About this course
About
The aim of this course is to develop participants knowledge and understanding of the design, delivery and critical evaluation of performance coaching and analysis structures in a practical coaching environment. The learning environment will be structured to equip students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to improve performance by integrating university education into the workplace enabling reflective practice and intellectual inquiry as a means to contriubte to the development of performance practice within their own organisation and the sector as a whole.
The course will target both new coaches and experienced coaches employed in the industry, acting as a educational pathway for entry into the existing under graduate and post graduate provision within the School of Sport. The course will also provide a route to career specialism in performance analysis or greater understadning of performance analysis and reflective coaching practice for elite coaches.
Attendance
The module will be taught through a diversity of methods, based on direct contact through six days of interactive lectures followed by the facilitation of individual mentoring and directed independent learning.
The lectures will combine the use of case studies, group discussion, peer to peer teaching and practical activities, with guided learning facilitated through online materials and directed reading.
Each student will work closely with a mentor to develop reflective journals and implement individual action plans relevant to their organisation.
Each sub section of the module will provide students with the underlying theory relevant to the topic, followed by facilitation of group discussion through guided case studies to explore relative importance to each individual participant context
Start dates
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS
The module will be taught through a diversity of methods, based on direct contact through six days of interactive lectures followed by the facilitation of directed independent learning. The lectures will combine the use of case studies, group discussion, peer to peer teaching and practical activities. The independent learning will involve students working through e learning materials; guided reading and self directed learning which will supplement the face to face delivery evidenced through reflective journals. Each sub section of the module will provide students with the underlying theory relevant to the topic, followed by facilitation of group discussion through guided case studies to explore relative importance to each individual participant context. This process will involve a critical evaluation of the theory, applied to practice in various situations. E learning resources and independent study (including assessment) will be used to contextualise the workshops and embed knowledge.
Directed learning will establish a list of key articles, journals and books in the area of performance analysis and related sports science. Guided reading will allow participants to gain a broader knowledge of the theoretical models underpinning the content.
Assessment
Assessment will include both group and individual projects, evidenced through both practical and theoretical presentation, interpretation of critical incidents and an exam. The assessment structure will assess your ability to apply knowledge and understanding through various observation, interpretation and communication tasks based on actual practice within the industry.
Students will be required to produce a portfolio of evidence based on four 1000 – 1500 word practical based assignments, one video based presentation and one exam. The assessment will show understanding of designing and implementing a performance analysis process in a practical coaching setting, concluding with a critical reflective evaluation of learning, supplemented with evidence from the generated video content.
Students will be expected to:
- Generate a portfolio of evidence
- Present and individual and group case study presentation
- Oral and written presentation
- Summary and Detailed Report
- Practical demonstration
- Exam
Content
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
Attendance and Independent Study
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10- or 20-credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate course typically 15- or 30-credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessment. The precise assessment will depend on the module and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification and the assessment timetable. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised.
Calculation of the Final Award
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study. In Master’s degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Academic profile
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 59% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (25%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (18%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic staff (81%) are accredited fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures correct for academic year 2019-2020.
Standard entry conditions
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
A level
N/A.
English Language Requirements
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Additional Entry Requirements
(a) Have gained a certificate of higher education or an equivalent standard in an approved alternative qualification;
and
(b) be working in, or aspiring to work in,coaching and analysis roles in their work organisation or if unemployed, have previously been employed in such roles normally within the last three years.
and
(c) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent - this requirement may be met within (a);
or, as an alternative to (a) and/or (c);
(d) provide evidence of their ability to undertake the programme through the accreditation of prior experiential learning.
Additional information for students from United Kingdom