Sports Coaching and Physical Education
Birmingham City University
UCAS Code: 1052 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Birmingham City University
UCAS Code: 1052 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
112 UCAS tariff points from three A Levels. Grades BBC (or equivalent). Required subjects: Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology or Physical Education at A Level or Level 3 equivalent, at Grade C or above. Excluded subjects: General Studies; Critical Thinking; Extended Project.
Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3. Accepted subjects: Science.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
This course does not require evidence of GCSE qualifications.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Obtain a minimum of 28 points overall. Required subjects: One of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at Higher level.
Minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects. Required subjects: Sport, Health or a Science subject related subject at Higher level.
112 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Sport and Physical Activity; Applied Science; Health and Social Care. National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification must be in Sport and Physical Activity, Applied Science or Health and Social Care or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology or Physical Education.
112 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Sport and Physical Activity; Applied Science; Health and Social Care. National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification must be in Sport and Physical Activity, Applied Science or Health and Social Care or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology or Physical Education.
112 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Sport and Physical Activity; Applied Science; Health and Social Care. National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification must be in Sport and Physical Activity, Applied Science or Health and Social Care or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Psychology or Physical Education.
112 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCD) or two Advanced Highers (CD) plus two Highers (CC). Required subjects: Sport, Health or Science subject at Higher level or above.
112 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCD) or two Advanced Highers (CD) plus two Highers (CC). Required subjects: Sport, Health or Science subject at Higher level or above.
T Level
Merit overall. Accepted subjects: Science.
UCAS Tariff
Please note: If you qualify for our BCU Accelerate scheme, you could receive an offer that is two grades below our normal entry requirements. Successful candidates will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.
About this course
The course content is designed to ensure graduates develop the pedagogical practice required to coach athletes across a range of ages and abilities, as well as the delivery of all areas of the Physical Education curriculum at both Primary and Secondary school level. Following graduation, you will be in a position to gain employment within a sports coaching or school sport setting, or embark on postgraduate studies, such as a PGCE in Physical Education.
We will help you develop a keen understanding of your own coaching and teaching philosophy, along with providing you with industry and cultural factors that influence the wider context of sport. You will gain practical application of the theoretical underpinnings of coaching and PE teaching and have access to hands-on experiences.
Physical education continues to be an important part of Government agendas, so with this in mind, you will also learn relevant and up-to-date information that is linked and mapped to the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE). You will be taught the contemporary information that educators within this sector require. It won’t just be about sport either; you'll be looking at different aspects of health and people at opposite ends of the health spectrum. It's a chance for you to gain the knowledge and skills needed to negotiate different challenges in your future profession.
To help build these skills, you'll go on placements, working face-to-face and gaining first-hand experience in a coaching and/or school environment, something which will enhance your future employability.
By studying this course, you’ll split your time between our recently extended £71 million campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and the world-class Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham which contain our state-of-the-art sport and exercise laboratory, sports therapy rooms, cutting-edge resources and a designated sports area. The Stadium was home to the Commonwealth Games in summer 2022, and the University is investing an additional £5m in areas across both main stands which will be home to our students.
**£1,000 scholarships for 2025/26**
If you apply to BCU by 30 June 2025, you could be eligible for one of our £1,000 scholarships:
- Accelerate – if you are from a lower income family or household
- High Achievers’ – if you achieve 144 UCAS points or more from your main three qualifications
For full details and terms, visit www.bcu.ac.uk/scholarships
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
City South Campus, Edgbaston
School of Health Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
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.
£15k
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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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.
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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.
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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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