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Why choose the School of Sport Science and Physical Activity
Our partnership with Luton Town Football Club offers excellent career development opportunities and work experience for students studying on sports-related courses
We’re 4th for employability in the Guardian League Table 2023 because our courses get you a degree-level job
Our students say our courses, teaching and support are a winning combination, that’s why we are 54th out of 122 for Sport in the Guardian University Guide 2023.
Our Sports Science courses ranked 5th for Graduate Prospects in the 2023 Times / Good University Guide league table.
Gain professional qualifications alongside your degree
BASES accreditation on several courses
About the course
This Foundation degree will give you a vocationally relevant higher-education qualification – alongside other vocationally recognised qualifications – that will set you on the path to a rewarding career as a sports coach.
The course provides you with a broad knowledge base from which to explore the role of a sports coach. There are also opportunities to apply this knowledge within a work-based setting.
Your studies are built around a framework of sport science topics so you gain a firm understanding of sport psychology anatomy and physiology as well as employment in the sports industry management and units dedicated to sports coaching and performance development.
Why choose this course?
- Develop the knowledge skills and confidence to work independently or as part of a group making evidence-based decisions across different coaching scenarios
- Be able to select appropriate coaching techniques to maximise motivation participation and performance in sport settings
- Benefit from opportunities for field trips to support your work in the college and at your work placement
- Gain additional vocationally recognised qualifications alongside the Foundation degree
- After successfully completing this Foundation degree you have the option to take a one-year top-up course at the University of Bedfordshire that will give you a full BSc (Hons) degree in a relevant field
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
What will you study?
Coaching For Participation
The area of sports coaching requires a high level of adaptability and organisation to be successful. The aim of this unit is to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of coaching for participation by exploring the skills and techniques needed to deliver coaching sessions to a wide demographic of participants whilst also looking at the barriers that may conflict with development. Students will be expected to undertake a minimum of 40 hours of coaching practice and will have the opportunity to achieve at least one level 1 coaching qualification as part of this unit.
Employment In The Sports Industry
This unit will explore the wide variety of career opportunities on offer in the sports industry and prepare students for their future careers by developing an employment portfolio and providing valuable work experience. Investigating the structure of the sports industry will provide an insight into the workings of the sector whilst also identifying future career options. Undertaking work experience will offer students a practical insight into operational procedures employed within a sporting organisation of their choice. The development of the employment portfolio will assist students in preparing and undertaking interviews, identifying current skills and attributes and creating a career development plan focussed on the skills attributes and qualifications required to secure a role within the industry.
Functional Anatomy And Physiology
The unit recognises that working in the sports industry requires an underpinning knowledge of the human body and its associated anatomical and physiological systems. The superficial and deep anatomical structures that support sport and exercise participation and performance will therefore be explored throughout.
The unit also aims to develop and enhance academic research skills that include the ability to search, interpret and review literature, conduct practical investigation and data collection with report writing and quantitative data analysis.
The Fundamentals Of Sport And Exercise Psychology
The unit recognises that Sport and Exercise Psychology contributes to performance enhancement and an individual’s well-being. Evaluating how psychological theories and practices can influence both participation in sport and exercise and also sports performance will be considered. Throughout this unit you will be given opportunity to consider your own practice as a Sports Coach or Personal Trainer by reflecting on a range of key psychological issues. This unit provides the foundation for future study of this area.
The unit also aims to develop and enhance academic research skills that include the ability to search, interpret and review literature.
Exercise Physiology
This unit builds upon the knowledge developed in the Level 4 Functional
Anatomy and Physiology unit. It will explore the physiological responses that occur during acute bouts of exercise and the physiological adaptations that occur as a result of chronic training. The determinants of exercise will be explored with a focus on how ergogenic aids may contribute towards enhanced exercise performance.
The unit also aims to develop academic research skills that include the ability to search, interpret and review literature as well as conduct practical investigations to collect data followed by quantitative data analysis and reporting.
Management And Supervision In The Sports Industry
This unit introduces you to the skills and knowledge required by managers/supervisors working within the fitness and coaching industries. Building from the level 4 unit Employment in the Sports Industry this unit will introduce the key management/supervisory principles relevant to facility and organisational operations and associated management and leadership theory. Opportunity will then be given for students to apply management/supervisory skills in a work placement and conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of a host organisation.
Psychology Of Sport, Exercise And Health
This unit builds upon the knowledge developed in the Level 4 Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology unit. It will explore how a range of concepts can impact an individual’s psychological health and well-being as well as their participation in sport and exercise contexts. Along with some of the key determinants of sport and exercise participation, the unit will examine and contextualise models of exercise behaviour and apply these to your role as a Sports Coach or Personal Trainer. Throughout the unit, the link between theory and practice will therefore be emphasised.
The unit will introduce students to qualitative research methods and analysis such as interviews and will explore the importance of making ethical considerations.
Sports Coaching And Performance Development
This unit is designed to develop students’ knowledge and application of key coaching concepts in relation to the development of performers. Students are expected to deliver coaching sessions to performers whilst taking into consideration their needs as a coach as well as participant needs for development.
As part of this unit students will be expected to undertake a minimum of 40 hours of coaching practice. The students will also have the opportunity to achieve at least one Level 1 coaching qualification in a particular sport.
How will you be assessed?
The foundation degree in Sports Science and Coaching has been designed to cater for the diverse student group that it recruits with an overall aim to prepare students to work in a range of cultural settings with adults children and young people in Sport and Exercise. Each unit on the course contains a minimum of two assessments that take place/or are submitted at different points throughout the year.
The assessments used are informed by the learning outcomes for each unit and will take a variety of different approaches. The range of assessment methods used will include essays written reports portfolios case studies practical assessments oral presentations phase tests and research projects. The assessments are deliberately diverse to reflect the individual needs of our students and in some instances may require you to access real life sport and exercise settings and conduct data collection. The range of assessment methods used allow you to present concepts and ideas in different formats and by doing so will develop a range of transferable communication skills which will be of great value in enhancing your eventual employability.
As you progress to year 2 the assessment methods used will allow greater opportunities to demonstrate a depth of research and knowledge this is particularly relevant within the Level 5 Psychology of Sport Exercise and Health unit where you will be required to apply current knowledge to a vocationally relevant case study and in the Level 5 unit Exercise Physiology where you will complete a project that allows you to undertake research in areas that interest you.
Assessment is an essential component of the Foundation Degree in Sport Science and Coaching and is used to:
- Identify and evaluate your progress
- Provide a means of delivering feedback to you
- Enable you to demonstrate achievement
- Enable measurement of your achievement
- Enable staff to identify excellence in teaching
- Contribute to quality assurance procedures across the college and university
All assessments will be undertaken as described in each units learning outcomes and will be both formative (e.g. computer based exercises non-assessed presentations and class exercises) and summative (e.g. unseen and seen examinations computer-based assessments essays practical reports presentations and project reports). Staff will provide you with qualitative and quantitative feedback on the work that you do that will be constructive and identify areas for improved performance and development.
Careers
Graduates of this course can find employment as a sports coach exercise/fitness instructor sports development officer or GP referral co-ordinator.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
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