BSc (Hons) Community Football Coaching and Administration (Top Up)

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UCAS Code

Start Date

September 2026

Location

Pontypridd

Campus Code

UCAS Points

Fees

Home students: £9,535*
International students: £17,200*

UCAS Code

Start Date

September 2027

Location

Pontypridd

Campus Code

UCAS Points

Course Overview

The unique and exclusive delivery route, run in partnership with the English Football League in the Community (EFLitC), allows students to study in the workplace.

The course focuses on both football and leadership related knowledge needed to develop professionals for the football industry. Learners who have already obtained a football or sport related Foundation Degree or equivalent qualification.

In partnership with the Football Association of Wales, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, CIMSPA, CASES, UK International Soccer and EFL in the Community.

Our Partners

We have a number of partnerships available, please see course overview for details.

Why study this course?

Blended and Work Based Learning

Students will undertake their studies at a local EFL club. Your lectures will be produced by USW staff, but you will watch these remotely at your club's learning environment.

Residential visits

The residentials provide an opportunity for students to build relationship with peers, complete synchronous lectures, undertake practical assessments and hear from industry experts such as international and professional coaches.

Academic support

The EFLitC employ a team of Higher Education Programme Officers (HEPO’s) to support learners on the programme. The ADO’s travel the country and provided a range of services such as 1-1 tutorials and academic skills workshops.

UEFA B License

Eligible students will get the opportunity to apply for a place on a UEFA B Licence course which is exclusive to USW students and sits outside the regular domestic courses operated by FAW Coach Education.

What you'll study

You will consolidate your learning and start to specialise your work-based learning experience in line with your career ambitions.

The module is designed to provide a platform upon which the learner can enhance the effectiveness of their workplace experience.

The module aims to further enhance student knowledge of the various aspects of community-related football coaching and the demands placed upon the modern-day football coach.

To introduce students to the concepts of strategic management and planning.

The module aims to develop students' critical awareness of contemporary topics across coaching, leadership, performance and participation in sport.

Student will be introduced to contemporary leadership concepts and skills required within twenty-first century sports organisations; providing an increased knowledge of both sport management and leadership approaches.

We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.

Teaching and Assessment

The course focuses on both football and leadership related knowledge needed to develop professionals for the football industry. Developed in partnership with professional coaching organisations, this football coaching course allows you to study and gain work placements across the globe.

You will conduct your studies within your Community Club Organisation (CCO) learning environment all while receiving support from your Club Mentor.

The course materials, created by academic staff at the USW, include pre-recorded sessions that you can complete in the classroom or at your convenience. You may also be asked to participate in live tutorials and seminars led by USW staff.

Additionally, you will be required to attend residential study visits at our world-class USW Sport Park.

On average, you will engage with approximately 12 hours of content per week. It is expected that you will dedicate an additional 10 to 15 hours weekly to further or directed study.

You’ll take on open, real-world challenges, including performance appraisals, collaborative projects and applied assessments co-created with EFL in the Community and partner football club charities.

Reflection and feedback sit at the heart of the course. You’ll test ideas, refine your thinking, and share draft work before final submission. Through work-based learning and mentor support, you’ll evidence your progress and grow in confidence, capability and professional integrity.

Work experience and placements are organised for students within Community Club Organisation’s (CCO’s) in various roles and departments to cater for the learners interest and desired career paths.

As part of this year, you will complete the Applied Professional Project module, which incorporates 140-hours of placement. Within this you’re required to design and manage a project, delivering some form of activities for your placement host. 

We have a state-of-the-art sporting performance facility that focuses on sport coaching. It includes a specialist centre for strength and conditioning and provides a high-performance environment for aspiring athletes.

Our full-size indoor 3G pitch is built to the Fifa Pro standard and guarantees training all year round. We are the only university in England and Wales to offer this facility.

We also have a notational analysis suite and over 30 acres of playing fields. We have a sand-dressed 'AstroTurf' pitch, as well as a full-size FIFA approved 3G pitch. Our facilities are regularly used by international teams, such as the Wales national football team and Cardiff City Football Club.

Course Leader

Robyn Pinder

I joined the University of South Wales in 2021 as a Lecturer in Football Coaching and teach subjects including foundational and applied coaching, social issues in sport, and independent project and project management.

I have published research on gambling in sport, gender equity, sport governance, and teaching and learning strategies. My teaching is shaped by experience: playing football at a high level, coaching regional squads, and consulting on sport development projects across the sector.

I’m a Non-Executive Board Member for a National Governing Body of sport in Wales and previously served on the Football Association of Wales EDI Board.

Career Prospects

As the game continues to evolve, there is growing demand for skilled coaches and performance practitioners who can support player development, enhance performance, and create positive sporting environments. Studying football coaching and performance gives you the opportunity to develop the practical skills, industry knowledge, and professional experience needed to make an impact across the modern game.

Your future career

Graduates of this degree go on to build careers as Professional Football Coaches, Academy or Community Football Coaches, Community Sports Coaches, and Sports Development Officers, as well as progressing into roles across the leisure industry, sports management, and business ownership.

Students may also continue their development through further study to qualify as Primary or Secondary School Teachers, opening pathways to inspire the next generation.

96% of USW Sport graduates are in Employment and/or Further Study 15 months after graduation.

(Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022/23)

Salary expectations

A Community Football Coaching and Administration degree can open opportunities across football and the wider sport sector. Sport careers offer strong earning potential:

Median wage
UK: £31.4k per annum
Wales: £29.8k per annum

Total jobs in 2025
UK: 644,306
Wales: 26,817

Source: Lightcast Labour Market Data 2026

Industry partners

The course includes work experience and placements with Community Club Organisations (CCOs). You’ll work in different roles and departments, based on your interests and career goals. This gives you real experience, builds your skills, and helps you move into a career in sport and the community sector.

Top Up degrees

The main benefit of this course, like our Foundation Degrees, is that you learn while working. This means you can use what you learn every day and gain real experience of what it’s like to work in a professional sports club’s Community Trust.

Entry Requirements

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

How to apply Contextual admissions policy Ask us a question

96 UCAS points or above

Typical qualification requirements

A Level:
CCC to include Mathematics or a numerate subject

Welsh BACC:
Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales Grade C and CC at A Level to include Mathematics or a numerate subject

BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit in a relevant Maths, Science or Engineering subject

Access to HE:
Pass an Access to HE Diploma in Maths/Science and obtain a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points

T Level:
P

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

International students Pre-Sessional English

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Fees and Funding

UK Full-Time Fee £ 9,535

per year

Fees and funding Scholarships and bursaries Cost of living support

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

International Full-Time Fee £ 17,200

per year

Fees and funding Scholarships and bursaries Cost of living support

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Explore our facilities

Sport facilities

Step into a high-performance sport environment, from elite pitches and advanced labs to a fully equipped strength and conditioning suite. Everything here is designed to help you train, test and perform at your best.

Sport Park virtual tour

Our full-size indoor 3G pitch is built to the Fifa Pro standard and guarantees training all year round. We are the only university in England and Wales to offer this facility.

Learn more

How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS

You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).

Community Football Coaching and Administration (Top Up)
- Full-time, 1 years
- September
- Pontypridd
Apply direct

Community Football Coaching and Administration (Top Up)
- Full-time, 1 years
- September
- Pontypridd
Apply direct

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.

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Community Football Coaching and Administration (Top Up)