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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
You will focus to a large extent on the social sciences with an emphasis on sociology, history, social psychology and philosophy.
During stage one, you will be introduced to the wide range of subjects encompassed by sports studies. During stages two and three, you will explore areas of exercise and health, sport, culture and technology in more depth. There is some choice of areas of study during these stages, allowing you to tailor your degree to suit future career aspirations. You will undertake a final-stage research project either in the form of a dissertation, or a project based on your work experience. You will also have the option to arrange and undertake a four to six-week work experience placement.
Key features
Areas of study include
The assessment type and loading will be dependent on the unit selections you make. You will experience a range of assessment methods including; written assignments, course files, presentations and examinations. These demand skills developed throughout the degree programme such as critical academic writing, collecting data, deconstruction and analysis of sport related issues.
You will be required to undertake a variety of group and individual based assessments. The assessments are designed to assess knowledge and understanding but also to demonstrate the range of transferable skills.
A great majority of the units include elements of individual and group work as this reflects the type of work undertaken in the sports industry. Assessments are based around tasks which develop vocational skills, underpinned by subject knowledge, requiring higher levels of critical thinking in the upper levels of the course.
Formative assessment will be used to provide feedback to you to support your progress and diagnostic assessment will be used to assess your knowledge and understanding and skills. Summative assessments for the majority of units include a combination of coursework and end of year examinations.
All coursework will have specific marking criteria. You will also receive grading criteria that are specific to each level of study. The specification will be issued to you well in advance of the deadline. All marked work will be returned to you with written feedback including advice on how you can improve the work in the future.
All coursework submitted would be subject to University of Bedfordshire procedures for the detection of plagiarism. Plagiarism is one of the academic offences and the University Regulations (2007-08, p.100) state Cheating, plagiarism, the fabrication of information and impersonation are academic offences and where allegations of such offences are made they will be investigated.
Annual monitoring of the outcomes of assessment for each unit will be completed and this will provide the opportunity for reflection on and the evaluation of assessment approaches and methods. You will have a voice in this process through the student feedback forms given to you at the end of each unit.
Assessments are divided into two or three assessments points for a 30-credit unit in line with the University of Bedfordshire Cre8 process requirements. Assessment approaches may vary depending upon the learning outcomes of the unit you are studying. You will, however, take a wide variety of assessment styles during the three year BA Sports Studies course including; written assignments, PowerPoint presentations, examinations, lab reports, case studies, ethnographic work, textural analysis, computer based tests, and groups based tasks.
Level 1: The assessment strategy is to assess your knowledge and understanding of basic theoretical concepts presented in the key units of the foundation year of your BA Sports Studies course. Phase tests will give you feedback of your progress early on in the first few weeks. Written assignments, group presentations and E learning tasks will feature in your first year of the course. For example; in the unit Sport and Physical Activity in Society you will be assessed on weekly reflective patch writing based on relevant articles. In Sport in Action you are required to keep a 6 week reflective training diary and then do some critical analysis on your findings. To ensure a level of rigour and to enable you to experience different assessment format there will be exams in most units at the end of the first year.
Level 2: You will be assessed on your development of skills that are directing you towards the goal of independent learning. Written assignments will feature however, the marking criteria will be more academically rigorous. Group presentations will require a greater level of professionalism in terms of ICT skills. There will be some practical based assessments, for example for Qualitative Research you will enter the field as a researcher and collect data through observation and interview. In the Management unit there are tasks that involve direct cooperation from Industry.
Level 3: At this level the strategy is to assess your ability as self-directed, independent critical learner. A variety of assessment approaches will be used including written assignments, examinations and groups or individual presentations will ensure academic and skill based rigour. Your final year dissertation will be an empirical research study. You will select an issue of interest and utilising your skills base developed over the three years (in line with Cre8) collect data in a real life Sports Studies setting and critically analyse your results.
Regulations for reassessment:
You have two opportunities to retrieve failure in any unit, a reassessment in the summer followed by repeating the unit in the next session as a part-time student. You can have reassessment attempts in all units in the summer. Repeat students must have at least 30 credits passed before they are allowed to repeat.
You have two opportunities to retrieve failure in any unit:
Drawing on the generic employability competencies and student employability profiles, the draft benchmark statements (QAA 2007) state that programmes of study that are orientated towards science ways of approaching the study of Sport should have a selection of learning outcomes, subject content and experiential learning that will reflect this. The BA Sport Studies course is designed in such a way as to facilitate the achievement of an appropriate selection of learning outcomes from three out of the four QAA study areas, along with the learning experience necessary to achieve the Unit-specific graduate outcomes.
