University Centre Leeds, Leeds City College
UCAS Code: C6T9 | Foundation Degree - FD
Entry requirements
A level
2xD grades one of which to be in a relevant subject.
Access to HE Diploma
A typical offer would be based on students achieving their Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits, 24 of which are to be at Merit in a relevant subject.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
Maths Grade C or above (grade 4 for those sitting their GCSE from 2017 onwards) desirable. Functional Skills Level 2 and the Certificate in Adult Numeracy are accepted in place of GCSEs.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In a relevant subject.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In a relevant subject.
In a relevant subject.
UCAS Tariff
Typical offer: 48 UCAS tariff points from two A-levels (or equivalent qualifications), one of which must be in a relevant subject.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
About this course
Do you aspire to become a sports coach (whether it be in primary and secondary schools or communities) or become an inspirational role model within a physical education setting? The future looks promising, as CIMSPA’s 2023 workforce insight report identified sports coaches remain the largest Sport and Physical Activity occupation in the UK, having added over 36,300 net new jobs between 2006 and 2019 (52% growth). Likewise, LifePilot forecasts there will be 4.3% more PE teacher jobs in 2027.
This two-year HTQ-approved Foundation Degree will help you develop transferable skills tailored for a diverse range of sporting settings, ensuring that you’re prepared for employment after graduating.
HTQs have been approved against employer developed standards, also known as occupational standards. This ensures that learners gain the skills that employers want, and employers can be confident that learners have the knowledge, skills and behaviours for a particular specialist role.
This motivating course has been designed with the Sports Coach occupational standard to develop the skills and attributes necessary to work in the Physical Education or Sports Coaching industry. In the first year of the course, you will explore how to coach individuals and teams, how to analyse performance and cater for individual needs, human anatomy and physiology and leading others in outdoor adventurous activities. There will be extensive practice of coaching others in schools and to wider community groups, which will serve as excellent preparation for those looking to become PE teachers in the future.
Year two will focus on developing your ability to plan, deliver and implement strategies to ensure safe and inclusive sessions, gaining a greater understanding of the requirements of teaching and coaching in different settings and a greater awareness of the impact of physical education and school sport for lifelong development. Year two will contain an opportunity for you to gain experience in a school, sports club or at a community sports club which will help you make an informed decision on your career aspirations on completion of the course.
Fundamentally, the course is designed to be highly practical enhancing your coaching skillset, developing your inter-intra-personal skills through exposure to different environments and encouraging the development of progressive programmes to maximise engagement, whole child development and accelerate skill acquisition in young people. This course will be excellent preparation for anyone wanting to become a PE teacher in schools or to work in sports clubs.
Modules
May include:
Yr1
Learning & Teaching through Outdoor Adventure Activities (20 credits) You will explore and develop greater insight on the current needs to provide students/participants a wider range of sports & activities. Experiences including a residential will aid to build on your current skills & knowledge in order to assist with leading a supervised outdoor education session to small groups.
Anatomy & Physiology (20 credits) This modul will develop your knowledge & understanding of the structure & function of human anatomy. You will cover the structure & function of relevant anatomical systems within the human body (skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory & energy systems), emphasising their responses to the demands of physical activity.
Analysing Sports Performance (20 credits) This introduction to the fundamentals of sports analysis enables you to analyse performance & identify strategies for improvement. This is an opportunity to apply analysis of performance across a range of sports & physical activities & develop your understanding of the role analysis plays in supporting educators, students, coaches & athletes.
Developing Physical Literacy Through Dance & Gymnastics (20 credits) Through this module you will experience dance & gymnastics practices at key stages 3 & 4 within the national curriculum of PE. You will gain an appreciation of the demands of a PE teacher on how to choreograph, perform & appreciate dance as an art form. You will also develop an understanding of the principles of movement, composing sequences, & the sequencing structure within a gymnastics routine.
Learning & Teaching Team Sports (20 credits) In this module you will explore a range of team sports in school or community sports settings. Spending dedicated time on different activities, you will gain the essential knowledge required to develop appropriate teaching & learning strategies..
Learning & Teaching Individual Sports (20 credits) In this module you will explore a range of individual sports in school or community sports settings. Spending dedicated time on different activities, you will gain the essential knowledge required to develop appropriate teaching & learning strategies.
Yr2
Inclusive Physical Education (20 credits) In this module you will explore a range of individual sports in school or community sports settings. Spending dedicated time on different activities, you will gain the essential knowledge required to develop your own teaching & learning strategies.
Contemporary Issues in PE, Sport & Physical Activity (20 credits) This module develops your comprehension of equality, diversity, & ways in which PE & sport coaching can overcome barriers to physical activity adherence & sports participation. You will evaluate how physical activity & healthy lifestyle choices can affect a range of public health agendas within a range of specialist populations.
Physical Education, Health & Lifelong Participation (20 credits) You will develop your awareness of the current physical activity & wellbeing recommendations, health trends & the government frameworks or initiatives in place offering support. This module will raise awareness of the whole child approach to education, physical literacy & the holistic benefits of whole child development. You will gain a greater understanding of physical activity, holistic wellbeing, the long-term benefits & the development of a healthy lifestyle (DfE PENC).
Professional Practice (20 credits) This module aims to increase your awareness of the requirements of working within sports settings & provide you with an opportunity to participate in & lead practical learning activities.
Pedagogical Principles of Sport Delivery (40 credits) Through this module you will gain greater knowledge of a range of teaching strategies typically used within sports delivery. You will apply learning theories, targeted interventions & behavioural management techniques into a classroom & practical based settings
Assessment methods
The assessments within the programme have been designed to emulate the requirements of employment in an educational or sports coaching setting, they have been carefully designed to assess your competence in both coaching the skills needed for practical delivery and planning.
It has been designed to promote authentic assessment of your abilities so feedback provided can help sculpt you into the right candidate for employment on completion of the course. Assessments will focus less on the successful completion of exams or writing essays on practical competencies and instead focus on knowledge, creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and communicating effectively in a written or verbal manner.
Assessment methods are varied across the modules to support and enhance the application of theory to assessment practice and subsequently nurture employability skills of the future workforce for physical education teachers, assistants or coaches working in a school based or community setting.
Tuition fees
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What students say
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After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Sports coaching
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
One of the fastest growing subjects in the country, the number of sports science graduates went from under 3,000 in 2003 to over 10,000 in 2013. Numbers have fallen slightly since 2015, but we still have over 9,000 graduates in the subject. However, the good news is the country's appetite for good health and fitness - and the adaptability of graduates in the subject - means that sports science grads are less likely than average to be out of work. Sports science graduates, not surprisingly, tend to get jobs in sport, fitness and health - coaching and teaching especially - but they're found all over the economy. Management and business are also popular options for graduates from this subject — and sports science graduates are particularly found where drive, determination and physical fitness are an advantage.
Sport and exercise sciences
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
One of the fastest growing subjects in the country, the number of sports science graduates went from under 3,000 in 2003 to over 10,000 in 2013. Numbers have fallen slightly since 2015, but we still have over 9,000 graduates in the subject. However, the good news is the country's appetite for good health and fitness - and the adaptability of graduates in the subject - means that sports science grads are less likely than average to be out of work. Sports science graduates, not surprisingly, tend to get jobs in sport, fitness and health - coaching and teaching especially - but they're found all over the economy. Management and business are also popular options for graduates from this subject — and sports science graduates are particularly found where drive, determination and physical fitness are an advantage.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Sports coaching
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Sport and exercise sciences
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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