Physical Education Teaching, Comprehensive Major

Physical Education Teaching, Comprehensive Major (B.S.)

 The following is a sample degree plan, based on the 2024-2025 catalog. It is based on the 120-credit graduation requirement and assumes no transferred credits, no requirements waived by placement tests, no courses taken in the summer or winter, no repeated courses, and no remedial courses that may be required. This sample degree plan is intended for first-year students entering UW-Eau Claire in the fall semester. Your own degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). UW-Eau Claire cannot guarantee all courses will be offered as shown, but will provide a range of courses that may enable prepared students to fulfill their requirements in a timely period. This sample degree plan is just a guide. Please consult your advisor, your degree audit, and the catalog to create your own degree plan. Note: In order to earn the required minimum of 120 credits for the degree in four years, you should plan to take 15 credits each semester or 30 credits each year. 
To earn a degree, students must fulfill all University Graduation Requirements, including the Liberal Education (LE) Core.  LE Core course work in the following sample degree plan uses abbreviations such as LE-K1, LE-S2, LE-R3, and LE-I1 to represent the learning outcomes students will meet via completion of their liberal education course work.  Please click here for a description of the Liberal Education Core outcomes and requirements.  Note that the LE Core may be completed through both course and non-course experiences.

SOMETIME IN THE FIRST YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
Writing Requirement:2-5
Intensive Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (5 credits, LE-S1)
or
Accelerated Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (5 credits, LE-S1)
or
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing (2 credits, LE-S1)
or
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing for Transfer Students (2 credits, LE-S1)
Science Requirement (K1) choose one:4-5
Physical Science
or
General Physics
KINS 290Introduction to Physical Education (Fall only) 3
KINS 294Anatomical Kinesiology 3
Total12-16
SECOND SEMESTER
BIOL 151Biology of Humans (Spring only, LE-K1)4
MATH 246Elementary Statistics (LE-S2)4
ES 212Exploring Schooling K-12 (50 hours in school observations) *2-3
KINS 305Planning, Implementation, and Assessment: Net Games (Spring only) 2
LE Free Choice: Choose one Communication (S1): course3
TOTAL15-16
SOMETIME IN THE SECOND YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
PSYC 260Educational Psychology (LE-K2)3
KINS 300Planning, Implementation, and Assessment: Invasion Games (Fall only) 2
KINS 303Planning, Implementation, and Assessment: Fitness Concepts (Fall only) 3
KINS 304Biomechanical Kinesiology 3
Choose One Special Education/Early Childhood course: 3
Introduction to Diverse Learners (R3)
or
Introduction to Developmental Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders
or
Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers
or
Introduction to Mild Disabilities
or
Introduction to Inclusive Early Childhood Education
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities and LE Option: Responsibility 1 (LE-R1) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity3
TOTAL17
SECOND SEMESTER
KINS 327Movement Education for Elementary Grades 2
KINS 308Exercise Physiology 3
KINS 335Introduction to School Health Education and Current Health Issues (Spring only) 3
KINS 301Planning, Implementation, and Assessment: Adventure Activities (Spring only) 2
KINS 302Planning, Implementation, and Assessment: Rhythms and Dance (Spring only) 2
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities and LE Option: Responsibility 2 (LE-R2) Global Perspectives3
TOTAL15
THIRD YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
Human Nutrition choose one:3
Human Nutrition
or
Applied Nutrition in Kinesiology (3 credits, KINS 450 Spring/Summer only)
KINS 336Strategies and Assessment in School Health Education (10-15 hours in schools, Fall only) 3
KINS 426Motor Development Across the Lifespan 3
KINS 472Research Methods in Kinesiology I2
KINS 484Adapted Physical Activity 3
LE Free Choice2-3
TOTAL16-17
SECOND SEMESTER - Apply for Admission to Major
ES 385Social Foundations: Human Relations (10-15 hours in schools, LE-R1)3
KINS 337Health Education Curriculum Design (10-15 hours in schools, Spring only) 3
KINS 473Research Methods in Kinesiology II (LE-I1, LE-S3)2
KINS 487Assessment in Adapted Physical Education (Spring only) 3
LE Option: Knowledge 2 (LE-K2) Social Sciences and LE Option: Skills 1 (LE-S1) Written and Oral Communication3
LE Option: Knowledge 4 (LE-K4) Fine Arts3
TOTAL17
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
ES 313Curriculum, Instructional Methods, and Disciplinary Literacies in Grades K-123
ES 314Collaboration, Engagement, and Assessment in Grades K-123
ES 490Historical, Legal, and Philosophical Foundations of Education3
KINS 493Practicum in Adapted Physical Education (90 hours in schools, Fall only) 3
KINS 496Capstone-Teaching Physical Education (Fall only) 1
LE Free Choice3
TOTAL16
SECOND SEMESTER
Student Teaching: 10
ES 441Student Teaching in Elementary Education ^5
and one of the following:5
Student Teaching in Middle Level Education
or
Student Teaching in Secondary Education (5 credits) ^
ES 497Field Experience Seminar (LE-S3 & LE-I1)2
TOTAL12
*

ES 212 requires completion of at least 14 credits, completion of University Writing requirement, and a 2.5 GPA. 