Upon successful completion of this BA (Hons) Sports Studies course, you should be able to:
1. Critically evaluate and apply knowledge and understanding of sociological, psychological and management concepts which underpin the understanding of performance and participation in sport.
2. Display a critical insight into the organisations and structures responsible for sport and the political and educational ramifications arising from these.
3. Systematically and critically appraise information that underpins an understanding of participation and performance in sport.
4. Display a critical appreciation of the integration of variables involved in the delivery (teaching, instructing, managing or coaching) of sport.
5. Apply various qulaitiaive research methodologies and data collection techniques to create new knowledge(s) relating to sport.
6. Understand the need for both a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to the study of sport and where appropriate, be able to evaluate an issue or question from more than one perspective or discipline.
7. Take responsibility towards being an independent learner and for your continuing professional develop.
The course has been designed with due regard for the QAA benchmark statements for Unit 25 Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism.
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA 2007, 6.2) state Programmes of study are orientated towards science, studies or management-based ways of approaching the study of Sport and the selection of learning outcomes, subject content and experiential learning will reflect this. Programmes of study will be designed in such a way as to facilitate the achievement of an appropriate selection of learning outcomes.
QAA (2007, 6.4) benchmark statements (unit 25) state that Degrees incorporating the term Sport Studies will normally be expected to embrace two or more of the four study areas below along with the learning experience necessary to achieve the Unit-specific graduate outcomes:
Drawing on these benchmark statements for Sport (QAA 2007, 6.4) the BA (Hons) Sport Studies Course more than adequately provides students with a number of opportunities to experience learning which relates to the suggested benchmarks.
The BA (Hons) Sport Studies Degree course expects that typical graduates in this subject domain are able to achieve the appropriate learning outcomes identified below in Section3.
Sports Studies BA (Hons) is oriented towards the study of sport through the Social Sciences.
In line with QAA benchmarks for sport (2007, 6,4): the BA Sport degree course aims to address the following;
Through a focus on understanding participation and performance in sport, exercise and PE through the distinct disciplines of Sociology, Research, History, Philosophy, Psychology and Physiology and Sports Management. The course provides both a breadth and depth of study appropriate to the award. The selection of learning outcomes, subject content and experiential learning will reflect this. The BA (Hons) Sport Studies will be designed in such a way as to facilitate the achievement of an appropriate selection of learning outcomes. It is expected that typical graduates in the subject domain are able to achieve the appropriate learning outcomes identified below.
In addition to the general support supplied by the University in relation to e.g. disability advice, international student support, financial support etc., specific support for the course can be divided under two headings:
Academic / Programme Support:
In terms of academic issues in the programme, and specifically day to day issues the Sports Studies Course Leader will be the first point of contact. The Academic Director will provide advice on the following important areas:
This type of advice will be available throughout the year, and the Academic Director, alongside The Course Leader, personal tutor, or academic advice team would be the first points of contact as soon as any of the above becomes a problem.
However, if you have issues to do with a particular unit of the course, then the unit leader is likely to be the first point of contact, rather than the Academic Director. However, the Academic Director may need to be involved if the unit leader cannot answer your query.
P.A.D. (Professional and Academic Development)
It is not unusual for students to need some extra advice and guidance on developing their academic skills at some point during their studies. If you feel that you would benefit from some additional help with your studies why not contact P.A.D.
P.A.D. is available to all University of Bedfordshire students. If you are experiencing difficulties or if you simply want to develop particular skills and raise your grades, we are here to help and advise you how to do that.
Why contact P.A.D.?
P.A.D. can help you in a number of ways. They can advise and help you to improve:
Student Services:
If you have a more serious problem than can be dealt with by the Academic Director and certainly in the case of the issues below, then you will need to see a member of the Student Services team.
Student Services will provide independent and confidential advice if there are circumstances affecting handing in of assignments on time, sitting exams, attending University. Depending on the nature of the query, Student Services can advise a you or refer them to people who can help.
Student Services will see you if:
Team working is fundamental to not just the study of Sports Studies but it is a key skill to working in the industry. Throughout the course, you will be asked to work in groups of varying sizes and to consider the skills needed in order to operate effectively in this context. One of the most important elements of teamwork is an understanding of the level of dependency involved and the attendant responsibilities this implies for each individual member of the team. From very early in the course, you will be working in collaboration with others and issues of responsibility, trust and flexibility will be addressed as central to your academic and a professional development.
