Course in brief

This course helps you to develop the knowledge, practical skills and experience needed for a professional career in sport and fitness coaching. 

You will explore sport coaching theories and their application to practice in areas such as physiology, psychology, biomechanics and sociology. You will also consider how sport coaching is used as a development tool around the world. 

Optional modules encourage you to learn about specialist topics such as performance analysis and nutrition, which you can choose to investigate further in your final-year dissertation. 

Work placements in years 2 and 3 allow you to gain practical coaching experience in different sports, settings and scenarios. There are also opportunities to develop your skills in cardiac rehabilitation, the strength and conditioning of elite athletes and in coaching of specific sports including football, athletics and basketball. 

Throughout your course, you will have access to the extensive sport facilities at our Eastbourne campus, which include two sports halls, two gyms, a fitness suite, an all-weather outdoor pitch and a swimming pool. You will also use our BASES accredited sport and exercise science labs.

Key facts

Location Eastbourne

UCAS code CX6C

Full-time 3 years

Applying for 2018: read our guide

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels or BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBC–CCC (112–96 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DMM–MMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range. 

We will generally make you an offer if your predicted grades are at the top of this range. If your predicted grades are towards the lower end of this range we may still make you an offer if you have a good GCSE (or equivalent) profile or relevant non-academic achievements.

International Baccalaureate
28 points, including English at Standard level 5 or Higher level 4, and maths at Standard level 4.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Must include level 3 units in science-related subjects. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 18 credits at merit or above.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)
At least five GCSEs including English language and maths (or equivalent). We do not accept Functional Skills or Key Skills as a GCSE equivalent.

 

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. Ask our enquiries team for more information. Contact them through the Find out more tab below.

 

English lanaguage requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Other
All offers are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced disclosure check.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country
 
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure 

There are 50 credits of option modules in year 2 and 40 credits of option modules in year 3, which you can use to specialise in an area of particular interest.

You will contribute to theoretical discussion and then plan ways of applying theories to your own studies, practical coaching placements and practical activities.

The core programme uses the full suite of practical and laboratory facilities at the School of Sport and Service Management. We also use the outdoor environment in and around Eastbourne, such as the seafront, the Downs and Friston Forest.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, we will inform you of any improvements or innovations to the curriculum through our admissions portal.

 

Areas of study

Year 1 provides a broad introduction to coaching in topics such as physiology, psychology, biomechanics, training principles, sport development and sociology. This sets the foundation for years 2 and 3, when you can start to explore your own interests by selecting from a wide range of optional modules.

Throughout the course, you will gain practical coaching experience in a variety of situations, ranging from coaching fellow students in the first year to completion of external coaching placements during years 2 and 3.

We have established links with many sports organisations where you can complete coaching placements as part of the course.

Sports coaching 2

Year 1

Modules

  • Fundamentals of Coaching
  • Practical Application of Coaching
  • Who Runs Sport?
  • Introduction to Motor Learning and Performance
  • Qualitative Analysis of Human Movement
  • Physiology for Sport and Exercise
  • Sport Practical, Physical Activity and Performance
  • Research Methods for Sports Coaching
Football pitch

Year 2

Modules

  • Effective Coaching
  • Coaching Professional Practice
  • Data Analysis and Research Methods OR Research Methods for Physical Education
  • Coaching Contexts and Methodologies

Options*

  • At least 20 credits from sport and exercise science modules
  • 30 credits maximum from practical activities

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Basketball court

 

 

 

Final year

Modules

  • Advanced Coaching
  • Dissertation
  • Coaching Professional Enquiry

Options*

  • 40 credits in total - at lest 20 credits from sport and exercise science modules, and maximum of 20 credits from practical activity areas

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

sportjournalism4

 

 

 

 

 

 

Placements

Placements give you a great opportunity to get practical coaching experience. We have partnerships with organisations and initiatives including:

  • Football4Peace
  • MU Foundation
  • British Triathlon
  • British Cycling
  • Albion in the Community
  • Sussex County Cricket
Sports-coaching

Staff profile

Dr James Wallis

Course leader

James is a principal lecturer on the Sport Coaching BSc(Hons) and Sport Coaching and Development BA(Hons) top-up degree. He is very active in professional and community coach education, currently working in professional cricket and in several European partner universities. He is the co-editor of the 2016 text 'Becoming a Sports Coach' published by Routledge.

James's main teaching commitments are in the theoretical bases of coaching and pedagogy, specialising in the development youth performance.

