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A Master's degree enabling you to develop and apply cutting-edge, evidence-based knowledge and skills in football (soccer) coaching and performance to advance your career.   

  • This course is taught as an online distance learning programme
  • The course is informed by our industry partners, including coaches and coach educators from The English FA and European professional clubs
  • You will be taught by academic staff involved in world-leading and applied research, consultancy, and high-level football coaching activities

Why study Performance Football Coaching (Distance Learning)?

This innovative online distance learning programme allows football coaching professionals worldwide to develop a critical understanding of issues relating to coaching and performance in football (soccer), and advance their professional practice whilst working.

The course content and design are informed by our partners in the football industry, including coaches and coach educators from The English FA and European professional clubs.

Taught by nationally and internationally renowned coaches and football scientists, the applied nature of the programme means that you are continually asked to reflect on course content in your professional practice.

Why St Mary's?

St Mary's is the first institution in the UK and internationally to offer a distance learning football coaching course of its kind, allowing you to study when and where it suits you. This flexible format means you can advance your knowledge, expertise and professional skills in parallel.

We are a leading provider of postgraduate taught sport science programmes and are widely recognised as one of the UK’s premier sports institutions. 

The University has a wide knowledge-base in football; we are an FA Women's High-Performance Football Centre, playing a pivotal role in the positive future of the game in the UK. We also offer foundation and BSc degree programmes in Football Coaching and Development (in partnership with Chelsea FC Foundation) and have several PhD’s funded by London’s top professional clubs regarding the science of football.

Our staff is comprised of highly regarded coaching professionals and academics involved in world-leading and applied research, consultancy, and high-level football coaching activities; all of which are directly relevant to - and inform - the modules delivered on the programme.

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Upcoming open days and webinars

We'll be running events for you to find out more about Performance Football Coaching (Distance Learning) MSc, PGDip, PGCert on the following dates:


  • Wednesday 5th April 2023, 6.30pm

  • Wednesday 10th May 2023, 6.30pm

  • Wednesday 21st June 2023, 1pm

  • Wednesday 19th July 2023, 6.30pm

Course lead

Ashley Gumbrell
Lecturer in Football Development and Coaching

Entry requirements

2:2 Previous degree

Minimum 2.2 degree or international equivalent, preferably in a sports-related subject.

Additional requirement information

Applicants must hold, or be working towards, a UEFA B coaching licence or equivalent qualification (such as USSF or AFC) and demonstrate continued commitment to coaching practice.

Non-degree entrance

Applicants without formal degree level qualification but with significant relevant work experience are encouraged to apply. Non-degree entrants will have to take an additional module (Academic Introduction to Professional Development) in the summer before the degree begins.

Please note: the deadline for non-degree entrance will not be able to apply after the summer module begins.

Further information

For more information about entry requirements please email apply@stmarys.ac.uk.

Course content

There is a mandatory summer module for non-degree entrance students, which will commence on Monday 22nd June 2020. Students with a first degree can choose to also attend this module should they wish.

Modules

  •  Core (non-degree entrance students)
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core
  •  Core

Please note: it is possible that a module listed on the website will not be able to run due to reasons beyond our control. For more information please refer to our course information disclaimer.

Career opportunities

Football coaching is a well-established profession with clear employment routes. In today’s football marketplace, employers look for up-to-date knowledge and skills.

We equip emerging and practising football professionals with the knowledge- and skill-set for a variety of jobs in the elite performance and youth development environments, such as: 

  • head coach
  • youth academy coach
  • specialist technical coach
  • performance analyst
  • development coordinator
  • coach educator
  • researcher/scientist

Considerable resources continue to be employed to the sport globally with a growing body of football professionals in many countries and regions worldwide.

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How the degree is taught

Teaching and assessment

The programme is delivered in a full-time (1 year) and part-time (2-3 years) distance learning format through our bespoke online learning platform. Each module has a number of activities to complete, with each activity encompassing a set of learning ‘tasks’.

The programme utilises a variety of teaching and assessments methods to enable you to learn from practical and theoretical perspectives. These include: 

  • pre-recorded lectures
  • coach/player video analyses and feedback
  • discussion forums
  • quizzes
  • collaborative group tasks
  • case studies
  • presentations

To enable you to complete video-based tasks, we will provide you a GoPro camera and access to the Coach Logic online video analysis software.

You will be asked to attend a 4-day mandatory on-site period in late April/early May. This incorporates study visits to Premier League club academies in London, practical sessions, workshops and a coaching conference. 

We will also organise an online induction in September to welcome and prepare you for the course.

In addition, we will allocate a personal tutor to guide you academically and provide support throughout your studies with us.

Facilities

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Fees and funding

Tuition fees

September 2023

  • Home: £10,500
  • International: £10,500

The tuition fees listed are for the duration of the course. Students will be charged for the modules undertaken per academic year. Module prices are calculated as a percentage of credits against the total credits and cost of the degree. Please see clause 5.15.2 of the Tuition Fee Regulations for further information.

Tuition fees are subject to an inflationary increase each year, meaning if your course runs over more than one academic year you may pay an increased fee per module for each subsequent year of study. Tuition fee increases for returning students will be capped at the higher of 5% per annum or the rate of Consumer Price Index inflation in the United Kingdom.

Alumni discount

A 20% tuition fee discount is available for our alumni (undergraduate and PGCE) planning to study this Master's degree. Those studying for a PGDip of PGCert are not eligible for the discount.

Funding

Government-funded loans of over £11,000 are available to many home postgraduate students. Home and international students may also be eligible for external sources of funding.  International students should check their eligibility for our International Scholarship.

For more information, please look at our postgraduate funding page.

Additional costs

Your tuition fees will cover the cost of all mandatory elements of your programme. Additional costs could be incurred depending on optional modules chosen and other projects undertaken.

For further information about additional costs please see our additional costs webpage

Teaching staff

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Further information

Related postgraduate programmes