BS Major in Physical Education

The physical education and sport studies department prepares students for careers in physical education, coaching, and recreation with a broadly based, value centered liberal arts curriculum. The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physical education leads to Kansas secondary teacher licensure, while the major in physical performance and sport studies does not lead to licensure.

B.S., Major in Physical Education

Important note: This major addresses physical education; it leads to Kansas K - 12 teacher licensure only in physical education.

Major requirements*

• PESS126 First Aid and Safety (2 hours)
• PESS212 Swimming (1 hour)
• PESS213 Principles of Physical Education (3 hours)
• PESS215 Applied Motor Learning (3 hours)
• PESS225 Fitness Assessment (2 hours)
• PESS314 Measurement and Evaluation in Physical Education (3 hours)
• PESS323 Exercise Physiology (3 hours)
• PESS325 Teaching Physical Education in the Elementary School (3 hours)
• PESS326 Adapted Physical Education (3 hours)
• PESS332 Kinesiology (3 hours)
• PESS420 Theory of Coaching (3 hours)
• PESS435 Organization and Administration of Physical Education (3 hours)
• PSYC335 Psychology of Sport (3 hours)

Cognate requirements

• ATEP230 Introduction to Athletic Training (2 hours)

Teacher Education Licensure Requirements

• EDUC150 Introduction to Education (2 hours)
• EDUC215 Foundations of Education (3 hours)
• EDUC216 Diversity Field Experience (1 hour)
• EDUC220 Educational Technology (3 hours)
• EDUC238P Teaching Health and Physical Education in the Secondary Schools (3 hours)
• EDUC322 Educational Psychology (4 hours)**
• EDUC323 Introduction to Exceptionalities (4 hours)**
• EDUC343 Home, School, and Community (3 hours)
• EDUC344 Content Area Literacy (3 hours)
• EDUC352 Principles of Effective Secondary Instruction (3 hours)
• EDUC439 Secondary School Methods and Management (4 hours)**
• EDUC440 Student Teaching Seminar (1 hour)**
• EDUC449 Observation and Supervised Teaching in the Secondary School (4-12 hours)**

**Taken after formal admittance to the Teacher Education Program.

Cognate requirement

• MATH215 Introduction to Statistics and Probability (3 hours)
• PSYC112 General Psychology (3 hour)
• PSYC218 Child Psychology (3 hours) or PSYC252 Developmental Psychology (3 hours) 

*2023-2024 Academic Catalog

Southwestern College offers a physical performance and sports studies major that is designed for students who are kinesthetically talented, academically prepared, and have developed strong interests in health, wellness, and assisting in the development of human performance for athletes and individuals. 

The physical performance and sports studies program includes a wide breadth of general and specific academic knowledge and skills across the fields of physical education, exercise, and athletic training.  There are four possible outcomes to the program depending upon the interests and academic abilities of the student:

1. Successful completion of the courses in the major and additional courses.  This approach earns a bachelor’s degree.
2. For students who desire more in-depth knowledge of weightlifting and training, additional course work is added to the program to prepare for and take the certification exam to be a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) who is able to apply scientific knowledge to train athletes for the primary goal of improving athletic performance.
3. Outcomes 1 and 2 plus additional courses in the sciences such as anatomy and physiology as well as nutrition.  Also, additional courses in athletic training are needed. Students completing this major and the additional courses will prepare to become an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certified health fitness specialist.
4. For those with a strong interest in learning science and medicine, an additional certification is possible and it represents the fourth outcome, which leads to the ACSM (Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist).

Career opportunities include assistant coaching in collegiate sports, being a certified strength and conditioning specialist (personal trainer), careers in health and wellness and graduate studies in exercise science.