MSc Sports Coaching and Performance

Our sports coaching masters offers an advanced insight into how psychology, physiology, strength and conditioning and movement analysis impact on performance.

It has been designed for those working within sport and coaching, or recent graduates with coaching experience.

Work-based learning is an important part of this sports coaching course, with students taking a 140-hour placement with one of our many industry partners.

The integration of theory and practice will enhance and develop your ability to reflect on current coaching practice, plan appropriate training programmes and critically analyse existing approaches to performance coaching.

You will also develop comprehensive knowledge of the key issues that support the high performance sports coaching environment. High profile alumni include Jevon Groves, Elite Men’s Rugby Sevens coach for the Hong Kong Sports Institute, and James French, opposition analyst at Liverpool FC.

Study Mode
2023
Duration Start Date Campus Campus Code
Full-time 1 Year September Glyntaff A
Part-time 2 Years September Glyntaff A
Study Mode
2024
Duration Start Date Campus Campus Code
Full-time 1 Year September Glyntaff A
Part-time 2 Years September Glyntaff A

Core Modules

Research Project
This project aims to enable students to demonstrate the skills necessary to produce a scholarly, in-depth, empirical research study, resource, or report.

Research Methods
This module will develop your ability to design and statistically analyse experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental quantitative studies. It will allow you to appreciate the strengths and limitations of the different quantitative and qualitative research designs used in coaching and sport, health and exercise science; and synthesize knowledge and competencies gained during taught modules to produce a scholarly, in-depth critical review and proposal for a research study.

Effective Coaching
You will develop an advanced understanding of critical self-reflective skills through the use of video analysis, which includes identifying key coaching styles, behaviours and feedback techniques required in advanced coaching situations. In addition, you will develop an in depth understanding of the interdisciplinary approaches that contribute to the coaching process including your ability to recognise and develop current coaching practice and coaching philosophies.

Professional Work Based Development
This modules provides an opportunity for students to observe and participate in work-based professional environments, including identifying a work problem for you to overcome, which will enhance your professional and vocational learning and inform your own everyday practice. As part of your studies you will critically reflect on your learning throughout the work placement. You will, together with the module team, identify an organisation or organisations that are relevant to your field of study and that will be able to provide 140 hours of work experience.

Option Modules (choose three)

Mentoring in Sport
Explore current mentoring philosophies in order to provide a holistic view of mentoring delivery. Enable students to understand and explore the difference between the role of a mentor / coach and develop dynamic and reciprocal relationships within the working sporting environment that is required. Recognise and appreciate the need for mentoring within sport and management contexts, develop the skills necessary for mentoring and apply them in a diverse non-judgemental environment. Ensure that students are provided with and develop the strategies required to meet the outcomes of the mentees and their environment.

Movement Analysis
This module aims to develop your awareness of the analysis of sports performance, with particular emphasis on technique analysis and notation analysis. The use of systematic observation techniques in the analysis of sports performance will also be considered.

Strength and Conditioning
At the end of this module you will have developed your knowledge and critical understanding of concepts and theories regarding strength and conditioning. You will also have developed the ability to implement effective strength and conditioning programmes into a range of performance environments. The above have been closely linked to the professional standards required for accreditation by both the NSCA and the UKSCA.

The Coaching Environment: Evidence Based Practice
The module will analyse a range of different approaches to developing the coaching environment and its relationship with coaching practice. The module will critically assess the value of each approach whilst also highlighting the trade-off associated with each approach, and prepare learners to implement a range of approaches and reflect upon their experience of doing so along with the impact of each approach on the athletes whom they coach.

The High Performance Environment
The module will analyse how multiple stakeholders across the organisation assist and complement each other in producing a high performance environment. To develop a multi-disciplinary perspective of factors that act upon an individual and how these contribute to the development of high performance. The management of the performance environment will be discussed and the many issues that underpin successful implementation will be analysed.

Teaching

Learning and teaching methods include lectures, interactive workshops, practical sessions, work-based learning, guest lectures (from industry professionals), debates and tutorials. This range of teaching and learning approaches ensures that you gain a wide variety of skills.

It is very much focused on gaining the students' views and experiences to guide the group’s learning. All content will be applied in a sporting context to aid learning, and provide practical ideas and solutions that students can take back to the workplace or apply in the industry.

Some modules will be shared with other Masters courses which will allow for further discussion and debate.

Most lectures will be fairly small groups (10-25) which provides a more interactive and personal approach to your study. Group work and class discussions help you to develop critical thinking skills and we encourage students to voice their opinion and challenge the norm.