^

Students may instead enroll in ES 440 (Internship Teaching in Elementary Education) and ES 446 (Internship Teaching in Middle Level Education) or ES 475 (Internship Teaching in Secondary Education) if they receive a recommendation from the PETE Program Director. Work closely with your academic and faculty advisors and the field placement office to determine which courses to register for based on your placement. 

This course requires a grade of “C” or higher and may only be repeated twice (COEHS Associate Dean permission required for third attempt).  

Minimum total for the baccalaureate degree = 120 credits

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES (HIPs) The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire encourages all students to participate in High Impact Practices.  The following information identifies any specific recommendations that faculty in this major have concerning which HIPs might be most beneficial to students, and any recommendations about when those HIPs best fit into the degree plan. Students should also consult their faculty advisor for information on HIPs. There are many additional high impact opportunities available. Talk to your academic advisor for more information about incorporating HIPs like Study Abroad, Intercultural Immersion, Internship, and/or  Student/Faculty Collaborative Research into your time at UW-Eau Claire.
Required: Students in the Physical Education major complete field experiences in teaching throughout the curriculum.
Course Suggestions
For LE Option categories, many possibilities exist in the LE Option categories. Students will benefit from combining as many of these requirements as possible (I.e. choosing courses that meet more than one category at once). For category K3, for example, any of the following courses are good choices: HIST 114, HIST 115, HIST 124, HIST 125, RELS 100, WMNS 100.
PSYC 230, 332, 336, SOC 101, GEOG 111, HIST 210, POLS 350: K2, R1
ENGL 130, ENGL 230, ENGL 259: K3, R2
MUSI 111, 112, 114, 224 & AIS 102: K4, R1
MUSI 225: K4, R2
Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Certification: Students will need to independently seek their WSI certification through the American Red Cross. They should be able to proficiently perform the following strokes before seeking their WSI certification: front crawl, side stroke, back stroke, elementary back stroke, breast stroke, and butterfly.
Taking summer and/or winter term courses is suggested to lighten student loads during the academic year. Many required KINS courses and LE courses are regularly offered over summer and winter. Work closely with your academic and faculty advisors to identify which courses to take for summer and winter terms. Declaring a Physical Education Teaching major after your first year may delay graduation. Application to the Teacher Education Program should not occur more than 3 semesters before intended graduation. Students typically apply during the second semester of the third year on the above plan. Application is typically in October or March. 

Application to Major 
In order to submit an application to an Education Program, students must satisfy all of the requirements listed below:

  • Students must have attained at least Sophomore status
  • Students must have a minimum total GPA of 2.5
  • Students will have met the University Writing Requirement (complete Writing 114, 116, 118, or 120 or the equivalent earning a C or better)
  • Students will have met the University Mathematics Requirement (complete one college-level math course earning a C or better)
  • Students will complete an introductory education course with a field placement (e.g. SEIP 208 or ES 212 or the equivalent) with a grade of C or better

Liberal Education (LE) Core Guidance

Liberal Education Core (LE Core) 

The LE Core comprises 17 learning experiences across 11 learning outcomes. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits in courses approved for the LE Core. 

  • K1 – Natural Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K2 – Social Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K3 – Humanities; two experiences. 

  • K4 – Fine Arts; one experience. 

  • S1 – Written and Oral Communication; two experiences (one experience must satisfy the University writing requirement). 

  • S2 – Mathematics; one experience (must satisfy the University math competency requirement). 

  • S3 – Creativity; one experience (can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • R1 – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity; two experiences (one experience must meet the UW System Design for Diversity (DD) requirement). 

  • R2 – Global Perspectives; one experience. 

  • R3 – Civic and Environmental Issues; one experience. 

  • I1 – Integration; two experiences (one experience can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • SL—Service Learning; 30 hours 

Additional LE Core Information 

  • Most LE Core learning experiences are course based, and many courses meet more than one learning outcome (e.g., K3 and R2 or K1 and R3). 

  • Some learning experiences can also be met outside of a traditional course (e.g., undergraduate research (S3), study abroad (I1)). 

  • S1 – An English placement score that fulfills the University writing requirement fulfills one S1 experience. 

  • S1 – A foreign Language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 102 level satisfies one S1 experience. 

  • S1, R2 – A foreign language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 202 level satisfies one experience in S1 and the R2 experience. 

  • S2 – A math placement score that qualifies the student to enter Math 111, 112, 113 or 114 fulfills the S2 experience. 

  • S3 – Completion of two credits from any approved music ensemble fulfills the S3 experience. 

  • I1 – Any semester long study abroad program can fulfill one I1 experience.