Leadership through Outdoor Adventure

Course overview

This course is taught through block learning. Find out more at https://www.lancashire.ac.uk/study/block-learning

Grab a paddle, fit your harness and check your map. Through five, week-long residentials, this unique course gives you all the skills for a career in coaching and leadership.

Our Leadership in Outdoor Adventure degree gives you everything you need to start a professional career. You'll take part in five residential trips in challenging locations in North Wales, the Lake District and Dartmoor. On these trips, you'll take part in activities such as kayaking, climbing, mountaineering and bushcraft. You’ll also stay in a wide range of accommodation - activity centres, bunkhouses, and wild camping.

What makes our course unique, is its learning and delivery model. Each year you will attend five week-long residentials, equal to the contact time of a normal timetabled degree. This also gives you the flexibility to either live on one of our campuses, or anywhere in the UK you choose.

This approach is ideal if you have other commitments and still want to gain an outdoor adventure leadership degree.

You'll be able to study some of this course from home. This gives you more time to gain industry experience or work on gaining further qualifications.

With our strong industry connections with employers across the world we'll support you in gaining further experience with our year-long or summer placement schemes. You’ll be taught by an expert team of industry and research-active staff, all with years of experience. Some of the course content can also be shaped to align with your interests or career plans.

By the time you graduate, you’ll have all the knowledge and experience you need to start a career in this growing employment area. Some of our past graduates now work in careers within the military, education, emergency services, the NHS, and postgraduate research.

Why study with us

• Our course has an innovative learning model consisting of high contact residential time at sites in North Wales, the Lake District and Dartmoor. This allows you the flexibility to study from anywhere in the UK or stay at one of our campuses.

• Gain leadership skills through real outdoor challenges and earn National Governing Body awards in activities like climbing and paddle sports.

• Benefit from strong staff expertise, industry connections, and opportunities for international expeditions and placements.

What you'll do

• You’ll take part in five individual week-long practical residential trips each year. You'll participate in a range of activities and turn theory into professional skills.

• This is a practical course that allows you to examine a range of leadership, coaching and educational issues within the sector.

• Placement opportunities could take you from the nearby Lancashire coast to far-away locations such as the Himalayas.

Future careers

Our course is shaped around the needs of the sector. You'll develop the intellect, knowledge and skills needed to work in a coaching and leadership capacity. These skills are transferable and apply outside the sector.

Throughout your studies, you’ll find a real emphasis on practical experience. As well as the week-long residentials and placements, we’ll also encourage you to take on work experience placements – both at home and abroad.

You could be working at outdoor teaching centres, educational charities or retail. You might also get the chance to work on national or international expiations.

As such, the course can help prepare you for a diverse range of rewarding career opportunities across the globe. These could include international expeditions, outdoor sports management and a range of coaching roles, to teaching, public services and uniformed services.

Please visit The University of Lancashire’s website for the latest information about our modules.