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Summary 2010/11

• On your marks! Make the most of Edge Hill’s cutting edge sporting facilities - some of the best in higher education.
• Get set! Learn practical and vocational skills that employers are looking for.
• Go! Put sport in a wider cultural and historical context.

This innovative and acclaimed degree is concerned with the theory and practice of sport. The course encourages you to look at sport from a number of different perspectives and study its impact on the world. It also gives you an insight into the modern sports industry, particularly in relation to children and young people.

2010 Entry Requirements

260 points overall, preferably to include PE or Sports Studies, plus GCSE Mathematics at grade C or equivalent. Each application is assessed on its own merits.

Details

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Who is this course for?

If you want to make a career out of your love of sport, this is the course for you. This programme will appeal to anyone interested in the theoretical study of sport, whilst developing your academic and practical interests in the field.

What will I gain from this programme?

This programme offers the vocational skills you need to work in sport and also gives you transferable skills that all employers are looking for. You will gain a detailed understanding of the society and industry that you aspire to work in, and will be able to put sport in a wider cultural and historical context. You will also gain an understanding of the inequalities that exist within sport. The programme specifically focuses on children and young people.

What will I study?

In year one you will study modules that will give you a solid grounding in key areas relevant to understanding the sports setting. Modules introduce social and cultural aspects of sport and discuss the infrastructures and policies that legitimise the roles and responsibilities that are undertaken. You will also get opportunities to develop your practical performance by engaging in volunteering and gaining insights into the coaching process. You will begin to develop your academic and personal skills throughout all the modules.

In Year two you will continue developing your theoretical knowledge with the opportunity to take a detailed examination of contemporary research theory. Practical skill is developed through engagement in work placement and planning and implementing a sports event. Modules examine critical perspectives in sport sociology and childhood within sport and physical culture.

The third year presents the opportunity to build on your specialised knowledge by investigating the welfare of children in sport and how they engage in formal and informal sport settings. You will also complete a dissertation on a subject of your choice and take part in a student-led sport forum, which will develop your communication, presentation and teamworking skills.

How will I study?

Learning and teaching methods include lectures, small group seminars, tutorials, workshops, taught practical sessions, fieldwork, directed independent study, supervised individual research and ICT based learning. For each module you will have a detailed booklet that tells you what sessions are about, what to read, how you will be assessed and coursework guidance.

Who will be teaching me?

Our staff are highly experienced and enthusiastic teachers with a real commitment to research and teaching. They are at the forefront of national and international developments in sport and are actively involved in research projects that have influenced the way sport has reacted to critical issues, for example, in the field of child protection in sport. They will share their ideas and interpretations to help you become a caring, reflective graduate.

How will I be assessed?

We appreciate that people learn in different ways so the pattern of assessment is extremely varied. Over the course of your degree you will learn to write essays, project reports, critically analyse papers, prepare poster presentations, plan and deliver teaching / coaching sessions and propose and write a piece of original independent research. We use formal examinations from time to time but they never account for more than 50% of the marks for any module.

What are my career prospects?

Sports Studies graduates are well qualified to pursue careers in the sport and leisure industry, recreation management, community recreation, sports equipment manufacturing and sales, and in the field of safeguarding children in sport. Some graduates go on to postgraduate study, with some progressing to research postgraduate courses. The transferable skills you acquire during your study will make you equally attractive to non-sport employers.

A Great Study Environment

We have some of the best sport and leisure facilities in higher education. Sports facilities cover a third of our 75 acre campus. The £4 million Lottery funded Sporting Edge complex includes football and rugby pitches, athletics track, all weather hockey pitches, tennis and squash courts, a fitness suite and sports hall. We also have an indoor swimming pool, gym and sports rehabilitation centre. Edge Hill has been selected as a pre-Games training camp for the London 2012 Olympics.

How do I apply?

Apply online through UCAS. Visit www.ucas.ac.uk.

See our How to Apply pages for more information on the application process and our Admissions criteria.

Fees and Finance

The Edge Hill tuition fee for full-time BA/BSc/LLB and PGCE students is £3,290pa for academic year 2010/11. However, you will not have to pay this fee while you are studying. Instead you will be able to take out a tuition fee loan to cover the cost, which is not repayable until you have completed your course and are earning at least £15,000pa.

