1. DEMONSTRATE AN IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE, CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING AND APPRAISAL OF RESEARCH APPROACHES AND METHODS. (Analysis, Knowledge & Understanding, Problem Solving, Learning)

2. DEMONSTRATE AN IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE AND CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF A SELECTED AREA IN FOOTBALL COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT. (SG 7, 9) (Analysis, Knowledge & Understanding, Problem Solving)

3. PLAN, ORGANISE, AND DELIVER A SELECTED PROJECT WITHIN FOOTBALL COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT WITH A CRITICALLY REFLECTIVE APPROACH (SG 1, 2, 3, 6, 10) (Enquiry, Problem Solving)

4. APPLY AN IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE AND CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING TO AN APPROPRIATE AREA IN FOOTBALL COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO EVALUATE AND REFLECT ON THIS PROCESS ALONG WITH OUTLINING THE LINKS FOR WORK READINESS. (SG 3, 9, 10) (Application, Enquiry, Learning, Problem Solving)

5. EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THE SELECTED AREA IN BOTH WRITTEN AND ORAL FORMATS ADOPTING A CRITICAL APPROACH. (SG 4, 9, 10) (Analysis, Application, Communication)

This flexible module enables students to choose an award relevant topic and type of assignment which is best suited to their current areas of interest and career aspirations.

Students may choose to conduct a research project where they identify a topic for research, design and conduct an appropriate study, analyse and interpret data they have collected and write and submit a report in line with the Sport and Exercise format for dissertations.
Alternatively, students may conduct a piece of work based on an identified need in Football Coaching and Development. This need may emerge as a consequence of voluntary work experience or links with local employers within the field of study related to the award being undertaken. Examples of work in this area might include the production of web resources, guidelines for best practice, evaluation of local government sport policy, audit of coaching practice in a local football club etc. etc.

Aligned with this dissertation/project students will also have to produce a project proposal (including ethical approval and risk assessment when appropriate), which will outline the main background, methods, and evaluation strategies. The proposal will be approved by a ethics panel and students will comment upon the ethical aspects within their proposal.

Finally, based upon their dissertation/project and final year study, work or volunteering experiences students will produce a viva in which they outline how the current module (and other modules and experiences in their final year) have supported their transferable skills and readiness for the world of work in the context of the core elements of the `Staffordshire Graduate'.

Students will be required to complete 4 pieces of summative assessment: This module has four assessments.

1. A research methods appraisal presentation lasting 10 minutes, outlining approaches and methods for research in sport. The presentation assesses LO1. Weighted at 10% of the overall module.
2. A 1000 word report and is worth 10% of the module grade. The assessment will be dissertation/project proposal including ethical approval, costings and risk assessment applications (where appropriate) outlining the proposed programme of work. This will assess LO's 2 and 3. Weighted at 10% of the overall module
3. A 7000 word dissertation or project in a format agreed with the supervisor. The dissertation assess LO's 2, 3, 4 and 5. Any resources developed as part of the module (e.g., web resources, guidelines for best practice) will be submitted as part of the assignment and will contribute to the word count, in line with S&E guidelines. Weighted at 70% of the overall module
4. A 10 minute Viva interview reflecting upon the dissertation and Staffordshire Graduate attributes. Worth 10% of the overall mark to assess LO 5.

Formative feedback will be provided throughout the module by students seeking guidance from supervisors. Seminars will provide the opportunity for practice presentations and Viva’s where formative feedback will occur.

Students will participate in a combination of lectures, labs and independent learning activities designed and delivered through Moodle to explore the relevant concepts.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (90 hours)
45 hours of lectures covering central content of the module.
39 hours of workshops.
6 hours of meetings with supervisor (approximately 15 minutes per week)

Guided Independent Study: (360 hours)
related to the module assignments:

(1) 15 hours reviewing lecture and seminar topics
(2) 30 hours background reading of textbooks and journal articles relating to lecture and seminar topics
(3) 65 hours reading of textbooks and journal articles relating to your research topic
(4) 10 hours preparation for the assessment 1 presentation.
(5) 15 hours preparation for the assessment 2 proposal.
(6) 60 hours preparing for your collection, organizing and analyzing your data.
(7) 25 hours for data collection
(8)140 hours preparing your assessment 3 report

Bell J (2005). Doing your research project. London: Open University Press.

Magdalinski, T. (2013). Study skills for sports studies. London: Routledge.

Gratton, C. and Jones, S. (2009) Research methods for sport studies. London: Routledge.

Smith, A. And Waddington, I. (2013). Doing small world research in sports studies. London: Routledge.

Barker, J. B., McCarthy, P. J., Jones, M. V., & Moran, A. (2011). Single-case research methods in sport and exercise psychology. New York: Routledge.

Field, A. (2005). Discovering statistics using SPSS (2nd ed.). London: Sage.

Pitney, W. A. & Parker, J. (2009). Qualitative research in physical activity and the health professions. Leeds: Human Kinetics.

Appropriately and adequately equipped lecture theatre
Appropriately and adequately equipped sport and exercise laboratory
Appropriately and adequately equipped IT room
Appropriately and adequately stocked library facilities
Internet access sufficient to Moodle

Access to identified web based resources in support of educational blogs and video logs