FdA Sport Development and Coaching

Course Overview

The FdA Sport Development and Coaching degree has been designed in partnership with employers from the sports industry via our Professional Advisory Group. The course delivers a blend of theory and practice so that students are equipped with extensive knowledge and skills and are therefore highly employable on completion of the course.

Learn how sport can be used to inspire young people, develop communities and fulfil the potential of all individuals, from grassroots, all the way up to working with elite athletes. You'll explore talent development, elite sport, sport coaching, international sport, education, sports policy and disability sport. Sport Development degrees at Marjon University have a proven track record of more than 10 years, over which this professional and practical programme has delivered an outstanding employability record for our graduates.

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Our enthusiastic, experienced lecturing team has an extensive background in the field and, between them, they’ve published a host of research which has all contributed to the structure and content of the course.

The team believes strongly in the value of practical experience, which is why the Sport Studies degree contains such a variety of work-based learning. This includes coaching young people, managing sports events, deliver physical activity programmes and writing sport plans for governing bodies. It’s all key to becoming a well-rounded sport development professional.

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.

Why this course at Marjon?

Our students tell us this course broadens their horizons in terms of the careers available in the sport sector.
We have exceptional industry links keeping you up to date with both academic and industry developments.
We are well connected through local sports organisations and through national networks such as the UK Sport Development Network (UKSDN) and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
Deepen your understanding of sport and enhance your employability - check out our graduate case studies below.
You’ll have a great time on the degree, and at Marjon generally. We have small classes and therefore we’ll get to know you as an individual. Together we can help you get to where you want to be in the future.

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Course Snapshot

Phil Brown - Course Leader

"In the first year you will learn about the process of sports coaching and how that operates. There will also be time spent on learning about sport management and how governing bodies lead sporting programmes. During the second year you can choose to learn about sports marketing, event management or inclusion in sport, to name just a few."

What might you become?

You will find many Plymouth Marjon University sport development graduates in a variety of institutions including schools, National Governing Bodies (NGB) County Sports Partnerships (Active Devon), Local Authorities and Sport and Leisure facilities across the country. The quality of graduates is well recognised both locally and nationally and, as such, a very high proportion of graduates gain immediate employment or enrol on Masters programmes to further their studies.

The course is also suitable for those who are interested in a career in PE teaching for which you would follow this course with a one year progression course (top-up) to BA Honours level and then a 1 year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course or equivalent.

“While the job is not always straight forward, there is huge satisfaction in activating those who are considered harder to reach. I have witnessed so many life changing stories through this job which is truly inspirational. I was constantly supported by the University lecturers who took an interest in my personal and professional development. My course equipped me with theoretical and practical knowledge and applied modules gave me real life experience which is invaluable.”

"I work with children from all over the world. It's amazing to think that potentially in the future there will be people all over the world that I've had the privilege to teach. University enabled me to build a number of transferable skills that I use in the work place. They helped me aspire to achieve great things but also enabled me a platform to work from that made sure I was giving the opportunity to grow both as a professional and as an individual."

"Sport Development, as opposed to the other sport-related subjects, appeared to me as the most transferable and covered a broader range of topics. For me personally, Sport Development taught me many skills that could be applied across most business sectors. It taught skills such as monitoring and evaluation, bid writing and management of projects, in which I felt, led to further employment opportunities than the others".

“Sports Development is so varied that the days are never the same. In my current role I manage a Sport England funded project focused on getting students more active through regular informal sessions, pop up activities and large events. University prepared me for the ever changing world of Sports Development, through varied modules, opportunities and placements. It also set me up brilliantly through gaining a whole range of local contacts and partners within Plymouth and surrounding areas.”

“I really enjoyed my degree I’d recommend it to anyone. I found the module content was relevant to external job situations. I particularly enjoyed the Events Management module that allowed me to work with other students and external partners. This is the first time in my education I was put in a position of responsibility. This allowed me to become more recognised in the community and I believe this directly linked to me gaining a work placement and, more importantly, my job now."

Course Leader

Phil Brown

Senior Lecturer

Phil has over 20 years’ experience working in the sports industry. He’s led and delivered a number of community and school based sports development projects and events. He ran a national free swimming pilot for Sport England and the NHS based in Plymouth. Sport development is about working in partnership to develop sport and Phil has an excellent network in the sports section working nationally with the UK Sport Development Network (UKSDN) and the Chartered Institution for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA). Locally he works with Active Devon, Plymouth YMCA, Plymouth City Council Sports Development Unit, Plymouth Argyle Community Trust, Devon FA, and Plymouth Schools Sport Partnership.

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Current Students

"As a mature student with a lot of life and sports experience, the course compliments this by developing my academic and critical thinking. On a personal level, as an athlete, it has helped me see competing in a different light. It helped with regards to my choices of events to participate in, focusing on credibility, perceived value and also potential media attention generated. This helps towards potential sponsorship through the heightened recognition prospects."

"What I most enjoy about my course is the people who are involved in it, not just the people who are on your course but also the lecturers and the others you meet when doing coaching and placements in the local schools and surrounding areas. The people you meet on your course go on to be some of the best friends you make, making the whole experience more enjoyable. The academic relationship between you and the lecturers make the experience all the better."

Lecturers

Dr Aaron Beacom

Senior Lecturer

Aaron's research interests in the areas of sport and international development, sport policy and disability sports.

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Ryan Thomas

Senior Lecturer

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.

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