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Bachelor of Sport Coaching

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You will develop a unique combination of skills, knowledge and expertise in sport coaching. The program content represents international best practice with significant input from key industry bodies such as the Australian Sports Commission and National Sports Organisations.

You will complete your training in the world class sport and exercise science facilities at Footscray Park campus.

Choose from the Sport Science Specialisation or the Physical Education Specialisation.

Sport Science Specialisation: Consists of sport coaching and sport science units with four additional elective units to develop an additional minor specialty.

Physical Education Specialisation: Comprises three essential elements:

  • sport coaching specific units
  • physical education units as required by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)
  • scope to develop a second teaching method. 

Major studies will include:

  • Sport Coaching
  • Physical Education
  • Exercise Science.

Both specialisations of the Bachelor of Sport Coaching degree comprise 96 credit points per year over three years full-time (24 units).

Students may elect to study the course part-time. Three year graduates from the Physical Education Specialisation would complete an additional one year Diploma of Teaching.

You will receive practical placement and learn in the workplace (LiWC) with a number of local, regional state and national sporting organisations.

Course Essentials

How to apply

We are currently accepting applications for this course. Applications close on 25 January 2013

Methods of applying:

  • You can apply direct to VU

Please note that part-time study may not be available at all campuses.

Already a VU student?

You can transfer into this course through our internal transfer process.

For more info contact the
College of Sport and Exercise Science

Dr Tara Kavanagh and students talk about the unique apsects of Sport Coaching.
Transcript for Sport Coaching video

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Careers

  • Sport Coaches with State and National Sporting Organisations
  • Sport Development & Community Coaching Officers
  • Physical Education Teacher with Sport Coaching Speciality (along with an additional teaching method)
  • Private Sport Coaching Consultant/Entrepreneur
  • Sport Coaches at Private Schools
  • Coaching Director
  • Professional or Semi Professional Sports Coach
  • High Performance Manager
  • Coaching within sport governing body programmes
  • Coaching for disabled participants
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • Sport Researcher – Honours and/or PhD

Learn more about your career options on the Australian government's Career Information and Resources website.

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Study pathways

Transferring to VU

You can get credit in the Bachelor of Sport Coaching (ABHS) for study you have done at other universities. We have formal credit transfer arrangements for this course with the following universities

Sports Education and Development Australia (SEDA)

  • If you studied the Diploma of Sport Development you may get up to half a year of credit.

Sports Education and Development Australia (SEDA)

  • If you studied the Diploma of Sport Development you may get up to a year of credit.

To find out more about the pathways available for this course, please contact the .

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Get credit for your work, study and life experience through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

Find out more about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Graduate faster

If you've done previous study related to this course, you may be awarded credit. This means you can graduate in less time.

Completing this course also gives you a head-start on other at VU courses at a higher level of study.

We also award credit for relevant work and life experience. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

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Course Objectives

Underlying course philosophy:

To equip students with the required sport coaching skills, to positively influence children and adults participating in community sport from recreational to elite level. Students will be educated to value the importance of knowledgeable, ethical, creative, adaptable and personable sport coaching. Students will develop the necessary skills and knowledge to coach in multi-skill, multi-sport and sport specific environments. Broadly, graduates should also understand their potential role in developing healthy and active people.

Specific objectives for graduates:

  • Coach independently in children's sport/young people's sport and/or performer development sport in multi-skill and/or single sport environments as appropriate;
  • Develop a systematic knowledge and understanding of contemporary sport coaching theories and policies that guide coaching within the broader Australian sporting context;
  • To be familiar with 'safe coaching' principles, including the importance of statutory legislation regulations and non-statutory guidelines (eg. occupational health and safety, codes of conduct and ethical, moral and equitable coaching practice);
  • To have engaged in a sustained period of observation, planning and delivery of sport coaching in a systematic manner with appropriate feedback and assessment;
  • To conduct needs analyses for individual athletes and/or teams and tailor coaching programs, taking into account participant needs and wider programs, curricula and targets;
  • To understand the key concepts of the sport science disciplines as they apply to sport coaching and develop the capacity to integrate sport science knowledge when coaching;
  • Develop fundamental research skills to enable students to critically reflect on published sport coaching literature;
  • Develop reflective skills especially in relation to career development, self-management, action and reflection, life balance and professional development and the coach as a performer;
  • Develop coach related communication, leadership and teaching skills;
  • To be conversant with the relevant governing bodies and policies (local, state and national) that shape sport and sport coaching in Australia;
  • Demonstrate an understanding and critical awareness of the moral, ethical, environmental and legal issues which underpin best practice in coaching;
  • Reflect on coaching practice, demonstrating the ability for informed analysis and a willingness to apply the principle of continuous improvement to their coaching;
  • Develop vocational competencies and subject-specific skills necessary for effective employment and/or further study including being aware of boundaries of knowledge and competence, career planning and professional development opportunities.
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Units and electives