For more information about grants, loans, bursaries and scholarships, see our Fees and Bursaries pages. Please note, the above information is for UK and EU students only.

Not got the entry requirements?

Students returning to education may present their previous experience in work (paid or unpaid) to support their application.

Those with relevant study through either a professional body or appropriate academic course can apply to join the programme at an advanced stage. For personalised advice based on your circumstances, please contact us or come to an open event.

If you would like pre-entry advice and guidance about your qualifications, please contact:

• Ann-Marie Johnson, Pre-entry Advice and Guidance Worker
• Email: adviceandguidance@edgehill.ac.uk

Where can I find out more?

If you would like to receive a copy of our prospectus, or be kept updated about forthcoming events, then complete our course enquiry form or contact the Course Enquiries Unit on freephone 0800 195 5063.

You can also register to attend one of the open days and evenings we run throughout the year. These are held at our main campus and at other venues across the region. You’ll also find University staff at many national careers fairs and UCAS events.

Still want more?

If you don't find all the information you need on the website, please contact:

• Tony Charlton, Associate Head of Department
• Tel: 01695 584884
• Email: charltoa@edgehill.ac.uk

Or

• Graham Smith, (Admissions Tutor for sports-related courses)
• Tel: 01695 584694
• Email: smithg@edgehill.ac.uk
• Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L39 4QP

Overseas students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international or email international@edgehill.ac.uk for further information.

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Modules

SPT 1520 Historical and Social Analysis of Sport introduces you to the role of sport in society, from historical beginnings and development, to global expansion and commercialism. You will be encouraged to consider how the social structure, significance and values attached to sport are shaped through history and culture. This will be achieved through a careful mapping of the significant societal and sporting developments which coalesced to produce modern sport, and secondly, through an exploration of sport on a national and global scale; as a national pastime, as a political vehicle, as an international event, and a global industry.

SPT 1521 Working with Children and Young People provides an introduction to this specialised working environment and investigates the infrastructures and policies that legitimise the roles, responsibilities and functions that are undertaken. The module examines the historical development of sports policy with regards to children and young people, and how it has become integrated into mainstream social welfare policy. It will also review the work of the Child Protection in Sport Unit and the influence it has had on developing policy and guidelines to safeguard children in the sporting environment.

SPT 1523 Introduction to Sociological Perspectives introduces you to the discipline of sociology and encourages you to think ‘sociologically’ about social phenomena. The module will highlight the origins of sociology and discuss the development of the discipline alongside key issues and dilemmas that sociologists have considered, such as modernity and its consequences, structure and agency, and social divisions and categories. You will be presented with a range of sociological perspectives, from the ‘founding thinkers’ to contemporary approaches. Class discussion will focus on the application of these perspectives to contemporary issues within the context of physical culture and childhood/youth.

SPT 1720 Sport and Other Agendas introduces you to how sport has been incorporated into a vast array of agendas which would not be considered relevant to the traditional expectation of developing athletes. The study of the mechanics of how sport has engaged with other areas highlights the opportunities that are available beyond the obvious sports related employments.

SPT 1722 Leadership and Volunteering in Sport allows you to experience working in a sport development environment, and to reflect upon your initial experiences. This will develop report writing, observation and reflective skills, and allow you to begin establishing contacts and networks within the industry. You will be registered on the V programme with Lancashire County Sport Partnership to which your voluntary hours will be recorded towards V outcomes.

SPT 1724 Coaching and Leadership: Theory and Practice provides the opportunity to gain the skills to develop working relationships with children and young people through the vehicle of coaching. You will undertake a NGB award which will involve practical delivery sessions to develop an understanding of how to motivate young people.

SPT 2520 Research Methods equips you with an understanding of the research process and methodology. The skills and knowledge gained within this module will be applied to the production of a research proposal, which will then be carried forward into the final year extended study. The content throughout this module will allow the student to make informed choices regarding the research design and methods appropriate for their 3rd year work. A significant portion of the module will concentrate on methodologies and testing of data utilising both qualitative and quantitative methods.

