Curriculum

The course of study for a B.S. in Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences with an emphasis in physical education teacher education, includes a semester long internship, takes an average of 4½ years to complete, and can be completed in four years by working with your advisor, taking summer coursework and planning your courses well. Those on a 4½ year plan will complete their regular course work in year 4 and perform an internship during the following semester. With 3 additional courses you can gain a teaching minor e.g., health education teaching that will make you more marketable in the competitive job market. Graduates from this program have two career options; an undergraduate degree in Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences and teacher certification in physical education.

During your first year in the program, you will work to satisfy the University of Idaho’s core educational requirements, be introduced to some of the coursework in Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences and Physical Education.

The second year, you will begin to focus on individual and community physical activity, health enhancement, movement, skill and foundation courses and Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences courses. These courses are designed to provide an understanding of how movement affects human physiology and behavior. Upon completion of the first semester of the sophomore year, students can apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program. For your application you will need an initial interview with your academic advisor; GPA average of 2.75 or better; have completed, with a minimum of a C in the following courses: Engl 102, University of Idaho Core Mathematics Course, Comm 101 and EDCI 201 (including 20 hours of service-learning) letter of application, recommendations and completion of background check. Students seeking a minor should take classes in the summer after the second year to stay on track with the added coursework.

Your third year will broaden your scope to include understanding leadership roles as they pertain to education. After acceptance into the Teacher Education program you will begin pedagogy courses, exploring the principles of leadership, program planning and administrative functions of physical education teachers through a service learning project focusing on enhancing healthy active lifestyles within a school environment.

Your fourth year focuses on physical activity pedagogy to develop your understanding of teaching methods, instructional style and curricular models. You also will complete your Praxis exam in Physical Education and apply for an internship to complete your program in the last semester. Find out more about the student teaching internships. During your internship you will apply for your degree and certification to teach K-12 in the state of Idaho.

Coursework is delivered all online:

Provides certified teachers an opportunity to continue their education in the study of physical activity pedagogy. Students can enter fall, spring or summer semester for this one-year program. Students need to have completed certification in teaching physical education. You will take coursework in advanced physical activity pedagogy. This includes coursework in physical activity pedagogy such as curriculum and program development, health promotion, principles of behavior change, assessment of physical activity, contemporary issues in physical activity and health as well as coursework in education such as model of teaching and schools in context. In addition, students can continue coursework into a doctorate in sport pedagogy and character education.

Curriculum and Sequencing:

Summer I

• ED 574: Introduction to Qualitative Research (3 cr) OR

• ED 571: Introduction to Quantitative Research (3 cr)

• PEP 522: Pedagogy Applied to HPERD (3 cr) 

Fall

• H&S 490: Health Promotion (3 cr)

• H&S 535: Principles of Behavior Change (3 cr) 

• Elective: Chosen from Movement Sciences or Education (3 cr)

Spring

• PEP 523: Assessment in Physical Activity (3 cr)

• Elective: Chosen from Movement Sciences or Education (3 cr)

Summer II

• PEP 544: Program Development in HPERD (3 cr)

• PEP 502: Directed Study-Culminating Project (3 cr)

This option provides applicants with an undergraduate degree an opportunity to get a graduate degree plus teacher certification in physical education. 

You will take coursework in advanced physical activity pedagogy and research. In addition, you will take coursework related to certification in physical education. This includes movement, physical activity and foundation courses, and after acceptance into teacher education, you will take pedagogy courses in physical education and education, culminating in a semester-long internship Students often take additional coursework (approximately 21 cr) to attain certification in health also.

The following provides a possible program of study (students often transfer previous coursework related to the movement, physical activity and foundation courses):

Certification Coursework Only

Movement, Skill and Foundation courses (min. 4 credit related to experience)

Skill analysis courses in 1 individual sport, 1 team sport, 1 dance activity and 1 outdoor activity

• MvSc 201: Physical Activity, Wellness & Behavior Change (3 cr)

• PEP 360: Motor Development and Control (3 cr)

• PEP 380: Physical Activity Pedagogy Assessment & Research (3 cr)

• PEP 418 or 300: Ex. Physiology or Biomechanics (3 cr)

• PEP 560: Sport Psychology (3 cr) 

• H&S 288: First Aid & CPR or current certification (3 cr)

• H&S 245: Introduction to Athletic Injuries (3 cr)

Graduate and Certification Coursework

Secondary Methods in Physical Activity

• PEP 412: Elementary Methods in Physical Activity Pedagogy (3 cr)

• PEP 421: Secondary Methods in Physical Activity Pedagogy (3 cr)

• PEP 424: Adapted Methods in Physical Activity (3 cr)

• PEP 440: Curriculum & Administration in Physical Activity Pedagogy (1 cr)

• H&S 523: Health Methods (3 cr)

Education Courses

• EDCI 201: Schools in Context (3 cr) 

