BSc (Hons) Sports Development and Coaching

Year 2 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules​

Brief description

The overall purpose of this module is to develop students’ understanding of the core concepts of sport and exercise psychology and how these apply to real world environments. This will be achieved by explicitly addressing students’ knowledge of affect, behaviour and cognition within relevant contexts. Students will examine intrapersonal and interpersonal factors and explore how these factors both shape and are shaped by involvement in sport and exercise. Through engaging with this module you will develop the Intellectual, Professional, Digital and Active Citizen Abertay Attributes. 

Indicative content:

1. Definition of the field of sport and exercise psychology
2. Fundamentals of sport and exercise psychology
3. The role of personality in sport; models of achievement motivation and competitiveness; motivational climates; stress, arousal, anxiety and other emotional processes.
4. Group processes: Group and team dynamics, group cohesion, communication, leadership.
5. An introduction to psychological skills

Brief description

This module is to provide the student with an understanding of the core concepts of sport and exercise physiology and the application to sport and exercise. The focus is on systems such as the cardiovascular and endocrine systems, and also bioenergetics and Neuromuscular adaptations to exercise. Through engaging with this module you will develop the Intellectual, Digital and Personal Abertay Attributes.

Indicative content:

1. Fundamentals of bioenergetics
Students will further explore the core concepts of energy production during exercise, examining the interaction of the different energy systems during exercise, how these change with intensity of activity and the role of the endocrine system. Students will also begin to explore protein metabolism
2. Neuromuscular adaptations to exercise
Students will learn about how the body adapts to different types of exercise (endurance, resistance and high intensity).
3. Fatigue
Students will learn about possible causes of peripheral fatigue during exercise.
4. Cardiovascular adaptations to endurance training
Students will learn about how the cardiovascular systems adapts to endurance training and how this can influence performance.
5. Physiological Testing
Students will explore a number of physiological tests that are used routinely for health and fitness assessment. They will develop an understanding of the tests and their limitations and will be introduced to ethical and practical considerations when working with individuals with protected characteristics. Students will also learn how to analyse and interpret the results of physiological tests.

Brief description

This module will give students the opportunity to lead, develop and/or support the delivery of physical activity sessions to school pupils in Dundee. Students will also have an opportunity to engage with a range of employers from the Sport and Fitness industry to gain insight into the requirements of particular roles. These experiences should enable the student to develop a career plan for future employment. Through engaging with this module you will develop the Professional, Personal, Digital and Active Citizen Abertay Attributes. 

Indicative content:

1. Planning and delivering activity sessions
Session planning; managing time/resources/people; working within a team; Active Schools/Positive Coaching Scotland training; physical literacy and the development of this in children, managing challenging behaviour; developing diversity competence; Growth Mindset; contemporary issues in the sport and fitness industry.
2. Personal Development Planning (PDP)
Completing SWOT analyses; personal objective/goal setting; action planning; electronic PDPs.
3. Reflective practice
Application of models of reflective practice; guided reflection to highlight learning; making theory− practice links; career planning.
4. Articulating skill development
Using electronic platforms and oral media to promote knowledge and skills to external audiences in the context of employability; careers/external speaker workshops.

Brief description

This module introduces the student to the study of biomechanical concepts applied within a sport health and performance perspective. It will offer the student the opportunity to analyse movement using various biomechanical laboratory techniques including those relating to movement analysis, ground reaction forces and the application of Newton's Laws. Through engaging with this module you will develop the Intellectual, Professional, Digital and Personal Abertay Attributes.

Indicative content:

1. Biomechanical concepts in sport and exercise
Further develop understanding of how linear kinetics and kinematics influence performance and health measures. This includes kinematic measures of motion, forces calculations (ground reaction force, impulse), movement of mass and power development. These will be considered and applied in a sport, health and exercise context.
2. Specialist equipment use (injury)
Learn about the use of specialist equipment, such as force platforms, 2D motion analysis, contact mats, and electromyography to assess injury risk.
3. Specialist equipment use (performance)
Learn about the use of specialist equipment, such as force platforms, 2D motion analysis, contact mats, and electromyography to improve performance.
4. Research Design
Consider the importance of research design and how to identify variable types and control measures needed for robust biomechanical experiments.

