Football Studies
Entry requirements
A minimum of 2 A Levels required if studying only A Levels, but can be used in conjunction with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
Access to HE Diploma
60 Credits with 45 M Level Credits and 15 P Level Credits
HNC (BTEC)
HND (BTEC)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
In combination with other qualifications
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
In combination with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In combination with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In combination with other qualifications
In combination with other qualifications
T Level
UCAS Tariff
From a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent qualifications such as BTEC Extended Diploma or OCR Extended Diploma. For detailed information on accepted qualifications, please view our Course Entry Statement (https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/documents/course-entry-requirement-statement.pdf) Solent University is a proud champion of widening participation. For further information about our contextual offer, please visit our website (https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/what-next/contextual-offers).
In combination with other qualifications
About this course
If you’re passionate about football, Solent University’s industry-leading football studies degree can provide you with the skills you’ll need to thrive in a variety of football roles. Past graduates are now employed in a range of clubs and organisations at all levels of the game.
Solent University has been at the forefront of football education for nearly two decades and our football studies degree has emerged as the leading supplier of graduates to the football industry. Graduates have gone on to careers at Premier League clubs including Southampton, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
This degree provides students with comprehensive knowledge and real-world experience of the football industry. Students have the opportunity to study a range of contemporary themes, as well as tailor their study to areas of specific interest within football.
Endorsed by the League Managers Association, the Professional Football Coaches Association and Kick It Out, the course offers excellent work placement opportunities with professional clubs and organisations.
Students are able to benefit from the opportunity to tap into the University’s extensive network of contacts in the game. Regular lectures from guest speakers - including former Premier League and international players, managers, academy directors, leading club chairmen, media professionals, match officials and England national team staff - enable students to learn from and interact with professionals who have first-hand, high-level experience within the game.
Solent University is recommended as a ‘leader in football-related academic study’ by The Times Good University Guide.
**What does this course lead to?**
In recent years, students have secured work-based learning opportunities, internships and full-time employment with a number of clubs and associations, including:
The Football Association
The Premier League
Manchester United FC
Arsenal FC
Chelsea FC
Manchester City FC
Tottenham Hotspur FC
Birmingham City FC
Watford FC
Newcastle United FC
West Ham United FC
Charlton Athletic FC
Millwall FC
Crystal Palace FC
Portsmouth FC
Reading FC
Southampton FC
Major League Soccer (USA).
View our infographic
**Who is this course for?**
This football studies programme is open to students from a wide range of academic backgrounds – sport foundation year graduates will receive direct entry.
Candidates should be passionate about football and aspiring to a career within a professional club or sporting organisation.
Modules
YEAR 1 - CORE MODULES
Studying Football
Football and Society
Principles of Football Development
Principles of Coaching Football
Fundamentals of Skill Acquisition
Elite Youth Development in Football
Coaching in the Foundation Phase
YEAR 2 - CORE MODULES
Strategic Football Development
Researching Football
The Politics, Culture, and Sociology of Football
Sport Psychology in Football
Technical and Tactical Performance and Analysis and Recruitment
Coaching in the Youth Development Phase
YEAR 3 - CORE MODULES
Dissertation
Globalisation of Football
Coaching in the Professional Development Phase
YEAR 3 - OPTIONS (please note that not all options are guaranteed to run each academic year)
Football Sustainability and Social Change
Professional Practice in Football Development
Applied Sport Psychology in Football
Applied Performance Analysis and Recruitment
Applied Coaching in Football
Business Start-Up
Assessment methods
The course is assessed using a combination of scouting reports, essays, group presentations, fieldwork, practical planning and delivery, and written examinations.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries
The Uni
Solent University (Southampton)
Department of Sport and Health
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
£22k
£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.
Explore these similar courses...
This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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
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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?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here