Home Courses Sport BA (Hons) Physical Education and Sports Coaching
Student coaching a school pupil on the touchline of a football pitch

Learn to teach and coach sporting activities

UCAS LogoUCAS Logo
CX63
3 years full-time
Bishop Otter Campus (Chichester)

Clearing is now open for September

Clearing is now open for September

92.5%

of our physical education graduates are in work and/or study

Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019

37th

UK University

The Guardian University Guide 2023

7th

in the UK for teaching quality

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022

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Overview

Gain the practical, professional and academic skills needed to teach and coach sporting activities

Our BA (Hons) Physical Education and Sports Coaching programme is for those of you who love sport, but you’re not sure if you want to go down the teaching route, coaching route, or something else using the excellent transferable skills you will develop on the course.

Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) education partner

CIMSPA logo

Study the fundamentals of both PE and sports coaching

On this highly practical course, you will have the opportunity to experience and develop the core skills underpinning the teaching of physical education and the coaching of sports activities.

Build your degree around your interests

You will have the flexibility to tailor the course to your strengths and interests while developing an in-depth subject knowledge and professional skillset to enable you to move forward in your career progression.

Engage in research-led learning

Throughout this course, you will study modules that use the latest research to inform your teaching practice, including aspects relating to schools’ impact on mental and physical health of its pupils.

Gain vital experience on dedicated work placements

Each year, you will have the opportunity to develop your level of professional experience and improve your employability on various work placements that help support your learning and progress through the course.

Proud history of teacher training

The University of Chichester has been training teachers for over 180 years and we look to train employable professionals who can teach and make a difference.

Learn from expert specialists

You will be taught by experienced physical education and sports coaching specialists and our dedication to small teaching groups allows you to develop strong professional relationships with the University teaching team.

On this course you will:

  • Develop professional knowledge and understanding of the teaching and coaching processes.
  • Understand the developmental aspects of children and developing young adults within a physical activity context.
  • Seize the opportunity to hone your skills and improve your employability through our dedicated work placement options.
  • Build professional attributes such as communication, teamwork, building positive relationships, and enhancing personal performance.

The Course

Develop the core skills needed to progress into either PE teacher training or Sports Coaching

Understand how to teach and coach sporting activity

You will develop an understanding of the lifespan of athletic development of individuals who participate in sport activity, from early childhood fun to elite performance.

Gain a strong initial footing in physical education and sports coaching

The ‘generic’ first year provides you with a strong foundation of knowledge as well as academic flexibility that is useful if you are unsure of your desired career path.

 

Personalise your subsequent learning to fit your career ambitions

This course has been specifically designed to provide you give you options to allow you to personalise your learning and prepare you to achieve your ambitions.

Teacher training

If you wish to train as a teacher, you could undertake one of our progression routes onto our selection of PGCE routes, including Secondary Physical Education.

We also provide opportunities to train through school-based programmes such as School Direct and SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training).

Explore other options

If you are not sure that you want to be a teacher but know that you love PE and sport then the degree will equip you with excellent transferable skills such as leadership, organisation, communication, and management of yourself and others.

Indicative modules

You will study a selection of core and optional modules during your degree. Each module is worth a particular number of credits and is delivered differently depending on the needs of the module.

This list is indicative and subject to future change.

Select a year

Active Schools

Explore the issues surrounding Physical Education and its role in the health and activity agenda. Consideration of personal and social barriers and facilitators within and outside the school environment will also be given.

Developing Professional and Academic Skills

This module aims to help you make the transition between UK qualifications levels three and four (Year One at university) by improving intellectual and academic skills, which will support you throughout your programme. As part of the developing professional skills you will focus on issues surrounding employability and developing graduate employability skills.

Foundations of Movement and Principles of Games

Explore the teaching of games with a developmental focus as you learn to break down simple skills into key components to help children learn and understand.

Fundamental Movement Skills and Child Development

This module aims to develop your knowledge of fundamental movement skills (FMS) and child maturation. Emphasis will be placed on how Physical Education teachers and sport coaches facilitate developmentally appropriate pedagogy.

Knowledge and Understanding of Individual Activities (Aesthetics)

This module aims to analyse in detail movement related to gymnastics and dance.

You will explore gymnastics in its broadest sense within elements identified as Formal, Educational, Sporting and Rhythmic.

