Work with local partners to build a global career in football.
Three A-levels at grades CCC or above.
Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above.
Or Access 23-45 D/M with min 6D.
And GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above.
Applicants with other qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis.
This course is packed with real-life, hands-on experience, allowing you plenty of opportunity to put theory into practice. We work closely with our partners, Plymouth Argyle Football Club’s Argyle Community Trust, to ensure that you have the very best learning experience, with sessions delivered by both academic staff, and industry professionals.
You’ll consider the role of football within the wider sports industry, applying your learning to real-life situations through football development projects, coaching, and performance analysis.
You will run football development programmes, organise events, and develop a critical understanding of how the football industry works. You will gain skills and experiences to improve your communication, leadership, and teamwork, alongside developing research and evaluation skills. You will have the chance to gain an array of industry-recognised football coaching qualifications. The University is able to fund coach education awards from FA Level, 1 Level 2, and UEFA B. Awards will be matched to your level of experience and expertise. The UEFA B licence is for experienced coaches and subject to a successful application with Devon FA. The UEFA B licence is a minimum qualification to coach at a professional football club academy. Coaching awards will boost your employability and give you a richer variety of experiences.
You will consider and debate many football-related topics including issues affecting coaches, general administration, development and governance of football as a whole. You will also be introduced to the application of sport science principles, performance analysis, and football event management and their role in the successful development of football programmes and initiatives.
This degree is part of a pilot scheme with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) which ensures it meets professional standards required by employers in the sport and physical activity sector.
Our close partnerships with Plymouth Argyle’s Community Trust and Devon FA give you real world experience of working in football.
You'll gain recognised coaching qualifications as well as your degree, these include FA level 1 and 2, coaching disabled footballers, SCUK Safeguarding and Street Games qualifications.
You’ll go on field trips that take you behind-the-scenes to explore how professional football clubs are run.
100 hours of work placement experience develops your skills for the football and sports sectors.
A work placement develops your skills and employability for the football and sports sectors.
A Licence FA Coaches, FA Coach Mentors, and ex-professional footballers make up the teaching team, along with our experienced professionals from Plymouth Argyle’s Community Trust.
“The links the lecturers have for trips out and guest speakers help so much and give us different ways to coach. It is great to hear the experience of people who are working in football. Prior to this I was a part time football coach at different clubs and I thought I was the perfect manager but this course has showed me that there is so much more to coaching. It helped me to become a better manager as I’ve learnt so much which is so useful to use in my own career development.”
“My favourite part of the course is the practical sessions, the majority of which are student led. Being able to take concepts from lectures and apply them into sessions for my peers has helped me improve my coaching massively. Whether you are already coaching or have never tried it before, the friendly environment in the practical sessions is great for receiving feedback that can immediately be put into practice. And, being a football coaching course, we play a lot of football which is fun.”
“I’ve applied theory into practice through coaching within Plymouth Argyle’s community programmes and their Academy set up. Non-coaching modules, such as sports marketing, are very valuable in terms of broadening my knowledge. I have really enjoyed the events management module so far as I have been able to practically help deliver events and I’m currently in the process of planning and running an event in partnership with Plymouth Argyle Community Trust and Devon FA.”
What are the secrets of the football industry beyond what we see on TV?
Why are there not more women in football? Why are there not openly gay players in the Premier League?
Why does so much Premier League money end up in the pockets of players and agents? How could more money go to community football?
How could I increase participation in football?
What makes a great football coach? Are technical skills more important than personal relationships?
Is football a force for good to bring people together, or does it cause division?
“ We’re delighted to support students through placements, guest lectures and events in this rare opportunity to be involved at the heart of professional organisations and clubs such as ours, which significantly improves their CVs and career prospects.”
Graduates have the opportunity to work in professional football clubs, commercial coaching providers, the charitable sector or in the public sector for local authorities, within schools, school sport partnerships or county sport partnerships. A number of our graduates now work for the FA and Plymouth Argyle Community Trust in a variety of football development, social inclusion (disability football, women and girls football), football coaching, and educational roles. Some students have gone on to take postgraduate teaching qualifications to become primary or secondary teachers. Given the global nature of the football industry the world really is your oyster!
“I enjoy coaching football as well as teaching the students and still having a close link to Marjon. University helped me to develop personally and professionally. My experience helped me learn through both the academic and social aspects. I developed my interpersonal skills and learned a variety of teaching and coaching styles that I can now apply in my role at the club. I’m able to use this to guide my own students towards university and to support them individually.”
Dan is now a Sports Tutor and Coach at Argyle Community Trust
“On a day to day role what is not to love about my job? Working in a professional football club while giving back to the community, changing and improving lives. From football finance to practical coaching, the three-year course covered a variety of modules. As part of my degree, I completed my work experience at the Plymouth Argyle, this gave me all the experience I needed on the social inclusion side and which was very beneficial when I applied for a job here.”
