Sports Development & Performance - BA

Program Overview

This practical Sports Development & Performance program bridges theory and practice, equipping students with skills for a wide range of sports roles. Through hands-on placements, students gain valuable experience and build connections. The program offers extra coaching certificates, enhancing career opportunities, and prepares graduates for a dynamic and global sports industry.

Program Outline

Sports Development & Performance – BA (TUS)

Degree Overview:

This highly practical course provides graduates with the skills, knowledge, and competencies to work in a broad range of sports roles, maximizing employment opportunities. The curriculum is designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, where students gain practical skills that will set them apart in the competitive sports industry. Lecturers have industry experience at the highest level of sport and bring their wealth of knowledge to the classroom. During practical sports placements, students have the opportunity to work with teams, organizations, and athletes, putting their skills into action and building essential connections. Students also get the opportunity to obtain extra coaching certificates, enhancing their qualifications and opening more career opportunities. Students learn about coaching, promoting sports activities, and the skills required to work with athletes. This course is suitable for anyone with a passionate interest in sport and a flair for coaching.

Outline:

The program is a 3-year, full-time undergraduate course offered at the Moylish campus in Limerick City. It is structured into six semesters, with modules covering a wide range of topics related to sports development and performance.

Year 1:

• Semester 1:
• Anatomy & Physiology For Sport (Credits: 5) - Introduces fundamental concepts of human anatomy and the anatomical structures involved in human movement, as well as their mechanics in functional and sporting activities.
• Introduction To Coaching (Credits: 5) - Introduces the coaching process, focusing on planning, delivering, and reviewing coaching sessions, with a focus on coaching children and child welfare.
• Learning Skills & Information Technology (Credits: 5) - Develops communication skills and the ability to utilize various methods of communication effectively.
Also, introduces IT skills for operating software packages in a sports context.
• Resistance Training (Credits: 5) - Provides introductory level weight training theory and practical application, laying the foundation for planning and delivering strength programs.
• Exercise Psychology (Credits: 5) - Provides an understanding and application of exercise psychology principles, enhancing participation, learning, and adherence in exercise.
• Wellbeing And Sport (Credits: 5) - Examines mental health and the relationship between exercise and wellbeing, introducing prevalent mental health disorders and addictive behaviors.
• Semester 2:
• Coaching Skills (Credits: 5) - Develops soft coaching skills like communication and analysis.
• Conditioning For Sport And Fitness (Credits: 5) - Provides theoretical knowledge and practical skills for designing and delivering safe training programs.
• Sports & Club Accounts (Credits: 5) - Introduces core principles of accounting and its application in the sports business and management industry.
• Introduction To Sports Development (Credits: 5) - Introduces sport development, exploring definitions, models, clubs, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), and local and central government policies.
• Media Communications & Personal Development (Credits: 5) - Develops communication skills and the ability to utilize various methods of communication effectively.
Also, introduces IT skills for operating software packages in a sports environment.
• Multi Sports Experience (Credits: 5) - Introduces games and activities that can be used in sport, community, and physical education contexts.

Year 2:

• Semester 1:
• Coaching Philosophy and Performance Analysis (Credits: 5) - Develops a coaching philosophy and explores performance analysis techniques.
• Fundamentals of Business Law (Credits: 5) - Provides knowledge and understanding of the legal environment in which business operates, with a focus on the sports sector.
• Fundamentals of Sports Events (Credits: 5) - Provides the theoretical background for planning and operating sports events.
• Sports Injuries & Recoveries (Credits: 5) - Provides theoretical knowledge and practical skills for identifying sports injuries, recognizing risk factors, and aiding in rehabilitation.
• Semester 2:
• Analysis Of Human Movement And Motor Control (Credits: 5) - Introduces the principles of skill acquisition for sport, examining different types and categories of skill and the stages of skill acquisition.
• Marketing Principles (Credits: 5) - Presents the core principles of marketing.
• Movement Analysis – Fundamental Motor Skills (Credits: 5) - Introduces the stages of motor and human development, focusing on Fundamental Motor Skill and its importance for lifelong physical activity.
• Practical Sports Events (Credits: 5) - Provides the opportunity to design, plan, deliver, and evaluate a practical sports event.
• Sport & Society (Credits: 5) - Examines the interaction of sport in society from social, political, cultural, and economic perspectives.
• Sports Psychology (Credits: 5) - Develops an understanding of the underlying principles of sport psychology and its importance in overall performance in sport.

Year 3:

• Semester 1:
• Coaching Technologies (Credits: 5) - Provides knowledge of coaching technologies and their relation to evaluating, monitoring, and enhancing sporting performance.
• Safeguarding & Ethics In Sport (Credits: 5) - Helps learners build cultures, processes, and practices within sports clubs and organizations to ensure the safety of all stakeholders and protect the integrity of the sport.
• Sport, Exercise & Health (Credits: 5) - Examines the role that sport, exercise, and physical activity play in relation to individual and societal health.
• Sports Development & Governance (Credits: 5) - Reviews the main role players within Irish Sports Development and Governance and examines the internal governance structures of sport organizations.
• Semester 2:
However, it is stated that lecturers have industry experience at the highest level of sport and bring their wealth of knowledge to the classroom.

Careers:

Graduates can expect to find work in a broad range of areas. Many continue their education with the Level 8 Sports Development and Performance degree, while others go on to find employment with national governing bodies, local sports partnerships, professional clubs, community sports hubs, sports clubs, or youth organizations. Other potential roles include sports managers/coordinators, sports analysts, and graduate jobs in various private and public sector organizations.

Other:

The program has been designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, providing students with practical skills that will set them apart in the competitive sports industry. Students have the opportunity to obtain extra coaching certificates, enhancing their qualifications and opening more career opportunities. The program also includes a Work Placement/Study Abroad component, which provides the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills gained in a new and relevant experiential setting.