Start dates:
September: UCFB Wembley, UCFB Etihad Campus or Distance (with attendance) at UCFB Wembley, UCFB Etihad Campus or GIS Miami
Course length: One year (full-time) and two year (part-time) options available
Priority Application Deadline:
31 August 2023 for September 2023 entry
Degree overview
This programme will take an in-depth look at the numbers that make the game tick, alongside theoretical and practical coaching disciplines. It will enable students to develop a systematic and in-depth understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights for the advanced study of football coaching and analysis.
This degree is available at UCFB Wembley, London, which the iconic Wembley Stadium at the heart of its campus. What could be more motivating for a future career in the sports industry than walking into the most famous stadium in the world?
This degree is also delivered via Distance (with attendance). Our Distance (with attendance) degrees are delivered by the same leading industry experts who teach our on campus degrees with teaching online via our dedicated Online Hub which can be accessed anytime making this a flexible study option that fits around your existing commitments. Your online study is further consolidated with on campus residential block(s) consisting of in-person teaching, networking and opportunities to meet your academic staff and peers.
This degree is available at UCFB Etihad Campus, Manchester, a state-of-the-art campus devoted to the football industry in the heart of Manchester – one of the world’s most famous footballing cities with a thriving student population.
This degree is also delivered via Distance (with attendance). Our Distance (with attendance) degrees are delivered by the same leading industry experts who teach our on campus degrees with teaching online via our dedicated Online Hub which can be accessed anytime making this a flexible study option that fits around your existing commitments. Your online study is further consolidated with on campus residential block(s) consisting of in-person teaching, networking and opportunities to meet your academic staff and peers.
This degree is delivered via Distance (with attendance) at our GIS Miami campus. Our Distance (with attendance) degrees are delivered by the same leading industry experts who teach our on campus degrees with teaching online via our dedicated Online Hub which can be accessed anytime making this a flexible study option that fits around your existing commitments. Your online study is further consolidated with on campus residential block(s) at GIS Miami consisting of in-person teaching, networking and opportunities to meet your academic staff and peers.
Students on this programme have access to world-leading performance analysis tools from Hudl, the industry-standard software used by athletes, coaches and clubs across the globe.
Degree content
This Masters degree provides an inclusive, current and versatile curriculum of study which reflects the needs of the football industry for Master's students either full or part time. The course looks to support the continuing professional development of football coaches and those working in football or a closely related field.
Students will utilise their advanced knowledge and understanding of football coaching to help them deal with complex issues systematically and creatively, problems, and communicate their conclusions clearly.
Teaching locations for this degree include:
- Etihad Stadium
- Manchester Sports Village, Belle Vue
- UCFB Study Hub @ Piccadilly Place
- Curzon Ashton FC
In addition to our teaching locations, we also use specialist facilities throughout the academic year as well as additional facilities where required.
The Global Institute of Sport is an embedded college of the University of East London. All GIS graduates will receive a degree from the University of East London.
My favourite aspect to working in sport is that every day is different. The people that you meet, the players that you meet and the impact you get to have on their journeys, for me it’s really valuable to know that you can look back and think you had an impact on them.
Your Programme Leader
Modules
- Global Sports Leadership
- Applied Football Match Analysis
- Applying Football Principles – Tactics and Strategies
- Analysis of Football Coaching Practice
- Applied Research Project
- Football Statistics and Data Analysis (Option)
- Applied Reflective Practice (Option)
Students will select one option at the beginning of their course.
The main educational aims of the course are to:
- Conceptualise the knowledge and skills necessary for a career in the football industry.
- Develop the students’ capacity to critically interrogate theories that inform football coaching and analysis principles and practice in a football context.
- Develop systematic knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of coaching and training to enhance football performance.
- Create an environment in which students are able to relate theory to practice, solve problems creatively, apply new and existing skills, and demonstrate awareness of emerging issues in football.
- Equip students with a range of research skills necessary to design and conduct applied research in a football context.