Brief description

This module introduces the student to the basic concepts and importance of physical activity for health and wellbeing. Through engaging with this module you will also develop the intellectual, professional and digital Abertay attributes.

Indicative content:

1. Health correlates and determinants
Introduction to factors that underpin health with a focus on the Dahlgren and Whitehead model.
2. Role and importance of physical activity and health
Introduction to evidence of how physical activity can impact both physical and mental health, and the role and importance of physical activity in contemporary society.
3. Principles of strength and conditioning training for programme design
Introduction to the key concepts and fundamental principles of S&C for the general population. These include how to conduct an appropriate needs analysis and how this process informs the construction and implementation of basic programme designs in the context of health and wellbein

Year 2 Microcredentials - Term 2

If you are a Direct Entrant (new student) to this year of study and have not previously taken module ABE101, then you MUST take ABE201 as part of your Microcredential selection. If you have previously taken ABE101 then you are NOT permitted to take ABE201.

Please choose a total of TWENTY credits worth of microcredential (ABE) modules in Term 2.

Brief description

Throughout the microcredential you will become familiar with university systems (including the virtual learning environment), consider what attributes make a successful student and develop key successful student habits.

Indicative content

• Navigating Abertay Systems: Be introduced to and understand how to engage with Abertay systems and tools such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS, MyAbertay etc.
• Expectations of University and You: Explore your own and the universities expectations of you and of the university; Consider the code of conduct; independent learning; blended learning; how university is structured; health and safety; and the Abertay attributes.
• Understanding and Searching Information: How scholarly information is generated and disseminated, key characteristics of different information types. Planning, using, and refining appropriate search strategies; online search tools; using a range of web and database search functionality. 
• Successful Student Behaviours: Develop strategies to key successful student behaviours including Defeating Procrastination, Time Management, Notetaking and preparing for classes, Growth Mindset, Accessing student support and opportunities.
• Referencing: Understand what is meant by academic integrity, plagiarism, and the need for appropriate referencing; creating reference lists and in-text citations; use of referencing tools to manage information.
• Sounding Academic: Explore what lecturers mean by “academic style” and “the right language”; Understand what is meant by and how to learn the rules of academic writing characteristics. Consider how this differs between college and university; Learn how to paraphrase. Explore how assessments, marking and feedback works at university.
• Evaluating Information: Using appropriate quality criteria to critically evaluate information from any source to determine authority and bias.

Brief description

This microcredential provides you with the space and time to develop your skills in designing, planning, delivering, and showcasing an artefact responding to the societal issue. The microcredential is flexible and you will have a choice of what and how you create your response.

Indicative content

• The Big Issue: You will be introduced to the big society issue that will be the focus of your artefact response. Learning materials available will help you consider your response to the challenge.
• Developing Ideas: You will think creatively as to how you will respond to the big issue. You will consider your intended artefact aims, outcomes and target audience. 
• Responding to the Challenge: Resources and guidance will be available as you respond to the challenge and create your artefact.
• Preparing for the Showcase: Guidance will be available on how best to showcase your artefact for the assessment. You will develop your presentation skills to support you in showcasing the artefact. 
• Showcase Event: You will attend a showcase event and present your artefact.

Brief description

You will discuss a range of anti-racist approaches and how they apply within the context of professional communications. You will examine case studies and scenarios to identify the nature of bias in society explore ways to be anti-racist especially in professional communications.

Indicative content

• Racial Bias in Society: Using case studies and scenarios to discuss various forms of racism in society, you will explore the need for anti-racist practice in professional communications. 
• Classification of Anti-Racist Practice: This section compares different anti-racists approaches applied across several contexts. You will discuss the challenges and benefits of each approach. You will identify barriers to implementation of anti-racist practice.
• Discuss Anti-Racist Approaches for Successful Professional Communications: You will be introduced to various communications frameworks (e.g. the humanity-centric framework) and will explore scenarios for the application of these frameworks in a range of professional contexts.
• Embedding Anti-Racism in Digital and Social Media Communications: How can you discuss matters of race and anti-racism on digital and social media while maintaining a professional persona. We will examine cases for best practices and explore ways to avoid bigoted language in digital communications. 

Brief description

In this module you will study two ways of analysing language: (i) a basic introduction to conversation analysis and discourse analysis as applied to ordinary talk/texting, and (ii) and introduction text mining, based on identifying patterns and developing insights from text-based data available on the Internet (e.g., social media data, online texts, online reviews etc).