SPT 2521 Childhood, Sport and Physical Culture will enable you to embed your sociological ‘skills’ through offering a critical understanding of the notion of childhood, drawing from, in particular, the ‘new social studies of childhood’. Utilising notions such as physical culture and children’s rights, you will be able to interrogate the current construction and organisation of sport and the manner in which it regards children and childhood. This will facilitate the development towards informed critical reflection on contemporary policy and practice relating to children and physical activity and a consideration of these might be alternatively envisaged.

SPT 2522 Critical Perspectives in Sport Sociology will allow you to utilise your basic knowledge of sport in society and sociological perspectives to develop a more independent, critical approach to the study of sport. The module builds on foundational sociological theory by addressing more contemporary developments in sports sociology and research. The content will focus on key theoretical debates and the application of theory to social and cultural sporting contexts. You will be expected to develop your own sociologically informed perspective to sport in society and demonstrate this in class discussion and debate as well as independent work.

SPT 2720 Work Experience and Practice offers the opportunity to gain experience of current workplace practices. The concept is that you will complete a set number of hours in a relevant workplace and investigate issues associated with that workplace during your attendance.

SPT 2721 Global Sport and Commercialisation provides an insight into the increasingly commercial nature of international sport through focusing on economic and financial aspects within a global context. Differences in sporting systems across the world are examined and commercial impacts including broadcasting, sponsorship, marketing and branding are assessed utilising the extensive research knowledge base. The module will critically analyse both the international labour and product markets within the sports industry underpinned by the multi-disciplinary areas of economics, sport management, finance and sociology. This module provides you with an insight into the increasingly commercial nature of international sport through focusing on economic and financial aspects within a global context. Differences in sporting systems across the world are examined and commercial impacts including broadcasting, sponsorship, marketing and branding are assessed utilising the extensive research knowledge base. The module will critically analyse both the international labour and product markets within the sports industry underpinned by the multi-disciplinary areas of economics, sport management, finance and sociology.

SPT 2722 Sport Management and Event Planning firstly provides the opportunity to build on your knowledge and skills from the Management for Sport Development module and then use these concepts and understanding within a practical sports setting. You will be expected to plan, organise and run a sporting event within the local community. It is expected that the theoretical concepts introduced in the first year will be applied within the event planning process and allow you to demonstrate the application of management theory to sport.

SPT 3200 Dissertation is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and abilities through the production of an extended study. An area of interest is selected and an independent, research study carried out, overseen by a supervisor. This provides a challenging culmination of three years of study, resulting in the production of an academic dissertation.

SPT 3520 Child Welfare and Safeguarding in Sport facilitates a critical appreciation of the attempts made over the last decade by organised sport in the UK to ‘protect’, ‘safeguard’ and enhance the well-being of children who participate in sport. This module will enable an historical understanding of why and how such legislation came about and will provide a critical evaluation of how such change is embedding within the particular cultures of organised sports in the UK and the challenges this legislation represents for sports bodies. These challenges will also be placed within a global context as the recognition of the abuse of children in sport is played out across international organisations, nations and cultures.

SPT 3521 Professional Industrial Placement. There is growing evidence that employers value work experience over academic excellence because of its capacity to develop the range of employability skills that help them to be immediately effective in the workplace. The work placement provides an opportunity to increase your awareness of work based culture and enhances your work readiness through more personally directed development of your self-confidence, time management and adaptability, as well as interactive skills including team-working, communications, problem-solving and interpersonal skills.

SPT 3522 Youth, Culture and Sport concentrates on youth and culture, particularly in late modernity. You will be encouraged to utilise your knowledge of critical perspectives to reflect on contemporary youth cultures and their intersections with mainstream popular culture. The module will concentrate on key debates, relevant research and emerging theory which has shed critical light on existing theories of youth subcultures. The module will also take an historical perspective, reflecting on the social, cultural, political and economic changes which have impacted on youth cultures, in our late modern age.

SPT 3721 Sport and Contemporary Issues Forum allows you to fully immerse yourself in sport as an academic discipline. It involves utilising previous knowledge and skill learned and applying them to produce a journal article suitable for publication in an academic journal and ultimately to present at the 3rd Year Sport Research Conference in front of your peers, lecturers and invited guests from the sports industry and academia.

SPT 3724 Sport Policy and Practice enables you to gain a critical understanding of the political and policymaking context for practising sports development professionals, and to facilitate an understanding of challenges and solutions in policy and strategy implementation.