UCR - University Centre Reaseheath
University Centre Reaseheath

FdSc Adventure Sports and Coaching

Are you looking for an energetic career within the outdoor environment, where you are encouraged to develop your own skills and lead others?

An Adventure Sports degree is your ticket to a world of opportunities in the great outdoors. This is the course for energetic, passionate people who are looking at personal and professional development in the outdoor education sector, with the desire to unlock their full potential. Along the way you’ll push the boundaries and achieve things you never thought were possible thanks to our supportive teaching team.

Portraits - Adventure Sports
Student paddling in kayak

Course Overview

This course instills the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to inspire and motivate others, it combines plenty of outdoor activities, travel and teamwork to equip you with the skills to build a rewarding career as an adventure sports professional. 

Mountain biking during Adventure Sports degree at University Centre Reaseheath

Course Features

  • An average of one full day each week practically learning in outdoor adventure activities and settings
  • Weekly outdoor adventure sports, such as canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, climbing and mountaineering, with our highly skilled tutors means there is no chance you will get bored! 
  • Classroom based learning around the philosophies of adventurous activity participation, and experiential learning in the outdoors
  • Learn about how the physical and mental side of participating and training can support development and learning in the outdoors
  • National Governing Body awards* which are essential for coaching and leadership roles. 
  • Coaching and leadership skills are a strong focus throughout this course so you will leave with a range of industry focused skills ready to start your career or progress to a higher-level course. 

 

* National Governing Body Awards are optional, dependent on demand, and at an additional cost. Subject to meeting the relevant pre-requisites. 

Career Options

  • Instructor 
  • Adventure Sports Coach 
  • Adventure Sports Management 
  • Adventure Sports Development Officer 
  • Sports Retail/Marketing 
  • Outdoor activity educator
  • Adventure sports tourism

Gallery

Course Information

This is an academic and practical programme that provides the knowledge, understanding and skills for those wishing to progress their career as an Adventure Sport professional.

Careers in the outdoors are varied and diverse.  This course is designed to give participants the opportunity to progress their leadership skills and coaching portfolio alongside qualified instructors, and to provide a theoretical underpinning to enable graduates to progress quickly into leadership and programme management responsibilities.

Students will experience a number of different learning environments designed to develop skills in adventure sports. Modules include:

  • A minimum of 64 tariff points from A & AS levels
  • Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) – MPP in Sport, Public Services or Adventure Sport 
  • Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) – MM in Sport, Public Services or Adventure Sport
  •  City & Guilds Level 3 Technical Advanced Extended Diploma (1080 – first awarded in 2019) – a minimum of grade MPP Sport, Public Services or Adventure Sport 
  • City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (720 – first awarded in 2019) – a minimum of grade MM in Sport, Public Services or Adventure Sport 
  • Scottish Highers – CCC
  • T Level – Pass (D or E)
  • Mature students (aged 21+) will be considered on an individual basis on their prior knowledge and experience. This may be assessed by interview, completion of coursework/essay or other methods. There may be a requirement for a formal qualification to be completed first e.g. Access to Higher Education course
  • Academic and Professional Development 
  • Principles of Adventure Education 
  • Practical Land and Water Based Adventure Sports 
  • Psychology for Adventure Sports 
  • Sports Leadership Theory and Practice 
  • The Adventure Sports Performer 
  • Research Methods 
  • Philosophy of Adventure 
  • Coaching Process and Practice 
  • Positive Change Through Adventure 
  • Work Based Learning 
  • Applied Performance in Adventure Sports 

Overall workload

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity, plus field trips: 

Year 1: 35% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity

Teaching, Learning and Assessment:       420 hours

Independent Study:                                        780 hours

Year 2: 24% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity

Teaching, Learning and Assessment:       288 hours

Placement:                                                         20 hours

Independent Study:                                        892 hours

Class sizes on practical sessions are limited by risk management and National Governing Body guidance.

Class sizes in Lectures can vary as some modules are common across Sport and Adventure Sport modules and are cohorts are combined.