Indicative content

• Conversation Analysis and Talk and Text as Action: A brief overview of the CA focus on language as action; an examination of how people talk in terms of questions, answers, invitations, excuses, justifications etc.; an examination of texting, emojis, misunderstandings.
• Text Mining: Introduction to text mining and its uses in a social sciences and business context; Online data sources; The text mining process: data collection, pre-processing and analysis; effectively communicating and visualising insights from textual data.

Brief description

By the end of this microcredential, you will be able to evaluate and select machine learning algorithms and AWS services to be appropriately applied to different business problems.

Indicative content

• Introduction to Machine Learning: What is ML? ML process, business problem solved with ML, ML tools, Amazon SageMaker, ML challenges, supervised learning (regression, classification), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction), reinforcement learning, etc.
• Implementing a ML pipeline using Amazon Sage Maker: Formulating ML problems, collecting and securing data, extracting, transferring and loading data, evaluating your data, finding corelation, feature engineering, data cleaning, dealing with outliers, training, deployment, performance evaluation, hyperparameters and model tuning.
• Forecasting: Time series analysis, Amazon Forecast, Implementing a forecast model, Stock Predictions.
• Computer Vision: Facial Recognition, Image and Video Analysis, Dataset Preparation.
• Natural Language Processing: Amazon Comprehend, Polly, Translate, and Lex, Creating a chatbot, Alexa, etc.

Brief description

This online module will support you to get familiar with sustainability and introduce you to tools that can help you to understand and reduce your climate impact. By increasing your sustainability self-awareness, you will be able to make a positive difference in your own life, and in the organisations and communities around you.

Indicative content

• What is sustainability and how is it linked to Climate Change?: We define sustainability, enhancing understanding of the links between society, economy, and environment. Climate change is explained and linked to sustainability. We provide clear accessible information about the reliable science of climate change. We describe the need efforts towards limiting human-induced global warming (limiting cumulative CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions). 
• Global Sustainability: We introduce the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. 
• Personal Sustainability: The WWF environmental footprint tool is a great way to start your personal sustainability journey. The planet is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our environmental footprint calculator. 
• Community Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Community climate resilience comes in many forms. In this topic we introduce ideas which can provide multiple benefits of people, planet, and prosperity. We showcase inspiring examples whereby working with natural processes (Biophilic design, blue and green infrastructure) we can connect people with nature to improve their well-being and quality of life, whilst simultaneously tackling climate change and storing carbon.
• Global Solutions: What is the world doing about it? What impact do Global Climate and Biodiversity agreements (COP26 etc) really have? What’s happening here? Where are the challenges and the good news stories? We showcase positive initiatives focussed on progress.

Brief description

By the end of the module, you will know more about key aspects of nutrition and health and be better equipped to identify and tackle the barriers that prevent you from eating well.

Indicative content

• Healthy eating on a budget: This topic will show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! You will be given basic nutritional knowledge, as well as skills and practical tips to be able to eat a healthy diet on a budget. You will then be able to develop your own menu and share it with your peers, so you learn from us as well as from each other.
• Prebiotics, probiotics and health: You will learn about the importance of our microbiota on health, and how what we eat can modulate it. You will be provided with cooking tips and will be able to develop your own fermented foods for better gut health.
• Fat or sugar, which is worse?: You may have heard that fats are bad for our health, or perhaps you have heard it is all about the sugars? You will learn about the role of both sugars and fats in our diet; what makes them good or bad for health and the science behind it. You will be given the tools to assess your own sugar and fat intake as well as tips to implement the changes you need to eat better. 
• The British diet vs Mediterranean diet: What is a Mediterranean diet and what are its real benefits? Is it just a diet or a pattern? Can we get the same benefits as those living in Mediterranean countries? In this topic, you will explore how feasible it is for us to adopt the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, considering the seasonality of ingredients as well as sustainability. 
• What drives our food choices?: How healthy do you think your diet is? Do you find it easy to eat well? With this topic you will become more aware of our obesogenic environment, of how the food industry talks to us, and how the media report nutritional claims. You will learn to look more closely and more critically at your environment, so you can make healthier decisions.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to refine your current writing skills through the analysis and discussion of a range of texts and exercises, enabling you to then apply these techniques to assignments for your other modules.

