Derby College Group Cycling Academy – Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE)

The DCG Cycling Academy – DiSE – is available to all cyclists looking to improve their competitive edge in their chosen discipline. The programme enables riders to work on their race craft and physical attributes while studying academic qualifications to enhance their career prospects.  

The College is one of only five in the country to deliver the British Cycling endorsed Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) qualification. Riders will benefit from the expertise of highly qualified and respected coaches and can maintain their existing links to club coaches and training.  Training sessions and race schedules are carried out alongside your main programme of study. Your race calendar will be discussed with your coaches to determine your training load across the season. 

The Academy welcomes applicants from road and track cycling but riders specialising in cyclo-cross, bmx, mountain biking, cycle speedway etc are all welcome to enhance their performance in these disciplines. Riders wishing to start the DiSE programme will need to formally express their interest through the British Cycling website. 

Introducing the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) (britishcycling.org.uk)

A link to the expression of interest form is found here~ https://forms.office.com/e/K8MyGBCsxM

Applications are welcomed from individuals who regularly participate in cycling and who show a desire and willingness to develop their sporting performance.

To qualify to study DiSE you must register your interest through the British Cycling website or contact us directly to secure a place. Please note- places are limited across the country so don’t hesitate in registering your interest. DiSE is an additional qualification worth 64 UCAS points that is taken alongside full-time study. Therefore students can study any programme of their choice based on their career aspirations.

Academy cyclists will need to have their own British Cycling Race licence, or be prepared to obtain one in order to gain entry points for specific races. Preferably you should be part of an existing club set-up.

Riders can choose to study any full-time courses at the College. Please see the specific course details for your preferred qualification. As an example: entry to the Level 3 Extended Certificate in Sports Coaching and Development or Sport and Exercise Science requires candidates to have a minimum of five GCSEs at grades 9-4 (A*-C) including English and Maths. Students will not be eligible to study DiSE if they are not on a two-year Level 3 course.

Riders wishing to complete DiSE but not study with Derby College Group will need to be approved by British Cycling and SGS. Contact us to discuss this.

You will study on a full-time programme of your choice. Students who study DiSE will complete focused sessions around technical, tactical and physical improvement, and further their understanding in terms of:  

• Injury prevention
• Psychological skills
• Nutrition
• Lifestyle
• Career planning
• Financial planning
• Communication and media
• Anti-doping (100%ME)
• Health and safety
• Culture, values and behaviours

DiSE is a two-year programme which will add an additional 64 UCAS points to your full study programme outcome.

For academic course information, please see your chosen course information web pages for further guidance.

You will be studying a full-time programme based at one of Derby College Group’s sites.

DiSE will be a mix of face-to-face coaching, education and training accompanied by remote reflective sessions and professional discussions with your tutors.

Please refer to your chosen course details for specific details regarding this as some courses may require specific PPE or specialist equipment. 

You will be expected to use your own equipment – bikes/rollers/turbos etc. 

All learners are recommended to have a tablet or laptop device to aid them with their studies.

There may be additional costs incurred for selected trips or overseas training camps. In previous years DiSE riders have attended training camps in Tenerife.

A stable Internet connection and suitable environment in which to study, train and progress is important for any remote aspects of the academy.

The DiSE programme is a two-year course which uses a combination of workbooks, professional discussions, performance data and reflective practice.

School leavers are eligible for three years of funded education at DCG. Therefore students may wish to continue to a third year of study at DCG following the completion of DiSE.

DiSE is worth 64 UCAS points.

On successful completion of the course, students may wish to progress to higher education at DCG or seek employment. Links with our local universities may see you selected for their cycling performance team alongside higher level study.

For more information, contact Derby College Group on 0800 0280289 or enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk