Close

Find a course

Expand

Sport, Coaching and Physical Education

BSc (Hons)

UCAS code: C606

Start dates: September 2023

Full time: 3 years

Part time: up to 6 years

Location: Headington, Harcourt Hill

Department(s): Department of Sport, Health Sciences and Social Work

Overview
Course Details
Careers
Entry requirements
How to apply
Tuition fees

Overview

To some people, sport and physical education are the same. To others they both serve important purposes in our society. Here at Oxford Brookes, you can learn to improve performance and inspire participation in all areas, from schools and community sport clubs to elite sport organisations.

Sport, Coaching and Physical Education at Oxford Brookes is a community. A community where your lecturers care just as much about coaching and teaching as you do. Where you’ll fit in regardless of what sport you’re into or what you want to do when you graduate. Where you’ll feel free to discuss and challenge your experiences of your practice to learn what works and why.

We believe that you’ll learn best through experiences, so you’ll solve real coaching and teaching challenges, create and analyse your own data as budding practitioners, and even work in clubs and schools to put your ideas to the test. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop job prospects throughout all 3 years and the mix of practical and theoretical study will help make you a valuable addition to any organisation.

Order a Prospectus Ask a question Attend an open day or webinar

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Real world insights

    Our lecturers work in sport and education as PE teachers, coaches, coach developers, sports psychologists and other sport and education roles.

  • A strong career focus throughout

    You’ll go on placement, hear from visiting expert practitioners and work on real-life projects.

  • Flexible assessments

    We’ve designed our course to let you choose what to focus on based on your strengths or interests.

  • A strong community

    You’ll belong to a community of practitioners who really care about sport, teaching and physical activity.

  • Understand your practice through theory

    We encourage you to learn by putting your knowledge to the test in real life, then using your discoveries in your work.

  • Free language courses

    Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

  • Study Abroad

    You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Brookes. Most exchanges take place in the second year. Although we will help as much as we can with your plans, ultimately you are responsible for organising and funding this study abroad.

  • Accreditation(s)

    Accredited by The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)

    • CIMSPA Endorsed

Course Details

Course Structure

During the course you’ll develop your coaching skills, expand your knowledge of fitness and human movement and we’ll introduce you to the psychology and sociology of sport too.

In year 1, you’ll learn all the basic skills you need to succeed in your degree and later in your career. By year 2 you’ll understand more about the principles of the subject so you will start to specialise by choosing optional modules. You’ll have the ideal opportunity to try your skills in a practical setting during the work experience module which runs across the whole year.

Year 3 is your time to advance your skills and start working towards a potential career path. You can develop your coaching practice even further and conduct your own research or independent project working with a supervisor. Optional modules in subjects like strength and conditioning or sport and exercise psychology will help you become a well-rounded and knowledgeable graduate, whatever you choose to do next.

Student typing coursework

Learning and Teaching

This is a practical course underpinned by theory. You’ll learn the principles of coaching and related subjects like sociology and psychology during lectures and seminars. Then you’ll apply your new knowledge during projects, work experience and other practical sessions.

We’ll show you how to use our modern equipment safely and how to run your own projects and investigations. We help you think critically and conduct research so you can feel confident you have the skills to succeed in your career.

Assessment

You will be mostly assessed through your coursework, your first year also has one written exam worth 6% of your grade.

Years 2 and 3 are assessed through coursework.

You might build a portfolio, give a presentation or demonstrate some of your coaching skills as part of your coursework. We try to keep the assessments as flexible and authentic as possible so you can complete the course in your own way and focus on the elements that interest you.

Study modules

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Sport Pedagogy

You’ll examine the principles of learner-centred coaching and teaching and broaden your understanding of pedagogy. We’ll encourage you to view coaching and teaching as professions with the primary goal of holistic development. 

Coaching: Practice to Theory 1

In this module we introduce you to the issues that underpin a practical coaching session. Focusing on the 3 components, learner (athlete), teacher (coach), and environment (context), you’ll develop key skills to be able to plan, deliver and evaluate your coaching practice.

Professional Skills in Sport and Coaching Sciences

Here you’ll develop the basic academic knowledge and skills for success in your degree and a career in sport and coaching science. You will be able to reflect on your existing skills and develop the skills you need to become a successful professional.

