BA Honours Physical Education, Sport and Youth Development

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

St Marys University Twickenham

Program Overview

This degree integrates physical education, sport coaching, youth development, and applied practice, giving you the skills to support young people through sport and education. It’s ideal if you’re interested in PE teaching, youth work, community sport development, or coaching in school and club environments.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year introduces the core foundations of the degree through modules such as Holistic Development of the Young Person 1, Learning in Context, Introduction to Teaching and Coaching Games, Introduction to Creativity and Individual Activities, Introduction to Equality and Diversity in PE and Sport, and Health and Wellbeing. You learn how young people grow physically, socially and emotionally, while also beginning practical teaching and coaching activities. This year builds your confidence in understanding learner needs and preparing safe, enjoyable activity environments.

Year 2

In your second year, you deepen your knowledge of sport pedagogy, youth development and applied coaching. You continue to build subject knowledge across areas such as sport science, leadership and sport sociology, while taking part in applied practice or placements. These experiences help you apply theory to real settings, whether that’s a school, youth centre, or sports club, allowing you to develop your own coaching and teaching style.

Year 3

Your final year focuses on advanced practice, leadership and professional development. You undertake a major research project or applied study and explore specialist areas such as policy, youth engagement, or advanced coaching. With extended applied experience, you refine your teaching, coaching and reflective skills—preparing you for roles in education, youth development, or for progressing into teacher training.

Focus areas

Youth development, inclusive and adapted physical education, sport coaching pedagogy, community sport engagement, applied practice in schools and clubs, holistic development of young people.

Learning outcomes

You will graduate able to plan and deliver high-quality PE and sport sessions, support children and young people in inclusive environments, critically understand sport policy and youth development, and take on coaching, youth leadership or further training such as a PGCE in Physical Education.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The course includes placements with a wide network of schools, youth organisations and sports clubs, providing strong professional experience. Students who meet the requirements are also offered a pathway to interview for the PGCE Secondary Physical Education programme, making this an excellent route into PE teaching.

Reputation (employability rankings)

St Mary’s University is well respected for its sport and education degrees, known for excellent practical training, strong student satisfaction and high graduate employability. Many graduates move into teaching, sports coaching, youth development, and community sport roles.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Studying BA (Hons) Physical Education, Sport and Youth Development at St Mary’s University gives you a hands-on, practice-centred learning experience from day one. The programme blends physical education, sport pedagogy, coaching, and youth-development studies, allowing you to build real professional skills through applied teaching, coaching sessions, and community-based work. You’ll work closely with experienced lecturers who specialise in PE, coaching, adapted sport, sociology of sport, and youth wellbeing. The university’s long-standing partnerships with local schools, sports clubs and youth organisations provide plenty of opportunities to learn in authentic settings.

Here’s how experiential learning is central to your degree:

Experiential Learning (placements, coaching practice, and applied sport environments):

Work placements in schools, community sport projects, local clubs and youth organisations, giving you real exposure to teaching, coaching and youth-development practice.
Practical sessions in schools and sport settings where you deliver and analyse PE lessons, coaching activities and youth programmes, helping you build confidence in leading groups.
Option to take a full placement year, adding a dedicated year of industry experience to your degree and boosting employability.
Small-group practical workshops that model PE teaching, sport coaching, inclusive sport delivery, and youth-engagement strategies.
Close mentorship from academic staff and placement supervisors, who guide your practical development and help you refine your coaching and teaching style.
Clear progression pathway into postgraduate teacher training (such as PGCE Secondary PE) for students who want to move into teaching after graduation.
Research training and a final-year project where you explore an applied topic in PE, coaching, sport development or youth development.

Programme Structure and Sample Modules:

You will study modules such as:

Holistic Development of the Young Person
Introduction to Teaching and Coaching Games
Introduction to Creativity and Individual Activities
Equality and Diversity in PE and Sport
Health and Wellbeing
Learning in Context
Research Project or Dissertation (final year)
Advanced modules in youth development, sport pedagogy, talent development and applied coaching

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the BA (Hons) Physical Education, Sport and Youth Development are prepared to work across school, community, and sport-development environments. The programme combines coaching, youth development, and physical education, giving you broad flexibility in the sector. Typical career paths include: Sports Coach, Youth Development Officer, Sport Development Coordinator, and Physical Education Support or Assistant Teacher. National graduate outcome data shows high rates of graduates securing employment or further study within 15 months, with many progressing into skilled roles in education and sport settings.

You’ll benefit from a programme that blends academic study with hands-on practical experience:

Career & employability support — St Mary’s provides strong careers guidance through its Careers and Employability Service, alongside structured placement support via its Centre for Workplace Learning. This includes one-to-one career guidance, employer networking events, and opportunities to build your professional portfolio.
School and community placements — The degree includes professional placements in schools and applied coaching or sport-development environments. St Mary’s has a long-standing network of partner schools and sport organisations, providing access to real-world experience across London and surrounding regions.
Applied, practical learning — The curriculum covers coaching pedagogy, inclusive PE, disability sport, sociology of sport, youth development, and the role of sport within communities. You’ll actively lead coaching sessions, support physical education delivery in schools, and gain experience in youth-engagement projects.
Strong graduate outcomes & salary prospects — Early-career graduates typically earn in the mid-£20,000s, with most employed or in further study within a short period after graduation. Many secure roles in schools, local authorities, sport foundations, or youth development charities.
Reputation for teaching & support — Students consistently rate the quality of teaching, support from academic staff, and access to placement experiences highly. The programme is known for developing confident practitioners who are ready to support young people through sport, physical activity, and education.
Long-term professional value — The blend of PE, coaching, and youth development knowledge provides strong foundations for careers in teaching, community leadership, or performance coaching, with opportunities for progression into leadership roles over time.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BA (Hons) Physical Education, Sport and Youth Development, many students continue into PGCE teacher training (particularly in Secondary PE) to qualify as teachers. Others progress into Master’s degrees in Sport Coaching, Sport Development, Youth and Community Work, Education Leadership, or Applied Sport Research. Those interested in advanced academic study may choose an MRes or PhD, leading to roles in research, policy development, or higher-education teaching.