Rugby Coaching and Performance
Turn your passion for rugby into a career in player development and performance optimisation with industry-recognised qualifications.
How to apply Apply Through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to Us/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/03-courses/sport/bsc-rugby-coaching-and-performance-1.png)
Key Course Details
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UCAS Code
C611
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Start Date
September
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Location
Pontypridd
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Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£9,535*
International students
£16,200*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
-
Start Date
September
-
Location
Pontypridd
-
Campus Code
A
Fees
Home students
£785*
- Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.
Rugby performance roles require graduates who are fit for purpose. That’s why our unique course provides extensive opportunities to practice your craft and experience elite rugby environments. Develop outstanding skills, learn to navigate the rugby industry, and become ready to fulfil your potential.
DESIGNED FOR
If you aim to enter rugby at the highest level, either coaching elite teams, growing the grassroots game or using cutting-edge techniques and technology in performance analysis, or as an S&C coach, this course will equip you for that through meaningful practical experience, advanced accreditation and expert guidance.
Accredited by
- Welsh Rugby Union
Career paths
- Academy coach
- Strength and conditioning coach
- Rugby performance analyst
- Rugby development officer
- Sport science support
- Physical education teacher
Skills taught
- Technical coaching skills
- Communication and relationship-building
- Presentation
- Planning and management
- Adaptability and situation-management
- Performance Analysis
- Powerlifting/S&C
Course Highlights
Module Overview
Develop the key skills and knowledge you’ll need for a high-level career in rugby, before applying these on placements within community and elite rugby settings, gaining international coaching and refereeing accreditation in the process.
Year one
Introduction to Performance Analysis for Rugby Coaching and Performance
Rugby Coaching: Young Performers
Managing and Developing Rugby in the Community
Athletic Development
Academic Research and Professional Skills*
Year two
Rugby Coaching: Adolescent Performers
Physical Education and School Sport 20 credits - (optional)
Rugby Performance Analysis
Weightlifting 20 Credits - (optional)
Research Methods
Sport Placement*
Year three
Rugby Coaching: Adult Performers
Strength and Conditioning - 20 credits (optional)
Analysis in Rugby Coaching and Performance
Creatively Teaching Physical Education, Health and Wellbeing – 20 credits (optional)
Applied Professional Project
Dissertation
Work Based Learning* 20 credits (optional)
*These modules can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Learn the fundamentals of rugby coaching, strength and conditioning performance analysis, and operations management, apply your theoretical knowledge in a variety of meaningful and realistic environments as you gain your first coaching qualifications, and develop the core professional and personal skills that prepare you for further study and employment.
Introduction to Performance Analysis for Rugby Coaching and Performance
Understand how camerawork enables effective performance analysis and gain the technical skills to setup and manage camera equipment to capture live rugby for analysis.
Rugby Coaching: Young Performers
Learn ‘How to Coach’ rugby union in a KS 1 and 2 (5-12yrs) contexts, covering World Rugby/WRU International 'TAG Rugby', 'Introduction to Contact' and 'Level 1 Coaching Rugby Union' qualifications and gain your Refereeing level 1 qualification.
Managing and Developing Rugby in the Community
High-profile guest lecturers show you what it takes to effectively manage rugby facilities and community events, and you’ll have opportunities to apply your knowledge and forge industry connections.
Athletic Development
Learn the many fitness parameters in elite rugby performance, such as strength, stability, mobility, power, speed, agility and endurance, and practice delivering sessions that develop these areas.
Academic Research and Professional Skills*
Build the academic, social and interpersonal foundations essential to course success, and grow the transferable professional skills that help you secure and thrive in your desired roles within rugby.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Apply more advanced knowledge, tools and techniques to coaching, S&C and analysis, deepen your knowledge within specific fields of rugby performance, and undertake a more advanced placement within a community rugby setting in line with your level 2 coaching qualification.
Rugby Coaching: Adolescent Performers
Develop the craft of ‘What to Coach’ in a secondary school or youth club environments (12yrs - adult) context, covering the WRU Level 2 Coaching Rugby Union course. Deepen your rugby knowledge in practical sessions and gain invaluable experiences in schools and clubs.
Physical Education and School Sport 20 credits - (optional)
Understand the role of the PE teacher and sports coach in Primary and Secondary education. Explore issues around sports participation and learn how to design an effective programme of study.
Rugby Performance Analysis
Deepen your understanding of measurement and information processing in performance analysis, and design, test and deploy a computerised notation system to analyse rugby performance.
Weightlifting 20 Credits - (optional)
Recognise the benefits of weightlifting in rugby training, enhance your own technique in the various lifts and acquire the practical competency to plan, deliver and monitor weightlifting programmes.
Research Methods
Broaden and deepen your understanding of various methods of qualitative and quantitative research methods, critically analysing the ethical and methodological issues.
Sport Placement*
Gain practical rugby Level 2 industry skills and reflective practice through coaching placements in school/community coaching, event organisation, strength and conditioning, or Performance Analysis.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Get ready for a senior rugby coaching role, exposure to Level 3 content and applying advanced coaching principles. Gain real-world experience in elite or community rugby and analyse data for your dissertation or an applied professional project.
