“Every lecturer I’ve had has been very friendly and approachable, and has always made time to answer any questions.”
BA (Hons)Sport Coaching and Physical Education (Top-Up)
Apply on UCAS
Starting in: 2025
Register your interestUCAS code: SC14
Institution code: S30
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps
Why study a sport coaching and physical education top-up degree at Solent University
Enhance your existing qualifications with essential practical experience, to become a knowledgeable and confident coach for physical education and sport development.
- £0minvestment in our campus and industry-standard facilities
- 0stout of 130 institutions for assessment and feedback (NSS 2023)
- 0thin the top 20 best student cities (StudentCrowd, 2023)
- Ultra-modern sports complex, featuring two sports halls, two fitness studios, strength and conditioning and high-performance gyms, health and fitness and personal training teaching gyms, and a sport and exercise therapy clinic.
- Learn from an experienced course team who hold a wide range of experience in education, coaching and sport development.
- Opportunity to gain additional qualifications endorsed by 1st4sport and the Assocation for Physical Education. These include national governing body coaching awards in a multitude of sports including football, rugby, badminton, netball, tennis...
Course overview
The course combines theory, research and practical skills to ensure graduates adopt innovative approaches to teaching and coaching. You’ll learn to critically analyse current practices and develop an evidence-based approach to workplace tasks.
The course is split into five modules. Core modules include Games Based Coaching, Teaching Physical Education In Schools, and a final dissertation project. You’ll also choose two optional modules, refining your knowledge and building specialisms in areas that are best suited to your career ambitions.
You’ll learn contemporary coaching and physical education techniques including physical literacy and games based coaching. This work will then be put into practice outside of the classroom, where you will have the opportunity to deliver PE sessions to local primary school children. Planning, delivering and evaluating these PE lessons form a part of your unit assessment and provide invaluable experience for your CV.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:Course features
Additional qualification
This course offers additional qualifications for you to obtain with your degree
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Top-up option
If you have an appropriate Level 5 qualification, you can top it up to a degree in just a year
Who is this course for?
Solent’s sport coaching and physical education top-up is open to students with a foundation degree, Higher National Diploma (HND) or equivalent qualification in a sports-related discipline. Applicants will be interviewed to discuss the suitability of their dissertation proposal and research topic.
What does this course lead to?
This one-year top-up course is the ideal springboard for careers in teaching and youth sport. Graduates will be well prepared to progress onto a PGCE, School Direct or Teach First programme.
Those who aren’t pursuing a career in teaching can make an impact in a range of other careers. These include sport coaching, leisure management, and graduate level roles across the wider leisure and service industry.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
Meet the team
Learn from academics and practitioners who hold a wide range of experience in education, coaching and sport development.
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Solent University is home to a range of sporting facilities and gyms. Students on this course will use the Solent Sports Complex to plan, deliver and evaluate their coaching and PE work.
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
What you'll study
Core modules
Games Based Coaching
This innovative module introduces the concepts and ideas around the contemporary practice of games based coaching. It will equip you with theoretical knowledge and practical understanding needed within the modern coaching and teaching landscape.
Teaching Physical Education in Schools
This practical module discusses key issues in teaching physical education including the core values and the place of physical education in the curriculum. It will help you apply theory to your understanding, critical analysis and evaluation of professional teaching practice.
Dissertation
This module will support you in the development of a research project that is relevant to your course and of personal interest to you.
Optional modules
Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.
Global Sport Issues
This module is designed to enhance and develop understanding of the socio-cultural significance of sport through the concept of globalisation. It is a thought provoking and interactive module that encourages debate and critical reflection of coaching and teaching within modern society.
Outdoor Adventurous Activities
This module aims to provide you with knowledge and understanding of outdoor adventurous activities from an educationalist perspective. You will consider the foundations and philosophy of adventure education and its impact on adventure education provision today.
Physical Literacy
This module will build on your existing knowledge and further develop your understanding of physical literacy. It investigates the philosophy of physical literacy and the development of physical movement patterns across the life course.
