Get students moving toward health and wholeness with a Physical Education degree
You love to get moving! You want to instill that love for health and fitness in others. The physical education degree at SWU prepares you to teach students of various ages about the human body; information concerning attitudes, feelings and relationships; and understanding of what physical skills the body is able to perform.
Education that benefits the whole person
As a physical education major, you will learn about and apply scientific and theoretical concepts critical to the development of physically educated individuals. You will plan and implement learning experiences appropriate for various ages as aligned with local, state and national standards to address the diverse needs of all students. You'll also learn effective communication, teaching skills and strategies to enhance student engagement and learning, and you will learn to utilize assessments and reflection to foster student learning and to inform instructional decisions. Our curriculum is taught from a moral foundation based on biblical values, thus benefitting the whole person.
Is the physical education degree right for you?
If you have a passion for promoting health and well-being, play or enjoy sports, understand the importance of interpersonal skills for team management, and are a physically educated individual, this might be the major for you! This program can also prepare you for teacher certification recognized by the state of South Carolina.
Students who have a passion for teaching children in an elementary through high school setting in a public or private setting would choose this route. The major prepares teacher candidates to instruct from kindergarten through secondary levels of public-school physical education and is recognized by the National Association of Sports and Physical Education and the South Carolina Department of Education. Upon completion of the courses and the successful passing of state licensure tests, candidates will be eligible for employment in the schools. Topics include curriculum planning and assessment, learning major and minor sports that are taught in physical education settings, dance, gymnastics, as well as ethics in modern day sport and the classroom.
This concentration is designed for the candidate who doesn't wish to teach in the school setting but rather wishes to work in a gym training the older population. An in-depth look into the aging body, how we age, and what happens to the body as we age are examples of topics covered. Several recreation courses are also included in this concentration to expose students to leadership and management in a recreation type setting.
Students wishing to coach should add this concentration because it will allow them a more in-depth look into adolescent psychology, management and leadership, and allow them an opportunity to get hands-on experience through an internship with a local coach. Coaching in a public school setting usually requires a teacher certification so that option should be explored as well.
"The experiences with my professors and field experiences throughout the program gave me great insight into what it takes to be a successful teacher. SWU laid a great foundation and gave me a great starting place."
Aaron Plummer, Class of 2012
Career Preparation
This program opens the door to many career possibilities including:
- Physical Education Teachers
- Coaches
- Recreation staff
Graduate Schools
Our graduates from this program have been accepted into graduate schools including:
- Clemson University
- Furman University
- University of Georgia
- University of South Carolina
