Coordinator: Denny Scruton
Location: Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
Program Description
The program of study in Health/Physical Education consists of four curricular components: freshman seminar and general education, the content courses, the professional studies core, content pedagogy (methods and internship), and academic concentration. Upon successful completion of the program and related requirements, graduates are eligible for a Standard Professional I license to teach in the State of North Carolina. The NC Department of Public Instruction issues the teaching license based on University recommendation.
The Health/Physical Education program is one of 12 teacher education programs offered at UNCP. Health/Physical Education majors are subject to Teacher Education Program regulations, admission requirements, continuation requirements, and graduation requirements.
The Health/Physical Education program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the NC State Board of Education.
Program Standards
The Teacher Education Program standards for all education majors are described fully in the UNCP Teacher Education Program Teacher Candidate Handbook.
Program Goals and Objectives
The goal of the Health/Physical Education program is to enable the prospective physical educator to acquire knowledge of the processes underlying wellness, fitness, health, exercise, and recreation in relationship to educating the physical, mental, and social human. More specifically, the student will
- learn teaching strategies, curriculum planning, evaluation approaches, and research methods;
- learn how to meet the individual learning needs of diverse learners, typical or atypical;
- learn how to adapt the physical education program to the academic, social, and physical developmental needs of diverse K-12 learners;
- learn the professional literature and how to research that literature;
- develop affiliations with various professional communities at the local, state, and/or national levels;
- learn how to select and evaluate curricular materials, select appropriate instructional methods, and use equipment appropriate for different levels and types of physical education instruction.