Information for:

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Major in Health and Physical Education (B.S.Ed.)

The Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education qualifies a student to seek certification in health and physical education in elementary, middle and secondary school in Georgia.

Mission Statement

The mission of the physical education teacher education (PETE) program at The University of Georgia is to prepare teachers who possess curricular and pedagogical content knowledge that will enable them to teach individuals to be physically active for a lifetime. By integrating research and teaching from a variety of fields (exercise science, dance, health, educational foundations, cooperative learning, and multicultural education), the program seeks to develop distinctive teachers to fulfill society's needs. The program considers pre-service teachers' acquisition of fitness, exercise, and sport skills, management and discipline strategies, instructional styles, and understanding and practicing of diversity to be critical to their success in the nation's public schools. We measure success through the attraction and graduation of exemplary pre-service teachers who are able to create relevant learning environments for a diverse collection of students and who are capable of being lifelong learners at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Furthermore, our renowned faculty members publish their research in a variety of scholarly journals, present at conferences within and outside the United States, and are committed to maintaining the program's reputation nationally and internationally.

Program Policy on Undergraduate Teacher Certification Program

The Health and Physical Education major at the University of Georgia is a certification only program. This means that all students who begin the major will not have the option to graduate with a degree in Health and Physical Education without being certified to teach in the state of Georgia.

Specifically, this means that all students must meet programmatic and state mandated requirements for completing the major and becoming certified. If a student fails to meet any of these requirements, he/she will not be given another option to graduate. The only options are to continue to work and meet the mandates or change majors. The Physical Education program faculty are committed to preparing students for teaching in schools. The major is clearly described and communicated in terms of expectations, requirements, and state mandates. Students who choose this major do so with informed consent. Failure of any student to not read, inquire about, or understand the guidelines and policies of the major is not the responsibility of the Department. The Department has made all information regarding the standards accessible through printed material, a mandatory majors meeting held each fall, and the advisement process.

Expectations of Transfer Students:

Students transferring at the junior level should have completed areas A, B, C, D, E, and F in the 60 semester hour UGA Core Curriculum. Strongly recommended courses for Area B are DANC 3070 and HPRB 1710. Other recommendations are: CHFD 2950-2950L, SOCI 3740, SOCI 3860, FDNS 2100, KINS 2100, KINS 2100L, HPRB 3750. Recommended courses for Area C (Humanities/Fine Arts) are SPAN 1001 and PHIL 1000. Recommended courses for Area D (Science, Math, and Technology) are CHEM 1110-111OL and BIOL 1103-1103L. Recommended courses for Area E (Social Sciences) are HIST 2111 or 2112 and POLS 1101. Area F (major-related courses) should include the equivalent of CBIO 2200-2200L, CBIO 2210-2210L, EPSY 2130, EFND 2110 and EPSY/EDCU EDUC 2120.

Entrance Criteria:

Only 30 students will be selected each year to become health and physical education majors. The minimum requirements for applying to the program are as follows:

a. 2.5 overall GPA
b. Completion of an essay (no more than three pages) addressing interest in becoming a physical education teacher, purpose of schooling, experiences influencing the applicants thinking about physical education, and experience working with children/adolescents.
c. Six hours from Area C (Foreign Language - Spanish recommended) must be completed. with a grade of "C" or better.
d. Area F must be completed or in process and include the following courses: CBIO 2210/L, 2200/L, EPSY 2130, EFND 2110, & EPSY/EDUCDCU 2120 with a grade of "C" or better.
e. The GACE Basic Skills Assessment must be passed or exempted because of SAT/ACT/GRE test scores.

All of the requirements above must be met or in progress in order to apply for admission into the program.

Selection Criteria:

In the case that more than 30 students meet the minimal requirements, the faculty will select the top 30 applicants by using the following criteria:

a. GPA in major-related courses [EPSY 2130, EFND 2110, EPSY/EDUC 2120] (50% of total score/50 points possible)

b. Essay (50% of total score/50 points possible)

Program Requirements: 60 semester hours

The major comprises 10 hours of health education courses and 50 hours of Kinesiology four seven hours of exercise science courses. Students who complete these requirements may seek certification to teach health and physical education, grades P-12, in Georgia.

Students are required to demonstrate eight sport competencies including dance, swimming, and outdoor activities.

Students are required to have current certification for First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) prior to their student teacher experience.

The GACE content and pedagogy assessments are required for teacher certification; therefore, it should be completed prior to or during student teaching.

Career Opportunities:

The State of Georgia requires that physical education be taught in the elementary schools and one unit is required in the secondary schools. Therefore, the demand for certified teachers in health and physical education will remain viable.

Scholarships:

The Coach Mike Castronis Scholarship, the Clifford Lewis Scholarship, and the Mary Ella Soule Scholarship are given annually to upper division students in the major in addition to scholarship opportunities in the College of Education..

For additional information concerning the major in Health and Physical Education, contact:

Priscilla Carter, Academic Advisor
Department of Kinesiology
304 Ramsey Center University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-6554
(706) 542-4437 or 4378
pcarter@uga.edu