At each level of the BA Sports Studies degree, you will be required to work with others either in the preparation of a seminar, a group presentation or a reflection upon the work of others.
At Level I the tutors will structure group tasks.
As the course progresses through Levels 2 and 3 you will be given more independence in the development of group structures which suit the particular requirements of the task. You will be assessed, on occasions, as a member of a group, and at other times for your individual input to the group. You will also be asked to comment critically upon your own contribution to the group as a whole. Should you fail group-based assignments, unit leaders will ensure that reassessment briefs are congruent with units learning outcomes.
Where possible special arrangements will be put in place in order for those failing assignments to get an opportunity to attempt similar group-based assessments.
An initial session on career options will be offered in 'Alternate Curriculum Weeks' during Level I, to enable you to explore all the options available at the University to support your career choices right from the start.
At Level 2 you will be expected to enhance your career-related and employability skills through interactive exercises, group activities and individual reflection. These processes are often problematic and unnatural to students, differing to experiences in more traditional subject-based units. The focus falls on you to reflect on your own approaches, learning styles and skills; no textbook shows what works best for you, thus a degree of self-discovery is required and you should be in charge of the process. You will be encouraged to ask appropriate questions and increase the use of feedback.
By Level 3 you will also be encouraged to develop your critical thinking skills, coinciding with the transition to less tutor-led and greater peer- and self-feedback, and 'management of tutor' strategies (Lawrence 2007).
You will also be encouraged to contact I join associations and organisations with a view to developing Sports Studies experience on a voluntary basis, such as:
BUSA- British Universities Sports Association - www.busa.org.uk
BSC - UK Association of Sports- www,bases.org.uk
APSA- The Association for Professional Sports Agents - www,apsa.org.uk
UKSA - UK Sports Association For people with learning Disability - www.uksportsassocation.org.uk
Recent graduates from the course have progressed into successful careers as health promotion specialists, exercise development officers, fitness consultants and football coaches. Other career opportunities include jobs in sports development, sport marketing and sports-related product sales across a wide range of areas. Graduates with this degree are well placed to pursue postgraduate study.
Career:
This highly popular BA degree in Sports Studies aims to prepare you for employment in the expanding sport, health and recreation industry in both public and private sectors. With an established track record of employment or further study, our students pursue careers or work in many areas including:
Further study:
220 UCAS points with 180 from 2 A levels or equivalent
GCSE grade C or above in Maths and English Language or equivalent
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
Strategies adopted for learning and teaching in the BA Sports Studies reflect the diverse nature of the subject. Course delivery will use a combination of lectures and seminars, practical tasks, and independent student learning. The emphasis in the smaller seminars is on discussion and debate providing you with the opportunity to relate theoretical content to real life practical scenarios. Practical seminars will be used as appropriate (for example conducting interviews, role play) and you will be encouraged to work both individually and in groups to develop a thorough appreciation of the many arguments and issues presented. There will be industry-specific visiting speakers to underpin the vocational accent of the course. In addition the course will encourage the regular inline discussion of issues covered using the BREO discussion board application.
At Level 1: You are introduced to the discipline areas of the subject through group lectures with follow-up seminars, workshops and tutorials. You are expected to engage in a variety of non-contact tasks including appropriate, directed reading and preparation.
At Levels 2 & 3: The structure of unit delivery varies to a greater degree with more emphasis being placed upon you to undertake independent learning.
You will encounter a variety of methods (in addition to those mentioned above) that will facilitate your learning, these may include: computer aided study (E:Learning, BREO), case studies, open learning, laboratory, field work, group work or an individual empirical research dissertation.
The course will follow the general guidelines set out by the University policy on disability.
During the application process as a disabled student you will be able to discuss your needs with individual members of the academic staff, as well as staff from the Disability Advice Team. In relation to other courses in the Division, it has normally been the case that disability has not provided an obstacle to your participation, hence no major issues are envisaged concerning disability and the course. The only possible concern is in
relation to field visits. However there is no proposed residential aspect to these visits they will be on a day visit basis only.
The University of Bedfordshire has adopted the governments Quality and Curriculum Authority (QCA) skills descriptors for all levels of studies, but the skills Listed in the Quality Assurance.
Agency for Higher Education (QAA) subject benchmarks and the student employability profile. Skills and Development strategies are embedded in the UIFs and in addition in support of Cre8 initiatives and Careers Events will feature at each level.