You will use the application of biomechanical principles, including Laban technique as you explore the evaluation of gymnastic and dance performance.

Principles of Play Through Invasion Games

You will participate in a range of practical sessions that will examine attacking and defensive principles of play, as you analyse the technical and tactical aspects of performance within their application within invasion games.

Professional Issues in Teaching and Coaching

This module aims to address contemporary topics relating to the professional issues surrounding teaching and coaching whilst exploring and debating current developments in both professions.

The Enquiring Practitioner

While learning the technical components involved in the teaching and coaching of specific skills, you will also be introduced to fundamental biomechanical principles which impact performance.

The module will apply research and enquiry to real-life lived experiences that are associated with your potential future career paths.

Coaching Practice and Delivery (Placement)

The module introduces various evidence-based and interdisciplinary practices and requires you to apply these practices in real-world coaching. This is achieved via peer coaching in taught practical sessions, and during the coaching placement hours (normally 50) required across the duration of the module.

Critical Issues in Sport and Physical Education

This develops your understanding of the place of sport and physical education in society.

It is designed to build analytical engagement in evaluating the relationship between sport and physical education from a sociological perspective. Its focus centres on the examination of the influences experienced by different communities of participants in the fields.

The module includes reference to the impact this has on physical activity as a cultural practice in society. You will consider the evolving meaning that these cultural forms have in our society, making particular reference to health agendas, elite performance and professional practice.

Factors Affecting Performance

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of sports performance pertinent for coaches. You may examine the demands of sporting performance, from a psychological and physiological standpoint, while also considering the influence of biomechanics on fundamental sporting movements. Where appropriate, performance analysis systems may also be used to help assess the demands for training and of competition. You should look to evaluate the internal and external factors affecting performance.

Fundamentals of Human Physiology

This module will allow you to examine how key systems such as the musculoskeletal system, the cardio-vascular system, and the respiratory system affect human performance. Specific attention is paid to energy metabolism in the context of the exercising human across the breadth of the energy spectrum.

Muscles and Movement – Anatomy in Motion

This module serves as an introduction to the basic concepts of anatomy and biomechanics as they relate to human movement and performance in sport and exercise. You will be shown how such concepts can be practically investigated and will illustrate the integrative nature of anatomy and biomechanics.

Pedagogical Skills in Track & Field Athletics and Swimming

This module aims to provide you with an opportunity to develop your knowledge, understanding, and personal performance of track and field athletics events and swimming strokes. You may have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and understanding of technical aspects, by planning and leading small group sessions.

Pedagogy for Activity

This module aims to further your understanding as to the ‘why’ surrounding physical activity through Physical Education. You will develop your knowledge and personal philosophy as to what you believe you want to deliver, how, and why, in accordance with school and Governmental policies.

Pedagogy of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities at KS3/KS4.

Through theoretical, practical, and residential experiences, the module provides you with an understanding of the activities that are implicit to the programme and an appreciation of the principles that underpin outdoor learning more generically.

Reflection: Developing Your Teaching and Coaching

This module aims to provide an opportunity to select and develop specialist areas of interest.

You will be required to develop skills in introspection, reflection, and reflective practice drawing upon theoretical concepts relating to pedagogy of sport and education.

You will agree a suitable programme of work within a professional context of your choice which will involve you immersing yourselves in the culture and practices of this working environment.

Striking and Fielding: Net and Wall Games

While learning the technical components involved in the teaching and coaching of specific skills, you will also be introduced to fundamental biomechanical principles which impact performance.

The Enquiring Practitioner 2

This module seeks to develop your knowledge and understanding from the Enquiring Practitioner 1 and help prepare you for your final year dissertation. You will conceive of, plan and execute small-scale research.

The aim of this “dress rehearsal” is to develop your appreciation of the project management aspect of the research process.

Understanding and Managing Individual Differences

Build on your understanding of effective teaching and coaching by understanding and applying principles of equality and inclusive practice.

Working With Individuals

This module focuses on the multi-faceted process of the coach-athlete and teacher-pupil relationship. Drawing on contemporary psychological research which places this relationship at the centre of athlete and pupil development.

This module will explore the sources, nature, and synthesis of sports specific and psychological theory and its application in the development of sporting competence in athletes and pupils.

Active Schools

Explore the issues surrounding Physical Education and its role in the health and activity agenda. Consideration of personal and social barriers and facilitators within and outside the school environment will also be given.