• EDCI 301: Advanced Educational Psychology (3 cr)

• EDCI 453: Phonics, Phonological Awareness, Fluency & Assessment (1 cr)

• EDCI 523: Reading in the Content Area (3 cr)

Advanced Pedagogy Coursework

• ED 571: Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Research (3 cr) OR 

• ED 574: Introduction to Qualitative Research (3 cr)

• PEP 502: Directed Study (3 cr)

• PEP 523: Assessment in Physical Activity (3 cr)

• PEP 544: Program Development in HPERD (3 cr)

• MVSC 570: Research in Physical Activity, Theory and Design (3 cr)
• PEP 570: Ethical Practice and Communication in Physical Activity (3 cr)

OR

• REC 575: Leadership, Programming and Marketing (3 cr)
• PEP 530: Contemporary Issues in Health and Activity (3 cr)

OR

• PEP 532: Health and Community Development in HPERD

• PEP 522: Pedagogy Applied to HPERD (3 cr)
• PEP 523: Physical Activity Assessment (3 cr)
• PEP 544: Program Development in HPERD

Students may select 6-9 credits from the following courses (or other courses outside the department), in consultation with your major professor:

• PEP 504: Special Topics (3 cr)
• PEP 518: Advanced Physiology of Exercise (3 cr)
• PEP 530: Contemporary Issues in Health Activity (3 cr)
• PEP 532: Health and Community Development (3 cr)
• PEP 560: Sport Psychology (3 cr)
• PEP 561: Motivation in Sport & Recreation (3 cr)
• PEP 563: Physical Activity, Health and Metabolic Disease (3 cr)
• PEP 593: Fitness Assessment & Prescription (3 cr)
• REC 596: Recreation and Sport Management Behavior (3 cr)
• PEP 599: Research (3 cr)

• PEP 502 Project (3 cr) and/or PEP 599 Research (3 cr) – negotiated and developed with major professor

• ED 604: Grant-Writing and External Funding (3 cr)

• ED 604: Writing for Publication (3 cr)

• ED 611: Doctoral Seminar (1 cr)

• ED 612: Doctoral Seminar (1 cr)

Students should select at least 18 credits of research design, statistics, and directed research, in consultation with their major professor and committee. 

Core (9 credits)

• ED 680: Philosophies of Research (3 cr)

• ED 574: Introduction to Qualitative Research (3 cr)

• ED 571: Introduction to Quantitative Research (3 cr)

Electives (9 credits minimum)

• ED 589: Designing and Conducting Qualitative Research (3 cr)

• ED 584: Intermediate Quantitative Analysis in Education (3 cr)

• ED 590: Qualitative Research: Writing, Critiquing, Practice, and Application (3 cr)

• ED 587: Advanced Quantitative Analysis in Education (3 cr)

• ED 685: Instrumentation Design and Survey Research (3 cr) 

OR:

• Statistical Research Certification (15 cr)

A minimum of 39 credits are required for the specialization, cognate and academic immersion areas combined.

Students must complete the 9 credits of HAL core courses from the University of Idaho in the specialization listed below. In addition, students will take elective courses as identified by the major professor and committee.

Healthy Active Lifestyles Core Courses

• PEP 530: Contemporary Issues in Health and Activity (3 cr)

• PEP 523: Physical Activity Assessment (3 cr)

• PEP 570: Ethical Practice and Communication in Physical Activity (3 cr)

Choose from the following choices:

Students should select 24 credits of theory and applied coursework that supports the area of specialization in consultation with the major professor and committee. 

Physical Activity Pedagogy  

• PEP 522: Pedagogy Applied to HPERD (3 cr)

• PEP 544: Program Development (3 cr)

• PEP 563: PA, Health and Metabolic Disease (3 cr)

Plus an additional 15 credits

Character Development

• PEP 475: Moral Reasoning (3 cr) 

• PEP 501: Neuroscience and Ethics (3 cr) 

• PEP 501: Readings in Moral Reasoning/Moral Development (3 cr) 

• PEP 501: History of Sport (3 cr)

• PEP 591: Moral Development (3 cr)

Plus an additional 9 credits

Recreation

• REC 575: Leadership, Programming and Marketing (3 cr) 

• REC 585: Policy Analysis and Historical Perspectives of Leisure (3 cr)

• REC 595: Budgeting, Financing and Managing Recreational Facilities (3 cr)

• PEP 561: Motivation in Sport and Recreation (3 cr)

Plus an additional 12 credits

May also include PEP 501, 502, 599 courses and courses from other departments.

Student immersion experiences will consist of activities for academia preparation (i.e., teaching, research, and outreach/engagement).

• PEP 604: Teaching Immersion (3 cr)

• PEP 604: Research Immersion (3 cr)

• PEP 604: Outreach/Engagement Immersion (3 cr)

• PEP 600: Dissertation (18 cr)