SE137-4-SP-CO:
Conceptualising Sport Coaching
2026/27
Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Monday 18 January 2027
Thursday 25 March 2027
15
12 August 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BSC C612 Sport Coaching,
BSC C613 Sport Coaching (Including Placement Year),
BSC C615 Sport Coaching (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C616 Sport Coaching (Including Foundation Year)
This module introduces students to the historical evolution and philosophical foundations of sport coaching. Students will explore a range of milestone events and epistemological perspectives that inform pre-modern and contemporary understandings of sport coaching knowledge and expertise. The students will develop a greater appreciation of the social, cultural and historical influences on coaching knowledge and practice, including how sources of knowledge permeate everyday practice(s). Current conceptualisations of sport coaching as complex relational work will be explored to support students to plan, deliver and reflect upon their coaching practice in an increasingly reflexive manner. Throughout, students will be encouraged to (re)examine their deeply held coaching beliefs to develop alternative and more robust approaches to practice.
The aims of this module are:
- To develop students’ understandings of the historical development and epistemological foundations of sport coaching knowledge and practice, including social, cultural and political influences.
- To define coaching practice and understand taken-for-granted assumptions about coaching through contemporary epistemological lenses.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Evaluate the sources of their own sport coaching knowledge.
- Describe key socio-cultural-historical developments in the evolution of sport coaching.
- Demonstrate a knowledge of contemporary epistemologies of sport coaching practice.
- Communicate the importance of inter- and intra-personal skill in everyday coaching practice.
Indicative syllabus content:
- Definitions/epistemologies of coaching
- Traditional perspectives
- Cognitive perspectives
- Constructivist perspectives
- Critical and post-perspectives
- Orchestration, ambiguity, noticing
- Power, care and trust
- Sources and types of coaching knowledge
- Assessing coaching knowledge
This module will be delivered via:
- One 1-hour seminar per week.
- One 2-hour practicum per week.
- Two 1-hour drop-in sessions.
All resources will be made available prior to scheduled classes. A variety of learning resources (e.g., e-books, podcasts, videos) will be available to students to cater for different learning needs. Students are expected to undertake weekly reading before classes and be prepared to engage in discussion. All sessions, bar practicums, will be accessible via Listen Again. Taught content, resources and practicum sessions will reflect the diversity of the student cohort and populations within wider society.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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