About

Are you physically active with a passion to help others be active and value the benefits of an active lifestyle? Do you have an interest in a career that will have a positive lifelong effect on children?

The bachelor of science in physical education degree at East Carolina University is a teaching licensure program intended to prepare tomorrow's physical educators to teach fundamental motor skills, movement concepts, and health-related fitness concepts in elementary, middle, and high-school settings. The program combines rigorous academic course work with carefully designed clinical experiences to produce highly competent educational leaders with the knowledge, skills, and commitment to promote lifetime physical activity and fitness and empower learners to develop their full potential.

The program provides students the opportunity to learn discipline specific content such as: biomechanics, children's movement patterns, sport and games, dance, elementary gymnastics, motor behavior and exercise physiology. The content knowledge is applied in a variety of specific teaching practicum and clinical settings including peer teachings, adapted physical education, and elementary, middle, and high school instruction within the local school systems. The program concludes with a student-selected fifteen week internship placement within the thirty-six school district Walter and Daisy Carson Latham Clinical Schools Network. Upon completion of the program and satisfactory accordance with East Carolina University and North Carolina Department of Public Instruction requirements, students will receive a four year degree and a North Carolina Teaching License in Health and Physical Education.

ECU Advantage

The physical education program is offered through the Department of Kinesiology within the College of Health and Human Performance. The Department of Kinesiology was deemed exemplary in 2012 for faculty excellence in teaching, scholarly activity, and collegiality. The Physical Education program also maintains a collegial relationship with the East Carolina University College of Education, which is recognized as the leading institute for teacher education and placement in North Carolina public schools.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Jeff Pizzutilla (14-A Minges Coliseum; 252-737-2394; pizzutillaj@ecu.edu)

A minimum cumulative 2.7 GPA, documented scores for Praxis I Series (PPST, CBT or documented scores on SAT/ACT), successful completion of the KINE majors' fitness test, and successful completion of the computer competency requirement are required to declare a major in the BS in physical education degree.

A minimum grade of C is required in all courses leading to licensure for successful completion of the degree. A minimum grade of C (2.0) for interdisciplinary human studies concentration courses is required for licensure. See Colleges/Schools and Associated Programs, College of Education, Licensure, for NC teacher licensure requirements.

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

1. General education and special requirements for students preparing to teach and for certification including those listed below - 40 s.h.

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

  • BIOL 1050 - General Biology
  • BIOL 1051 - General Biology Laboratory
    • OR
  • BIOL 1100 - Principles of Biology I
  • BIOL 1101 - Principles of Biology Laboratory I

  • MATH 1065 - College Algebra
  • PHYS 1250 - General Physics I
2. Core - 32 s.h.
  • KINE 2122 - Motor Development
  • KINE 2202 - Motor Learning and Performance
  • KINE 2600 - Movement Education
  • KINE 2850 - Structural Kinesiology
  • KINE 2900 - Teaching Skillful Movement
  • KINE 3000 - Curriculum in Physical Education
  • KINE 3500 - Secondary Content in Physical Education
  • KINE 3540 - Fitness Education
  • KINE 3805 - Physiology of Exercise
  • KINE 3850 - Introduction to Biomechanics
  • KINE 3900 - Elementary School Instruction in Physical Education
  • KINE 3906 - Adapted Physical Education
3. Cognates - 5 s.h.
  • BIOL 2130 - Survey of Human Physiology and Anatomy
  • PHYS 1251 - General Physics Laboratory I
4. Professional studies - 31-32 s.h.
  • EDTC 4001 - Technology in Education
  • EDUC 3002 - Introduction to Diversity
  • EDUC 3200 - Foundations of American Education

  • EDUC 4400 - Foundations of School Learning, Motivation, and Assessment OR
  • PSYC 4305 - Educational Psychology

  • KINE 2123 - Early Experiences for the Prospective Teacher
  • KINE 4323 - Middle and High School Instruction in Healthful Living
  • KINE 4324 - Internship in Exercise and Sport Science
  • KINE 4325 - Internship Seminar: Issues in Physical Education

  • READ 3990 - Teaching Reading in the Content Areas in the Secondary School OR
  • READ 5317 - Adolescent Literacy in the Content Areas

  • SPED 2000 - Introduction to Exceptional Children
5. Interdisciplinary human studies concentration - 12-18 s.h.

A maximum of 6 s.h. of general education designated courses listed below (PSYC 1000 and SOCI 1025) may count towards the university general education requirement. See the program coordinator for more information.

Choose 12-18 s.h. from the following list. Physical education majors must choose 12 s.h. of HLTH or NUTR courses from the following list. 

    Choose 12 s.h.-18 s.h. from the following:

    Courses designated with an asterisk are acceptable for licensure. If you have questions about these courses, please see the program coordinator.

    • BIOL 2130 - Survey of Human Physiology and Anatomy
    • EHST 2110 - Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences
    • HLTH 2000 - Principles of Public Health *
    • HLTH 2050 - Sexual Health *
    • HLTH 2125 - Responding to Emergencies with Basic Life Support *
    • HLTH 2126 - Responding to Emergencies with Basic Life Support Laboratory *
    • HLTH 2220 - Injury Prevention and Care Related to Physical Activity *
    • HLTH 3000 - Theory and Practice in Community Health Education *
    • HLTH 3010 - Health Problems *
    • HLTH 3020 - Understanding and Achieving Health Equity *
    • HLTH 3355 - Trends in Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs *
    • HLTH 4410 - Planning, Implementing, and Assessing Sexuality Education *
    • HLTH 4605 - Community Strategies for Health Education *
    • KINE 2202 - Motor Learning and Performance
    • KINE 2900 - Teaching Skillful Movement
    • KINE 3300 - Applied Sports Psychology
    • KINE 3805 - Physiology of Exercise
    • KINE 3850 - Introduction to Biomechanics
    • KINE 3900 - Elementary School Instruction in Physical Education
    • KINE 3906 - Adapted Physical Education
    • KINE 4806 - Exercise Evaluation and Prescription

    • NUTR 1000 - Contemporary Nutrition *
      • OR
    • NUTR 2105 - Nutrition Science *

    • PSYC 1000 - Introductory Psychology
    • PSYC 4350 - Psychology of Sexual Behavior
    • SOCI 1025 - Sociology of Intimate Relationships
    • SOCI 3325 - Sociology of Human Sexuality
For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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