Postgraduate course
Sports Coaching Science MSc
Develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be a highly effective sports practitioner.
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Develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be a highly effective sports practitioner.
York campus
- Duration – 1 year full time, 2 years part time
- School – School of Science, Technology and Health
Minimum entry requirements
2:1 honours degree in a related subject
Tuition fees
UK 2026-27 £8,800 full time, part time
International 2026-27 £11,800 full time, part time
Course overview
Learn how to be an effective sports practitioner by developing the necessary skills and experience in the planning, design and delivery of sports coaching. You will study the relationship between neuromuscular development, performance needs, and physical development theory and practice. This will enable you to become an integral part of the multi-disciplinary teams responsible for supporting athletes. Drawing upon well-established and contemporary psychological and sociological concepts, you will learn from in-depth insights into evidence-based coaching practice.
Our teaching will put you at the forefront of the latest developments and research in the industry. Our team have a growing portfolio of work in the field of human movement and motor learning with a particular focus on monitoring and developing healthy athletes. Learn how to reimagine your practice and adopt more empowering, athlete-centred approaches to professional practice, fostering holistic development. This will enable you to bring fresh ideas into the workplace when you enter the industry after graduation.
There will be opportunities to gain experience working with our external partners and become immersed in the distinctive world of sports coaching. You can also gain extra qualifications through our continuing professional development courses to enhance your employability.
You will study at our modern 57-acre sports park. Facilities include a Sports Centre with Sports Science Laboratories, and a world class Strength and Conditioning Suite. The site has supported high-performance athletes over recent years including the Rugby League World Cup, The Women’s Rugby Union World Cup, and has been the training base for York's Super League team, the York Knights.
Course structure
How you will study
If you choose to study full time the course will take 1 year to complete. You will study:
- 5 compulsory modules
If you choose to study part time the course will take 2 years to complete and the modules will be split across both years.
You can find out which modules are available in each term in the Course Specifications.
Modules
Credits: 60
Compulsory module
The production of research underpins knowledge generation and evidence-based practice in sport coaching sciences. Engage with advanced research design, methods, processes and analysis. This module will prepare you to independently plan, conduct, analyse, and disseminate your own research project. You will also learn about the important ethical considerations involved in conducting research and analysing findings.
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
An understanding of sports performance analysis is essential for practitioners to systematically improve individual athlete and team performance. Performance analysts work as part of a multidisciplinary team and contribute their knowledge and technical skills to collect, analyse, and interpret objective sports performance data to inform decision-making in training and strategy. You will learn to use industry-standard technologies to conduct analyses of athletic performance and interpret the outcomes to support decision-making in athletic and team performances.
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
Systematically develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are required in high-performance sport and understand the alternatives for grassroots and amateur levels. Establish the physical demands of high-performance sport, linking neuromuscular principles to physical development, but also to their critical role in injury mitigation. This approach ensures you view resilience and performance as mutually beneficial for athletes.
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
Sport coaches are required not only to develop athletes’ technical and tactical skills but also to create environments where athletes can thrive, achieving both wellbeing and performance success. Learn how to design coaching environments that support athletic development and personal wellbeing while critically examining narratives that suggest punitive, perfectionistic, or controlling methods are necessary for engagement and success. By adopting an empowering, athlete-centred approach, you will develop the skills to become advanced reflective practitioners who foster holistic athlete growth.
Credits: 30
Compulsory module
Develop the more advanced skills and understanding required to become a highly impactful sports practitioner so you can support athlete development effectively. Learn about motor learning behaviours and how they emerge as a consequence of learner-environment mutuality. This module will position you at the forefront of contemporary coaching practice, prepared to challenge the existing environment in sports coaching.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning
You will be taught through a range of teaching methods such as:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Practical sessions
- Laboratory work
Teaching will be scheduled over 3 days only, allowing you to decide how you maximise your time as a student. Each day will be dedicated to a particular class to help with the flow and consolidation of knowledge and understanding. It will also be necessary to do some independent learning.
Our teaching draws on both our research and professional experience. This means your learning is informed by the most current thinking in the subject area. You can find out more about our research and backgrounds by visiting our staff pages.
Assessment
Assessments on this course have been designed to authentically reflect what you could be required to do while working in the sports coaching industry. This could include:
- Written reports
- Practical exams
- Oral presentations
- Viva voces (an oral examination where you are questioned by one or more examiners)
You will receive feedback throughout the course to help you improve.
Entry requirements
Qualifications
Minimum entry requirements
2:1 honours degree in a related subject
If your degree is in an unrelated subject, but you can provide evidence of relevant professional experience, your application may still be considered.
International students
If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.
Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.
If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 6.0 (with no skill below 5.5) or equivalent.
International entry requirements
Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)
If you do not have traditional qualifications, you might be able to provide evidence of professional experience in the subject as an alternative way to meet the entry requirements. This is called Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL). Appropriate references and records of employment would need to be presented to support your case for admission.
Terms and conditions
Our terms and conditions, policies and procedures contain important information about studying at York St John University. You can read them on our Admissions page.
Fees and funding
UK 2026 - 2027
The tuition fee for 2026 entry to this postgraduate course is £8,800 for full time study.
These costs apply to all UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
Postgraduate loans are available to help you pay for your master’s course. Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.
Postgraduate funding opportunities
International 2026 entry
The tuition fee for 2026 entry to this postgraduate course is £11,800 for 1 year of full time study
These costs apply to all students living outside the UK.
Due to immigration laws, if you are an international student on a student visa, you must study full time. For more information about visa requirements and short-term study visas, please visit the International Visa and Immigration pages.
Find out more about funding your postgraduate studies.
Tuition fees
UK 2026-27 £8,800 full time, part time
International 2026-27 £11,800 full time, part time
Alumni Scholarships
If you are alumni of York St John University we have scholarships available to help you continue your studies.
Additional costs and financial support
Course-related costs
While studying for your degree, there may be additional costs related to your course. This may include purchasing personal equipment and stationery, books and optional field trips.
Accommodation and living costs
View our accommodation pages for detailed information on accommodation and living costs.
Career outcomes
Where could Sports Coaching Science MSc take you?
The knowledge, skills and experience you will gain through this course will be beneficial in a range of roles, including:
- Sports Coach working in the community or high performance sport settings
- Perfomance analyst in multidisciplinary teams supporting athlete development
- Sports and conditioning roles supporting athletic preparation within field and gym environments.
Alumni stories
Visit our YSJ Snapshots blog to see what our past students from across the University have done with their York St John degrees.
Stand out from the crowd with postgraduate study.
Far fewer people have postgraduate degrees than undergraduate qualifications. This gives you something extra to set yourself apart in a competitive graduate job market.
Our careers service, LaunchPad, provides career support tailored to your ambitions. Through this service you can access:
- Employer events
- LinkedIn, CV and cover letter sessions
- Workshops on application writing and interview skills
- Work experience and volunteering opportunities
- Personalised career advice
This support does not end when you graduate. You can access our expert career advice for the rest of your life. We will help you gain the experience and confidence you need to succeed.
