Foundation Degree (FdSc) Sport Science…

Key Details

Available at:
Dolgellau
Study Mode:
Full-time
Course Length:
Full-Time: 2 years
Dolgellau: Monday & Tuesday, 9am-5pm
UCAS Codes:
41J1

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Foundation Degree (FdSc) Sport Science (Outdoor Recreation)

University-level Courses

Please contact us for further information about applying for this course.

Have you got a question? Get in touch!

Course Description

The Foundation Degree in Outdoor Recreation is aimed at anyone with a keen interest to prepare for a range of careers in the outdoor, sports, leisure and adventure tourism sectors.

The course will build up your knowledge and skills and provide specialist studies which are directly relevant to individual vocations and professions in which learners are currently working or in which they intend to seek employment.

The modular programme provides continuity and depth over the two years and you will study a full range of interrelated modules.

The course is assessed through practical's, written assessments, projects, case studies and presentations.

The course also provides the opportunity to work towards nationally recognised qualifications in water and land-based activities.

Modules include:

Year 1 (Level 4)

Behavioural Science and Skill Acquisition
Working with Employers and Sports Event Coordination
Functional Anatomy
Practical Sports Coaching
Outdoor Activities – Foundation Skills
Working with Employers and Sports Event Coordination

Year 2 (Level 5)

Development of Health and Wellbeing
Expeditions and Explorations
Outdoor Activities – Skill Development, Coaching and Leadership
Outdoor Activity and Sports Nutrition

Entry Criteria

Language requirements:

Welsh or English with equivalent GCSE grade C/4, or above
Any degrees, diplomas or certificates eligible above should have been taught and assessed in Welsh or English
For overseas applicants, for entry onto Level 4, English fluency to IELTS 5.5 or higher (with no element less than 5.0)
For overseas applicants, for entry onto Levels 5, English fluency to IELTS 6.0 or higher (with no element less than 5.5)

Academic requirements:

A minimum of 64 UCAS tariff points in main qualification, normally gaining at least one relevant A2 subject; or a BTEC National Certificate/Diploma (MP) or above, or an AVCE, GNVQ, International Baccalaureate, Welsh Baccalaureate, in a relevant subject; or a Pass in approved ACCESS; or NVQ/VRQ Level 3
A pass at grade C/4 or above in GCSE Mathematics (or equivalent), Physical Education / Science would be advantageous. Alternatively, evidence of the ability to study at this level in terms of numeracy and scientific skills will need to be evaluated.

Equivalent international qualifications are acceptable

Entry onto Level 5 will be considered on an individual basis in line with GLLM credit transfer policy

For individuals with no formal qualifications, or have not reached the required UCAS points, offer will be based on but not exclusive to:

A personal statement or CV, assessment at interview, performance in tasks set specifically for admission purposes, relevant work experience and employment references
Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance is required for all learners prior to undertaking the employability modules.

If your qualifications do not meet the entry requirements listed above, we would still encourage you to apply for the course you're interested in, as many of our courses will consider learners based on their previous work and skills experience rather than their qualifications.

Delivery

You study a total of 120 credits in each year. The modular programme provides continuity and depth over the two years and you will study a full range of inter-related modules. A part-time or modular route is also optional.

Learning and teaching strategies used on the programme vary according to the subject matter and level of the module as outlined in each module specification, under the learning and teaching strategy heading. They include a blend of activities such as interactive lectures, seminars, workshops, guest speakers, web-based learning, problem solving exercises, individual and group activities as described in the student information book available on the programme Moodle and college website. This enables a supportive platform for students to develop the tools, knowledge and skills to further their understanding of the subject, with opportunities for discussion and to ask questions and explore answers both as a group and an individual.

Apart from these formal activities, independent study is also outlined in the learning and teaching strategy of each module as an indication of student effort needed for their own learning outside formal sessions. Students need to plan and organise time efficiently to committee to personal development of their knowledge and skills. Each programme has materials on Moodle, the virtual learning environment (VLE), to support independent work outside scheduled classes, and provides students with a reading list for core and recommended texts to guide personal development.

