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Physical Education and Health

Division III Chair: J. Blythe

Program Chair: K. Ambrose

Faculty: T. Ambrose, M. Beagle, N. Cahill, S. Downs, M. Johnson, J. McClung, K. Petersen (Visiting Danish Faculty), M. Srsic, E. Walker, S. Woodie, and S. Williams

The mission of the Physical Education and Health Program is to encourage, inspire, and empower students, through knowledge and experience, to actively pursue growth and development in all dimensions of wellness. The program teaches all students through the General Education program and prepares majors in Physical Education and minors in Health Studies, Health Teaching, and Dance.

The goals of the Physical Education and Health Program are:

  1. To guide and mentor students toward independence and personal responsibility for healthy and active lifetime habits.
  2. To prepare majors to impact the future health and physical education needs of individuals and communities through leadership and service to learners of all ages in many settings, particularly in the Appalachian region.
  3. To create opportunities to apply skills and knowledge through hands-on experiences in Physical Education majors courses.
  4. To lay a foundation for continued growth and development toward self-actualization and a sense of purpose for one’s life.
  5. To provide opportunities for the pursuit of excellence in performance in athletics and dance.

The Physical Education Major provides a broad and solid foundation for pursuit of a variety of professions, such as medical careers, physical therapy, athletic training, teaching, wellness promotion, recreation leadership, and sports management. The Program promotes in the Physical Education student the desire to fully develop the ability to constructively use all of his/her potential capacities for movement, movement analysis, and movement education. Training and experiences are provided that will enhance the student’s skills and knowledge in exercise science, communication, creative self-expression, critical reflection, research, and leadership in the classroom and activity settings.

The Physical Education major requires the student to complete a series of core courses in addition to electives chosen in consultation with an academic adviser. The Physical Education: Teaching P-12 has an established curriculum leading to teaching certification. Students interested in the Physical Education major or the Physical Education: Teaching P-12 major should contact a program faculty member as early as possible in their College career to explore areas of concentration.

The Program also offers minor programs in Dance, Health Studies, and Health Teaching. Certain classes offer the opportunity for applying for certifications such as: Kentucky Teacher Certification in Physical Education and Health (after a 1-year internship following graduation); First Aid; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED); First Aid and CPR Instructor; Water Safety Instructor; Lifeguard; Scuba; Aquatics Fitness Instructor; Coaching; Dance (Kentucky Department of Education Permission as an Arts and Humanities teacher).

All Berea College students are required to complete the Lifetime Wellness requirement of the General Education curriculum. A sequence of three courses totaling one full credit is designed to develop knowledge and skills and to establish habits and patterns of healthy choices for a lifetime. In this sequence, the dimensions of wellness are addressed including: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, physical, and social/interpersonal health. PEH 100: Introduction to Lifetime Wellness is one-half (1/2) course credit, preferably taken the first year of enrollment. Following successful completion of this course, two 1/4-credit PED activity courses at the 200 level are required. These two courses may be selected according to the individual’s need and/or interest. Adaptations allow participation of students with special needs. If the student’s swimming skills are below a minimal safety/survival level at the conclusion of PEH 100, one of the two 1/4-credit activity courses must be PED 200. (Also see “Course Descriptions—200-level, 1/4-credit "PED Activity Courses”  in this section. )

All Physical Education majors will be able to:

  1. Assess fitness, prescribe exercise, develop appropriate programs, demonstrate exercise science knowledge
  2. Understand the importance of integrating all dimensions of wellness into healthy behaviors
  3. Demonstrate competency in a variety of movement activities
  4. Analyze movement
  5. Identify cultural, social, psychological, and historical impacts on profession
  6. Understand and apply principles of motor learning (how people learn movement)
  7. Generate activities (skill progressions) that are developmentally appropriate and safe
  8. Interpret research relevant to the field
  9. Demonstrate quantitative competency relevant to our field
  10. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in ways relevant to the field
  11. Develop confidence in working with diverse populations
  12. Develop skills in leadership and professional networking