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Sports Coaching & Performance Analysis

Course details
  • FD
  • 2 Years
  • Full-time
  • 14/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Millfield Campus
Awarded by:
The Open University

Course summary

Ready to Turn Your Passion for Sport into a Professional Career?

Are you a sports enthusiast dreaming of a career that’s at the cutting edge of coaching and performance analysis? The Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching and Performance Analysis is your ticket to the fast-paced, data-driven world of modern sports.

This innovative two-year course, delivered face-to-face in Belfast Met Millfield Campus, is designed for school leavers and / or individuals with Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) who qualify for entry into Higher Education.

Whether you aspire to coach elite athletes, improve grassroots sports, or become a performance analysis expert, this course sets you on the path to success.

Why Choose This Course?
Real-World Experience

Train with industry-standard technology used by top professionals, including:
STATSports GPS trackers for live performance monitoring
Veo and Hudl sports cameras for tactical and technical analysis
Polar and Garmin heart rate monitors to track physiological responses
Force plates for movement analysis.

Apply your skills working within the Belfast Met Sports Academies, including football, rugby, and boxing, as well as through external work placements with the College’s industry partnerships.

These placements allow you to gain valuable insights and hands-on experience in professional environments, preparing you for the competitive sports industry.

Set Yourself Apart in the Sports Industry
Sports coaching and performance analysis have transformed, with technology and evidence-based approaches now raising standards across the board. By enrolling, you’ll learn to:
Analyse and interpret objective data to improve performance.
Work effectively within a multi-disciplinary coaching team.
Use cutting-edge technology to develop coaching sessions informed by real-world data.

Where Could This Course Take You?
This qualification opens doors to exciting careers in:
Sports Coaching
Performance Analysis
Strength & Conditioning
Sports Science Support

Progression opportunities include top-up degrees in Sports Coaching or Performance Analysis and beyond.

Is This Course for You?
If you're a school leaver or have Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) and are ready to:
Transform your passion for sport into a rewarding career.
Get hands-on with cutting-edge technology.
Gain real-world experience through external placements and partnerships.
then this course is the perfect match!

Your Career Starts Here
Don’t just follow the game—shape its future.
Apply now and become part of the next generation of sports coaches and performance analysts!

Please read our Terms and Conditions before applying for or enrolling on any of our courses.
https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belfastmet.ac.uk%2Fmedia%2Fgjoj3uq4%2Fbelfast-met-terms-and-conditions-for-enrolment-and-application-2026-27-v1-oct-2025.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

OU Handbooks and Regulations can be found under the Higher Education section of our public documents:
https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/about-us/corporate-information/public-documents

Delivery may include 1 day per week in TQ campus

Modules

What You’ll Learn: 11 Exciting Modules

Year 1: - Build your Foundation

Academic Study and Employability Skills
Develop key skills for academic success and future employability.

Fitness Testing
Learn to assess and analyse athlete fitness levels.

Functional Anatomy and Physiology
Understand the science of human movement and performance.

Movement Analysis
Break down and improve athletic movements with data-driven insights.

Practical Conditioning
Apply fitness techniques to enhance athlete performance.

Skill Acquisition for Coaching
Learn how athletes develop skills and how to coach them effectively.

Year 2: Take Your Expertise Further

Applied Performance Analysis
Use advanced technology to analyse and improve performance.

Data Visualisation in Coaching & Performance Analysis
Transform data into actionable coaching strategies.

Principles of Sports Coaching
Explore leadership, motivation, and effective coaching methods.

Strength & Conditioning
Gain expertise in designing training programmes for peak performance.

Work-Based Learning
Apply your skills in real-world settings through placements with College partners in the sports industry, building your professional network and confidence.

Assessment method

A variety of assessment methods are used including case studies, assignments, time constrained assessments, oral presentations, exams and project based assessments.

Students also get the opportunity to work on real life projects within Belfast Met Sports Academy and work placements in industry.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
U895
Institution code:
B07
Campus name:
Millfield Campus
Campus Code:
M

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

Belfast Met will not be sponsoring new applications for a student visa for the academic year 2026-27. More information on Right to Study and applying with overseas qualifications is available on our Frequently Asked Questions page on our website https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/full-time/how-to-apply/application-faqs/

International Qualifications
Belfast Met and University partners (UU, QUB and OU) must verify that applicants holding international qualifications meet course entry requirements before they can be enrolled onto a course.