Where appropriate a blended learning model will be used, supported by electronic distance learning tools such as Google Classroom. These will be used if needed but a traditional face to face interaction will be our main teaching method.

We work closely with Urdd/Glanllyn to deliver outdoor practical activities, whilst the assessment for modules remains with the course tutors. The outdoor learning strategy offers a varied programme of land based and water based activities to develop leadership, team and personal skills and techniques.

Students are responsible for organising their own work experience if it is a requirement on their programme, and they will be supported by the course team.

Timetable

Full-time: 2 years, 2 days per week (typically 9am – 5pm)

Fees

Visit our course fees page for information on full and part-time degree course fees.

Financial Support

Visit our financial support page for information on the range of support available.

Additional costs

Additional costs may be associated with the following:

During the programme there may be additional costs that are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies. This could include DBS requirement for work experience, childcare costs, travel associated with attending the programme and work experience, outside visits, field trips, suitable clothing for work / placement, additional printing above allowance (this could be associated with dissertation and binding requirements), memory sticks, other stationery related costs and graduation ceremony.

Students have access to the college libraries, book loan services, which have potential overdue fines and cost of lost books, and study areas. Students will need to consider resources and materials needed for independent study away from college such as PC/laptop, internet access, software, materials needed for practical development, and if you wish to purchase books/Journals etc rather than borrow or ad hoc publications requests not available through the services .

In particular, for this programme additional cost may be associated with:

⦁ DBS certificate if required

⦁ Suitable outdoor kit and footwear

⦁ Trips and expedition

⦁ Additional outdoor qualifications to support future career paths.

Some activities will require learners to dress appropriately for health and safety reasons and to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Learners will require suitable clothing and footwear to partake in a wide range of land and water based activities. A suitable kit and footwear list will be provided at interview/induction and also a list of outdoor retailers with discounts for our learners.

A contribution to costs of no more than £600 over two years is expected to contribute towards the expedition module ,additional qualifications, trips and expeditions. Students are expected to purchase suitable clothing and footwear which is the appropriate to the outdoor activity.

Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Incentive Scholarship 2022-2023

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Dolgellau: For more information on the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol's Scholarships, or for assistance in completing the application, please contact Grŵp Llandrillo Menai's Branch Officers on colegcymraeg@glllm.ac.uk.

Module information

More detailed information on modules is to be found in the ‘Additional Campus / Course Information’ section.

Start Date

September

Contact:

For specific course enquiries, please contact:

Delyth Jones (Programme Leader): jones16d@gllm.ac.uk

Iola Jones (Administration): jones9i@gllm.ac.uk

For general enquiries about our degrees, please contact: degrees@gllm.ac.uk

Assessment

This course is assessed on a continuous basis throughout the year by the use of a range of activities:

Essay
Report
Case study
Portfolio
Presentation (Individual and Group)
Exam (MCQ)
Practical/training assessments
Coaching Observations

Feedback

Where relevant, assessments will be marked and returned to students with constructive and developmental feedback. Effective feedback combines information which enables students to understand the strengths and limitations of their past performance, and information which enables them to recognise how future performance can be improved. Students will be provided with feedback in a timely manner and this feedback will justify how the grade has been awarded. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on the feedback given and identify their strengths, things they found challenging and areas for development that they will feed forward to their next assessment. Feedback will include linking evidence to assessment criteria to demonstrate how the student will have met the learning outcomes.

Progression

This programme meets the needs of potential learner employment which offer attractive and accessible routes into the outdoor recreation and outdoor adventure tourism industry.

Learners will build upon previous experiences gained from working in the industry or to gain the experience/knowledge needed to pursue a career within the outdoor/leisure industry. The course offers a unique and multidisciplinary approach to outdoor recreation, outdoor adventure tourism and fundamental elements within sport science.

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s strong engagement with the outdoor sector employers, ensures that local knowledge of the programme is highlighted to relevant and wider sector contacts, which will in turn promote the provision widely across the region and nationally.

