DISC in Universities & Higher Education
Enhance Student Success, LEadership, and Collaboration
Discover the practical applications of Behavioral Assessments for classrooms, programs, and campus leadership.
Discover the benefits of DISC in Higher Education
Benefits for Students
Build self-awareness and personal insight
Students gain a clear understanding of their behavioral strengths, motivators, communication preferences, and areas for development, skills essential for leadership and employability in the sport industry.
Develop applied leadership skills
DISC enables students to translate leadership theory into practice by applying behavioral insights to team leadership, decision-making, and professional environments.
Strengthen teamwork and conflict resolution
Students learn how to collaborate across diverse behavioral styles, manage tension constructively, and contribute more effectively to group and organizational outcomes.
Benefits for Faculty
Enhance teaching effectiveness and course design
DISC allows educators to tailor content delivery, assignments, and feedback to accommodate diverse learning and behavioral styles within the classroom.
Increase student engagement and participation
By giving students a shared language to discuss behavior and leadership, DISC promotes deeper reflection, discussion, and active participation.
Improve group work and peer feedback outcomes
Faculty can structure teams more intentionally and support clearer communication, collaboration, and accountability across group-based assessments.
Benefits for Administrators and Program Leaders
Develop leadership pipelines within sport programs
DISC supports long-term leadership development across sport management, coaching, and athlete development pathways.
Foster a high-performance academic culture
By aligning behavioral understanding across academic and athletic departments, institutions can strengthen communication, collaboration, and performance outcomes.
Differentiate your program with an industry-aligned framework
Sport-specific DISC profiling positions your program as forward-thinking, applied, and aligned with real-world sport and leadership expectations.
Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders in Sport
Athlete Assessments’ Academic Partnership Program supports university programs in Sport Management, Coaching, Leadership, Health Sciences, and Sport Psychology by embedding DISC seamlessly into existing curriculum.
Faculty and program leaders receive full implementation support, including assessment administration, teaching resources, and applied learning tools, allowing DISC to enhance leadership development, experiential learning, and student success initiatives without increasing academic workload.
Dr. Sarah Lopez
Teaching Professor and Program Director of Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership, University of Washington
Director of Student-Athlete Leadership Development, University of Michigan
The service and expertise provided by Athlete Assessments makes our annual investment for each cohort of students an easy decision… It is enhancing their experience and better preparing them for future roles as leaders in athletics.
Applications of DISC in the classroom
DISC profiling is widely applied across sport, health, and performance-based academic programs to strengthen student self-awareness, communication, leadership, and teamwork skills.
Academic Disciplines Using DISC
- Sport Management
- Sport Leadership & Athletic Administration
- Coaching
- Exercise and Sport Science
- Health and Human Performance
- Sport Psychology and Communication
This broad adoption reflects DISC’s flexibility across both theoretical learning and applied, experiential education models.
Practical Classroom Applications
- Building student self-awareness using individual DISC profile reports
- Personalising career readiness and professional development conversations
- Structuring group projects using complementary behavioral profiles
- Designing leadership simulations and coaching labs
- Facilitating peer-to-peer communication and feedback exercises
- Supporting reflection tasks and personal development assignments
These applications help students translate behavioral insights into real-world leadership and teamwork capability.
Becky Burleigh
Head Coach, Soccer, NCAA Division I National Championship Coach, University of Florida
Head Coach, Soccer, NCAA Division I National Championship Coach, University of Florida
Using DISC for Student Professional and Leadership Development
DISC Profiling provides a structured, evidence-informed framework for developing the professional and leadership capabilities universities expect of graduates entering the sport industry and related performance environments.
Career Readiness and Graduate Employability
According to the NACE 2025 Job Outlook, employers are looking for graduates who can:
- Communicate Effectively
- Work well in teams
- Solve problems
- Demonstrate initiative
- Lead others
- Adapt to different situations
How DISC Supports Employability Outcomes
Athlete Assessments’ DISC-based Academic Program directly supports the development of these competencies, with a specific focus on sport, coaching, and performance-driven environments, where interpersonal effectiveness is critical to success.
How DISC Supports Employability Outcomes
DISC helps students to:
Understand and articulate their strengths
Ideal for resumes, cover letters, interviews, and professional conversations.Navigate conflict and build professional relationships
Students learn how to adapt communication styles and manage interpersonal challenges constructively.Lead with emotional intelligence and behavioral flexibility
DISC supports situational leadership and adaptive decision-making.Apply people-skills in real-world settings
Including internships, coaching placements, practicum experiences, and team leadership roles.
DISC is an ideal framework to underpin students’ leadership development.
Students can use their DISC Profile to:
- Understand their leadership style
- Build motivational strategies tailored to others
- Navigate difficult conversations and lead through conflict
Read about how DISC is used in Student Leadership Development below.
KEY TOPICS COVERED
Faculty & Staff Adoption of DISC
Designed to support faculty and create lasting impact
- Improve faculty-student communication and mentoring
- Foster team building among academic and coaching staff
- Use DISC to inform curriculum design and teaching strategies
- Apply DISC insights in faculty leadership or coaching development workshops
We handle the setup and ongoing support so you can focus on teaching.