Active Schools: Mental Health and Wellbeing

The module aims to analyse the contribution of sport and physical activity to mental health and wellbeing. The influence of the role of teachers/coaches and pedagogical practice on the growing and developing brain will be examined.

Biomechanics in Sport and Exercise

The biomechanical principles underpinning performance in a range of sports will be considered in relation to practical performance of sport. The module content will include analysis methodologies and research, which has enhanced biomechanics knowledge of sports performance.

The biomechanics analysis and evaluation of selected sport and exercise activities will be considered e.g. golf, football, tennis, high jump, long jump, javelin, discus, gymnastics, cycling, swimming.

Classroom Pedagogy

This module will use a series of lectures and workshops to explore curricula employed in classroom teaching such as

  • the National Curriculum
  • GCSE PE
  • BTEC Sport
  • A-level PE

to consider how schemes of work and lesson plans are developed for delivery in school and college classrooms.

Critical Issues in Sport and Physical Education

This develops your understanding of the place of sport and physical education in society.

It is designed to build analytical engagement in evaluating the relationship between sport and physical education from a sociological perspective. Its focus centres on the examination of the influences experienced by different communities of participants in the fields.

The module includes reference to the impact this has on physical activity as a cultural practice in society. You will consider the evolving meaning that these cultural forms have in our society, making particular reference to health agendas, elite performance and professional practice.

Dissertation Project

This module is the culmination of previous learning and is the major element of your independent enquiry on your programme.

The module requires that you reflect on, and utilise the knowledge base, context, and application of taught modules, as well as placement experiences.

It is designed to encourage you to generate and explore your own ‘problem’ assisted by supervision from a tutor.

Factors Enhancing Performance

This module explores the multidisciplinary nature of sports performance.

Having identified the demands placed on the athlete, you will examine ways of enhancing performance by integrating some well-established principles of psychology, biomechanics and physiology.

You will look to critically examine different methods that can be used to enhance performance, while also considering methods of assessment and monitoring, and the role of the sports coach in this process.

International Issues in Sport and PE

In this module, you will explore the relationship between political agendas and sport and physical education agendas, from both international and comparative perspectives. You will analyse the utilisation and impact of sporting mega-events such as the Olympics and widening global issues on communities. In addition, you will critically analyse the role of the state in the managing of meaning of such events (such as in the creation of national identities) in different countries.

Off-Site Education Trips for Outdoor Learning

This module aims to use a residential experience at an outdoor centre to explore the application of different OAA teaching methods to fulfil a range of pupil needs. You will build upon your understanding of what outdoor learning is and its uses; therefore, facilitating a critical evaluation of the process and output of residential experiences.

Practical Applications in Coaching and Teaching

This module aims to provide you with blended learning opportunities via university-based work that develops and enhances depth of knowledge when working practically with performers. It is aimed to run concurrently with the Practical Pedagogy (Placement) module so that you can apply theory to the practical coaching and teaching environments within your micro sessions and placement context.

Practical Pedagogy (Placement)

An opportunity to experience a placement within a practical setting. This module aims to develop and refine pedagogical skills so that you can enhance pupil/performer progress and learning within a practical environment.

Teaching Approaches and Behaviours in Invasion Games

You will have the opportunity to lead practical sessions with a focus on a particular teaching approach.

You will need to critically reflect on the different teaching approaches and how the pedagogical behaviours influence performance and learning within these approaches.

Working With Teams

This module focuses on the requirements of effective coaching delivery within groups and teams. It will critically analyse and address the knowledge and skills necessary to work with groups of athletes across key coaching contexts. You will understand how to assess the needs of a group, and the individuals within, and address this in your planning and delivery.

Teaching and Assessment

Innovative teaching methods that develop your full potential as a future teacher

Teaching

Our experienced and knowledgeable staff will teach you through a variety of highly-practical approaches.

You will experience a variety of teaching methods across the modules including lectures, group work, seminars, and practical workshops.

Assessment

Our approach to assessments works to provide a good balance between allowing depth and breadth of development and demonstration.

Assessments are built to support your theoretical learning and develop your communication skills, through essays, lesson or coaching plans, research reports, risk assessments or development plans.

Other aspects may be assessed in other way including practical assessments of your coaching and teaching abilities, presenting speeches, in-class debates, and vlogs.

