Outdoor Leadership

We're holding online Q&A sessions with Outdoor lecturers on Facebook throughout the summer. Check the schedule for the next session.

Why study with us?

We equip you with the practical skills and academic knowledge that an outdoor leader needs. This includes technical, practical skills and transferable skills. You will learn theoretical and practical approaches to leadership, such as good communication, team working, liaison skills, self-awareness and flexible strategies. The course helps you become more self-motivated and confident, so you can use your skills effectively on the course and later on in your career. Find out more.

Where will this course take place?

If you enrol with us in September 2012, you will have the opportunity to spend time at both our Penrith and Ambleside campuses. Each campus offers individual and distinctive advantages, providing easy access to the English Lake District with its unique geography. These exceptional locations in effect become your classroom.

From September 2013, all Outdoor Leadership students will be based in Ambleside.

What can this course lead to?

The course not only equips you to follow a career in the outdoor industry, it also helps you gain a transferable set of skills required by most employers. You might become a centre or freelance outdoor activities instructor, or work in related areas such as field studies, youth work, development training, outdoor retail outlets, public services, armed forces or management positions.

Alternatively you may seek a graduate level position or join a graduate training scheme with a blue chip company or similar organisation. You may, like other graduates, decide to go on to higher degrees or postgraduate teaching qualifications at the primary secondary or tertiary level. Resources and facilities The University of Cumbria is an ideal location to study Outdoor Leadership. It offers easy access to several mountain areas (Lake District, Pennines, Howgills, Galloway Hills) and associated crags, lakes, caves and rivers. It also has good motorway access to mountainous areas further afield in Scotland, Snowdonia and the Peak District. The university offers a wealth of resources in equipment and staffing expertise.

The University of Cumbria has many specialised practical resources such as an indoor climbing centre, a high ropes course and a yurt camp. It houses the Centre for Outdoor Management Education and Training (COMET), which is used by outdoor activity businesses and professional organisations e.g. the Cumbria branch of the John Muir Award and the Cumbrian branch of the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure allowing you to network, attend specialised seminars and gain additional experience. The Institute of Outdoor Learning is also based near to Carlisle and has strong links with the University of Cumbria and its staff. Entry requirements

260 UCAS tariff points

Find out more about qualification options from the UCAS tariff table.

Please check selection criteria for any additional requirements.

Credit and UCAS requirements UCAS code: NX23 UCAS points: 260 Selection criteria Due to our excellent reputation in the field of Outdoor Studies, we receive a high volume of applications for this course. Consequently, applicants may be interviewed by one of our tutors as part of the admissions process. Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

Full-time students

Home

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £9,960.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

International scholarship

If you are studying a full-time bachelor's degree (excluding teacher training and NHS-funded courses) or a top-up degree, you may be eligible for an international scholarship. The university has nine scholarships available. Find out more on our scholarships page.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

Part-time students

Home

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year. For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

Additional contact information Visit www.cumbria.ac.uk/outdoorstudies
Name: Jonathan Lynch, Course Leader
Email: jonathan.lynch@cumbria.ac.uk
UCAS Link

Visit UCAS

Modules

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course (PDF).

Course summary

The practical modules include activities such as climbing, walking, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, caving, mountain biking, winter skills, bushcraft, high ropes, gorge walking and environmental education. There are enhancement modules designed to provide extra opportunities to experience higher-level skills and overseas environments. These may include climbing in Red Rocks Park and Joshua Tree National Park, USA; kayaking in the Alps or Pyrénées; or subaqua PADI training in Egypt or similar.

The University of Cumbria and their specialist freelance staff also provide National Governing Body Award training and assessment courses to further supplement the qualifications students can gain. The outdoor students are a very enthusiastic and friendly group and run student outdoor clubs e.g. the Mountain Activities Club, the Caving Club and the Paddling Club, that add further to your outdoor practical experience. Case studies "The course helped me to identify techniques which we can take from teaching in the outdoors to my everyday work life. Leadership and team work go hand in hand and I have found that ensuring a balance creates a great working environment. Most importantly I have taken away from the course friends for life. We still meet up, share experiences which helps renew the motivation the course instilled in us."

"The BA in Outdoor Leadership set me up to feel confident about making full use of the outdoors as an environment to work in. It also left me with a much heightened awareness of management practice and team leadership. Something that has served me well, both in work and racing."

"I have really enjoyed my outdoor course at the University of Cumbria because of all the experiences that I wouldn't have had otherwise. Without trying new things, such as mountain biking and caving as part of my course I wouldn't be the person that I am now."

"The practical module gives every student the opportunity to develop personal skills, to broaden their knowledge, experience and properly prepare to work in the outdoors."

"A challenging time both academically and additionally in obtaining professional qualifications. Success in both areas has been rewarded by improving my professional portfolio and my personal confidence."