BCU Level 4 Programme Recruitment
The BCU are inviting coaches who may be interested in completing the BCU Level 4 Coach Programme starting in May 2015, to get in touch!
The BCU Level 4 award aims to develop/validate coaching expertise and to develop coaches who would then be in a position to influence the development of the sport going forward.
The learning programme and assessment are based over a two-year cycle (May 2015 – May 2017). The course is made up of a series of distance learning modules, residential 2-day blocks, with integrated delivery and mentoring support from academic and BCU Tutors. Residential weekends will be held at venues around the UK. A variety of assessment methods will be used to establish both the coaches knowledge and the ability to apply this in their coaching practice. Candidates who successfully complete all these aspects will achieve a Postgraduate Diploma and a BCU Level 4 Award. An early exit option to Postgraduate Certificate, and the option to continue to an M.Sc. are also integrated. The qualification is being delivered in partnership with Stirling University; the University of Stirling have established expertise in both Coaching Science and in supporting students from all over the world via distance learning.
The May 2015 intake will be the third BCU Level 4 course to run. The first pilot course started in May 2013 and the second has just started. We are also currently going through the UKCC endorsement process in order for candidates to receive the maximum value from their investment. Developments to date suggest this should be in place for the 2015 cohort.
Applications
We will open applications for the May 2015 intake this Autumn.
Each application will be selected on its individual merit; although candidates are expected to evidence expertise at the forefront of their specialism. Applicants should have a relevant coaching qualification and significant experience coaching in their specialist setting. We expect the course to appeal to a wide range of coaching specialists across the range of disciplines.
There are no formal academic entry requirements; support will be available for all coaches to develop the academic skills required.
It is estimated that candidate costs will be in the region of £7,500 for the programme, made through several payments during the course of the programme. This includes costs to Stirling, the residential blocks, BCU tutor costs, individual mentoring, and a contribution towards administration. The exact price will be confirmed prior to applications being opened. Many candidates on the current pilot programmes have managed to access funding from a variety of sources to help with the costs of the programme.
For those who wish to seek bursaries, grants or loans these two links provide a good starting point:
https://www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study
http://www.stir.ac.uk/scholarships/
If you are interested in finding out more about the programme please contact your Home Nation Association. Your interest will be noted, and further information sent as soon as possible.
We intend to have course information and the application pack ready by September 2014. With the closing date for applications at the start of January 2015. Successful applicants will be required to accept their place, and make the first payment by April 2015.
A note of caution: the programme is subject to a continuous process of review and is still in its early days of development. The BCU reserves its right to change the contents of the programme or parts of the programme, to discontinue the programme, and to cancel the programme in the event of low enrolment.
