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Lincoln City Shadow Academy student outside goal holding football

Subject

Sport and Exercise Science

Level

HNC (Level 4)

Duration

1 year full-time/2 years part-time

Start Date

September 2025

The course

Are you looking to continue your education through applied learning? This HNC in Community Coaching for England is ideal for you!

This qualification is designed to meet specific occupational standards and contains the quality kitemark of Higher Technical Qualification ensuring you are provided with a wide-ranging study of the Sport Science sector. You will to develop a broad understanding of the key disciplines including sport coaching, psychology, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, training, fitness, testing and lifestyle coaching.

Course Information

  • Enable you to demonstrate a sound knowledge of the basic concepts of Sport Coaching, awareness of the Sport Science sector and understanding of the client needs.
  • Develop your practical skills, qualities and strengths to meet employer needs.
  • Ensure that you can communicate accurately and appropriately and that you have the qualities needed for employment that requires some degree of personal responsibility.
  • Develop your transferable skills to ensure effective team working, independent initiatives, organisational competence and problem-solving strategies.
  • Allow you to be adaptable and flexible in your approach to Sport Coaching, show resilience under pressure, and meet challenging targets within a given resource.
  • Coaching Practice and Skill Development
  • Fundamentals of Sport and Exercise Psychology
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Lifestyle Coaching
  • Nutrition
  • Training, Fitness, Testing
  • Professional Skills
  • Community Coaching

You will need:

A minimum of 48 UCAS points

OR

A relevant BTEC Level 3 and significant industrial experience

Plus

GCSE English 4 or above or equivalent

A suitable reference

UCAS points may be from qualifications such as T Levels, A Levels, BTEC Level 3 Extended Diplomas, Access to Higher Education Diplomas, and City and Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas amongst others. Please use the UCAS Tariff points calculator to determine the UCAS points value of your qualifications.

Life and/or experience of non-traditional students will be taken into account when considering applications. The successful completion of an entry task may be required when considering applications without the required formal entry qualifications.

If an applicants first language is not English, or a Tier 4 student visa to study is required and GCSE English at grade 4/C or equivalent is not held, they will need to evidence their English language proficiency level, such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 6.0 overall (with a minimum 5.5 in each skill).

Advanced entry may be possible due to prior experience or certificated learning; applicants will be invited to complete the recognition of prior learning approval process.

This programme is delivered with a variety of learning and teaching approaches to include all students learning styles and preferences.

For all modules, theory lectures are delivered that aim to deliver the core content and provide the underpinning knowledge.

To complement the theory lectures, you will have group seminars/practical sessions that are used to reinforce concepts delivered theoretically.

The teaching methods focus on facilitating a student-centred approach to enhance the independent learning that takes place outside of the classroom.

The full-time pathway includes approximately 17 hours contact time per week, encompassing lectures, seminars, practicals and tutorials. You are also expected to carry out a significant amount of private study in addition to contact time (25-30 hours a week).

The part-time pathway includes approximately 9 hours contact time per week, encompassing lectures, seminars, practicals and tutorials. You are also expected to carry out a significant amount of private study in addition to contact time (12-15 hours a week).

You can expect to receive your timetables during the first week of the programme.

You will be assessed through written assignments, seminars, poster presentations, practical coaching or role-plays, reports, portfolios, case studies and presentations. Some elements may be assessed by formal examination. Opportunities for feedback on assessments are available prior to the final submission to support your development and achievement. Staff aim to return assessed work within a 20-working day timeframe (not including holidays) so that you can most benefit from the feedback.
  • You may need to complete an enhanced DBS check to fulfil a voluntary work placement. (The cost will be dependent on the level of check completed, and would be at your expense. You can check the current cost on the gov.uk website.)
  • Sports kit is available for purchase from our online shop at your discretion (cost will vary depending on kit purchased: approximate cost £100).
  • A range of additional qualifications, short courses and study tours/trips maybe offered at additional cost.
  • On successful completion of the programme, you will have the opportunity to graduate at a ceremony wearing formal dress. The hire of the formal dress is an additional cost.
The programme is designed to enable you to progress to the Level 5 (second year stage) of a relevant course such as Higher National Diploma. Student can also progress onto year 2 of the BSc Sport, Coaching and Development programme available at University Centre Bishop Burton.
Upon graduating from this programme, you will have an internationally recognised qualification to support a variety of roles in the industry or to provide a stepping-stone to continue education or training such as a degree or professional qualification. You could follow a career in sports coaching, sports development, sport or fitness duty management or activity leadership.

Validated by Pearson

We are proud to collaborate with Pearson on the validation of this course.

View the policies and procedures you would be agreeing to comply with by registering for this programme.

Financial Information

Find the full details of the fees associated with this programme and the financial support available.

Careers this course could lead into

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RH HE Open Events

Upcoming Event

Degree Level (Post 18) Open Event

Saturday, 8 February 2025 - 10:00 - 13:00

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