Sam is Lead Inclusion Coach at Argyle Community Trust.
“This course, partnered with Argyle Community Trust allowed me to learn my trade with a professional football club. I also gained the opportunity to work with the Community Trust whilst studying at uni which helped bridge the gap from uni life to full time employment. This was beneficial to me and allowed me to show potential employers exactly what I can do. Once I completed my university course, I got a full time job at the Argyle Community Trust and have since been promoted as well.”
Rhys is now Monitoring & Evaluation Lead at Argyle Community Trust.
“ "During the first year you’ll learn how sport is managed from grassroots through to elite level. You will also learn about football in the community and how analysis is used in football coaching. In the second year you will undertake a work placement, learn about sport event management and have the option to select some modules based on your interests. Your third year involves looking more in-depth at elite level sport while also learning what it takes to be an elite coach and performer."”
Fees UK students: £9,250 per annum
Fees for International students: £12,000 per annum
Includes lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical coaching experience. You’ll study 6 modules per year and will complete a 100 hour placement.
You’ll write essays, give presentations, produce reports and there is the odd exam. You’ll be assessed on your delivery skills, in coaching, at events, and on placement.
Phil has worked in the sports industry for over 20 years. He worked in sport development on a variety of local and national projects before moving into Higher Education in 2006. He’s led the development of this football degree and developed the partnerships with Plymouth Argyle Community Trust and Devon Football Association. As a dad to two young boys he’s involved in grass roots football too.
View full profileAaron is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching & Physical Education and is also the Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Sport Coaching. He teaches predominately across the Sport Coaching & Physical Education degree programmes focusing specifically on practice design, skill acquisition, performance analysis, participation coaching and performance coaching.
Chris has been involved in community football for over 20 years. He oversees the sport science support programme for Plymouth Argyle FC Youth Academy and the operational management for their Centre of Excellence. He helps students to gain volunteering and placement opportunities. He is a Coach Mentor for the FA and as part of the degree programme; students can apply to become part of the FA Young Coach Development Team to develop their theoretical understanding and coaching practice. His other interests include performance analysis, physiological testing and the development of football within the wider community.
Ian was an apprentice at Tottenham Hotspur, and played professionally for Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers, representing England at Under 18 level. He retired through injury and now coaches at Plymouth Argyle’s Youth Academy. With a UEFA ‘B’ Licence and FA Youth Award coaching qualifications he understands the football-specific knowledge required to coach in a range of different environments, from ‘grassroots’ to the elite game. He teaches coaching process, coaching philosophy and behaviour, and the coach-player relationship.
Ryan is personal tutor to many students on this programme. His primary interest is talent identification in youth football and he also enjoys teaching both coaching and event management as he likes seeing academic topics from the classroom being delivered in real-life practice. He is an active Centre of Excellence Coach at Plymouth Argyle Football Club and an FA Licenced Coach Educator, which involves the delivery of the FA Level 1, the FA Youth Award Module 1 and various workshops across the county.
In addition to a rigorous academic programme, this programme provides the opportunity to gain a number of industry-relevant coaching qualifications, which enhance your coaching skills for the course, but moreover enhance your CV and employability. By the end of the programme you will have access to:
Awards will be matched to your level of experience and expertise.
You will also have the opportunity to put what you have learnt into practice through formal partnerships developed by the University with local coaching centres. The University, and specifically this course, is recognised by the FA and BUCS as both a ‘Young Coach Development Centre’ and ‘Football Hub’. You will be able to access our Coach Mentor programme supported by academics and community coaches and gain access a range of CPD events.
You'll have the opportunity to study in the United States and we work closely with Camp America to give you the chance to work there during the summer.
More from our students
Working in partnership
Plymouth Argyle Community Trust (PACT) was founded in 1992 and is a registered charity. The Trust’s social objectives are for the benefit of everyone in the local community, promoting inclusion; improving health and education through sport; and generally to raise sports participation levels. They aim to provide the local community with the opportunity to explore their full potential; improve their life chances and increase their future choices and aspirations through the power of football and sport. They employ over 40 permanent staff members who deliver a number of sports, health, education and inclusive projects across Devon and Cornwall.
PACT is involved in a number of national initiatives with key partners such as the Football League Trust, Premier League Charitable Fund, Sport England and other key national agencies. This enables us to provide exposure for our football students in a number of national initiatives including Kicks, PL 4 Sport, National Citizen Service and many more. Giving students access to workshops, practical sessions and planning enables them to utilise these skills and experiences to enhance their employability within the football sector.
There is a strong partnership between the football teaching team and PACT. Together we ensure that students have both excellent academic and applied real world experience. PACT provide opportunities for students to volunteer or engage in applied work-based learning and practical activities and several members of the PACT team teach on the course. The Head of the PACT, Mark Lovell says: "Almost half our workforce have completed courses in football and sport development and coaching at Marjon which is proof a degree leads to a great job."