Entry requirements
Applicants will normally have a 2:1 classification in a sport related degree. Applicants who hold a sport-related degree classification of 2:2 or below or, a non-sport related degree, or significant professional experience will be considered on a case by case basis and may be required to submit a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate sports coaching and/or sports management experience.
Recognition of Prior Learning Students with relevant previous study at postgraduate level or with extensive experience may be considered eligible for recognition of prior learning.
Admissions procedures prospective students may contact the course leader for further information about the course and guidance as to their suitability for the course. Online and postal applications are accepted, upon which, candidates demonstrating a suitable academic and experiential profile will be invited for interview.
Some candidates may be required to provide a coaching or management portfolio and/or complete a brief assignment in a relevant subject area to demonstrate suitable level of academic writing.
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 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 in each section) or recognised equivalent.
The course would be ideal for students graduating from BA (Hons) Football Coaching & Management and BA (Hons) Sports Business & Coaching.
We have revised our coaching entry requirements for 2021 to account for the difficulty in completing FA coaching qualifications due to COVID-19. Please find our 2021 coaching entry requirements here.
International students
GIS cannot currently sponsor non-EU students’ visas.
You will not need a visa to study in the UK if:
- You are a British citizen
- You are a citizen of a European Economic Area (EEA) member state or Switzerland
- You have a visa to stay in the UK for another purpose that allows you to study
If you are still unsure whether you would need a visa to study in the UK, or for more information, please contact admissions@ucfb.com. You can also study one of our Online Master's degrees.
Applicants should normally have graduated with an overall GPA of 3.0 (UK 2:1 honours degree) or be on course to achieve that score.
Graduates with a GPA of least 2.5 (UK 2:2 honours degree) will also be considered on a case by case basis.
Please see our detailed postgraduate coaching programme entry requirements here.
Please provide us with copies of all of your relevant coaching qualifications.
All applications should be accompanied by a personal statement from you, the applicant, your current CV and your degree certificate or degree transcript up to this point.
If you are still studying for your degree, please supply an academic reference from your teaching team and if you are applying based on your professional experience, please supply a reference from your current or most recent line manager.
The language of instruction for all of our postgraduate programmes is English so, if English is not your first language, please provide us with evidence of your highest English language qualification.
Applicants should hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree with Upper Second Class Honours or a Bachelor (Ordinary) degree with 70-75%. Applicants may be accepted with a Bachelor (Honours) degree with Lower Second Class Honours or Bachelor (Ordinary) degree with 60-65% provided they can otherwise demonstrate a strong profile.
Applicants must also have previous coaching experience and/or C level coaching qualifications. You can find a detailed list of coaching qualifications and experience that is considered in the entry requirements for this course here.
Professional experience and industry qualifications can be assessed for applicants without the standard entry requirements.
All applicants should submit a clear and comprehensive personal statement and provide a copy of their CV along with one academic and one professional reference.
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 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 in each section) or recognised equivalent.
If you are unsure whether you meet the entry criteria for this programme, or whether you require IELTS results, please email mastersenquiries@ucfb.com with a copy of your most recent CV including nationality, visa status if applicable, and undergraduate degree transcripts. Candidates with a strong CV may qualify for a supplementary admissions interview to support their academic application.
- Strong knowledge in the field of sports coaching or sports management suitable for Masters level academic work
- Evidence of engagement with professional and academic literature/publications relevant to CPD
- Ability to manage self-learning and professional duties where applicable
- Hold FA Level 2 Coaching Certificate
- Evidence of ability to manage work independently
- Proven track record of dealing with complex and multidisciplinary issues relevant to their chosen subject area
Priority Application Deadline - 31 August 2023
We strongly encourage you to submit your Masters application well before our 31 August 2023 priority application deadline (8 January 2024 for courses starting in January) to allow sufficient time for assessment of application, ensure availability on the course and enrolment in time for the beginning of your studies. Applications received after this date will only be considered on a case by case basis.
To apply for this degree, please click here and follow the instructions to complete your application via our Learner Portal.
