Advanced Diplomas
Build your coaching education experiences to reach the highest levels of coaching with the United Soccer Coaches Advanced courses. When you complete these courses you will have earned a diploma that is respected industry-wide and enhances your coaching resume. These include the National, Advanced National, and Premier. In addition, United Soccer Coaches has university partners who offer a Master Coach diploma and Master’s Degree in Soccer Coaching.
*United Soccer Coaches Advanced Education is a benefit of membership with the association. If you are not a current member, a one-year membership fee ($125) will be added onto your course registration. If you have any questions, please contact the Member Services Team at membership@unitedsoccercoaches.org.
National
The overall objective of the National Diploma is to acquaint the coach with the technical and tactical needs of soccer players and provide an organized and progressive methodology of coaching those needs. Basic technical and tactical knowledge is the central theme of the course in a 7v7 model. The course includes sessions on the teaching process, psychological skills training and Laws of the Game.
Time Commitment: 40 hours of directed learning, 1 hour field assessment
Testing: Yes
Prerequisites: None. United Soccer Coaches 11v11/ Pre National Diploma or the U.S. Soccer ‘E’ License are recommended.
Advanced National
The Advanced National Diploma emphasis is on training those players within a team concept designed to produce a successful environment. The 9v9 model is the main focus. The curriculum includes team organization and training, advanced methodology, analysis and understanding systems of play, a focus on tactics within thirds of the field, technical position overviews, match analysis, and the psychological aspect of coaching.
Time Commitment: 40 hours of directed learning, 1 hour field assessment
Testing: Yes
Prerequisites: National Diploma, U.S. Soccer ‘D’ or ‘C’ License
Premier
The Premier Diploma is top technical award of United Soccer Coaches education. The course content includes a thorough examination of different systems of play, including: technical and tactical implications; 11v11 topics, including coaching in the game, phase play and shadow play; nutrition; sportsmanship/ethics; and a leadership component including team management, personal development and the coach’s role in game development in his/her community.
Time Commitment: 40 hours of directed learning, 1 hour field assessment
Testing: Yes
Prerequisites: Advanced National Diploma, U.S. Soccer ‘B’ or ‘A’ License
Director of Coaching
The Director of Coaching Diploma is a 21-hour course designed to address the issues confronting the Director of an American club. The curriculum has been created in cooperation with US Club Soccer. It examines the technical, conceptual, leadership and administrative skills of future and current Directors of Coaching for youth soccer clubs for the purpose of developing the American soccer player. This is accomplished through a curriculum rich in application and theory and will focus on organizational structure, methods of coaching, leadership theory, evaluation and development of coaches and players and fiscal, legal and moral responsibility. Candidates will understand each of the individual units of the club as well as the interrelationship of those parts to achieve the specific goals and objectives of a youth soccer club.
Time Commitment: 21 hours
Testing: No
Prerequisites: None. Recommended National Diploma or U.S. Soccer D License
Coach Developer Diploma
Designed to enable the club DOC to support the on-going professional development of coaches to deliver excellent coaching practice.
This 3-day workshop adopts a blended approach, mixing on-line, classroom and field-based learning.
Attendees will explore the concept and practice of coach learning. They will deliver elements of the United Soccer Coaches small-sided games curriculum and receive feedback on the effectiveness of their facilitation skills. They will learn how to create professional development plans and use mentoring to provide supported practice in the field.
By the end of this program attendees will be able to deliver United Soccer Coaches small-sided games courses within their club.
All attendees who have completed the pre-course requirements and workshop will receive the United Soccer Coaches Coach Developer Diploma.
Time Commitment: 18 Hours
Testing: No
Prerequisites: United Soccer Coaches Director of Coaching, Advanced National or Premier Diploma, U.S. Soccer B or A License or UEFA B License
College Coach Diploma
This course is designed to provide an insight with the ongoing duties and responsibilities of being a college soccer coach.
This 2-3 day course adopts a blended approach of classroom and field-based learning. This course is geared for those who aspire to be a college soccer coach or provide those currently coaching at that level with continuing education.
Attendees will explore the concept, process, and practice of coaching at the collegiate level. Past and/or present college coaches will deliver elements, skills, and demands of being a college coach. They will learn how to look at the recruiting process, team, player, and game management skills related to the college game.
They will also learn from current college student-athletes the demands they feel placed on them. Every course will also attempt to offer coaches an opportunity to watch a college game and receive insight from the respective coaches they will be watching.
All attendees who have completed the course will receive the United Soccer Coaches College Coach Diploma.
Time Commitment: 14-18 Hours
Testing: No
Prerequisites: National, Advanced National or Premier Diploma, U.S. Soccer D, C, B or A License or UEFA B License
National Youth Diploma
The overall objective of the National Youth Diploma is to support the coach in the understanding and implementation of developmentally appropriate training protocols. Particular attention is paid to players 11 and under, considering the physical, cognitive and social demands of the game in each child’s context. The course includes sessions in the classroom and on the field with peers and age appropriate children.
Testing: Yes
Prerequisites: None. United Soccer Coaches National Diploma or the U.S. Soccer ‘D’ License are suggested.
Age Requirement: Must be at least 18 years old to attend.
Master Coach
The Master Coach Diploma / Certificate, created in collaboration with the University of Delaware, builds upon the 150 hours of field and classroom learning contained in the United Soccer Coaches National, Advanced National, and Premier Diploma courses. All coaches in the program will have the opportunity to learn and grow in fields such as sports psychology, leadership, team and organizational management, use of technology and nutrition Furthermore, candidates will also receive nine continuing education credits from the University of Delaware.
Time Commitment: 8 months
Testing: Yes
Prerequisites: Applicants for the Master Coach must be current United Soccer Coaches members and are expected to have passed the Premier Diploma with a grade of “Good Pass” or higher. The committee may consider applicants who have earned a grade of “Pass” in the Premier Diploma on the basis of contributions to the wider soccer community, a distinguished track record, or completion of other specialized United Soccer Coaches courses such as the Director of Coaching Diploma, High School Coaches Diploma or Youth/Advanced Youth Diploma.
Master's Degree in Soccer Coaching
The Coaching Education Program in the Patton College of Education at Ohio University and United Soccer Coaches offer an online master’s degree in soccer coaching. It is the only sport specific graduate program in the United States. The program faculty are accepting applications for spring, summer, and fall admission dates. The master’s degree is 30 semester hours in length and can be completed in five semesters and summer sessions. There are two 5-day residency courses and nine soccer-specific courses delivered in an online learning platform and instructed by a world-class faculty. The curriculum is designed to accommodate the busy schedule of students who have family, work and coaching responsibilities. Students register for two courses per semester/summer session and take one course at a time. Everyone participates in program opening and ending face-to-face residencies either at the United Soccer Coaches Convention (January) or the Athens campus of Ohio University (June).
Time Commitment: 20 months (5 semesters/summer sessions)
Testing: Yes
Prerequisites: A prospective student must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission to the Recreation and Sport Pedagogy Graduate Program in Soccer Coaching:
- Earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Must meet the Ohio University equivalency standard
- A minimum of three years of soccer coaching experience.
- A minimum of a United Soccer Coaches 11v11 Coaching Diploma, United Soccer Coaches National Youth Diploma, U.S. Soccer “D” license or equivalent.
- A minimum overall undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale on the last 60 semester hours.
- A $50 nonrefundable application fee applies.
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