Sports Business and Coaching with Foundation Year

The workforce within football and sport businesses, clubs and organisations is changing and the line drawn between coaching, management and business within the same organisation has blurred. No longer can individuals in a sporting institution, regardless of their role, exist in isolation and ignore other parts of the business operations. This degree imparts the necessary leadership fundamentals required to inspire, organise and improve individuals.

You will develop your understanding of sports as a business and combine the opportunity to improve your coaching skills, long term athlete development and coaching pathways. You will explore different techniques for analysing performance including notational analysis and the use of technology to improve performance. You will cover high performance coaching, with the opportunity to become a qualified STATS analyst; STATS is the global leader in sports analysis software. You will examine elite sports performance, gain an insight into leadership and management skills and develop an understanding of physical education and pedagogical issues.

This programme is ideal for those looking for experience and understanding of the world of business and sport and to develop as a manager. It provides a unique learning experience and the opportunity to live, learn and develop within the live operations of a professional football environment by our UEFA qualified coaches, some of whom have previously coached at the academies of leading Premier League clubs, providing you with access to clubs from the first team manager down the coaching and playing pyramid. This allows engagement and understanding across areas such as rehabilitation, physiotherapy, player acquisition and analysis.

The practical application of your knowledge will be fulfilled by completing additional coaching badges via interaction with first team coaching and training facilities at both campuses, including the City Academy in Manchester, and the UCFB professional partner network which includes professional football, rugby and cricket clubs, to name a few. There may also be the opportunity to participate in vital work experience placements across a number of coaching roles, from grass roots to professional clubs.

Your studies will focus on the broad concepts involved in the sport business and surrounding industries. You will be introduced to the fundamentals of coaching, such as health and safety, risk assessments, the ‘coach’s toolkit’, sports development and exploring how sport is structured in the UK in a variety of settings and gain an understanding of the unique consumer behaviour within the football and sport industry.

The Foundation Year will introduce students to the fundamental principles of sports coaching and the role and responsibilities of the coach within a range of contexts, including legal obligations, problem solving, analysing, professional conduct and the ability to develop the skills necessary to plan, deliver and review the successful delivery of a sports coaching session.