How you will learn and be assessed
You will learn by:
You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Coursework
- Project work
Solent’s curriculum framework builds on our unique, creative and applied approach to teaching. The transformation of students’ lives is at the heart of our mission as a university, and our curriculum – informed by the latest theory – reflects this shared educational vision.
Find out more
Study support
The student achievement team are on hand to help you succeed during your studies at Solent. They aim to contact you at key times during your time here with personalised information, advice and guidance, by email or phone.
The disability advice team provides information, advice and guidance for disabled students.
All students can access Succeed@Solent, Solent's online guide to getting better grades. It offers extensive, practical information and advice on topics such as academic writing, research and presentations.
Why choose a career in sport coaching and physical education?
The education sector continues to expand, creating a need for highly qualified educators who are ready to learn and adapt. Sport coaching as a career is becoming increasingly personalised and there is a continued need for highly educated coaches who have a wide range of knowledge, skills, and specialisms.
You could earn:
Sport coach
Starting salary: £18,000 to £28,000
Depending on location and qualifications.
Physical activity/Sports development officer
Starting salary: £18,000 to £23,000
Salaries can rise to £30,000 with experience. A sports development manager can earn up to £40,000. Salaries vary depending on types of employer.
The stated salaries are published on prospects.ac.uk. Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Graduate stories
Hear from Solent alumni about where their careers have taken them and how studying at Solent prepared them for their future.
“Every lecturer I’ve had has been very friendly and approachable, and has always made time to answer any questions.”
Solent Futures
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022
Further study
Thinking about studying further than an undergraduate degree? Alumni can get 20% off their postgraduate study.
MA Physical Education and School Sport
The MA Physical Education and School Sport programme will help you to develop the academic knowledge and practical skills that underpin a career in physical education and youth...
MA Sport Management
Looking to further your career in the sport management industry? This masters in sport management will give you the advanced knowledge and skills required for a successful...
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are:
- UK, EU (settled status) and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,250 per year
- International full-time fees: £17,750 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2025/26 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, the 2024/25 other costs were:
Compulsory costs
- General
Students must purchase a Solent sports kit. As a package, this will cost approximately £135.
Students are required to undertake DBS criminal records checks as part of their enrolment. This is compulsory and is payable by the student at a cost of £60. The DBS check is organised by the University. - Year one
L3 Certificate in Physical Education and School Sport Delivery: approx £100
Optional costs
- Optional discounted professional body endorsement (NGB): Prices vary, please click here to view our courses.
Bursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Student finance videos
Student finance Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.Student funding - the essentials Video transcript, with a description of visuals available.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
Relevant HND/foundation degree pass with merit overall (55 per cent average)
- A foundation degree, Higher National Diploma (HND) or equivalent (240 credits) in a sport related subject
- Grade 4 or above (previously grade C) in GCSE English, Mathematics, and Science or equivalent.
- Applicants will be interviewed to discuss the suitability of their dissertation proposal and research topic.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about EU qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Key entry requirements
As a general guide, we look for qualifications that are equivalent to the British high school A-levels.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about international qualifications, please see our course entry requirements document.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application.
Any questions?
Contact international admissions
Email: Call:How to apply
Full-time
Any student applying for the first year of a full-time/sandwich undergraduate course must apply through UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Service). This includes mature, overseas and EU students.
Nearly all schools and colleges offer their students the facility of applying electronically through the UCAS website using 'Apply'; it may also be used by those applying independently in the UK and overseas. This facility and all course information can be found on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com.
Your application should reach UCAS by 31 January if you hope to enter a course the following autumn. Early application is advised for the most popular subject areas. Late applications may be made until the end of June. The UCAS Code for the University is S30, code name SOLNT.
Find out what happens after you apply
Contextual offers
Solent endeavours to offer learning opportunities to students from all backgrounds. When we receive and review an application, we take into consideration the context and personal circumstances of applicants when making a decision, which means our advertised entry tariff could be reduced.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each individual component
- TOEFL IBT minimum 80 with a minimum of 20 in each individual component
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 95 in each component or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Make your application
- 1 year top-up
