Sports Coaching & Performance

Take your passion for sport to the next level by building the professional skills needed to succeed in high-performance environments. This top-up year is designed for students with a relevant Level 5 qualification who want to deepen their knowledge of coaching, psychology, and performance analysis. You’ll work closely with experienced coaches and athletes, carry out real-world performance analysis, and develop your coaching style through practical placements. A major independent research project gives you the freedom to explore a topic that inspires you, supported by expert guidance every step of the way.

You’ll also gain insight into the strategic and psychological aspects of sport, preparing you for a wide range of career options—whether your goal is elite-level coaching, teaching, or progressing into further study. With a focus on applied, industry-relevant skills and innovative assessment methods, this degree is ideal for anyone ready to step confidently into a professional coaching and performance role.

Course Modules

Modules for this course include:

- Dissertation (40 credits) – This year-long module will support students through a piece of major independent research. Students will work with a dissertation supervisor, and will go through the research ethics process. The dissertation-theme can be decided by the student and should be sports coaching and performance-related.

- Applied Performance Analysis in Sport (20 credits) - Students will apply performance analysis skills in sports settings, as they enhance their competencies within a blended learning approach for the ‘Applied Performance Analysis for Sport’ module. Students will collaborate with coaches within a sports-performance setting to capture data from players, and learn how to use this with information athletes and coaches.

- Sports Coaching Professional Practice (20 credits) – This semester-long module will allow students to apply learnt coaching pedagogy strategies and being able to establish robust planning, delivering and reflective practices.

- Contemporary Development Strategies in Sport (20 credits) – This semester-long module aims to enhance the understanding of strategies for utilitarianism. This will help students to establish a thorough understanding of how sport and physical activity is funded and directed by the government, public bodies and agencies.

- Applied Sports Psychology for Coaches (20 credits) – This module aims to address psychological issues that may be affecting participants. This module builds upon prior psychological-knowledge and students will be expected to work closely with sports coaches to positively influence the mindset of their athletes.

The BSc (Honours) Degree in Sports Coaching and Performance (Top-up), the proposed summative assessment for the ‘Dissertation’ will be the only 100% weighted assessment across the 3 years. However, students will need to go through ethical clearing before they can proceed with their investigation to ensure safe and professional approaches to their research. As previously stated, students will work with a dissertation supervisor throughout the ‘Dissertation’ module.

The other proposed summative assessments on the Top-up are as follows:
• Practical Project (Performance Analysis and Professional Coaching Practice)
• Report
• E-Portfolio
• Innovative Presentation
• Podcast (audio recording)
• Poster
The applied nature of the Top-up will mean that students will be assessed using innovative and industry-related assessment methods.