2025/26 entry
FDSc Sport Development and Coaching
Why study Sport Development and Coaching at Liverpool John Moores University?
- Delivered by Everton Football College at Everton Blue Mile Campus and accredited by Liverpool John Moores University
- Study a range of modules, covering the disciplines of sport coaching, sport development, research and introductory sport business
- Features a mixture of practical and theory elements, enabling you to develop the knowledge and skills needed to become informed practitioners and coaches
- Gain experience with a range of providers, including Everton in the Community, local school schemes, Everything is Possible, local authorities and football in the community schemes — in the UK and abroad
- The course is taught at Everton Football College, Blue Mile Campus
About your course
This foundation degree provides a perfect platform to enhance your coaching experience and develop knowledge of current sport development initiatives through a mix of academic study and practical learning experiences in partnership with Everton Football College.
The Foundation Degree provides a perfect platform to enhance coaching experience and develop knowledge of current sport development initiatives, through a mix of academic study and practical learning experiences in partnership with Everton Football Club. The club's motto of Nil Satis Nisi Optimium 'Nothing but the best is good enough' has shaped the course and Everton Football College's approach to your education.
You will have the opportunity to enhance your coaching skills through a range of Everton in the Community programmes, along with chances to bring learning to life with access to Premier League opportunities.
On successful completion of the Foundation Degree, there is the option to progress onto the BSc (Hons) Sport Coaching and Development top-up at Everton Football College.
Your course fees include your Everton Football Club sport kit for work experience and the opportunity to access and apply for funding for a range of additional coaching courses to enhance your employability.
"Studying this degree through Everton Football College has been a life changing opportunity for me. I have really enjoyed the degree. The tutors have been really supportive and I have been able to combine theory work with practical experience and assessment."
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you'll find all of the information you need on our specialist funding pages.
Fees
Fees per year: £8,200
A DBS check is not required for your application, however a DBS may be required for modules where there is a work based learning placement option. Work based learning placements that do not require a DBS check are available.
Employability
On completion of the two-year foundation degree students have adaptable and flexible career options available to them.
The career pathway for a sport development practitioner and coach is varied. There are over 10,000 related posts in the UK, with organisations such as national governing bodies, local authorities, private organisations, education providers and local and national charities.
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website. There are opportunities for flexible, paid and part-time work through Unitemps, LJMU's in-house recruitment service, and we also offer fully funded Discovery Internships.
One-to-one careers and employability advice is available via our campus-based Careers Zones and we offer a year-round programme of events, including themed careers and employability workshops, employer events and recruitment fairs. Our Start-Up Hub can help you to grow your enterprise skills and to research, plan and start your own business or become a freelancer.
A suite of learning experiences, services and opportunities is available to final year students to help ensure you leave with a great onward plan. You can access LJMU's Careers, Employability and Start-up Services after you graduate and return for one-to-one support for life.
Go abroad
LJMU aims to make international opportunities available to every student. You may be able to study abroad as part of your degree at one of our 100+ partner universities across the world. You could also complete a work placement or apply for one of our prestigious worldwide internship programmes. If you wanted to go abroad for a shorter amount of time, you could attend one of our 1-4 week long summer schools.
Our Go Citizen Scheme can help with costs towards volunteering, individual projects or unpaid placements anywhere in the world. With all of these opportunities at your feet, why wouldn’t you take up the chance to go abroad?
Find out more about the opportunities we have available via our Instagram @ljmuglobalopps or email us at: goabroad@ljmu.ac.uk.
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What you will study on this degree
Please see guidance below on core and option modules for further information on what you will study.
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Level 4
Core modules
Sports Coaching Foundations
20 credits
This module aims to provide an introduction into the theories and practice of sports coaching, highlighting key concepts underpinning good coaching practice. The practical element of this module offers the opportunity to apply theory and practice of sports coaching to your own coaching and thus develop coaching practice.
Foundations of Sport Development
20 credits
This module introduces you to the functions and processes of sport development and provides an overview of organised sports provision in the UK. Students will learn how sport is structured, governed, funded and managed by key organisations and explores how the industry can be improved. You will consider current agendas and policies influencing sport in the UK, whilst considering how personal, social, economic and political factors impact on the process of sport development.
Research Methods & Study Skills
20 credits
This module introduces you to the necessary study skills required for effective learning for your degree programme. In addition, the module will introduce basic research methods.
Sport, Health, Well-being and Society
20 credits
Sport plays a vital role in society having a profound impact on individuals, communities and the wider society. This module aims to introduce the relationship between sport, health and society and analyse how sport is used to tackle social issues such as health, crime, education and social inclusion. The practical application of this module offers the opportunity to review current strategies and demonstrate first-hand the impact of these on local communities.
