Program Overview

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BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and Physical Education with Integrated Foundation Year

Overview

The BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and Physical Education with Integrated Foundation Year aims to develop aspiring coaches and future educators equipped to teach in primary, secondary, and tertiary educational settings. The course focuses on fitness, training, and performance, whether aligned to athlete development or the delivery of the national curriculum for physical education.

Why Us?

• Our Sport Sciences courses are 17th in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2024)
• Option to apply to the Elite Athlete Bursary Scheme
• All students get free access to Adventure Sunderland, which provides water-based activities (e.g., surfing, paddle boarding, sea kayaking)

Course Structure

Our teaching methods are designed to develop not only your knowledge but also practical skills through authentic learning activities that enhance employability.

Methods include:

• Small group work
• Practical teaching/coaching activities
• Work-based activities
• Workshops
• Lectures
• Industry speakers
• Tutorials
• Laboratory practicals
• Computer-based activities
• Presentations
• Independent learning

Assessment methods include:

• Lab reports
• Essays
• Presentations
• Reflective portfolios
• Online quizzes
• Exams
• Problem-based learning
• Competency-based practicals

Modules

Foundation Year

• Foundations of Sport, Physical Education, and Rehabilitative Therapies (40 credits)
• Essential Study Skills (20 credits)
• Foundation Project (20 credits)
• Practical Numeracy Skills (20 credits)
• Practical Statistical Skills and Applications (20 credits)

Year 1 (National Level 4)

• Introduction to Coaching Leadership (20 credits)
• Academic and Professional Development (includes Gym Instructor course and work-related experience) (20 credits)
• Introduction to Sport and Exercise Physiology and Movement Analysis (20 credits)
• Introduction to Motor Skills and Sport and Exercise Psychology (20 credits)
• Sport and Health in the Community (20 credits)
• Theory and Practice of Physical Education 1 (20 credits)

Year 2 (National Level 5)

• Research and Professional Development (includes Personal Trainer course and work-related experience) (20 credits)
• Theory and Practice of Physical Education 2 (20 credits)
• Theory and Practice of Sports Coaching (20 credits)
• Pedagogy and Practice (20 credits)

Optional modules (choose two):

• Physiology of Fitness and Training (20 credits)
• Biomechanical Analysis of Human Movement (20 credits)
• Motivating Physical Activity (20 credits)
• Performance Analysis (includes work-related experience) (20 credits)
• Business, Innovation, and Event Management (20 credits)

Final Year (National Level 6)

• Dissertation (20 credits)
• Theory and Practice of Physical Education 3 (20 credits)
• Developing Excellence in Sports Coaching (20 credits)
• Adaptive Physical Activity (20 credits)

Optional modules (choose two):

• Sport and Exercise Biomechanics (20 credits)
• Exercise and Diet Behaviour Change (20 credits)
• Sport and Exercise Physiology (20 credits)
• Sport and Exercise Nutrition (20 credits)
• Professional Practice in Sports Coaching and Physical Education (includes work-related experience) (20 credits)

Facilities

You will be based in the Darwin Building and CitySpace, which has recently benefited from a multi-million-pound refurbishment.

State-of-the-art equipment includes:

• Vicon systems
• Xsens motion capture suits
• Kinovea live action capture software
• Movement tracking tools
• BTE Primus rehabilitation equipment

Entry Requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for Ireland. Please contact the Student Admin team for more information.

Eligible entry qualifications:

• If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade, you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above.
• Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number.

If English isn't your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Fees and Finance

The annual fee for this course is £9,535 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

If you're a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student, you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Please note, this course isn't available to international students.

Career Ready

At Sunderland, our sporting courses are professions-facing. The academic team works closely with employers in the local region to provide valuable and authentic work-based learning experiences.

The course embeds practical experiences which allows you to put theory into practice so that upon graduation, you are well-equipped with a broad and in-depth knowledge and skillset.

Work-Related Experience

Work-related experience on the course will ensure that our graduates are ‘ready for work’. They will be competency-based and supported by an academic mentor. You'll meet and work with professionals in the fields of sport coaching, sport development, leisure industry, and physical education (teaching). You'll be given the opportunity to present your work to professional colleagues.

Career Options

Potential employers for graduates of this course include sports clubs, schools and colleges, national sports associations, sports and leisure companies, recreation services, and local authorities.

During the course, you'll be encouraged and supported to obtain National Governing Body Coaching Awards to support future development. This will allow you to develop the skills required to become an effective sports coach/physical education teacher across a range of activities.

Job roles include:

• Sports coach/instructor
• Fitness centre manager
• PE Teacher (primary and secondary)