Questions

What, for you, are the best things about the course?

Opportunities to discuss ideas, a genuine belief that we can make a difference in our respective fields as a result of doing the course, and the quality and variety of the lectures. The flexible nature of this course has allowed me to gain valuable work experience alongside the course; work which has not only complimented my assignments but actually been entirely relevant to the assignments meaning that my learning experience has not been limited to lectures and discussions but also through my day to day experiences.

How will your degree prepare you for what you want to do afterwards?

I hope to work in an academic environment and the confidence and knowledge I am developing as a result of this course will certainly aid me greatly, as well as the prestige of having a postgraduate qualification from one of the country’s top ranked Universities.

What has been the highlight of your time at Birmingham?

Between many, many visits to Costa I have shared some fascinating discussions with fellow students and staff at the University and my confidence in my capabilities has greatly increased as a result.

Do you have anything lined up for once you have completed your degree?

Before I started the course I had never remotely entertained the idea of studying a PhD but given how much I have enjoyed this course I am seriously contemplating it. I am hoping that the qualification will allow me to secure a more rewarding job and greatly boost my prospects in the future.

Why did you choose the University of Birmingham?

Like many others I was instantly sold on the University simply by the aesthetics of the campus. It just so happened that the course fit perfectly with what I wanted to learn, allowed me to gain work experience and has truly lived up to the reputation of the University.

What was your motivation for undertaking postgraduate study?

Having worked full time after the completion of my Undergraduate Degree I realised that in a lot of ways there was little to separate me from my contemporaries, as well as an underlying feeling that I needed something further to aim towards to prevent myself from stagnating.

Have you joined any clubs or societies, gone on any research trips or done any volunteering?

Not directly through the University, however during the time when I have been studying the degree I have spent over two hundred hours volunteering at Coerver Coaching West London where I have learned a considerable amount. This has aided my assignments on the course. I also recently attended a study visit to the academy at Real Madrid C.F which was an outstanding experience.

Hello, I'm a Brazilian geographer looking for a career change, pursuing a degree with the prospect of being a football scout or coach in the future. I started working with football during this year, and now I'm looking into two degree options at Birmingham University to continue my studies. Between the Sport Coaching Postgraduate Diploma and the MRes in Exercise and Sport Sciences, which one would be the best option for my profile and also offer me the best chance to get into the the market in what I've been looking for?

Hey,
firstly, that is great that you are hoping to do something you really want to do, it is so much more rewarding! I did the PGDip/MSc Sport Coaching course, I would definitely recommend that one, especially if you wish to stay in Brazil while you study. It will give you a very detailed understanding of not only the theory behind coaching, learning (as a learner and as a facilitator), and will generally help boost your confidence. The PGDip is much more flexible too, so you can fit it around professional learning/development while you study the course, so I was able to work in various different roles while studying it, not that it was easy by any means!! Hope that helps but if you want a bit more detail, let me know.
Jake

Hi Stanley, I am from India and I am planning to study Sports Management, can you please tell how is the course and what are the job-opportunities for this course like?

Hey, this course focuses on the theory behind Sport Coaching, and the application of it to one’s own practice. There are no Sport Management modules on this course, so it might not be quite the right one for you.

Assuming you are looking at MSc level courses, have a look at the following link, which lists the courses UoB does Sports-wise: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/sport-exercise/courses/postgraduate/masters.aspx

Hope that helps!
Jake