Sport Coaching with Foundation Year

Why study Sport Coaching with Foundation Year at Liverpool John Moores University?

• The School of Sport and Exercise Sciences is ranked first in the North West and top 20 in the world for Sports Science (QS World University Rankings 2025)

• Covers the art (coaching methods, planning and delivering) and science (psychology and physiology) of sport coaching

• Provides multiple opportunities to gain coaching experience in the UK and potentially abroad

• Applies the latest coaching research in practical sessions, assessments and placements

Graduates have gone on to a wide range of exciting careers in community sport, private or overseas coaching, national governing bodies of sport and sport development

• Your studies will be supplemented by expert guest lectures and visits from the field of coaching

• Aligned with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)

• 100% of students surveyed said this course challenged them to achieve their best work (National Student Survey 2025)

• 97% of students surveyed on this course said teaching staff were good at explaining things (National Student Survey 2025)

About your course
Learn from experienced staff who are working with elite athletes, coaches, international sports federations and sports organisations. If you are passionate about sport and want a chance to help others achieve their sporting ambitions, a degree in Sport Coaching could be the route for you. Demand for qualified coaches is high across a variety of settings (coaching children; participants and athletes). To be a successful coach, you need to be self-confident with strong interpersonal skills and a sense of responsibility, plus in-depth professional coaching knowledge. This course covers areas such as coaching methods, sport psychology, training programmes plus planning and delivering sessions.

During your degree, you will have the opportunity to do applied coaching on work placements in a variety of settings (schools, clubs etc). This will help you develop professional skills relevant to the coaching field e.g. observation, listening and communication. It will help you to develop a network of contacts and to further your coaching C.V. Our excellent student placement office can help you source placements and in the past students have completed work experiences in Liverpool, across the U.K. and even abroad. Within your modules, you will also deliver and experience a range of practical coaching styles and sessions. These will be both student led and staff led, and will include a range of sports so students get to observe, learn, and deliver the best coaching practices.

Staff on this programme have vast industry experience, ensuring your lectures will be informed by both the latest research and best practices from industry. In fact, as part of your research methods strand, you will get to work on exciting research projects, helping you to develop analytical, organisational and presentation skills.

About the Foundation Year
The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the ability to study for a degree but don't have the qualifications to enter directly onto the Sport Coaching honours degree programme. Once you pass the Foundation Year you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).

Professional Accreditation
Aligned with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). UK Coaching has recognised this combination of in-depth knowledge and practical application on the course, and has accredited the degree for meeting their standards. Additionally, the International Council for Coaching Excellence has also recognised the excellent coaching work at LJMU.

LJMU is a member of ASET, the UK’s leading authority on work-based and placement learning (WBPL).