Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Physical Education & Sports Coaching

Entry requirements


GCSE/National 4/National 5

3 GCSEs at grade C/4 (or equivalent) including English Language and Maths

UCAS Tariff

104

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Sports coaching

Coaches and physical education teachers inspire people of all ages to get involved in sport to get the most they can out of it. Ideal if you want to change lives and communities through sport.

We believe that all children deserve a high-quality physical education and that all sportspeople can benefit from well-trained, responsible coaches. Our philosophy focuses less on pushing elite athletes to be the best and more on promoting healthy, enjoyable participation in sport for everyone. Alongside modules about the science of human movement, you will also study sport from social, ethical and historical perspectives. We are interested in the impact sport has on people’s lives as well as on their bodies.

The course balances academic theory with more practical learning. As your theoretical knowledge grows your coaching practice will develop along with it. There are plenty of opportunities to gain real-world industry experience through our extensive connections with local schools and sports teams. Our partners in the area include York City Football Club and York City Knights rugby league team. Sports teams across the city make use of our impressive Nestlé Rowntree Park Sports Campus and so will you. The site is one of the biggest of its kind in the country and is a hub for sport at the University. YSJ Active, the University’s sport and wellbeing service, also offers opportunities for our students to get involved in placements and community volunteering projects.

The academic staff who teach on this course are both experienced industry professionals and outstanding researchers. Our research reflects our focus on social justice and putting the performer before the performance. Some of our recent, highly-regarded research covers bullying in sport, perfectionism in young athletes and the struggle for equality in sport. By joining us you will be part of our vibrant research environment and help push the boundaries of what we know and understand about sport.

This course is also available with a Foundation Year (UCAS Course code C7C2)

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£14,000
per year
International
£14,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

York St John University

Department:

Sport

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

93%
Sports coaching

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below 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.

Sport and exercise sciences

Teaching and learning

92%
Staff make the subject interesting
98%
Staff are good at explaining things
90%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
85%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

88%
Library resources
80%
IT resources
95%
Course specific equipment and facilities
93%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

87%
UK students
13%
International students
68%
Male students
32%
Female students
54%
2:1 or above
3%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

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.

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.

£16,640
low
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
72%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

18%
Sports and fitness occupations
10%
Teaching and educational professionals
10%
Other elementary services occupations

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.

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.

£16k

£16k

£21k

£21k

£25k

£25k

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.

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here