Sport Coaching and Development
Award
BSc (Hons)
Duration & study mode
4 years full-time
School
Health & Life Sciences
Location
Ayr
Ucas code
C621
Course starting dates
-
Ayr: September
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Find your place at UWS in 2024
Prepare for employment in the sports coaching and development industries with UWS’s BSc (Hons) Sport Coaching & Development.
This programme has been developed in consultation with sports industry partners to provide the knowledge and skills sought after by employers. The applied nature of this degree leaves you well-equipped to work in the promotion and development of sports, or in the teaching and coaching of sport.
UWS offers opportunities for our students to study abroad via our exchange programmes.
Study abroad is extremely beneficial to personal and professional development and research has shown that worldwide employers value graduates with intercultural awareness and global competences.
There is a strong emphasis on placement learning and developing the practical skills relevant to the modern sports coaching and development industries. Excellent industry links provide work-based learning opportunities and offer links to attainment of coaching qualifications. Students have undertaken placements with a wide range of sports coaching and development organisations in Ayrshire and beyond through our partnerships with local authorities, sports governing bodies, schools and professional and community clubs.
Our professional development modules also focus on the development of individual and transferrable skills preparing students for the workplace.
UWS have worked with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to achieve endorsement against industry professional standards for its undergraduate degree programmes in sport.
UWS joined CIMSPA as a higher education partner in June 2022 to further enhance students' employability. This programme has been endorsed against several professional standards:
of students agreed staff are good at explaining things (NSS 2023)
of BSc Sport Development students are in work or study 6 months after completing their degree
We welcome Scottish, UK and international students and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience.
If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.
For Life Science and Sport degrees, unless stated otherwise, suitable science subjects include: Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Psychology, Sociology, and Geography, Modern Studies (Sports Coaching will also accept Politics as a Science).
* for more information on standard and minimum entry requirements, see our Undgergraduate Entry Requirements webpage
Successful applicants who gain a place on this course will need to register on the PVG Scheme, managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. An application form will be sent from the University once you have accepted your offer. The fee for joining the scheme is £59.
Visit the Disclosure Scotland website for more information on the PVG scheme.
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.
General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)
Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see section below for more details).
SOCIAL WORK DEGREES
For our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
All stated English tests are acceptable for admission for both home/EU and international students for this programme:
For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to, or require professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, applicants are required to have an IELTS or Occupational English Test (OET)*.
For such courses, the IELTS score is as follows:
* Note that the Occupational English Test (OET) will now be accepted in addition to IELTS as proof of a Nurse's English Language Competence (Nursing & Midwifery Council, 2019).
For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science programmes, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
TOEFL IBT*: 78; no sub-test less than:
* Please note that TOEFL is still acceptable for admission to this programme for both home/EU and international students.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use TOEFL to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level courses. We therefore still accept TOEFL tests taken in the last two years for admission to this programme.
West African Senior School Certificate of Education (WASSCE) including acceptance of WAEC Scratchcard*
*UWS will accept a WAEC scratchcard confirming that an applicant has achieved C6 or above as evidence of meeting English language requirement from Nigeria if the student graduated within the last 5 years. After 5 years applicants would be required to provide the WAEC Certificate.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:
“There are genuinely too many highlights to mention – I had the opportunity to gain vital experience from peers and experts in the field which helps me on a daily basis.”
Scott Frew, BA (Hons) Sports Coaching & Development graduate, now PE Teacher at Auchinleck Academy
The Sports Coaching and Development course was developed in consultation with national sport organisations, national governing bodies, national and local sport industry personnel and expert coaches. This consultation process has resulted in a course that gives students many employment opportunities upon graduation. In years 3 and 4 students will have the opportunity to tailor their learning to their interests and career options, and complete a dissertation in their own area of interest.
In Year 1 you will develop an understanding of the Fundamental skills and knowledge required within the sports industry including physiology, anatomy, psychology, coaching, development, health and fitness. You will also learn about general academic skills, embedding these skills within your studies and develop your personal and professional skills.
Year 2 will introduce you to core areas including coaching theory and practice, physical education, policy, psychological and sociological aspects of sport and exercise. You will also undertake your first professional development module including your first placement within an area of the sports industry relevant to you.
Year 3 provides the opportunity to continue to engage in your key areas of interest and your career path within the second of your professional development and placement modules. Understanding of contemporary issues in sport and exercise through coaching, physical activity, health and physical education will be enhanced through the application of theory and practice whilst also introducing you to key research methods.
In Year 4 you will consolidate your understanding of theory and practice within modules whilst also tailoring your studies to focus on your career path and preparation for graduation. Topics include Global issues in sport development, coaching, adapted and inclusive sport and physical activity, outdoor sport, physical education, and applied sport psychology. You will also complete a dissertation in an area of interest to you with the support of your supervisor.
This degree will be taught through a combination of learning methods including tutorials and seminars, workshops, practical sessions and exercises in a simulated work environment, small group teaching and group project work. Independent, online and peer-to-peer learning is an important element of this course.
Our BSc (Hons) Sport Coaching & Development degree uses a variety of assessment methods to ensure authentic experiences of skills and tasks relevant to the sports industry. These may include assessments such as:
£1,820 cost per year of study (usually paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS*)
£9,250 Cost per year of study, but not more than £27,750
£9,250 Cost per year of study, but not more than £27,750
£18,000 per year of study
£305 per module (20 credits)
£1,550 per module (20 credits)
£1,550 per module (20 credits)
£3,000 per module (20 credits)
This programme will prepare you for a successful career in sport coaching and development. You could potentially pursue a career in the following areas:
Many graduates have gone on to complete postgraduate study, including Masters programmes and postgraduate diplomas in order to become qualified as Physical Education teachers.
UWS has partnered with the Scottish Volleyball Association to provide students industry-relevant coaching and development experience.
The partnership, which will initially take place at the University’s Ayr Campus within this programme, will provide students with an insight into the workings of a national governing body in sport, and provide real and relevant industry work experience.
Scottish Volleyball Association staff will work closely with the students across a range of modules, giving them the opportunity to progress along the coaching pathway. As well as a host of coaching qualifications, students will also have access to work experience in community club and national team coaching settings. Teaching staff at UWS will also work with Scottish Volleyball Development Officers to provide continuous professional development opportunities for coaches and volunteers.
All UK and EU applicants for undergraduate study, not applying through an agent or partner, should apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)
The on-time application deadline for 2024/25 entry is 31 January 2024, 18:00 (UK time). For some courses it may still be possible to apply beyond this period, subject to suitable vacancies remaining. The final deadline for late applications via UCAS is 30 June 2024. Beyond this deadline, you may be able to apply via ‘UCAS Clearing’ if the course you are interested in has remaining places.
Please refer to our Undergraduate Application Guide for domestic & EU/EEA to find more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS.
Students from non-EU/non-EEA countries can apply directly to UWS via our dedicated online application system. The latest we can process your application is 6 weeks before the course start date to allow for visa processing times. For more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS please refer to our International Undergraduate Application Guide.
For part-time & online study, you should apply directly to the University through our online application system, not through UCAS. Please select the part-time mode of study when submitting your application. Before you begin your application, it is important to read the part-time application step-by-step guide for a smooth process.
To come to UWS as a visiting student on a study abroad or exchange programme, you must apply entirely through our online system.
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!
We will always try to make sure that we publish accurate course information but we do not accept responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We will also try to make sure that we deliver our courses in line with our published information. However, we may not always be able to do so and you can find further information about this in our enrolment terms and conditions.