Sports Coaching and Development - FdSc - 2025/26 Entry

Overview

The course content is designed to ensure graduates develop the pedagogical practice required to coach participants across a range of ages and abilities, as well as the delivery across all Aston Villa Foundation delivery areas in both School and Community settings. Following graduation, you will be in a position to gain employment within a sports coaching and other community-based development opportunities. You will also be able to continue your undergraduate studies, including complementary BSc (Hons) sports courses through Birmingham City University.

This course is not open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

We will help you develop a keen understanding of your own coaching philosophy and provide you with industry and socio-cultural factors that influence the wider context of sport and the work of the Aston Villa Foundation. You will gain practical application of the theoretical underpinnings of coaching and have access to hands-on experiences across various community settings. Furthermore, you will learn about sport development principles and how they align to community work by addressing both societal and contemporary issues.

The course will give you the opportunity to understand the work of Football Foundations across primary school and alternative education settings, focusing on the work that community sport plays in complimenting the national curriculum. You will learn about the contemporary information that educators within this sector require. In addition, the course will explore health and wellbeing environments, which will help you to embed both mental and physical attributes in your coaching practice. This is also an opportunity for you to gain the knowledge and skills needed to negotiate different challenges in your future profession. To help build these skills, you will go on placements, working face-to-face and gaining first-hand experience in a coaching, community or school environment, which will enhance your future employability and personal network.

The course will allow you to study at Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa Football Club, as well as the recently extended Birmingham City University campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham. These facilities will expose you to state-of-the-art sport and development environments, as well as access to cutting-edge resources and designated sport areas.

Delivered with:

Why Choose Us?

This course is delivered with the Aston Villa Foundation, with opportunities for hands-on experience in a range of community settings.
On completion of the degree, you will have the opportunity to progress on to one of BCU’s BSc degrees in Sport.
You will study at both Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa Football Club, and our City South Campus in Edgbaston, which contains a range of cutting-edge sporting facilities, including a state-of-the-art sport and exercise laboratory and sports therapy rooms.

Open Days

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.

Next Open Day: 19 October 2024

Book your place

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.

All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

Essential requirements

64 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.

Qualification	Entry requirements
A Level	64 UCAS Tariff points from three A Levels Grades CC (or equivalent) Excluded subjects: General Studies; Critical Thinking; Extended Project
Pearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate)	64 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 Accepted subjects: Sport and Physical Activity; Applied Science; Health and Social Care
T Level	Pass overall (E or above on the core) All subjects accepted
Access to HE Diploma	Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3 Accepted subjects: Science
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications	64 UCAS Tariff points Accepted subjects: Biology, Sport, Applied Science or Health
International Baccalaureate Diploma	Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall Required subjects: One of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at Higher level
Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers)	Minimum of 64 UCAS Tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects Required subjects: Sport, Health or a Science-related subject at Higher level
Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher	64 UCAS Tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD) Required subjects: Sport, Health or Science subject at Higher level or above
Welsh Baccalaureate	64 UCAS Tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications Required subjects: Accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in a relevant Science subject (e.g Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
EU / International students	Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band. If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course. More information on pre-sessional English courses.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply

UK Student
International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: FdSc

Starting: Sep 2025

Full Time
2 years
£8,910 in 2025/26
Apply via UCAS

International students

Sorry, this course is not available to International students.

The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.

Personal statement

Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.

Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:

Course choice

Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?

Career plans

If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.

Work experience

Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.

School or college experience

Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.

Non-accredited skills or achievement

eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.

You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.

Get more information on writing personal statements.

Course in Depth

Year One

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Orientation to Higher Education & Research in Sport 20 credits

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in Sport 20 credits

Coaching in the Community 20 credits

Sports Development & Interventions 20 credits

Year Two

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Sports Coaching & Development: Professional Practice 40 credits

Elite Coaching Practice 20 credits

Contemporary Issues in Sports Coaching & Development 20 credits

Download course specification

Download now

This new course, delivered with the Aston Villa Foundation, will develop your skills in coaching participants across a range of ages and abilities. You will have opportunities to work with the Aston Villa Foundation across all areas in both school and community settings. Following graduation, you will be in a position to gain employment within sports coaching and other community-based sports development activities. You will also have the opportunity to continue your studies and progress onto BSc sports courses with Birmingham City University.

The course will give you the opportunity to understand the work of Football Foundations across primary school and alternative education settings, focusing on the work that community sport plays in complimenting the national curriculum. You will also explore health and wellbeing environments, which will help you to support both mental and physical needs in your coaching practice.

Placement experiences will help you to build your skills, gaining first-hand experience in a coaching and/or school environment, which will enhance your future employability and personal network.

Employability

Facilities & Staff

Aston Villa Foundation

This course will mainly be taught at the Aston Villa Foundation:

Trinity Road
Birmingham
B6 6HE

Aston Villa Foundation