Employers want graduates that can show how your university experiences have impacted upon your personal development. Employers like to employ graduates who can show evidence of joining in, working as a team, showing leadership or spent time travelling and experiencing new situations and cultures. Everything you do academically, socially, and in the workplace potentially can make you more employable as long as you can reflect upon your experiences, understand their value and be able to explain their values to an interviewer. The University of Bedfordshire is committed to helping stand out in the job market by enhancing the following personal skills through a variety of opportunity:
Communication
To help with the development of this you will:
Participate in a range of activities requiring them to communicate orally and in written forms. Part of this process will involve a range of written tasks that will form the foundation of your personal portfolio and which will generate material in traditional and electronic forms. You will learn the communication skills necessary to articulate and present yourselves in appropriate forms (e.g. stating your individual aims, your skills and experience). At all levels you will work collaboratively with a number of different groups of people in a range of contexts, and will be required to use the written word in order to communicate ideas for a variety of different purposes.
At all levels you will have opportunities to examine the `language that is specific to the Sports Studies field.
At Level 1 in line with University and QCA Key Skills Descriptors and employability profiles, and in all units there will be opportunities for you to take part in one-to-one discussions about different subjects, read and obtain information from a range of sources and contribute to discussions about relatively `straightforward subjects (University of Bedfordshire / QCA Key Skills Descriptors).
At Level 2, in line with QCA Key Skills Descriptors and employability profiles, you will develop your skills as academic researchers in order to enable you to articulate ideas and theoretical perspectives in written and practical form. Following the University / QCA Key Skills Descriptors for Level 2 work, you will initiate, develop and maintain a relationship with a group in a group activity. You will work towards a negotiated goal with them, using your skills as potential practitioners and evaluate this process in written form (for example in Socio-Cultural Analysis of Sport and Adventure Recreation).
At Level 3 you will read and synthesise information from a variety of sources about complex topics (U0BIQCA Key Skills Descriptors). At this third level, in line with University and QCA Key Skills Descriptors, you will undertake an independent research dissertation which will involve communication with a Sports Studies setting, communication with staff and participants, possibly interviews and a lengthy written submission on a topic of your own choice (Final Year Dissertation).
Information Literacy
To help with the development of this you will:
Participate in workshops, tutorials and developmental research projects in order to familiarise yourselves with a wide range of resources that will support your studies.
At Level I you will be introduced to the library resources and BREO in the initial induction week and workshops embedded within the elements of the course. A series of project-based tasks will ensure that you feel confident using the library catalogue, databases, search engines and reference resources available through the internet. You will also be introduced to the assessment of source material as an integral component of your research. All units will make use of BREO in the posting of resources, and are likely to make use of discussion boards, blogs, group pages, wikis and course announcements.
Research and Evaluation
To help with the development of this you will:
Undertake a range of research tasks either within the context of developing your academic or your practical knowledge. The research tasks will vary according to the type of work being undertaking and you will need, therefore, to be adept at understanding the skills involved in sourcing, selecting and utilizing appropriate material. In every practical process you embark upon, you will be expected to plan and execute a methodical research process in order to develop your practical skills, but also your skills to critically evaluate. You will be introduced to a range of research skills including literature searches and critical reading, practical field based activities including questionnaire and interview design and conduct, as well as the analysis of findings from the use of such techniques in the field.
At Level 1 you will be introduced to the importance of quantitative and qualitative research that underpins the area of Sports Studies (in the unit `Foundations for degree Study). In addition to actually using the practical research skills, this process will be designed to develop your skills to critically evaluate a variety of source materials. In the unit `Sport and Physical Activity in Society you will have working experience of using a range of sources of information about sport and be able to apply this to produce logical arguments. You will reflect on this in weekly patch writing.
At Level 2 you will receive formal input on qualitative research methods appropriate to Sports Studies (Qualitative Research). This unit will provide you with information concerning a range of qualitative research approaches and techniques relevant to sport, exercise and PE social settings. By the end of year 2 you will produce a research proposal that meets the UOB ethics protocol and introduces and explains a possible dissertation.
It will also develop your ability to work more independently as a researcher, and begin to formulate questions and fields of enquiry. These skills will not only be necessary as preparation for you to undertake your independent research at Level 3 (Final Year Dissertation), but should equip you with the skills to critically evaluate your work as potential practitioners.
