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BSc (Hons)

Football Studies

Attendance

Campus

Start

Duration

3 Years

Start

September 2023

UCAS Code

CF11

Delivery

Campus Taught

Foundation entry

It isn’t just the beautiful game – it’s a global business, a sociological phenomenon and a powerful public health tool. Take the chance to explore every aspect of football.

If you love to play football, watch football, talk about football and – one day – would love to work in football, this course is your chance to indulge your passions. With a wide range of modules, you’ll examine the football industry from a variety of perspectives – exploring issues like media, fandom, coaching, development, business, management and events.

It’s a multi-disciplinary course, where you get to link academic theory to real-life practice. And this is the perfect place to do that – with several famous football institutions right on our doorstep, from the Football League HQ to Preston North End. When it comes to professional placements, there are few better places to be.

Whatever your particular interests within football, you’ll have the flexibility to delve deeper. While you’ll start off with a solid core of modules focusing on football media, culture and business, you’ll be able to tailor the course in your second and third years – focusing on areas like coaching, management or performance analysis. So, by the time you graduate, you should have the skills, understanding and experience you’ll need to chart a future in football.

Why study with us

We offer a unique, inclusive football environment which includes professional coaching, analysis, and individual development plans, giving you every opportunity to play elite football.
We have strong links across the football world, from grassroots clubs in the local community, to national football bodies and professional clubs throughout England.
Preston offers the perfect setting, in the heart of the North West. We are home to Preston North End, a founding member of the Football Association, and Dick Kerr Ladies FC, one of the UK’s first ladies’ teams.

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What you'll do

You’ll study football from every angle, from global media markets to tribalism on the terraces.
Gain real world experiences with visits to leading football industry providers and develop networks in the game via University and PFA partners.
You’ll learn from research-active academics working at the forefront of the football world, with a wealth of leadership-level experience.

Module overview

Course delivery

Following the pandemic, we have found that some courses benefit from a blended learning and teaching approach. Therefore, the majority of your teaching will be face-to-face on campus aside from a small amount of online teaching where we have learnt it works best.

95%Face-to-face

5%Online

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Have an offer to study this September?

Received an offer to study a course at UCLan? Book your offer holder day for the opportunity to explore life here and chat to our current students.

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A day in the life of a Sport and Exercise Sciences student

Visit the course facilities

Discover our Football Player Development Programme

Play whilst you study. Continue developing as a player whilst doing your degree to expand your knowledge and future opportunities.

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Accreditations

This course is aligned with the Entry and General Management professional standards outlined by CIMSPA, the professional development body for the UK's sport and physical activity sector. As a member, you will be entitled to attend seminars and meetings and learn from industry professionals. The Health and Fitness pathway on the course allows students the option to meet professional standards in Gym Instruction, Personal Training, Health Navigator and Working with People with Long Term Conditions.

Future careers

Our Football Studies BA (Hons) degree course offers skills and understanding across a broad range of topics within football – paving the way for a broad range of careers within the football industry.

This course has been designed to meet the demands of the football industry – with a professional-level knowledge of the sport, together with the flexibility to tailor your studies to your own interests within the industry. As such, with the right combination of modules, you could focus on a future in coaching, community development, marketing, media, management and much more besides.

Throughout your studies, you’ll have the chance to engage with community clubs, professional teams and various employers – ensuring you not only get a real-world understanding of how the sport operates, but also make a start on your own professional networks.

You could even gain valuable career-boosting experience by going abroad to study or volunteer, from our Sport for Development project in Zambia to Challenger Soccer Camps in the USA, as well as various internships and exchange opportunities around the world.

Fees and funding

2022/23

Full-time£9250 per year

Sandwich year£1000 for the sandwich year

Part-time£1540 per 20 credits

International

Full-time£14250 per year

2023/24

Full-time£9,250 per year

Sandwich year£1,385 for the sandwich year

Part-time£1,540 per 20 credits

International

Full-time£14,900 per year

Sandwich year£2,000 for the sandwich year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country and see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

You’ll learn in a variety of modes and settings, from lectures, industry speakers and tutorials, to practical sessions and workshops. Of course, you’ll also spend just as much time studying independently, whether at home or in our library, with the help of podcasts, e-learning materials and blogs.

Likewise, we use a range of different methods to assess your progress, including essays, reports, presentations, practical activities, debates and videos, assessed both individually and as a group.

When it’s time to train or play, you’ll have access to our excellent Sports Arena where all your coaching sessions will take place. Also the Sports Centre, which is home to the Sir Tom Finney Preston Soccer Centre (PSC), a community club with several age group teams from under sevens up to and including under 14s, as well as women’s, men’s and disabled men’s teams.

We’ll make sure you have plenty of opportunities to apply what you learned in real-world scenarios, which may include placements within industry or working with our international partners.

Throughout it all, you’ll have the support and guidance of an exceptional team of tutors and research-active staff committed to giving you the best possible learning experience.

We have forged an enviable network of connections across the football world. We not only work closely with a range of grassroots clubs in our local community, but also have strong links with professional clubs like Preston North End and Burnley FC. We even have relationships with projects and organisations internationally, paving the way for a range of exciting placement or volunteer opportunities, including the USA and China.