| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-19 | - |
| 2024-01-16 | - |
Program Overview
What makes the PGCert in Sports Coaching at Worcester special?
Our Sports Coaching PG Cert creates a community of dedicated postgraduate students who are passionate about being better coaches. The mix of full-time and part-time students means that you will be welcomed into an established and thriving group of like-minded developing coaches and practitioners drawn from a wide range of sports. We spend a great deal of time discussing our coaching, digesting the latest research in the field and critically reflecting on our own practice. We offer a supportive, yet challenging, coaching environment and our students regularly tell us that this course has revolutionised their approach to coaching.
Every member of staff teaching on this course publishes several research articles a year focusing on pertinent issues in coach learning and development. They are also active coaches with decades of cumulative experience at local, national, and international levels. Whether your focus is on grassroots sport, talent development, or performance – we can enhance your skills as a postgraduate student.
Key features
- Part-time study option allows you to continue working in your current environment whilst studying at a postgraduate level
- A modular structure allows you to study at your own pace visiting one module at a time
- Provides access to further courses: Postgraduate Diploma or Master's Degree
- Choice of assessment topic, so you can tailor your assignments to your personal and professional interests
- An extensive Professional Placement element which enables you to develop your practice in an applied environment – either of your own choosing or facilitated through our extensive network of providers including our own professional sport franchises (Worcester Wolves Basketball and Severn Stars netball).
Program Outline
What will you study
All of our Sports Coaching Courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline as well as feedback from students, external examiners and employers.
Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative.
Modules - March 2022 start |
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“I have thoroughly enjoyed the course and I have benefited greatly from the experience and thanks to both you for your excellent professional guidance.”
Darren, graduate
How will you be taught?
The ‘heart’ of the PG Cert in Sport Coaching concerns the coach primarily as an educator. Therefore, the course focus explores the latest research and practice concerning how to help our athletes learn and develop. On the course you will explore different perspectives on how athletes learn and critique the underpinning evidence relating to these competing perspectives. We also explore how coaches learn and analyse the ways in which National Governing Bodies, education institutions and non-governmental organisations (e.g. UK Sport and UK Coaching) currently structure learning opportunities for coaches.
Every element of the course will be related to your coaching practice, so the content of the programme evolves with every cohort.
Teaching
Teaching
You are taught through a combination of workshops, seminars and practical sessions. In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are throughout the academic year.
Contact Time
Contact Time
This PG Certificate will be delivered via monthly contact. Typically, learners are required for a face to face session at the University of Worcester. Delivery mechanisms can be adopted to suit the particular group of coaches but would typically revolve around:
Friday- 1pm-8pm (7 hours)
orSaturday 9am-4pm (7 hours
) each month for the period March-August and then Placement Module by case by case agreement (August-December).Athlete and Coach Learning Module: (Total 300 learning hours)
Face to face contact: 7 hours x 6 months - 42 hours
Guided Independent study: 6.25 hours x 24 weeks - 150 hours
Preparation of Assessments: reading/planning - 108 hours
Professional Placement: (Total 300 learning hours)
Face to face contact: 8 hours x 1 month - 8 hours
Work Placement: Coaching - 100 hours
Independent study: 8.25 hours x 12 weeks - 100 hours
Preparation of Assessments: Reading/tasks/planning - 92 hours
Duration
Duration
- 1 year part time
Timetables
Timetables
Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings. Given the importance of planning ahead, indicative timings of intensive teaching blocks are normally available at time of application / interview.
Teaching Staff
Teaching Staff
Students will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics with research and applied experience, and postgraduate students.
In addition, you can expect to receive sessions with guest lecturers who are currently engaged in Sport Coaching activities outside of the university. Teaching is informed by research and consultancy, and the majority of lecturers on the course hold PhD’s and have a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.
You can learn more about the staff by visiting our
sports staff profiles
.Assessment
Assessment
The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. Assessment methods include a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios and presentations. The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to each coach learner.
"Having been involved in formal learning in some capacity for the past 29 years as either a recipient or deliverer, I can honestly say that my time on this course has been the best educational experience of my life. The way that the tutors have paced and tailored the work personally to me has been first class and it has inspired me to carry on my education to a higher level."
Sally, graduate
Where could it take you?
A PG Cert in Sports Coaching will provide students with opportunities in many areas of sport and/or coaching, and other areas of employment as well.
This postgraduate award is useful for a wide range of occupations, such as:
- Professional sports coach
- Sports coach
- Coach development officer
- Sport development officer
- Sports coaching lecturer
- Recreation officer
- Self-employed coaching consultant
- Researcher
“It has been an enjoyable, challenging and thought-provoking learning experience. The tutoring and interactions from you have been first class."
Mark, graduate
A PG Cert in Sports Coaching will provide students with opportunities in many areas of sport and/or coaching, and other areas of employment as well.
This postgraduate award is useful for a wide range of occupations, such as:
- Professional sports coach
- Sports coach
- Coach development officer
- Sport development officer
- Sports coaching lecturer
- Recreation officer
- Self-employed coaching consultant
- Researcher
“It has been an enjoyable, challenging and thought-provoking learning experience. The tutoring and interactions from you have been first class."
Mark, graduate