Assessment Methods

Assessments are designed to encourage both academic skills and professional skills. They include a combination of coursework and examinations. Coursework may take many forms including: essays, reports, data processing, presentations, academic posters, seminar discussions, interviews, critical reviews, portfolios of evidence and practical competency assessments. The examinations vary, depending on the nature of the module, but may take the form of multiple-choice papers, essays, practical assessments, data handling questions, short answer quizzes, and in class examinations.  

The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows: 

Year 1 

85% Coursework 

8% Practical 

7% Written exams 

Year 2 

96% Coursework 

4% Practical 

Feedback

Feedback is supplied via Turnitin or directly from the module tutor. The majority of submissions are made via Turnitin and feedback for coursework is provided within twenty working days after the submission date. 

Written feedback will be supported verbally should the student require clarification. Formative assessment feedback will be provided at the time of completion where possible, with more detailed summative feedback for reports. 

Students will be able to access course timetables for the academic year in September.

Timetables are subject to change, but most students can expect to spend 3-3.5 days per week on campus.

RC5502 – Work Based Learning: module requires 150 hours minimum industry relevant activity.  

To offer graduates a leading position in the jobs market, students are given the opportunity to enhance their career prospects by taking additional qualifications during their course of study. Students will have the opportunity to work towards a number of National Governing Body Awards (NGBAs).

Tuition Fees

As a student at UCR, you will have two main costs to meet; your tuition fees and living costs.

Our full-time tuition fees for UK and EU students, entering University, can be found on our student finance page. These fees are charged for each academic year of a course and are set by the college annually.

Tuition fees for international students can also be found on our student finance page.

Additional Costs

Students will require basic outdoor equipment including:

·         Walking boots

·         Waterproof top and bottoms

·         Warm hats and gloves

·         Day rucksack – 30-45 Litre

·         Sufficient warm clothing for the conditions with spares.

·         Towel

 

Students purchasing equipment are advised to contact the course manager to check suitability. Many students considering a career in the outdoors will already have suitable equipment and clothing.

Specialist and personal protective equipment is provided, for example for kayaking the College provides: Boat, Paddle, Spray-deck, Buoyancy Aid, Helmet, Wetsuit, Cag.

Additional trips may be available, subject to staffing and minimum numbers of participants (participation in these trips is not a compulsory requirement of the course).

In addition, there may be opportunity to undertake qualification courses. These can be organised to meet the needs of students and participation is subject to meeting the minimum skill and experience requirements set by the relevant governing body.

 

Apply directly through UCAS

A1S6

A minimum of 64 UCAS points

September 2024

Full-time: 2 years

Student Success

Callum Berry | FdSc Adventure Sports and Coaching

“My advice to anyone thinking of becoming an adventure sports undergraduate at Reaseheath is ‘Just go for it. You won’t regret it.’ The amount of practical teaching is unparalleled to any other university and the facilities on and around campus are amazing.”

Callum-Berry-Student-Profile-adventure-sports

Useful Information

Here you will find useful information about the services and support available at University Centre Reaseheath. Click to expand each item:

University Centre Reaseheath is committed to providing additional financial support to those who need it. To find out about the bursary schemes available visit our additional financial support page.

For students to get the best out of their time at University Centre Reaseheath, we must both recognise that we owe obligations to each other. These obligations are set out in our UCR Student Contract. Before you accept an offer of a place at University Centre Reaseheath, it is important that you read these contract conditions. If you are going to be living in Halls of Residence, you will also need to read the Student Accommodation Licence Conditions. Both of these contracts can be found here.

Click here to view the University Centre Reaseheath Student Protection Plan.

All UCR students are given the opportunity to apply for residential accommodation. First year students are guaranteed accommodation and this offer is made to all applicants who live more than a reasonable daily travelling distance from Reaseheath (providing you have applied before the UCAS equal considerations deadline. For full details on our halls of residence visit our accommodation page.

We have a team of dedicated professionals on hand to offer you support. These include our Student Services Team, Inclusive Learning Team, Library and Learning Resources Team and the Reaseheath Careers Service. You can find more information on the support provided at Reaseheath on our support page.

University Centre Reaseheath is proud to welcome international students. For more information, please visit our international students page.

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