BA (Hons) Sports Coaching with Performance Sport
- Study Mode: Full Time
- Location: High Wycombe
- Duration: Three or Four Years
- Start Date: September 2024
Do you want to be a world class coach or an inspiring mentor? Our sports coaching with performance sport degree programme is the perfect start to a range of career opportunities in any sport or sport performance related profession.
Do what you love to do every day and use your skills to nurture potential, help athletes reach the top of the scoreboard and plan for high performance sport.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
Studying this course, you’ll have the opportunity to look in depth at athlete development and performance analysis while spending time in our state-of-the-art Human Performance Laboratory.
You’ll be given the opportunity to gain externally recognised coaching qualifications in a variety of sports as well as gain work experience within local schools, colleges, sports clubs and societies, subject to a successful DBS check.
We always encourage you to get as much industry experience as possible. Our links with industry partners will enable you to seek volunteering and paid work opportunities. This, along with our practical approach to teaching our course content, will give you a deeper understanding of the professional environment and type of career that awaits you beyond graduation.
We also pride ourselves on the amazing opportunities we offer our students to start forming their own networks within industry. Not only will you have access to first-hand accounts from those in the professional world while you study but you’ll also make priceless connections for when the time comes to apply to your first job.
We work with some incredible partners like the National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey which is home to several governing bodies in sport, Leap (County Sports Partnership), Stoke Mandeville Hospital (the famous birthplace of the Paralympics), Reading Women’s Football Club and the National League basketball team, London United, to name just a few.
We also have a fantastic and lively student community for you to join, Our Students' Union offers a way to get involved in free societies, trips, social events, sports competitions and guest visits. We are only 45 minutes from London so perfect if you are planning to commute from home.
Our specialisms
We believe in giving you the freedom to make your career your own. That's why we introduce you to various different subjects in your first year, and then allow you to choose a course after you've got a taste of them all, if your goals change. You can stay on BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching with Performance Sport or choose between BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching with Business, BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching with Community Health and Physical Activity, and BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching with Physical Education.
These specialisms are also offered as four-year programmes, including an initial Foundation Year. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme and are available if you didn't meet the entry requirements.
What will I study?
This course introduces you to performance sport and includes a special focus on scientific research and various techniques employed in the improvement of physical performance. It is designed to open doors to postgraduate study in sports performance careers in elite sports coaching or other support roles. If you would like to work in data analyst roles, we offer our performance analysis module to help you interpret in-depth data points and master this aspect of analysis reporting.
By studying this programme at BNU, you will be given the opportunity to gain externally recognised coaching qualifications in a variety of sports as well as gain work experience within local schools, colleges, sports clubs, and other community sport organisations, subject to a successful DBS check.
Our sport coaching with performance sport course shares its first year with the other sport courses. This means we can introduce you to various courses at the start, and if you want to study a different course you can choose to switch to another sport coaching course after your first year.
What facilities can I use?
Our Human Performance, Exercise and Wellbeing Centre includes our Human Performance Lab (HPL) and our Sports and Wellbeing Clinic.
Equipped for assessing the function and performance of a wide range of human physiological, biomechanical and psychological parameters, the HPL gives you the tools you need to understand how research can help local communities become more engaged in physical activity and sport.
Learn to use cutting-edge research tools for sport, exercise and therapy, which will empower you to understand the skills required for a range of sport related roles. Our facilities include an indoor three-lane running track, incorporating 3D motion-capture technology as well as advanced body and performance measurement devices.
With the knowledge you need to enhance athletes’ performance through improved technique and assist with injury prevention and rehabilitation, we will give you a key understanding of what an athlete in the field expects in their training regime, recovery and competition phases.
We also have our Gateway gym, on our High Wycombe Campus, where you can benefit from great student rates. You’ll be able to get personalised help and advice from gym trainers, use a range of fitness equipment and choose from a wide range of exercise classes.
How will I be taught and assessed?
Our programme combines a theoretical and practical approach to teaching to meet your learning objectives. You will learn how to engage with the sports coaching industry in a variety of capacities at both the elite and grass-roots levels.
Assessments are a mix of coursework, including essays and reports, and practical and authentic modes of showing your knowledge, including presentations, portfolios, team projects, lab practical’s, and the production and delivery of coaching plans.
Some of the ways you will be assessed include:
- essays
- reports
- case study analysis
- presentations
- reflective writing and portfolios
- team projects
- lab sessions
- production and delivery of coaching plans
Why study this subject?
You could be teaching or mentoring young people, inspiring people to engage in physical activity or polishing the performance of top-level athletes. Our sports coaching programme at BNU is unique to us and offers you the chance to gain exciting career opportunities both locally and nationally.
We make full use of combined industry and academic knowledge and the experience of our dedicated staff and partnerships within the public and private sectors to give you a cutting-edge and future-proof learning experience.
What are the course entry requirements?
A typical offer will require a UCAS tariff score of: 88 - 112 (Full-time) or 32 - 56 (Foundation Year)
UCAS points can be obtained through qualifications such as A levels, T levels, BTEC or an Access to Higher Education course in a relevant subject. Please list all your qualifications on the application form as you will be asked to provide copies when we receive your application.
A minimum of two full A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.
For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for the three-year undergraduate programme, or those who do not feel fully prepared for a degree course, can apply for a four-year programme including a Foundation Year; find out more.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
This course has Opportunity modules.
Opportunity modules are a key part of the BNU curriculum. You’ll choose modules in your first year from a broad selection in areas such as sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity, digital skills, personal growth, civic engagement, health & wellbeing and employment. Opportunity modules are designed to enable you to develop outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline and help you to further stand out from the crowd to future employers. Find out more.
You must choose 2 x 10 credit Level 4 Opportunity modules from the Opportunity module catalogue.
What are the tuition fees
Home
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Home, Academic Year 2024 - 2025: £9,250 per year
International
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Overseas/International, Academic Year 2024 - 2025: £15,150 per year
What are my career prospects?
Many of our graduates go on to have careers as a PE Teacher, work in education or sports coaching and contribute greatly to society using the skills they gained on this course. Some students also enter community work or pursue other sports-related careers after graduation, and your career prospects are exciting.
Our degree will help prepare you for a range of career possibilities, such as:
- community sports coaching
- performance sports coaching
- PE teaching
- sports development
- sports management and administration
You can also choose to study for a postgraduate course, such as our MSc Sports Performance. In addition, our programme is structured in such a way that you will gain core skills that are transferable to a wide range of different teaching careers, giving you the confidence to succeed in whatever career you pursue.
Course leader