Our flexible, tiered per-student pricing ensures accessibility for programs of all sizes, with integration arrangements tailored to the school’s needs. Whether students purchase directly, via the bookstore, or subsidised by the program, our team are confident in aligning with any internal policies.
DISC Implementation in Higher Education Programs
We handle the setup and ongoing support
so you can focus on teaching.
Take a look below at the step by step integration.
1
Syllabus Review & Planning
We review your course structure and align DISC activities accordingly.
2
Student Access & Setup
We handle onboarding, assessment distribution, and tracking.
3
Choose between a guest lecture (via video conference, live or pre-recorded) or the DISC Card Game for engagement.
In-Class Delivery Options
4
Ongoing Faculty and Student Support
Access instructional guides, online dashboards, assignment integration, and development tools.
5
Platform & Reporting
Your institution receives a co-branded assessment platform, real-time access, and optional group summary reports.
Benefits of the University Academic Partnership Program:
Develop the vital 'people skills' in your students that will help them stand out in the competitive employment market post-graduation.
Enjoy how easy it is. We provide full support and everything you need to ensure seamless integration into your class program.
Benefit from a tailored approach. For much less than the cost of a textbook, your students receive their personalized Sports ManagerDISC, CoachDISC, or AthleteDISC Profile Report. The comprehensive learning guide, with a series of videos that reference each section, is also included.
Share the lectern with a four-time Olympian and experienced consultant, CEO of Athlete Assessments, or another expert consultant, who present the core material for you as a guest lecturer.
Embrace technology that your students will love with the online assessment, resources, and guest lecture.
Access relevant and meaningful classroom exercises and projects which further enhance your students' learning and experience through the topic-relevant Online Learning Dashboards.
Utilized by a range of Faculties and Programs
Athletic Leadership
Business
Coaching
Kinesiology
Hospitality, Sport, & Tourism
Sport Administration
Sport Business
Sport Management
Sport Marketing
Sport Psychology
Athletic Administration
Coaching Techniques
Coaching Theory and Principles
Foundations/Principles of Coaching
Introduction to Sport Management
Managing People in Sport Organizations
Managing RST Organizations
Organizational Behavior
Pre-internship Seminar
Psychology of Coaching
Psychosocial Factors in Kinesiology
Seminar in Sport Administration
Sport Administration
Sport and Leisure Management
Sport and Organizational Leadership
Sport Coaching Pedagogy
Sport Psychology
Sports Issues
Sports Law and Ethics
Sports Marketing
Getting Started with DISC
DISC in Theory
Putting DISC into Action
Career Planning and Preparation
Coaching and People Skills
Coaching Philosophy
Communication Skills
Critical Conversations
Developing Self-awareness
Employment Skills
Interview Skills
Leadership in Sport
Presentation Skills
Sport Management
Team Dynamics & Group Work
Working with Teams
Working with Others
Working with your Team
Athlete Assessments'
Academic Partnership Program
has everything you need!
Students each complete an Athlete Assessments DISC Profile, specifically tailored to sport.
ONLINE CLASS PLATFORM
Class-specific online platform includes video series, activities, and various learning resources.
STUDENT LEARNING GUIDE
200+ page DISC in Sport Student Learning Guide to support further learning.
GUEST LECTURE OR DISC CARD GAME PACK
Classes with more than 25 students benefit from a tailored Guest Lecture (via video conference) by one of our experienced consultants, or can choose to receive a DISC Card Game Pack.
ADMIN SUPPORT
All administration and ongoing support is provided by our team, including a dedicated client manager and program director.
We will always respond within 48hours. Fields with Asterisks (*) require completion. We respect your privacy. Your details will not be used in any way other than a quick call or email to see how we can be of assistance with your online requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DISC Profiling?
DISC is a behavioral assessment that helps individuals understand their preferred style of communication, decision-making, and working with others.
How can DISC benefit students in university?
It builds self-awareness, enhances teamwork, supports leadership growth, and helps students articulate their strengths, key to improving employability.
How do professors use DISC in class?
DISC is incorporated into group projects, leadership modules, communication workshops, and reflective assignments.
Is there evidence supporting DISC in education?
Yes. Universities globally have adopted DISC to support leadership development, enhance student engagement, and improve learning outcomes.
GET IN TOUCH
Get in touch to learn more or request a demo for your class.
All fields require completion to submit.*
We respect your privacy. Your details will not be used in any way other than a quick call or email to see how we can be of assistance to your online enquiry. For more information, see our privacy policy.
How to Utilise AI in your Teaching
Students will try to use AI anyway, so why not provide a controlled environment for them to do so. The DISC AI Coach provides tailored behavioral explanations for use in the classroom, assignments, and learning environments. Enhancing the value and application of DISC by getting more out of the report and providing students and professors with access to an additional resource to build on their learning.
