From the playground to the world stage, coaches make a difference. If you want to help people at all levels and ages achieve their potential, this course is for you.

This is a course specifically for future coaches, teachers and sports educators. This specialisation means that you’ll have the skills, knowledge and understanding that may not be taught in a general sports degree.

You will be learning on some of the best campus sport facilities in the UK.

Learning from several staff who have been there and done it at National, International and World level, you’ll learn to inspire elite athletes, communities and young people through the power of sport.

Why choose Northumbria to study Sport Coaching?

Top Department- Northumbria is ranked 13th in the UK for Sport Sciences (Times Good University Guide, Subject League Table 2023).

Student Rated - 100% of students studying Sport Coaching at Northumbria believed their course was intellectually stimulating and thought staff made their subject engaging (NSS, 2023).

Research Power - Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th for research power in the UK (REF, 2021). This is a rise of 21 places compared to 2014 – the largest rise in the sector.

How will I learn during this Sport Coaching BSc (Hons) course?

Successful coaches have to be driven and are constantly looking to improve. You’ll have a network around you that will support you at every step of your journey to becoming a high performing coach.

As part of your ongoing development you will learn how to analyse your own methods and continuously improve your approaches to coaching. You’ll learn through laboratory and coaching practicals, workshops and placement opportunities.

You’ll also learn from your fellow students. Almost all professional coaches work as part of a coaching team, and you’ll spend a lot of your course working alongside your peers and tutors giving each other advice and discussing your methods, philosophy and challenges.

This course incorporates a wide variety of assessment methods including: examinations; portfolios; essays and assignments; article critiques; workbooks; coaching reports; logbooks; case studies; oral presentations, project reports, coaching practical assessments, learning contracts; literature reviews; posters; and group assessments.

Who will teach me during this degree?

Our staff will give you an insider’s perspective of coaching. You will be supported by experienced academics and industry experts, several of whom are renowned for their work in coaching across the world.

The International Federation for Gymnastics, the Rugby Football Union, Sport England, British Gymnastics, the Youth Sport Trust, the English Federation for Disability Sport, British Tennis, British Equestrian Federation, British Rowing, Football League Education, FIFA, UEFA and PGMOL have all benefited from the expertise of Northumbria staff.

This experience means that you’re never just getting theory. Our staff have tested what they teach you at the highest possible level.

What are the Sport facilities like at Northumbria?

Our campus sport facilities have been described as being some of the best in the country. We boast that facilities for teaching and learning rival any in the World, predominantly housed in Sport Central, a £30 million pound purpose-built sports building.

Facilities at Sport Central include an indoor 40-metre sprint track, a range of state-of-the-art sport science laboratories and an environmental chamber.

And all this is happening in one of the UK’s great sporting cities, where you’re surrounded by nationally and internationally recognised sports organisations. We involve the sporting community of Newcastle and the North East wherever we can in your learning experience

How do academics bring their research into the classroom?

A research rich culture is a strong philosophy of this programme and teaching on the modules promotes a ‘research rich’ learning approach, which encourages you to become an active inquirer and problem solver.

Research Informed Learning approaches, and the learning of specific research skills are embedded throughout the programme, with a research philosophy and design strand culminating in an independent research study in your final year.

Research active staff share their knowledge and expertise, and students are encouraged to become involved in research projects throughout their three years.

What can you use a Sports Coaching degree for?

You will be encouraged to explore a range of career pathways throughout your degree and develop an understanding of contemporary ways of working within coaching by engaging with a range of employers, alumni and external agencies. You will be given the opportunity and supported to engage with volunteering opportunities with our host employer links. For example, each year we have several Newcastle United FC internships which offer a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight in to a Premier League football club, getting invaluable experience and contacts within this field.  

Students are further supported in their personal and professional development by the personal profiling process and in particular within modules such as ‘Professional Skills for Sport’ (Level 4), ‘Sport: Continued Professional Development’(Level 5) and a ‘Professional Development through Sport’ module (Level 6) and a teaching preparation module (the latter two as options). Your professional and personal skills will be developed in a variety of ways including CPD and placement opportunities giving you a chance to support your understanding and experience of professional contexts and roles.