Experience

Discover a wide range of excellent sporting facilities that support your learning

Broaden your horizons with residential experiences

Our BA (Hons) Physical Education and Sports Coaching course offers the opportunity to partake in residential experiences to increase your knowledge and understanding of outdoor and adventurous activities and to also begin to learn how to plan and run residentials.

Work Placements

Discover school placements opportunities that provide you with vital workplace experience

We believe that placements are integral to your development as a student and are integrated within our University-based work.

As such, this course includes the opportunity for three placements based around physical education and sports coaching.

This typically takes the form of one placement in a primary school, another in a secondary school and a third in a professional coaching environment.

The length of these are two weeks in Year One, two weeks in Year Two and completion of 10 hours of coaching or teaching in Year Three.

There is an optional module in which you might do an additional week’s placement in Year Two.

You will be able to choose your own placement setting, with a dedicated Placement Coordinator available to assist and support you throughout the process.

Their network of contacts across clubs and schools can be used to find the right placement for you.

You can also choose to complete your placements anywhere in the country, with many students choosing placements within their home towns.

Previous coaching placements have included:

  • Albion in the Community
  • Chichester City FC
  • Everyone Active Chichester
  • Guernsey Cricket Board
  • West Midlands Performance Centre

Study Abroad

Explore the opportunity to study part of your course abroad

As a student at the University of Chichester, you can explore opportunities to study abroad during your studies as you enrich and broaden your educational experiences.

Students who have undertaken this in the past have found it to be an amazing experience to broaden their horizons, a great opportunity to meet new people, undertake further travelling and to immerse themselves within a new culture.

You will be fully supported throughout the process to help find the right destination institution for you and your course. We can take you through everything that you will need to consider, from visas to financial support, to help ensure that you can get the best out of your time studying abroad.

Careers

Open up a wide range of career opportunities within physical education and sports coaching

The world of sport and physical activity is currently a very dynamic and exciting one, with a number of different career opportunities opening up across a range of activities and age groups.

Our BA (Hons) Physical Education and Sports Coaching course provides you with an engaging and relevant programme that may facilitate progression into a career working with children and young people both within and outside of educational settings.

Physical education options

Graduates have gone on to teach in a broad range of settings including primary and secondary schools in both the state and private sector, as well as both Further Education (colleges) and Higher Education (universities) institutions.

Sports coaching opportunities

Sports Coaching is another obvious choice and graduates have both established and joined coaching businesses.

Others have worked with charities to provide sporting opportunities to people around the world

Additional options

As the programme works to develop communication, confidence and professionalism, these skills put you in a strong position to apply for a broad range of graduate positions.

This might include the police, military, or other types of people management.

Postgraduate pathways

  • PGCE Secondary (Physical Education)
  • School Direct (Primary and Secondary)
  • MA Sport Pedagogy and Physical Education
  • MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Nutrition
  • MSc Sports Coaching
  • MSc Sport and Exercise Biomechanics
  • MSc Sport and Exercise Physiology
  • MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • MSc Sports Performance Analysis
  • MSc Strength and Conditioning
  • Postgraduate Research (PhD)

University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.

Gifted Athlete Support Programme

Supporting athletes with their studies and sporting ambitions

The University’s Gifted Athlete Support Programme (GASP) helps students combine academic study with sport by offering support to compete at the highest level.

Our student athletes will have access to our experts in sport coaching, exercise physiology, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, performance analysis, sport nutrition, sport psychology, sport therapy or physiotherapy and receive:

  • Financial Support*
  • Fitness Suite at the Tudor Hale Centre for Sport
  • Administrative support from SU Sport
  • GASP branded kit

* Level of financial support dependent upon level of achievement in sport

Course Costs

Course fees 2023/24

UK fee
£9,250
International fee
£15,240

For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fees page.

For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.

To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.

Course specific costs

You will be required to have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check costing £40 which needs to be paid for before the start of the course.

 

Entry Requirements

UCAS
96-112
tariff points.
A Levels
BBC - CCC
BTEC
DMM - MMM
GCSEs
C/4
or better in both English Language and Maths.
IELTS
6.0 overall
with no element lower than 5.5

Interview and DBS

Secondary Teacher training applicants are required to have an enhanced Disclosure Barring Service check which needs to be paid for before the start of the course.

Applicants will also need to attend an interview.

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