Sport Development with Coaching – BSc (Honours)

At a glance

Gain the experience and skills needed to work in sports development and coaching within a range of sporting organisations. You study in world-class facilities and are taught by a lecturing team that has a wealth of industry and professional coaching experience. These connections with industry allow you to apply for placements and volunteering roles with national and regional sporting organisations.

Key points
• Study on a well-established course with a strong reputation.• Get support to develop your skills as a volunteer and gain qualifications.
• Enhance your career prospects through placements with major sporting bodies.
• Study in our world-class facilities at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield.

What is sports development with coaching?
Sport development and coaching is the promotion of activities and opportunities to encourage more of the population of all ages to engage in sport and physical activity. Sport development officers and coaches engage with a range of individuals and organisations to either promote sport specific activities from foundation to excellence or use sport and physical activity as a social tool in areas such as of health, crime prevention and social inclusion.

This course

Study for a career in sport development and coaching on a course that has developed a strong reputation in the industry over its 15 year history. Learn how to plan and deliver sport to different groups and communities in the UK, while examining all levels of sport development, from foundation to excellence.

Your studies involve a mix of the theory and practical elements of the subject, where lectures and essay writing are combined with real-world projects. For example, you may work on a coaching placement at a football club or private sports company, or put on a sports event as part of this course.

As a student you have access to the best facilities and expertise. You study practical elements of the course at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield where top-flight athletes such as Jess Ennis and the GB boxing team train. Your lecturing team have extensive industry experience at both local and national level, and many are qualified coaches still actively working for major national sports bodies.

We give you opportunities to enhance your experience and career prospects from day one, on volunteering programmes such as our Ready Steady Coach programme or helping to run the University’s social sport programme. We help you to apply for bursaries to gain professional coaching qualifications in return for volunteering hours. You attend the PE, sport development and coaching (PESDC) student conference and have the opportunity to network with a range of sport industry professionals

Your studies and volunteering experience in your first year prepare you for a six-week placement in industry. We can offer you experience with major local and national partner organisations, including • National Governing Bodies such as the Rugby Football Union, Handball, the English Cricket Board
• Local Authorities such as North East Lincolnshire Council
• County Sport Partnerships such as South Yorkshire Sport
• overseas programmes in Tanzania and South Africa

This is an important opportunity to apply what you have learnt at university in a professional context, add to your CV and impress potential employers.

You can further enhance your professional qualifications with media operations modules linked to volunteering placements at major events. These modules were originally established in partnership with the London 2012 organisers – LOCOG. The University is currently in negotiations with organising bodies of both Sochi, 2012 Winter Olympics and Rio de Janerio 2016 Olympics. You benefit from our unique expertise in this area as we were the only University to offer this experience in conjunction with the London 2012 organisers – LOCOG.

Key areas of study
Key areas include • the structure of sport • the impact of society and politics on sport • the role of sports clubs • health and physical activity • equity and inclusivity within sport • marketing, finance and workforce development • media skills • enterprise and business simulation • coaching young people and the community.