At Level 3 you will undertake an independent research project on a topic of your own choice (Final Year Dissertation). Your research will be ongoing throughout the year and you will be expected to be able to source relevant material quickly, assess and synthesize findings, link to theory where relevant and consider practical applications of your research. It is likely that the field of research enquiry will be diverse, given the interdisciplinary nature of events and will therefore require different processes of enquiry and methodologies. The skills of critical evaluation acquired in the unit Qualitative Research at Level 2 will be employed in the design, conduct and evaluation of an event in the Level 3 Unit Dissertation.
The Personal Development Planning strand embedded in various units throughout all levels concentrates on the development of academic, personal and professional skills and establishes the PDP process, introducing you to the concept of transferable skills and demonstrating their value within events. You will also be given the opportunity to develop personal approaches to study, building on strengths and eliminating weaknesses and developing ability to transfer learning from one context to another, following the SOAR (self-awareness, opportunities, aspirations and results) process model (Kumar 2007) at a number of points during the course.
This approach requires that you become aware of:
Embedded in many units and with your personal tutor you will address Personal Development Planning. This is a structured and supported process, which will help you reflect upon your own learning and achievement and plan for your education and career development. The Personal Development Planning (PDP) initiative and Progress Files are intended to prepare you better for the world of work, providing you with greater self-reliance, self-awareness, and the ability to adapt to future changes in the labour market, to reflect upon and monitor performance and identify skills and training needs. The UK Government has been increasingly concerned that you may leave university without being properly prepared to enter the graduate jobs to which you aspire. All universities are now required to offer you opportunities for PDP at each stage of your programme and provide you with a Progress File to plan and monitor your personal and academic development.
In your first year of study you will be introduced to the use of Progress Files. The Progress File is a document charting your development and is made up of the following parts:
written feedback, extracts from personal evaluative reports, or plans detailing the self management of study
You will be encouraged to use a number of portfolios, in different units on the course, and you will need to set up a habit of reflecting on feedback from tutors and consider ways in which you might improve specific skills and/or build on the strengths demonstrated. This is best done after each set of assessments. Much of the material for Progress File will be generated through digital records (on-line blogs, discussion boards on BREO and e-portfolios) as well as paper ones.
Your progress file will be a work in progress over the three years you are at The University of Bedfordshire.
It will be your responsibility to maintain your Progress File but you will be supported in this by the generation of appropriate materials in units throughout the degree course.
In the progress file, you will be expected to keep:
gain relevant experience in paid or voluntary work and other activity within or outside of
the University
At the end of the three years your progress files will contain the information you need to draw on in making job applications and having successful interviews. This is because it will make you consider the wider relevance of the knowledge you have learnt and the skills you have acquired during your studies.
Employers are often assessing not only knowledge of the subject area and experience, but also value the set of attitudes and values which would support development of their company. You need to develop and demonstrate these attitudes throughout your studies.
Lecturers expect that you will:
Although there are no specific professional benchmark statements related to Sports Studies as yet, the development of professional attitudes and values is fundamental. In the BA Sports Studies course, it is embedded in all the units. In the Sports Studies industry it is unlikely that one person working alone will prepare a sporting event. Similarly the success of your studies will be largely dependent upon the degree of professionalism you are able to bring to relationships with collaborators both in and outside the university during the years of your study. You will be required to be checked against police records before field visits.
In recognition of the importance attached to the development of professional standards, as a central element of the degree you will often be working collaboratively on practical tasks with your peers and tutors towards a successful outcome. This will require an understanding of discipline (preparation and planning process, punctuality), respect for collaborators (reliability, commitment, negotiation), and clear focus upon the work as a whole (respecting deadlines, completion of research tasks set, contribution beyond the required minimum).
Good study habits will be enforced by monitoring attendance. Attendance data will be collected by the faculty and is used to identify if you who have failed to attend two consecutive sessions in any one unit. An intervention by letter, email or SMS text message will be used to let you know that you have been missed and to request an explanation.
The language of competencies which is meaningful to employers and is required for employment will be explained to you and used as assessment criteria in a number of assessments. You will be given opportunities to self-assess and to develop strategies to improve these skills. If you under perform in team assessments you will be motivated to do better or penalized using a peer assessment mechanism.
To ensure that your work, particularly written reports does not contain plagiarised material (see section on Assessment Strategy for regulations on plagiarism), the online Turnitin plagiarism detection tool will be used in assessments and will be demonstrated to you to help you understand the issue of plagiarism.
Relevant ethical and legal issues will be explored in a number of units and you will be required to consider the ethical aspects of your own project proposal in the final year unit.
In this way, you should be able to develop a professional identity and set your own standards of professionalism, which will prove the benchmark for all your future work.
