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What makes the Foundation Degree in Sports Performance Coaching special?

By choosing this Foundation Degree, you will be developing your knowledge and practical skills in Sports Coaching in a high-performance setting. You will be able to specialise in a sport you may excel in either as a participant or as an existing coach.

The City of Birmingham hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is committed to providing a legacy of Sport and Physical Activity. There are opportunities for you to grow and develop as a coach, gaining experience with Birmingham Metropolitan College’s links to local Sports Clubs. There will also be opportunities for you to support any of our High-Performance College Teams. The course will expand your knowledge by exposing you to challenging opportunities and experiences in the world of sports coaching.

The course is delivered at the Sutton Coldfield College site of Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet).

Overview

Overview

Key features

  • New Sports Analysis Suite with Software including WY Scout and HUDL
  • Opportunities for Students to represent Birmingham Metropolitan College in a variety of Sports
  • Excellent local connections to Sports Clubs: opportunities for playing; officiating; coaching &volunteering
  • Smaller Group Sizes with Additional Learning Support where required or requested
  • Free Use of the Sports Department Gym & Fitness facilities
Entry requirements

Entry requirements

32
UCAS tariff points

Entry Requirements

32 UCAS Tariff points.

A Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is required for this course.

Other information

Students should have completed a Level 3 study programme which should either be: A Levels (including PE or Sport) or BTEC Level 3 in a relevant Sport pathway.

Course content

Course content

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and by feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. 

Year 1

  • Professional Practice in Sports Coaching (WBL)
  • Physical Preparation for Performance 
  • Fundamentals of Inclusive Coaching 
  • Scientific Underpinnings of Sports Coaching 
  • introduction to Research in Performance Coaching

Year 2

  • Professional Skills in Performance Coaching 
  • Coaching Pedagogy, Practice and Sports Performance
  • Applied Professional Practice in Sports Coaching (WBL) 
  • Strength and Conditioning in Elite Performers
  • Performance Analysis
  • Applied Research Methods in Performance Coaching
Teaching and assessment

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

The knowledge, understanding and skills associated with the FdSc Sports Performance Coaching course are delivered through a dynamic and innovative range of strategies to reflect the diversity of learners' needs. For students on this course teaching will be face to face with a mixture of lectures, seminars, interactive practical's, group discussions, problem-based learning and directed individual study which enable you to apply theory to practice. Lectures will be used to communicate key theoretical concepts, offering opportunities for further discussion and reflection in seminars. The practical sessions will develop practical skills and techniques needed to practice in the field of sports coaching. The ability to solve problems both independently and in groups will be developed across the course.

In addition to the supportive teaching sessions each student will also be allocated a Personal Academic Tutor who will provide advice on academic issues or personal support. The purpose of these meetings is to support your progress and enhance your learning through a personalised approach to meet individual student needs.

Vocational placements are utilised within the course, work-based learning hours are 200 hours per year, at both Level 4 and 5, through placements and course activities. Students are required to independently secure a work placement in an area of vocational interest within the sports industry. This supports the application of theory into practice and provides you with relevant vocational/industry-based experience. Working in the field of sports coaching and performance sport within the placement module, will strengthen students' employability skills including problem solving, negotiation skills, ability to communicate effectively and collaboration with different organisations. The vocational placement also supports the transition of students to articulated degree programmes or employability.

Contact time

In a typical week students will have around 13 contact hours of teaching.

Typically, class contact time will be structured around:

  • Theoretical Lectures
  • Practical Lessons
  • Group Seminars (including Discussion Workshops to develop critical thinking)
  • Specific Course Tutorials

Independent self-study

You are expected to invest in approximately 19 hours of personal self-study per week in addition to the contact time. Usually, this involves working on assessments, reading books and journal articles, working on individual as well as collaborative projects, performing research in the library and online, producing written assessments and presentations, and getting ready for exams.

At BMet, a variety of outstanding learning resources are available to promote independent learning, including the LRC, the College HE Student Centre, the virtual learning environment powered by MS TEAMS, and a wealth of electronic learning resources.

Several outstanding learning tools are also available the University of Worcester to facilitate independent learning, including The Hive and library materials, the virtual learning environment Blackboard, and a vast array of electronic learning resources.

Duration

Possible patterns:

  • 2 years full-time
  • 4 years part-time

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Teaching is scheduled to take place over 3 days a week, enabling students to engage with placements, Sports Academies, and general college enrichment activities.

Teaching staff

Your learning will be delivered by a teaching team whose skills and knowledge closely align with the course's module material. Within the fields of sport & exercise science, sports coaching, and inclusive practice, the team comprises senior academics, qualified professionals, and technical demonstrators.

All lecturers on the course have a higher education teaching qualifications, and teaching is guided by research and consultation.

Assessment

The assessment structure promotes effective learning and allows students to track their progress throughout the course while ensuring that their overall performance is evaluated comprehensively. This is provided through both ‘formative’ and ‘summative’ assessment methods with feedback given to provide a more holistic view of student performance.

Assessment methods include essays, reports, portfolios, presentations, and practical delivery.

The specific assessment details in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory modules. There will be a schedule for when these assessments take place, spread out over the academic year to ensure a balanced workload for students. For each year of the course, a typical pattern of summative assessment is as follows:

Year 1: Written assessments such as reflective journals or essays, presentations, practical assessments.

Year 2: Written assessments such as projects, research proposals, presentations, and practical coaching episodes.

Feedback

You will receive feedback on both formative and summative assessments to offer opportunities for continuous improvement. The aim of feedback is to enhance learning, and you are encouraged to discuss it with your academic tutor and with the module tutors.

Within 20 working days of the submission date, we will give you feedback on summative assessments.

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.

Careers

Careers

The FdSc Sports Performance and Coaching course promotes, supports and encourages students to pursue their career aspirations by providing an excellent foundation for a wide range of career within the sporting landscape. Alternatively, this could include progression to Level 5 or 6 (Hons) Sports Coaching at the University of Worcester.

In addition, students are provided with an opportunity to gain UK accredited coaching qualifications (at an additional cost - and discounted where permissible) and recognised employability awards to support their vocational development.

This enables learners to take on appropriate roles within the workplace, providing them with an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired.

Costs

Fees and funding

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.

Part-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the tuition fees for part-time UK and EU students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £1,190.83 per 15-credit module, £1,587.77 per 20-credit module, £2,381.66 per 30-credit module, £3,175.55 per 40-credit module, £3,572.50 per 45-credit module and £4,763.32 per 60 credit module.

For more details on course pages, please visit our course fees page.

Additional costs not included in the fees

BMET have a Sports Kit package that can be bought for £150 (the package has an essential set of items: hoodie; polo shirt as well as sports specific training kit – additional items from across the range can be purchased and all payments are taken by the Student Services team – orders are then made by the Sports Department and made available for students to pick up at the college).

All BMET students receive a Printing allowance to be used at the college. Students will be required to purchase all other stationery and classroom equipment. Students are encouraged to use an iPad; Chromebook or laptop in the classroom (personal equipment purchased by the individual student). Students will be required to support themselves with transport and food costs whilst at college. If there is a department arranged trip, visit or activity then transport will be provided.

If you are required to undertake any coaching work experience, you may need to pay for a Disclosure &Barring Service (DBS) check. However, the club or company that you may well engage and work for maybe able to offer support. 

How to apply