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.

What You Will Study

Program Co-Coordinators:

The Department of Kinesiology offers the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Physical Education and Coaching Science. The degree program offers two concentrations: Physical Education (Teaching Licensure) and Coaching Science (Non-Licensure).

The Physical Education Concentration (Teaching Licensure) provides candidates with the methods, content, and experiential learning necessary to teach health and physical education in public and private school settings.

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 Physical Education Concentration.

A minimum grade of C (2.0) 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 coursework is required for licensure. See Colleges/Schools and Associated Programs, College of Education, Licensure, for NC teacher licensure requirements.

The Coaching Science Concentration (Non-licensure) provides candidates with the content and methods necessary to coach and /or instruct sport and games in schools and recreational settings.

A minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA and successful completion of the KINE majors' fitness test are required to declare a major in the Coaching Science Concentration.  A minimum grade of C- (1.7) is required for all KINE courses.

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
    • OR
  • BIOL 1150 - Principles of Biology: A Human Approach
  • BIOL 1151 - Principles of Biology: A Human Approach Discussion

  • HLTH 1000 - Health in Modern Society

  • KINE 1000 - Lifetime Physical Activity and Fitness Laboratory I
    • OR
  • KINE 1001 - Lifetime Physical Activity and Fitness Laboratory II

  • MATH 1065 - College Algebra
  • PHYS 1250 - General Physics I
  • PSYC 1000 - Introductory Psychology
2. Core - 19 s.h.
  • KINE 2122 - Motor Behavior
  • KINE 2850 - Structural Kinesiology
  • KINE 2900 - Teaching Skillful Movement
  • KINE 3500 - Secondary Content in Sport and Games
  • KINE 3600 - Coaching Theories
  • KINE 3805 - Physiology of Exercise
  • KINE 3850 - Introduction to Biomechanics
3. Cognates - 5 s.h.

The following two cognates are required for the degree. Each concentration also has required cognates that students are required to take in addition to the cognates listed in this section.

  • BIOL 2130 - Survey of Human Physiology and Anatomy
  • PHYS 1251 - General Physics Laboratory I
4. Concentrations 56-57 s.h.

Choose one of the following concentrations: 

    a. Physical education concentration (teaching licensure) - 56-57 s.h.
      Physical education core - 14 s.h.
      • KINE 2600 - Movement Education
      • KINE 3000 - Curriculum in Physical Education
      • KINE 3540 - Fitness Education
      • KINE 3900 - Elementary School Instruction in Physical Education
      • KINE 3906 - Adapted Physical Education
      Physical education cognates - 12 s.h.

      Select 12 s.h. from the following:

      • 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
      • NUTR 1000 - Contemporary Nutrition
      • NUTR 2105 - Nutrition Science
      Professional studies - 30-31 s.h.
      • EDTC 4001 - Technology in Education
      • EDUC 3002 - Introduction to Diversity or advisor approved course
      • 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
    b. Coaching science concentration (non-licensure) - 56 s.h.
      Coaching science core - 21 s.h.
      • KINE 2050 - Computer Applications in Exercise and Sport Science
      • KINE 2725 - Foundations of Sport Officiating
      • KINE 3109 - Sport Analytics
      • KINE 3300 - Applied Sports Psychology

      • KINE 3880 - Personal Fitness Training AND
      • KINE 3881 - Personal Fitness Training Laboratory
        • OR
      • KINE 4811 - Exercise Prescription for Resistance Training

      • KINE 4025 - Inclusive Fitness Trainer
        • OR
      • KINE 4200 - Adapted Physical Activity

      • KINE 4850 - Group Exercise Leadership Methods
      Coaching science cognates - 6 s.h.
      • HLTH 2220 - Injury Prevention and Care Related to Physical Activity
      • RCSC 4080 - Recreation and Sport Facilities Management
      Approved minor (18-24 s.h.) and course work to complete requirements for graduation
    ECU Minor Requirements Policy

    The university's policy regarding double counting credits between major and minor can be found in the Academic Advisement, Progression and Support Services section of this catalog. See "Minor Requirements".-No more than 9 credit hours required for satisfying a major can count towards the credits required for satisfying a minor, excluding specified cognates (required courses but outside of the major discipline).-Individual programs may have additional restrictions.-A student may not major and minor in the same discipline as defined by the program's 6-digit CIP code. If you have questions, please reach out to your program coordinator or director.

      For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
      Request Revision