Sports Coach Programme

The Sports Coach Programme comprises studies in the field of Sport and Health Science with specialisation in areas of knowledge that are relevant to the role of coach. Programme content concentrates on what the role of coach involves at both the individual level and the group level. Content has been designed so that it applies to future coaches who want to work with children, adolescents and adults at both a recreational level and an elite level. Inclusion is studied from several different perspectives regarding aspects related to fair and safe participation in sports. The relationship with and role of sport in society are important elements in the programme, the aim being to educate coaches with a focus on sustainability. An essential step in preparing students for their future profession is to provide them with opportunities to enhance their coaching skills, which they do through fieldwork. Students are given the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of coaching of children, adolescents and adults across the spectrum of sport from the recreational level to the elite level. Sustainable sports leadership is introduced early in the programme, with key competencies for sustainable development progressively integrated into all courses throughout each year. Academic writing and a scholarly approach to the subject are continuously emphasised, with an increased focus during the semester when they write their thesis. In the first year of the programme, students are introduced to subjects that highlight the multidisciplinary nature of Sport and Health Science. They begin exploring the academic perspective of what it means to be a coach, the principles of sustainable sports leadership and the organisation of sport in relation to society. These topics are studied, discussed and problematised. Students also gain knowledge of various aspects of pedagogy and sport psychology, with focus on the coach’s role and the way these aspects influence individuals and groups in sport. Alongside this, the programme includes studies of the human body in movement and exercise. Special emphasis is placed on the study of how physical activity impacts human anatomy and physiology, and how coaches can apply this knowledge in practice. In addition, sports medicine is studied with a focus on the management of sports injuries and prevention strategies to reduce the risk of injury. The entire first year is designed to equip students with the foundational knowledge and skills they need so that they can work as coaches for a variety of different groups involved in sport. In the second year, courses focus on the processes of motor learning and training of various physical qualities for different target groups, combining both theory and practice. Special emphasis is placed on didactic aspects relating to the coach’s role. Students study and practise using testing and analytical methods that develop and optimise athletic performance. They also study and discuss media and communication in sport, with a focus on internal and external communication, including traditional and new forms of media. Foundational knowledge, methods and approaches that students have previously encountered in their studies are integrated and applied in greater depth through a degree project (a thesis), which enables them to gain a higher education qualification in a defined field of Sport and Health Science. In the third year, students further deepen and apply their knowledge through field studies that involve the planning, implementation and evaluation of coaching in a chosen context. These field studies, combined with earlier course work in the programme, provide students with opportunities to develop specialised competencies and skills that prepare them to work independently in the field. Students also study the principles of adequate nutritional intake and sustainable diets in relation to sport, and they also explore sport entrepreneurship to foster their innovative thinking. A course in sports science methodology followed by a specialisation course further deepens students’ knowledge, methods and approaches in the field, which prepares them for their subsequent independent work. The degree project (thesis), which focusses on a defined area of Sport and Health Science, concludes the Sports Coach Programme and leads to the award of a Degree of Bachelor.