Indicative content

• Speaking the language: How to develop your academic and professional vocabulary: understanding the genre; understanding your reader’s expectations.
• Meeting expectations: Why different assignments have different requirements: decoding instructions; selecting appropriate writing techniques.
• Tightening up the nuts and bolts: How to improve your writing accuracy: reviewing key grammar and punctuation issues; improving your editing and proofreading.
• Standing on the shoulders of giants: How to borrow from the greats: reviewing the principles of citing sources; using writing techniques to incorporate research into writing.

Brief description

This module will help you develop a better understanding of the difference between media reporting and scientific evaluation. It will equip you with the skills to look beyond sensational stories related to human behaviour and dig deeper into a topic area to validate the evidence.

Indicative content

• Paranormal Beliefs and Experiences: Is Extrasensory Perception Real? Is there really evidence that we can predict the future?
• Myths about the Brain: Can repressed memories be recovered in therapy? How easily are false memories created? What are the implications for the justice system? 
• Myths about our Mind and Body: Is the key to success in everyday life simply a case of posing like a powerful superhero? 
• Myths about Language: Does being bilingual make you smarter and keep your brain younger? Are bilingual people less likely to get dementia as a result of this lifelong brain training?

Brief description

Through this microcredential you will gain an insight into what the world of work may look like in the (near) future. This includes developing a knowledge of how the economy and labour market evolves and why individual skills-sets and employability are so important and intrinsically linked to this process.

Indicative content

• The future of work: What will the future of work look like? What is used to predict how the world or work will change? Can the future of the economy and of work be accurately predicted? 
• Key factors that influence change: Identifying some of the key factors that influence how the world of work and our economy evolves and changes.
• The key role of skills and personal employability: The emergence and decline of skills: skills are fundamental to the economy (and graduate employers). What skills will be most in demand and/or be most valuable to our economy in future and why? Understand the importance of skills to the economy (and to graduate employers) at both the macro and micro level. Know what specific new skills are emerging and becoming more valuable and sought after, (as others are in decline) for our modern economy and graduate labour market. 
• Labour market information - what is it for?: Labour market Information is hugely important to our understanding of our economy at any given time: and also, in looking at the present and past to help predict future growth, opportunities, shortages and skills gaps. Recognise the importance of key Labour Market Information (LMI). Have the ability to source and use key Labour Market Information (LMI). Understand how to use accurate Labour Market Information as a tool to help their own personal development and future career planning. 
• What now?: Some help and steer – suggestions to you may wish to use your new knowledge and insight to help with your own career aspirations, planning and personal/professional development while at university.

Brief description

Some businesses have the sole focus of making money whereas others exist to also make a difference. Social enterprises are becoming more popular, and recognisable, and are making an impact across the world. From supporting the homeless, to giving waste products a second life, social enterprises are fighting for various causes. 

Indicative content

• What is a social enterprise and how does it function?: What the definition of a social enterprise is with examples from different sectors.
• How do social enterprises identify problems to tackle?: How social enterprises decide on what they will tackle and how they will do it. 
• How do you gather evidence that there is a problem requiring a solution?: Way in which you can gather evidence and data to validate the idea for a social enterprise. Determining needs and wants within a category. 
• How to identify skills and knowledge gaps: Understanding the skillsets within a founding team to fulfil the tasks required to start a social enterprise. 
• How to understand the problem you are trying to solve: Knowing the problem, you are trying to solve and how this effects the target customers the social enterprise is aimed at. Looking at the issues in a customer-focussed way. 
• How to develop a social impact plan: What is involved in a social impact plan and how to put one together. 

Brief description

This module will introduce you to the study of AI and Society. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of technologies and concepts and can be understood as using computers and software to denote problem-solving capacities and knowledge acquisition (intelligence) which otherwise we believe only belongs to natural beings such as humans.

Indicative content

• Introduction to the core concepts: A brief introduction to the concepts of “artificial”, “intelligence” and “society”. 
• Introduction to the problem of AI and Society: A discussion of where the problem of the impact of AI on Society comes from, presentation of some of the original debates and examples.
• Contemporary debates: A discussion of the contemporary debates about the impact of AI on Society, with examples.

