The BSc (Hons) Sport Coaching has been developed in partnership with sports governing bodies (SGBs), sporting organisations and individual coaches to ensure that you develop the knowledge, skills and hands-on practical experience to become a professional coach.
Sport coaches work with people to develop their sporting talent. They cover everything from helping people new to a sport to gain the skills and confidence they need to participate, to working with elite clubs to develop teamwork work together as a single unit to achieve shared goals.
There is a strong emphasis on placement learning and developing the practical skills relevant to the modern sports, health and fitness industries. Excellent industry links provide work-based learning opportunities and offer links to attainment of coaching qualifications.
The School of Science and Sport has an enthusiastic and committed staff team that provides a supportive learning environment and a flexible approach to study. Sport Coaching is offered at our new state-of-the-art Lanarkshire Campus from September 2018.
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. Our BSc Sport Coaching students have completed successful exchanges with universities in the USA, France, Spain and Sweden.
There is a strong emphasis on placement learning and developing the practical coaching skills. We have excellent links with a number of clubs and organisations, including St Mirren Football Club, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture Trust and the Scottish Football Association, which provide work-based learning opportunities and offer you the opportunity to pick up professional coaching qualifications. We also encourage you to identify organisations that you are interested in working with.
of BSc Sport Coaching students are satisfied with the quality of the course
of BSc Sport Coaching 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.
Science subjects: Geography, Maths, Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Modern Studies.
(Applicant Interview may be required)
(Applicant Interview may be required)
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)
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 professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council, 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:
The UWS BSc Sport Coaching provides a broad understanding of the principles and application of sport science. 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 a basic understanding of sport coaching, sport development and sport and exercise science. You will also learn about general academic skills and sport development.
In year 2 you will develop your understanding of specific areas of sport coaching and skill acquisition. You will receive training from industry partners ahead of their first placement.
In year 3 you will begin to specialise in sport coaching, putting theory into practice. Options include biomechanics, strength and conditioning and psychology. You will take part in your second placement with an industry partner and learn research skills that will prepare you for your Honours year.
In year 4 you will consolidate the theory you have gained with sport-related modules including contemporary issues in sport coaching. You will also complete a dissertation of your choice.
This degree will be taught through a combination of learning methods including tutor-led lectures, tutorials and seminars, practical workshops 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 Sport Coaching degree uses a variety of assessment methods. The below list provides a guide to the types of assessment methods you can expect:
This course also gives you the option of taking a language module, which can count towards your degree. These modules cover multiple languages and range from absolute beginner to near-native speaker level. The cost of your language module is included in the tuition fees. Find out more
Find out more about the structure, learning outcomes, compulsory and optional modules in this course.
Employment prospects for BSc Sport Coaching graduates are excellent. UWS graduates are currently working with local authorities, sports clubs, sports governing bodies, sport centres and health promotion initiatives. Graduates also work for sports governing bodies including coaching delivery and sport development. Many graduates have found employment as active schools co-ordinators, sport development officers, PE teachers and as outdoor education instructors.
Graduates will be able to progress onto the MSc Sport Coaching and well as some postgraduate research programmes (subject to availability).
UWS Sport Coaching graduate, Eric Horsburgh, has secured a top soccer coaching job in Canada.
Eric, 23, who graduated in 2016 from the University’s Hamilton Campus has immigrated to Canada and has taken-up the post of Head Coach of the Northwest Academy Centres for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Before moving to Canada in 2017, Eric volunteered as a coach at the Scottish Football Association and whilst at UWS, as part of his fourth year dissertation, worked as a football analyst for Motherwell FC’s U17 academy team.
Read more on Eric's success£1,820 cost per year of study (paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS*)
£9,250 Cost per year of study for four years but not more than £27,750
£9,250 Cost per year of study for four years but not more than £27,750
£10,600 per year of study
£305 per module (20 credits)
£1,550 per module (20 credits)
£1,550 per module (20 credits)
£2,100 per module (20 credits)
The cost of attending university is an investment in your future career.
In addition to tuition fees and living expenses, some courses involve extra costs like study materials, field trips, equipment and uniforms.
Fortunately, there is a great deal of financial support available to help students meet the cost of their study. This ranges from:
The sections below provide details of additional costs that your course may involve along with any financial support that may be available.
You can also find additional information in our Undergraduate Money, Fees & Funding section.
Students on certain degrees will incur some additional costs not covered by their tuition fees. These could be for things like specialist equipment, study materials, work placements, graduation, membership of relevant organisations or costs related to carrying out fieldwork.
For students on course with an element of fieldwork, there may also be extra costs for travel and accommodation.
Please contact the course leader for details of the additional costs associated with this course.
Tuition fees are calculated based on where you are from and what you are studying. Some courses also involve additional costs, such as mandatory field trips, equipment or studying abroad.
Find out how much it will cost you to study at UWS as an undergraduate student.
Scottish students studying at undergraduate level at UWS are entitled to various funds and support towards tuition fees and living costs.
English, Welsh and Northern Irish students studying at undergraduate level at UWS are entitled to various funds and support towards tuition fees and living costs.
EU students studying at undergraduate level of UWS may be eligible for SAAS funding, as well as support to meet the costs of childcare and various sources of additional funding.
There are several scholarship and incentive schemes available to international students studying at undergraduate level at UWS, as well as support to meet the costs of childcare and various sources of additional funding.
UWS administer a range of discretionary and childcare funds. These are designed to support students who are experiencing financial difficulty or struggling to meet the costs of childcare.
Becoming a student can have an impact on your entitlement to certain benefits. It may mean you are no longer eligible to claim a benefit you have been receiving, or your new income from student funding may affect the amount you are able to receive.
If there isn’t a statutory source of funding for you or your course, or you are in need of additional financial support, you may wish to consider more alternative sources of funding such as trust funds and scholarships.
Choosing to become a student can have a big impact on your budget and you may need to reassess your spending to account for a reduced income. We’ve put together some guidance to help you manage your money and make the right financial choices for you and your family.
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 2019/20 entry is 15 January 2019, 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 2019, 18:00 (UK time). 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!
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