BSc (Hons) Sports Development
- UCAS code: N280
- Mode of study: Full time
- Duration: 3 years
- Entry requirements 2013: 320 points to include 180 points from 2 A levels or equivalent.
- Please see details of the range of other qualifications that will also be considered on the 'Entry Requirements' tab below. Please do contact us for advice on other qualifications that aren't listed here.
Find out more:
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 5550
Email: sci.admissions@port.ac.uk
Department: Sport and Exercise Science
Course overview
Sports development at Portsmouth takes a broad approach to the subject, which will allow you to identify your own areas of interest as the course progresses, leaving you able to choose from a wide variety of career choices on graduation.
The course follows five key themes:
- Sport in society: to keep you up-to-date and abreast of what’s happening in the world of sports development, you will learn about sports development principles and trends. The role of government in the successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and the construction of Wembley Stadium are some of the topical issues covered.
- Sports coaching/work experience: you will learn about coaching principles and their application. You can also undertake work-based learning or use the media in developing sport.
- Sports management and business: you will experience everything from hands-on sports event organisation, business planning, sport facilities management to inventing a new sport.
- Sport and exercise science: this involves aspects such as sports psychology and athletic conditioning, and practical courses that assist in the understanding of how the body performs in a training environment.
- Research skills required for studying in higher education: we are particularly keen to make sure your transition to higher education is well supported and that you learn about all the associated requirements, from general study skills to the more detailed research applications in sports management that will help you prepare for your final-year project.
Each theme endeavours to apply underlying theory to practice, making the course relevant, applicable and highly vocational. You will be guided through the three levels (years), developing knowledge and understanding of the key issues, and as you progress you will undertake more problem solving and self-directed learning, so that you are able to focus on a particular theme of your own choice in your final-year project.
Professional links
As of 2011 the BSc (Hons) Sports Development course at Portsmouth achieved the SkillsActive Higher Education Endorsement Award. This is a significant achievement making Portsmouth one of the first universities in the UK to receive this award.
Skills Active are a government-backed Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, Learning and Wellbeing, who in partnership with the Institute for Sport, Parks and Leisure (ISPAL), the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management (ISRM) and Sports Coach UK, developed the endorsement scheme to 'provide clarity for students, parents and employers, highlighting degrees which are recognised as meeting national standards'.
ISPAL and ISRM have now amalgamated into one single professional body for the sector; the Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (IMSPA).
The BSc (Hons) Sports Development course was scrutinised by the professional bodies through a number of processes, including a detailed application submission and site visit. Once having met the specified criteria the Higher Education Endorsement was awarded.
For a number of years the sports development staff within the Department of Sport and Exercise Science have held membership within the professional bodies, had representatives on the Higher Education Group for Sports Development and worked closely with a number of local authorities, agencies and sports organisations. Staff have both many years of experience working with the sports development sector and are research active, ensuring not only the contemporary nature and relevance of the course, but also support for graduate students who may choose to work within sports development and associated occupations. To read about our academics, click on 'Staff profiles' on the left-hand menu.
For further details on endorsed courses:
http://www.skillsactive.com/services/active_endorsement/he_endorsement/endorsed_courses
Course content
Within each level there are both core (compulsory) subjects to study as well as a range of options, giving you the opportunity to concentrate on particular areas of interest. In addition, the University provides you with the opportunity to study different subjects outside of this degree such as a foreign language.
*Optional units. All other units are core.
Year one
Sport in society
- Sports Development Principles
Sports experience
- Coaching Principles
- Sports Event Organisation
Sports science
- Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Introduction to Fitness Training and Assessment
Research and study skills
- Research and Philosophy in Sports Development
Year two
Sport in society
- Sports Policy and Funding
- Sports Development Practice*
- Sport and Society*
Sports management and business
- Sport and Business Management
Sports experience
- Application of Coaching*
- Work-based Learning*
Sports science
- Skill Acquisition and Performance
- Psychology of Sport and Exercise
Research and study skills
- Research Applications in Sports Management
Additional optional units
- Learning from Experience*
- Music Ensemble*
- Foreign Language*
- Intercultural Communication*
- Student Enterprise*
- Personal Finance*
- Business Venturing*
Year three
Sport in society
- Comparative Sport Provision
- Professional Practice in Sports Education
Sports management and business
- Strategic Planning in Sport
- Professional Practice in Sports Marketing
- Event Management in Sport
Sports science
- Professional Practice in Sports Psychology
Research and study skills
- Project
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning takes place through a variety of formats including formal lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical experiences. This varied approach is also reflected within the assessments, which include exams, essays, reports, projects, portfolios or case studies, as well as practical demonstrations and oral assessments through presentations or discussion groups. We work very closely with local partners, such as the Portsmouth School Sport Partnership, Portsmouth City Council Leisure Services and the Sports Development section within the University Sport and Recreation Department, along with other areas of the University. This ensures that the work you undertake is contemporary and relevant.
Throughout your degree, you will be assigned an academic tutor who is available to discuss academic or pastoral issues. To facilitate open communication and learning, structured individual and group tutorials are provided at all levels. Furthermore, they will help to monitor your performance, set targets for future performance and address any problems you may be experiencing.
Outside the curriculum you are encouraged to gain National Governing Body (NGB) coaching awards, which can lead to opportunities for both voluntary and paid work within the community.
Career prospects
By the very changing nature of sports development, career prospects are becoming more varied. Traditionally, the principal employers were in local authorities, national governing bodies of sport and similar sports-based organisations. However, as sport is increasingly playing an important part in areas such as health, education and social inclusion, a whole range of associated organisations are now looking to employ people who understand sport in order to deliver within their particular area of interest.
Clearly, the London Olympics in 2012 is going to have a significant impact, not only in the development of performance sport, but also in the recruitment of sports development professionals who will ensure that the event has a long standing and sustainable impact on the activity levels of all who are inspired and motivated by the games.
Students who have graduated from this course have gone on to work within county sport partnerships and local authority sports development departments. A number have also used it as a stepping stone to further study, such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, in order to become a physical education teacher.
Facilities and features
The Department is located in the purpose-built Spinnaker Building. Our premises have been built as an extension to the Nuffield Sports Centre, which provides indoor space for practical activities. You will use this building along with main teaching venues within the University Quarter, all of which are a short walk away.
Housed within the building are some of the finest, state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in the country. These include three environmental chambers and one of the largest swimming flumes (swimming equivalent of a treadmill) in the country. The building has seminar rooms specifically for those students studying sports development.
Just across the road, and within easy reach of the Spinnaker Building, are the Students’ Union and the library – the key facilities you will need.