Course description

Interested in sport coaching as a form of education? Keen to study a sport degree that will put you on the pathway to a teaching career? Realise your ambitions on this challenging and vibrant new course.

• Choose a four-year course which includes a foundation year for an invaluable introduction to your studies
• Fulfil your potential: the foundation year route is for you if you are pursuing a change of career or exploring a new subject area
• Gain an impressive combination of skills relating to sport coaching, teaching and education
• Be inspired by our strong network of contacts including professional coaches, elite athletes and educational leaders
• Build the ideal platform to progress to teacher training opportunities such as a PGCE
• Deliver sports sessions to groups of different ages and abilities to develop your practical skills
• Work with sports clubs, schools and community organisations for vital experience in real-world settings
• Benefit from exceptional facilities including our new multi-purpose Sports Centre and state-of-the-art laboratories
• Learn from staff who are highly experienced in both the sport and educational arenas

Bringing together the art and science of both sport and education, this inspiring degree will build your academic and practical skills in equal measure. It is now available as a four-year course with a foundation year to give you a strong basis for your future studies and career.

Sport and Exercise Science - your questions answered

In the below video, Head of Discipline for Sport and Exercise Science, Andy Hooton, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Derby.

Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

Sport and Education at Derby

If you have an interest in sport coaching as a form of education, this innovative and interdisciplinary course is a perfect option for you. It leads to a qualification which will help you stand out in the graduate job market.

While more traditional sport coaching degrees concentrate on the physical training of athletes, our BA (Hons) Sport and Education course broadens your perspectives and gives you a deeper understanding of the relationships between the disciplines of sport and education.

Exploring the importance of the sport coach as an educator, you’ll cover the principles of learning and how they can be applied in different educational settings for teaching and coaching practice alike.

Drawing on areas such as educational psychology and human development, you’ll also develop your awareness of contemporary theory which will prove invaluable should you decide to progress to teacher training.

Expert teaching

You’ll be motivated and engaged by expert tutors who know all about combining education and sport: they do so every day in their work. Supportive, encouraging and approachable, they can call upon a wealth of professional as well as academic experience.

Thanks to our flourishing partnerships across the sector, you will also be able to attend inspirational guest lectures and network with professional coaches, elite athletes and education specialists.

Translate theory into practice

Our close links with both the sports industry and the education sector will open doors for you. Employers have had significant input into the design of this course, so you can be sure that what you are learning will meet their needs and expectations.

It also means you can start to build your professional networks and enjoy opportunities such as work experience, industry-led research and coaching practice, including delivering sport sessions to groups of different ages and abilities.  

By working in real-world settings – such as with sports clubs, schools, colleges, community organisations and local authorities – you will gain a better appreciation of the educational aspects of sport as well as the different career options available.

Specialist facilities

You can take full advantage of the facilities at our iconic £10.8 million , which boasts a main hall, fitness gym, studios, squash and badminton courts, an internal climbing wall, sprint track, changing rooms, treatment rooms and a café.

Our substantial investment in sport has also seen the introduction of bespoke equipment and state-of-the-art laboratories to keep our sports students at the forefront of new developments in testing and measuring the parameters of health and fitness. You will advance your skills in our high-specification sport and exercise and biomechanics laboratory. You will also become adept in using a range of computer software packages for statistical and movement analysis

How you will learn

This course is delivered using a variety of traditional and contemporary teaching and learning methods. These include lectures, tutorials, and practicals, as well as innovative approaches using information technology. A student-centred approach is adopted throughout and considerable emphasis is put on experiential learning, as well as the practical application of underpinning principles.

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used during the course, which include essays, written and practical exams, reports, portfolios, and presentations. In addition to final module assessments, students will receive feedback on their performance throughout the course enabling learning and progression.