Applied Coaching Science
MSc
Key facts
Course length
Part time: 24 months
Overview
The Applied Coaching Science (MSc) degree at Oxford Brookes is a coach development programme driven by and provided for the development of your coaching practice. The course has been designed in consultation with leading organisations in the sector and aims to develop professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver at the cutting edge of coaching science.
To support the need for high level professional development we have provided a flexible approach to your studies, designed to fit around your current coaching commitments:
- Part-time only, to allow sufficient time and space to successfully complete studies alongside professional roles.
- Blended delivery, which merges online content with face-to-face blocks (2.5 days), this flexibility is to ensure we fit around your professional role(s).
- Professional experience entry requirement (a degree is not compulsory).
- Diverse assessment modes, allowing submission through a range of mediums.
- A staff team of active researchers and high-level practitioners.
How to apply
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
To successfully complete this programme, applicants are expected to have significant and relevant industry experience in coaching or a related field. In addition, it is essential that applicants are currently engaged in a coaching (or related) role (at voluntary, full-time or part-time levels). Furthermore, it is desirable, although not essential for applicants to hold a first or upper second-class honours degree of a Higher Education Institution.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
Selection process
All shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview.
English language requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, an Academic IELTS score of 6.5 (with 6.5 in Reading and Writing, and 6.0 in Listening and Speaking) is required.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
International applications
Applicants whose main language is not English must meet the University’s English language requirements and where applicable the Faculty or Department’s requirements.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Financial support and scholarships
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Learning and assessment
The programme structure and the content offered are balanced across several elements to allow for the development of high-level, theoretically-informed practitioners. Our degree programme will:
- Provide a balanced amount of academic literature with an emphasis on its practical use throughout each module to ensure students develop their ability to engage with, make sense of and critically apply in context.
- Provide students with opportunities to develop both academically and personally, ensuring that whilst becoming theoretically-informed practitioners they are also advancing to achieve their personal goals (such as leadership skills).
- Ensure problem solving and solution finding are at the forefront of the programme design.
- Adhere to each of the Brookes Attributes through the design and delivery of each module (and the programme as a whole) so that we offer learning and teaching that is at the forefront of the field, providing students with an experience of the highest standard possible.
Watch our webinar to find out more about the course and to meet some of our academics.
Study modules
The programme consists of 6 single modules and one triple module, all of which are compulsory. The modules, the year and the semester in which the modules will be studied are outlined in the flowchart.
Curriculum structure
The Critical Pedagogue is the first module students will engage with on this programme. We feel this module is best positioned to develop the transferable tools to challenge their own values and beliefs that underpin their applied practice. The remaining modules are structured to continue this critical journey, whilst at the same time introducing students to pertinent areas of coaching science, including sociology, practice design, psychology, strength and conditioning and leadership. The programme culminates with The Action Researcher, a synoptic module that provides students with the opportunity to draw upon and combine content taught in all modules in order to solve applied problems and enact transformative change within their own content.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
The following principles will be adopted by the teaching team in the delivery of the modules:
- An approach driven by problem solving will be adopted in the design of all modules and teaching episodes. Problems will be presented to promote the critical application of theory as the students explore possible solutions. Decision making, creativity and innovation in the student’s practice is at the forefront of our priorities.
- Practice to theory approach. All of our teaching elements and assessments will be initiated through practice, with the application of theory to support the problem solving and sense making process.
- The development of a friendly and close-knit community is crucial. There will be a real focus on collaboration, developing a culture of support and candour.
- In person or virtual coach development mentoring has been built into the course (students Academic Advisors will adopt this role).
Assessment
Assessment methods used on this course
Your assessments will be diverse, and will support different learning styles - you’ll have a real opportunity to showcase your strengths. Your learning may be assessed by a combination of individual or group coursework, examinations, and presentations. The assessment methods chosen will be based on your learning needs, individual aims and the academic standards expected for the course. A large proportion of the assessments will allow you to choose your submission mode and method from a variety of options provided. There will be a reduced emphasis on written work whilst maintaining the academic rigour required at level 7.
Research
1. Pedagogy and Coach Development in Sport, Coaching and Physical Education
We are interested in the development of coaches expertise. With a particular focus on the design of learning environments, informed by an understanding of ecological dynamics.
2. Sociology, Culture and Politics in Sport, Coaching and Physical Education
As such, we seek to examine the way that sport, physical activity and physical education are constructed to serve those engaged from participation to performance.
3. Performance Enhancement
Our research contributes to the development and improvement of human performance in competitive sport and exercise through a multi-disciplinary approach. A particular focus of our work is the exploration of the physiological and psychological impact of contrasting training and recovery methods with regard to the preparation and performance of elite sportspeople.
After you graduate
Career prospects
The course is positioned as a coach development course, designed to accelerate the learning, development, and most importantly the practice of the coaches who enroll. Students who complete the course and develop the knowledge and skills to enhance their employability within the coaching, teaching and performance sport domains.
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.