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Health and Physical Education

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The Health and Physical Education program offers a comprehensive curriculum that prepares students to become effective educators in a variety of settings. From teaching in schools to working in community health organizations, professionals in this field play a crucial role in shaping the physical well-being of individuals and communities.

Degrees & Offerings
  • B.S.
Department
College
Program Contact
Chair, Department of Middle-Level, Secondary, K12 Education
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Program Highlights

 

K-12 Teacher Certification: Commonwealth University's state and nationally accredited program will prepare you to become a certified health and physical education teacher for grades K-12. This track offers extensive hands-on professional development activities. These learning experiences occur in a variety of educational settings. Topics covered include:

  • Sport and Fitness Related Teaching Methods Courses
  • Health-Related Content
  • Early Hands-on Teaching Experiences

Accreditation: Commonwealth University is accredited by:

health teacher and students

Courses and Curriculum

The Health and Physical Education program will prepare you to teach grades K-12, or to work in a number of fields from coaching and aquatics, to facilitating health and wellness programs in correctional settings.

Feedback from many recent graduates prompted the department to develop this track. With a high demand for professionals in the area of health and physical education, graduates can find employment in county, state, federal, and private correctional settings. The field experience for this track is completed in a correctional setting. Topics covered include:

  • Physical Education and Sport in the Correctional Institution
  • Management and Leadership of Sport
  • Therapeutic Recreation Methods and Techniques

You may choose to either follow the aquatics track or minor in aquatics. No matter which path you choose, you’ll become an expert in the area of aquatics with the capacity to earn a number of certifications. Graduates often find jobs in health and fitness facilities, sports settings, or as aquatics program administrators. Topics covered include:

  • Teaching Lifetime Activities
  • Advanced Techniques/Coaching Swimming/Diving
  • Management of Aquatics Programs and Facilities

View the course descriptions here.

Department of Health and Physical Education Student Learning Outcomes

BS in Health and Physical Education (K-12 Teacher Certification)

  • Outcome 1: Content and Foundational Knowledge

HPE students identify and apply common and specialized content and scientific and theoretical foundations for the delivery of effective physical activity and sport-related experiences.

  • Outcome 2: Skillfulness and Health-Related Fitness

HPE Students perform skillfully in sports and physical activity and achieve health-enhancing levels of fitness.

  • Outcome 3: Planning and Implementation

HPE students apply content and foundational knowledge to plan and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences for a variety of sports and physical activities.

  • Outcome 4: Instructional Delivery and Management

HPE students engage children and youth in meaningful learning experiences through the effective use of coaching and pedagogical skills.

  • Outcome 5: Professional Responsibility

HPE students engage in behaviors essential to becoming effective professionals.  They exhibit professional ethics and culturally competent practices; seek opportunities for continued professional development; and apply knowledge of promotion/advocacy strategies for their profession.

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Exceptional Field Opportunities

Field Experiences

Health and Physical Education students complete field experiences in PK-12 schools during freshman year and are expected to engage in practical teaching experiences each semester in which they plan and implement their own lessons related to courses in which they are enrolled. Other opportunities are provided for majors to gain practical teaching experiences with PK-12 students with and without disabilities. These early clinical teaching experiences and observation opportunities in schools provide an early comfort level for students to develop and grow during their program at LHU so that they are ready to teach upon graduation.

Practicum

The Bachelor of Science in Education in Health and Physical Education at LHU provides students with a Professional Semester of blocked classes during the fall semester of senior year just prior to Student Teaching. These blocked courses include subject-specific “methods” courses related to both Health Education and Physical Education with practical field experiences with PK-12 students as well as courses focusing on curriculum, assessment, and managing students.

Student Teaching

Beginning in your sophomore year, you will participate in a variety of experiences. Over the course of four years, you will spend 60 semester hours in public schools and other career-related environments. Education majors complete two student teaching placements during their senior year. You are also encouraged to student teach abroad at any of our partner universities.

The Husky Difference

College of Distinction for Education
College of Distinction
Bloomsburg has earned national recognition as a College of Distinction for its education programs, honored for its quality and high-impact teacher preparation.
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation is one of only two nationally recognized accrediting bodies for educator preparation
Accreditation
CAEP accreditation ensures we prepare new teachers to know their subjects, their students, and have the clinical training that allows them to enter the classroom ready to teach effectively.

Careers

A career in health and physical education offers a wide range of opportunities for individuals passionate about promoting wellness and fitness.

Potential Job Opportunities

  • Physical Education Teacher
  • Health Teacher
  • Athletic Coach
  • Athletic Director
  • Fitness Instructor
  • Personal Trainer
  • Healthcare Sales
mentor

Mentorship Program

A mentorship program between first year students and current successful junior and senior health and physical education majors helps you become acclimated to the college atmosphere and to learn the ropes of the program.

gym teacher

Careers

With a degree in health and physical education, you can gain employment as a health and/or physical education teacher in a K-12 setting. But the opportunities don’t end there. Many coaching positions exist for all educational levels, including higher education. Graduates also work in the following areas: Health Clubs, Physical Activity and Recreational Programs in Correctional Facilities, YMCA, Sport Facility Programs, and Aquatics Programs and Facilities.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION CONTACTS

Bloomsburg University Employee

Brett Everhart

  • Professor/Chair, Health and Physical Education Department

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