FDSc Sports Coaching

Why study this subject?

Sports coaches play such a vital role in the mental health, wellbeing and performance of professional athletes and teams, and good coaches are the backbone to every successful player and athlete in any sport. If you want to improve and guide others through barriers, rehabilitate players and more you can study the science behind what makes a successful coach and gain the insight, skills and experience to do just that.

Becoming a professional sports coach can see you working anywhere from schools, colleges and local sports clubs to professional teams with elite athletes and sports people at the top of their game. 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, it’s important to be prepared to deliver the best results to those you coach.

What will I study on this course?

This course will develop you into a sports coach, and as a coach your role extends beyond physical activities to the realm of education, counselling and mentoring. We will develop your knowledge of sports coaching with concepts from sport science, psychology, pedagogy and sociology. The course has a strong vocational focus, so you will be able relate the theory we teach in the classroom to the practice work you are undertaking both in work and in current competition. 

Our course focuses on the contextual and operational challenges facing the sport industry to develop you into a coach who engages with individuals, communities and organisations to promote opportunities, develop athletes, and contribute to the betterment of people’s lives through sport. It will help you to grow networks to organise and run sport events and you will learn how to create, implement and evaluate important policy related to health, wellbeing, and social inclusion.

Coaching is an interesting and unique profession like no other and if you are interested in coaching or even just sports science in general, we encourage you to apply. Whether you simply want to learn more about the subject, are already working in sports or you have a specific plan you are working on, we can help you find the right mix of practical teaching and the correct theory to help you reach the next step of your journey with confidence. In addition the knowledge you gain here will help you gain a top up year to achieve a degree at BSc or BA level. 

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

When you graduate from Buckinghamshire New University, you will have gained a qualification that demonstrates the skills you have learned and how they could be applied in the workplace. Our course is focused on 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 physiology, psychology and biomechanics of coaching from lecturers who have been involved in the world of coaching and elite sport.

Our programme is more than just academic, you can get sports or work experience throughout the course either with your current role or through a performance pathway or organizations such as Sport for Kids. At BNU we also have great links with sports organizations – for example, we’re a Swim England National Performance Centre.

This course also sets you up perfectly to go onto a top up degree and progress into a full undergraduate honour after an additional one year of study. The programme offers you an opportunity to combine academic study with workplace learning and gain experience in sports participation and competition.

What facilities can I use?

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?

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. While there is a variation of assessment activity at all levels, it is predominantly based on coursework and practical assessments and, where possible, is designed to mirror ‘real world’ coaching, sport development, or physical education activities.

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.