Brief description

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how has it shaped our past and present? These are questions we will explore on a guided tour of AI from the past to the present and the future. You will develop a better understanding of what AI is and isn’t.

Indicative content

• Historical AI: Tracing the historical development of “traditional” AI systems including aircraft autopilots, expert systems, and accounting/financial software.
• Current AI: Covering the contemporary generation of AI technologies in areas such as speech recognition (e.g., Alexa, Siri) and recommendation systems (e.g., Amazon, YouTube). Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing. 
• Future AI: Exploring the limitations of today’s AI when it comes to general intelligence and contextual adaptation. Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing.
• My AI: How AI will impact your future, and how you can use AI to help you achieve your career goals.  Reflection on how AI may inform your subject area going forward.

Brief description

This microcredential is aimed at you, if you have an interest in technology but are not experts. The microcredential will develop your digital safety and how to stay safe online.

Indicative content

• Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks and online threats. System vulnerabilities. Social Engineering. Rights and computer laws.
• Authentication: Password security. Biometrics. MFA and Password managers. Good practices for authentication.
• Secure Communication: Web browser security. Certificates and trust. Effective encryption. Secure communication methods.
• Personal Information Privacy: Information leakage. Personal information privacy and open-source intelligence. Device encryption and security. Security mindfulness.
• Malware: Types of malware. Identifying malicious software. Malware propagation techniques. Malware removal and preventative measures.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to develop and build your own confidence in applying numeracy skills in real world situations.

Indicative content

• What is my GPA and how likely am I to get a First? (BASIC NUMERACY): Calculation and manipulation of data using Percentages, Indices (Powers), Roots, Probability, and simple equations. 
• The power of prediction (GRAPHS): Straight line graphs, Gradients, Equations of a straight line, Intercepts. Drawing graphs - Linear equations, Distances between points. Simultaneous linear equations.  
• Love a good puzzle (ALGEBRA): Changing subject of formulae. Factorisation - common factors, Difference of two squares, Trinomials. Solving simultaneous equations by Substitution and Elimination.
• Advanced power of prediction (FUNCTIONS): Introduction to functions – Linear and Quadratic and solving quadratic equations. Factorising Quadratic equations.
• Love a good triangle (TRIGONOMETRY): Trignometric functions - Sine, cosine and tangent. Trignometric formulae.

Brief description

In this microcredential, you will learn more about how digital media production professionals in the UK and China are working together to reduce barriers and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Indicative content

• History and future of videogames in China: Focussing on the videogame sector as a case study of Chinese digital creative industries, how has the videogames market and industry developed in China, how is the Chinese videogames economy currently constituted, and what does the future hold?
• Consumer trends and audience preferences: What is popular with audiences in China? What can we note about preferences in terms of narrative content, aesthetics, play styles etc. when compared with other markets?
• Policy and regulation: What unique regulations or limitations are imposed on digital media within China, and what similarities are there with other national and transnational regulations? How is creative content development and publishing shaped by policy in China? What social and ethical challenges are presented by regulation, in China as well as in the UK?
• Transnational working and co-production: How is digital creative content conceived, developed, and released by professionals working across borders? What are the challenges for small and independent creative studios, compared with multi-nationals with studios based in and outside China?
• Publishing in China: How do digital media content like videogames make it to market in China? What processes and requirements must creative businesses be aware of, and how do developers find, connect to, and work with Chinese publishers? How to consumers in China access content, including on grey markets?
• Challenges and success: Hear from UK and Chinese professionals on the China market, co-operation, the hurdles they cleared, and how they found success.

Brief description

Increasingly, the role of creativity in supporting and maintaining wellbeing is being researched and celebrated. This module will introduce you to the current theory in this area, as well as a range of creative resources shown to be helpful for both self-care and the support of others.

Indicative content

• Why does creativity matter?: An introduction to why creativity matters when it comes to mental health.
• Your brain on words: The place of stories in their various forms as a resource for wellbeing.
• Engaging the senses: The potential of tools such as music and art for self-care.

Year 3 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules

Brief description

Critical overview of sport structures and policies and how they contribute to sport development in the UK.