Students complete 24 units in ABHS Bachelor of Sport Coaching (48 credit points per semester).

Students enrolled in ABHS with a Sport Science specialisation complete:

  • 13 Core Sport Coaching Units;
  • 7 Sport Science Specialisation Units; and
  • 4 Electives.

Students enrolled in ABHS with Physical Education specialisation complete:

  • 13 Core Sport Coaching Units;
  • 6 Physical Education Specialisation Units (provides a Physical Education teaching method); and
  • 5 Teaching Method Electives (provides an additional teaching method).

Physical education stream

Year 1 Semester 1

Year 1 Semester 2

Year 2 Semester 1

Plus Elective 1 - 2nd Teaching Method

Year 2 Semester 2

Plus Elective 2 - 2nd Teaching Method

Plus Elective 3 - 2nd Teaching Method

Year 3 Semester 1

Plus Elective 4 - 2nd Teaching Method

Year 3 Semester 2

Plus Elective 5 - 2nd Teaching Method

Sport science stream

Year 1 Semester 1

Year 1 Semester 2

Year 2 Semester 1

General Elective 1

Year 2 Semester 2

General Elective 2

Year 3 Semester 1

Year 3 Semester 2

General Elective 3

General Elective 4

What's a unit?

A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.

Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take, and optional 'elective' units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.

Credits

Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.

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Admission Information

  • TAFE: VET applicants will be considered and pathways are available from a range of VET courses.
  • Year 12: VCE with minimum study score of 20 in English units 3 and 4 (any) or equivalent.
  • International: Completion of a secondary school qualification equivalent to Australia’s year 12 or VCE qualification. IELTS minimum 6.0 (no band less than 6) or equivalent.
  • Mature: Applicants with relevant work, education and/or community experience may be considered on the basis of equivalence.
  • Other: Applicants with relevant employment or work experience may complete and submit the VTAC PI form. Interviews for some applicants only on the basis of academic record and submitted PI form.
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How to apply for this course

We are currently accepting applications for this course.

You can apply direct to VU. Applications close on 25 January 2013.

When you're ready to apply:

  1. Read the Advice to applicants (contains details about how to apply for your course, extra requirements, what happens when you submit your application and other important information).
  2. Complete the Higher education direct entry application form.
  3. As part of the application you may need to complete extra requirements such as:
    • submit supplementary forms
    • attend an interview, audition, information session or workshop
    • submit a folio
    • sit a test

Details about extra requirements are available from the College of Sport and Exercise Science.

You need to complete all extra requirements by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered.

Transferring between VU courses

Want to transfer into this course from another VU course? Complete the Victoria University internal course application form and check whether you need to complete any extra requirements, listed above.

You can also contact us directly:

  • Course coordinator
    Daryl Marchant
    Email: daryl.marchant@vu.edu.au
    Phone: +61 3 9919 4035
  • Ring us on +61 3 9919 6100
  • Find answers and ask questions at GOTOVU

Get in touch

Contact us to discuss your course options:

Ring us on +61 3 9919 6100

Find answers and ask questions at GOTOVU

At Victoria University, we make every reasonable effort to make sure the information displayed online about our courses is accurate and complete. We continually look to provide innovative courses. Those courses are shaped by a number of things including your feedback and changes in Government funding arrangements. As a result there may be changes to the courses we deliver and fees charged. We will update the website regularly to reflect any changes.

Information about course fees, articulation and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations, and services available to students can be accessed on the University’s website or by contacting the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100.

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