FdSc Sports Coaching

Summary 2012/13

• Take your first steps towards an honours degree at a location convenient to you;
• Experience an industry-relevant course benchmarked against national criteria;
• Obtain valuable practical experience through work placement opportunities;
• Gain access to Edge Hill’s cutting edge facilities - including our £4 million Sporting Edge complex.

This Foundation Degree is designed to give you a valuable qualification while developing the skills you need for a career in coaching or physical education. The course will help you understand the complex nature of sport performance and coaching and the positive contribution you can make to the sports environment.

2012 Entry Requirements

A minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points from one A level or equivalent qualification, plus evidence of numeracy and literacy, eg GCSE in Mathematics and English Language at grade C or equivalent. Candidates will normally be expected to be active coaches.

All applicants for this programme will be expected to undertake an enhanced CRB check.

Details

Who is this course for?

This course will appeal to people who want a vocational course which will give them the skills required for a number of careers in coaching or education. A Foundation Degree is ideal if you are looking to take your first step into higher education. The flexible entry requirements, locations and study times of this course make it ideal for people who may not have considered higher education before.

What will I gain from this programme?

As well as building your knowledge of coaching, sports performance and sports science, the practical nature of the course will increase your self-confidence and ability to work both independently and in a group.

You will also develop a range of personal and transferable skills including communication, IT, time management, delegation and negotiation skills.

The Foundation Degree will give you the skills you need to progress on to undergraduate study and professional qualifications.

What will I study?

The course is benchmarked against national criteria to make sure you learn the skills most relevant to today's sporting environment.

Year 1 provides you with an in-depth look at the structure of coaching in the UK, gives you the opportunity to experience and appreciate factors that underpin sports performance, and covers the practical elements of sports coaching and the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary coaching practice. You will also consider the professional requirements for the safe practice and protection of young people within sport, education and physical activity.

In Year 2 you'll develop your knowledge of sport management, receive a firm grounding in approaches to research in performance or community / youth coaching, further develop your knowledge and understanding of the processes and practices of sports coaching in the community, and analyse the factors underpinning successful sports performance

How will I study?

Teaching and learning involves a number of different methods including lectures, applied practical work, laboratories, workshops, seminars, research and placement. You're encouraged to develop learning and critical thinking skills and become progressively more independent in your learning as you go through the course.

Who will be teaching me?

The programme is taught by staff who are up-to-date and active researchers in their subjects. Course leaders at The Manchester College are supported by Edge Hill University staff who devised and teach some parts of the programme.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed on your knowledge of the subject, the application and management of information and your ability to demonstrate a range of skills. Assessment is through a mixture of essays, case studies, reflective journals and reports, oral presentations, practical coaching sessions and workshops.

What are my career prospects?

As well as increasing your employability in a range of careers in coaching and education, completion of the Foundation degree allows you to also progress onto the final year of the BSc (Hons) Coach Education programme at Edge Hill University.

Related Programmes

FdSc Sports Injury and Exercise Rehabilitation

A Great Study Environment

The course is delivered at The Manchester College but you will have access to all facilities at Edge Hill University, including the University library, Student Services and Sporting Edge. The Manchester College is situated half a mile from the renowned Sport City complex. Facilities include sports halls, fitness suite and sports laboratory.

How do I apply?

Apply through UCAS for the full-time programme. For part-time study apply direct to The Manchester College.

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

Fees and Finance

Full-Time Study

For academic year 2012/13, Edge Hill University will charge £6,000pa for full-time foundation degrees. Eligible full-time students will not have to pay upfront for their tuition. The cost of tuition will be paid by a loan which you will only start to repay once you have finished the course and are earning over £21,000.

Eligible full-time students can also apply for a maintenance grant, subject to household income, and a non-means-tested loan to help with living costs.

Edge Hill University offers a range of scholarships for prospective full-time students. These include £2,000 Entrance Scholarships rewarding determination, commitment and achievement in creative arts, performing arts, sport and volunteering. Eligible entrants with outstanding grades are recognised through the £1,000 High Achievers Scholarship.

The University will also be offering awards, worth £3,000 in cash benefits and fee/accommodation waivers for academic year 2012/13, to eligible prospective full-time students through the National Scholarship Programme.

For more information on scholarships, including eligibility criteria for each award, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships.

To find out more about fees, grants and loans for full-time students in academic year 2012/13, visit http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/foundationfees2012.

Please note, the above information is for UK and eligible EU students only.

Part-Time Study

Tuition fees for part-time study on this foundation degree are £50 per credit for academic year 2012/13; i.e. £500 per 10 credit module, £750 per 15 credit module, £1,000 per 20 credit module and £1,500 per 30 credit module. A total of 240 credits are required to complete a foundation degree.