The student will be expected to attend lectures (time varies dependent on module) but will normally be about 25 hours of contact time per module. Additional hours of study expected will depend on the student and their level of understanding of the subject material.

Lectures are either block delivery (module covered in a single three-day block, Monday to Wednesday, 9-5pm). A draft timetable can be requested from the course leader Melanie Tuckwell.

Assessment

You will be assessed via a range of methods to ensure that you develop a number of different skills to be able to utilise in the industry.

Assessment methods include: writing essays, reports and reflective blogs; producing leaflets and posters; examinations (multiple choice and essay style); presentations; practical sports coaching and leadership assessments; work-based learning assessments and assessments.

Accreditations

FAW Football Coaching Qualifications

We are proud of our established partnership with the Football Association of Wales. This enables us to deliver FAW licenced coach education courses (FAW C and FAW/UEFA B Licence) and as a student on this course you will be eligible to apply to undertake the FAW C Certificate or FAW/UEFA B Licence (at an additional cost £500 approx) should you meet the necessary entry requirement.

To find out more, please discuss further with Melanie Tuckwell, course leader.

Placements

The Sports Coaching masters offers excellent links with industry professionals. For students who are not currently working in the industry, this sports coaching course will give them an excellent opportunity to work with a range of partners. We have links with nearly 50 organisations in sport – many of whom support students with placements, research projects and mentoring.

For those already working in the industry, the course will offer additional networking opportunities and sharing of ideas via informal discussions, which can provide huge added benefits on top of their formal learning.

Work-based learning is embedded throughout the course with particular emphasis on the Professional Work Based Development module, where students will work with an employer for 140 hours.

For students who are already working in the industry, this could either be with their existing employer or an alternative employer. For students who are not currently working, placements will be arranged to enable them to gain experience in their chosen role.

There are additional opportunities to take on leadership roles such as becoming a Course Representative or Student Ambassador.

Facilities

USW Sport Park is a brand-new specially designed sporting performance facility that focuses on rugby and football coaching. It includes a specialist centre for strength and conditioning with 12 lifting platforms, providing a high performance environment for aspiring athletes. Our full-size indoor 3G pitch is built to the Fifa Pro standard and World Rugby 22 standard. We are the only university in England and Wales to offer this facility.

You'll also find a notational analysis suite and over 30 acres of playing fields, including five floodlit pitches. We have a sand-dressed 'astroturf' pitch, as well as a full-size FIFA approved 3G pitch. In addition to these all-weather pitches, there are six grass football pitches, three grass rugby pitches, and a large changing pavilion.

Our facilities are regularly used by international professional teams, such as the Wales national football team and Cardiff City Football Club, as well as the touring New Zealand, South Africa and Australia rugby squads. This confirms the high quality of our pitches and the versatility of our equipment.

Lecturers

We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement

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.

  • Normally entrance to the course requires an Honours degree classification (at least a 2:2) in a relevant subject although relevant experience can also be taken into account.
  • This course is most suitable for those who hold a formal UKCC coaching qualification, preferably at Level 3, or those who have suitable coaching experience.
  • Alternatively those working within a coaching environment such as, a NGB coach, Academy coach, High performance coach, Sports development officer, strength and conditioning coach or sport science support will be considered.

 

The course welcomes international applicants and requires an English level of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component or equivalent.

Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.

August 2023 - July 2024 Fees


  • Full-time UK:  £9500

  • Full-time International:  £15100 

  • Part-time UK:  £1055 per 20 credits

August 2024 - July 2025 Fees


  • Full-time UK: TBC

  • Full-time International:  £16000 

  • Part-time UK: TBC

Student Perks

At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.

Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.

Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.

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.

Funding

Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs

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).

To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.

 

USW Postgraduate 20% Alumni Discount 2023/24

The University of South Wales is offering a 20% reduction in tuition fees for all University of South Wales* graduates starting a taught/online*** MA,MSc, LLM,MBA or DBA course from September 2023 (this includes students starting a course in January/February 2024). T's and Cs apply. Click here for more details and eligibility criteria: USW Postgraduate Alumni Discount 2023/24

Apply directly to the University for this course.

Admissions statement 

The need for relevant further education for sports professionals continues to increase given the highly competitive nature of the sport industry with hundreds applying for a handful of jobs.

Current professionals and new applicants are therefore keen to gain a competitive edge over others for promotion, with postgraduate qualifications providing one such advantage.

The Sports Coaching masters is focused upon students acquiring the knowledge and employability skills to gain employment within the sports sector with the aim of progressing into management roles USW Sport has a strong track record of creating employable graduates within the sports industry and beyond. This emphasis on student employability remains the core focus for the Sport academic subject area.

Graduates could also progress to a sport PhD or sport research degree.