PDA Sports Coaching SCQF level 7 and 8

Professional Development Awards (PDAs) extend or broaden professional or vocational skills and are linked to Professional Standards.

The PDAs in Sports Coaching at SCQF levels 7 and 8 have been designed to provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to work as a professional within the sports industry in a variety of contexts.

Successful learners could gain employment with local authorities, leisure trusts, sports clubs, or may become self-employed as freelance coaches. This may involve working independently or as part of a team of other professionals.

These qualifications are jointly certificated with sportscotland and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

These PDAs are available through colleges. They have been designed to be delivered as taught courses and will normally be available as a combination of workshops and self-directed study.

Assessment will be through a series of theoretical and practical assessments.

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The PDAs in Sports Coaching at SCQF levels 7 and 8 have been developed in the ideology that good coaching is about understanding your role and personal philosophy, connecting with individuals to understand their needs and help them to do something that they might struggle to do alone.

These courses provide learners with industry-recognised qualifications, and the knowledge and skills necessary to work as a professional within the sports industry in a variety of contexts.

The target audience is those in work, or seeking employment, who require a specific skill set. The PDAs are suitable for learners who wish to work as sports coaches or within a sports development role.

Entry requirements

Entry is at the discretion of the centre. Learners would benefit from having attained the skills, knowledge and understanding required by one or more of the following or equivalent qualifications and/or experience:

  • qualifications at SCQF levels 5 and 6 in appropriate subjects
  • occupationally relevant skills and experience
  • experience in sports coaching
  • for entry to the PDA at SCQF level 8, qualifications at SCQF level 7 in appropriate subjects

Assessors and verifiers must be able to meet SQA’s general requirements for technical/occupational competence as outlined in the Systems and Qualification Approval Guide.

Each individual unit specification gives detailed information on the evidence requirements and approaches to assessment for each unit.

PDA in Sports Coaching SCQF level 7

Group award code: GT92 47 (32 SCQF credit points)

PDA in Sports Coaching SCQF level 8

Group award code: GT93 48 (40 SCQF credit points) consisting of 3 mandatory units.

For further information on the structures and units of these qualifications, please refer to the group award specification.