Holistic Sports Coaching Education (CERT)

Graduate Certificate in Holistic Sports Coaching Education
Unit:  College of Education and Human Development
Department:  Health & Sport Sciences
Academic Plan Code(s): HSCECGRO

Program Information

This program is completed 100% online.

This 100% online, one-year (15-credit hour) certificate prepares coaches to lead with purpose, enhance athlete wellbeing, and elevate the sport experience through an interdisciplinary and research-based approach.

The program is structured around the National Standards for Sport Coaches (NSSC), third edition, developed by SHAPE America and aligned with the United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE). These national standards are built on the latest scientific research and define seven core responsibilities of effective coaching, including:

• Setting vision, goals, and standards for the program
• ​Engaging in and supporting ethical practice
• Building relationships
• Creating a safe sport environment
• Creating a positive and inclusive sport environment
• Conducting practices and preparing for competition
• Striving for continuous improvement

The program also incorporates competencies from the International Sport Coaching Framework (ICCE), preparing coaches to meet the demands of increasingly complex and diverse sport environments.

Students will gain applied knowledge in areas such as pedagogy, motor learning, sport science, injury prevention, ethical leadership, long-term athlete development, and inclusive coaching strategies.

By the end of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Design and lead athlete-centered environments across all sport levels
• ​Apply professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge in daily practice
• Create physically and emotionally safe, inclusive learning climates
• Implement evidence-based coaching practices to improve performance and wellbeing

This certificate is ideal for professionals working in youth, high school, collegiate, or elite sport who aim to lead with integrity, foster athlete growth, and contribute to the professionalization of coaching.

Admission Requirements

Students will need to meet the following requirements to apply to the graduate certificate. 

1. A completed graduate application for the Graduate School
2. Application fee
3. A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
4. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.00 scale); Applicants with a GPA between 2.5 - 2.74 will be conditionally admitted and must achieve a 2.75 GPA to remain in good standing.
5. An updated resume or CV (Curriculum Vitae)
6. A one-page personal statement written by the applicant that is a clear, substantive description of the applicant's goals in relation to sport coaching
7. Two letters of recommendation related to the applicant's work in sport coaching
8. International students whose primary language is not English must show English language proficiency. Applicants must either submit an official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo score, or demonstrate a degree award from an acceptable English language institution. The successful applicant will typically have a total TOEFL score of 80 or higher, an overall IELTS score of 6.5 or Duolingo score of 105.

NOTE:  International students who have earned a degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. are not required to complete the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo.

Students can enroll in a Graduate Certificate program either as a non-degree seeking student or as a student simultaneously enrolled in a graduate degree program and this graduate certificate program. Students who wish to earn a graduate degree must meet all admission criteria for the degree program.

All students enrolled in a graduate certificate program are expected to make steady and satisfactory progress toward the completion of the certificate. Students who are not enrolled for a period of more than 12 months will be considered to have withdrawn from the certificate program. Students who seek to return after such a period of time must contact the graduate program director.

Program Requirements

Graduation Requirements

Students must achieve a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average and be in satisfactory standing to be awarded a certificate.
Graduate certificate students must take all certificate course-work at the University of Louisville. No transfer credits will be accepted toward this graduate certificate.