MSc Football Coaching & Analysis

This degree is available at UCFB Manchester Campus – with bespoke learning facilities dedicated to your course and access to stadium venues across Manchester, students can live, learn and work at the centre of one of Europe’s most progressive sporting cities.

UCFB Manchester Campus

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the key fundamentals and principles of football match analysis, integrating theory with practice and sharing knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate. The applied element of football match analysis will allow you to gain experience in and an understanding of match analysis, hardware, software and programmes. You will learn what an analyst requires to function effectively and safely in a variety of situations, developing reflective skills and identifying which theories are most applicable when working in a specific applied performance analysis context. You will learn how to operate contemporary analysis programmes, integrate theory with practice and conduct then deliver performance analysis in the football context.

This module will work on a real-life case study centred around personal coaching contexts, in order to create a fully considered and justified coaching development plan. As practising coaches, you will be expected to draw upon previous knowledge and skills gained and imbed new theoretical knowledge drawn from other modules. You will be required to critically evaluate the core competencies needed to be effective in your coaching contexts. Following this, you will critically analyse your own coaching practice to evaluate levels of coaching effectiveness and the impact you have on performers. A personal development plan will be produced to highlight current gaps in knowledge and/ or skill and how these can be developed in order to become a more effective coach.

This module will teach you how to critically analyse the strategies and tactics of association football exploring the different moments of the game and principles of play. In order to develop advanced tactical knowledge, you will explore different styles and systems of play and associated tactics and strategies. Drawing on your own coaching experience and context. You will explore the efficiency of your coaching practice and subsequently explore any knowledge gaps for further development. The module will help you design your own ‘game model’ of performance and integrate tactical periodisation into the effective planning for team performance encompassing a holistic approach to practice. You will be expected to critically explore the challenges faced in implementing a game model approach within your context.

This module will advance your research methods and critical thinking skills, and support you in applying these to the sports industry and its associated environments. This module will prepare you for research, reflective, and evidence-based development in future employment, as well as for higher study if applicable.

As part of this module, you will have an opportunity for sustained applied research and practice in the form of an applied project. Therefore, this module creates a space for you to apply competencies developed in your modules to date to a real-life football setting, leading to experiential and reflective learning.

You will direct your efforts towards addressing a topical issue in your area of interest. Your applied research project will allow you to showcase your intellectual articulation and knowledge, by undertaking an applied project, emphasising your knowledge of theory and current practice in your area of interest. By completing this project, and presenting your results, you will establish expertise in an area of academic, personal and professional interest, aiming to influence coaching practice.

Together with other modules in the programme portfolio, this module will give you real-world exposure to coaching issues that require investigation from you in the role of an applied researcher. You will gain a thorough practice-based understanding of project design, conduct and action. As result, you will be able to evidence management and leadership of an applied project, and show potential to change and influence coaching operations – something current and future employers will look for in your knowledge, experience and skills portfolio.

Leadership is a fundamental element of both sport and business operating in a dynamic global arena. On this module you will review and conceptualise different approaches to leadership from both an applied and theoretical perspective to allow you to analyse critical incidents in order to judge organisational leadership performance. You will be able to apply leadership theory to examples from industry professionals who have experience of leading teams in a sporting setting. Cross-cultural leadership underpins many of the behaviours and skills discussed within the leadership framework, alongside diversity and inclusion, strategic leadership, communication and reflection. The module allows you to take responsibility for your own leadership development and effectiveness through the development of an e-portfolio and skills audit, alongside exposure to sports leaders from the global network of partners contributing to the live case studies.

This module will explore the process of reflection, its role in the development of knowledge and practical expertise and its subsequent impact on practice. You will examine and critically evaluate the key factors associated with a sound reflective process and what it is to be an effective reflective practitioner. In addition, you will review reflective processes and will develop a model of reflection, informed by a critical evaluation of existing models and current literature in this and other relevant fields.

This module will enable you to develop awareness and analysis of the key fundamentals and principles of football statistics and data, integrating theory with practice and sharing knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate. The applied element of football will allow you to gain experience and develop an understanding of data drawn from both competition and training contexts. You will learn which data is needed to function effectively and safely within a variety of situations, developing reflective skills and identifying which theories are most applicable when working in a specific applied football context. You will learn how to analyse data, integrate theory with practice and work with differing departments within a football club in order to improve practice and performance.

This module will explore personal coaching philosophies, the impacts this has on coaching practice and the challenges faced in demonstrating these in current coaching environments. You will examine how your personal coaching philosophies have developed as well as how these are demonstrated in practice. Also, you will propose any areas of personal and professional development needed to be undertaken in the progression of your coaching career.

• Undergraduate degree - minimum 2:2 (ideally a 2:1) or international equivalent
• English language qualifications: Applicants from non-majority English speaking countries will be asked for an English qualification which tests Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing and will be asked to achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each section) or recognised equivalent.

Offers to applicants currently studying an undergraduate degree will be conditional on them going on to achieve the entry requirements on completion of their degree.

Applications that do not meet the standard entry requirements but demonstrate relevant education and/or work and/or life experience in the course subject area are welcomed.

Eligibility will be assessed on the basis of the information provided in the application – in particular the personal statement.

To apply for this degree, please click here and follow the instructions to complete your application via our Learner Portal.

• Application form
• Evidence of highest academic and/or professional qualifications
• Evidence of relevant experience, where required
• 500 word personal statement

Applications made through the flexible entry route may require a course leader review. The course leader will determine whether a professional reference or task is required.

These discounts are open to any GIS, UCFB, Buckinghamshire New University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of East London graduate who has received and accepted an offer to study at postgraduate level with GIS.

• 15% fee tuition discount on all Postgraduate courses

We're pleased to offer all UCFB and GIS business partners 15% fee tuition discount on all Undergraduate, Postgraduate courses.

For part-time courses the tuition fee will be split accordingly per year i.e 75 credits in year 1 and 105 credits in year 2 (for a two year programme) as per below table.

*International students require a visa to study on campus

In some instances, optional Employment & Enrichment activities provided by UCFB may carry an additional cost for participants (e.g. qualifications with external certification such as FA Coaching Badges). Any additional costs will be provided to students in advance of any such sessions running.