Indicative content:

• Sport governance in the UK: Overview of how sport is structured and organised in the UK. Explore the effectiveness of these structures.
• A basis for sport policy: Awareness of the underlying socio, cultural and political issues underpinning contemporary sport policy (e.g., coach education, local schemes and strategies) and sport development officers.
• Sport policy: Overview of contemporary sport policies at international, national, regional and local level.
• Policy to practice: Explore the ways in which sport policy is actioned by national organisations as part of sport development, and sport development officers.

Brief description

Contemporary issues in sport and exercise, particularly those you are likely to encounter and have to navigate in future employment.

Indicative content:

• Social theory: Key aspects of social theory that can be/have been used to explain phenomena in sport and exercise.
• Inequality and discrimination: The main sources of inequality and discrimination in sport and exercise (e.g., gender, social class, ethnicity, LGBTI).
• Sport and politics: How various political systems/ ideologies and governing bodies use sport/athletes as a vehicle for social control.
• Ethics and sport: Moral and ethical issues in sport and exercise (e.g., child protection). Sport and exercise cultures provide a unique environment for moral and ethical issues.

Brief description

The concepts of coaching and learning and their application to physical activity environments. Move beyond a reductionist view of coaching simply as a systematic procedure and consider and discuss the influence of the social aspects of coaching such as leadership, relationships, and social environments.

Indicative content:

• Coaching and learning: Students will consider the definition and purpose of coaching and learning and what it has to do with teaching and education.
• The role of the coach: The role of the coach, their purpose and what they try to achieve. Consider the level of participation, demands placed on coaches by external bodies, and coaches own philosophies towards the instruction of athletes.
• The coaching process: The key characteristics of coaching. Consider a variety of leadership and relationship models and how they fit into the idea of coaching as a systematic process.
• Skill development: The principles that underpin the creation on an efficient learning environment. Consider modern theories of skill acquisition and how they relate to effective teaching.
• Participant groups: Different categorisations of participants and how this impacts on the planning and delivery of the coaching process.

Brief description

Develop your ideas about research in sport, exercise, physical activity and health, to better understand and appreciate published research and design your own research project.

Indicative content:

• The research process: The steps associated with planning and conducting a research process.
• Formulating and refining research questions: How research ideas are questions are generated and refined.
• Research methodologies: Various research methodologies (e.g., quantitative, qualitative and mixed−methods). Develop an appreciation of diverse approaches to research in sport, exercise, physical activity and health.
• Ethical issues: The key ethical issues associated with research in sport, exercise, physical activity and health.
• Practical skill development: Develop your practical research skills in your chosen discipline area.

Year 3 Option Modules

You must study and pass two option modules of your choosing, one from Group [A] and one from Group [B].  (You must do a Work Placement module in either Year 3 or Year 4.)

Brief description

A work placement to give you structured and practical experience of your own particular area of the sports industry to enhance your employability. 

Indicative content:

• Career pathways: Reflect on your prospective career path. Identify strengths and limitations that you can address to enhance your career progression.
• Understanding the prospective work environment and organisation: Identify appropriate organisations and opportunities in line with your own continued professional development. Engage in organising an appropriate work placement. Be guided by staff, but lead the process, to develop your ability to find and apply for appropriate employment.
• Work placement: Undertake the appropriate work placement aligned with your study programme and within a prospective work environment. 

Brief description

Theoretical and practical knowledge of the fundamentals of strength and conditioning. Learn some of the major underpinning physiological and biomechanical components of human performance, and scientifically justified periodised methods for training to achieve specific goals. 

Indicative content:

• Introduction to Strength and Conditioning/Functional Screening: Introduction to key terminology/concepts of Strength and Conditioning and a fundamental understanding of basic functional athlete screening.
• Introduction to Human Movement: An introduction to human anatomy and the mechanics of human force production (e.g., planes of movement, lever systems).
• Introduction to Compound lifting: Introduction to the major compound exercises (e.g., Back/Front Squat, Dead−Lift, Bent−Over Row, Bench Press and an introduction to Weightlifting derivatives) with Key technical elements and coaching points associated with each lift.
• Neuromuscular physiology: Neuromuscular physiology and fibre types.
• Plyometric training: An introduction to the fundamental principles underpinning Plyometric Training (Stretch−Shortening −Cycle) and an understanding of the key technical coaching points.
• Sports nutrition: Principles of periodised sports nutrition for S&C training programmes.

