MSc Football Coaching & Analysis

Please click here to download the MSc Football Coaching & Analysis programme specification documentation.

The aim of the module is to critically analyse the football coaching process at different stages of the game, from participation level, to player development through to elite coaching. Drawing on the students own coaching context, the student will explore the efficiency of their own coaching performance and the subsequent impact it has on intervention planning.

It aims to provide the student with a higher order knowledge base, to make effective decisions about the coaching process they use and critically reflect within their own context. The module will help students construct an effective coaching environment for their own context through exploring coaching dilemma’s, such as issues surrounding player development against winning and encompassing a holistic approach to coaching.

Students will be required to design their own Game Model of performance within their context and integrate aspects of effective session planning, tactical periodization and the use of global training systems.

The module will explore coaching philosophy and how personal values and beliefs make up and may affect coaching philosophy in practice.

Furthermore, it will examine the effects our own values and beliefs have on our coaching philosophy and how these translate into specific behaviours and actions. The module will also explore factors that influence self-awareness and discuss in relation to personal philosophy and coaching behaviours.

The module will also focus on leadership behaviour as well as pedagogical tools for effective leadership and mentoring.

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the key fundamentals and principles of football match analysis, integrating theory with practice and sharing knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate.

The applied element of football match analysis will allow you to gain experience in and an understanding of match analysis, hardware, software and programmes. You will learn what an analyst requires to function effectively and safely in a variety of situations, developing reflective skills and identifying which theories are most applicable when working in a specific applied performance analysis context.

You will learn how to operate contemporary analysis programmes, integrate theory with practice and conduct then deliver performance analysis in the football context.

The Consultancy Project offers students the opportunity to apply the theoretical and practical knowledge developed within the MSc programme in a relevant, practical work context environment.

The work-based placement enables the student to apply techniques of reflective learning to the work experience in order to ensure that learning is based upon a sound theoretical basis and a robust practical application.

The responsibility for finding a work-based placement that is suitable is solely in the hands of the student, although workshops are available to facilitate the search process and you will have a supervisor appointed to monitor student progress.

This module will enable you to develop awareness and understanding of the key fundamentals and principles of football statistics and data, integrating theory with practice and sharing knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate.

The applied element of football will allow you to gain experience in and an understanding of data drawn from both competition and training contexts. You will learn which data is needed to function effectively and safely within a variety of situations, developing reflective skills and identifying which theories are most applicable when working in a specific applied football context.

You will learn how to analyse data, integrate theory with practice and work with differing departments within a football club in order to improve practice and performance.

The Consultancy Project offers students the opportunity to apply the theoretical and practical knowledge developed within the MSc programme in a relevant, practical work context environment.

The work-based placement enables the student to apply techniques of reflective learning to the work experience in order to ensure that learning is based upon a sound theoretical basis and a robust practical application. The responsibility for finding a work-based placement that is suitable is solely in the hands of the student, although workshops are available to facilitate the search process and you will have a supervisor appointed to monitor student progress.

In this module, you will work on a real-life case study from your own coaching context, creating a fully considered and justified player or team development plan based upon a clear rationale and needs analysis.

As a practising coach, you will be expected to draw upon previous knowledge and skills gained and imbed new theoretical knowledge drawn from other modules. As part of the module, you will be expected to integrate theory into practice in the development of the player(s) or team.

You will then implement your plan to demonstrate the competency that you have achieved in applying appropriate theory into practice and the evaluation of and impact of decisions made. Furthermore, critically analysing your own coaching practice and methods employed throughout.

The individual research project focuses on producing an in depth piece of work which has theoretical/ practical/ industrial/commercial relevance to the sports industry. Ideally, this will be a piece of industry sponsored work to produce a commercial output for the sponsor.

The work need not be sports-related but may be applied in the area of sports. In other words, a project may take the best practice from another industry and apply it in the sports industry. The sponsor will be viewed and treated like a client and this the client will have certain requirements.

Thus, the research proposal will have to meet both client and academic requirements for it to be approved. It also provides an opportunity to develop and demonstrate advanced scholarship skills.

This combined research methods and dissertation module provides subject-specific methods training in preparation for the completion of a dissertation within the domains of sports management, marketing, entrepreneurship and leisure management.

The research topic that you select must align with the title of the programme on which you are enrolled. The module begins with a series of taught research methods sessions, during which a research proposal is produced. This proposal then guides the development of a clearly defined and evidenced study purpose, a critical review of the extant literature, and a robust methodology. Data is then collected, analysed, interpreted and applied to the study purpose, and a 12,000-word research report (dissertation) is produced.

To apply for this programme please complete the application form, then return the completed form and relevant documents as instructed to mastersenquiries@ucfb.com.

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).

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.

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

Semester two core teaching weeks ends in April allowing students the flexibility choose the Madrid Diploma as an additional course whilst completing the dissertation module.

All degree students will be given support from lecturers and dissertation supervisors for the duration of the programme. This support can be carried out face to face, or remotely online and via telephone. For those students choosing to partake in the Real Madrid Graduate School experience it is important that you are confident in being able to handle the demands of both completing your MSc qualification and the Real Madrid Graduate School Diploma in Sport Management.

In order to qualify for this exclusive opportunity, students must enrol for the Real Madrid Graduate School experience at the same time as they enrol in their degree programme.

If you have any questions please speak to our admissions or recruitment staff.

Students on this programme will study for three months at the Real Madrid Graduate School in Madrid, Spain. Students will be expected to self-fund their travel to Madrid (typically around £50 each way to fly from London) and provide their own accommodation for the period of time spent in Madrid. During the 2016/17 academic year, this accommodation cost £1,709.23 for the full three months.

Studying with Real Madrid Graduate School between May and July will incur costs which are not covered by the tuition fees, and typically will include every day purchases such as food, drink, entertainment and travel from paid for accommodation to and from learning facilities.