Sport Coaching BSc(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Endorsed by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
• Option to specialise and graduate with an award of with development, with performance, or with youth sport and PE.
• Two placement opportunities to gain hands-on professional experience.
• Practical coaching experience throughout the degree.
• Choice of option modules to tailor the course to your interests and career aspirations.
• Learn in our extensive on-site sport facilities.
• Learn with coaching experts and innovative researchers.
• 8th in the UK for sport science courses – Guardian University Guide 2025.

Course structure

You’ll learn through lectures, seminars, workshops, group activities and hands-on experience. The balance of knowledge and practical skills is designed to prepare you for career success in the sport coaching profession. 

The first year of the degree provides a broad introduction to coaching in topics such as physiology, psychology, biomechanics, training principles, sport development and sociology. During your first year you will decide whether to continue on the Sport Coaching BSc(Hons) or to study for one of the specialist pathways: 

• Sport Coaching with Development
• Sport Coaching with Performance
• Sport Coaching with Youth Sport and Physical Education.

The pathway that you choose will shape the rest of your degree and the modules you study in years 2 and 3. On all pathways you will learn practical sports coaching skills in years 1 and 2 and put these into practice on work placements in years 2 and 3.

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 Student View.

Year 1

The first year provides a broad overview of the field of sports coaching. Your experiences in year 1 will help you to decide which area you would like to specialise in, or whether to retain a more general focus to your studies.

Modules

• Fundamentals of Coaching

  This module will enable you to develop your understanding of roles, responsibilities and processes of coaching. The content focus is on consideration of the many foundation skills and knowledge bases required to create a successful coaching environment. You will reflect on your coaching experience in order to re-conceptualise coaching, and practice your coaching skills in unfamiliar and challenging contexts. The module will also explore implications to coaching of policy and legislation.

• Practical Application of Coaching

  This module will give you the opportunity to apply fundamental coaching principles in a range of different settings. The module targets the planning, application and reflection of foundation skills which are generic to all coaching contexts. You will be challenged to display fundamental coaching skills in increasingly challenging contexts. Alongside this practically oriented module, you will contribute to ongoing analysis and discussion of coaching case studies.

• Preparing for the World of Sport

  This module will support you in the transition to academic study at university. You will be encouraged to take responsibility for, and reflect upon your own learning, development and employability. You will be given support to develop the skills needed to produce high quality academic work. This module will also introduce you to research skills and practices used to investigate sport as well as raising awareness of careers information and services.

• Science of Movement

  This module combines the study of physiology, psychology and biomechanics into a module designed to meet the needs of PE, sports studies and sports-coaching-based students.

  You will develop an understanding of muscular and cardiovascular aspects of human development and movement. You will study skill acquisition and gain an understanding of motor control. Finally, you will develop biomechanical understanding through recording, analysing and evaluating human movement and performance using qualitative analysis.

• Sport, the Body and Society

  This module will give you an insight into a range of social issues connected to the sporting body. It will introduce you to socio-cultural theories and concepts about the body and sport. This is done through a variety of case studies and topic areas that you will explore through an active and engaged problem-solving pedagogy. You will be encouraged to reflect on taken-for-granted behaviours and experiences in sport to enable you to develop your own social scientific approach to understanding the sporting body.

• Who Runs Sport?

  Understanding why sport is structured and organised in the way it is, has become the most important factor for anyone thinking of developing a career in sport. This module will introduce you to issues of governance, government, policy initiatives, funding and media coverage. Content includes a view of the relationships between sport and sports coaching, sport and health/physical activity, sport and physical education, the sources of funding for sport and why sport is such 'big business'.

Year 2

Core modules for all pathways

• Coaching Contexts and Methodologies
• Coaching Professional Practice
• Contemporary Issues in Sport Coaching
• Data Analysis and Research Methods 

Options*

You'll choose two option modules aligned to the pathway you are following.

