Physical Education

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Acting Chairperson: Dr. Jeffrey E. Edwards
Departmental Office: Health and Human Services Building, room C-49
Web site: www.indstate.edu/pe/
E-mail: pedept@ indstate.edu

The Department of Physical Education provides the opportunity for students to gain a teaching license; pursue a major in exercise science; and develop physical fitness and sports skills through activities offered as part of the University’s General Education Program.

In support of the liberal arts and science mission of the University’s General Education Program, the department’s course, “Fitness for Life with Laboratory,” meets the two hour physical education credit requirement. Additionally, the department offers elective activity courses in all phases of physical education with an emphasis on physical fitness and sport skills. A student who, because of health status or disability, is unable to participate actively can take Physical Education 100.

The Department of Physical Education is located in the 230,000 square foot Health and Human Services Building. Laboratory facilities include: exercise physiology, motor learning, biomechanics, and instructional analysis laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation. Additional instructional facilities include: two large multi-use gymnasia that include a 200 meter indoor track and various court configurations for basketball, volleyball, badminton, and tennis; an indoor swimming pool, weight training facilities, two dance rooms, ten racquet ball courts; an outdoor 400-meter track, sand volleyball courts, a 30 foot climbing wall, and numerous playing fields.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Degrees Offered

Physical education majors may earn either the bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree. Candidates for these degrees should consult the University requirements for graduation, including General Education requirements, described elsewhere in this Catalog. A minimum grade of “C” is required of all physical education, teacher education, and exercise science majors and minors in all required major/minor classes, including all cognate and/or all support courses for the degree. Further, all students majoring in teacher education must maintain a 2.5 grade point average in both their major courses and in their overall grade point average and complete all the professional teacher preparation requirements of the College of Education. (See the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology.) Graduate program information is provided in the Graduate Catalog.

Departmental Opportunities

The Department of Physical Education faculty is dedicated to providing quality experiential learning opportunities through course design, internships, and service learning projects. Active student groups with close ties to professional organizations in their field are sponsored by the department and available to students. Scholarships are also available for physical education majors. See the Department Chairperson or an academic advisor for information.

Graduates of the Teacher Education Program are qualified to teach in the public schools of Indiana, and most other states, at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. A coaching concentration to prepare students as coaches at the middle or high school level is also available. Exercise science majors are qualified in the continuously growing field of exercise and fitness to work in a variety of areas including cardiac rehabilitation, personal training, and wellness and fitness programs in business, healthcare, or community-based agencies.

TEACHING CURRICULA

Students should be thoroughly familiar with the requirements for the teaching curriculum and admission to the Teacher Education Program. Additionally, students will follow the required sequence of professional courses and admission requirements in the College of Education. Refer to the College of Education and the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology.

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