Welcome to your Sport Coaching course

As you begin your MSc Sport Coaching journey, the first few weeks are all about helping you settle in and build confidence with the tools and systems you’ll be using throughout your studies. During this time, you’ll be introduced to our Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard Ultra), Microsoft Teams, and other key platforms such as our mentoring systems and library services. You’ll also gain a clear understanding of academic processes, including assessments and university regulations.

 

To ease you into postgraduate study, we keep the initial workload light on mandatory reading, allowing you time to get comfortable and organised.

Before your first module officially begins, you’ll complete our Sport and Science Online Orientation Course, which is a structured induction that will guide you through the essentials of online learning at University of Staffordshire. You’ll receive an invitation via either your personal or student Outlook email closer to the start of term with instructions on how to access and complete the orientation course.

The orientation course takes around six hours and is self-paced, so you can complete it in smaller, manageable sessions. It includes a mixture of reading and interactive tasks, covering:

• How to navigate Blackboard Ultra and access online learning materials
• Introduction to academic and library support
• Meet your staff and course contacts
• Understanding support services available to you as an online learner

A key task during orientation is installing SPSS, the statistical analysis software used later in your studies. It’s available for free through the University’s Software Centre, and we recommend getting it set up early to avoid delays during your Advanced Research Methods and Data Analysis module; which is the second module that you will study.

Keep an eye on your student email in the coming weeks for your invitation to the orientation course. It's designed to give you the best possible start and help you feel fully prepared for what’s ahead, we hope you find it both useful and engaging!

As a distance learning student, you may not be joining us on campus, but you're very much part of the University of Staffordshire family. We’re committed to helping you feel supported, connected, and confident as you begin your postgraduate journey.

To help you settle in and make the most of your time with us, we encourage you to visit our Welcome Website, which will be your central hub for everything related to starting university life. Here you’ll find helpful information about meeting new people, building your academic skills, accessing support, and getting involved in the wider university community.

You can also explore what’s available to you as a new student by visiting www.staffs.ac.uk. This includes details on:

• The Students’ Union and how to join
• Societies, academic groups, and sports activities
• Volunteering opportunities and peer representation
• Online resources and tools to support your learning

The university have a fantastic Welcome Week programme, including both university-wide and course events to help you get started. And if you’re looking for more ways to engage, keep an eye out for additional activities running throughout the first half of the autumn term!

No matter where you’re joining us from, we want you to feel part of something bigger: connected, confident, and ready to thrive.