FDSc Sports Coaching with Football Development and Performance
- Study Mode: Full Time
- Location: High Wycombe
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: September 2025
Gain coaching experience and learn the theory behind what it takes to be a professional football coach. We partnered with to offer you this two-year foundation degree.
You'll gain a mix of academic theory and workplace experience to prepare you with both the practical and theoretical skills you need.
Based at you will be immersed in the day to day activities of a professional club and community football setting. Your learning experience will be enhanced by using our state-of-the-art Human Performance, Exercise and Wellbeing Centre, offering you the best combination of work based learning, coaching theory and an experience of two years at university.
What will I study on this course?
This course will develop you as a coach with a focus on developing your football skills. We will increase your knowledge of 3 key aspects of sports coaching: physiological, psychological and biomechanical/biological. The course has a strong vocational focus, with theory in the classroom at High Wycombe related back to the practice work you are undertaking with Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. You can study both community football and the development of community initiatives as well as looking professional club coaching with coaching qualifications.
Why study this subject?
Football plays such a vital role in supporting and inspiring communities through physical activity and a sense of community. Experienced coaches are the backbone to every successful community football programme.
Working with community football schemes such as on this degree, you can see the impact you can have on schools, colleges and community groups right up to performance academies and the next generation of professional players. Coaching is an exciting and worthwhile career, and as a coach your role extends beyond physical activity to the realm of emotional and psychological support, education and mentoring on an individual level.
With such a large responsibility, we think it’s important to take up higher education, so you feel prepared to deliver the best results to those you mentor. The best players are often those who teach their skills to others.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University with Wycombe Wanderers?
Our course allows you to fully understand the theory behind football coaching, taught by lecturers who have been involved in the world of coaching and elite sport. In partnership with Wycombe Wanderers, we aim to combine this with practical skills training and on the job experience as much as possible.
Using both the university facilities and the grounds at Wycombe Wanderers, you will spend up to 20 hours each week learning hands on skills, tackling a wide range of projects within the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. In this work based learning you will be supported by experienced coaches and mentors to ensure that you fully benefit and make the links to ideas taught in your classes.
This course also sets you up perfectly to go onto a top up degree and progress into a full undergraduate honours after an additional one year of study, this will upgrade your qualification to a BSc with only an additional year. Situated in the heart of High Wycombe, you will also have full access to our facilities, gym, human performance laboratory, sports therapy clinic, and the ability to participate in the universities competitive sports teams.
What facilities can I use?
Most of your teaching will be delivered at WWFC (Wycombe Wanderers football club), you can use the grounds and specialist facilities for this course there.
You will also be part of the university community and the campus in High Wycombe. This means you can take advantage of our extensive sports facilities and activities, use our and gym. Within the is a range of sports and fitness classes, competitive sports societies and events which are free, and take place in our large, versatile sports space on our High Wycombe Campus. Stretch and relax at Fitness Pilates, work your muscles with Reps and Sets, or get in a quick H.I.I.T workout.
The sports hall has a sprung floor that reduces the impact on ankle, knee and hip joints, and the space can be split so that several activities can take place at once. Specialist matting is available for activities such as judo and cheerleading.
We offer a wide variety of sporting activities. The most popular student run societies and teams are:
- football
- rugby
- basketball
- athletics
- cricket
- indoor football
- netball
- dance
- volleyball
We also compete in national events and against other universities.
How will I be taught and assessed?
This is a two-year foundation degree perfect for you if you would like to work as a football coach. You will be able to combine hands on experience under the guidance of football coaches at BNU and Wycombe wanderers with coaching theory in the speciality developed classroom at the club grounds. Additional practical modules are based in the Human Performance Lab at the High Wycombe campus.
Assessments could include something like designing, implementing and evaluating coaching programme’s and community initiatives, applying for funding, appraising policy, and reflecting on your coaching methods.
All modules will include time for assessment preparation; feedback on all assessments will place emphasis on progression and not negative outcomes. We aim to provide some insight into what you can learn from your assessments to help you in your future career, not to hamper your career aspirations.
What are the course entry requirements?
A typical offer will require a UCAS tariff score of: 56 - 80
UCAS points can be obtained through qualifications such as A levels, T levels, BTEC or an Access to Higher Education course in a relevant subject. Please list all your qualifications on the application form as you will be asked to provide copies when we receive your application.
However, every application will be assessed on its individual merits.
If you do not meet the entry requirements you may, if you have relevant professional experience, still be invited for interview, where you will be required to demonstrate the necessary knowledge and understanding for entry onto the course.
Previous study, professional and / or vocational experiences may be recognised as the equivalent learning experience and permit exemption from studying certain modules in accordance with our accreditation of prior learning (APL) process.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
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Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £9,535 per year *
Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes.
Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.  
Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.  
Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.  
We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU.
The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.
What are my career prospects?
This course is ideal for those wishing to progress into a sport coaching or mentoring role. If you wanted to pursue a higher education qualification you will be well suited to pursue that through a top up degree programme.
We will aid you in gaining coaching qualifications to help you become a sports coach. If you are currently a sport athlete and thinking about your future after sport, becoming a coach is a great way to future proof your career and continue in the sport that you love.
Some of the related roles and courses available to you after graduation could be:
- sports coach
- personal trainer
- community worker
- sport scientist
- nutrition
- sport therapy
- exercise science
Course leader