On successful completion of the Foundation Degree, graduates will be in a position to enter a variety of working environments or continue their studies to top-up to a full honours Degree, by undertaking level 6 study at an alternative institution.

Each institution will have admissions regulations towards credit transfer, and will be able to offer guidance on the compatibility of the qualification to their institutions programmes.

Successful completion of the programme will enable you to enter one of a range of degree courses within the School of Psychology and Sports Sciences at Bangor University.

There is also the option to complete a one year top-up degree, dependent upon grades achieved.

Examples of destinations of previous graduates include:

Sport, leisure or outdoors facilities as teachers, coaches, instructors, supervisors and managers
Development Officer
The Police, Armed Force
Coaching/Teaching
Continued studies at Higher Education providers eg Bangor University: BSc Sports Science, BSc Outdoor Recreation, BA (Hons) Education, Coleg Llandrillo BSc Sports Science (Sports Coaching)

Campus Information Dolgellau

Additional Course Information

The outdoor course programme offers continuous professional development through the provision of individual modules.

The course also provides flexibility, knowledge and skills as a basis for progression to graduate and post graduate studies.

For every 10 credits, students should engage with around 100 notional hours of learning. This will be approximately 30% direct learning contact and 70% independent student learning.

Year 1 (Level 4)

Research and Study Skills (10 credits, compulsory)

The module aims to develop the student’s capacity to apply a range of academic skills appropriately within a chosen discipline. (Portfolio 100%)

Behavioural Science and Skill Acquisition (20 credits, compulsory)
The overall aim of this module is to introduce concepts of skill, ability, behaviour, performance and learning as they relate to physical activities. Learners will develop an understanding of the application of these concepts. The learner will be expected to develop an awareness of the importance of social interaction and will when relevant be able to relate their learning to the practical activities of managing groups in outdoor settings. (Essay 50%, Presentation 50%)

Employability-Based Learning 1: Applying Theory in Practice (20 credits, compulsory)
This module aims to enable learners to carry out a number of employment related tasks, negotiated jointly with employers/industry representatives and Grŵp-based staff. (Portfolio 100%)

Functional Anatomy (20 credits, compulsory)
To provide a module of study that builds on knowledge of basic anatomy to enable analysis of the relationships that exist between the structure and function of four major body systems and their response to challenges. This module allows the learner to develop an enquiring approach to the anatomical principles underpinning human functioning in outdoor recreational activities. (Exam 50%, Presentation 50%)

Practical Sports Coaching (20 credits, compulsory)
This module provides learners with the practical skills and knowledge required to plan, deliver and evaluate coaching sessions, taking into consideration the differing needs of individuals. The module enables reinforcement and application of the content of other modules such as Behavioural Science and Outdoor Activities. The module requires that learners demonstrate a practical understanding of the coaching process, and that their practical skills progress toward the appropriate standard. (Report 30%, Practical Delivery with Report 70%)

Research and Study Skills (10 credits, compulsory)
The module aims to develop the learner’s capacity to apply a range of academic skills appropriately within a chosen discipline. It will enable learners to develop skills in understanding how to conduct appropriate research, the use of academic conventions, academic writing and the management and organisation of their work. The module will also introduce basic concepts of data handling and analysis. (Portfolio 100%)

Outdoor Activities – Foundation Skills (20 credits, core)
This module provides a foundation of practical and theoretical knowledge in two key Outdoor Activities and related skills. Practical teaching will develop personal performance toward target levels of proficiency, and will focus on training techniques for further improvement. Theoretical teaching will develop an understanding of the history, organisational structure and range of these Outdoor Activities in the UK. The module requires that the learner develops an understanding of the learning process in Outdoor Activities, and applies that knowledge to produce learning strategies for further skill development. (Practical 70%, Portfolio 30%)

Working with Employers and Sports Event Coordination (10 credits, compulsory)
This module will develop an understanding of the factors which go into the safe and successful organisation of an event (e.g. Health and Safety, marketing and financial considerations etc). Learners will begin to develop essential skills required for effective event management and will reflect and evaluate their own skills in relation to event coordination. Learners will be required to liaise with the adventure tourism and outdoor industry partners and relevant stakeholders (e.g. employers, local clubs and/or schools, target participant groups). Learners will be required to support and evaluate sports event(s) and reflect on their own skill sets. (Presentation 30%, Portfolio 70%)

