Program Overview

A Sports Coaching Science degree, alongside governing body qualifications, will provide a foundation for a career in performance coaching.

The course provides you with an environment where you can develop theoretical and practical knowledge at each level of study. You will gain a strong understanding of the key science topics and practical skills that will make you stand out from other graduates.

You'll study a range of sports, but we encourage you to relate the degree content to your chosen sports coaching domain. Through the course, you'll develop skills relevant to other careers in sport-related fields, as well as those valued by all graduate employers.

Why St Mary's?
Sports Coaching Science is driven by scientific topics and includes three strands that will provide you with a well-rounded knowledge of the sports performance environment:

• Coaching process strand: enhances practical skills and develops critical analysis of coaching practice
• Skill acquisition strand: provides an understanding of motor learning and effective training settings
• Performance analysis strand: explores objective measurement of performance to inform performance and coaching effectiveness

The programme content also incorporates opportunities to specialise in the sport sciences of physiology, biomechanics and sport psychology. On top of this, you can also gain in-depth, coaching-related knowledge in skill acquisition, performance analysis and coaching pedagogy.

St Mary’s has a long-standing tradition of excellence in sports and a significant number of elite sports performers regularly choose to study for degrees in the School of Sport, Health and Applied Science.
You will have the opportunity to undertake a work placement during your degree, organised alongside the Workplace Learning Team. Placements are usually located at a place convenient to you - either near the university or close to your home. Previous students have undertaken placements within local schools and sports clubs.

About the Foundation Year:
Our four-year degree programmes (including a foundation year) provide an alternative route to undergraduate study at university if you do not have the grades to access higher education in the traditional way.
On successful completion of the Pedagogical Science Foundation Year pathway you will progress on to the three-year undergraduate degree in Sports Coaching Science.