Eligible part-time students will not have to pay upfront for their tuition. The cost of tuition will be paid by a loan which you will only start to repay once you have finished the course and are earning over £21,000 a year.

For more information on the financial support available for part-time foundation degree students in academic year 2012/13, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/foundationfees2012pt.

Please note, the above information is for UK and eligible EU students only.

Not got the entry requirements?

Prospective students with non-standard entry qualifications are encouraged to apply. Accreditation of Prior Learning will be considered on an individual basis.

If you do not have the GCSEs required for this programme, Edge Hill offers equivalency tests.

Where can I find out more?

If you would like to receive a copy of our prospectus or be kept updated about forthcoming events, contact the Course Information, Advice and Guidance Team by emailing study@edgehill.ac.uk or calling 01695 657000.

If you want to attend one of our open events held throughout the year, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/opendays to book your place.

You will also find Edge Hill University staff at many national careers fairs and UCAS events.

Still want more?

If you have any questions you would like to ask about this course, please contact:

• The Manchester College
• Tel: 0800 068 8585
• Email: enquiries@mancat.ac.uk

Or

• Graham Smith
• 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.

Modules

Year 1

SFD1010 Introduction to Coaching Policy provides you with an in-depth look at the structure of coaching in the UK. It looks at the organisations involved in sports coaching and the educational initiatives and intervention strategies within coaching and sport. The module takes into account local and regional partnerships and examines the effects of the relationship between organisations and policy.

SFD1011 Introduction to Coaching Science gives you the opportunity to experience and appreciate factors that underpin sports performance. It includes developing an understanding of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics that allow you to understand fitness demands upon specific sports. You will develop knowledge of fitness testing allowing you to establish strengths and weaknesses of sporting performers. This will enhance your ability to analyse the technical implications of performance via movement in sport.

SFD1012 Principles of Sports Coaching covers the practical elements of sports coaching across a range of invasion, net / wall, and striking / fielding games. This practical module incorporates the planning, delivery and evaluation of coaching skills that will allow you to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the principles of selected sports. It also introduces you to delivering effective sports coaching sessions and how to incorporate reflection to develop instruction.

SFD1013 Coaching Process examines the processes and practice associated with sports coaching and the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary coaching practice. You will receive a basic introduction to coach education theory, including elements such as coaching styles, coaching behaviours, planning and reflection. This module gives a theoretical underpinning of the practical elements of module SFD1012 Principles of Sports Coaching.

SFD1014 Safe Practice in Sports Coaching highlights the professional requirements for the safe practice and protection of young people within sport, education and physical activity. It gives you the legal and professional knowledge required by prospective coaches who will be working with young people. This module will enable you to recognise factors of risk and harm when carrying out risk assessments, and allow you to understand your professional and legal duties in the safeguarding of children during coaching practice.

SFD1015 Knowledge Assembly offers you an opportunity to integrate and develop your personal and professional skills within the context of sport and coaching. It introduces you to professional characteristics such as planning, reflective practice and the presentation of academic work, which will help develop your future employability. Other aspects will include an introduction to quantitative and qualitative research methods to aid the development of future practice, and critical thinking and problem solving related to the principles of coaching.

Year 2

SFD2010 Delivering Organised Sport develops your knowledge of sport management and examines the links between Higher Education, clubs, schools and how they manage sports events. This module will allow you to gain experience in analysing the organisation and management of a sports event.

SFD2011 Practical Sports Coaching builds upon module SFD1012 Principles of Sports Coaching to place greater importance upon communication of coaching behaviours in varied environments. It will look at how feedback and reinforcement can enhance communication and consider how this effectively progresses skill development in suitable practices.

SFD2012 Coaching Process addresses aspects of learning, as success in sports performance is done via enhancing skill acquisition, and therefore technique. The module focuses upon the stages of learning, skill acquisition and transferable skills, and looks at how this impacts upon sporting performance.

SFD2013 Research Methods introduces you to approaches to research in performance or community / youth coaching. It develops theoretical knowledge of methodological approaches to research and gives a comprehensive overview of the ethical constraints of conducting applied research. The module outlines a number of strategies that can be used to collect and analyse data, allowing you to develop a research project for further investigation of a relevant topic area.

SFD2014 Developing Community Youth Sport builds upon the SFD1013 Coaching Process module and further develops your knowledge and understanding of the processes and practices of sports coaching in the community. This module allows you to examine the contribution and issues of educational sports coaching in school and community settings and to develop an awareness of the diversity of programme requirements.

SFD2015 Coaching for Performance will further develop your knowledge and understanding of factors underpinning successful sports performance. It enhances experience developed in previous modules and allows you to apply and conduct principles of performance analysis to sports, present the findings, and apply relevant notational analysis systems.