Diploma in Sport and Exercise

This NQF level 6 Learning course is a three year course accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). The qualification it achieves is registered on the Higher Education Qualifications Sub Framework.

This three year Diploma in Sport and Exercise qualifies you to work in the field of sport performance analysis, working as a Sport Conditioning Coach who can register with the register of Exercise Professionals South Africa (REPSSA). Or you can work as a sport-specific coach, coaching participants or emerging athletes. On meeting the professional designation criteria for the South African Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (SASCOC) coaching framework and their Coaching Association of South Africa (CASA), you can register as a Coach, working with athletes, teams or sport participants who want to enhance their personal sport performance.

The scientifically based course will appeal to students who would like to study exercise science and learn how to apply it to sport conditioning or sport coaching. Students learn how to apply the principles of exercise science to professional practice, combining performance analysis, coaching techniques and sport conditioning into a single vocation. Such a graduate is widely recognised as essential to alleviating the skills demand in schools, clubs and within local communities (Vision 2030. SRSA 2012c. National Sport and Recreation).
The focus of the diploma is to ensure sound knowledge of the science and theory of sport conditioning, sport coaching and sport performance analysis, while displaying sufficient communication skills and the practical and reflexive competence needed for their profession.

Coaching Science 1: theories of learning and movement development: areas include science of motor learning and development, the development of sporting skill, conducting sessions learning behaviour.

Exercise Science 1: fundamentals of human movement (anatomy) and functioning (physiology and nutrition): structure and nature of the body, including specific muscle attachments, actions and nerve innervations. How various systems interrelate, and how this is affected by nutrition.

Sport Management 1: how to manage a business, plan a tour or run a sports club ensures the profitability and sustainability within a profession. This module introduces management, budgetary and financial aspects of running a coaching or training business.
Sport & Fitness Studies 1: the South African socio-political sporting context; including history and politics of sport and recreation, the role of physical activity and exercise in today’s society; what can be done to improve the current status of sport and fitness.
Performance Analysis 1: the process of performance development and analysis; mechanical principles associated with correct movement; how these principles lead to improved performance.

Health & Safety 1: protecting health and welfare in work; moral, legal and financial reasons why health and safety are important factors in the workplace and in professional practice.

In your second year you will complete five modules:
Coaching Science 2: practical building blocks for identifying, planning and coaching a new skill to an athlete a team; international standards and tests that are used to test and evaluate athletes.

Exercise Science 2: The physiology of the body in its relation to physical activity; response and adaptation to regular training; effects of rest or injury; environmental conditions as well as nutrition and how the physiological requirements of exercise and physical activity differ when placed under changing conditions.

Training Methods and Programme Design 1: unique training methods in a sporting environment: techniques and equipment in a sporting context; theory and how to practically apply such to sport methods; training methods and applying to coaching, using and demonstrating relevant exercise techniques and methods.

Performance Analysis 2: assessment, testing and programme prescription of the sporting population; how to prescribe appropriate training programmes; determining sport performance and how this can be evaluated through physical or technical means.
Health & Safety 2: medical aspects related to sport performance and participation; common injuries and illness in the exercising population; avoidance, prevention and containment; an interdisciplinary approach to managing athletes.

In your third year you will complete the following two modules, with a capstone project:
Coaching Science 3: drawing together all the knowledge gained on coaching up to this point, students will be able to analyse information within the context of a coaching framework, allowing them to plan interventions that are coaching specific and talk to tactical changes, game play changes or a change in execution of specific `plays’ within a game. In addition, students will gain the experience of coaching a team for a season, making use of sporting analytics to influence their decision making.

Performance Analysis 3: Integrating the knowledge gained up to this point, students will be able to analyse information within the context of a sports conditioning framework, enabling them to plan interventions that are sport specific and which influence the physiological conditioning of the athlete. Game plays are analysed to identify underling physical parameters, changes in tactics, performance or repetitions within a conditioning framework. Students are required to use their knowledge and compile an exercise programme to improve a specific game situation.

The minimum requirement for admission to this diploma is the National Senior Certificate (NSC), moderate achievement (40-49%) or NS (V) with minimum of 40% in English. Please refer to our admission policy for specific details on recommended subjects

Bloemfontein
Cape Town
Durban
Johannesburg
Pretoria

Senior Sport Coach
Sport Conditioning Coach
Sport Performance Analyst