Brief description

The core physiological concepts that underpin performance. Gain knowledge of biochemical, cardiovascular and neuromuscular bases for performance and training the body for endurance, team and strength. Use both physiological and biomechanical equipment to explore and collect physiological data in relation to enhancing sports performance outcomes.

Indicative content:

• Biochemistry of performance: The core concepts of energy production during sport and exercise, the metabolic processes and the rate limiting steps for performance and the metabolic adaptations to training.
• Cardiovascular system and performance: Cardiac output and blood flow regulation and cardiovascular adaptation to training.
• Neuromuscular system and performance: The contractile mechanism, motor unit activation, neuromuscular fatigue and strength, power and speed performance.
• Doping and performance: The role of doping in elite sport and the physiological adaptations to doping.
• Training for performance: Different training modalities to improve endurance and anaerobic power and strength. How to plan energy specific programmes.

Brief description

The health benefits of physical activity and its potential function in disease prevention, treatment and its role in promoting and maintaining public health.

Indicative content:

• Relationship between physical activity and health: Physical activity and disease mortality Morbidity. Historical perspective to present day.
• Epidemiology of physical activity: Concepts and methods in physical activity Epidemiology Epidemiological measures.
• Variations in health status: Influence of age, gender, social status, education.
• Determinants of participation in physical activity: Challenges of engaging people in physical activity.
• Physical activity recommendations.
• Place and emphasis of physical activity in health policy: Identified role of physical activity in policies to promote health. Developing role, adoption and promotion of physical activity as a tool to promote health of the nation.
• Role of physical activity in promoting physical and mental health: Physical and mental health benefits of regular participation in physical activity.

Brief description

The principles of biomechanics and the concept of performance analysis within a sporting context. Using biomechanics to create evidence based intervention strategies to optimise performance.

Indicative content:

• Performance analysis: Identify what performance analysis is, observe performance analysis against existing models, apply and assess the efficacy of the different types of performance analysis.
• Biomechanical concepts associated with performance: Evaluate biomechanical concepts in relation to their application within a sporting/performance concept. Discuss biomechanical factors that contribute to performance or used to optimise performance.
• Development of intermediate laboratory skills: Develop intermediate laboratory skills in collection of biomechanical data including, 3D assessment of movement, kinetics using force platforms (ground reaction forces and stability).
• Data processing and analysis: How to effectively process and analyse biomechanical data generated using biomechanical laboratory equipment.

Brief description

Health issues high on the policy agenda and the ways in which participation in physical activity can be and is promoted as a way to address them.

Indicative content:

• Defining health: The different ways in which health can and will be defined.
• Complexity of health promotion in contemporary society: The ways in which health promotion has the potential to both reduce and exacerbate existing social inequalities.
• Physical activity, its determinants and importance for health promotion: The factors that influence physical activity and its fundamental role in health promotion.
• Health promotion, physical activity and the environment: The environmental factors that influence the promotion of health and physical activity participation.

Brief description

The theory and knowledge of sports psychology and aspects of applied sports psychology in the sport and performance context.

Indicative content:

• Sports psychology context and practice: Role(s) of the sports psychologists; contexts and different perspectives on the work of a sports psychologist.
• Planning and developing interventions: The needs analysis process; empowerment; ownership and motivation; assessment of efficacy.
• Psychological skills training: Theory and research of goal setting, relaxation, energisation, imagery, positive self-talk, pre-performance and performance routines. Performance enhancement contexts; injury prevention and rehabilitation contexts.

Year 4 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules

Brief description

Undertake an independent research project in an area of sport, health or physical activity. 

Indicative content:

• Research project topics: Select your research project topic with staff guidance. You are allocated a supervisory tutor within the Division.
• Supervisory sessions: These cover the identification of a research question; necessary elements of research design; the approach needed to prepare for and complete the research project; a range of appropriate research methods; appropriate statistical analyses; the structure of the research report; the interpretation of the research results; possible or probable conclusions; and the writing of the report.

Brief description

One of the most important aspects of sport is the people involved, whether they are taking part, coaching, administering, volunteering or involved in some other capacity. The Sport Duty of Care Review raised questions about whether the wellbeing and welfare of people are being put at the centre of what sport does and delivers. 