Professional Practice and Development in Sport 1
20 credits
This module introduces you to the minimum operating standards and key agencies within sport coaching (UK Coaching and NGB). It develop your ability to evaluate and set goals as they explore their personal sport coaching/development pathway. During the module, you will be given the opportunity to develop coaching specific knowledge and apply this within a work-based environment.
Coaching and Skill Acquisition 1
20 credits
This module introduces you to key concepts related to skill acquisition. It also illustrates how these concepts can be applied in a range of physical education environments.
Level 5
Core modules
Talent ID and Development in Sport Coaching
20 credits
Notions of talent, talent identification and talent development are discussed extensively and are considered as important factors within the modern sporting environment. The aim of this module is to develop your knowledge of the term ‘talent’ and the role of talent identification and development.
Research Methods
20 credits
This module enhances your understanding of the research process and develops your skills to complete investigations involving primary data collection and interpretation.
Professional Practice and Development in Sport 2
20 credits
Building upon Professional Practice and Development 1, this module allows you to apply a model of reflection to assess your progress within your personal sports coaching/development pathway. You will be given the opportunity to enhance your skills within the work-related environment and gain a recognised level 2 coaching certificate. This module allows you to intergrade theory to practice and to develop the ability to apply learnt knowledge within a work-related environment.
Applied Sport Coaching
20 credits
To be a successful, modern practitioner there is an expectation to have a good knowledge base on the role of positive pedagogy and how the sports coach can facilitate an athlete-centred environment. The aim of this module considers how sports coaches can provide a positive learning environment for the development of a wide range of skills and attributes. It aims to put into practice the theory learned within the classroom through practical application and experiences.
Sport Development and Social Issues
20 credits
This module enhances your understanding of the fundamental principles of inclusion and equality of opportunity, particularly in relation to engaging underrepresented groups in sport and physical activity from both a theoretical and practice-based perspective.
Coaching and Skill Acquisition 2
20 credits
This module examines key concepts related to skill acquisition building on the foundation the level 4 module. Students apply key skill acquisition concepts to practical sport coaching environments form a non-linear pedagogical approach.
Teaching and work-related learning
Excellent facilities and learning resources
We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.
The course teaching includes lectures, seminars, workshops, online activities and case studies to help you develop your theoretical learning, plus practical learning including work experience to boost your employability.
As an Everton Football College student, you will also have access to Premier League facilities at Finch Farm and Goodison Park, plus guest speakers to help bring learning to life.
Study hours are full-time, two days per week. Typically, each module has 40 hours directed or timetabled time, plus 160 hours of independent study. Independent study includes time spent reading, researching, doing project work or completing assessments.
Work-related learning
As sport development and coaching are about improving performance and making a difference to peoples lives, a key feature of the course is the work-related learning links that are embedded throughout the two years of study. By applying the theoretical knowledge from the course to a range of practical situations, you will develop your skills, professional network and identify essential work skills to enable you to make informed career choices. At Everton Football College, we will help you to gain experience with a range of providers including Everton in the Community, local school schemes, Everything is Possible, local authorities and football in the community schemes - both at home and abroad.
You will also be able to use your existing coaching experience to contribute valuable assessment experience to complete your studies.
Support and guidance
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
Another key benefit of the programme is that you will have access to a range of academic resources at Liverpool John Moores University, along with specialist help to support you during your time on the course.
Assessment
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
To ensure you develop both practically as a coach and practitioner, you will be typically assessed through a range of methods including:
- Practical and work experience
- Portfolio evidence
- Presentations
- Reports
- Exam and essay work
Entry requirements
Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements
Grades/points required from qualifications: CCD-CCC (88-96)
Qualification requirements
GCSEs and equivalents
Grade 4 or grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics/ Numeracy.
GCSE Equivalences accepted:
• Key Skills Level 2 in English/Maths
• NVQ Level 2 Functional skills in Maths and English Writing and or Reading
• Skills for Life Level 2 in Numeracy/English
• Higher Diploma in Maths/English
• Northern Ireland Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
• Wales Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
A levels
CCD-CCC
BTECs
Extended Diploma: MMM (96)
Access awards
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
Pass overall with a minimum of 88 points.
International Baccalaureate
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
OCR Cambridge Technical
Extended Diploma: MMM (96)
Irish awards
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
T levels
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.
You need to obtain the required UCAS points from a related subject area.
International requirements
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IELTS
6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of the course start date.
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/courses/international-entry-requirements
Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.
The university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the university. Where this does happen, the university operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.
Further information on the terms and conditions of any offer made, our admissions policy and the complaints and appeals process.