Now, a two-year course for students to learn how to ride waves

London, Feb 26 (ANI): Just imagine-a school on the beach that awards degrees. Well, that's what a new surf course is offering students who love riding the waves.

Costing a good 100,000 pounds, the course will require students to spend much of their "study" time on the beach and to go on numerous residential trips to top surfing locations like Cornwall, Devon and possibly abroad.

And after completing the two-year course, the students will be awarded a BTEC National Certificate in Sport, equivalent to two A Levels.

The training, described by critics as a "Mickey Mouse" course that will be a waste of time and money, will cost 4,012 pounds per student.

The Surf Academy will open in September at the Bournemouth and Poole College in Dorset and will coincide with the completion of Europe's first artificial surf reef in Boscombe, Bournemouth.

Two tutors, who would supervise the course, will help students hone their surfing technique under the guidance of experts.

They will also take theory lessons in sports science, contest tactics, coaching and other aspects of the surf industry.

"The managers looked at the new surf reef which is to be built in Bournemouth, and realised they could capitalise on it," The Telegraph quoted Gary Hart, who will be teaching the course, as saying.

He added: "Surfing is a growing industry and there are a lot of opportunities out there. Students could go on to be surfing instructors, work in retail or go onto higher education - there are surf science courses at universities like Plymouth."

The taxpayer will be funding the further education course via the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).The course will provide students with a chance to obtain a beach lifeguard and an instructor's qualification.

Terry Crump, 30, chairman of Wessex Surf Club and four times south coast champion, will be teaching the practical part of the course.

Crump said: "I think the course is a brilliant idea. Surfing is a growing industry and it's always good to see youngsters getting enthusiastic about it. You have to be at a certain level to be able to teach, so for a beginner this course would be ideal." (ANI)