Skip to main content Accessibility information
Est.1840

Interested in this course? Book now for Open Day to find about more

BA (Hons) Sport Coaching and Physical Education

Develop a broad understanding of sports coaching and education. This course offers you a flexible route into the sport or education industry; whether that’s coaching, teaching PE or another sports-related career. You’ll develop hands-on expertise through a course that mixes modules on sports coaching, teaching and the organisation of sport.

Close partnerships with local sports clubs

Apply now for this course

Full-time Part-time

Entry requirements

Three A-levels at grades CCC or above

Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above

Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above

And GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above

DBS check required

UCAS points 96

UCAS code SCP1

UCAS institution code P63

Duration Three years full-time or direct entry to years two and three

Course Summary

This course offers you a very broad understanding of sport, coaching and physical education meaning you could turn your career to coaching at an elite level, teaching, or broader sport development and management themes. It enables you to develop hands-on expertise in coaching and teaching, underpinned by an in-depth understanding of how to deliver coaching, how people learn, sport analysis, and sport science.

This degree provides a foundation for a range of careers in sport, including recognised pathways into PGCE and Masters programmes. As you develop your understanding of career options, you will have the opportunity to tailor your degree to best meet your future needs.

Why this course at Marjon?

Lecturers are qualified teachers or hold high industry level coaching awards

The teaching team bring a range of experience from professional clubs and schools

Develop your knowledge of sport and coaching practice in our world-class Sport & Health Centre

Gain experience from work placements and via our extensive links with schools and professional and community sports clubs

Opportunities to earn industry-recognised qualifications including UKCC awards and first aid certificates

Overseas study opportunities in the USA

Modules for this course

Course Snapshot

“ In our first year we are learning how to run practical coaching sessions. We film them and then analyse ourselves and discuss strengths and weaknesses of different coaching styles. During the second year we will learn about the fundamental mechanics and movements of the body and about physiology and psychology in sport. In third year we can choose some our modules based on the career path we want to work towards”
Liam - First year, BA (Hons) Sport, Coaching and Physical Education

Please note: optional modules are marked with an *

1st Year

Becoming a Sports Coach or PE Teacher
Introduces students to the role of the sports coach and physical education teacher as a professional. It also develops students’ engagement with their own personal and academic development in order to support them as they make the step up to degree-level study within the university environment.
Coaching and Teaching: Process & Practice
introduces the foundations of planning, conducting and evaluating coaching and teaching sessions through theory and practice.
Fundamental Movement Skills: Skill Acquisition, Mechanics & Analysis
Introduces the fundamental principles of movement and explores skill acquisition and motor control.
Foundations of Sport Development
Seeks to develop students’ subject knowledge, skills and understanding of the organisation and structure of sport and physical education in the UK.
International studies in sport & PE
An introduction to an international perspective on Sport and Physical Education. An exploration of alternative approaches to the Physical Education Curriculum.
Sport Science Principles of Growth & Development
Explores the growth and maturation process from an anatomical and physiological perspective and considers the effects on capacity for participation in physical activity, exercise and sports.

2nd Year

Work based learning (placement)
Students will complete a serial or placement period of experiential learning in an ‘approved’ programme related environment. Often a school or sports club.
Research methods in Sport & PE
Aims to develop students as critical consumers and generators of research.
Learning theory & the learner
Explores and assesses a variety of learning theories and paradigms, and applies them to a practical situation for critical analysis.
Coaching theory and practice
Further develops the students understanding of the role of the coach and the distinctions between participation and performance coaching. It also analyses coaching models and key principles of coaching practice including coaching philosophy, coaching behaviours, styles and ethics.
Sport and education
Develops student understanding of the sport development and physical education/school sport interface from primary school through to higher education. Students will also experience a range of alternative activities which could be applied to the PE curriculum.
Practical Aspects of Performance Analysis in Sport
An introduction to the relevant skills required for performance analysis, specific to sports notation, including system design and data analysis. It develops the concepts and principles of optimising sports performance through analysis.

3rd Year

Honours Project (Dissertation)
Students are supported through an extended research project in an area of specific interest to them.
Pedagogy in practice*
Is an exploration of the science of PE teaching, and takes theories such as Behaviour for Learning and applies them in both a primary and secondary practical teaching environment.
Coaching children in sport
An examination of the role of the coach or teacher in terms of the physiological and psychological development of children, and then applies this to the general principles involved in planning, executing and evaluating practical sessions tailored for the individual child.
Achieving High Quality Provision in Sport Coaching and Education
Aims to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of how high quality provision within Sport Coaching and Education is developed and assessed.
Performance coaching*
Investigates the environment and climate required to develop expertise in oneself and in others, and explores career planning and development for performance coaches.
Sport and excellence*
Explores the various organisations and individuals involved in the development and practice of elite sport within an international context, and includes an opportunity to see excellence in practice through visits to high performance coaching centres.
Leadership & Management in Sport & PE (optional)
Encourages the student to develop a critical understanding of the links between individual characteristics, leadership styles and organisational performance. This enables the student to utilise and evaluate a systematic understanding of personal characteristics and how they relate to leading others.
Download course details

What might you become?

BA (Hons) Sport Coaching and Physical Education graduates could go on to roles in sports coaching, sport development, further education lecturers, the Armed Forces or sport governing bodies. They can also progress on to a PGCE to qualify as a PE teacher or embark on postgraduate studies such as a Master's degree or research.

Student oversees a pupil who is testing reaction times on the batak machine

How you’ll be taught and assessed?

Kelvin Kirk

Course leader

View full profile

My name is Kelvin Kirk, and having started as a PE teacher, I now head up this course having taught in university for nearly 20 years. During this time I progressed up through the coaching ranks of volleyball to become a Coaching Staff Tutor, awarding coaching qualifications. More recently, these generic coaching skills were transferred to junior football, which I coached for several years. I believe this wealth of experience and real-world knowledge will be of great advantage to my students’ learning experience. In addition to my sporting passions I am particularly interested in the areas of primary PE, and the increasing use of modern technology in enhancing PE.

Fees and funding

Fees UK students: £9,250 per annum

Fees for International students: £12,500 per annum

This fee covers your tuition and access to course-specific equipment and facilities, as well associated services including access to the library, study skills support, IT support, student support and wellbeing services and membership of the Student Union. There may be additional costs by course.

Funding available for this course

Our Student Funding Advisors offer confidential and impartial advice about your funding options.

Learn more

Lecturers

Dr Kass Gibson

Associate Professor

View profile

Kass is a qualified PE teacher who has taught in schools, colleges, and universities in New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and the UK. He is a member of the University of Toronto’s Suffering, Pain and Ethics Lab Scientific Team. His research examines experiences and practices in physical activity health promotion, sport, and physical education.

Ian Stonebridge

Lecturer

View profile

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.

Apply now for this course

Full-time Part-time

Book an open day to find out more about this course

Select an Open Day:


Personal details

Add a phone number and we’ll be able to contact you if needed about your booking and send you a reminder nearer the time.

Or manually enter address

Date of birth (Required)

For example, 02 01 1974

Please let us know if you have any vision, hearing, learning difficulties or motor skills which could affect your participation in live sessions
Other options (optional):

How this data will be used

We will use the information you have given us here to complete this request. After this, we may use this information in order to compare initial enquiries to application and enrol data, and to understand the effectiveness of different marketing activities. You can find out more about this in the University's privacy statement here.

Further information

You may wish to receive further information on subjects or events that we think will interest you. Please let us know if you would like to receive this. (You can change this request at any time).

Yes, I would like to receive ongoing information about Plymouth Marjon University:




We will use this information to contact you in this way for a maximum period of two years. After this we may use the data to analyse the effectiveness of different types of communication. You can unsubscribe from this type of communication, or request we delete your details at any time and contact details are in our privacy policy.

Find out more about studying BA (Hons) Sport Coaching and Physical Education at Marjon

alt tag info here if needed

Get a prospectus

Order your free copy of our prospectus and we'll post it ASAP.

Order now

Discover Uni collects data about university courses in the UK. All universities publish Discover Uni data on their online course pages enabling you to compare similar courses at different universities.

Share this page on