About the course

If you have a passion for team or individual sports, or enjoy being fit and physical active, this course gives you the necessary knowledge and skill-sets to pursue a wide range of career pathways within the sports sector, including sports coaching, sport development, health and fitness management, teaching, and entering the growing sector of social entrepreneurship.

This degree aims to develop your coaching, management and leadership skills, putting you in a position to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity. The course syllabus is aligned to the priorities of Sport England's 10-year strategy and global initiatives, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and is therefore highly relevant to your future employability.

Areas of study include practical and theoretical aspects of sports coaching; applied sport development and project management; sport and exercise psychology; sport and social diversity; and research in sport. Your employability is further enhanced with opportunities to gain valuable experiences working alongside our partner organisations - such as the Bedford Blues Foundation – managing and delivering real-world projects.

Why choose this course?

• We are a higher education partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) so the course aligns with professional standards relevant to sports coaching and development
• You are taught by a highly experienced team who prioritise student-centred learning, at a University with a legacy of delivering sport and physical education that goes back over 100 years
• The team draw on their own work experience with organisations such as The Football Association and Sport England to give you the knowledge and skills you need to follow a career in sports coaching and sport development management
• Learn through a combination of lectures and workshops, practical coaching, field trips, community-based project work and on-site events management operations
• The Bedford RFC Blues Foundation is official partner for the course, offering a range of opportunities to enhance your CV
• Our academic team has completed research and published widely in the fields of sports sociology; sports coaching and development; physical education; sport management; and physical activity leadership – all of which feeds back into your learning
• Each year, students have the opportunity to put their practical skills to the test by helping organise and assist with sporting events, with previous events including Club La Santa's Volcano Triathlon
• There are opportunities to gain additional technical qualifications, such as a variety of coaching awards, which enhance your employability prospects
• Take the course over four years and include a fee-free year in industry (see below), gaining experience and building your CV
• 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