Program Overview

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Outdoor Adventure - BSc (Hons)

Overview

To lead, inspire and shape the future of outdoor adventure.

Summary

Do you have a thirst for adventure? Do you enjoy the outdoors? If so, would you like to develop a career in the outdoor and adventurous activities? This course is designed to take you on a challenging and enjoyable journey using the outdoor environment as a basis for developing your applied knowledge and practical skills. Active learning is central to the programme, providing you with opportunities to develop your personal skills in range of outdoor activities, achieve industry qualifications and develop your connection to the outdoor environment. The course is delivered through a partnership between Ulster University, Sport Northern Ireland and Tollymore National Outdoor Centre, all our staff are active in the outdoors, passionate and are industry recognised educators. The stunning scenery of Northern Ireland provides the backdrop for the course, much of your learning will take place in locations such as the Mourne Mountains and the North Coast of Northern Ireland. These inspiring environments the backdrop for your own adventure.

About this course

About

The Outdoor Adventure course is a three-year full-time programme delivered in partnership with Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. The programme is based at Coleraine campus but also includes two week long residentials per year based at Tollymore in the Mourne mountains. Teaching is designed to immerse students in a range of land and water based outdoor adventure activities developing both personal performance and coaching/leadership skills throughout the three years of the programme. Students will have opportunities to achieve range of professional outdoor adventure qualifications, build work experience and develop key employability skills. The programme includes a professional work placement in year two.

Attendance

You will attend two week long residentials per academic year, these will be based out of Tollymore National Outdoor Centre.

The rest of your study will be based at the Coleraine Campus (11 weeks per semester). This will consist of lectures, workshops, practical sessions and seminars, typically around 12 to 15 hours per week, the rest of your time each week will consist of independent study.

Start dates

• September 2025

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The teaching, learning and assessment strategy for Outdoor Adventure is designed to develop and assess your knowledge and skills across practical, theoretical and work-based learning. The strategy at all levels includes encouraging your active engagement with a broad range of land and water based outdoor activities, developing your ability to connect with and understand the outdoor environment and supporting the development of your leadership skills. A wide range of assessment strategies are employed to assess your subject knowledge and your ability to apply this knowledge in an outdoor environment, these include; reflective assignments to enable you to engage with and lead your own learning and personal development, presentations to support the development of your delivery skills and sharing of knowledge. In addition, there are practical assessments throughout the programme of study that assess personal ability, leadership and coaching across a range of outdoor adventure activities. There are opportunities in year two and three for you to participate in a work-based placement, where you are assessed on your ability to apply knowledge and skills developed through the programme of study and to reflect on professional practice.

In first year, teaching, learning and assessment is focused on your personal and practical skills; there are individual written assignments; reflective journals with a focus on skill development; and group presentations. In second year, the focus is on delivery and leadership of outdoor adventure activities, practical and written assignments that require application of a wider range of knowledge, paired or individual presentations and reflective writing with a focus on professional practice. In final year, the focus is much more self-directed, opportunities for independent research combined with expeditions, entrepreneurship and embedding of professional skills. Throughout your whole programme of study the focus is to develop you as a skilled outdoor professional with the ability to inspire, communicate effectively, think critically and innovate.

Attendance and Independent Study

• The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
• Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
  • the relevant generic national Qualification Descriptor
  • the applicable Subject Benchmark Statement
  • the requirements of any professional, regulatory, statutory and accrediting bodies.

Modules

Year one

• Environmental Systems
• Foundations of safety, risk and benefit in outdoor education
• Personal performance skills in land and water based activities
• Introduction to outdoor coaching and leadership practice
• Fundamentals of movement in outdoor adventure

Year two

• The Atmosphere
• Contemporary structure of the outdoor adventure sector
• Applied outdoor coaching and leadership practice
• Professional Placement
• Organisational leadership in sport and recreation

Year three

• Research and Professional Skills
• Critical interpretation of your context
• Sports innovation and entrepreneurship
• Expedition Studies
• Advanced professional practice in outdoor adventure

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Are you a GB & Islands or International Applicant?

• A level: CCC
• Applied General Qualifications: RQF Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma / OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma (2016 suite) Award profile of MMM
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 96 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of five subjects (four of which must be at higher level) to include English at H6 if studied at Higher level or O4 if studied at Ordinary Level.
• Scottish Highers: Grades CCCCC
• Scottish Advanced Highers: Grades DDD
• Access to Higher Education (HE): Overall profile of 55% (120 credit Access Course) (NI Access Course)
• GCSE: For full-time study, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first degree course and hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in English Language.
• English Language Requirements: The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Careers & opportunities

Career options

Graduates can pursue careers in the following contexts: educational welfare, local government, educational and community development, youth work, social/educational research, environmental education, charities at home and abroad; further and higher education, international development, as well as training roles in business-contexts, in human resources and in marketing. Typically, graduates will find themselves in roles where they use their graduate skills to create learning/training content and supporting materials, to mentor adults and young people, to train/teach a variety of learners using a variety of traditional and innovative tools.

Career opportunities include:

• Outdoor adventure & recreation industry
• Outdoor adventure activity instructor
• Outdoor adventure guide
• Youth development and education sectors - outdoor adventure
• Travel / tour guide
• Outdoor learning tutor / facilitator in leadership, education & development
• Expedition leader
• Social enterprise / own business
• Charity
• Progression to postgraduate study

Work placement / study abroad

Work based learning is central to your study. You will have opportunities to participate in work placements which reflect the broad landscape of the outdoor adventure and recreation industry. These will include, commercial, educational, community and charity settings.

Fees and funding

Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and EU Settlement Status Fees

£4,855.00

England, Scotland, Wales and the Islands Fees

£9,535.00

International Fees

£17,010.00

Additional mandatory costs

Students will be required to have their own personal clothing / kit for land and water based outdoor activities. Specialist equipment will be provided.

Expeditions and study abroad opportunities will incur additional costs for students.

Students are responsible for registration fees related to professional qualifications.

Applicants should also note that they might be required to submit an Enhanced Access NI check during the course, should they be involved in “regulated activity” whilst on a placement or during work based learning. More information on Enhanced Disclosures may be accessed at An enhanced check currently costs £33.00.

It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.

There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.

See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.