Sport Coaching and Development

• Scottish Highers*: 
  
  • Standard Entry Requirements: BCC (69 UCAS Tariff points) including a Science (Biology preferred) or PE
  • Minimum Entry Requirements: CCC (63 UCAS Tariff points) including a Science (Biology preferred) or PE
• A levels: DDD (72 UCAS Tariff points) including 1 science subject (Biology preferred) and PE
• Irish Leaving Certificate: H3 H4 H4 H4 including a science subject (Biology preferred) and PE
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 24 points, (3 subjects at H4) including a Science or PE
• SQA HNC / BTEC Level 4 HNC: Sports Therapy or Coaching and Developing Sport or Sport Coaching & Development or Fitness, Health & Exercise or Applied Sports Science or Applied Sport & Exercise Science (for SQA HNC, with Grade B in the Graded Unit)
• Scottish Wider Access Programme: Access to STEM or Access to Humanities or Access to Life Sciences or Access to Health & Biological Science (BBB)

SUITABLE SCIENCE SUBJECTS

For Life Science and Sport degrees, unless stated otherwise, suitable science subjects include: Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Psychology, Sociology, and Geography, Modern Studies (Sports Coaching will also accept Politics as a Science).

* for more information on standard and minimum entry requirements, see our Undergraduate Entry Requirements webpage

• A levels: BBB (120 UCAS Tariff points) including Science and PE
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 30 points, (3 subjects at H4) including one Science, English and PE
• SQA HNC / BTEC Level 4 HNC: Coaching and Developing Sport or Sport Coaching & Development or Fitness, Health & Exercise or Applied Sports Science or Applied Sport & Exercise Science or Physical Activity & Health (for SQA HNCs, with Grade A in Graded Unit)
• SQA HND / BTEC Level 5 HND: Sports Therapy (for SQA HND, with Grade B in the Graded Units) or Applied Sports Science or Coaching & Developing Sport or Fitness, Health & Exercise or Sport Coaching & Development or Physical Activity & Health (for SQA HNDs with TWO Graded Units, CA/CB) (for SQA HNDs with THREE Graded Units, CAA/CAB/CBB)

• SQA HND / BTEC Level 5 HND: Applied Sports Science or Coaching & Developing Sport or Fitness, Health & Exercise or Sport Coaching & Development or Physical Activity & Health (for SQA HNDS with Double Graded Units, BB/BA/AB/AA) (for SQA HNDs with Three Graded Units, BBB/BAA/BBA/AAA/ABA/ABB)  

Successful applicants who gain a place on this course will need to register on the PVG Scheme, managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. An application form will be sent from the University once you have accepted your offer. The fee for joining the scheme is £59.

Visit the Disclosure Scotland website for more information on the PVG scheme.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

All academic degrees/awards at UWS are taught in English. For applicants whose first language is not English*, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. All English language qualifications must have been gained within two years of the start of your UWS course.

* applicants who are exempt from english language requirements include:

• native speakers of English
• Erasmus students (unless advised otherwise)
• non-Erasmus students from EU partner institutions (your institution must provide confirmation of your English language ability in the absence of a formal qualification)
• students whose previous degree-level study has been taught and assessed in English in what UK Visas and Imigration (UKVI) define as a majority English speaking country

In general terms, if you are applying to study a course at, or above, Year 1 (SCQF Level 7) bachelor’s degree level, then the UKVI’s minimum level of English proficiency is Common European Framework for References of Languages (CEFR) at B2 (Upper Intermediate).

UWS & INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST SYSTEM (IELTS)

At UWS, we define our general English language requirements using the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training) as follows:

Undergraduate (bachelor's - BA, BAcc, BEng, BSc etc.) degrees and postgraduate (master's - MA, MBA, MSc etc.) taught degrees

• the CEFR equivalent requirement is normally an overall IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent), with a score of no lower than 5.5 in any of the four elements (listening, speaking, reading and writing)

Postgraduate research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA etc.)

• the CEFR equivalent requirement is an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (or equivalent), with a score of no lower than 6.0 in any of the four elements (listening, speaking, reading and writing)

These are minimum requirements and some courses may require a higher standard for admission†.

† Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see IELTS Score Exceptions section below for more information). 

IELTS SCORE EXCEPTIONS (RESEARCH DEGREES, BIOMEDICAL & PARAMEDIC SCIENCE DEGREES, NURSING & MIDWIFERY DEGREES WITH NMC REGISTRATION, SOCIAL WORK DEGREES, CERTIFICATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, ETC.)

RESEARCH DEGREES

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 6.5
• no sub-test score of less than 6.0

HEALTH & MIDWIFERY AWARDS

For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (BSc Adult Nursing, MSc Adult Nursing, BSc Mental Health Nursing, MSc Mental Health Nursing, BSc Midwifery and MSc Midwifery), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• score of at least 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and
• score of at least 6.5 in writing

PARAMEDIC SCIENCE DEGREE

Our BSc Paramedic Science degree leads to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); it has different IELTS requirements than other Health-related courses. Although it is not possible to apply for this degree directly as an international student, for applicants who meet SAAS residency requirements and for whom English is not their first language, then the following IELTS scores are required:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test score of less than 6.5

BIOMEDICAL DEGREES

For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science degrees, which may lead to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test less than 6.5

SOCIAL WORK DEGREES

Our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work degrees are professionally recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council and applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 7.0
• no sub-test score of less than 7.0

CERTIFICATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 5.0
• no sub-test less than 4.5

OTHER IELTS EQUIVALENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTS

In additional to IELTS, we also accept a number of alternative English language for application and admission to our courses for both home/EU and international students at bachelor's degree study at Year 3 (SCQF Level 9), and above. From Cambridge to TOFEL iBT qualifications the number of these qualifications is extensive.

Find out about non-IELTS English Language Tests

ENGLISH LANGUAGE HIGH SCHOOL QUALIFACTIONS ACCEPTED FOR NON-EU APPLICANTS

UWS has also reviewed a range of High / Secondary School qualifications studied by non-EU applicants that can be used as a basis of entry to a UWS. These range from Botswana GCSEs to USA High School Graduation Diplomas, the number of these qualifications is extensive.

Find out more about international English Language high-hchool qualifications

PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES AT UWS

Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:

• 10-week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.0 with no element below 4.5.
• 5-week pre-sessional - entry criteria UKVI IELTS 5.5 with no element below 5.5.
• English Language for University Study - entry criteria UKVI IELTS with an overall score of 4.0, plus a score of 4.0 in all sub-tests (10-month course), or an overall score of 4.5, plus no score below 4.0 in all sub-tests (7-month course).

Find out more about our English language Courses.

This programme will prepare you for a successful career in sport coaching and development. You could potentially pursue a career in the following areas:

• Active schools and sports development
• Disability sports development
• Facilities management or operations
• National governing bodies
• Sports coaching
• Academia and education – including physical education teaching
• Sport event management
• Sport business ownership

Many graduates have gone on to complete postgraduate study, including Masters programmes and postgraduate diplomas in order to become qualified as Physical Education teachers.

UWS has partnered with the Scottish Volleyball Association to provide students industry-relevant coaching and development experience.

The partnership, which will initially take place at the University’s Ayr Campus within this programme, will provide students with an insight into the workings of a national governing body in sport, and provide real and relevant industry work experience.

Scottish Volleyball Association staff will work closely with the students across a range of modules, giving them the opportunity to progress along the coaching pathway. As well as a host of coaching qualifications, students will also have access to work experience in community club and national team coaching settings. Teaching staff at UWS will also work with Scottish Volleyball Development Officers to provide continuous professional development opportunities for coaches and volunteers.