Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Beckett University, Carnegie School of Sport - Centre for Sport Coaching Funded PhD Studentships
Leeds Beckett University, Carnegie School of Sport - Centre for Sport Coaching Funded PhD Studentships
Each year the Carnegie School of Sport invites applications from individuals with a strong academic record to our funded PhD studentship programme. This is an exciting opportunity for enthusiastic individuals looking to undertake a PhD in a vibrant research environment.
The Carnegie School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University is purposefully driven by a focus on working together to make a positive difference. Our strength is the breadth and depth of our research, which is underpinned by the disciplinary experience of our colleagues and students. Pursuing an inclusive and ambitious research agenda, we cross the broad spectrum of the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Our research culture is founded upon a genuine commitment and capacity to work with others on real-world applied problems, to achieve impact beyond academia. From our leading work on talent development, coaching practice, and anti-doping, to our research in gender equality, ageing and obesity, we work to apply our knowledge to address some of the key issues facing our communities today.
We are inviting applications for projects across four of our centres and our institute. Information on the projects that are aligned with our Centre for Sport Coaching are available on this page.
Our studentships are:
- Full-time
- We fund UK fees and provide a stipend of £17,668
- Start date: October 2023
- Location: Leeds, UK
- There are four studentships available for named projects across our research centres and institute
CENTRE FOR SPORT COACHING
Centre Director: Prof. Julian North (J.North@leedsbeckett.ac.uk)
The Centre for Sport Coaching provides a focal point for the research and development of sport coaching in the UK and internationally.
The Centre is a partner of the International Council for Coaching Excellence, who are housed within the Carnegie School of Sport. We work extensively with organisations such as UEFA, the Football Association, UK Sport, Sport Scotland, and Nike, amongst many others.
The Centre has links with 39 staff affiliates, and over 80 post-graduate students, and there is extensive engagement in collaborative project working, discussion groups, and dissemination events.
The Centre for Sport Coaching three PhD projects are (see project overview section below):
- Tracking changes in coach judgement and decision making through exposure to formal coach development programmes
- Key stakeholder perspectives on coaches and coaching in adolescent community Rugby League
- Exploring effective and ethical coaching practice in competition climbing
We strongly advise potential applicants to discuss their proposals with the contact listed in the project overview section.
Encouraging applications from under-represented groups
We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive PGR community that will bring different perspectives to our work. Therefore, we welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly Black, Asian and people from other ethnically diverse backgrounds, women, LGBTQ+ and people with a disability. All appointments will be based on merit.
The deadline for applications is (midnight) 11 June 2023
View more about our Carnegie School of Sport Building and Facilities
Funding will consist of UK full tuition fees for three years and the award of a living stipend at UK Research Council rates (£17,668 per annum pro-rata into 12 monthly payments). Funding will be subject to satisfactory progress.
A laptop will be provided and the opportunity to apply for funding to support the research project.
SC1 - Tracking changes in coach judgement and decision making through exposure to formal coach development programmes
Professional judgement and decision making (PJDM) has become an established lens through which to investigate, understand, and develop coaching practice. The approach offers a pragmatic process for coaches and coach developers to consider how different personal and academic theories can support goal setting, planning, delivery and reflection. Given the established nature of the PJDM concept, an opportunity exists to consider how a coach’s everyday PJDM processes change as they go through formal professional development programmes. Such an approach would support understanding of how a coach’s cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational, processes change over time. Furthermore, why these changes occur and what the catalysts are. The research will be theory informed and use intensive/qualitative approaches.
Supervisory Team:
SC2 - Key stakeholder perspectives on coaches and coaching in adolescent community Rugby League
Rugby League is presented with a complex problem to maintain and grow participation rates whilst developing players. Within this landscape the coach is clearly very important and currently it is unclear how they perceive and articulate their role (e.g., create sport experiences, develop players, reduce injuries). This project will explore the different lenses through which coaches and coaching are perceived by the RFL, the players, and their respective parents and guardians, with a specific focus on sporting drop-out. The project will inform the development of coaching policy and systems within the RFL, and to develop coaches and coaching to respond more effectively
Supervisory Team:
SC3 - Exploring effective and ethical coaching practice in competition climbing
Sport climbing has developed from sub-culture into a mainstream Olympic sport. Olympic status brings new cultural challenges to a sport where the formalised coaching role is a relatively new development. Recent independent reviews in other Olympic sports have identified cultural problems manifested, in part, through ineffective and unethical coaching practices. As climbing develops as an Olympic sport, there is a need to explore current and emerging coaching practices within a changing cultural landscape. The work will not just seek to understand current coaching practices but also to explore and promote the development of effective, ethical, practice. The research will be theoretically driven and use qualitative methods.
Supervisory Team:
As part of your application, please provide a CV, cover letter and research proposal. The proposal should align to the above theme and include a brief literature review related to this project, with an outline of the studies that you would propose to the answer the aims of the PhD (maximum 5 pages single spaced).
We can only consider complete applications. The research degree application is complete once you have uploaded all of the following:
- Your application form (include the project reference CSS SC (plus the project number)
- Your research proposal, statement of purpose and CV on the Research Proposal Template
- Copies of your bachelors and master certificates, including transcripts
- Copy of your IELTS (or equivalent) certificate (if applicable) further information can be found on our Graduate School FAQs
- Copy of your passport
Email the documentation above to researchadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
The deadline for applications is midnight on 11 June 2023
Candidates must be available for interview on 26, 27, and 28 July 2023
For candidates outside the UK. Please ensure that you contact our colleagues in Research Admissions prior to starting your application. They will go through the requirements that will need to be undertaken for you to study in the UK. Research Admissions can be contacted on researchadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Who to contact
-
To discuss your application and project proposal please contact the named contacts listed in the Project Overview Section
-
For questions on the application process please contact researchadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
For candidates outside the UK. Please ensure that you contact our colleagues in Research Admissions prior to starting your application. They will go through the requirements that will need to be undertaken for you to study in the UK. Research Admissions can be contacted on researchadmissions@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
