Physical and Health Education Program

Program Director: Dr Phil Pearson
Progression chart: Found Here

Bachelor of Physical and Health Education

Overview

This course is intended to provide sound academic and professional training for employment as a physical and health education teacher. In NSW, graduates are employed as secondary teachers of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. The course normally extends over a minimum period of four years and offers studies in Physical Education, Health Education, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Educational Foundations and Movement Science. Students will also study subjects that have a cross-curriculum perspective such as Aboriginal Education, Information and Communication Technology, Learners with Exceptional Needs, Educational Research and Risk and Behaviour Management.

Entry Requirements / Assumed Knowledge

Assumed knowledge: Any two units of English.

The NSW Institute of Teachers requirements for employment as secondary teachers in NSW schools are: minimum Band 4 in English (Advanced), English (Standard) or English as a Second Language. Students who do not meet these entry requirements must undergo concurrent studies in English prior to graduation.

Recommended studies: Any two units of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education or any two units of Science.

Course Requirement

Professional Experiences

The course involves placement in schools and other educational settings as part of the Professional Experience component. These experiences usually occur in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Southern Highlands and Southern Sydney schools. Opportunities to undertake a practical teaching experience in Western NSW or countries such as China, Fiji, Malaysia and Thailand may also be available.

Prohibited Employment Legislation

Under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998, all students enrolled in this degree are required to complete a Prohibited Employment Declaration before undertaking any professional experience that involves children or young people.

Preservice teachers who participate in Internship programs in NSW schools will be required to undergo a Working with Children Check.

Literacy Requirements

To satisfy the outcomes of all professional experiences students will require highly developed written and spoken English literacy skills. Students may be required to complete private tuition or courses in English literacy to develop their spoken and written English skills to a level of competency that will enable them to meet professional experience outcomes. These outcomes are required to satisfactorily pass this course.

Honours

Students who have achieved a high level of academic performance in the first two and a half years of the Bachelor of Physical and Health Education may complete the Bachelor of Physical & Health Education at Honours level. Students admitted to the Bachelor of Physical and Health Education with Honours must enrol in EDPR401 - Honours Thesis (18cp) in lieu of 18cp of electives.

Professional Recognition

This degree is accredited with the NSW Institute of Teachers and is recognised as a professional teaching qualification in other jurisdictions nationally and internationally. Students seeing work outside NSW are advised to check with potential employers and other teacher registration authorities for local requirements.

Professional Experience - Policies and Procedures

During your course of study in the Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong, you will be required to undertake a range of professional experiences in each year of your degree. These professional experiences will be associated with both core and elective subjects and will include the formal practicum periods and a range of additional in-school and community experiences.