Year 2 (Level 5)

Development of Health and Wellbeing (20 credits, compulsory)
The overall aim of this module is to introduce key concepts of knowledge, skills and understanding of the development of health and wellbeing within outdoor recreation. Learners will develop an awareness of engagement in health and wellbeing initiatives and understand the benefits and promotion of such projects in the outdoor sector. Learners will plan and deliver practical health and wellbeing community projects. (Report 40%, Portfolio 60%)

Employability-based Learning 2: Professional Reflection and Personal Development (20 credits, compulsory)Thi
s module aims to provide learners with the opportunity to analyse the value of their skills and learning as applied to vocational and work-specific contexts. In doing so, the module will require learners to organise a sporting event, building on their event planning in Year 1 Employability-based Learning 1. Learners are then required to critically evaluate their event, and reflect upon their learning experience from this and previous modules. This will enhance their academic and vocational knowledge and skills, self-esteem and current and future employability. Learners will be able to link their increased effectiveness in a range of work-based tasks and contexts to their extended and enhanced knowledge and skill sets on completion of this module. (Development Plan 25%, Portfolio 75%)

Expeditions and Explorations (20 credits, compulsory)
This module will develop skills and underlying knowledge gained during the first and second year. It will review expeditions from a historical perspective gaining an understanding of what makes a successful expedition through evaluating past successful and unsuccessful expeditions.

This will then be developed further by the learners through a thorough understanding of the difference between expedition and exploration. The module will provide learners with an insight of the planning and preparation required for a successful expedition/exploration in relation to today’s society. It will also provide first-hand experience upon the limitations which might be encountered during such an expedition. Practical application will involve the planning, undertaking and evaluating of a multi day expedition of their own choice, in Wales or another European country. (Report 25%, Practical Assessment 50%, Presentation 25%)

Outdoor Activities – Skill Development, Coaching and Leadership (20 credits, core)
This module develops the practical skills and theoretical knowledge gained in the Outdoor Activities module: Foundation Skills and Practical Sports Coaching. Practical coaching and leadership in two Outdoor Activities focuses on further skill acquisition, the achievement of greater self-sufficiency and decision making in a coaching and leading capacity. The module requires that learners gain a critical application of knowledge and understanding of the responsibilities and skills of coaching and leading groups in a more challenging outdoor environment. The module also applies transferable coaching and leading skills and background knowledge to specific outdoor activities that aims to assist learners to demonstrate practical skills and coaching/leading techniques to the criterion standards of the National Governing Body. The module requires that learners gain an understanding of the responsibilities and skills of coaching and leading groups in the outdoor environment. (Practical 70%, Portfolio 30%)

Research Methods (20 credits, compulsory)
The module aims to consolidate, further develop and extend the student’s capacity to apply a range of academic skills appropriately within a chosen discipline. It will enable students to enhance their skills in academic writing and literature searching, develop justifiable hypotheses, apply a range of research methodologies and ultimately prepare for a dissertation. (Report 70%, Presentation 30%)

Outdoor Activity and Sports Nutrition (20 credits, compulsory)
This module will review and build upon elements of physiology and biochemistry that provide the theoretical basis of human nutrition . This module aims to enable learners to understand the dietary requirements of athletes’ needs, health, training and completion demands to maximise performance outcomes. Practical application of knowledge will be developed, and contemporary issues covered within the Outdoor adventures tourism industry and current sport. (Case Study 40%, Report 60%)

Other details

Course type: University-level Courses

Level: 4+5

Programme Area:

Sport and Outdoor

Awarding Body: Bangor University

Bilingual:

Depending on the campus, students may be able to access elements of the programme in both English and Welsh through some programme learning materials being made available bilingually. Details will be provided to you at interview.

Possible to complete 33% of the course through the medium of Welsh and receive a scholarship.