Coaching Minor

Explore Coaching

If you live and breathe sports, SWAG��Ƶ’s Coaching minor might be the perfect addition to your studies. An interdisciplinary program in the Department of Exercise and Sports Performance, the Coaching minor incorporates courses from the Applied Exercise Science, Athletic Training, Sport Leadership and Management, and Education programs to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how to provide quality professional instruction in healthy, age-appropriate athletic experiences. Whether you want to coach at the youth, high school, college, club, or pro level, or pursue a career in other fields such as athletic training, strength and conditioning, recreational program management, or sports psychology, our minor in Coaching will help you help others to be at the top of their game.

Hockey coach speaking to the U N E hockey team during a game

A coach speaks with a field hockey player during a game

Why SWAG��Ƶ for your Coaching Minor

Our emphasis on hands-on learning combined with abundant internships available in the southern Maine region make SWAG��Ƶ a perfect choice for your coaching education. The minor takes advantage of SWAG��Ƶ’s offerings as a comprehensive health sciences university and its strong interdisciplinary connections with the Business and Education programs to provide you with a coaching education that earns top scores.

The Coaching minor at SWAG��Ƶ has opened many doors for me. The requirement of an internship led me to be a part of SWAG��Ƶ’s football program where I gained the experience and knowledge I needed to land my dream job in the NFL.” — Andrea Gosper ’19, Health Sciences major/Coaching and Nutrition double minor (Player Personnel Coordinator, Buffalo Bills)

What will you study? Coaching Minor Curriculum

Experiential Learning

Coaching isn’t done from behind a desk, so learning how to be an effective coach should get you up and out of your chair. At SWAG��Ƶ, we emphasize hands-on learning both in and out of the classroom, and the Coaching minor epitomizes our philosophy. Whether you’re engaged in classroom activities, such as learning different coaching pedagogies in the gym, or you’re getting real-world experience in the minor’s required 135-hour internship, you’ll be actively acquiring the skills you need to enhance the skills of others.

Internships

There are many internship experiences to choose from, including:

SWAG��Ƶ sports team
Local high school sports team
Biddeford Youth Hockey Association
Dudziak’s Gymnastics
Girls on the Run
XL-Basketball
Global Premier Soccer
Mainelax Lacrosse Club

Examples of Available Courses

The following are just some of the courses you may take:

Sport Youth Physiology
Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries
Sport and Exercise Psychology
Training the Endurance Athlete

Curriculum

Program Required Courses	Credits
EXS 205 – Sports Physiology or EXS 320 – Exercise Physiology**	3
EXS 312 – Foundations in Coaching	3
EXS 360 – Coaching Practicum*	3
SLM 340 – Athletic and Sport Administration*** (formerly SPT 340)	3
Total Credits	12

Select Two (2) Courses Below	Credits
ATC 101 – Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries	3
ATC 306/PSY 345 – Sport and Exercise Psychology	3
EDU 202 – Curriculum and Assessment	3
EXS 180 – Motor Learning and Performance	3
EXS 310 – Biomechanics and Kinesiology	3
EXS 315 – Training the Endurance Athlete	3
EXS 322 – Metabolism/Bioenergetics and Sport Nutrition	3
EXS 340 – Strength and Conditioning	3
SLM 250 – Sport and Recreational Finance Management (formerly SRM 350)	3
SLM 330 – Sport Governance (formerly SPT 330)	3
SLM 360 – Leadership (formerly SRM 360)	3
SPE 220 – Exceptionality in the Classroom	3
Total Credits	6

Minimum Total Required Credits	18

*Prerequisite EXS 312 and successful completion of coaching certification, CPR, and First Aid
**Prerequisite – four (4) credit Laboratory Science course
***A course substitution is allowed per permission of the Coordinator of the Coaching Minor

Students are required to earn a minimum grade of a "C" in all courses with an ATC or EXS prefix. Students are only able to retake a course one (1) time.

Students are required to pass a coaching certification and complete CPR and First Aid prior to taking the Coaching Practicum.

To learn more see the Academic Catalog.

Career Paths for Coaching Minors

If your goal is to become an athletic coach, this program puts you well on your way. In fact, you’ll graduate with the necessary qualifications, as set by the National Federation of State High School Associations, to be hired at a public school. With many coaches serving dual roles in high schools as teacher/coach, adding a minor in Coaching to your major course of study sets you apart from other job candidates. But the Coaching minor can be highly valuable in other professional roles as well. When combined with a major in another field, the transferable skills in leadership, mentoring, decision making, and problem solving that you develop in the minor will result in endless professional possibilities.