe Wanderers football club), you will also be part of the university community and the campus in High Wycombe. While studying with us you can take advantage of our extensive sports facilities and activities. A wide range of sports and fitness classes take place in our large, versatile sports space on our High Wycombe Campus. Stretch and relax at Fitness Pilates, work your muscles with Reps and Sets, or squeeze in a quick H.I.I.T workout.

The sports hall has a sprung floor that reduces the impact on ankle, knee and hip joints, and the space can be split so that several activities can take place at once. Specialist matting is available for activities such as judo and cheerleading.

We offer a wide variety of sporting activities. The most popular are:

• basketball
• badminton
• martial arts
• indoor football
• table tennis
• netball

As well as all this you can take advantage of a competitive sporting environment as part of our Big Deal, which offers you a free space to take up sports while you study, meet new people and join a competitive team environment.

How will I be taught and assessed?

This is a two-year foundation degree perfect for you if you would like to work, in the football coaching sector. You will combine hands on experience under the guidance of tutors and mentors with traditional classroom learning in the purpose designed classroom at the football club and practical modules based in the Human Performance Lab at the High Wycombe campus.

Assessments could include something like designing, implementing and evaluating coaching programme’s and community initiatives, applying for funding, appraising policy, and reflecting on your practice.

All modules will include time for assessment preparation; feedback on all assessments will place emphasis on progression and not negative outcomes. We aim to provide some insight into what you can learn from your assessments to help you in your future career.