FOUNDATION DEGREE 

Are you passionate about a career in the football industry? The Foundation Degree in Community Football Coaching and Development provides you with an opportunity to gain an industry recognised coaching award whilst representing Northampton Town FC Community Trust.

This award-winning community football coaching course, designed in conjunction with the English Football League Trust, develops the skills and qualities that are required to work within professional football clubs, community departments or national governing bodies in areas of growth such as social inclusion, community coaching and football development.

You’ll learn about children and youth coaching, football development, social inclusion and sports management skill. You will be based predominantly at Northampton Town, with an additional 6 days a year at the University of South Wales Sport Park, spread across 2 residential study visits in August and May. Whilst on your residential to USW, you will access and utilise their state-of-the-art coaching and performance development centre with full size indoor 3G pitch, equipped with the latest GPS, video and audio technology to support your coach education development.

A key part of this degree is the amount of placement hours you will experience throughout the duration of your studies. You will undertake 4-8 hours per week in year 1 and 7-14 hours per week in year 2, which will be organised by your supporting club mentor. The placement opportunities could be in setting such as schools, local clubs, community setting or in formal club events delivering on a range of projects and initiatives agree by yourself and the club. This will provide you with vital practical experience of working within the football coaching and development industry.

Click the link here, to get a glimpse of what it is like to study with the University of South Wales (https://www.southwales.ac.uk/study/short-taster-courses/sports-taster-courses/#football-coaching).

What You Will Study

Year One: Foundation Degree Community Football Coaching

  • Football Event Management

  • Academic Research and Study Skills

  • Introduction to Sports Development

  • Introduction to Sports Science for Coaching

  • Football Coaching: Theory to Practice

  • Technical Planning and Reflective Practice in Football

Year Two: Foundation Degree Community Football Coaching

  • Football In Society

  • Project Operations Management

  • Youth Football Coaching

  • PE and School Sport

  • Sport Placement

Teaching

You will be enrolled as a student at the University of South Wales and have access to a number of learning materials. Also, you will spend a minimum of six days per year (across 2 mandatory trips) at the University of South Wales High Performance Centre at the USW Sport Park and receive full accommodation during these teaching blocks.

You will have access to an online library, Blackboard and other learning materials, and will spend a time at the USW Sport Park to complete practical teaching. You will complete coaching (work-based learning) that is managed through tutorials and a mentoring programme. The work-based learning programme is completed within your own football work environment.

In year two you will complete up to 200 hours of coaching (work-based learning) that is managed through weekly tutorials and a comprehensive mentoring programme. The work-based learning programme will be completed within the professional football clubs and will provide opportunities to gain experience in areas such as social inclusion, school and grass root club development, football development, and coaching.

Also, you will study towards your UEFA C/Level 2 Football Coaching Certificate and will have numerous opportunities to undertake additional vocational awards.

Assessment

You will be assessed in a variety of ways such as practical delivery, reports & essays, presentation, group work and multiple-choice questions. This range of teaching and learning approaches ensures that you gain a wide variety of skills.

Entry Requirements

Typical A-level offer - DD to include at least one A Level in Science, Mathematics, Physical Education or Psychology but to exclude General Studies.
Typical BTEC offer - BTEC Diploma Merit Pass or BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Pass Pass in a relevant subject.

GCSEs - The University normally requires a minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

Fees

August 2024 - July 2025 Fees

Full-time UK:  £8000

Full-time International:  £15260

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

DBS - £55.42 (This fee includes £44 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee.)

Travel to Residential - Students will have to fund the cost of travel to the residential elements of the course.

Placement - Students will need to fund their travel and subsistence costs when on placement. Costs vary, depending on location.

Application

Apply via UCAS if you are a UK residing applicant, applying for year one of the Foundation Degree and you have not applied through UCAS before. Alternatively, you can apply direct to USW (https://myusw.southwales.ac.uk/login?referrer=https://applicationform.southwales.ac.uk/apps/new&_gl=1*bqdchs*_ga*MjY0MDIyNTE4LjE3MDk4OTY2NjQ.*_ga_8PK6WKM5SZ*MTcxMTU0NDU4NS4zLjEuMTcxMTU0NDk3NC42MC4wLjA.)

In your personal statement, please state you wish to study at Northampton Town.

Any further queries, please contact Tom Ash (tom.ash@ntfc.co.uk).