About the course

Coaching is a great way to express your passion for sport and - with Great Britain now a leading competitor in world sports - there has never been a better time to work in the field. This course gives you the understanding and skills you need to follow a career as a coach.

The course combines a thorough understanding of sport and exercise science with knowledge of the range of roles and settings within which a coach works. The combination of theoretical, vocational and practical elements helps you gain a comprehensive understanding of the sport science that underpins coaching practice.

The course is accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science (BASES) and, as we are a Higher Education Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), it is also closely aligned to the relevant professional standards you need to follow a career in the sports sector.

Why choose this course?

• Study a challenging and enjoyable course which prepares you for employment – 90% of our students are in work or study six months after finishing
• Learn in a high-performance environment that combines scientific knowledge with sports performance
• Explore coaching with internationally recognised staff in the fields of science, exercise and sport, who draw on their experience in organisations such as The Football Association and Sport England
• Benefit from up-to-the-minute facilities including six BASES-accredited sport and exercise science laboratories; our Human Performance Centre; two molecular and cellular physiology labs; and a sports therapy and rehabilitation centre with a sports injury clinic
• Enhance your profile through the use of industry-leading technology such as Analysis Pro and Catapult GPS equipment
• Take up opportunities for placements with our official partners, Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC, and other sporting organisations
• You have the chance to specialise, with optional study routes in your second and third years
• There is the opportunity to undertake a fee-free, one-year sandwich placement in industry (see below)
• If you need to step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below), which guarantees you a place on the degree course

I have worked at the University of Bedfordshire since 2006 and am currently a senior lecturer in the faculty of Education and Sport at the University of Bedfordshire with responsibility for coordinating all academic study of coaching and player and match analysis.