Indicative content:

• Safeguarding: What more could be done to strengthen sport’s position in relation to the protection of young people and adults at all levels of sport.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Specific aspects of duty of care with relevance to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Injuries: How the likelihood of injury can be lessened and whether improvements can be made to how sporting injuries are treated in the short and long term.
• Career transitions: The support people receive as they transition through the sport system, including entering and leaving top-level sport.
• Mental health: Issues relating to the prevention, identification and management of mental health issues in sportspeople.
• Education: How sportspeople can be supported to help them balance education with their sporting activities.
• Representation of the participant’s voice: How the views of sportspeople are considered in decisions affecting them in sport.

Brief description

The professionalism and development of coaching and learning using an evidence-based approach contextualised to real world examples. The issues of professionalism in education and teaching and the different approaches to the development of those responsible for expertise in athletes and other learners.

Indicative content:

• The coach as a professional: The expanded roles of a professional coach. The definition of professionalism and the concepts involved in the recognition of coaching as a profession.
• Coach education: Research−led knowledge and scientific literature and the links it has to the advice and guidance given to those leading coaching and learning. The dissemination of knowledge and the appropriateness of how it is presented.
• National Governing Bodies: The role NGBs play in supporting coaching and learning. The increasing professionalism of the coaching process, coach education, and scientific support.
• Volunteer culture: The volunteer culture in sports coaching within the UK and the tensions this can create with the need for legislation, licensing, and education.

Brief description

The way sport can be used to address social issues, some of the problems with this approach, and how these issues can be overcome. A theoretical and practical toolkit for sport development work.

Indicative content:

• Community development: A community development approach to sport delivery.
• Ideologies of sport for development: The political ideologies associated with sport development work.
• Community Practice: The community practice approach to sporting provision.
• Sport for development and peace: The use of sport as a tool of international development.
• Sport, globalisation and development: Recent changes in societies and their implications for sport and development.
• Liberating education and critical consciousness: The notion of liberating education and how it can be applied to sport development work.
• The politics of development: The political nature of development work and the utility of social movements for development.

Year 4 Option Modules

You must study and pass one option module of your choosing. (If you didn’t take the Work Placement module in Year 3, you must take the Career Placement module.)

Brief description

A work placement within a prospective work environment to expand your knowledge and understanding of your subject and its applications within a real-life setting. 

Module content:

• Career pathways: Reflect on your prospective career path and evaluate your subject-based and transferable skills, identifying strengths and limitations to address to enhance your career progression.
• Understanding the prospective work environment and organisation: Identify appropriate organisations and opportunities for enhancing you own continued professional development. Engage in organising an appropriate work placement. Be guided by staff but lead the process to find and apply for appropriate employment.
• Work placement: Undergo an appropriate programme within a prospective work environment to enhance your ability to progress within your selected career pathway.

Brief description

Additional concepts, methods and techniques used in biomechanics. The interdisciplinary nature of sport biomechanics and injury prevention, for example the physiology of fatigue and its application to biomechanical measures.

Indicative content:

• Clinical Biomechanics: Gait analysis – changes throughout the lifespan, effects of different footwear (including different cushioning systems and materials), effects of certain diseases and disabilities (including development of prostheses). Injury risk and prevention, including those through impacts, chronic and acute injuries and how these can be linked to health and safety issues.
• Sport and Exercise Biomechanics: Injury risk, prevention and performance – use of biomechanical aids (including ankle bracing and taping) and their effects on injury incidence and performance. Integrative biomechanical assessment, which will focus on the utilisation and application of biomechanical laboratory skills developed in the third year module.

Brief description

The role of physical activity for special populations. How participation in physical activity has the potential to enhance physical, social and mental health and well−being. The challenges of getting different population groups to engage in physical activity.

Indicative content:

• Guidelines: Population physical activity guidelines.
• Benefits: Physical, social and mental health benefits associated with physical activity.
• Needs and challenges: Identification of physical activity needs and challenges associated with engaging different groups in physical activity.
• Participation: Examine participation trends associated with different populations.
• Exploration of attitudes, beliefs and values: Exploration of attitudes, beliefs and values of different populations regarding physical activity.

Brief description

Pursue a topic of interest, different from any other work either submitted or proposed relevant to your selected pathway. Manage your own learning and set agreed objectives.

Indicative content:

• General: Content will depend on individual learning outcomes agreed.