Relevant documents for EU, UK and international applications:
- Completed and signed application form;
- Personal statement;
- Copy of transcripts of highest qualification achieved and
- English translations (if applicable);
- One academic and one professional reference and English translation (if applicable);
- Copy of proof of English language level e.g. IELTS (if applicable).
Career prospects
Career prospects include highly sought-after careers within a professional and semi-professional football team such as a coaching, match and performance analyst or operations manager at multidisciplinary teams.
At GIS, we are proud that over 92% of our 2017 graduates are in full-time employment within six months and 82% of these graduates work in sport.
UCFB's Global Institute of Sport was also ranked in the top 5 'Best Universities for Employability' in 2021.
At GIS we bridge the gap between education and business, allowing a unique approach to education. We provide two curricula; the academic curriculum which encompasses exams and coursework and the Employability & Enrichment programme – a journey of professional and personal development.
This provides access to best-in-class industry guest speakers, additional qualifications and exceptional opportunities to apply for work experience placements to ensure our students graduate as well-rounded, empowered professionals.
The Global Insight Series is a thought leadership series, exclusively collated and made available for all on-campus and online students. The Global Insight Series provides unprecedented access to GIS’ elite sports network; including interviews with LMA managers and other guest speakers, and content from our Global Sports Summits at Inter Miami CF Stadium Campus, New York’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Delivered across all GIS Master’s programmes to provide a foundation of knowledge of leadership and its application in sport, the Global Sports Leadership module provides a global sporting context to underpin each degree specialism.
Covering fundamental leadership principles including culture, performance analysis, diversity and inclusion, leadership styles and innovation within a contemporary sporting context, this module allows students to develop a broad appreciation of the sports industry and become leaders in their field.
A core aspect of the module is to bring in global leaders from the pitch, the boardroom and the industry to enable student to access and reflect on real life and current industry experiences and insight. Many of the sessions will be shared across multiple GIS degree programmes, allowing students to learn from and network with each other throughout the Global Sports Leadership module.
Upon completing his Master’s degree in 2019, Wesley McGrath is now a coach, scout and analyst for his own company, WM32Football, as well as an Advanced Centre Coach at MK Dons.
Read moreMaster’s graduate Amy Lomas worked with Premier League side Norwich City as a Performance Analyst alongside her studies and has gone on to take a role as Leicester City Women’s First Team Analyst upon graduating.
Read moreThese discounts are open to any UCFB, Buckinghamshire New University and University of East London graduate who has received and accepted an offer to study at postgraduate level with UCFB’s Global Institute of Sport.
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes, excluding MSc Sports Directorship
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
If you’d like to extend your time with us, we’re pleased to offer all GIS graduates:
- 15% fee tuition discount on all Master's programmes, excluding MSc Sports Directorship
- 15% fee tuition discount on MSc Sports Directorship and CEO of a Sports Organisation
We're pleased to offer all UCFB and GIS business partners 15% fee tuition discount on all Undergraduate, Master's programmes.
Visit our dedicated page about fees and student finance.
For part-time courses the tuition fee will be split accordingly per year i.e 50% in year 1 and 50% in year 2 (for a two year programme) as per below table.
Full-time | Part-time (two years) | ||
Home Students |
International Students |
Home Students |
International Students |
£10,950 | £16,450 | £5,475 | £8,225 |
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.
Students will be required to purchase UCFB branded kit for their studies, which costs £120-150. UCFB students may also be asked for an additional contribution fee of £10-20 for trips.
GIS has a range of scholarship options to help with the cost of studying and to encourage students to embrace their time at GIS and graduate with more than just their university degree. Click here to learn more.
On top of Wembley Stadium and Etihad Campus, the Global Institute of Sport utilises a network of global stadium venues. Inter Miami CF Stadium, plus Global Study Hubs at New York’s Red Bull Arena, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Toronto FC’s BMO Field and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) allow students to truly immerse themselves in the world of sport.
Find out more