James Wallis

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

This course will provide you with the opportunity to develop a career in many areas of sport, for example:

  • professional coaching in government body programmes 
  • social development and community programmes
  • PE teaching (following a PGCE) and associated roles within PE and school sport
  • sport, exercise and health consultancy and support
  • personal training/life coaching
  • many other areas dependent on a degree-level qualification (eg nutrition, performance analysis and disability sport).

You can also apply to study for a one-year PGCE to gain qualified teacher status (QTS).

 

A student on an exercise bike at the front of a lecture

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 13,920 GBP

 

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2017–18.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Eastbourne

Sunny, friendly and relaxed, there’s lots to do and enjoy in Eastbourne – music and arts festivals, theatre, galleries and sports – and all against the backdrop of the beach and the beautiful South Downs.

Eastbourne hosts some major sporting events, from Eastbourne Extreme – one of the biggest extreme sports festivals in the UK – to Eastbourne International, an annual tennis tournament where some of the world’s finest players prepare for Wimbledon.

Eastbourne has a close-knit community feel. From where ever you are on campus every place you need to go is around 15 minutes away on foot – the beach, the town centre and the South Downs. There is a great selection of clubs, pubs, restaurants and shops and always plenty of student-friendly deals on offer.

Eastbourne pier   Eastbourne Festival

Campus where this course is taught

Eastbourne campus

Located in one of the sunniest towns in the UK, our Eastbourne campus sits between the hills of the South Downs National Park and the south coast.

The campus has extensive sporting facilities, including a sports hall, fitness suite, climbing wall, swimming pool, three gyms, a dance studio and an artificial training pitch. For sport and exercise students, there are also exercise physiology labs, a human movement laboratory and an environmental chamber.

Podiatry students gain real-life experience in the Leaf Hospital clinic, with its comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, while physiotherapy students are taught in specialist practical skills rooms. The Culinary Arts Studio allows hospitality students to engage in workplace simulations and consumer research.

Accommodation

Eastbourne

Our Eastbourne hall of residence, Welkin Halls, is in the residential Meads area, next to the Hillbrow and Welkin site and within walking distance of Darley Road. The train station is about 20 minutes away on foot.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. 

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our Eastbourne accommodation webpages, and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accomeastbourne@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 643810.

Welkin Halls

Welkin bedroom


  

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Eastbourne campus map

 

Find out more

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01273 644644

 Student views  

 Rob Peters 

"I chose the University of Brighton because I liked the campus on the open day and knew of other people who were at the university, or had been, and recommended it. My first placement was with Tennis in the Park where I coached both children and adults. I also carried out a couple of terms at a local primary school, supporting the classroom teacher in delivering PE.

"Working at a tennis club with a great reputation was a great experience for me and something which helped me get my role with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) after graduation. The regular presenting and coaching in front of the cohort was really important, as I often have to present to coaches, volunteers, players and referees.

"I am currently a regional tennis services assistant for the LTA’s south-west participation team, where I work on key projects within the region to get more people playing tennis. I have been working with tennis clubs to modernise the way in which they operate, supporting venues with facility funding, writing business plans and providing overall support. I also help organise training courses and work with Southampton University to develop their tennis offer.

"It’s a great course to keep your options open. I was unsure of the type of role I was looking for but this wasn’t a problem, as the course allowed me to apply for a broad range of jobs."

Rob Peters

 Larette Tritton 

“I knew I wanted to have a career in the field of sport coaching and the course description really emphasised the importance of theory and practice. I enjoyed the variety of modules that were offered – I could pick ones that I was really interested in. With this element of freedom, I could create my own path. 

“Every teacher had an abundance of knowledge. They were always there to provide support when needed.”

“My second year placement was at Hampden Park Sports Centre, where I coached football and badminton; for my final year, I was at a community exercise circuit class in Angmering. Both placements exposed what I needed to improve on, giving me a holistic insight into the coaching world. 

“The course impacted my life massively as it changed my career direction. I discovered a passion for maximising participation in sport and exercise. This is something I had never thought about previously.

“After graduation I worked for Freedom Leisure as a sales and marketing assistant. I followed up enquiries with a motivational call, booked appointments, carried out needs analysis, conducted tours and was involved with marketing strategies and plans. 

“I now work for Sussex County Football Association as a Football Development Administrator. I look to promote and develop the game, supporting the FA National Game Strategy, setting up and booking people onto coaching courses, offering advice on the coaching pathway, and liaising with Sports Councils, NGBs and key partners. 

“The course positively challenges you – I guarantee you will grow and reach new heights academically.”

Larette Tritton sport coaching sasm

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