Football Coaching and Development
Entry requirements
A level
Excluding General Studies
We will accept 2 AS levels in lieu of one A level but must be accompanied by 2 A Levels or BTECs General Studies is excluded.
Pass with 23-45 Level 3 credits at Merit/Distinction with a minimum of 6 credits at Distinction
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE Grade C or 4 English Language or an acceptable equivalent qualification
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
or a combination of BTEC Level 3 grades
T Level
Grade P(C+)
UCAS Tariff
Must be achieved from 3 A levels, BTECs or other acceptable Level 3 qualifications
About this course
Turn your passion for football into a varied and exciting career. You'll learn about the football industry, including coaching, player development, talent identification, inclusion, leadership and management, performance analysis, practical football development, and how football can be used as a force for positive social change. This course is packed with real-life, hands-on experience, so you get ample opportunity to put theory into practice. We work closely with our partners, Plymouth Argyle’s Community Trust and Devon FA, to ensure that you have the very best learning experience, and you'll be taught by both university lecturers and industry professionals.
You’ll consider the role of football within the wider sports industry, applying your learning to real-life situations through football development projects, coaching, and performance analysis. You'll run football development programmes, organise events, and develop a critical understanding of how the football industry works. And through these experiences you'll improve your communication, leadership, and teamwork skills.
One of the highlights of BA (Hons) Football Coaching & Development is the 100+ hours of work placement in year two alongside a Practical Football Development module in which you'll deliver ‘live projects’ in collaboration with football organisations.
You will have the chance to gain an array of industry-recognised football coaching qualifications. Marjon funds coach education awards from FA Level, 1 Level 2, and UEFA B. Awards will be matched to your level of experience and expertise. The UEFA B licence is for experienced coaches and subject to a successful application with Devon FA (and is the minimum qualification needed to coach at a professional football club academy). These coaching awards will boost your employability and give you a richer variety of experiences.
You will consider and debate many football-related topics including issues affecting coaches, administration, development and governance of football as a whole. You will also be introduced to the application of sport science principles, performance analysis, and football event management and their role in the development of football initiatives.
You'll gain professional endorsement of the Professional Occupational Standards for ‘Assistant Coach’, and 'Coach' from the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) the industry body. This endorsement is built into the qualification so there is no additional assessment or cost. It demonstrates to employers that you have achieved the professional standards required in the sport and physical activity sector.
What might I become?
Career opportunities are worldwide, and include working as a coach, development officer, project manager or analyst; working in the commercial, charitable or public sectors as well as with the FA and professional clubs.
**Why study at Marjon?**
• Small, person-focused university
• No.2 university in England for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)
• No.4 university in the UK for Career Prospects (WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2023)
• No.4 uni in England for Education (Student Experience) (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)
Modules
Phil Brown -Course Lead, Football Development and Coaching; "During the first year you’ll learn how sport is managed from grassroots through to elite level. You will also learn about football in the community and how analysis is used in football coaching. In the second year you will undertake a work placement, learn about sport event management and have the option to select some modules based on your interests. Your third year involves looking more in-depth at elite level sport while also learning what it takes to be an elite coach and performer." 1st Year Engaging with Football Coaching and Development (immersive module), Foundations in Sport Development, Football in the Community, Introduction to the Management of Sport, Introduction to Performance Analysis in Football, Coaching for Football and Physical Activity, Year 2 Engaging in Employability: Football Coaching and Development, Practical Football Development, Principles of Football Coaching, Developing Players in Football, Inclusion in Sport and Physical Activity, Research and Critical Inquiry in Sport, Year 3 Inclusive Coaching in Sport & Physical Activity, Performance Coaching, Leadership, Management and Mentoring in Sport, Graduate Employability in Sport, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Honours Project
1st Year
Football in the Community
Sport Coaching and the Coaching Process
Introducing Analysis in Sport Coaching
Foundations in Sport Development
Introduction to the Management of Sport
Engaging with Learning: Football Development & Coaching
2nd Year
Engaging with Employability: Football Development and Coaching
Sports Event Management
Research Methods
Sport Policy and Governance
Sport and Education
Sport Marketing
Practical Aspects of Performance Analysis in Sport
Applied Sport Science for Sport and Physical Education
Coaching Theory & Practice
Inclusion in Sport
Independent Study
3rd Year
Honours Project
Strategic Sport Development
Sport and Excellence
Pedagogy in Practice
Performance Coaching
Applied Resource Management
Assessment methods
Case-study, Critical Review/literature review, Essay, Practical project delivery, Football coaching project, Online in class test (multi choice), Job Application Pack (Letter, CV, Interview and Presentation), Portfolio, Poster Presentation, Research proposal, Honours Project (Coursework)
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Plymouth Marjon University
School of Sport, Health and Wellbeing
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.
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.
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.
£17k
£21k
£26k
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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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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