To help us verify that course entry requirements are met, applicants must:
• Provide a full English language translation of your qualifications. Belfast Met will only accept the full English translation from UK ENIC www.enic.org.uk. UK ENIC is the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills.
• Ensure that the translation provides clear evidence that your qualifications meet or exceed the course entry requirements. UK ENIC can also help with Statements of Comparability and UK Qualification Reference Statements. There is a charge for this service.
• For more information on UK ENIC, visit their website at www.enic.org.uk .
• The Department for Communities can also provide information and/ or help with qualification equivalencies. For more information, visit their website at: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 80 points

Minimum of 88 UCAS tariff points. Applicants with lower profile will be placed onto a waiting list and may be offered a place depending on numbers.

Applicants must hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in English Language. Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills Literacy may be regarded as an acceptable alternative to GCSE English Language. The College may accept an equivalent level of qualification. Some courses may require higher than the minimum Grade C/4.

Applicants must hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in Mathematics. Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills - Application of Number and Essential Skills Numeracy may be regarded as an acceptable alternative to GCSE Maths.

Applicants who have already attained a qualification equivalent to or similar in content to any of the modules may be eligible to be considered for Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL).

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
We recognise that prior learning or experience may give some students credit towards a qualification to gain entry onto a programme or credit towards a programme of study. Please refer to our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process at https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/media/hfcicz0g/apl-guidance.docx

It is essential that applicants check entry requirements for each programme they are applying for. Please note, these are qualifications that applicants must have been completed and certified by the start date of the course to gain entry onto the respective programmes.

Please note that in the event of undersubscription to a course, entry requirements may be lowered.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Additional entry requirements

Other
You must ensure that you meet the following non-academic entry requirements, for courses running during academic year September 2026 – August 2027: You must be 16 years old by 1 July 2026 (born before 2nd July 2010). You must provide proof of your right to study in the UK. For courses with work placement, you must also provide proof of your right to work in the UK. You must provide photographic evidence of your identity. Access NI/ SOSCARE - Admission to certain courses will be subject to satisfactory Access NI/criminal records and SOSCARE checks. Criminal Convictions Disclosure - The College has a student Criminal Convictions Disclosure Policy therefore you must disclose criminal convictions when applying or enrolling onto a course. More information is available on our Student Criminal Disclosures webpage: https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/life-at-the-met/students-support/student-criminal-disclosures/ Failure to disclose will impact on your place at the College including work placements. The College reserves the right to increase the entry requirements for all Higher Education provision before offers are made, to reflect required academic standards as specified by the Awarding Body/validating organisation. This will be clearly communicated in the entry requirements on course details page.

English language requirements

There are minimum English Language requirements for full-time Higher Education programmes. Applicants must hold a GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above in English Language. Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills Literacy may be regarded as an acceptable alternative to GCSE English Language. The College may accept an equivalent level of qualification. Some courses may require higher than the minimum Grade C/4. You are advised to check the individual course entry requirements. You can find these within the Entry Requirements section under each individual course. Where a GCSE grade in English is specified as the only qualification accepted, other English competency qualifications may not apply. If you have not achieved GCSE English Language Grade C/4 or an equivalent level, you will be asked to provide evidence of English Language competency. Other qualifications may be accepted as evidence of level of competency on a case-by-case basis. To provide evidence of English Language competency, please contact us on 028 90 265 265 or email studentportal@belfastmet.ac.uk. You will be referred to the appropriate curriculum area who will guide you on your next steps. Where an ESOL qualification is used, the appropriate level must be achieved across all skills - Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening. Applicants should also check the English language criteria for progression to other further and higher education institutions as these may vary.

Please click on the link below for more information about course entry requirements. https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/full-time/higher-education/entry-criteria-higher-education

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
EU£3235Year 1
England£3235Year 1
Scotland£3235Year 1
Wales£3235Year 1
Channel Islands£3235Year 1
Republic of Ireland£3235Year 1
Northern Ireland£3235Year 1
International£8045Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Tuition fees apply to the College financial year beginning 1 August 2026 and ending on 31 July 2027 and are chargeable in each year of study. Tuition fees are payable in full at the time of enrolment and can comprise course fees, registration fees or any other charge relating to the course. Payment is accepted by cash, credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard), direct debit or World Pay. For more information on 2026/27 Fees and Charges, please read Belfast Met’s Fees and Charges Policy 2026-27 at https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/about-us/corporate-information/public-documents

Sponsorship information

Our Student Funding service provides advice and guidance to students on funding opportunities available in support of their studies. We aim to inform students about the range of financial assistance available, the relevant criteria and how these funds can be accessed. Please visit our website at https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/life-at-the-met/students-support/student-finance/ to find out more information.

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