Introduction to the Psychology of Sport and Exercise

Learn about fundamental psychological theories and research and how they can be applied to sport and exercise. You’ll understand more about motivation, goal setting, self-regulation, attribution, personality and behaviour in competitive sport and physical activity. In practicals, you’ll see how the lecture content applies in a real-world setting.

Fitness and Assessment

Discover the principles of physical fitness and health and how to assess fitness parameters in sporting and health settings. Then apply this knowledge to optimise performance and compile fitness tests. You’ll also develop skills for planning and designing exercise sessions to meet clients’ goals.

An Introduction to the Sociology of Sport

This module lets you examine sport and physical activity in a political, social and educational context. You’ll examine sociological concepts and investigate the consequences for structures, behaviours and the progression of normative values. 

Effective Coaching Practice

Combine the theory from 'Sport Pedagogy' with the mechanics of 'Coaching: Practice to Theory 1'. We’ll challenge your current understanding of what effective coaching is through lectures and practicals while you develop your own coaching philosophy.

Human Movement and Skill in Sport

Through theoretical and practical sessions, you will examine human movement through motor control and skill acquisition. Explore the principles of human movement and consider how motor control theories apply in a coaching or clinical setting.

Year 2

Compulsory modules

Coaching: Practice to Theory 2 (double)

Research Methods for Sport and Exercise

Work Experience

Optional modules

Pedagogic Practice in Teaching and Coaching

Performance Analysis

Talent ID and Development

Global and Cultural Studies in Sport

Principles of Training for Sport and Exercise

Sports Development

Applied Sport and Exercise Physiology

Year 3

Compulsory modules

Advanced Coaching Practice (double honours component)

Optional modules

Advanced Practice in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Double Honours)

Professional Practice in Sport Coaching & PE

Advanced Social Theory in Sports, Coaching and PE Coaching (double honours component)

Dissertation (double honours component)

Strength and Conditioning for Sport and Health (Double Honours)

Work placements

Optional modules

Work placements

Our degree has a compulsory, work experience oriented, teaching and learning strand across all three years. This combines lectures and workshops where students look at the range of careers within the sports sector, practise applying for jobs and shadow locally identified professionals. They will be immersed in work-based observation, placement opportunities and analysis as part of this process. Recent placements have included working alongside the coaching team at Oxford United FC, supporting athletes funded by TASS (the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme), and placements in local school PE departments.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from that shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Download course structure chart

Careers

Many students go on to become coaches and teachers, but there are lots of related jobs in sports too. You might look for opportunities in:

  • national governing bodies
  • sports development
  • talent ID and development
  • elite sports – playing or getting involved in other ways
  • postgraduate research or further study.

However, your options aren’t limited to sport and education. We focus on developing high performing graduates ready for any challenge. So your communication skills, critical thinking, and work ethic will be useful in a huge range of roles.

Some students stay with us for postgraduate degrees, like our MSc Applied Coaching Science. You might also choose to use your degree as a stepping-stone to postgraduate research study in an area like sport, physical education, physical activity, health or physiotherapy.

Student profiles

Imogen Mackie

"The atmosphere around Oxford is lovely, there is a real student ‘feel’"

Read more about Imogen

Lauren Mangan

"I was able to see elite coaching in action and had the chance to carry out my own research."

Read more about Lauren

Nicole Clewer

"One of my placements led me onto my current role in sports development!"

Read more about Nicole
Left
Right

Entry requirements

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 104

A Level: BCC

IB Points: 29

BTEC: DMM

Contextual offer

What is a contextual offer?

UCAS Tariff Points: 88

A Level: CCD

IB Points: 27

BTEC: MMM

International qualifications and equivalences

How to apply

Application process


Full time Home (UK) applicants
Apply through UCAS


Part time Home (UK) applicants
Apply direct to the University


International applicants
Apply direct to the University

Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£9,250
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module
International full time
£14,600
Home (UK) full time
£9,250
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module
International full time
£15,200

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Tuition fees

2022 / 23
Home (UK) full time
£9,250
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module
International full time
£14,600
2023 / 24
Home (UK) full time
£9,250
Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module
International full time
£15,200

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 483088

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.

Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

Financial support and scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Information from Discover Uni

Full-time study

Part-time study

Programme Changes:

On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website.

For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.

Note:

The published course and module descriptions were accurate when first published and remain the basis of the course, but the University has had to modify some course and module content in response to government restrictions and social distancing requirements