Physical education bachelor's degree
programs are typically offered through a college or university's teaching or
education department. Students learn developmentally appropriate physical
activities that can improve the quality of life of their students. P.E.
bachelor's programs generally include a student teaching experience.
Program
Coursework
Most bachelor's degree programs in
physical education instruct students in the areas of student diversity and
growth, classroom management, motivation, instruction and assessment. Students
also complete general education requirements. Core courses might include the
following:
- Exercise psychology
- Motor skills development
- Anatomy and physiology
- Physically adapted activities
- Nutrition
- Kinesiology
- Injury prevention and first aid
- Psychomotor skills
- Physical education teaching methods
- Physical education organization and administration
Employment
Outlook and Salary Info
Job prospects for elementary, middle
and high school teachers in general were expected to grow by approximately 13%
in the decade 2008-2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS); however, the BLS also noted that physical education was among teaching
specialties with an adequate number of teachers. In July 2010, physical
education teachers made an average of $48,000.
The BLS also reported that coaching
and athletic scouting positions were expected to increase by 25% from 2008-2018
as schools expanded their athletic programs. Coaches and scouts earned a median
annual salary of $28,380 in May 2009, according to the BLS.
Positions for fitness workers,
including trainers and aerobics instructors, also were forecast to have strong
growth, increasing by 29% in the period spanning 2008-2018. The BLS reported a
medial annual salary of $30,670 for this occupational division in May 2009.
Continuing
Education
In addition to earning a bachelor's
degree, aspiring physical education teachers will need to acquire their state
licensure. Requirements vary by state, but typically include graduation from an
accredited university, work experience in a school setting and passage of a
basic competency exam, as well as a Praxis test specific to physical education.
Most states require teachers to
amass a certain number of continuing education hours to renew their licensure,
and some require teachers to complete a graduate program within a set number of
years to be eligible for tenure. Master's programs in physical education help
teachers advance their instructional skills while keeping current in P.E.
curricula. Most offer areas of concentration, such as teaching, athletic
administration, sports psychology or adaptive physical education.
Ph.D. programs are typically
available through kinesiology programs, which generally offer specializations
in areas of adaptive physical education, applied biomechanics, exercise
physiology or sports medicine. Ph.D. graduates often find work as researchers
or clinicians.
Careers in Physical Education.
Your Bachelor of Physical Education
degree offers many career options:
- teacher (you’ll need an additional degree in education for this career option – see the BPE/BEd combined degree program),
- fitness instructor,
- community recreation programmer,
- fitness consultant,
- coach,
- administrator,
- athlete,
- cardiac rehabilitation specialist,
- exercise physiologist,
- personal fitness trainer,
- performance enhancement consultant,
- director of community sports, or
- organizer of provincial, national, or international sporting events.
As a physical educator you may be
hired by a variety of organisations, including:
- government agencies,
- public health agencies,
- hospitals,
- rehabilitation units / programs,
- school boards,
- private health and wellness clubs,
- fitness facilities,
- disease-specific agencies,
- provincial or national sports teams,
- schools (you will need an additional degree in education to be hired in a school setting as a physical education teacher – see the BPE/BEd combined degree program).