Rugby Coaching: Adult Performers
Develop your rugby coaching competence and philosophy by devising programmes, creating an effective environment, delivering sessions and evaluating performance in line with the Level 3 specifications.
Strength and Conditioning - 20 credits (optional)
Gain theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience to assess rugby players' strength and conditioning needs, delivering scientifically based training to boost key fitness factors for rugby performance.
Analysis in Rugby Coaching and Performance
Gain practical performance analysis skills as you develop a system involving scientific observation, evidence gathering, and feedback techniques to present data to players and coaches.
Creatively Teaching Physical Education, Health and Wellbeing – 20 credits (optional)
Develop your professional teaching skills, pedagogical principles and knowledge of the National Curriculum Physical Education, Health and Wellbeing subject areas so you can teach them effectively.
Applied Professional Project
Enhance the effectiveness of your workplace experience and acquire critical vocational skills by undertaking an independent research project exploring a key area of rugby development.
Dissertation
As an alternative to the Applied Professional Project, you can research, design, develop and evaluate an independent study relevant to your area of specialisation, where you’ll critically evaluate scientific data and literature.
Work Based Learning (optional)*
Develop and demonstrate the skills and behaviours required in the rugby workplace and reflect on your experience in a setting related to your interests and ambitions within rugby.
*This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Course Highlights
How you’ll learn
Your learning experience is designed to replicate the processes and practices you will rely on as a rugby performance professional. This means you’ll learn predominantly by ‘doing’. Lectures are often simulation-based, solving problems you’ll experience in role, regularly using technology such as the Hydra Simulation Suite, Simply Do Ideas business platform, and our notational analysis suite. The practical side is huge, with KS1 and 2 children regularly brought in to provide meaningful ‘on campus’ coaching experiences. There are no formal exams, with assessments mostly in the form of practical performance, delivering presentations, report writing, project work and self-assessment.
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Teaching staff
Our rugby lecturers bring experience from the very top of the game, whether that’s coaching/analysis with international teams and the Welsh regions, co-ordinating rugby within national governing bodies, or pushing the boundaries of performance analysis through their research. This breadth of experiences brings your learning to life and ensures you not only receive outstanding academic support but also guidance in navigating the dynamic world of rugby. Our lecturers remain active within rugby, occupying key positions in performance teams, on boards and strategic groups, and some of them regularly publish research that shapes current theory around coaching and performance analysis.
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Placements and work experience
Our course staff are incredibly well-connected in the rugby world and work tirelessly to ensure a range of credible and meaningful placement opportunities are available. These include coaching and analysis positions at Welsh Premiership clubs, as well as the WRU and other International NGB’s such as the Romanian national team and a host of regional clubs in Wales. We work closely with the Welsh Rugby Union to offer a wealth of opportunities in community development placements. Connections are key when it comes to securing roles in professional rugby, and with the support of our staff, many of our graduates secure roles at the same clubs and organisations where they undertake their final placements.
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Facilities
You’ll get to develop your skills at USW Sport Park, our specially designed sporting performance facility on the Treforest Campus. Our facilities are regularly used by international professional teams, such as the touring New Zealand, South Africa and Australia rugby squads. You’ll spend plenty of time on our full-size indoor 3G pitch. Built to World Rugby 22 standard, there’s no other facility like it at any university in England and Wales. You’ll also work in our specialist Strength and Conditioning Centre and our high-spec notational analysis suite. We also have five floodlit pitches among our many grass and artificial playing areas.
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100% of our BSc (Hons) Rugby Coaching and Performance Students were satisfied with their course (National Student Survey 2024).
94% of students are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating from USW.
Top in Wales
Sport Science at USW is top in Wales for Teaching Quality.
(Guardian University Guide 2025)100% of our BSc (Hons) Rugby Coaching and Performance Students were satisfied with their course (National Student Survey 2024).
94% of students are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating from USW.
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
112 UCAS Points (or above)
Typical qualification requirements:
- A Level: BBC to include one A Level in Science, Mathematics, Physical Education or Psychology but to exclude General Studies
- BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit in a relevant subject
- Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate: Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BB at A Level to include one A Level in Science, Mathematics, Physical Education or Psychology but to exclude General Studies
- Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma in Sport/Science with a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points
Additional requirements include:
The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on the Child Workforce and Child Barring List and subscription to the DBS Update Service is required. (Overseas equivalent required for non-uk applicants).
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.
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 72 overall and a minimum of 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing 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.
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.
We're here to help
Whether you a have a question about your course, fees and funding, the application process or anything else, there are plenty of ways you can get in touch, and we'd love to talk to you. You can contact our friendly admissions team by phone, email or chat to us online.
Fees and Funding
£9,535
per year*£16,200
per year*£785
per 20 credits*Additional Costs
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.
This fee includes £40 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee.
Cost: £55.42
Subscription required for each year of the course for a yearly fee of £13. Please note the service has to be joined within 30 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate.
Cost: £13
Students will have to fund their own travel and subsistence costs. Cost is dependent on placement location.
University Quality Assurance
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
Life at USW
Halls are a big part of your student experience and there’s accommodation at all three of our locations. If you don’t want to live near the campus, there are great transport links to keep you connected.
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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.)
Advanced entry
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.
International admissions
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.
