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BA (Hons) - Sport, Coaching and Physical Education

Do you want to help others discover the physical, mental and social wellbeing impacts of sport?

On this course, you will examine the theory of physical education, sport and coaching pedagogy across the education, leisure and community sectors. You will build on this with a focus on teaching and coaching, and our academic team will ensure you feel fully supported throughout the programme.

Teaching will be complemented by practical sessions using facilities including our sports hall and performance laboratories, as well as the Lake District. You will also complete approximately 50 hours of work experience in schools, clubs and community groups. We have strong links within the sport industry, including with professional sport clubs and national governing bodies of sport.

There is a strong focus on employability and personal enhancement throughout the course. You will have the opportunity to complete a series of additional qualifications, at no extra charge, which are highly valued by employers and will help you secure your dream job once you graduate.

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Accredited by:

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Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport & Physical Activity

Course Overview

This sport coaching and physical education degree, accredited by the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), is designed so you can be supported by our expert lecturers to confidently step into your ideal future career and gain the knowledge required to make a difference.

A learn-and-do ethos sees teaching complemented by practical sessions while experience in schools, clubs and community groups provides real-world application. You’ll be supported by industry-sourced professionals and have access to our facilities, including a sports hall, performance laboratories, Salt Ayre Leisure Centre and Brathay Hall and Estate. You may also be eligible upon graduation for additional qualifications, including coaching awards.

You’ll have numerous career options upon graduation including sport coaching, teaching, sport development, performance analysis and event management.

What’s more, our sport courses are ranked 1st in the North West for continuation and 2nd in the North West for Career Prospects (Guardian University Guide 2023 Results).

On this course you will...

  • Gain academic and vocational key skills through both classroom and community engagement projects linked to specific modules.
  • Be taught in small class sizes which means you get to know your class and tutors well, allowing you to feel supported during your studies.
  • Gain CIMSPA accreditation boosting your graduate prospects and gain free qualifications recognised by industry during your studies.
  • Have access to an extensive range of partner organisations in sport including Active Cumbria, Active Lancashire and Golf England facilitating learning opportunities, guest speakers and placements.
  • Follow the successes of our graduates who have pursued careers in PE teaching, sport development, event management, high-performance coaching and community coaching roles.
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Course Structure

What you will learn

There are three distinctive features of the programme:

Emphasis on experiential learning through its applied and vocational nature. You will study a range of disciplines, delivered with an applied focus on the complex reality which is modern physical education, sport coaching and sport development.

Flexible nature of the delivery of the programme, which utilises a range of learning strategies with an emphasis on the skills and practices involved in physical education, sport coaching and sport development, alongside an understanding of vocational practice.

Strong focus on employability and personal enhancement. You will be provided with the opportunity to achieve a vast range of additional qualifications throughout the entirety of the programme, free of charge.

You will make links with the careers team to discuss your skill development and to help you reflect on how these link to your employability, graduate skills and career development in your chosen future specialism.

Year one
  • Personal & Professional Development
    A grounded, practical introduction to a range of skills to make sense of academic research, including how to find, evaluate and read academic sources.
  • Developing the Practitioner Toolkit
    Explore an underpinning knowledge and understanding of fundamental pedagogical processes within sports coaching and physical education teaching.
  • Introduction to Sport Development
    Explore sport development and the complementary work of the PE profession. The contested purposes of sport development and PE, equality and diversity issues about structure, policy and provision will be addressed.
  • Introduction to Sport Psychology
    You will explore some of the processes that underpin the teaching and learning of skilled movement patterns and examine factors affecting motivation. The concepts covered will be applied to coaching, physical education and physical activity participation.
  • Principles of Human Movement & Function
    Introduction to the basic biomechanical, anatomical and physiological systems, principles and concepts that underpin human movement and function. The areas of anatomy, kinesiology, kinematics and kinetics will be covered along with the parameters that govern movement.
  • Multi-Skills Development in Physical Education and Sport
    Develop knowledge and practical application of multi-skills development in sport and physical education. The concept of physical literacy and the development of fundamental movement and sport-specific skills in young children will be explored.
Year two
  • Delivering Sport and the Physical Education Curriculum
    You'll enhance your understanding of the role of physical education within the national curriculum at each key stage. You'll develop an understanding of the relationship between teaching/coaching and learning and experience a variety of teaching/coaching methods, models and frameworks for learning.
  • Leadership and Relationships in Sport
    The module aims to provide you with an understanding and awareness of the nature of coach behaviour and coach-athlete relationships. Models of leadership and practitioner will be explored using a variety of methods.
  • Work-Based Learning
    A 50-hour vocational placement within an organisation of choice. An opportunity to analyse professional practice and reflect upon real-life experiences.
  • Investigative Techniques
    Prepare to conduct a personal research project in an area of interest aimed at developing professional knowledge and expertise. Consider research methodology, ethics, data analysis and formulating a research question.
  • Developing Communities through Sport
    Develop an insight into the causes of sport and wider social exclusion, and how sport can help promote health improvement, community regeneration, educational attainment and prevent youth offending.
  • Field Based Conditioning for Sport
    This module, which builds on the knowledge gained on the Level 4 Human Movement and Function module, will focus on how to improve the physiological parameters that govern successful sporting performance. You will explore physiological responses to conditioning strategies within a range of sports.
Year three
  • Independent Investigative Project
    Conduct an original research investigation supported by a dissertation supervisor.
  • Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
    Working in a small team, and with the guidance of an industry mentor, you have responsibility for planning, marketing, financing, delivery, and evaluation of a local community event, with specific key performance indicators to achieve.
  • Club and Coach Development
    Develop a critical insight into issues facing community sports clubs and their contributions to local communities. Explore and critically evaluate key coach education concepts including experiential learning, communities of practice and mentoring.
  • Performance Analysis in Sport
    Develop an understanding of assessing technical, tactical, and strategic performances through theory and a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods. This will enable in-depth analysis of performance and appropriate conclusions to be drawn to improve the athletes' performance.

Attend an Open Day at Cumbria

An Open Day is your opportunity to explore one of 5 campuses, meet your lecturers, and find out how the University of Cumbria could become your new home.

Take the next step towards achieving your dreams.
A student stands in front of a wall splattered with paint.