BSc (Hons) in Football Coaching and Performance

About the course

The course is delivered at University Centre Myerscough and awarded by the University of Central Lancashire. This degree has been designed to develop suitably trained and qualified graduates to gain rewarding and exciting careers in the football industry. The course focuses on developing the skills, coaching techniques, game analysis, conditioning and sports science knowledge necessary to improve football performance.

The course is closely linked with professional football clubs giving students opportunities to observe and work within the industry. Students will gain vital work experience on and off the field, equipping students for future employment within the football industry in the many roles which now exist in the modern game. The course is based on the contemporary needs of the football industry and encourages students to develop innovative modern ideas, underpinned by traditional values and practices.

Myerscough College graduates have gone on to work in the football industry in a variety of roles, with the following professional clubs as examples: Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea, Preston North End, Burnley, Fleetwood Town, Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool, Norwich City, Cardiff City, and Morecambe. Many of our graduates have also progressed to work abroad both short and long term, with many of these types of opportunities shared with our students and graduates. Past opportunities have included work in the following countries: USA, China, Switzerland, Portugal, and Columbia.

We advocate a holistic approach, developing a mixture of essential skills for your future employment in the professional game. The course includes a range of football coaching modules delivered by elite professional football coaches, developing your knowledge of techniques, tactics, strategies, skill acquisition, whilst improving your own performance. Your knowledge of sports science will be advanced, giving you a foundation of knowledge for strength and conditioning, talent identification, and rehabilitation modules. Our outstanding equipment and facilities will provide you with an opportunity to work with analysis equipment, software, cameras, timing gates, all under the guidance of outstanding professional football coaches.

With professional UEFA licensed coaches, and FA tutors delivering this course we can provide a unique and ideal choice for young football players, coaches and anyone hoping to work in the wider football industry. The course delivery is supplemented with outstanding guest lecturers enriching modules. These have previously included international level coaches, ex-professional players, international level futsal coaches, academy managers and staff from the professional game. The experience of tutors will assist in the completion of FA coaching awards, which are essential for employment in the football industry. Tutors provide a blend of academic knowledge, but also a vast amount of experience in the football industry as players and coaches. This blend of academic and practical delivery, make this course unrivalled by other coaching courses available to students. Students are given an opportunity to represent Myerscough in University football and futsal leagues as part of the course.

It should be noted that to succeed on this course it is not a pre-requisite to be a gifted and talented footballer. However, it is important to have an enthusiasm for football and a desire to explore all aspects of the professional industry.

On commencing the course students may be required to complete a CRB check at a cost to the student.

Learning and assessments

Students will complete a variety of assessments including the delivery of practical coaching sessions, performance planning and analysis, essays, multimedia presentations, reports, multiple-choice tests, presentations, group work, and mini-projects.

Learning activities on the course are diverse, including lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical sessions, and workshops.

Students are expected to undertake extensive independent study and research to support lectures, seminars, and assessments. Group work and group presentations form an important part of the course. Students will have access to specialist IT hardware and software, an online learning environment and reference facility.

There is no formal work placement on this course. The Academic and Professional Skills and Industry Project modules will utilise both on and off-site working environments to provide the opportunity for students to develop real practical and technical skills and help prepare them for employment in their chosen subject area.

Professional accreditations

Football Professional, Football Centre of the Excellent coach, Football in the Community coach, Football Development Officer or employment in the wider sports industry – such as Sports Psychology, Sports Marketing, Journalism or Sports Analysis.

The College works closely with Preston North End and The Football Association.

Myerscough is one of the UK’s largest land-based and sports colleges, offering degrees in more than 20 exciting subjects. We work in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire and are amongst the top UK institutions in the sector for student satisfaction - helped by exceptional resources and a unique countryside location. Our QAA Higher Education Review puts us amongst the top institutions in the country for quality learning opportunities and good practice teaching. We are very proud that 97% of Myerscough degree students progress to further study or employment.

The campus at Myerscough’s main centre in Preston is quite simply amazing. Set in 600 hectares of open, green surroundings, Myerscough College offers all the facilities you could need for a great time – a great social life, state-of-the-art sports academies and comfortable, easy-going accommodation. We've recently invested upwards of £20 million on-campus developments, providing new sports and changing facilities, new dining facilities, an extension to our Higher Education teaching centre and dedicated Veterinary Nursing, Animal Studies, Rural Skills and Engineering centres. What’s more, you’re in easy reach of all the shopping and nightlife that nearby Preston, Lancaster and Blackpool have to offer.