BTEC Level 3 Extended National Diploma in Sport (Development, Coaching and Fitness)

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma

The BTEC Extended National Diploma is designed to allow students the opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of a range of concepts that underpin and inform the world of sport with a particular focus on coaching and fitness. This knowledge can then be used to enter the health and fitness or sports coaching industries or provide a solid base to further study on a related higher education course.

Entry requirements

5 GCSEs A*-C including Maths or English.  Alternatively students who wish to study this course will require a merit grade or higher in the BTEC level 2 first diploma in sport. It is an advantage but not essential to have studied and gained a C grade or above in GCSE Physical Education.

What will I study

  • Principles of anatomy and physiology in sport: The aim of this unit is to explore the structure and function of the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems and also to learn the fundamentals of the energy systems.
  • The physiology of fitness: This unit provides an opportunity for learners to explore the body’s response to acute exercise and how the body adapts to long-term exercise participation.
  • Assessing risk in sport: The aim of this unit is to make the learner explicitly aware of the vital nature of risk assessment and its management within the sports industry.
  • Fitness training and programming: The aim of this unit is for learners to be able to plan fitness training sessions and design fitness training programmes.
  • Sports coaching: The aim of this unit is to develop a learners understanding and knowledge of the roles, responsibilities, skills and techniques of a sports coach and how to apply them whilst coaching and/or leading sports sessions.
  • Sports development: The aim of this unit is to provide the learner with an overview of the principles of sports development, the key agencies involved and to provide practical examples of current practice.
  • Fitness testing for sports and exercise: The aim of this unit is to enable learners to gain an understanding of fitness testing and the importance of health screening and health monitoring tests.
  • Sports nutrition: The aim of this unit is to provide a broad understanding of the importance of nutrition and hydration to a variety of sports participants.
  • Leadership in sport: The aim of this unit is to examine the characteristics of effective sport or exercise leadership and to give learners the opportunity to demonstrate own planning and delivery of a sport or exercise session.
  • Psychology for sports performance: The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ understanding of the psychological dimensions of sport and develop techniques to improve sporting performance.
  • Sports injuries: The aim of this unit is to provide learners with an overview of injury prevention, identification and basic treatment. The unit also explores differing rehabilitatory interventions for common sports injuries.
  • Sport and exercise massage: The aim of this unit is to provide learners with an understanding of the theory and practice of sport and exercise massage techniques.
  • Work experience in sport: The aim of this unit is to provide learners with the skills needed to undertake a work experience placement in the sports industry. 
  • Laboratory and experimental methods in sport and exercise: The aim of this unit is to enable learners to explore standard procedures in kinanthropometry and to increase familiarity with laboratory and experimental methods.
  • Sport as a business: This unit will enable learners to explore aspects of business in sport and enable them to conduct and use market research.
  • Profiling sports performance: This unit enables the learner to explore the role and function of performance profiling in sport and the application of profiling to the design, monitoring and evaluation of a sports performance action plan.
  • Rules regulations and officiating in sport: The aim of this unit is to enable learners to apply rules and regulations and to officiate in a selected sport.
  • Organising sports events: This unit will enable learners to plan, deliver and review a sports event.

And either

  • Practical team sports: The aim of this unit is to enable learners to explore the skills, techniques, tactics and rules of team sports through practical participation.

Or

  • Practical individual sports: The aim of this unit is to enable learners to explore the skills, techniques, tactics and rules of individual sports through active participation.

Which subjects complement this

Students may also wish to study A level PE, Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry or Psychology. However a whole range of subjects could be studied successfully alongside this BTEC course.

Assessment

The Extended National Diploma course combines academic units and practical experiences. Students will be guided and supported by experienced staff and a range of activities and sports related qualifications will enhance the course.

Progression

After successfully completing the course you will be able to progress onto a higher education course in a related subject such as a BSc Sport & Exercise Science or to pursue a career in the health and fitness industry or sports coaching field.