• Power and Politics in Sport
• Sport for Development and Peace
• Creating a Positive Teaching and Learning Environment
• Education Studies 2: Policy and Practice
• Sport and Exercise Psychology
• Performance Assessment and Training Prescription in Strength and Conditioning
• Performance Analysis
• Primary Physical Education: Theory and Practice of Teaching KS1 and KS2 PE
• Sport and Exercise Psychology
• Leading and Managing People in Sports Organisations

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

Final year

Core modules for all pathways

• Coaching Professional Enquiry 
• Critical Perspectives in Sport Coaching
• Dissertation

The Coaching Professional Enquiry module involves a work placement which will deepen your experience in the vocational context of your degree.

Options*

You'll choose two option modules aligned to the pathway you are following.

• Community Sport Development: Policy and Practice
• Physical Education in the 14–16 Curriculum
• Education Studies 3: Inclusive Practice
• Applied Sport Psychology
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning
• Advanced Performance Analysis
• Critical Social Issues in Sport
• Primary Physical Education: Active Learning in the Primary Setting
• Sport Business Entrepreneurship

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

Placements

You’ll have a placement opportunity in both the second and final year of your course to put your classroom learning in to practice.

During your second year you’ll plan a project supported by a mentor and implement the project with the organisation. In your final year you’ll spend around 40 hours with an organisation.

For both placements our employability hub will help you find one to meet with your interests and career aspirations. 

We will support you before, during and after your placements and keep in touch with your placement host.

Specialise in development

At the end of your first year you can choose to continue with the broad study of coaching with the Sport Coaching BSc(Hons) degree or to specialise in one of three areas: development, performance or youth sport and physical education.

Sport Coaching with Development BSc(Hons)

Sport when used as a tool for development can increase participation, promote a healthier lifestyle, bring communities together and tackle social issues. 

Alongside core sport coaching modules you'll choose options focusing on areas including sport for development and peace, politics in sport and social issues in sport. You'll also have the opportunity to take part in the university’s award-winning Football 4 Peace programme.

This pathway will provide you with the skills and knowledge to pursue a career in this important area. Opportunities exist with many organisations including NGOs, sport and leisure clubs, and local and central government. 

Specialise in performance 

At the end of your first year you can choose to continue with the broad study of coaching with the Sport Coaching BSc(Hons) degree or to specialise in one of three areas: development, performance or youth sport and physical education.

Sport Coaching with Performance BSc(Hons)

Our performance pathway focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to analyse and improve the performance of athletes.

Alongside core sport coaching modules you'll choose options that include advanced strength and conditioning, sport psychology and performance analysis.

This pathway will provide you with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers with organisations such as professional sports clubs, National Governing Bodies and in educational settings. Roles could include personal trainer, performance coach, scientist or performance analyser.

Specialise in youth sport and physical education

At the end of your first year you can choose to continue with the broad study of coaching with the Sport Coaching BSc(Hons) degree or to specialise in one of three areas: development, performance or youth sport and physical education.

Sport Coaching with Youth Sport and Physical Education BSc(Hons)

This sport coaching pathway is designed for those who wish to work with children and young people in a coaching context. 

Alongside core sport coaching modules you'll choose options which include creating a positive teaching and learning environment, primary PE and the secondary PE curriculum. 

The skills and knowledge gained from this pathway will make you suitable for a variety of roles within youth coaching, PE and school sport. You could also apply to study for a one-year PGCE to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Facilities

As a Brighton student you’ll use our extensive sport facilities at Falmer which include:

• dance and spin studios
• five outdoor grass football pitches
• floodlit synthetic turf full-size pitch
• floodlit non-slip netball and tennis courts
• indoor swimming pool
• large fitness suite
• outdoor grass rugby pitch
• sports hall with netball, volleyball, basketball and badminton courts, and cricket nets
• strength and conditioning suite
• tennis and badminton courts.

You'll be able to see the facilities when you visit us and learn more by checking out our Falmer campus information.

You'll also use our sport science labs at Falmer – these are so new that we haven't yet taken photos, but you can get a feel for them by watching the short video.

Meet the team

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you’ll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports Scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about Sport Scholarships.

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2024–25.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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