Certificate in Sports, Recreation and Exercise QQI Level 5 (5M5146) – 1 Year

Pre-University Sports Science introduces students to the broad and expanding area of Sport and Exercise Science. This challenging course provides students with the skills, knowledge and qualifications necessary to continue into higher education as well as lay the foundations for employment in the fitness and leisure industry. It is important for prospective students to know that it is a theory-based course with some elements of practical, mainly preparing students for progression to university.

Course Content

• Sport and Recreation Studies
• Exercise and Fitness
• Sports Anatomy and Physiology
• Kinesiology
• Sport Psychology
• Nutrition
• Body Massage and Figure Analysis
• Communications
• Work Experience

Additional Training

• ITEC Massage
• Cardiac First Responder Training (CFR)
• Disability Awareness Training – Irish Wheelchair Association
• Team Building Workshops
• QQI Level 5 Maths for those wishing to apply to UK and Northern Ireland universities

Entry Requirements

• Leaving Certificate – pass all subjects
• A science subject is desirable but not mandatory. An O4 in Maths is required for those who wish to study in the UK or Northern Ireland but is not mandatory for further study in Ireland
• LCA – Distinction grade
• Mature students are welcome to apply
• Students whose first language is not English will need to complete an English language assessment after applying

Certification

Certificate in Sports, Recreation and Exercise QQI Level 5 (5M5146)

Career Opportunities

Students may progress to a several sport or science related Level 8 degrees across Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK.

Students may use this QQI level 5 to pursue careers in various roles such as PE teaching, physiotherapy, sports rehabilitation, massage therapy, strength and conditioning, sports coaching, sports officers and many different roles within the sports, leisure and fitness industry.

Work Placement links

We have excellent links with Exwell Medical. This is an established community-based chronic illness rehabilitation programme with a patient-centred ethos. Our students are working with these patients as part of their exercise rehabilitation programme.

College Links

Irish Universities

TUD – BSc Sport Science (Tallaght campus), BSc Sport and Leisure Management (Grangegorman Campus), BSc Sport Coaching and Management (Blanchardstown campus)

DKIT – BSc Sport, Exercise and Enterprise, BSc Health and Physical Activity

SETU – BSc Sports Rehabilitation & Exercise Therapy, BSc Strength & Conditioning (Carlow Campus), BSc Sport & Exercise Sciences (Carlow Campus), BSc Exercise Sciences (Waterford Campus), BA Sports Management and Coaching Soccer/Rugby/GAA (Carlow Campus)

UCC – BEd Physical Education and Sport Studies

Northern Ireland and the UK

Ulster University 

Access to a number of excellent degree programmes in the different Ulster University campuses. To gain access to these courses students must apply through UCAS. Some degree courses require interview.

Belfast Campus

• BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences
• BSc Sport Studies

Derry Campus

• BSc Physiotherapy (3 years)

To gain entry to this course students must initially complete the interview process with Ulster University, along with 4 Distinctions and 4 Merits on our QQI course and have a minimum O4 in Leaving Certificate Math (or QQI L5 Maths).

University of Sunderland

On full completion of our course students can apply through UCAS to several degree courses in University of Sunderland.

To gain entry to the below two courses, students must pass all modules on our QQI course and have a minimum O4 in Leaving Certificate Maths. They will also accept QQI L5 Maths (Pass)

• Direct entry into 2^nd year of BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences
• Direct entry into 2^nd year BSc Sports Coaching and Physical Education

To gain entry to these two course students must initially complete the interview process with University of Sunderland, then pass all modules on QQI course and have a minimum O4 in Leaving Certificate Math.

• Entry to BSc Physiotherapy
• Entry to BSc Sport and Rehabilitation Therapy

Duration

1 Year

Course Charges

Year 1: €50

Applicants in receipt of a Social Welfare payment will keep their payment whilst studying on the course under the Back to Education Allowance scheme.

Testimonials

Karylle Cabreza
Course studied: Pre University Sport Science in Colaiste Dhulaigh, now in Sports Rehabilitation and Athletic Therapy at SETU Carlow.

What I enjoyed: I enjoyed the atmosphere that our tutor Fergal created in our class. He made learning about the human body much easier than what I’m going through in uni. I liked that the class was a good size, it made learning easier and a bit more interactive, and having the practical side of the lectures than theory alone helped me understand the content better. I enjoyed both Rebecca and Sarah’s classes as well, as they were also interactive. I liked the little class trips we took for our report in one of Rebecca’s classes. The second semester was my favourite because in Rebecca’s class we got to do the module Exercise and Fitness which was more physical than the other modules. We learned the key skills to be a good coach/instructor, methods of exercise and got to do different forms of physical activity/exercise and also took turns to teach each other, and since all of us in the class got pretty close already it was just more enjoyable and less nerve-racking.

Best modules studies: My favourite modules from the course would be Injury Prevention and the Exercise and Fitness module. Injury Prevention made me excited to get into third level and it prepared me for what I am doing right now, and it is just an interesting module overall and was more hands-on than Kinesiology which was more theory-based but coincided with Injury Prevention too. Exercise and Fitness was a fun class overall, it did get a lot of the class to talk and interact more with each other while also learning the different methods of training and getting a workout in for the day.

How the course benefitted me and college life: I enjoyed doing the plc course, it gave me the basics of what I am doing in SETU Carlow now. If I haven’t had done it, I honestly think I would have felt lost a little bit, even though I did biology and LCPE, which also did help, going through the plc course did boost a lot of confidence in myself in my current modules right now, as we just got straight into it. And since I know the basics from doing Pre- University Sports Science modules, I can apply it to my current ones as it is the same thing x1000, and it did give me a taste of what the course is like in third level. It is a good transition from secondary school, as it is definitely different from a PLC to third level. Everything is just given and briefly explained, a lot to take into my own hands, while in Colaiste Dhulaigh, the lecturers made sure we understood and that you can easily go to them for more questions if needed. Going into Colaiste Dhulaigh was the best decision I’ve made; I feel confident in myself that this is the course I want to be doing for the next 4 years.