Forest Sports Education
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Higher National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science

The Higher National Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science is the second year of the three year BSc Honours degree in Sports Coaching. Students will build on the knowledge they aquired from the first year and will begin to study topics in more depth, thus adequately preparing them fo their final year.

During the first semester, students will cover the following units:

RESEARCH PROJECT (YEAR LONG MODULE): The aim of this unit is to offer students the opportunity to engage in sustained research in a specific field of study. The unit enables students to demonstrate the capacity and ability to identify a research theme, to develop research aims, objectives and outcomes, and to present the outcomes of such research in both written and verbal formats. The unit also encourages students to reflect on their engagement in the research process during which recommendations for future, personal development are key learning points.

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS: The aim of this unit is to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of performance analysis within sport and how it is used to aid development. Students will engage in researching the methods used to analyse performance, how to create a performance profile, practically analyse performance, and carry out a post-event analysis to provide feedback. They will gain an understanding of the importance of the analysis process and how to utilise technology to assist them in completing these tasks. 

TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT: On completion of this unit, students will not only have knowledge and understanding of talent identification and development in sport, but will have the capability to review the effectiveness of talent identification and development programmes, and identify factors that impact on success. The skill of reviewing and analysing processes and policies within sport is a much sought-after skill in the sporting industry. Likewise, is the ability to coherently plan, especially when planning a talent identification and development programme, which this unit will also provide experience in. Planning is imperative in all aspects of sport, from coaching and teaching to policy making and running an event. 

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: This unit is designed to enable students to assess and develop a range of professional and personal skills in order to promote future personal and career development. The unit will help students become confident in managing their own personal and professional skills to achieve personal and career goals. Initially, students will consider the range of careers available within public, private and voluntary sectors within the sports industry. Exploration of the skill and experience requirements of different careers will enable students to consider their own knowledge, skills, experience, practice, values and beliefs in relation to working in the sports industry. 


During the second semester, students will cover the following units:

ADVANCED COACHING: This unit is designed to challenge students to analyse the environment of performance coaching from a pedagogic and multi-disciplinary support service perspective, utilising theory and technology to improve performance in their chosen sports. The unit will critique definitions of effective performance coaching while challenging students to find solutions to real-world coaching scenarios. The unit will move beyond session-based planning to challenge students to plan for cycles of training and competition, creating programmes that identify various facets of performance that require development at different phases of training.

WORK EXPERIENCE: On successful completion of the unit, the student will have gained a number of employability skills such as time management, communication and interpersonal skills, and task prioritisation. Furthermore, the student will gain the ability to evaluate their own performance against the original aims and use monitored data to provide an accurate judgement of the success of the placement. 

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT: Developing professional and effective relationships in the workplace is an essential skill for anyone looking to move forward in their career. This unit will enable students to identify the key characteristics of an effective leader and manager as well as to evaluate their own ability to lead groups and teams. Students will develop the skills of organisation, mentoring, delegation and coaching to make the best of any team and generate positive results.

 

Reference: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/BTEC-Higher-Nationals/sport-exercise-science/2018/specification-sample-assessments/btec-higher-nationals-SportScience_specification.pdf