FDSc Sports Coaching with Football Development and Performance

What will I study on this course?

This course will develop you as a coach with a focus on developing your football skills. We will increase your knowledge of 3 key aspects of sports coaching: physiological, psychological and biomechanical/biological. The course has a strong vocational focus, with theory in the classroom at High Wycombe related back to the practice work you are undertaking with Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. You can study both community football and the development of community initiatives as well as looking professional club coaching with coaching qualifications.

Why study this subject?

Football plays such a vital role in supporting and inspiring communities through physical activity and a sense of community. Experienced coaches are the backbone to every successful community football programme.

Working with community football schemes such as on this degree, you can see the impact you can have on schools, colleges and community groups right up to performance academies and the next generation of professional players. Coaching is an exciting and worthwhile career, and as a coach your role extends beyond physical activity to the realm of emotional and psychological support, education and mentoring on an individual level.

With such a large responsibility, we think it’s important to take up higher education, so you feel prepared to deliver the best results to those you mentor. The best players are often those who teach their skills to others. 

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University with Wycombe Wanderers?

Our course allows you to fully understand the theory behind football coaching, taught by lecturers who have been involved in the world of coaching and elite sport. In partnership with Wycombe Wanderers, we aim to combine this with practical skills training and on the job experience as much as possible.

Using both the university facilities and the grounds at Wycombe Wanderers, you will spend up to 20 hours each week learning hands on skills, tackling a wide range of projects within the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. In this work based learning you will be supported by experienced coaches and mentors to ensure that you fully benefit and make the links to ideas taught in your classes.

This course also sets you up perfectly to go onto a top up degree and progress into a full undergraduate honours after an additional one year of study, this will upgrade your qualification to a BSc with only an additional year. Situated in the heart of High Wycombe, you will also have full access to our facilities, gym, human performance laboratory, sports therapy clinic, and the ability to participate in the universities competitive sports teams.

What facilities can I use?

Most of your teaching will be delivered at WWFC (Wycombe Wanderers football club), you can use the grounds and specialist facilities for this course there. 

You will also be part of the university community and the campus in High Wycombe. This means you can take advantage of our extensive sports facilities and activities, use our big deal and gym. Within the big deal is a range of sports and fitness classes, competitive sports societies and events which are free, and take place in our large, versatile sports space on our High Wycombe Campus. Stretch and relax at Fitness Pilates, work your muscles with Reps and Sets, or get in a quick H.I.I.T workout.

The sports hall has a sprung floor that reduces the impact on ankle, knee and hip joints, and the space can be split so that several activities can take place at once. Specialist matting is available for activities such as judo and cheerleading.

We offer a wide variety of sporting activities. The most popular student run societies and teams are:

• football
• rugby
• basketball
• athletics
• cricket
• indoor football
• netball
• dance
• volleyball

We also compete in national events and against other universities. 

How will I be taught and assessed?

This is a two-year foundation degree perfect for you if you would like to work as a football coach. You will be able to combine hands on experience under the guidance of football coaches at BNU and Wycombe wanderers with coaching theory in the speciality developed classroom at the club grounds. Additional practical modules are based in the Human Performance Lab at the High Wycombe campus.

Assessments could include something like designing, implementing and evaluating coaching programme’s and community initiatives, applying for funding, appraising policy, and reflecting on your coaching methods.

All modules will include time for assessment preparation; feedback on all assessments will place emphasis on progression and not negative outcomes. We aim to provide some insight into what you can learn from your assessments to help you in your future career, not to hamper your career aspirations.